Photography, vegetarian recipes and travel

We’ve been back for just over a week now. It’s been a little mad as in that time there’s been Charlotte’s wedding (more on that in another post), we’ve both managed to find jobs, bought a car, and come up to Newcastle to sell the house! I’m at Richard’s (Becs’ Dad) house whilst writing this.

We haven’t really had time to stop and think and reflect on the trip, which has meant that it seems like we never really went away, let alone for six months. I’m hoping that we do get some time to relax and go over the trip. Last night we visited the house which was a bit strange; we thought that we’d feel like moving back in but, because there’s none of of our stuff there, it didn’t really feel like our house.

Luckily I have had time to go through our Peru photos. These have now been uploaded to Flickr. So please take a look.

Hello everyone – if there is anyone left still reading this!

As we are nearly at the end of the trip, we thought we had better write something about Peru, so here goes!

Well, getting to Peru was a bizarre experience. We went overland from Arica in Chile to Tacna. On arrival to the bus terminal in Arica, we were met by numerous collectivo (taxi) drivers bidding for our business to take us to Peru. The guy we picked was pretty gruff, but he whisked us efficiently into the office to pay – then we saw his car! A massive and very old Ford complete with red fur seat covers, dashboard cover, and wait for it….a red fur-lined ceiling inside! Of course he drove very fast and played terrible techno music very loud all the way to Peru! That said, he did get us across very quickly and made sure we stood in all the right queues with our passports.

We immediately flew from Tacna to Lima nad then Cusco – this involved spending many hour in the middle of the night lying on the cold tiled floor in Lima airport – not recommended!

Things looked up considerably when we arrived at Cusco airport and Zoe and Steve (from Australia) approached us to see if we wanted to share a taxi. Big hello to Zoe and Steve! They seemed far more with it than us, and made sure we didn’t pay too much for the taxi. Anyway, more about them later as we continued to meet up and go places.

Cusco is really nice, if a bit nippy at night. Hmmm my time is running out so I will have to continue tomorrow! We are staying in a place that limits internet access – a place that feels like a ghost hotel in the middle of nowhere – it is pretty weird – and to top it all we are booked in two nights – aaarghh – BUT we should see some boobies (birds), penguins and sea lions tomorrow so hopefully that will make up for it! Then we will be back to Lima for our last night and day before the long journey home.

Looking forward to seeing you all!

Over the last week or so we’ve been to the driest place in the world (Atacama desert) and also the highest we’ve ever been (Parque Nacional Lauca – 4750m).

It was a bit of a change going from the wet and windy Rapa Nui to the barren and arid San Pedro de Atacama. The Atacama desert stretches over almost all of northern Chile and, because of a constant high pressure over the sea, it almost never rains. San Pedro is near the Andes and so nearby there are mountains, volcanoes and geothermal areas. It was a bit of whistle stop tour but in three days we’d been to the Valley of the Moon, taken a day tour to Lake/Volcano Miniques, spent a few hours star gazing through a Frenchmen telescopes and seen the El Tatio geyser field. Take a look at the photos!

I’m writing this in Arica, which is the northern-most city in Chile, just back from a 4 day tour to the Parque Nacional Lauca which is in the midst of the altiplano of the Andes. There were 6 of us on the trip, 4 of whom were from Belgium (hi to Inge, Brecht, Marc and Pia). We didn’t go below 3500m the entire trip, with 4750m being the highest point we reached. The scenery is spectacular, with barren basins and salt lakes framed by 6000m + mountains and active volcanoes. Becs wanted to take home a vizcacha (chinchilla that looks just like a rabbit), and we also saw plenty of the camelids – llamas, vicunas, guanacos and alpacas – as well as flamingoes, Andean condors (sorry no photos), woodpeckers and turkey vultures.

The full Chile set is here.

Or click here for the ones of San Pedro and Parque Nacional Lauca.

Next stop is Peru, where we’re staying for some time in Cusco as well as taking a trip into the Amazon jungle.

Previously… on our blog

http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk Our round the world blog Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:11:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=88#comment-193 Sun, 20 May 2007 03:44:01 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=88#comment-193 see you very soon and happy birthday to becs again! love from all the d-v’s! http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-191 Fri, 04 May 2007 13:33:42 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-191 That’s a pretty impressive beard Paul. I don’t think any man can go all the way around the world without experimenting with facial hair. Just wondering, are there any extreme sports that you guys won’t do? Love the South America photos. I’m off mountain biking in the Brecon Beacons with James this weekend, last time we went I fell off and broke my toe so I’m hoping it will be uneventful this time. Also hoping the weather will last out, we had the hottest and dryest April on record, which was nice. Lila just turned 6 months and started at nursery this week. Take it easy Ant http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-190 Thu, 03 May 2007 09:03:49 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-190 the photos are fantastic once again – i loved the lake at the foot of the volcano! Have fun and see you on the 23d….my car will be available on the 21 & 22! Bisous. Katia http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-189 Wed, 02 May 2007 20:02:47 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-189 Photos now sorted out, so they are in the Chile set. Click away! Love P. http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-188 Wed, 02 May 2007 19:46:39 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=87#comment-188 hi there – it looks like he new photos didn’t load….ut it was nice to read you anyway! I’ll go down Notcutt Garden Cetre tomorrow and buy a Chinchilla for Beccs…should just be able to house train it for when you come back. They are very very cute, and I’ve been waiting for an excuse to get one for age..I’ll just blame it on Beccs : ) They always sleep when we go and see them so they should be easy-going! Have fun in Peru and in the jungle and see you in a few weeks, Katia and co. http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=85#comment-187 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:45:16 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=85#comment-187 Tres Bellamyesque!! Not the Paul we know and love . . . I suppose this photo will become known as your “world phase” just as artists have certain periods and moods to their masterpieces. http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=54#comment-186 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:40:06 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=54#comment-186 It sounds amazing you two!! I can just imagine how happy you both must be to see all marvellous things first hand and meeting fascinating people who can give you all the gen on the sights. We just had a noisy family Christmas and got up to Newcastle to stay with Grant and CJ for New Year. Managed to catch up with Matt’s family and see our pals for a few ales and a chin wag! Even though you felt a little strange out there at Christmas which I can understand (missing family and all that). . . you simply can’t have any regrets! http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=59#comment-185 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:28:41 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=59#comment-185 Minging Mombassa eh! http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=63#comment-184 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:25:57 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=63#comment-184 Glad you had a great time chilling and snorkelling. I do seem to remember you both enjoying the all inclusive buffet in the Land of the Pharoahs too!! http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=56#comment-183 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:21:33 +0000 http://www.paulandbecs.co.uk/?p=56#comment-183 Creatures sound lovely but not sure about the soda lake and the boiling water!! It’s miracle how wildlife and plants adapt to such evil surroundings. Belated Happy New Year to both of you too! See you both next year . . . if you decide to come back at all!!

Hello everyone,

Firstly, thanks to Michelle and Uncle Michael for their lovely comments.

So since we last spoke we have been to Valparaiso – or Valpo for short. It was a huge relief to get out of the smog of Santiago and into the fresh air and colourful surroundings of Valpo. It is a fascinating place surrounded by the most colourful hillsides you have ever seen and lots of interesting nooks and crannies with murals everywhere. The “ascensors” – funiculars, are dotted all over the place saving your legs from the worst of the steep climbs around the city – mind you, they are not so easy on the nerves if you are at all scared of ascending in a rickety old lift that you can see through the bottom of in places   All part of the fun! Somehow time disappears in Valpo – you don’t need top do much more than mooch about the aforementioned nooks and crannies and stop for coffee or food to have a lovely time here.

We stayed in a lovely hostel too – Hostal Luna Sonrisa, with yummy breakfast and clean rooms – a far cry from Hostal Forestal in Santiago in which someone had managed to write “dirty” in the dirt on the shower wall (needless to say we were quite pleased to move on from that one).

In Valpo we visited a house – La Sebastiana – that had belonged to Pablo Neruda. The house was like a mini Valpo in itself – full of colour and nooks and crannies.

For the thrill seekers out there we would recommend going on a local bus around the hillside Cerro Alegre (from the bottom El Plan). When they are in a rush they barely stop moving to let the passengers off and on, this combined with the twists and turns on narrow roads makes for an exhilarating ride that tops most rollercoasters. Not all of the buses go at the same heart stopping rate, but we were luck enough to experience one:)

At the hostal in Valpo we met Kirsten and Hywel (hello if you are reading this) who had previously met a Canadian traveler that lived in Valpo – Kenny. Kenny had invited them out so we tagged along… hence the hangover.

We went to a small bar with live Chilean music – there was a fantastic lady singing her heart out accompanied by a guitarist and a man that switched seamlessly between drums, oboe and violin. At 2 am and too much red wine and pisco sour later we walked back up the hill to the hostal – a walk that seems much easier after the red wine than before it.

Next day was bye bye to Valpo, hello to Easter Island!

Paul thought he would experiment and grow his whiskers. We think they now qualify as a beard – see the pic. I am dying to know what you all think of it as we are constantly debating as to whether he should shave it off or continue the experiment.

I must confess that I have got quite used to it and wouldn’t mind it staying a bit longer – so that some of you can see it in the flesh. However, I am not sure about it being a permament feature.

Let us know what you think of the beard and the long locks:)

The photo isn’t the best, and it is a few days ago now, what it doesn’t show quite so well is that his moustache bit is really quite ginger!

The locals prefer the island’s original name of Rapa Nui rather than the various translations of the day it was “discovered” by Europeans (Easter Island, Isla de Pascua, Ile de Pacques etc).

Not much to say that can do the place justice. A little volcanic spec in the Pacific, only 3700km from Chile. The Moai (statues) on various Ahus (platforms) around the island are majestic, as well as the quarry (Rano Raraku) from which they were chiselled by hand and which still has almost 400 dotted about in mid-creation. After our wonderful guided tours with Toki Tours we could go on and on about the history and various theories about the culture and religion here but we will save that until we get back!

Take a look at the photos here! (you’ll have to skip through some of the ones of mainland Chile first though)

We said goodbye to Jan and Ray yesterday in a blustery Auckland. We’ve had an wonderful time in New Zealand, hence the lack of posts on the blog.

We were only able to spend 7 days on the North Island, so trying to fit things in was a bit of a rush. Quite possibly the highlight was the glowworm caves at the Waitomo. There are hundreds of thousands of little specs of light on the ceilings of underwater rivers. The things themselves look like bits of snot close up but are beautiful from far off. They use the light to attract insects that are drawn into the caves along the rivers, and trap them on threads hanging down. You get taken on a silent boat ride on the river and just look up – just like looking up at the stars.

Jan and Ray got dragged (almost literally) up chairlifts to Mt Ruapehu, NZ´s largest active volcano – the one the erupted in 1995. We also visited close-by Rotorua, where there is some serious thermal activity with geysers, mudpools and thermal springs.

Last stop was at Whitianga on the Coromandel peninsula, a chilled and beautiful motel by a beach to chill out before our journey across the Pacific and Jan / Ray’s trip to the Bay of Islands.

Going across the International Date Line is a bit bewildering; leaving Auckland on Friday evening and arriving in Santiago on Friday afternoon after a 11hr flight. Becs is still in bed resting but I’ve been shopping and had a brief look around – just looks like a big city but there are these massive snow topped mountains to the east! Looking forward to exploring the bar scene after some free wine tasting at the hostel.

Internet is free at the hostel in Santiago so I should be able to upload some of the photos of NZ, maybe tomorrow.

We’re in Santiago for a couple of days, then Valparaiso on the coast, then flying to Easter Island for 5 days. We weren’t planning on going there but it seems rude not to being so close (3500km or a 5 hr flight) we thought we might as well. It will be amazing to see the statues (moai) up close. The diving there is supposed to be spectacular too, with 40-60m vis all the time, as well as hiking, cycling and surfing!

Send us some emails and let us know how you’re getting on.

Love Paul and Becs.