I added San Diego as part of my itinerary after a met a fun guy in a club in Vegas. He gave me his number and said it was worth checking out the area and he could catch up and take me out.
Unfortunately the week I arrived he was on call at his hospital so he couldn't meet up. Instead he sent me a list of places worth checking out.
I stayed in a hotel right on Pacific Beach. This was a nice area with more of a college crowd. I spent a few days checking out the area and went to Sea World and the Aircraft Carrier Museum. I also went out on my own a few nights but I always find it a little difficult breaking the ice with new people.
Instead I thought I would try something different and joined the couch surfing community. If you're not familiar with it check out couchsurfing.com
I posted a message on the San Diego forum asking if anyone was up for going out on the Friday and Saturday night. This proved fairly lucrative. On the Friday a guy, Taylor, contacted me and met me in bar downtown and then on Saturday a single mum, Lori (mother of two), contacted me and arranged to go out to a local town (35mins away) where her friend, Christine, was living. She had also invited another 2 guys. One was a German, Marco, and he was couch surfing around the States and was currently staying with his host, Ben. We all arrived at the small town on Sat night and had a home cooked meal and then began drinking a few vodkas. By the time we headed out at 10pm the girls were pretty drunk. It all ended after two local bars at 12pm when one of the girls basically was too drunk to be let in anywhere. All in all an interesting experience and I ended up having my first night on a couch. My last day was spent watching the Superbowl in my hotel and then checking out a club with Ben and Marco in the evening.
San Diego is certainly a nice place to live but maybe a little quieter than most of the other big US cities mainly due to being so spread out. Still it was worth checking out and this town gets some of the best yearly weather in the States.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Whipping up a hurricane in New Orleans
For New Orleans I decided to try out my first hostel experience since 2000. I booked into what I thought was a social funky little hostel slightly out of town called India House. Upon arrival I am shown to the private room out the back of the hostel. It is literally a wooden shack with two rooms. My room had old saloon wooden doors from floor to ceiling and which were held together rather crudely by an old padlock. You couldn't swing a cat in this room. It had a bed, a mirror, small heater and two clothes hooks. Total contrast to my five star luxury in Jamaica. The small window was above the bed and you could feel the cold seeping through. The girl showing me to my room must have noticed the shocked look on my face as she kept repeating, "Are you OK?". "I'm just a bit tired" I reply.
Not to worry at least I will meet lots of cool people to go and watch some bands with. I take a 15min walk down the street to go to the local store and pickup some breakfast and lunch supplies. It is now after dark and it soon becomes evident that the streets aren't exactly safe. The streets are dimly lit and I find myself looking over my shoulder constantly as my mind creates moving shadows.
I make it safely back to the hostel and hang around but not many people seem very forthcoming to conversation. It takes me two nights to realise that perhaps this wasn't such a great idea and I'm beginning to get a head cold from my room. I leave on the third day and check-in to a 4 star hotel next to the French Quarter. This as it turned out was a blessing. The room was nice and on the first night despite feeling a bit under the weather still I head across the road for some food at a Hawaiian Restaurant/Bar. After dinner I sat at the bar, watching a close fought basketball game on one of the many large LCD's (a common sight in most bars in the US). I get chatting to a few local women next to me.
Maybe they are technically cougars (women over 40 looking for younger men) I'm not sure, but they seem nice enough. They are heading to a bar on the fringe of the French Quarter to listen to a band. They offer me a lift and before I have to think what the..?! we arrive and the band is excellent. Walter "Wolfman" Washington is playing guitar and singing with a backup of a drummer and horn section. They play music from Jazz Funk to Swing. All in all an unexpected but totally fulfilling night and just what New Orleans for me is all about. One of the cougars even gets chatting to another American girl from LA who gives me a lift home at 4am. Perfect night.
The following days that ensued would take too long to write here but needless to say I saw some great music, ate some good grub, had a tarot reading, went on a ghost tour, drank the famous hurricane cocktails and met some amazing people from Mexico through to Chicago. I hope to catch some of them again soon. If you like good food and live music then New Orleans is definitely a place to check out. It is quite dangerous to walk outside the main areas but the locals in the bars and restaurants are really friendly and welcoming. The famous Bourbon St gets packed during the weekend and it's a bit of a young party crowd. It has a large array of Strip clubs and bars - many containing scantily dressed waitresses selling test tube shots. Here they place the shots in places like between their breasts so you have to try and get them out with your teeth. Hey when in Rome....!
When you tire of the Bourbon St experience then there are some more cool local places on the outskirts of the French Quarter to hear the more traditional Jazz music and there are many artists playing in venues across the city every day of the week.
Next stop San Diego!
Not to worry at least I will meet lots of cool people to go and watch some bands with. I take a 15min walk down the street to go to the local store and pickup some breakfast and lunch supplies. It is now after dark and it soon becomes evident that the streets aren't exactly safe. The streets are dimly lit and I find myself looking over my shoulder constantly as my mind creates moving shadows.
I make it safely back to the hostel and hang around but not many people seem very forthcoming to conversation. It takes me two nights to realise that perhaps this wasn't such a great idea and I'm beginning to get a head cold from my room. I leave on the third day and check-in to a 4 star hotel next to the French Quarter. This as it turned out was a blessing. The room was nice and on the first night despite feeling a bit under the weather still I head across the road for some food at a Hawaiian Restaurant/Bar. After dinner I sat at the bar, watching a close fought basketball game on one of the many large LCD's (a common sight in most bars in the US). I get chatting to a few local women next to me.
Maybe they are technically cougars (women over 40 looking for younger men) I'm not sure, but they seem nice enough. They are heading to a bar on the fringe of the French Quarter to listen to a band. They offer me a lift and before I have to think what the..?! we arrive and the band is excellent. Walter "Wolfman" Washington is playing guitar and singing with a backup of a drummer and horn section. They play music from Jazz Funk to Swing. All in all an unexpected but totally fulfilling night and just what New Orleans for me is all about. One of the cougars even gets chatting to another American girl from LA who gives me a lift home at 4am. Perfect night.
The following days that ensued would take too long to write here but needless to say I saw some great music, ate some good grub, had a tarot reading, went on a ghost tour, drank the famous hurricane cocktails and met some amazing people from Mexico through to Chicago. I hope to catch some of them again soon. If you like good food and live music then New Orleans is definitely a place to check out. It is quite dangerous to walk outside the main areas but the locals in the bars and restaurants are really friendly and welcoming. The famous Bourbon St gets packed during the weekend and it's a bit of a young party crowd. It has a large array of Strip clubs and bars - many containing scantily dressed waitresses selling test tube shots. Here they place the shots in places like between their breasts so you have to try and get them out with your teeth. Hey when in Rome....!
When you tire of the Bourbon St experience then there are some more cool local places on the outskirts of the French Quarter to hear the more traditional Jazz music and there are many artists playing in venues across the city every day of the week.
Next stop San Diego!
Yah Man. Nah Problems Man.
After arriving at my hotel in Montego Bay I slept for about 15hrs straight. The plan was to relax in the beautiful surrounding and lie on the beach. Of course nothing ever happens as you plan it...
It was my first time at an all inclusive place and so a new experience. The hotel itself was only a few months old and my room and the facilities were top notch, You really did not need to leave the hotel unless you wanted of course to visit some other beaches or Bob Marley's home.
I found the Jamaicans for the most part very welcoming. There are a few rude staff members and I've seen similar comments posted around but at my particular hotel they have a group dedicated to arranging activities and games for the guests. They were truly excellent and made a real effort to make you have fun whilst having lots of fun themselves. Even after hours a few of the staff came to clubs in the center of town with me.
I took advantage of the some the activities like sailing, beach volleyball and ping-pong. Of course you have great food on offer throughout the day at the all you can eat buffets. You can drink as much or as little as you want including cocktails on all the best top self liquor. There are also several restaurants open in the evening for you to try. My hotel was part of a chain of hotels called Iberostar. They had a slightly cheaper sister hotel next to mine which was also free for you to use the facilities of that hotel although those guests could not venture into our hotel. There is a nightclub at the back of my hotel which kicks off about 11pm after the various entertainment shows in the theatre. My hotel was actually very quiet with not many guests which is good and bad. The bad is that you end up drinking a lot on your own but the good is that you are waited on hand and foot and never have to go to the pool early to reserve your spot.
As the week progressed I did start to meet some people and get to know the staff a little better. From the Thursday night until the Monday I went out pretty much every night until 4am. I had 3 nights where I went to a few places in the center of town. The dancehall reggae moves are a little bit like getting a lap dance for free. Interesting to witness and partake although a little degrading for women me thinks. Because of the late nights I never took any of the tours around Jamaica itself but to be honest the landscape is similar to many other islands I have visited and I just didn't feel like checking out more beaches or waterfalls. Of course the hotel doesn't want you to leave either and you are frequently warned how dangerous Jamaica can be to wander around on your own esp. at night.
So did I feel relaxed and chilled after Jamaica? Absolutely not. I was even more tired than before I arrived. Next stop, New Orleans!
It was my first time at an all inclusive place and so a new experience. The hotel itself was only a few months old and my room and the facilities were top notch, You really did not need to leave the hotel unless you wanted of course to visit some other beaches or Bob Marley's home.
I found the Jamaicans for the most part very welcoming. There are a few rude staff members and I've seen similar comments posted around but at my particular hotel they have a group dedicated to arranging activities and games for the guests. They were truly excellent and made a real effort to make you have fun whilst having lots of fun themselves. Even after hours a few of the staff came to clubs in the center of town with me.
I took advantage of the some the activities like sailing, beach volleyball and ping-pong. Of course you have great food on offer throughout the day at the all you can eat buffets. You can drink as much or as little as you want including cocktails on all the best top self liquor. There are also several restaurants open in the evening for you to try. My hotel was part of a chain of hotels called Iberostar. They had a slightly cheaper sister hotel next to mine which was also free for you to use the facilities of that hotel although those guests could not venture into our hotel. There is a nightclub at the back of my hotel which kicks off about 11pm after the various entertainment shows in the theatre. My hotel was actually very quiet with not many guests which is good and bad. The bad is that you end up drinking a lot on your own but the good is that you are waited on hand and foot and never have to go to the pool early to reserve your spot.
As the week progressed I did start to meet some people and get to know the staff a little better. From the Thursday night until the Monday I went out pretty much every night until 4am. I had 3 nights where I went to a few places in the center of town. The dancehall reggae moves are a little bit like getting a lap dance for free. Interesting to witness and partake although a little degrading for women me thinks. Because of the late nights I never took any of the tours around Jamaica itself but to be honest the landscape is similar to many other islands I have visited and I just didn't feel like checking out more beaches or waterfalls. Of course the hotel doesn't want you to leave either and you are frequently warned how dangerous Jamaica can be to wander around on your own esp. at night.
So did I feel relaxed and chilled after Jamaica? Absolutely not. I was even more tired than before I arrived. Next stop, New Orleans!
Viva Las Vegas!
Vegas is the start of my tour in the US. Of course this place is unlike anywhere else. An Adult Disneyland. People are amazed when I tell them I lasted 2 weeks in Vegas but there is a lot to do and see and I don't remember ever being bored.
I arrived on the 29th Dec and met my friend, Anna. We pretty much made the most of our 8 days together by exploring all the hotels and casinos. Then eating at some of the excellent restaurants and buffets. We saw many shows, the best being 'O' and 'Zumanity' by Cirque Du Soleil and the worst being the magician, Chris Angel. 'Don't Believe the Hype' is what it should have been called!
We spent New Year having a few drinks in our luxury condo at MGM Grand Signature towers before heading to the casino to win a bit of money on roulette and then onto the streets to join all the other revellers for the countdown. You can actually take drinks onto the street in plastic containers. The countdown was a bit of a disappointment and the fireworks also were nothing special. Apparently this year they had to fire them from street level and not from the top of the casinos. By all accounts it wasn't worth the $200 to pay to go into one of the jam packed clubs either so I'm glad we didn't bother.
On New Years Day we took a helicopter flight over the Hoover Dam and into the Grand Canyon. It truly is a beautiful sight but the flight was over too quickly and there were not enough good photo opportunities. It would have been great to spend a night there instead in my opinion.
Of course the New Year brought many good sales and so we must have spent a few days alone shopping. I decided now I was mainly visiting cities to change half my wardrobe for the trip. Most of the designer labels here are quite a bit cheaper than Australia although with the bad exchange rate it probably worked out similar.
After Anna had left I had about another 6 days to myself of which the first 2 I did pretty much nothing but relax. The last 4 days I went to the Consumer Electronics and Adult shows. The CES is a huge event every year showcasing all the new electronic equipment coming out as well as prototypes. It was interesting to see that 3D TV is not far away and what an impact this will have on your viewing experience and perhaps, photography. The Adult show is pretty much in the same building and is purposely scheduled at the same time to take advantage of the high number of men that attend CES.
It was a huge show with all the major porn companies showcasing their latest releases as well as getting up close and personal with all the pornstars. You can have your photo taken with them in saucy poses although nudity is not allowed, even though they can show it on the big LCD screens.
There are the usual array of businesses selling their porn merchandise and sometimes bizarre sex toys. Ever heard of the Snatch Snorkel or the charity Clitoraid?
Also during the last few nights I checked out the various clubs around town. On the Friday night I bought a VIP pass so I could check out the 3 clubs and bars at the Playboy Palms hotel. Then on the Saturday I went to club LAX to the Porn show after party. On the Sunday I headed to a new club that had just opened in the new Encore hotel. This hotel and club was perhaps the most luxurious of the places to visit in Vegas. Most of the other hotels are looking a bit outdated if you ask me but the new Encore is probably the place I would stay if I ever went back.
On my last day in Vegas I went to see a final show at the Wynn called 'Le Reve'. This is also, along with 'O', the best of the shows in Vegas. It is done on a stage which can submerge itself in water leading to high diving tricks and synchronised swimmers. The effects, costumes and choreography are truly amazing. It boggles the mind who thought up this whole concept but these shows are must sees.
After so many nights of partying I decided on taking a nice relaxing vacation in Jamaica for 1 week and booked into an all inclusive 5 star hotel near Montego Bay.
I arrived on the 29th Dec and met my friend, Anna. We pretty much made the most of our 8 days together by exploring all the hotels and casinos. Then eating at some of the excellent restaurants and buffets. We saw many shows, the best being 'O' and 'Zumanity' by Cirque Du Soleil and the worst being the magician, Chris Angel. 'Don't Believe the Hype' is what it should have been called!
We spent New Year having a few drinks in our luxury condo at MGM Grand Signature towers before heading to the casino to win a bit of money on roulette and then onto the streets to join all the other revellers for the countdown. You can actually take drinks onto the street in plastic containers. The countdown was a bit of a disappointment and the fireworks also were nothing special. Apparently this year they had to fire them from street level and not from the top of the casinos. By all accounts it wasn't worth the $200 to pay to go into one of the jam packed clubs either so I'm glad we didn't bother.
On New Years Day we took a helicopter flight over the Hoover Dam and into the Grand Canyon. It truly is a beautiful sight but the flight was over too quickly and there were not enough good photo opportunities. It would have been great to spend a night there instead in my opinion.
Of course the New Year brought many good sales and so we must have spent a few days alone shopping. I decided now I was mainly visiting cities to change half my wardrobe for the trip. Most of the designer labels here are quite a bit cheaper than Australia although with the bad exchange rate it probably worked out similar.
After Anna had left I had about another 6 days to myself of which the first 2 I did pretty much nothing but relax. The last 4 days I went to the Consumer Electronics and Adult shows. The CES is a huge event every year showcasing all the new electronic equipment coming out as well as prototypes. It was interesting to see that 3D TV is not far away and what an impact this will have on your viewing experience and perhaps, photography. The Adult show is pretty much in the same building and is purposely scheduled at the same time to take advantage of the high number of men that attend CES.
It was a huge show with all the major porn companies showcasing their latest releases as well as getting up close and personal with all the pornstars. You can have your photo taken with them in saucy poses although nudity is not allowed, even though they can show it on the big LCD screens.
There are the usual array of businesses selling their porn merchandise and sometimes bizarre sex toys. Ever heard of the Snatch Snorkel or the charity Clitoraid?
Also during the last few nights I checked out the various clubs around town. On the Friday night I bought a VIP pass so I could check out the 3 clubs and bars at the Playboy Palms hotel. Then on the Saturday I went to club LAX to the Porn show after party. On the Sunday I headed to a new club that had just opened in the new Encore hotel. This hotel and club was perhaps the most luxurious of the places to visit in Vegas. Most of the other hotels are looking a bit outdated if you ask me but the new Encore is probably the place I would stay if I ever went back.
On my last day in Vegas I went to see a final show at the Wynn called 'Le Reve'. This is also, along with 'O', the best of the shows in Vegas. It is done on a stage which can submerge itself in water leading to high diving tricks and synchronised swimmers. The effects, costumes and choreography are truly amazing. It boggles the mind who thought up this whole concept but these shows are must sees.
After so many nights of partying I decided on taking a nice relaxing vacation in Jamaica for 1 week and booked into an all inclusive 5 star hotel near Montego Bay.
Guatemala Pt 2
Yes it's a miracle but i am still going strong on this adventure.
I last blogged about Guatemala. The next stop on that tour was a trip down river to Livingston. This is unlike the rest of Guatemala and has a more Caribbean island vibe. Lots of Rastas on the streets, Reggae music and quaint cafes and souvenir shops. It was worth a visit for the day and there were some good photos to be had along the way on the river.
The next stop on the tour was Antigua, which was a 5-6hr bus ride away. This town is very pretty and perhaps the most touristy place in Guatemala. The streets and buildings are very colourful and there are some good places to eat. The Burger King and McDonald's restaurants I'm glad to say are well hidden and in keeping with the architecture and surroundings. Towering in the background of Antigua is a huge volcano, Aqua. For most of the day the top is shrouded in cloud. The locals also don't recommend you climb it due to recent bandit activity. Instead there is a tourist bus that goes around to the other side to another volcano, Pacaya which is still very much active. On Christmas day of most of the tour group decided to climb Pacaya and watch the sunset.
This I have to say was one of the highlights of Guatemala. It was a few hrs to climb to the spot of the lava on the volcano but well worth the effort to see an amazing flow of lava channelling itself down the side of the volcano. You could literally stand inches from the lava itself and throw things into the lava to see them quickly melt away. The soles of your shoes begin to melt as you get closer and the surface rock becomes hotter. The view is also incredible across to 3 other volcanoes and it was clear skies and an amazing sunset. My only gripe is that the tourist bus got there too late and so we pretty much arrived at the top as the sun had set. This meant we didn't get more than 15mins at the top and also the descent down on the loose volcanic rock was a bit treacherous in the dark. Still if you ever go to Guatemala this is a must do.
After Christmas the tour headed to beautiful lake Atitlan a few hrs away. Surrounding the lake are another 3 volcanoes although none of them are active. We stayed in a small town, Panajachel, which is fairly touristy but it has a good spot in which to explore. I took a boat trip to other villages on the lake to see the local way of life. One thing they didn't seem to appreciate here is if you want to take their photo. They would shake there hands and head or turn and run away. Some elderly men I was shooting from a distance spotted me and then got up and turned around waggling their arses at me which i thought was quite amusing.
After a few days it was back to Antigua for one last night and another farewell to another tour group. Next stop, Vegas.
I last blogged about Guatemala. The next stop on that tour was a trip down river to Livingston. This is unlike the rest of Guatemala and has a more Caribbean island vibe. Lots of Rastas on the streets, Reggae music and quaint cafes and souvenir shops. It was worth a visit for the day and there were some good photos to be had along the way on the river.
The next stop on the tour was Antigua, which was a 5-6hr bus ride away. This town is very pretty and perhaps the most touristy place in Guatemala. The streets and buildings are very colourful and there are some good places to eat. The Burger King and McDonald's restaurants I'm glad to say are well hidden and in keeping with the architecture and surroundings. Towering in the background of Antigua is a huge volcano, Aqua. For most of the day the top is shrouded in cloud. The locals also don't recommend you climb it due to recent bandit activity. Instead there is a tourist bus that goes around to the other side to another volcano, Pacaya which is still very much active. On Christmas day of most of the tour group decided to climb Pacaya and watch the sunset.
This I have to say was one of the highlights of Guatemala. It was a few hrs to climb to the spot of the lava on the volcano but well worth the effort to see an amazing flow of lava channelling itself down the side of the volcano. You could literally stand inches from the lava itself and throw things into the lava to see them quickly melt away. The soles of your shoes begin to melt as you get closer and the surface rock becomes hotter. The view is also incredible across to 3 other volcanoes and it was clear skies and an amazing sunset. My only gripe is that the tourist bus got there too late and so we pretty much arrived at the top as the sun had set. This meant we didn't get more than 15mins at the top and also the descent down on the loose volcanic rock was a bit treacherous in the dark. Still if you ever go to Guatemala this is a must do.
After Christmas the tour headed to beautiful lake Atitlan a few hrs away. Surrounding the lake are another 3 volcanoes although none of them are active. We stayed in a small town, Panajachel, which is fairly touristy but it has a good spot in which to explore. I took a boat trip to other villages on the lake to see the local way of life. One thing they didn't seem to appreciate here is if you want to take their photo. They would shake there hands and head or turn and run away. Some elderly men I was shooting from a distance spotted me and then got up and turned around waggling their arses at me which i thought was quite amusing.
After a few days it was back to Antigua for one last night and another farewell to another tour group. Next stop, Vegas.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Mexico to Guatemala
The weather in Cancun was pretty average and I spent most of the time in the hotel. Friday night was a social night in the hotel bar and drinks for ladies were free. There was a fashion launch in one section of the hotel so most of the guests were locals. Due to the amount of travelling to date I spent my time relaxing and didn't partake in any big night outs that Caccun is renowned for.
I met up with the new Gap tour a day late. This time I have a roommate, John, a 67yr old from Las Vegas. A bit of a Mr Meldrew from One foot in the Grave and keeps mainly to himself. The rest of the group are Aussies, a Dutch girl, a Canadian and American tour guide. We headed off to another touristy town of Playa Del Carmen on the East coast of Mexico. To be honest you could have been in any beach resort town as you couldn't tell you were in Mexico. Most of the tour party are pretty quiet or on an extreme budget so it is not easy to find someone who even wants to go out for a few beers. This seems to be the story of the trip. The Aussies, Americans and Canadians seem to be the least entertaining and adventurous people whilst on holiday. Maybe it's just the people who do tours. I dunno but this will be my last tour other than the odd day trips.
In the two days at Playa the group did a day trip to the Tulum Mayan ruins which is by a beautiful beach and the crystal blue ocean. We then headed back to Playa and stopped at a nice and quieter beach renowned for sea turtles. I spent about 30mins snorkeling with some very tame and large turtles which was probably the highlight of things to do around Playa.
After 2 nights at Playa it was almost a full day of travelling down to the island of Caye Caulker in Belize. First was a 4hr journey down to the Belizian border and then a change to a local chicken bus which felt like it stopped every 100m every time a local put their hand out. By the time we got the boat across to Caye Caulker it was already dark. The next day I did the day trip to the reefs and I opted to snorkel. The weather was sunny and needless to say i got pretty sunburned after someone forgot to rub my sun lotion in properly. Most of the reef we visited was dead but there was plenty of sea life. Lots of cool fish, rays and nurse sharks. Belize itself was once owned by the British so the first language is English. It has a distinct Caribbean feel and quite a few reggae bars. By the sound of it you can smoke, drink or snort whatever you like. I was feeling by this point and after quite a few weeks travelling of staying on the island for perhaps 5 days and dropping off our tour. However there is not decent beach on the island and very few tourists so I figured I would probably get bored pretty quick.
Next stop on the tour was San Ignacio which takes about 4 hrs, again on a local bus. It is in the jungle and our lodgings were a basic setup but it was comfortable enough. Unfortunately again I came down with another cold courtesy of John my roommate. Around San Ignacio there are days trips to some caves and waterfalls but all I could muster was a few kms walk to some local Mayan Ruins at Xunantunich. The view was actually very nice from the top of the tallest ruin.
From San Ignacio we travelled another 3-4 hrs across into Guatemala to a very small island in the middle of a lake called Flores. Guatemala is again dominated by a Spanish influence. The people are quite dark skinned but I found them to be perhaps the most friendly and smiley of all the countries I've visited so far. There are very few English speakers so although it is possible to get by, learning anything from the locals would require a fair amount of Spanish understanding. Flores is a cute little town. You can walk around it in about 15mins. There are a few nice places around the lake side where you can enjoy a beer and the first night we had a beautiful sunset. The following morning it was an early start at 5am to visit the most famous ruins in Guatemala, Tikal. This site is quite large and in the middle of the jungle. It takes a few hrs to walk between the different Mayan ruins and a few of them you can climb and get views out over the jungle. There is plenty of wildlife to spot ranging from Howler monkeys, ant eaters, Toucans and if you are lucky you may see Pumas and snakes. The ruins themselves are quite good but when you have seen a few different Mayan ruins before it's enough and certainly none of the Mayan ruins compare to Machu Picchu.
The final afternoon in Flores was spent drinking and swinging in hammocks on the top floor of the hotel. Now we are staying in more jungle cabins in a place called Rio Dulce. Tomorrow will be a trip down the river to visit the old slave port of Livingston.
I met up with the new Gap tour a day late. This time I have a roommate, John, a 67yr old from Las Vegas. A bit of a Mr Meldrew from One foot in the Grave and keeps mainly to himself. The rest of the group are Aussies, a Dutch girl, a Canadian and American tour guide. We headed off to another touristy town of Playa Del Carmen on the East coast of Mexico. To be honest you could have been in any beach resort town as you couldn't tell you were in Mexico. Most of the tour party are pretty quiet or on an extreme budget so it is not easy to find someone who even wants to go out for a few beers. This seems to be the story of the trip. The Aussies, Americans and Canadians seem to be the least entertaining and adventurous people whilst on holiday. Maybe it's just the people who do tours. I dunno but this will be my last tour other than the odd day trips.
In the two days at Playa the group did a day trip to the Tulum Mayan ruins which is by a beautiful beach and the crystal blue ocean. We then headed back to Playa and stopped at a nice and quieter beach renowned for sea turtles. I spent about 30mins snorkeling with some very tame and large turtles which was probably the highlight of things to do around Playa.
After 2 nights at Playa it was almost a full day of travelling down to the island of Caye Caulker in Belize. First was a 4hr journey down to the Belizian border and then a change to a local chicken bus which felt like it stopped every 100m every time a local put their hand out. By the time we got the boat across to Caye Caulker it was already dark. The next day I did the day trip to the reefs and I opted to snorkel. The weather was sunny and needless to say i got pretty sunburned after someone forgot to rub my sun lotion in properly. Most of the reef we visited was dead but there was plenty of sea life. Lots of cool fish, rays and nurse sharks. Belize itself was once owned by the British so the first language is English. It has a distinct Caribbean feel and quite a few reggae bars. By the sound of it you can smoke, drink or snort whatever you like. I was feeling by this point and after quite a few weeks travelling of staying on the island for perhaps 5 days and dropping off our tour. However there is not decent beach on the island and very few tourists so I figured I would probably get bored pretty quick.
Next stop on the tour was San Ignacio which takes about 4 hrs, again on a local bus. It is in the jungle and our lodgings were a basic setup but it was comfortable enough. Unfortunately again I came down with another cold courtesy of John my roommate. Around San Ignacio there are days trips to some caves and waterfalls but all I could muster was a few kms walk to some local Mayan Ruins at Xunantunich. The view was actually very nice from the top of the tallest ruin.
From San Ignacio we travelled another 3-4 hrs across into Guatemala to a very small island in the middle of a lake called Flores. Guatemala is again dominated by a Spanish influence. The people are quite dark skinned but I found them to be perhaps the most friendly and smiley of all the countries I've visited so far. There are very few English speakers so although it is possible to get by, learning anything from the locals would require a fair amount of Spanish understanding. Flores is a cute little town. You can walk around it in about 15mins. There are a few nice places around the lake side where you can enjoy a beer and the first night we had a beautiful sunset. The following morning it was an early start at 5am to visit the most famous ruins in Guatemala, Tikal. This site is quite large and in the middle of the jungle. It takes a few hrs to walk between the different Mayan ruins and a few of them you can climb and get views out over the jungle. There is plenty of wildlife to spot ranging from Howler monkeys, ant eaters, Toucans and if you are lucky you may see Pumas and snakes. The ruins themselves are quite good but when you have seen a few different Mayan ruins before it's enough and certainly none of the Mayan ruins compare to Machu Picchu.
The final afternoon in Flores was spent drinking and swinging in hammocks on the top floor of the hotel. Now we are staying in more jungle cabins in a place called Rio Dulce. Tomorrow will be a trip down the river to visit the old slave port of Livingston.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Lake Titicaca, Peru Roundup and Cancun Arrival
Lake Titicaca
The journey from Cusco to Puno on the bank of Lake Titicaca is about 6 hrs by bus. The scenery is not as spectacular as I was hoping but the Peruvian people wearing their bright textiles contrasts amazingly with the barren landscape.
Puno itself isn't a particularly beautiful town but it is a good base to do a day tour on the lake. One thing I noticed particularly is that most houses in the towns look only half complete. That is to say there are 2 floors and then the third floor looks like in is in the preparation stages. The reason we were told is that if a house is incomplete there is a loophole where any resident living in the completed floors do not have to pay taxes. One town we passed through had about 90% of houses like this which kinda reminded me of a nuclear test site. Juliaca was the name - do not stop to visit this place. Yuck!
After a heavy nights rain we set off on a beautiful morning for our tour of Lake Titicaca. The Lake is about 170km long and sits at an altitude of over 3800m. On the Lake the first stop is to the floating islands of the Uros people. They have lived for generations on the Lake and built small floating islands made of reeds in which to live on. You can if you wish stay on one of the islands with a family overnight. I preferred just to do the day tour myself. The islanders demonstrated how they build the islands and also how they anchor the island in the Lake. Each island has a few families living on it. The women are well rounded to say the least due to not getting enough exercise I suppose. The kids as in most of Peru are very cute and perhaps this day I got some of my best shots. The Uros people now rely more on tourism for an income and they make some garments to sell to tourists. It was an interesting visit and the people seemed happy despite what obviously is a hard and simple life.
Next stop on the Lake is about a 3 hr boat ride to an island called Taquile. This island has some nice views and a small number of villagers living on it. Because the lake is deep the lake looks an amazing deep blue and it reminded me of a Greek island in the Med. Along the path to the main village center you meet some beautiful old villagers going about their daily lives. Many of the villagers look in their 70's-80's but the tour guide said they were in their 50's. He's got to be kidding! Again photo opportunities come thick and fast. Most will ask for 1 sole if they spot you taking a photo.
The men of the village learn to knit from a young age and have to knit their own hat. The hats are different for the children, men and women. The size of the tassles hanging from the hat or skirts determine if the villager is single or not. Large means you are single and small means you are married.
We have lunch on top of a hill with nice views over the Lake and then head off back to Puno for our last night and then flight back to Lima.
Peru Roundup
The tour finishes with the final night in Lima and I reflect on what has been a great trip but extremely tiring one. After two back to back tours I've ready for some r'n'r. Peru has some great highlights and it would have been nice to have a month instead of 2 weeks but alas I feel I saw 90% of what I wanted to see. Will I go back? Probably not but I would definitely recommend a trip to the Amazon or a Machu Picchu trek to any wannabe South American traveller.
You hear reports of Peru and especially Lima of being dangerous. I don't deny you hearing horror stories but I felt safe throughout my trip. The people are friendly if you make the effort and give a nice smile. Perhaps not as friendly and smiley as Thailand and other parts of Asia but the people work hard for very little. There are many kids especially working from a very young age which is something I think the Government need to stop so the kids can get some education and improve Peru for future generations. It was also good to see at least in the Amazon strict controls on curbing damage to the environment which is far advanced from the Brazilian mentality.
Cancun Arrival
Now I'm chilling out for a few days in Cancun. The journey was a long one and the amount of security checks in Mexico is a little un-nerving. Perhaps I look like a drug mule but luckily no fingers up my bottom yet! The journey to the Cancun strip of hotels along the narrow beach takes about 20 mins. I've never in my life seen so many large hotels in one place (apart from Vegas of course in a few weeks!). My hotel is called ME by Melia and it is beautiful inside. My room is very modern and comfortable and the breakfast I had this morning was unbelievable. I've never seen such a variety and choice of food in any hotel I've stayed in. They have about 5 areas and three stations with different cooks to make a huge list of things for you (omelets, pancakes, waffles etc). There is an area dedicated to healthy food which every type of fruit, cheese, yogurt you could think of. Absolutely amazing. The 4 kilos I've lost so far may come back very quickly after a few days of this.
The journey from Cusco to Puno on the bank of Lake Titicaca is about 6 hrs by bus. The scenery is not as spectacular as I was hoping but the Peruvian people wearing their bright textiles contrasts amazingly with the barren landscape.
Puno itself isn't a particularly beautiful town but it is a good base to do a day tour on the lake. One thing I noticed particularly is that most houses in the towns look only half complete. That is to say there are 2 floors and then the third floor looks like in is in the preparation stages. The reason we were told is that if a house is incomplete there is a loophole where any resident living in the completed floors do not have to pay taxes. One town we passed through had about 90% of houses like this which kinda reminded me of a nuclear test site. Juliaca was the name - do not stop to visit this place. Yuck!
After a heavy nights rain we set off on a beautiful morning for our tour of Lake Titicaca. The Lake is about 170km long and sits at an altitude of over 3800m. On the Lake the first stop is to the floating islands of the Uros people. They have lived for generations on the Lake and built small floating islands made of reeds in which to live on. You can if you wish stay on one of the islands with a family overnight. I preferred just to do the day tour myself. The islanders demonstrated how they build the islands and also how they anchor the island in the Lake. Each island has a few families living on it. The women are well rounded to say the least due to not getting enough exercise I suppose. The kids as in most of Peru are very cute and perhaps this day I got some of my best shots. The Uros people now rely more on tourism for an income and they make some garments to sell to tourists. It was an interesting visit and the people seemed happy despite what obviously is a hard and simple life.
Next stop on the Lake is about a 3 hr boat ride to an island called Taquile. This island has some nice views and a small number of villagers living on it. Because the lake is deep the lake looks an amazing deep blue and it reminded me of a Greek island in the Med. Along the path to the main village center you meet some beautiful old villagers going about their daily lives. Many of the villagers look in their 70's-80's but the tour guide said they were in their 50's. He's got to be kidding! Again photo opportunities come thick and fast. Most will ask for 1 sole if they spot you taking a photo.
The men of the village learn to knit from a young age and have to knit their own hat. The hats are different for the children, men and women. The size of the tassles hanging from the hat or skirts determine if the villager is single or not. Large means you are single and small means you are married.
We have lunch on top of a hill with nice views over the Lake and then head off back to Puno for our last night and then flight back to Lima.
Peru Roundup
The tour finishes with the final night in Lima and I reflect on what has been a great trip but extremely tiring one. After two back to back tours I've ready for some r'n'r. Peru has some great highlights and it would have been nice to have a month instead of 2 weeks but alas I feel I saw 90% of what I wanted to see. Will I go back? Probably not but I would definitely recommend a trip to the Amazon or a Machu Picchu trek to any wannabe South American traveller.
You hear reports of Peru and especially Lima of being dangerous. I don't deny you hearing horror stories but I felt safe throughout my trip. The people are friendly if you make the effort and give a nice smile. Perhaps not as friendly and smiley as Thailand and other parts of Asia but the people work hard for very little. There are many kids especially working from a very young age which is something I think the Government need to stop so the kids can get some education and improve Peru for future generations. It was also good to see at least in the Amazon strict controls on curbing damage to the environment which is far advanced from the Brazilian mentality.
Cancun Arrival
Now I'm chilling out for a few days in Cancun. The journey was a long one and the amount of security checks in Mexico is a little un-nerving. Perhaps I look like a drug mule but luckily no fingers up my bottom yet! The journey to the Cancun strip of hotels along the narrow beach takes about 20 mins. I've never in my life seen so many large hotels in one place (apart from Vegas of course in a few weeks!). My hotel is called ME by Melia and it is beautiful inside. My room is very modern and comfortable and the breakfast I had this morning was unbelievable. I've never seen such a variety and choice of food in any hotel I've stayed in. They have about 5 areas and three stations with different cooks to make a huge list of things for you (omelets, pancakes, waffles etc). There is an area dedicated to healthy food which every type of fruit, cheese, yogurt you could think of. Absolutely amazing. The 4 kilos I've lost so far may come back very quickly after a few days of this.
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