The Road To Cornwall

Time marchs on..

2009-07-01T12:16:00.001+01:00

I will put on details of Canada, Breda, and the forthcoming Morocco! Soon!!!

The End

2008-10-29T10:03:00.002Z

I can't believe that I have not finished writing the log, which I intend to do soon! We got so busy as we pressed on with our travels, and the time just slipped away.

I still haven't been through the India, Hong Kong or Indonesia photos and I often check out theroadtocornwall to remind myself of the fours years of following our dream. Its hard to believe we actually made it to Cornwall in one piece!

Sorry to all have been disappointed with my shoddy webmanship! and hopefully I will get updated before Canada at Christmas!

Faster Mummy, Faster

2008-07-15T00:20:00.000+01:00

Our beloved spaceship, Claire and I slept in the roof.

Lake Tekapo chapel

2008-07-15T00:17:00.000+01:00

People travel from all over New Zealand to get married at this chapel.

Mt Count

2008-07-12T00:14:00.000+01:00

Lake Tekpo

2008-07-11T00:10:00.000+01:00

The view from Mt St. John observatory overlooking Lake Tekapo village.

The backpackers hostel we stayed in overlooking the lake.

Geraldine

2008-07-09T00:08:00.000+01:00

There was a big vintage car and tractor musuem in Geraldine, but it was closed the day we rocked up.

Trans Alpine Express

2008-07-08T00:05:00.000+01:00

For any train spotters , we took the TransAlpine train across the Southern Alps

Hanmer Springs

2008-07-05T00:01:00.000+01:00

We spent the evening sat in some hot springs whilst it snowed all around us.

The springs were sulphurous and were stinking.

Seals

2008-07-04T23:56:00.000+01:00

Claire decided to get close and personal with a lazy fat seal.

Penguins

2008-07-01T23:49:00.004+01:00

From a hide we watch rare yellow eyed penguins come into roost/nest.

Then straight from 'The birds' we saw this......

Cardrona - Skiing

2008-06-29T23:45:00.001+01:00

Penguins

2008-06-26T08:48:00.001+01:00

Dont see many of these in Cornwall.

Seals, Pancakes and Blowholes

2008-06-26T08:41:00.000+01:00

Seals because we stopped and saw them

Pancake rocks and blowholes because they were impressive.

Stop! Foam on Road

2008-06-25T08:45:00.000+01:00

I'm sure Bombardiers second smartest man will be able to explain this phenomenon!

Ikea Lake

2008-06-25T08:36:00.002+01:00

On the road to Westport we came across the lake made famous by Ikea

Claire and Darcey got attacked by ducks after feeding them peanut flavoured cookies.

North to South Island

2008-06-24T08:34:00.000+01:00

Wellington

2008-06-23T08:31:00.002+01:00

And didn't it rain
We trudged up to the top of Mt Victoria for this.

These weathertastic photos taken on the day we left from the ferry to Picton on the south island.

Mt Ruapehu - Turoa Ski Area

2008-06-21T08:28:00.000+01:00

Slopes not yet open, so Darcey and Claire improvised.

Freedom Camping - Whakapapa

2008-06-20T08:25:00.001+01:00

Claire was cooking up an absolute treat in complete darkness on this free campsite. It was bloody freezing as we were at the foot of Mt Ruapehu. I think its Korma in the pot.

Thermal Wonderland

2008-06-20T08:22:00.002+01:00

Lady Knox Geyser erupts every morning at 10.15 with some help from a bar of soap.

The sulpur caves stunk.

Spa time

2008-06-19T08:19:00.001+01:00

We spent the evening in a thermal mineral spa, lovely.
Then we slept in the van
(photos taken in daylight)

Zorbing

2008-06-19T08:17:00.000+01:00

Piper and I decided to go for a little tumble in large hot sweaty ball!

Hobbiton

2008-06-19T08:14:00.002+01:00

Hot Spring Beach

2008-06-18T08:12:00.001+01:00

Hot water comes up through the sand. can you spot where?

Auckland - Sky Tower

2008-06-16T08:09:00.000+01:00

Apparently you can go to the top and either walk around the outside or jump off.

England - All Blacks, Eden Park

2008-06-14T23:48:00.003+01:00

Claire some how managed to get us 4 tickets to see the England v All Blacks. It was an amazing evening even though England got "pistol whipped"!

Darceys Tooth

2008-06-13T23:47:00.001+01:00

Darcey's wobbly tooth has finally fallen out, she is now worried about the tooth fairy finding her as we are moving everyday.

Cape Reigna

2008-06-13T23:45:00.001+01:00

Lighthouse at the edge of the world or rather the most northily point in New Zealand, on the left is the Tasman Sea and to the right the Pacific Ocean.

The main state highway that runs through New Zealand that brought us here was no more than a dirty farm track for the last 30 miles and took forever.

Swiss Family Robinson

2008-06-12T23:44:00.002+01:00

Met this bloke from Switzerland at Cape Reigna, him and his wife have been travelling for the last 24 years, visited 152 countries and travelled in the same Toyota 650,000 kilometers. He had padlocked guards over the windows

He is the most amazing travel story ever. He didn't get much chance to chat to people as we soon found out. We quietly slid the side door and turned off the light to discourage any more unwanted attention! (C)!

Ninety Mile Beach

2008-06-12T23:39:00.002+01:00

Ninety mile beach is actually 90 kilometers long, those crazy Kiwis eh!
Its actually pretty impressive and its sndy beach as far as the eye can see.

It is one of the only roads that we are not allowed to drive on with our camper van. Yep you can drive on it if you wish and people were while we were walking on it. There are only three access points from public roads and each are about 30-40 miles apart so if you want to drive down the beach you are fairly committed to getting to the next place where you can exit. Apparently locals make a fortune pulling visitors vehicles from the beach and it is also possible to see the roofs of some cars burried in the sand.

Auckland

2008-06-12T23:35:00.001+01:00

After a flight that meant we had no Tuesday, we left monday night and landed wednesday morning much to the concern of Darcey we finally got to New Zealand

Auckland skyline

The tower on the right is currently the tallest building in the southern hemisphere and you can jump of it if you want!

We´re all going to burn in hell

2008-06-08T23:41:00.004+01:00

Apparently the Moai are sacred and you are not allowed to go near them, climb on their alter or touch them.

Easter Island II

2008-06-08T15:45:00.004+01:00

The stupid computer in the hostel does not recognise my camera chip so I cant upload copious amonts of Moai heads to the log. We will need to find an internet cafe sometime today.

The Moai heads on Easter Island were pretty amazing and they are just littered all over the island. Most are just where they were left in the quarry half made, some in transport and a few made it to their alters, although these have all been reconstructed as all the heads at some point had been toppled over.

We had a pleasent walk to the museum in the blazing heat and what did they say about the heads, we dont´know the reason they were made but heres our idea, we dont know how they were moved but heres a few theories from scientists (Im sure I watched the same program on the Discovery channel) and we dont know why they were all toppled over. Hmmm a really informative museum.

My foot infection still hurts but is getting better now I am taking Ibuprofen instead of paracetamal

Easter Island

2008-06-08T03:58:00.008+01:00

Easter Island.........You can die happy once you have been to this island.

There is also a strong possibilty that you will die of stravation or become exceedingly poor. This is the most expensive place I have ever been too.

The roads make Whatborough Hill look flat, though I didn´t crash, roll, hedge (or similar) the jeep I hired due to Rolands gout foot.

There are a lot of Moai heads dotted around, and complete with sun in the ocean sunsets it is quite beautiful and tranquil. Piper was bite by a dog, Darcey adopted a puppy and we met a Swedish guy called Nicholas who shared a room with a Brazillian who slept with Christ and an eye patch held on by a wooly hat.

On the last might we went to see the beautiful sunset, but were treated to a live sex show with two persistant street dogs (no photo). Piper still hates animals (re: the dog bite) and Darecy knows how to make baby dogs.

Gout

2008-06-05T15:28:00.003+01:00

Gout is such a common word. I much prefer the term foot infection.
Anyway lets hope it gets better otherwise I am going to be dragging it club footed all over Easter Island.

PS. It hurts like hell

UFO s

2008-06-03T05:19:00.003+01:00

We headed off a couple of days ago to Vicuna, a valley famous for UFOs and a lot warmer than Santiago. Whilst we were there Roland stubbed his toe and over the course of the 2 days talked himself into a fractured toe joint. We are heading off to Easter Island tomorrow so, you can imagine how bad it was looking.
As soon as we arrived back in Santiago, Roland who was by now dragging his foot behind him and walking slower than a coffin bearer, insisted on going to the hospital.
So, in we went. It was clean efficient and we were seen within 10 minutes of our arrival. The Doctor we saw is moving to Nottingham this year, so we has a good chat about the Midlands and if he wanted to rent a nice house in the country.

Good job we had so much in common with the Doctor as the actual consultation lasted 2 minutes. There was no x ray and a fracture was as likely as a UFO in the Pisco Valley. I had to pay the bill as our joint account cards didn´t work.

Diagnosis....................GOUT! (fat knackers disease!)

Chile it is.

2008-05-30T03:24:00.002+01:00

On Arrival in Santiago we were pleased to see many happy dogs working at the airport. South America is full of stray, flea bitten, half dead dogs frothing at the mouth. I have flea bites to prove it, if not the mosquito's in Brazil must be the size of birds.

There were Blood Hounds, Retriever and Labrador's not dissimilar to my Ginny. I was of course more than happy to pet my happy wagging friend until he started getting a little too familiar, shall we say slightly frisky with my satchel.

On arrival in Chile ROLAND has signed a deceleration(on my behalf) to state that I was not importing food/drugs/small adults/cash into the country, without checking with me first, I might add.

He had neglected to mention the small packet of peanuts concealed in the lining of my bag. The zippy part bit on the front!

After a small and healthy scuffle and excessive petting of "Shep" the snitch dog, the lady agreed not to "see" me to the cells if I agreed to sign a new declaration to say I was/would:
a, A bad person
b, Likes dogs
c, Concealed nuts in my adult life from the nut police
d, Had earlier that day had the cheek to carry a mixture of fruit and veg. in my hand luggage with the intend to supply.
e, Would never commit such a heinous crime again

As all of the above were true I signed away my life in a document written in Spanish which I have no idea what it meant. If you never see me again I have been enlisted in the Chilean Army.

And its cold.

Also met a man in our Hostel called Clive.....from KILBURN, Derbyshire!

Happy Kids

2008-05-29T02:21:00.003+01:00

The Three Frontiers

2008-05-27T22:52:00.003+01:00

Just outside out hotel (the fancy one) was the three frontiers, where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet on a T junction in the Rio Parana.

Iguaza Falls - Brazil, Foz do Iguacu

2008-05-27T22:49:00.005+01:00

The view from Brazil, was worth the tightrope walk! You got so close to the water, that you got wet with the spray. Darcey was a complete misery as 1 hour in her camera battery's were flat. I have just finished editing copious amounts of "fluffy" photographs!

Argentina - Brazil the hard way.

2008-05-27T22:33:00.005+01:00

Well everyone knows I am the carefree spending type, and Roland is slightly "cheap"?

This takes cheap to limit. To avoid a small visa charge entering Brazil yesterday, Roland insisted on alternative routes across the Iguazu Falls. It was about as safe as entering Burma in 2006 (admittedly that was completely my idea)

We are safe and well and heading towards Chile, just a bit damp from the spray!

Iguaza Falls - Argentina, Puerto Iguazu

2008-05-26T22:45:00.004+01:00

The Iguaza Falls in Argentina where amazing, but we preferred the Brazilian side.

The room was lovely

2008-05-24T22:43:00.001+01:00

No German photos here!

2008-05-24T11:00:00.003+01:00

Roland cleared the chips for the new adventure, so everyone can breath easy on the incredibly drunk photos that were taken at the "Thank you, and Goodnight party". I will put them on the day I get back as they are all stored on my lap top!!

We arrived safely in Argentina yesterday after a long stop off, but not get off in Brazil. The "hotel" didn´t have our booking, but kindly checked us into another "hotel" at a much higher cost and a place where you could fear for you life.

The hotel party went on until at least 3am and the traffic from the largest road in the world, which is our balcony view never stops. The windows are not Storm seal, but made out of re constituted *beer bottles (*or similar) which allow the atmosphere to seep into all corner of the building. Piper got very upset when she thought I had injured my foot, it turned out to be dirt!

We are heading off in a couple of hours to the falls on the boarder with Brazil. The bus takes 18 arse crunching hours on a chicken bus, so we have broke the bank and have booked on to a rather "fancy" (Darcey's words) Package. We can only afford pasta with Oxo cubes for the remainder of the trip.

Here to a skinny return home!

Cry for me......

2008-05-24T02:30:00.000+01:00

Argentina, Little Eaton, Derby, Holland. Anyone else who reads this blog!

Its freezing, our hotel is a hovel and the best thing going on in my day is this " Queens Day" hat that I got last month!

I have started a starvation diet as I look fat and old on every photo. Surly my recent eat/drink yourself to death and exercise, Never diet has not caught up with me just yet¿

We seam to be living on a diet of bread with bread, that gives the tummy the appearance of being many months pregnant with a food baby.

Quality Inn.

2008-05-24T02:08:00.002+01:00

When we finally got to bed jet lagged the first night in BA. Roland thought that in the dark the kind "Fagin" style Inn keeper had left a mint on his pillow.

In the morning he was shocked to find that the "mint" was a grubby rubber button and the sheets were made of plastic (only on his bed)

Even more shocked to see the state of the pillow It looked like an enormous skid mark right across where he had slept!

JAMES!

2008-04-03T14:07:00.005+01:00

I have tickets to see James next week!

I have also secured beds in Argentina, Chile, Easter Island and Hong Kong!

No Plans till April...

2008-02-28T22:21:00.003Z

Our boilers' broke.
Roland's handed his notice in.
The house is up for sale.

Some how I have managed to book a ticket to see the Queen! and convinced Roland that we need to go skiing in Canada at the end of the year. Despite the fact that neither us now have jobs and are soon to be homeless.
Looking beyond the plain facts, we still have no accommodation for our "mid life" crisis holiday this summer. I did try to book some bits and beds but nobody wanted my* money (*also known as money belonging to the bank manager) as it was too early to make a booking.

Funny, that I can book two weeks in Canada for the end of the year, but four sweat stained bunks in South America.......impossible. I just pray the holiday fairy comes to town and packs the bags and books some beds. If not it could be tricky!

Also funny, but when you are on the eve of living your dream, it still seams like a dream. Which is how I can spend endless hours booking bands, searching for cheap kegs of beer, stupid outfits that make me look more like a hooker than Austrian beer Queen, booking next seasons ski holidays and going horse riding. On top of all this I seem to be scarily efficient with my paper work, and I shampooed the carpet today..........................................this can never be a good sign!

Smart Kids!

2008-01-18T16:19:00.001Z

There is always one brave kid!

From Russia with love!

2008-01-18T16:07:00.001Z

James Bond you ain't

Ski Sunday - Head in a box.

2008-01-18T15:55:00.001Z

Roland, finally got sick of me always being right!

Pear Cider.

2008-01-17T16:04:00.001Z

Its good for the knees.

City life!

2008-01-16T16:13:00.001Z

This was when I was happy and looking forward to skiing.

Five minutes later the rep. said it was -30 c and I was later to get frost bite from the ski lift on my bum!

Ruka 2008 - Lap/Fin/Coldland

2008-01-15T16:00:00.001Z

Waiting for a bus!

Ruka 2008

2008-01-14T16:24:00.001Z

Roland, Vic, Claire and Petra, hope she doesn't fall over in the snow!

Stan. Here is the new improved plan....

2008-01-08T22:48:00.003Z

The plan is now craved in stone...which means I am going to have to pay lots of extras x 4 if I don't carry out the agreed plan........

So, here is the plan...Argentina - Chile - Some Island - Chile - New Zealand - Australia -Indonesia - Hong Kong - India- Home, well the end of the road for us anyway!

I am currently not living in the moment, perhaps through Benylin induced calmness and still have not worried or booked anything other than the airline tickets. It amazes me when villages stop to chat about my life changing decisions. It takes me an age to realise they are not talking about skiing on Sunday!

Visa Gypsies...

2007-12-20T12:41:00.001Z

Many years ago, a person was lovingly bestowed on me by a random act of slight madness. To this day and hopefully forever! I have manged to preserve a beautiful friendship; which I truly treasure in a very secret place.

I couldn't believe that a year had passed since I last got a beer with this crazy fool. So, on some mad attack when we got home from Austria, I actually took a flight to somewhere very cold, that does not use the Euro!

When I arrived, I had to get some currency as my money was not going to work in this one horse town. I have always had an irrational fear of being robbed by the cash point. (I must point out, I have never been robbed when I have been travelling....only in Derby!)

I am a little stupid when it comes to currency, or it could be lazy, either or! I never seem to grasp my spending (unless its a 2 to 1, like with the dollar, and then I just buy more as I think everything is uber cheap)

So, I took 250.00 doubloon's out of the cash point and slid it quietly into my secret pocket. I scanned the crowds for potential thieves, pickpockets or gypsies with card board. With caution I slowly made my way to the bus stop, hand on pocket, slight sweat on. I had gauged that this would be enough cash for beer and dinner and sundries.

I knew how the evening would roll out.

My friend would be late, but with a perfect excuse that was too wild to disbelieve. There would be drinking and then some, and then some more. Hopefully dinner followed by some more drinking!

The conversation would be deep yet jolly and the universe would once again be balanced.

The only blight to my evening was the two enormous spots on my face from drinking too much in Kaprun and this stupid amount of money I had taken from the cash point. My paranoia faded with the evening and I thought no more about it.

Until the credit card came....I rarely read them, but Roland always enjoys telling me how much of the family fortune I have spent at TK Max.

The money I had been guarding with so much care from the possible robbers etc, worked out to be £11.58!

Crap or drunk? I can't remember!

2007-12-15T18:30:00.003Z

I think my arse was stuck to the snow! We had so may layers on that when you fell down it was almost impossible to get back up.

Attractive or what!!!!

Petra's hat looks like a nipple.

and it did,and it did, and it did!

2007-12-15T18:18:00.001Z

Its snowed and snowed and then snowed some more! We had a brilliant time in Kaprun, I had to get my boots "remoulded" as part of my boot was pressing into a main vein in my leg and it looked like it might explode.
I swear it was nothing to do with the vat of jagermeister we consumed. When the axe falls with that drink it falls. Petra went off to pet some cows with an inbred farmer. And we let her!

Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2007-12-09T21:37:00.008Z

The tickets have arrives, I have no job and I have just booked an airline ticket to the snow! And also to some strange place that will end in some sort of small expensive booze cruise mini disaster; but more of that later!

And the kids are staying at home...........for a change

Some bloke!

2007-12-06T21:59:00.001Z

Roly finally got to chase his dream!

More Shots..

2007-12-06T21:55:00.000Z

Shots I forgot!

2007-12-06T21:50:00.000Z

The Hill to Happieness......

2007-10-24T16:03:00.000+01:00

has it always been this steep?

I have just realised that I have to do a least 100 things in order to make way for next years trip. Admittedly handing in my resignation will not take too long and could lead to a small amount of pleasure! But finishing the house, and it needs a lot of finishing. Places at schools, summer homes for the pets, booking flights, etc etc. Roland is being his normal Stirling self and seams to be spending a large amount of time and detail trying to get the foot stool fixed.

He actually had one in fake leather which I burnt with a blow torch (by accident) though it truly was a nasty piece of seventies tat. I told him that I had sent it away to be mended, when in fact I had sent it to the place all nasty things belong......The tip!

So, Here I am all one my own wonder quite where to find 7k for these adventure airline tickets that I so need. I am trying not to take my eye off the game as I might see this as a wild silly mad idea. But then have I ever been blessed with any other?

Home before the Earthquakes

2007-08-24T23:06:00.002+01:00

We had a few uneventful days in Lima before we flew back to Amsterdam on a "make your kids puke, hot flight" with KLM. I then got into a small disagreement with the KLM nerd at the connection desk when he said I would have to leave my Duty Free behind, despite the fact it was bought at another airport, sealed and security tagged and had not left a, my sight b, an airport compound.
Like hell that was going to happen so, for the millionth time this life, I ran through Schiphol airport in tears about to miss my flight for 2 bottles of Gin and a bottle of Tequila ( expensive Gin!) and got back to departures (duty frees checked in) with seconds to spare. I am getting too old for these Zola Budd sprints, but like the skid marks in the desert at Nazca my red headed, pig headed no surrender attitude took over.
We landed 3 days before the terrible earthquakes that shook Ica, Lima and the surrounding area, and this years adventure is over.

Work Sucks.

How much more............

2007-08-09T16:26:00.002+01:00

Our Holiday is starting to turn into a Monty Python sketch.
On the last day in the jungle we went on a swift city tour of Iquitos including snake farms, Zoos, Bora Bora tribes, tribes I can´t remember the name of tribes, markets, Eiffel's steel house and other miscellaneous attractions around the town.

We needed a room as we has one more night before our flight out of the jungle but, couldn´t get one, as it was high season. The only room available was the presidential suite in the El Dorado on the square in the centre of the town. Which we reluctantly decided would fit our purposes.
After settling into the room, the girls and I decided to try all the free facility's. I was so pleased there were complementary razors. I no longer have legs like "Jane of the Jungle".
The Jacuzzi didn´t seem to like me and began pelting high speed jets of water at me and the bathroom soon began to fill will a large volume of water. Roland 'nowhere to be seen' Jonas was missing in action and it took some time for my screaming on the balcony to attract the attention of the staff.
The lights started to flicker and by the time it was switched off the carpet in the foyer was sodden. Needless to say that room will never be the same again. I didn´t try the sauna this time.

Ship to shore S.O.S Rolys in the drink!

2007-08-08T16:00:00.001+01:00

After facing another bush tucker challenge in the restaurant of the jungle lodge and a guess the mystery fruit drink for breakfast game, our guide took us for a river trip.

It turned out to be in a dug out canoe which had a hole in the base, but he had mended it with mud! Roland and the girls neither swim or canoe, so you can imagine my surprise when Roland sat in the back with a paddle. Everything was going swimmingly, as far as it can in a small waterlogged dug out on the mighty Amazon when we ran a ground. The river is very low at this time of year and lots of trees are just under the surface of the water. Our guide dived in a freed the boat so we could carry on. I turned to Roland and said how nice that the guide had jumped in to free the boat. Roland reply was a strange when he said that " well he should have steered us away from the bank".
Whilst digesting the above statement for Roger irrelevant himself, there was a loud bang and the canoe almost went over and started to fill up with water. The girls were screaming and Roland was in the drink. As he can´t swim this posed a large problem for the the remainder of our trip! I practises my sad wife's face and wondered how to explain this unfortunate incident to the family and friends etc.............
No I didn´t.
I shouted to the guide and both he and I dived in to save him. The water was not clean. I manged to tow the canoe to the bank and flag down a passing coal boat for a ride back to the lodge. It was now that Roland explained his earlier comment as he had not been paddling and steering the canoe as the man in the back does, but using his paddle like a rudder. The rudder must have got stuck in a sunken tree which almost capsized the boat and plunged Roland in the water. My hair is now like dry sea weed and I smell like a ditch.

Jungle Shower..

2007-08-06T20:39:00.003+01:00

This has to be a better option than a jungle shower. Which if you didn't know is a cold shower inside if you are lucky. In the jungle your clothes really suffer from the humidity? What I mean is they are slimy, sweaty and never seem to dry out at all. Its a bit like wearing a damp old flannel all day!

The locals bathed in the amazon in the evening whilst we faced a freezing cold jungle shower!

Monkey trouble

2007-08-06T20:39:00.002+01:00

Today we went to monkey island were we played with some monkeys (you can see Roland really enjoyed it!) and were robbed by both the monkeys and the island owners!

One of the little treasures tried to steal my credit cards and the island owner massively overcharged us for some monkey t- shirts, which did for a short while stop us washing our clothes in the river!

Hammock on the river.

2007-08-06T20:23:00.001+01:00

This was the exact moment that Piper no longer wanted to be in touch with nature or any other wild/domestic animals.

We were swinging idly in the hammock room after a rather large dinner when this parrot swooped down and attacked Piper. Piper was too afraid to move, so Darcey hit it with a stick!

Darcey and Tony

2007-08-04T20:01:00.002+01:00

Darcey has made a new friend

Surely this is a another money shot James?

Hot Tuna

2007-08-03T18:44:00.001+01:00

Went Pirhana fishing. I caught.......0 Roland caught........0 Children combined total..........0. The guide cut off part of his heal for bate with a big machete. Still no fish.

Hotter is better?

2007-08-03T18:21:00.001+01:00

We got a very nice hotel San Isidro with hot water and a little man who wanted to carry our bags. No fleas or anything!
In the morning we took a short flight to Iquitos which is a small town in the middle of the jungle that can only be accessed by air or the Amazon River. It puts a whole new level in the chicken bus category. The plane we landed on was carrying crates of baby chicks and the buses were stacked high up to the sky with every sort of provision imaginable. And, it is hot.
Our guide was there to meet us with a ¨Claire Jonas" sign. (Twice in one life time....prompt JN,FA!) and shepherded us nicely around the town and onto the river. It took about an hour full throttle up the Amazon to reach our lodge. It was dark. Very dark. The boat very fast, and the water alarming close to the top of the boat. Even the chickens were worried!

After a welcome drink I have never tasted the flavor of before we were shown to our room.

Oasis

2007-08-01T03:35:00.001+01:00

Full, drunk and almost clean at the Oasis!

All dune activities have been suspended until after we leave as someone has been injured (Update - killed when his dune buggy overturned) on the sand. :-(

Fake.

2007-08-01T03:14:00.000+01:00

We took the night bus to Nazca.
They are crap unless you are four foot fu*ck all. So, unfair to the long legged Europeans (using this term very lightly!) We ended crumpled up in the beautiful town of Nazca at 5.45 am. And this is called a holiday? After I smacked a few tour guides about, we manged to walk into the town which was approx. 3 blocks away!

We found a great guy who let us crash at his place whilst he did his best to get us a flight into the desert. Must point out that I have no desire to die chasing somebody Else's fantasy, But, there was no way I was going to stand in the desert all day watching some tourists flap about the Nazca lines......... I took the first flight!!

It was excellent and I was not sick, They girl in the front seat WAS!
It is made by either Alien's and/or some people who got sick of crop circles!
We took a chicken bus onto Ica and then onto the Oasis!

Over?

2007-07-31T01:58:00.000+01:00

Never! I am already plotting next years escape with a slightly larger budget and less flea bits and tummy rot!

Arequipa and beyond...

2007-07-31T01:23:00.000+01:00

Beyond the poverty line. I look like a bum and smell like a junk! I think my days of backpacking may be coming to a close. I am truly not cut out for this anymore! I have no clean underwear and I have hair in places not Seen since my teen years!
I go to bed at night dreaming of getting my legs waxes and enjoying some clean clothing!!!! I have also noticed a small amount of facial hair starting to sprout. I am hoping its due to the extreme weather conditions that we have fallen across.
I actually blame my years working as a conference/travel consultant as I know how the other half lives and it sure as hell is nothing like this! If these hobos I am snuggling up with knew what I was dreaming (mainly parting with the family at Heathrow and booking myself into the Waldorf for a couple of days) they would surly rob me, but luckily the children are heavy sleepers and don´t know where I keep my cash!
We are waiting for a bus to Nazca as Roland feels the need for speed! I feel the need for early widowdom as the idiot wants to take some lightweight aircraft over the lines in the morning. I have already been practicing my extreme sorrow face! After we are heading back to Lima and then onto Iquitos as we are going to the jungle for a week. Its looks quite nice and means that we can spend some time on the Amazon in reasonable safety.
I may need to wash my pants in the Amazon as the situation is looking quite desperate, even more so after Nazca tomorrow!

Colca Canyon & Condors

2007-07-30T19:58:00.000+01:00

Arequipa

2007-07-28T21:01:00.000+01:00

Tacna

2007-07-28T14:34:00.000+01:00

We took a flight out of Tacna to Arequipa to cover some miles. The thought of another bed bus was making me feel ill. Everything went smoothly and we were only 1 hour late due to no reasonable explanation. The flight had a party atmosphere, i. e nobody took their seats and followed the safety procedure. The flight attendant pointed at a picture of the airline seat and indicated that if we should crash land you should use these as floats.
Roland looked a little stressed and said " we are flying over desert"!.

Tacna and Chile

2007-07-26T21:10:00.000+01:00

Last night we got a bed bus to Tacna from Puno. It was supposed to be one of these luxury double decker buses with beds etc. was it bollocks, the seats that we paid extra for reclined to about 45 degrees so admittedly it was a little more comfortable than the seats upstairs, but it wasn`t what we were expecting. They showed a film The Last King of Scotland in Spanish so I nodded off Claire it turns out watched it all as she couldn't sleep. Then suddenly it got hot, really hot and Claire woke me saying if we don't get some air we will die of carbon monoxide poisoning like the refugees in containers. For some reason i couldn't get properly back to sleep but at least the air con came on the other side of the bus to cool us down some. A relaxing nights sleep on the bus was not going to happen.

At 700am in the morning Tacna came over a bit of a dump so we wandered around the centre before checking into the hotel. We chose the best one in town for a few days R&R and its actually pretty shabby, but beggars cant be choosers.

As La Paz and the Bolivian salt flats are off the menu we decided to go to Chile instead. Therefore we spent an hour booking flights etc in a travel agents, but changed our minds again as there are still strikes and demonstrations happening in Peru and the 28th is the 150th anniversary of independence, so we could not guarantee we could take the train do the border crossing and catch a plane, urgency and time keeping has not yet caught on in Peru. So now we are going to go to Iquitos and the amazon rain forest.

But to get our Chile stamp we caught the train this afternoon to Arica in Chile so we trundled of to the train station and oh my god what a shambles, the guy selling the tickets also dealt with the passport control and once they sold all the tickets they locked the station doors while they sorted everyone out, all that was missing was the creates of chickens. The train itself was like something from a museum only older. It was a single car DMU with sliding wood windows ( at last these closed unlike in Thailand ). Sat along side it in the station there was a number of real steam locomotives just parked up, although they didn't look like they had moved in some time.

When we finally got moving the train went out the station and down the road where we brushing by pedestrians and being undercut by taxi drivers. We slowly made our way through the towns streets where you could see the massive sand dunes on the edge of town and behind them in the distance was snow capped mountains, it makes for quite a bizarre image. We then trundled our way through the desert (and when I mean desert I really mean desert it was a full blown thing with sand dunes and sand blowing across the track behind us) into Chile and the city of Arica.

We then got the bus back to Tacna, or we thought we were getting the bus only we go a bit duped and ended up sharing a taxi the 40 odd miles back. Both of us were a little bit pissed at this as going on public transport is always an experience to remember.

Black Hole

2007-07-25T00:23:00.000+01:00

We arrived in Copacabana smoothly, it is a small boarder town with pedalos on the Lake (yes, pedalos) We checked into our average hotel and plotted a route to Sun Island, where the sun was born. We talked about going onto La paz, but after chatting with a group of Dutch girls, who said that the salt flats dropped in Temperature to -20 at night we have rethought our plans and are heading out of this one horse town to Tacna. The electricity has been off for about 24 hours and I am aware that we have no showered since Cusco!

The view from our window over the lake is to die for, it truly is. Is has been worth the trek. It is however f*cking freezing, Piper nearly puked on me on a boat across the lake and I have some weird bites (I am sure from fleas) on my legs. I ate some kind of road kill last night and Piper nearly broke a tooth on some "pizza" type product.
My visa also appears to have been dated 2 weeks before I arrived in Bolivia which I am sure is going to cost me tomorrow at the boarder!

Puno

2007-07-25T00:16:00.000+01:00

The train to Puno was fantastic. Puno is a bit of a pit and quite a frightening pit at that. We took a taxi one block to our hotel where the average temperature was about - 5. I have never been so cold. Puno is not the greatest place on earth but it is the gate way to Lake Titicaca and Bolivia.
To say I was glad to leave was a slight understatement. The Hostel owner asked me to write a hostel review. The shower was dangerous, the windows did not shut, the bedrooms were more than freezing and there was a distinct smell of death outside the bathroom. At night we wedged a chair up against the door as the owner seamed to be able to access it at all time.

Great Train Journey

2007-07-21T23:20:00.000+01:00

Today we travelled from Cuzco to Puno on the train which apparently one of the great train journeys of the world. The section we were in had large armchairs instead of normal seats and at the back was a bar and open air observation car it was pretty cool.

It started off in typical fashion the clown in the hostel hadn´t got breakfast ready, so when it did arrive we had to rush our tea and bread rolls. At the station this woman snootily commented that Piper & Darcey wouldn´t be able to sit still for the 10 hours the train took. Much to my delight she had to pass our seats every time she wanted to go to the observation bar.

The train was real luxury and we had waiter service the entire time, we had free whisky sours in the bar and there was a fashion parade by these two models in skin tight catsuits, and our poor waiter got dragged in as well, but he didn´t seem to be able to take it seriously.

The only problem was there was 20 french tourists in our carriage and a particularly old biddy across from us who didn´t shut up the whole gabbing away and generally bitching the way they do when the door was opened. They were even worse at the observation car pushing and elbowing their stinking way to the best spots. Complete tossers all of them.

The train stopped at the worlds highest train station were we all got off and had a wander round, another chance to be sold Alpca produced goods. The two models got off here to catch the bus back to Cuzco. Up until now we had been following the river through a mountainous valleys, but after this point we were onto a high plateau with more mountains and large hills in the distance. Mile after mile after mile, it did get a bit monotonous after a while.

The next real highlight for me was Julica, described as driving through Albert Looms scrapyard and not wrong. As we entered Julica a market was taking place directly beside the railway line and some stall holders had actually placed goods between the railway lines, crazy. Anything and everything seemed to be for sale at the market and you could reach out grab some of the stuff as the stalls were that close. It would be interesting to see there kinematic gauge.

Before we finally arrived at Puno we had to make a special stop at some grand hotel outside of town to let all the french off. You could see the short stroll to reception for them. I say again they are all tossers.

When we arrived at Puno it was absolutely bedlam outside, taxis, buses and bicycle rickshaws, apparently this is the first time the train has ran in 20 days.

Hayley from Derby!!!!!!!!

2007-07-20T17:24:00.001+01:00

We did a deal at the ticket office to get Piper a train ticket home, well almost. All the trains were fully booked so we exchanged our ticket for tickets to Ollantambo. It is about 2 hours from Cusco by bus.
Whilst I was sorting out train tickets a very helpful lady came over to tell me about a bus we could catch back to Cusco. Her name is Hayley and strangely she lives in Derby less than 5 miles away! Too strange to be true!!!!!!!!

Macchu Pichu On Thursday

2007-07-20T17:22:00.000+01:00

After nearly missing the train and getting a sore bum on the long train ride to the Macchu Pichu. The view was just like this. It was breath taking, busy, hot, steep and definitely made by aliens. There is no way tiny little Inca men made this, it is not possible.
We have a bit of a scuffle with the guide, Piper ended up with out a train ticket home and no entry to the site. I may have snatched a ticket off the guide and threatened her with violence, but we got into the site.

Met Simon and Sari in Cusco!

2007-07-20T17:20:00.000+01:00

I met Simon about the same time I met Roland light years ago! It was one of the best moments when we ran into him in Cusco last week outside Jacks Cafe!

Bye Bye Libertador

2007-07-18T09:25:00.000+01:00

We have now been holed up in the Libertador Hotel for the last two days to enable Darcey to have a quiet couple of days while she acclimatises. We now have to return to our hostel, it will be such a wrench to leave.

Yesterday we stayed just in the hotel, a lazy breakfast then just in the business centre or watching TV in our room (Girls of the Playboy Mansion so it wasn´t all bad). Late afternoon we ventured up into the main square and got some food and did some window shopping of the tourist tat.

Today we are just going to explore Cuzco a bit more, as tomorrow we are off to Macchu Pichu.

Ah yes, I think I have some delly belly, therefore it could be interesting on the train tomorrow.

Cusco

2007-07-17T17:41:00.000+01:00

I am currently sat in the very plush Libertador Hotel in Cusco!
We got away from Lima early yesterday morning and flew over the Andie's (not that impressive). We landed In Cusco and to my great relif there was a little board with my name in it. Nobody has ever met me with a board ( James-Frank et al!)
The Hostel is a bit natural but very cost effective!
We had a bit of a plan to meet Simon Hewitt and Sari at Jacks Cafe for lunch as he is also by coincidence travelling around South America. Unfortunately Darcey got altitude sickness and had to go to the Doctors. She was on oxygen all afternoon. The Doctor said that the best thing was R and R, or I think she may have said that if I understood Spanish at all. So we checked into the nicest place we could find so, she could get some rest, with TV, warm rooms and all the trappings of a 5* pad. (I am so cut out for his life style!)
Darcey instantly looked better the second Roland handed over his credit card. Thank God.
I am glad we decided to check in here and not just for the room service, spa and excellent food. Today there was a protest in Cusco with lots of shouting and whistles and bells. I observed this from the safety of the billiard room sipping some coco tea!

We are here until Wednesday and hopefully riot friendly we are off to Matchuu Pitchu on Thursday. We have tickets out to Puno on the weekend but are rethinking La Paz and the salt flats as the altitude climbs again.
Darcey has no concept of the meaning of calm and relaxation which I think was a contributing factor to her sickness in the first place.
Roland is trying to teach them to play chess, I see no R and R from that end of the room only heated arguments about which piece moves where.

One for James.

2007-07-15T18:33:00.000+01:00

The Money shot!

2007-07-14T18:35:00.000+01:00

Packed and away

2007-07-14T12:22:00.000+01:00

Roland thought that a 40 litre back pack would be great for a month away from home for two people. At about 10pm on the Thursday (we had to leave at midnight) I watched as he sped off in the direction of Tescos in the hope of getting a bigger pack.

Roland is the most hopeless packer, and I was about to kill him, so it was in fact a blessing!
Everything went the plan, the car park was easy to find, cheap and very well set out. The transfer from the car park to the airport would have been good if the bus driver was not a complete and utter wanker.

I love KLM, I think they are the best airline about. They feed you to death and could not be more helpful ( my only complaint is that people in cattle who have red hair and are a little bit tubby should get a Delft house) I had a moaning old git behind me who thought that children should not recline their seats and told Piper so while I went for a walk.

I think he was French.

After too many arse crunching hours we arrived at Lima. Roland got out his map and flashed his cash and neglected to keep a low profile. When you read about people being mugged think of this: Roland and I went to St Lucia many years ago and went on a tour of the Island one day as I had a broken leg, but had cut my cast off one the beach a few day prior so I could go in the sea.

I only had one shoe so couldn't´t walk too far. In the poorest shanty town you have ever seen, Roland strayed off and I found him chatting to an old man who was working on a dug out canoe.
As I approached to my horror I hear heard him telling the poor old man that he lived in a massive house and designed trains. I would have mugged him myself if he had not have shut up! Not five minutes later he was stood on the end of a jetty exchanging pleasantries with some crack head (please note Roland can not swim) The crack head was asking him for money, what a surprise! We escaped this time missing just a packet of Marlborough. If push had come to shove, I would have shoved!

We are staying at the Inca Lodge in the Miraflores, which is cheapish, clean, nice and the staff are very nice. Its in a good location and breakfast is included for $12 per night.
We went to bed at 7pm on the Friday and woke at 7 am on the Saturday.
So far so good.

Nearly free drugs and what rate!

2007-07-06T20:45:00.000+01:00

I picked up our Malarone anti malaria tablets today, and I currently have a big cheesy grin as the pharmasist only charged me the standard prescription rate so £6.85 for Claire and me, and free for the kids. So my Malarone that was originally going to cost £467 I finally got for £13.70, as soon as I got the tablets in my sweaty little hands I was out of that shop like a rocket feeling well smug.

But my smugness didn't last for long, I picked up my dollars and sols but didn't check the dollar rate like a twat until I got home. 1.83, one bloody eightythree it was 1.93 when I ordered them. Straight on the phone, apparently the computer doesn't always give the correct rate when buying large sums, it uses a lesser rate rather than a preferential rate. Although its sorted I still feel a little cheated. The upshot is I need to go back into town tomorrow and pick up my extra $72. I have a feeling I will take a bit more notice of the exchange rate.

Claire has just been reading up on Bolivia, I'm not sure what site she was on but it could have been 'horror stories R us' handcuffed and kidnapped by fake police, drugs planted on them at airport, bags robbed and altitude sickness stories. Hmm can't wait.

Still not packed.

Better do some packing

2007-07-03T20:03:00.000+01:00

Still not packed, its a now just over a week until we go so I think I should better get some done. Perhaps Claire will do it for me, then again I want some decent clothes that I can wear.... and some pants, Claire would find it dead funny not to pack any for me.

I have actual done some work towards the holiday, I spent most of last saturday driving around various chemists and supermarkets getting a price for Malarone our malaria tablet of choice. Its pretty expensive but it has the least side effects and is the only suitable for children. Claire and I have to take 37 each, Darcey 74 and poor old Piper has to take a whopping 111 tablets.

Boots were going to charge £467 which is the kind of price I was expecting, Sainsburys charge was £380ish, quite an improvement. Manor pharmacy was down to £315, while Tescos, ASDA and Superdrug all came in at £308. I am quickly comming to the conclusion that I got a bit ripped off last year for the Malarone. I also had a quick check of the internet and I managed to find them for £288 but something about buying drugs off the internet was putting me off.

I have also been and ordered our foreign currency, a load of US dollars which seems to be the currency of choice in Peru and a handful of the local notes 'nuevo sol', I wonder what these will be like I always find foriegn currency has the look of monoply money that Mickey Mouse keeps in his wallet.

Still no packing done.

Stamps

2007-06-19T22:40:00.000+01:00

I don't think there is anything wrong with collecting passport stamps! I have wanted to go to South America forever. Should I happen to get a few stamps then so be it! I was a little sad that the man with the sub machine gun didn't stamp my passport in Burma and in reflection that may not have been the most thought out plan I have ever come up with!!I will never hand it over to a man with a scar across his face in the jungle ever again.

Base Camp Peru

2007-06-16T19:45:00.001+01:00

Claire has started to sort out all the essentials we need to take to Peru with us, the spare room has currently been redesignated 'Base Camp Peru' is now piled high with rucksacks and clothes. And it looks apparent to me that all stuff is not going to fit into the three or so rucksacks that we are taking with us. After perusing the pile I noticed that there was nothing of mine there. Therefore we are going to have to reduce what we take somewhat dramatically.

Regarding the trip we have a plan of sorts, we fly into Lima, spend a few days there before we move onto Cuzco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Then we are going to move onto Puno and Lake Titicaca, then its across the lake and into Bolivia and La Paz. I know its not technically Peru but we will be so close, and interesting fact, its the worlds highest capital city at 3,600 metres (11,811 feet). For Claire I think getting a Bolivia stamp in her passport is the most important thing, she has a thing about passport stamps and its important she has loads of different ones, it rankles her that she doesn't get a stamp every time she travels to Europe anymore.

After La Paz the trip is still pretty much open as long as we get back to Lima for our return flight we'll be fine. I am sure we will find plenty of interesting things to see and do and at least one or two stupid ones as can be expected.

and start it has...........

2007-06-15T22:45:00.000+01:00

The hill to happieness is oh, so sharp. Yellow fever and hep. jabs all round. Piper actually screamed before the nurse injected her, so any feeling of guilt about being a bad/mad/evil parent vanished there and then. I only read the information regarding organ failure after the shots, which wasn't the most helpful. I spent the following week feeling sad and sorry for myself thinking that my internal organs might pack up at any moment. They didn't and my arm wasn't sore either. The only one to suffer was Roland as it cost him £200.00 to foot the bill for the jabs.So, we are jabbed but not packed and I really have no idea where to start. I hope it will come together soon. Roland keeps cracking jokes about wearing pants for 4 days as he can rotate them in a way that gives them extended life. We have been togther for more than a decade so where he learnt this I hate to think!

It starts here

2007-06-15T20:00:00.000+01:00

Well I've finally set up a weblog to record our travels, initially our holiday to Peru but hopefully subsequent holidays also. If possible I intend to add in previous holidays, I think it may fun to reminisce as we do it.
But this years trip starts here.

Doha and Home.

2006-08-12T17:34:00.000+01:00

We headed home via Doha. It was all a bit of a blurr.

As security had been massively increased, we had to pack everything or leave it behind as nothing was allowed in the cabin.

Wish somebody had told the man with the wooden ship that security was high alert, or perhaps the Lady's with air hostess suitcases. The very same ones that took my seats and expected my 4 year old to sit on the first row by herself whilst the rest of the family was scattered through out the cabin. Like I would book my seats like that.

I am so surprised that the Doha and its residents were allowed to get special checking on there hand luggage where as I had to leave my malaria tablets in my main luggage. hummmm.....high alert only for family's returning from their summer vacations.