Arica, Putre & the Lauca National Park

I had started this post, and will leave most of it as already written,  before we suddenly had to change our plans as Craig wrote in the last 2 posts.

We continue to find Chile very friendly. Arica, on the Peruvian border is a city of of ~230 000 people on the ocean, and in the desert and its downtown area resembles some in Europe more than what we saw in Peru - pedestrian streets and all.
I enjoyed the youngish guys we saw perform in cross walks when the cars were stopped - they didn’t hold up traffic and quickly walked around with their hats once the light turned.
There are plenty of traffic lights and cross walks, and cars yield to pedestrians even when there are no lights. This has not been the case where we visited in Peru. But the language barrier continues to be a problem. Only one woman spoke English at the airline office, and we continue to use google translate when my extremely limited Spanish fails at hotels and guest houses.

Link to Arica, Putre & Lauca pictures

Arequipa & the Colca Canyon

Seems the nuns had a huge library at their convent; now a museum

Craig’s haircut by an almost 80-year-old barber

Craig has taken interesting pictures also from our recent bus trips in southern Peru. Will post 3 towards the end of the text; not sure if I cropped them too much...

From Cusco we flew to Arequipa, the 2nd biggest city in Peru. Downtown is built with sillar, a white rock, mostly by the Spanish, and it is considered one of the prettiest cities in Peru. It is in the desert, and surrounded by tall volcanoes, some of which are active per a taxi driver. The center of town is very nice with a colorful Plaza de Armas (again). The outskirts are poor, grey and dusty, as seen from the bus to the Colca Canyon, ~6 hrs inland.

We had read about hiking options in both the Cotahuasi, and the Colca Canyons. The latter is a very popular tourist destination, and we had thought going to Cotahuasi might be more fun. But it is even further away, and the bus schedules are very inconvenient. So we took a local bus to Cabanaconde, one of the main places to see the Colca Canyon from. Both of these canyons are amongst the deepest in the world. On the trip there the conductor seemed to fill up the radiator several times.. Craig was a bit worried because you go through desert the entire way.

Link to Arequipa & Colca Canyon pic’s

Cusco & Our Vilcabamba Trek

Part of an Inca Temple Site 

Trekking..

Llamas at Machu Picchu

Cusco is a very nice town of some 100 000 people. The historic center is full of tourists, but this didn’t bother me. They mostly looked like us in their ‘trekking’ pants etc. Both the usual 20-somethings and now also people our age. We were told the town is safe, and we walked all over the historic center with no difficulties. At an elevation of some 11 100’ (3400m), the many steep stairs presumably helped us get ready for the even steeper slopes on the trek.
Our first morning in Plaza de Armas (seems all central squares in Peru share this name), I initially laughed when a shoe shining man wondered if we wanted our hiking boots cleaned. Then I noticed a guy on a bench having his boots cleaned... Ours were by no means very dirty - seems worth their while to ask, though.

Link to Cusco, trek and Machu Picchu pictures

Caraz

Caraz is a small town north of the tourist hub of Huaraz. Both are gateways to the Huascaran National Park, which is in the central Peruvian Andes. Plenty of mountaineers come here, and others do multi day treks. There are several ‘official’ day hike options, but getting to/from the trailheads is a bit challenging. We have taken taxis to be assured of getting back to the guesthouse.

Laguna Paron

We took a bus (8 hrs) to Huaraz from Trujillo, and couldn’t see anything because their windows are covered with some UV protective plastic. We both felt the altitude going over the almost 14 000’ pass (4225m), but could relax in our luxurious VIP seats - wide lounge chairs which reclined. Worth the extra few $ (total still < $20 pp).
There were the inevitable delays, and we arrived after dark. A friendly gentleman offered help finding the guesthouse. We declined, went on our way, but had to check the directions briefly a few blocks away. The gentleman was there again. Fortunately I had read about this scam - they offer to walk with you, but all does not end well.

Link to Caraz pictures

Trujillo

Pelicans and fishing nets at Chan Chan

We survived our most chaotic flight ever. Against all my predictions, Craig got his backpack a day late, and intact.
My earlier fears were quickly realized - communicating here is pretty much impossible for us. Am trying to get at least 10 min in daily of Spanish lessons - hopefully I’ll manage better in a month.

Have taken more taxis in 3 days, than we have in the past 30 years I think. Spent today walking. Figuring out how to get to some places by bus was too convoluted, and other areas are not safe for walking - for tourists.
There are electric fences, bars on all windows, impressive locks on the doors.. Craig said our apartment is like Fort Knox.

Link to Trujillo pictures

The Adventure Continues

On our way to Vermont

An earlier trip to leave ‘stuff’ with friends near Boston.

On our round-the-world trip, we managed 36 flights without mishaps. No lost bags, no cancelled or even seriously delayed flights, no gate-checked carry-ons, no bad food (ha ha, just kidding about the last one!). Well, the averages have caught up to us. On the first leg of our flights to Peru, we were told to gate check our carry-on backpacks at Logan. A-M managed to get hers aboard (and stowed) regardless. Then we were told we had to disembark while mechanics worked on a hydraulic leak. Later we were called to the podium and told we were being rerouted through Miami. The airline cancelled the flight, though they weren't admitting it. Now we are just hoping our bags don't get lost and that the gods of travel aren't still looking to get even.

Schooner at home in Round Pond, ME

It’s been a very nice month of visiting with friends! The weather has mostly cooperated; we have made use of all the many (food) bags, the 2 bikes, the one boat....that we brought along from Ashford. Our stuff is now strewn around metro Boston, and we cannot thank our many friends enough for allowing us to leave everything until we return. When? - still to be determined.

We should land in Trujillo, Peru tomorrow morning, and we’ll see if I can manage a few polite phrases in Spanish. We realized in rural Ecuador this past spring, that my rusty, basic Italian was insufficient, and that no one spoke English outside of the guest houses. I have spent hours using duolingo over the past 18 days - which I have enjoyed. Can only hope people will see I am trying.

Ecuador

Ecuador late April & early May 2019.

Written at the end of the trip mostly, and added to the blog a few months later.

2 nights in Quito before a week long tour of the Galapagos; then 3 nights again in Quito to acclimatize before a week on our own south of Quito by local buses with the goal of seeing villages and doing the 3-day Quilotoa Trek (sleeping and eating in guest houses).

link to Ecuador pic’s

One More Flight

RANDOM COMMENTS ON OUR WAY HOME

I do not know how to describe how we feel now that we are headed home. We definitely look forward to seeing everyone again. I want to make sure the basement doesn’t get moldy as the house has been empty for awhile. But had we planned to be somewhere else now, we would be eager to go to that place. Meaning, we are not home sick yet. It will be nice to get back on the bikes as we barely have ridden since April, and it definitely is nice to know we like our bike routes at home. The fact we have pulled this whole trip off is pretty amazing in itself, and we appreciate the efforts of SO many friends who made it possible!!
Unfortunately we haven’t yet found a concise way to summarize our experiences is so many different parts of the world, but Craig is getting better!

Finland and Stockholm

Seems we started Our Big Adventure, and will finish it, by visiting friends, and getting guided bike tours.
Already in South Africa we had fun with Bev&Chris and their extended family, including the next generation. It’s fun to hear what young people are up to.
Here in Finland, Irmeli had gathered 10/20 class mates to celebrate 40 years as PTs. I am happy I don’t feel as old as this means I am.

Link to Finland & Stockholm

South Africa 2

We are now at Madikwe, a game preserve north of Johannesburg, on the border with Botswana, with Bev&Chris, and their family and friends. Craig and I are very thankful to our friends for all their African travel suggestions, help, and the invitation to join them here. We had wanted to plan some type of safari, but the commercial ones are super expensive. Through their connections, we learned of the places we went to in Namibia, and we all got a special deal, in a beautiful big lodge here. Craig & I have our own large room, and e.g an outdoor shower, where you can listen to exotic birds, loud baboons, or trumpeting elephants while enjoying warm water!

Link to 2nd safari. Now in South Africa

Craig’s videos:
Bull elephant in must
Lion stalking Cheetah
White Rhinos
Lion brothers at poached Rhino

South Africa 1

South Africa

Am hoping we can publish our 2 posts from here before we leave - we are at the airport in Johannesburg, on our way to Finland. Haven’t had regular enough internet connections since we arrived in Africa a few weeks ago.

From high mountains & altitude problems, to dry desert with wild animals up close, to a stormy coast where many ships have perished. Before the last part, we have enjoyed local info and expertise staying with Bev’s sister Jenny, and her partner Roy, outside of Cape Town. And more visiting with friends here, and then in a totally different setting, Finland, is coming up. A lot of contrast, which probably is why we don’t feel any need to go home soon, even though we are looking forward to catching up with our friends there in a few weeks.

Link to South Africa 1