On the Yellow Bus

This trip has been so easy. At each city we have been met by our guide and driver and we have travelled on our own with them for the entire time we are in their area. I must say Jen from Natural Focus in Melbourne has done a wonderful job in bringing this trip together.

For the Cusco -Machu Picchu area we have travelled in what has become to us as the “Yellow Bus”.Such a big bus for just four people. Pasquale our Guide and Migule our driver with Poo at one of our stops.

Don’t you love the little symbol on the side of the bus

We left Cusco and drove down,thank goodness, from that altitude, to the Sacred Valley. All along the way when you stop to look at the view, there is always someone who wants their photo taken.

We stopped at a Tourist Attraction run by a community of locals trying to keep alive the art of spinning and weaving . Lamas and Al Paccas and very friendly ones at that.

Women sitting weaving with their children quietly sitting beside them

Cant imagine many aussie kids doing this all day. But then of course we didn’t notice any red cordial or fast food around. Isn’t she the cutest.

Another view of the Sacred Valley, notice the snow capped mountains in the background.

We then visited the village of Ollantaytambo and walked thru the Inca Ruins there. A bit of a climb but we made it.

It was then to our hotel for the evening and can you believe it, after a wonderful day spent with all those cute little animals, you guessed it, Poo ordered Al Pacca for his evening meal.

Cusco 3,400 Metres and Don’t You Know It

Yes, that’s 11,150 feet in the old language and boy, you sure knew when you stepped off the plane. Like Tibet, that same lightheaded feeling. Naturally you have to take it easy in the beginning so we did just a little walk around. Just a photo of the Cathedral Tower right beside our hotel on the first night.

Yesterday we were taken on our City Tour and this place just amazes you. Can you imagine that the Incas built these walls in what they think was 1450.

Then of course in 1550 along came the Spanish and they knocked a lot down to build their Cathedrals etc.

One of the noticeable things is that they are not destroying the old buildings and replacing with modern structures and there is a lot of the old Inca walls still standing.

It is such a colourful city, and seems to have a very casual way of life. Everywhere you look there is someone sitting chatting.

And of course, how could you pass by these children without a photo

Well, tomorrow we leave here to go to the Sacred Valley and then after a night there we travel to Machu Picchu so will talk again from there.

Our Five Days in This Park

We have spent a lovely five days in this National Park. Here in Chile there is allowed just a couple of hotels to operate within the boundaries. This one “Salto Chico” run by Explora Group is the only one which runs a a fully organized program so everything is there for you. Guides to take you on any of the 25 organized hikes and as I already showed you a wonderful stable operation, and everything you could wish for is here for the asking. The hotel has accommodation for 100 guests and has 135 staff so you can see why we have enjoyed it so much.

As you walk in to the lobby you see a sign which I think sums it up very well.

“ Never stop Exploring”

And another one

“We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time”

We did a small hike on the first afternoon but Patagonia is known for its changeable weather and how the wind can blow so Tuesday morning we walked to the Grey Glacier. I now know how Shackleton must have felt on his way to the Pole. One step forward and three backwards

The next days walk was much more pleasant and we walked round lakes and were so lucky to see many guanacos

We then went on to the Estancia (Spanish for Station Property) outside the park where we we had a bar-b-que lunch. Notice the way here in Chile and Argtentina they cook their lambs.

We then hiked for another couple of hours getting wonderful views of the Tiers of the Park

The view we have from our room window is of the Massiff, its round on the side where we got these good views of the Tiers.

Tomorrow we leave here and back to Punta Arenas airport to fly to Santiago and then on to Lima and Machu Picchu.

Torres Del Paine National Park

We left Punta Arenas and drove the six hour drive out here to the National Park. This is our first view of one of the most beautiful views I have seen. Afraid Lake Louise has lost its spot as my most beautiful snow scene with lake

As we got closer to the hotel

View from through the room window

View from our bed

There is even windows in the bathroom so you can see the view from the toilet

This afternoon we went horse riding, not a bad backdrop eh!

Constable Plod, these next are for you. How would you like stables and tack room like this

As you can see this is only one half of each, Not bad eh, You must put this place on your must-see list. They tell us their are miles of trails.

Patagonia - And no sign of a Toothfish

Well, here we are in Punta Arenas. We arrived yesterday and once off the boat and to our hotel, we hit the markets in the square across the road . Then this morning we went on a City Sights Tour and then this afternoon to Fort Bulnes to see where the first Chilean settlement was.
Naturally,all places seem to have one of these boards. Written by the same person who wrote that speech for the Olympics.

I know what you are saying, your mother looks like a bag lady, but why is it that I always seem to attract a dog wherever I go

Poo is so wrapped in everything penguin, he just had to have a scarf to match his new hat.

Have spent some time each evening resizing some of the photos on this blog. Thats the problem with spending nights in hotel rooms. Would much rather be sitting in a National Park round a campfire like we did in North America. Poo is just like at home, turns on the TV and promptly goes to sleep. May as well, its either in spanish or has sub-titles.

We leave here in the morning for the six hour 4wd trip out to the Torres Del Paine National Park. Will be there till Friday when we come back here and fly to Santiago so dont know whether we will have internet connection while at Salto Chico or not, so till then, keep safe and love to all.

From the “Mare Australis” 18-21 February 2009

This has been a relaxing few days on board this luxury ship. (But still not our cup of tea.) I think we really needed it after the wonderful hectic time we had on the icebreaker. We are enjoying the easy life and the ship excursions, but I know when Saturday comes we will be ready to be up and going again

Sunrise from the top deck

Our cabin

One of the lounges

The Beagle Channel (again) we have actually sailed up or down this channel five times on this holiday

You can tell the strengths of the winds here by looking how the trees grow

Poo enjoying himself on the deck, and by the way, he is enjoying himself elsewhere, this ship has an openbar, we expected house wines, but no, anything you ask for. Carlos the bartender, makes a wonderful Long Island Ice Tea, need I say more.

We made a very enjoyable excursion to the Piloto and Nena Glaciers. Lots of waterfalls at this time of the year as the ice melts

Even though we have seen so many glaciers in this last fortnight, you still look in awe

Poo just waiting for ice to fall

And it did, but just a little bit

Another excursion to more penguins. This time they were Magellan Penguins

But ….none of our visits to penguin colonies goes anywhere close to the wonderful penguin experience we had on that first landing from the Akademik Shokalkskiy in Antarctica. They were just so friendly, they were trying to get into our kayaks, to chew on our trousers and someone took off their parka and in two minutes flat this was what we witnessed. It must have been so much warmer than that cold ice.

Poo is so wrapped in penguins he has himself a new hat