The last 2 weeks have been absolutely exhausting; going to bed absolutely knackered at 8 PM were a regular thing...
From Bolivia we took a bus to Arequipa were we had arranged a 3 day horseback riding trip. Sara is a great rider, I lied a bit about the amount of experience I had to get on the trip; but it was worth it! And besides, our guide was more into riding donkeys so she was the slow one of the three of us...
We started off near the Colca Canyon; the most lovely horseman was waiting for us with his best 4 horses. He had put the saddles on already, but sara and I made sure he didn´t do that anymore. If he was getting up at 6AM to get the horses ready, then we were getting up at that time. No special treatment ´you are rich tourists and you paid for everything´. Oh no, we were in this together! And besides, Sara and I had lots to learn, because Peruvian horses have a different way of saddling them up (can you say it this way in English?)
The tracks itself were through remote villages, lovely to see the houses, the kids, the countryside and not see any tourists. It was just me and Morena (that was my horse...!) An absolute feeling of freedom and the feeling ´I am the luckiest person in the world´ returned again in my blood. (did it leave at all....euh, no, not really!)
After this wonderful trip we headed to Cusco to do some serious hiking. Most people walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but since Sara and I don´t consider us as ´most people´ we wanted to do a different track. So we decided to do the challenging Lares Track. Three days hiking and camping and the fourth day at Machu Picchu. Great, we couldn´t wait! We met our guide José the day before and he seemed to know what he was talking about. He told us that because the Inca Trail was closed for another day, that the Lares Track might be a bit more busy as usual. Ah well, we´ll see....Little did we know...
The next morning at 4.30AM José picked us up with....another guide. José couldn´t come (for some unexplained reason) so his friend Brain would take us. Sara and I quickly looked at each other (do you trust this? Yes, no? Yes, we just want to go!). So off we went to the most dodgy busstation I ever been and there we met our cooking lady who turned out not to be able to cook, but she was lovely. And we met Brain´s lovely assissant Eric...we still wonder what his job description was...With the bus we went into the countryside, off to Lares where we met our horseman who took along 2 horses to carry all the stuff. Peruvians have never heard of ultralight packaging...
From the moment we started hiking we had the BEST time. The scenery was truly amazing, Brain was ok, the mountains were stunning, the snow was still present, the ´even-more-remote-villages-than-Arequipa´ were absolutely impressive and best of all; we didn´t meet ANY tourists...Weird hey?! That´s what Sara and I thought as well, so we figured we walked the best track ever, but it was just not the Lares track... Especially because we ended in a village where were not suppose to end...Hilarious!
Anyhow, the hike was fabulous. We crossed villages without electricity, without running water, just a freezing cold river and no place to go to the toilet (great, open air toilets, we love them!). Men and women wearing traditional clothing (they were even playing soccer in them!) and we met the cutest kids you can imagine. In the freezing cold they walk on sandels or barefoot, girls wear skirts without covering their cold legs and while handing out our candy you could feel their ice cold fingers but they just don´t seem to mind. Different world.
On the fourth day Machu Picchu was impressive. We climbed one of the mountains to have a great view over the place; when we got there it was cloudy, so we decided to sit down and wait. The Gods had a positive attitude that morning, because we got the best surprise while waiting. First bits and pieces of the clouds vanished and eventually it was a clear blue sky.
In short: the best ´goodbye´ trip for Sara who has returned home already. Although I was sorry for Sara to leave (great month!) I am quite happy on my own again, enjoying some good sleep-ins till 8AM, interesting musea and finally arranging heaps of stuff I needed to be doing for ages (like figuring out how on earth I am getting to Suriname in 4 weeks time...)
So what´s next. Well, since I noticed that my Spanish is too limited to understand the people, I have decided to go back to school. As of this monday I am taking Spanish lessons!! My plan is to be the absolute language nerd and to make more progress than the rest of my class I am going to stay with a Peruvian family. So Spanish it is from morning till evening!!
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Friendly Bolivia!!!
If there is one thing that pops into my mind about the last weeks, it is that the Bolivian people are friendly people. Although we don´t understand each other often because of my lack of Spanish, I always get the biggest smiles of beautifull happy people. They seem genuinely more happy than a lot of other people, although they have absolutely less material things in life.
The second thing is altitude sickness. Knock on wood, but I was really worried about getting it because I heard so many horror stories, but the only thing I´ve experienced is a ´high´ feeling while waiting at the Bolivian border at 3600 metres and a light head ache the next morning at the same height. In the meantime we´ve been to more than 5000 metres and no worries...thanks to the coca leaves probably!!
Sara and I have been discovering Bolivia in a steady paste. We started of in the South, at Uyuni. We did a trip to the Salt Lakes, the impressive vulcanoes, their colourfull lagoons, the flamingo´s and that was an amazing start. The scenery was stunning, the people in the villages were shy but lovely and the people in our tourgroup (yes, the only way to get around...) were hilarous. Not to forget our excellent tour guide. So we were very lucky all together.
Next stop was Potosi; one of Bolivians most important miners towns. There we took a look deep down. An old miner told us about the ins and outs of the mines, he showed us the rituals and took us down to the fourth level which meant crawling on our hands and knees in pitch darkness...Absolutely irresponsible of course (yes, dad, I know!), but very impressive and interesting. Life expectanty of an average miner; 45 years...
After that we headed to Sucre, one of Bolivians most beautiful cities. Well, that´s what they say. Sara and I have our doubts. Maybe it had to do with the fact that everything was closed on Sunday (so all the amazing musea, the stunning cathedrals etcetc were shut) so don´t be culturally active in Bolivia on a Sunday. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that both sara´s stomach and mine decided to go on strike. Who knows, but we were happy to go to La Paz!!
La Paz was relaxed. My stomach was playing up badly but stomach expert as I am after China and Cambodia, I decided wisely that my body was not coping on its own (yes, Guusje, I am learning!!). So after having three days of medication, my food stays in for longer than an hour. Thank God for the miracle-powder (whatever it was...)
Anyway, La Paz. Since we used coca leaves while being at a high altitude, Sara and I wanted to know more about it and after the interesting visit to the coca museum we have decided that we better not chew too much anymore...we didn´t really realise the leaves are the basics for cocaine...Ignorant or stupid, or just plain Dutch?
And how could we not mountainbike in La Paz. Sara raced the famous ´Death Road´ as a true maniac (ok ok, a very experienced maniac) and I followed her ofcourse, but in a more Maaike-paste. Absolutely loved it, I can truly recommend it!
We left Bolivia via the magnificent Lake Titicaca to arrive safely in Peru where the people are less friendly (10 points for the Bolivians!) but we found the most generous hostel owner who makes up for the grumpy Peruvians we met so far. The next 2 weeks are full of outdoor activities, but more about that in 2 weeks!
Sorry no pictures, but I hope Sara is willing to be a guestwriter in 2 weeks time when she is back in the Netherlands!
The second thing is altitude sickness. Knock on wood, but I was really worried about getting it because I heard so many horror stories, but the only thing I´ve experienced is a ´high´ feeling while waiting at the Bolivian border at 3600 metres and a light head ache the next morning at the same height. In the meantime we´ve been to more than 5000 metres and no worries...thanks to the coca leaves probably!!
Sara and I have been discovering Bolivia in a steady paste. We started of in the South, at Uyuni. We did a trip to the Salt Lakes, the impressive vulcanoes, their colourfull lagoons, the flamingo´s and that was an amazing start. The scenery was stunning, the people in the villages were shy but lovely and the people in our tourgroup (yes, the only way to get around...) were hilarous. Not to forget our excellent tour guide. So we were very lucky all together.
Next stop was Potosi; one of Bolivians most important miners towns. There we took a look deep down. An old miner told us about the ins and outs of the mines, he showed us the rituals and took us down to the fourth level which meant crawling on our hands and knees in pitch darkness...Absolutely irresponsible of course (yes, dad, I know!), but very impressive and interesting. Life expectanty of an average miner; 45 years...
After that we headed to Sucre, one of Bolivians most beautiful cities. Well, that´s what they say. Sara and I have our doubts. Maybe it had to do with the fact that everything was closed on Sunday (so all the amazing musea, the stunning cathedrals etcetc were shut) so don´t be culturally active in Bolivia on a Sunday. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that both sara´s stomach and mine decided to go on strike. Who knows, but we were happy to go to La Paz!!
La Paz was relaxed. My stomach was playing up badly but stomach expert as I am after China and Cambodia, I decided wisely that my body was not coping on its own (yes, Guusje, I am learning!!). So after having three days of medication, my food stays in for longer than an hour. Thank God for the miracle-powder (whatever it was...)
Anyway, La Paz. Since we used coca leaves while being at a high altitude, Sara and I wanted to know more about it and after the interesting visit to the coca museum we have decided that we better not chew too much anymore...we didn´t really realise the leaves are the basics for cocaine...Ignorant or stupid, or just plain Dutch?
And how could we not mountainbike in La Paz. Sara raced the famous ´Death Road´ as a true maniac (ok ok, a very experienced maniac) and I followed her ofcourse, but in a more Maaike-paste. Absolutely loved it, I can truly recommend it!
We left Bolivia via the magnificent Lake Titicaca to arrive safely in Peru where the people are less friendly (10 points for the Bolivians!) but we found the most generous hostel owner who makes up for the grumpy Peruvians we met so far. The next 2 weeks are full of outdoor activities, but more about that in 2 weeks!
Sorry no pictures, but I hope Sara is willing to be a guestwriter in 2 weeks time when she is back in the Netherlands!
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Chile now, Bolivia next
Just a quick note to let everyone know I arrived safely in South America. One day later as planned (after spending a night in a very posh hotel in Auckland) but happy to be on the road!!
My friend Sara and I were reunited in Santiago: after the big hugs we went off arranging stuff straight away. Santiago was ok, but not nice enough to stay long. Moreover, it´s Bolivia we want to go to!!
So no time for the lazy: it took us several hours and several busstations later to find a ticket to Calama, a city near the border. Happy with the ticket we had a next challenge: book a hotel room. So I rang (yes, people, I rang) a hotel and arrange a room IN SPANISH!!! I am so damned proud of myself...Sara and I notice that although our Spanish is probably not grammatical correct, we all seem to understand each other. Great stuff!
First impressions of Chile are great. Loads of men with long hair (remember my fetish for guys with ling hair when I was 16...) and all the women dress very very sexy. Besides that we are just cruising along and heading to Bolvia this sunday. Probably no or slow email there, so no news is good news! (take note to that, dad...)
My friend Sara and I were reunited in Santiago: after the big hugs we went off arranging stuff straight away. Santiago was ok, but not nice enough to stay long. Moreover, it´s Bolivia we want to go to!!
So no time for the lazy: it took us several hours and several busstations later to find a ticket to Calama, a city near the border. Happy with the ticket we had a next challenge: book a hotel room. So I rang (yes, people, I rang) a hotel and arrange a room IN SPANISH!!! I am so damned proud of myself...Sara and I notice that although our Spanish is probably not grammatical correct, we all seem to understand each other. Great stuff!
First impressions of Chile are great. Loads of men with long hair (remember my fetish for guys with ling hair when I was 16...) and all the women dress very very sexy. Besides that we are just cruising along and heading to Bolvia this sunday. Probably no or slow email there, so no news is good news! (take note to that, dad...)
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Change of plans...
New Zealand is coming to an end...With a huge stone in my stomach I am packing my bag. Yes, I am truly looking forward to move on, but I am sad to leave. So you might read some sadness in between the lines in my two new posts although I have very much enjoyed both Hopewell as my last trip!
So what's the plan Maaike? Well, I was suppose to be in Tahiti at this very moment, but I am not...I changed my ticket because it turned out I could fly straight to Chile instead of via Tahiti. And I didn't like the sound of Tahiti to begin with (honeymoon island, very expensive and wrong season to go). So new plan: I am flying to Santiago tomorrow where I will start my South American adventure. Hopefully with enough Spanish (I can say my name, say what I do for a living, order drinks, ask for directions and say how many children I have...) but certainly with heaps of energy and excitement!
So next post: either Chile or Bolivia!!
So what's the plan Maaike? Well, I was suppose to be in Tahiti at this very moment, but I am not...I changed my ticket because it turned out I could fly straight to Chile instead of via Tahiti. And I didn't like the sound of Tahiti to begin with (honeymoon island, very expensive and wrong season to go). So new plan: I am flying to Santiago tomorrow where I will start my South American adventure. Hopefully with enough Spanish (I can say my name, say what I do for a living, order drinks, ask for directions and say how many children I have...) but certainly with heaps of energy and excitement!
So next post: either Chile or Bolivia!!
Last trip...in New Zealand
After spending 6 weeks in the middle of nowhere in Marlborough Sounds, coming back to Christchurch came with a package of mixed feelings: I hated the smell of the city, the crowdedness, the concrete...but I loved watching people, going to the art gallery and cinema, admire the cathedral and drinking nice coffees. But I was not staying for that long because as a goodbye trip, I went on another hiking trip with Patrick to some wonderful hot pools along the Otehake River near Arthur's Pass.
The hot pools were completely different than the ones on Welcome Flat (with Eefje); the pools just happened to be in the middle of the river...Quite incredible and very very hot...(can you see the 'boiling' water?)
While being in the pools it rained a lot (who cares?!) and the trip to and from the pools was very pleasant too. We had to cross some rivers (see picture: I am about to go in and the water came ABOVE my waist) and along the way there were some classic New Zealand picture moments...I guess you understand why I am going to miss New Zealand a lot...
On our way back Patrick decided to do some caving too: we went into Cave Stream. It was truly impressive. Getting into the caves you had to go through water, again halfway my waist, and then we had to continue walking in water, climbing up here and there, falling here and there and all this in pitch darkness (thank God for head torches!). And leaving the cave on hands and knees...I wasn't sure whether I was claustrophobic: turns out I am not...I never knew caving was that much fun!
Mmmm, yeah, New Zealand is a keeper...
The hot pools were completely different than the ones on Welcome Flat (with Eefje); the pools just happened to be in the middle of the river...Quite incredible and very very hot...(can you see the 'boiling' water?)
While being in the pools it rained a lot (who cares?!) and the trip to and from the pools was very pleasant too. We had to cross some rivers (see picture: I am about to go in and the water came ABOVE my waist) and along the way there were some classic New Zealand picture moments...I guess you understand why I am going to miss New Zealand a lot...
On our way back Patrick decided to do some caving too: we went into Cave Stream. It was truly impressive. Getting into the caves you had to go through water, again halfway my waist, and then we had to continue walking in water, climbing up here and there, falling here and there and all this in pitch darkness (thank God for head torches!). And leaving the cave on hands and knees...I wasn't sure whether I was claustrophobic: turns out I am not...I never knew caving was that much fun!
Mmmm, yeah, New Zealand is a keeper...
Hopewell in a pictureframe...
View from the house...
View of musselfarm in sound (one of my mountainbike trips!)
One of many kayaktrips...
'Flessenpost' sounds so much better than 'messages in a bottle'...Anyhow: the view of Marlborough Sounds at Pete's Peak (one of the hikingtrips)
How is that for a sunset?
Collecting mussels from a musselfarm: Phil (Mike's brother)
Musselnight: the green shelled mussels after I attacked them...
Result after an evening fishing with Sam, one of the locals. My catch: red gurnard, snapper and a blue cod. How is that for a first time?!
Part of Hopewells scenic reserve: their 'back yard'
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Itchy feet
Hopewell is treating me well. Cleaning is a very productive and 'rewarding' job. Everyone loves your work, including me when I take a shower in a sparkling clean bathroom! Besides that the surroundings still give me peace and tranquility. Actually, too much probably, because my Spanish is not improving very much. I am too occupied with loads of reading, some serious mountain biking, pleasurable kayak trips and, much to the disgust of my coworkers, I go night swimming each evening before I go to bed. Only my friends the jellyfish stick to me...Literally. But I still love it! Furthermore I still get totally excited when Mike shouts 'Mussels tonight'...Yes Hopewell is a keeper!
Christmas and New Year were joy full; nice food and company, an amazingly dull New Year's party at the locals from which Jill (coworker) and me escape from to hide and celebrate 2008 in the hot tub. My friends Mark and Ellie decided to come over to enjoy Hopewell, and see me of course. It was lovely having them over, even though Mark pushed me in the sea while kayaking...Yes, Mark, this is my story and I am sticking to it! Patrick decided to have a look at this gorgeous place too. Since it was raining a lot, we played a lot of ' vier op een rij' [sorry don't know the English word for it]. Patrick is still devastated by my one golden game...The look on his 'losing' face was priceless. And yes, all the other times I lost horribly.
Another highlight was January 2nd. It was my special day and I made sure everyone around me was as happy as I was: we had some nice wine to celebrate the occasion. 'Why' you might wonder. Well, officially, if I had decided to take the unpaid leave which was offered to me by my boss (well, offered, I forced it upon them, I guess) I would have been back at work on January 2nd. And I truly count my blessings that I am not back in the Netherlands nor back at work. I am really not ready yet. But do I think about work? Yes, in a nice way actually. I am starting to 'fantasize' about my work options, I'm analysing what I love in work and I am excited about all the options and possibilities which 'fly' through my head. So it's all good!
So why the itchy feet? Well, since the end of my travels in New Zealand are nearing (leaving at the end of January) I am starting to realize I truly love New Zealand: the 'dangerous' Ireland-vibrations are going through my body again! On the other hand while organising my Tahiti trip and looking into Bolivia and Peru (and even some interesting reading about Suriname) I cannot wait to move on. So much more to explore!
But for the next 2 weeks I will be staying at Hopewell, making sure that I am definitely not pursuing a career in cleaning after that...
Christmas and New Year were joy full; nice food and company, an amazingly dull New Year's party at the locals from which Jill (coworker) and me escape from to hide and celebrate 2008 in the hot tub. My friends Mark and Ellie decided to come over to enjoy Hopewell, and see me of course. It was lovely having them over, even though Mark pushed me in the sea while kayaking...Yes, Mark, this is my story and I am sticking to it! Patrick decided to have a look at this gorgeous place too. Since it was raining a lot, we played a lot of ' vier op een rij' [sorry don't know the English word for it]. Patrick is still devastated by my one golden game...The look on his 'losing' face was priceless. And yes, all the other times I lost horribly.
Another highlight was January 2nd. It was my special day and I made sure everyone around me was as happy as I was: we had some nice wine to celebrate the occasion. 'Why' you might wonder. Well, officially, if I had decided to take the unpaid leave which was offered to me by my boss (well, offered, I forced it upon them, I guess) I would have been back at work on January 2nd. And I truly count my blessings that I am not back in the Netherlands nor back at work. I am really not ready yet. But do I think about work? Yes, in a nice way actually. I am starting to 'fantasize' about my work options, I'm analysing what I love in work and I am excited about all the options and possibilities which 'fly' through my head. So it's all good!
So why the itchy feet? Well, since the end of my travels in New Zealand are nearing (leaving at the end of January) I am starting to realize I truly love New Zealand: the 'dangerous' Ireland-vibrations are going through my body again! On the other hand while organising my Tahiti trip and looking into Bolivia and Peru (and even some interesting reading about Suriname) I cannot wait to move on. So much more to explore!
But for the next 2 weeks I will be staying at Hopewell, making sure that I am definitely not pursuing a career in cleaning after that...
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