I visited the Sugar Loaf mountain and behaved like a proper tourist, and met Vivki and Andy on Cpacabana Beach, where I discovered that true Brazilians don't drink coffee. The student waiter was most insistant that I understood this. I expect all the coffee was exported.
Off again on 4th January to Cuba... I had waited 46 years to go there! Panama City airport was amazingly full of duty free shops and only one cafe! I arrived in Havana at the correct time and took a taxi to the hotel. It is the best hotel in Havana; I could have been anywhere in the world.
Next morning at breakfast my friends appeared and later at the meeting with their tour guide, another cllleague I hadn't realised was going to be there appeards...It was beginning to be a very good birthday.
Havana is amazing. We had a meal in a restaurant called La Guardia and it was excellent food and decoration, as well as being on the thrid floor in what appeared to be an old apartment block. Back to the hotel for my birthday Cuba Libre and a cigar.
A tour of the city the next day, to include Hemmingway pubs and his home was worth every convertible Peso. I hope to return one day. I drove to the airport in an open top, pink Cadillac.. well worth the extra fiver!
Back home to Christmas dinner and birthday cake... and a flooded student house.... Back to nearly normal.
]]>After cleaning the truck we drove on to Rio de Janeiro. We went to see the statue of Christ yesterday... in the clouds which made it good fun... waiting for the cloud to clear so that we could get photos.
Had lunch in a proper local restaurant... I had the ¨Special¨... mystery meal... excellent choice!
Copacabana Beach was fun... although a bit boring before the fireworks started... we got there too early... not to worry. We even managed to get a taxi back... very expensive but it was worth it to get away fromt the 2,000,000 strong taxi queue!
Cuba on Sunday and then home....
]]>Yesterday we went to the harbour to book our tickets for Uraquay. We will be going there on Wednesday.
After lunch on the water-front, we found our way to Evita Peron´s grave... the cemetry was like a small city, full of mausoleums.
A little shopping on the way back and then I spent the evening in... even cooked a mini-meal!
Today I will drink lots of coffee, visit the main post office for its architectural qualities and a few stamps, and then go to "Boca".. a colourful part of the city.
]]>Travelling overland at least lets you see that, were one to inherit a million acres in Patagonia from a long lost Uncle, one would not need to be too cheerful about it!
It is raining... it hasn´t rained here for 5 months.
Will visit the museum tomorrow. It is near our campsite.
Then there are a couple of days driving before we arrive in Buenos Aires.
]]>We did see the Moreno Glacier and it was very beautiful and big. We went on a boat so that we could get close to it and then viewed it from the top. It was quite spikey and tourquoise
Then we spent three days at Torres del Paine... Very beautiful and we generally had a good time.
Now we have arrived at the most southern part of South America.
Much to my disappointment there is not much snow, however we saw killer whales today. The weather improved and we saw the mountains in sunlight which was good.
More soon, probably once we have left the two free camps behind. There are not many places before we reach Puerto Madryn
]]>We had to spend a night beside Lake Falkner because we had been delayed at the border plus one of the girls had an infection under her skin where she had been sunburnt while climbing the volcano, and she had had to go to the doctor.
On Friday we arrived in Bariloche, which is beside another large lake. We had a good time there. The camp site was good and I was on cook group so I was busy.
We then had two days of driving south to El Chalten. We stopped overnight ina small town, and bought petrol in a petrol station in the middle of nowhere. Having looked at the map I have discovered that we are nearly at the bottom of South America.
The area has many glaciers and stunning scenery. This town is simply for the tourists. There used to be just 36 people living here. It is now quite busy and is in an official National Park.
When we get to the next town of El Clafate I will be going to view a glasier... so full report then.
]]>I felt a bit fuzzy after the long flight but all went well at the airport. The hotel was very nice.
As I had a small kitchen, I went out to get some money and find some food. Stopped in a square to have a coffee and cake and watch the world go by and then chilled out.
Sunday I joined a guided tour of Santiago. It was quick and fun. The presidential Palace was interestingly small. We ended up in a nice jewellry shop...
Met my new travelling companions on Sunday evening. I am definitely the oldest this time, but they all seem fine!
The truck is very different from Penelope... no fridge, inward facing seats, but generally seems good, just different. I am using my own tent...nice!
I think this town of Pucon needs to be chilled out in! There is a lake, an active volcano and an excellent campsite. Almost like being in Germany/Austria/Switzerland.
Travelling is good.
]]>Met up with the friends Tomislav stayed with a few years back, and we had a good chat and a proper meal... lots of vegetables!
Did the cultural things yesterday. It was cold, but today is sunny so am feeling more cheerful.
Am all prepared for the journey.
]]>Sydney has been good and Brisbane was excellent. I even saw the Glass House Mountains and the "Big Pineapple".
No more shopping to do, so i'll go and finish packing and chill out for a while.
I hope Obama wins!
]]>Perth was good fun, as were the other places!
The baby Kangeroo was exceptional value!
Arrived in Sydney last Thursday. have organised visa for Cuba and am now getting ready to go to New Zealand, Chile etc, and Brisbane on Thursday!
Croatians are exceptional hosts!
More soon
]]>I am having an "Admin" day and a drink with the other two early evening on the 73rd floor of an hotel.
Now I am off for some food and then a bit of window shopping. Perhaps it is a good thing that I had my credit cards stolen!
]]>We spent two mights in Melaka before we drove here yesterday. Melaka was a facinating place. It had been invaded by the Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese, British and Japanese, and the influence of all the different nations could still be seen.
The best part attraction was the tri-shaws... highly decorated rickshaws, with the bicyle at the side. It had been a tourist board initiative to decorate them. Some even had their own music systems.
We had our final group meal there and 8 left for Borneo.
I will be here for 5/6 days and then start the last 3 months of my adventure.
]]>Kuala Lumpur has been a shock after the quiet days we spent on the Penhentian island. We have seen the sights and mega shopping centres.
More from Singapore because I will be there for 5 days... discovering many sights... I hope.
]]>We then drove overnight on a bus to Savannakhet. Interesting bus... two of us had money and credit cards stolen from luggage in the hold... nevermind... it could have happened anywhere, but on talking to other travellers it seems to be quite common.
We spent a week on Koh Pha-ngan... very pleasant way of chilling out and getting used to not travelling continuously. The beaches were sandy and the food and drink was very good. The sea was warm as was the pool.
We have since travelled to Malaysia. We spent two nights in Penang... doing a bit of sightseeing and getting used to once again being in a predominantly Muslim country.
We are not in a small port waiting to go across to an island.
10 days and we will be in Singapore. Tomorrow we go across to an island and then to Kuala Lumpa... then Singapore... 6 months seemed a long time at the beginning but it is nearly over.
]]>We spent 2 nights in Pnohm Penh. We had drinks and food at the Foreign Correspondents Club and the next day we went to the Genocide Museum and the killing Fields. It was all very depressing. I think the younger ones in the group could not imagine that something like that could happen
Off to the Russian Market... yes they were here too, selling various things. We had fantastic food at a restaurant which had been set up by an excellent chef, who trains orphans and street children to cook and manage restaurants.
There was some extremely heavy rain and we got drenched at one point running for 20 yards!
The next days we took the bus to Siem Reap. We went to the see the Temples at Angkor Wat... actually Wat means temple... but anyway we saw them all and went through the town where a million people had lived in the 14th Century.
We spent four nights there and and went on a trip to see the largest lake in South East Asia. It was all fascinating, Kirsten held a baby crocdile so that we could have a photo taken. We now have to find an animal for Jo to hold.
The road to the border was very muddy and we managed not to get stuck... although the group that left on Thursday got held up for ages.
A day's shopping here and tomorrow we are off to the south and a week on the beach!
]]>I think I have had a good time for the money... that's all for today.
]]>Dalat was a strange town, but some went on a cable car, others went to the crazy house and even I had a go on the swan shaped pedalos on the lake. I had wanted to go for a ride on the cog railway, to see a pagoda but only three people turned up so the train didn't run!
We had a luxury coach here and arrived mid-afternoon, in time for "Kaffee und Kuchen" and to get a new out fit ordered. I will have to look "ethinic" once in a while!
Today I did the museums... very depressing and horrific... so I have done small time retail therapy since then. Tomorrow will be a boat trip down the Mekong Delta. I went everywhere by rickshaw, because there is no way that I would travel around here on a motor bike, which is another optiom.
This city is very busy and there is a lot to see and buy. Vietnam is worth a visit!
Off to Cambodia on Saturday and then we'll have to double check Thailand before we go there... may be another flight?!
]]>We drove straight to Hue. It is an old town just south of the De- Militarisation Zone (DMZ). The ancient palace had been badly battered by the Americans, and while others went on a river trip to visit various temples or the ruins, 5 of us did a tour of the DMZ. We saw the museum on the old US Base and then went to the coast and went down a tunnel used by the army to get supplies to the south.
Off to Hoi An the next day... fantastic beach, tailored dresses, coats etc and a couple of days of relaxation, although some of us did a trip to see My Son... again a bit damaged, but good to see a UNESCO World Heritage site.
A long journey down here to Nha Trang and our first puncture on any transport since we left the UK. This is a busy city, but still very few cars and lots of bicycles... there are so few cars... no parking problems here. I even went on a rickshaw to the big post office to send a parcel.
Last night I was told that I had won a prize for my blog! This is because only 4 of us have managed to keep them going, and despite the lack of pictures (Sorry about that) I have 680,00 Vietnamese Dong (40 US$)to spend in a beauty/ Massage place... that is a lot of massage! The other 3 won diving lessons valued at the same ammount... I will keep this going now to justify my prize... so watch this space!
]]>Vientiane has that French touch to it. The baby "Arc de Triumf"... sorry French friends I can remember how to spell it... had avenues leading to two sides of it. Any way, Jo, Kirsten and I did a Tuk Tuk tour of the city... we did all the sites and tried to see the National Museum, but it was shut. We favour the form of transport because the open sides make it cool on a hot day.
The Mekong is very high so there are sand bags everywhere. The Buddha Park has very wet, and a bit smelly, but it was worth visiting. We visited four temples and wizzed passed the Friendship Bridge that links Laos to Thailand.
Two more days and we will be in Vietnam.
]]>Chiang Mai had plenty to see and clearly smaller than Bangkok. We went to the night market, visited various temples, sent things back to the UK and even went on night safari... which was a bit like Disney World but with animals.. it was basically a zoo at night... but it kept us entertained... as did the Tuk Tuk, which ran out of petrol and we had to be towed by another Tuk Tuk to the Tuk Tuk garage to refuel!
Mini busses to the Laos border, where we had a table barbeque Thai style. That was very good fun. I chatted to a German couple at the hotel... they thought I was Dutch!
The next morning we went to the river and crossed to the other side to get our Visas for Laos. They were the quickest visas so far. Then to our long tail boat, for our cruise down the Mekong!
We had drinks and lunch on the boat and stopped for the night at Pak Beng. Boats are not allowed to travel on the river at night. Once we had negotiated the muddy river bank and the floods, we stayed the night and wandered about the village.
The Mekong is very full and very brown! It was a very relaxing two days.
Luang Prabang is very small but we have to stay here four or five days in order to collect our visas for Vietnam. The night-street Market is wonderful... I think I will have a few things to send home from here!
]]>It is so quiet... the drivers use their indicators instead of their horns!
Not much to report yet... a river boat as far as the Sky Train and then a bit of shopping in a huge shopping mall.
The train awaits us tomorrow and then I am sure there will be much to report!
]]>Katmandu had been very noisy and it took me a while to orientate myself in the narrow streets... not a surprise really as I still get lost n the Old Lanes of Brighton.
I did take a flight to see the summit of Mount Everest. A small plane that does a one hour round trip, most days and only goes if they know that the summit is clear. Had we gone to Everst Base Camp in Tibet, we may not have seen the summit. We had had to get up early, so most of us had a nap after breakfast.
The Last Resort has the highest Bungy Jump in the world. To get into the resort you have to cross a suspension bridge... which was scary enough, without actually jumping off it! The younger ones had a good time and it was quiet and relaxing after the noise and traffic of Katmandu.
We are back in Katmandu for one more night and then we fly to Bangkok. A train journey and a river journey await us as well as a new diet and lots to see in S.E. Asia
]]>After an over night stay at the border town we drove to Butwal on the aturday, so as to get as far as possible through the counrty before protests about the diesel shortage might hold us up.
Then a day in Palpa which was just 40 KM down the road... very nice restaurant there serving us Nelapese food... the the back ground noise of a protest about the diesel and parraffin shortage.
Yesterday we arrived in Pokhara, which is an old hippy town which has developed into quitea tourist resort which a shopping promenade along the shore of the lake.
Before leaving India we went to the Corbett National Park. We even went on a jeep safari to see if we could see any tigers or elephants but they we all sheltering from the rain!
Off to Katmandu in a couple of days.
We had beef steak last night... the first since Bishkek!
]]>So, we are now close to the ganges and at the place where the Beatles came over 40 years ago.
Dharamshala was very pleasant. The Tibetan refugees seem less agressive that the locals. It was very damp there and the cloud rose from the valley every morning when I had breakfast... fantastic view!
Since then we have driven here via chandrigarh. We crossed a swollen river in the truck yesterday. We drove quite easiley through the water. We will spend three nights here before going to a national park, where we might see tigers.
India is not as hectic in the smaller towns and cities. All is still interesting
]]>After the fresh air of Kyrgystan, Dehli seemed quite suffocating. We did a bit of sight seeing and managed to arrange train tickets to Agra.
The train journey was hectic but we arrived in Agra and were booked in to a pleasant hotel very close to the Taj Mahal.
Yes it is very impressive... however, after returning to Dehli, we joined the new truck and our first stop on out journey towards Dharamshala, was a place called chandigarh. It was recommended to visit the Rock Garden. It was one of the most pleasant afternoons I have ever spent. It was a garden made or constructed from rubbish! It was delightful.
Since then we have driven further into the Hymalayas and are not at Dharamshala. We are off to visit the Dalai Lama's monastery tomorrow.
]]>Well, we are now in Bishkek.
Plan C/D is now in operation!
We left Baku on the ferry across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan. To cut a very long, three day story short, we could nott dock. We were anchored for two days within sight of thwe post but we couldn't dock. It was a strange three days but we entertained ourselves, read a lot and found various things to eat!
Eventually we were back on the truck. It was a mad dash to Ashgabat so that we could see the mega sunday market.
We stayed in a four star hotel in the very clinical town We extended our visas... the first visitors to manage it. After three two days there we drove off through the Karakum desert toward Uzbekistan. It was very hot. We stopped to camp one night so that we could see the man-made gas crater... quite spectacular. One night beside a man-made river and a short visit to an historic site close to the border with Uzbekistan.
At the border we were met by Jalol who eased our way through customs. We were now on the largest part of the Silk Road. First Khiva, then Bushkara, Samarkand and Tashkent. We saw every madrahsa, mosque, caravansaray worth seeing. It is all very impressive. The scenery in between was a bit monotonous...cotton fields or desert.
After Uzbekistan Kyrgystan awaited us. A complete change. Very little man-made culture to view but incredible scenery. After one night in Osh we began to make our way towards Song Kul lake. Amazing, from the mountains to the moon rise!
In the mean time we had learnt in Bushkara that the truck would not be allowed into China. Plan B was to drive across into Pakistan and into India... I decided to go straight to Katmandu and meet up with the others there....
By the time we arrived in Bishkek for the first time we knew that the Pakistani visa would take 4 weeks.... and by then the Chinese visa would have expired.....
Plan C was organised that same day and we would all fly to India, Pete would rent a truck from another firm which was sitting in Katmandu and we would then do India and Nepal. We will fly from Calcutta to Bangkok to pick up possibly another truck.
At the moment we are waiting for visas and hope to complete the journey to Singapore, all be it a different way round.
4 People decided to go to china as a small group.
I hope to continue more frequently now.
And no complaints so far!
]]>Photos have been saved to disc, so there won't be many for a while.
Hiowever,,, Georgis was fantastic. A mixture of hotels, bush camping and guest houses.
The first night at Batumi was in a converted ship. We went for a Georgian evening and had excellent food and the locals danced local style. excellent fun.
Then we went to Mestia. A small town up in the Caucasus Mountains. On the was there one of the spings in the truck broke so we made an emergency camp in a firld, cooked the evening meal while the sping was replced... the two tons of spares ar coming in handy!
The locals entertained us with dog fighting, horse riding and there was a game of football with the kids. It rained over night and the truck was stuck in the mud. The police had guarded us all night and they called in the army to help.... we used the sand mats and eventually Penelope made her own way off the fireld. We stayed in a guest house and we over-fed(!) Georgian food.
We went to see the highest village in Europe the next day, travelling on four whell drive mini busses. The area is famous for its siege towers, which allegidly contain many antiques.The road was again a bit "narrow".
Off to Tibilisi. A city which is being renovated and beginning to come alive. We went to a Russian evening... lots of fun again.
Wine tasting, another guest house... clearly built by "party officals"... more Georgian hospitality... some got very drunk. We watched the European Football Final and were driven back to meet the group in a new Mercedes.
A Party in a bush camp was our last night in Georgia, before going in to Azerbaygan.
We Went up to Sheki and looked at a Caravansaray and a Khan's Palace. The beginning of our part of the Silk Road. Another detour to a mountain village, again via a mountain road, where half the bridge was missing at one point... may be we are being trained for things to come!
A Bush camp near some mud volcanoes and now we are in Baku, waiting for a ferry. In an hotel and it is another birthday night today... a cake is being purchased as I write.
Turkmenistan next...
]]>The camp sıte ın Göreme was excellent wıth ımmaculate showers etc. The vıew from there slone was excellent.
Most of the group went balloonıng over the landscape early on the last mornıng. I photographed them from the ground! We also went to a Turkish evenıng whıch was fıne... not too Kitsch!
It was a good place to relax and catch up on mundane thıngs lıke washıng, once the weather had cleared. The Truck was mopped and all the boxes were sprıng cleaned.
On the last day we went to a carpet makıng demonstratıon and I bought a carpet/rug made of natural wool colours and a watermelon desıgn. It ıs now hopefully flyıng to Brıghton!
Any one who wants to know ıf they should joın such an adventure... so far we have had excellent food and fun but good organısatıon... no complaınts yet! Polıtıcs are ımportant... we met a famıly on another truck... Amerıcans needıng Iranıan vısas... not a good ıdea!
Since Göreme we have drıven ın the dırectıon of Trabzon whıch we reached thıs mornıng. We had two nıghts of 'Bush Campıng', whıch ıs actually good fun... no showers but other than that all was fun. We stayed ın the garden of a pub yesterday... toılets but no showers... all good fun.
The scenery changes rapıdly... lots of sleepıng and readıng on the Truck.
We have just been to see an Othodox Church whıch ıs now a museum because of ıt's frescos. After a 'Turkısh fast food lunch' we wıll spend a bıt of tıme ın the town and go to the campsıte besıde a trout farm and close to a monastery.
Only problem so far had been my mobıle phone whıch had problems chargıng... Edele seems to have fıxed that.
Off to Georgıa on 15th May.
]]>