kingkezza email
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- nessdog
(hope this hasn't already been posted)
hello all
here is a belated update from Equador, Peru and Bolivia. Sorry I have´nt
updated sooner, but between, altitude, time, sickness, and sightseeing, I
just haven´t had the time. Altitude especially. Due to the amount of
information, I´ll be brief as I can. Apologies for the spelling, I blame
spanish keyboards.Well the journey on this side of the Andes began at Quito, captial of
Equador. We flew there from Buenos Aires, and after Brazil and Argentina, it
was a shock to the system. First of all the hight above see level, 3000m. So
high that you really have to sit down after walking up one flight of stairs
and downing a bottle of water leaves you more breathless than a 20 minute
jog. Secondly, is peceived safety, like getting cabs everywhere even if it
is a couple of blocks and every establishment whether bank, cafe, or hostel,
as a chap in army fatigues with a good deal of weaponary, something which I
will explain is pretty prevalent eveywhere this side of the Andes. Anyway
once you get over those things, Quito was a decent place, basically if you
like churches, squares, monuments, and the army.>From there it was to Tena, a missionary town in the Amazon basin to stay for
5 days in a jungle lodge. The bus journey was interesting, the road had only
just opened after the rainy season, and as such we encountered a few
landslides. We were towed by bulldozer through a couple of them, a few we
charged through, and for most of the time we were hanging to the side of
mountains driving on a mud track, through cloud. I began to realise why the
buses are decorated with Jesus, more than once people were crossing
themselves and praying.The Jungle was fantastic, we had a guide called Lenny who´s brother was a
shamen and as such we wandered around the jungle eating potions, ants, grubs
and getting some natural remedies for my toochache. We spent 4 nights there
sharing our lodge with a taranchulas (spelling) nest. Spiders the size of
plates aren´t fun, but as Lenny said, you wont find any cockrotches around
the place. We swam in the Amazon, canoed down it and played pool at a local
village, whilst listening to the ever present Mr Marley.Anyway we ended up in a place called Banos. A town on the side of a volcano,
only two years ago the town was evacuated, but everyone returned after a few
months, adamant that the relics in the church were saving their town. Anyway
Banos is famous for it´s hot pools everywhere. They brought welcome relief
from all the mosquito bites aquired in the jungle, as well as much merriment
to the locals at the sight of a ginger. Tommy Cooper never got as many
laughs as I did. Banos is probabally one of my favourite places we stayed.
Steam baths every morning, volcanic pools in the afternoon, the best food
since London. All in a setting second to none.Anyway the rest of the time in Equador was spent in Cuenca and Loja, both
decent places, but again specialising in churches, squares, monuments, and
the army. The remaining time in equador was notable for two things, holy
week, where everything shuts down, and you cant get a drink for love nor
money, and our bus crash.The bus crash was certainly something waiting to happen. Were were
travelling over a pass at 4000m through a small town I dont know the name
of. Anyway, the driver who looked like he was either pissed or incredibally
tired, ploughed down the side of a couple of cars, and maybe people, it was
hard to tell. It was quite surreal, we rocked from 45 degrees to 45 degrees,
but didnt go over, we crossed into oncoming traffic, but missed everyone,
and to top it all the driver didn´t stop. It was about 30 mins later that
the road was blocked with lorries and police, obviously waiting for him, and
subsiquently arrested him. Everyone out of the bus into the rain on top of a
mountain. The bus was a mess, door ripped off, one tire punctured, and a few
body panels missing. Lucky escape really. Finished our journey on the local
chicken bus, which was a good laugh I held onto a couple of kids whilst her
mum breast fed another.We passed into Peru overland from Equador and ended up for one night in
Chiclayo. All I can remember about the town was that it was busy and I found
a drink after two weeks of abstinance. The next morning we moved on to
Huanchaco along with a 60 year old headmaster from Melborne, the main reason
why I can´t remember Chiclayo that much. Huanchaco is the surfers beach part
of Peru, all very nice, bars, restaurants, and a hostel with a pool. As well
as all that Huanchaco is known as the Eygpt of South America for all the
ruins aroun the place. We visited 4 pyramids and the largest adobe city in
the world called Chan Chan, an incredible place by the sea, covering about 2
square miles. The Pyramids were pretty amazing, as all the paintings still
had all their colours, and whats more thay had only excavated 10% of the
site.>From there we passed through Lima to Nazca. One of the main things I wanted
to do before going away was to see the Nazca lines from a light airplane,
which we did. The Nazca lines (in depth explaination here
http://www.crystalinks.com/nasca… ) are huge drawings made in the desert
of various things like a humming bird, a monkey and a condor amongst others.
No one knows for sure what they are there for, but none the less what is
amazing is that a race (the nazca) etched some mile long drawings in the
desert that are incredibly accurate, and can only be deserned from the air.
Was everything I expected and more.>From there it was to the Colca Canyon, I would love to say I saw a lot of
it, but I was hit by pretty bad altitude sickness. From whatt I saw the
worlds deepest canyon was breathtaking (literally). but I spent most of the
trip there led on the coach sucking on a oxygen mask. Horrible feeling
altitude sickness, throwing up, gasping for air, unable to walk far at all,
and absolutley no appetite at all. Still a few other on our trip were
afflicted with the same thing, some far worse. I was glad when we got down
to Ariquipa and I could breath properly. Stupidly we had booked an overnight
bus to Cusco a couple of days before, so I had to get on the bus, feeling
like shit, having not eaten for 2 days, whats more I had a woman kicking the
back of my chair all night because I had reclined it. Bitch. I swore in
Spanish, English and a few other things, but she wouldnt stop, so I took a
sleeping pill reclined my chair as far as it would go and slept, much to her
annoyance. A few words exchanged at Cusco at 6am, but due to my drowsiness I
told her where to go and went to our lovely hotel.Ninos hotel in Cusco is a place where all the profits go to helping street
kids, of which there are many in Cusco. (http://www.ninoshotel.com/) As well
as a good cause the rooms where great and they plied me with coca tea and
chocolate cake to get over my altitude sickness, which worked wonders. Cusco
was a nice place, lots of history and museums and archaeolgical sites left
right and centre. (few photos attached, I wont bore you more with their
explanation). Then it was to Machu picchu on the 2 day Inca trail.The walk was nice enough, but nothing could describe Machu Picchu at dawn.
It is set about 2000 m up a mountain overlooking a canyon down to a river.
Just amazing. Whats more the weather was perfect. It was cloudy when we got
there and from 6am to 7am the clouds lifted to show the full site in bright
sunshine. Again words can´t describe, but maybe some photos will help.>From Cusco, Peru we went to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest
navigable lake in the world, where we visited a boat called the Yavari, a
history true to Victorian perserverance (http://www.yavari.org/).Then on to Bolivia. Right. To cut a long story short, Bolivia is undergoing
changes, by which I mean rioting, striking, and blowing themselves up in
parliament. We only learnt this after crossing the Bolivian border, when we
arrived in Copacabana, a town on the bolivian side of Titicaca. Walking up
to the main square with backpack on and looking for a hostel, we encountered
a said riot, complete with people throwing dynamite and firing guns in the
air. Apparantley tourists are ok though. Ahem. F··K THAT. Got the bus to La
Paz the next morning.The addage that bigger is better, is something that can certainly be applied
to civil unrest. Le Paz as one frenchman we met in Copacabana was ´hot´ and
yep he was right. Police walking around the place with flame throwers and
tear gas canisters as well as people camping out in the main square
protesting. The same Dynamite being thrown about, just with more people
doing it. Only now as I write this has the Foreign office website advised
people to get out by the 3rd of May (May Day), which is when it is going to
kick off properly. Shant be hanging around for that one. We left La Paz on
the next night bus, which is a shame as La Paz was pertty cool, with witches
markets selling llama foeteses and pretty nice bars full of travellers, of
whom it would be good to talk to to found out more of Bolivia´s strife.The night bus spat us out in Potosi this morning, the highest city in the
world, from where we have been advised to move on from tomorrow, due to an
impeding strike on weds (today being monday). So from here we go to Uyuni, a
salt flat desert, which by all account is pretty amazing. On crossing the
flats we arrive in Chilie into the Atacama desert in about a week.Due to Bolivia being a bit of a washout, we have re-routed our ticket to
Aukland via Easter Island and Fiji, every cloud and all that.Anyway next update from NZ. Hope everyone is well and putting bets on
England to win Euro 2004.take care, next update maybe more organised and spelt a bit better.
Kezza
- Jnr_Madison0
This place needs kezza back.
Carver's being doing his best but it's just not the same.
- save0
There's no way I'd compare Carver with Kingkezza....Carver's just a prick....
- dstlb0
Crazy fool went to Bolivia! I thought it was common knowledge Bolivia is dodgier the Peckham on a Saturday night?!
- pascii0
when relaxed kezza is back, he will eat carver before breakfast
- save0
I can't wait for that day pascii...
- rasko40
Kezza aint coming back though is he, he gave up design to run his Dads farm or something didn't he?
- pascii0
naah! they allways come back : )
- ********0
How dare he do that and not I.