Livin La Vida Boca

Machu Picchu, Puno, Arequipa and La Paz

Despite our experiences in Cusco we had a wonderful time visiting Machu Picchu, Puno and Arequipa.
We set off early on the ascent to Macchu Picchu in order to get tickets for Wana Picchu. Only 400 people can climb this each day. We left at 4.00am and were at the summit by 5.00am- a good time considering we were told it should take 1h 30m. The photos without doubt tell the story of this place but it was interesting to hear the different theories about what it was used for and who built it. Personally I think the Incans took the place by force then used it as a strategic point for the nobility.
Puno was the starting point for a tour of Lake Titicaca- we did a day trip out to the floating islands where the Aymara people live. Forced to build islands out of the reeds to escape persecution it was fascinating to see how they have adapted their lifestyle. There are over 60 inhabited islands around 40 min by boat from Puno.
After our visit to the floating islands we continued to another Island inhabitated by another indigenous minority who continue to live traditional lifestyles. We were lucky enough to visit on a special holiday which provided a visual feast as the locals celebrated in true style. There clothing was spectacular and colourful.
We next made our way to Arequipa to visit the second biggest tourist attraction in Peru- Colca Canyon. While not as spectacular as Fish River Canyon in Namibia we were able to view the South American Condor in full flight. With a wingspan of over 3m it was truely spectacular.
Finally we made our way into Bolivia with a brief but eventful stop in La Paz. At over 3500m above sea level La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. La Paz is without doubt one of the most scenic places we have visited. Surrounded by snow capped mountains including the impressive Illimani at 6300m. During our stay we visited the local witch markets where we bought plenty of spells and potions to bring goodluck and prosperity to all. We did however decide angainst the Llama foetuses as we thought customs may have a problem with this.
I went and visited the San Pedro Gaol, which is literally run by the inmates. Some of the inmates have there family with them and live in relative luxury- many of the cells include plasma screen TVs. I took a few snaps but I was soon after approached by some police who made me delete the photos.
During our time in La paz I also inadvertently stumbled upon another protest and got a great insight into Boloivian culture when the tear gas came out. Now before you worry mum everything is okay- it was only a mild hit but all the same a bit unpleasant. As I write this we are in Uruguay and have exactly one week before we arrive home.... looking forward to seeing everyone soon.

You havent been to Cusco unless............

Since our last blog a lot has happened. We made our way from the Galapagos into Peru passing one of the most interesting boarder crossings we have encountered- interesting in so much as it didnt really exist. Luckily the bus company knew where the offices were so we could get our passports stamped. We visited Trujillo, a layed back surfing town with perfect right handers around 3 to 4 foot that seem to go on forever. Not only is it a great surfing spot but it is also the home of some very ancient pre incan ruins belonging to the Moche and Chimu people. The chan chan civilisation at the time of its existence was home to the largest city in the world. From Trujillo we had a brief stop in Lima before taking the incredibly long bus journey- almost 24 hours- to Cusco. As our blog title suggests Cusco really represented for us the end of our trip- despite the fact we still had 4 weeks to go. Who can beliveve our time has gone so fast.
Before arriving in Cusco we were warned that it was very touristy and that we needed to have our wares about us. We were presently surprised to find a beautiful city with an exquisite main plaza, unfortunately our first impressions wouldnt be our last. To be brutally honest we really had a nightmare of a time.

• You havent been to Cusco unless you book a tour and the tour doesnt include anything for which you paid.
• You havent been to Cusco unless youve been held hostage from 12.00am to 2.30am on a bus before the police are called to resolve the situation.
• You havent been to Cusco unless you get charged for your accommodation twice.
• You havent been to Cusco unless a protest delays your bus for 2 days.
• You havent been to Cusco unless a protest delays your bus for 5 hours and the military needs to come in to clean things up.
• You havent been to Cusco unless a protest delays your bus for 5 hours and stones are blocking the road.
• You havent been to Cusco unless a protest delays your bus for 5 hours and you have to get out of the bus and carry your 30kg of baggage 3km and then board another bus which is then delayed.

I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. The surprising thing was when we explained this to locals they just thought it wasnt funny. Our discussions with other tourists seem to point to similar experiences. We therefore have some good recommendations for anyone who considers going to Cusco.

• When booking a bus do so directly with the bus company.
  
• When booking a tour have low expectations to avoid dissappointment.
• When getting a cab agree the price beforehand and make sure they are not charging per person.
• When getting a cab always have the correct change for the fare.
  

All in all we remained bouyant throughout our time and learnt a lot about ourselves during the experience.

The Galapagos Islands

At the eleventh hour we succumb to the overwhelming desire to visit the Galapagos Islands whilst in Ecaudor. We decided on a 5 day 4 night cruise which included visiting the Islands of Baltra, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Espanol and San Cristobal.
Baltra is an uninhabited island containing one of the three airports in the Galapagos and little else. It was used by the Americans in the second world war and today sees the arrival of most of the tourists to the Galapagos. From Baltra we took a small boat to Santa Cruz before being transported to our ship waiting in the harbour. Our first stop was to visit the Giant Land Toritoises located in the highlands. We were struck at this time by just how amazing the micro climates of this island are- on the coast it was 25 degrees with sunny blue skies, in the highlands approx 5 km inland it was slighly cooler but overcast and misty. The majestic Land Tortoises with their bulking frames were a site to behold, going about their daily consumption of grass at a steady pace. We returned to the boat and enjoyed a nice smorgasboard dinner.
Overnight we motored to our next destination Floreana, an island shrowded in mystery regarding a love triangle which to this day goes unsolved. The island is home to an array of brightly coloured crabs, sea lions, flamingos and numerous birds including the world famous blue footed booby, frigate and brown pelican. Following our island exploration we ventured into the waters to be completley overwhelmed by the marine life- swimming amongst sting ray, green turtles and various tropical fish was very surreal. The green sea turtles were particularly friendly and were not fazed with our presence. In the afternoon we explored lava tunnels, the famous galapagos post office, and ended with another snorkel this time having penguins, sea lions and more turtles to keep us company. To end the day we went for an afternoon zodiac ride viewing more blue footed boobies and frigates as well as black tip reef sharks.
Overnight we motored to Espanol Island which for me was the highlight. We had the beach to ourselves as well as 200 sea lions in the morning, swam with massive manta and eagle rays as well as white tipped reef sharks. After lunch we ventured to another spot where we encountered marine iguanas both in the water and on land, blue footed boobies, azteca boobies, a waved albatross colony complete with chicks and the infamous Galapagos hawk- one of the few predators of the island. The scenery was spectacular, the animals were so close and the experience unforgettbale. We ended the trip in San Cristobal, the most populated isand which despite the encroachment of human beings is just as alive with animals as the other islands- again we swam with sea lions and the like- overall a wonderful experience.

Photos

For more photos go to http://s912.photobucket.com/home/kenya2cusco/index

Cotopaxi- Smooth Neck of the Moon

Yesterday Morning at 1.30am my mission to climb Volcan Cotopaxi, the second highest peak in Ecuador, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world and one of the few equatorial glaciers in the world, commenced. Unfortunately my attempt unraveled at approx 5516m a mere 381m from the summit.
Having never attempted a glacial climb before I was still exceptionally happy with my attempt yet bitterly disappointed to have come so close but not reached the summit. The attempt was thwarted by a number of factors including, lack of appetite from the altitude which led to fatigue and a lack of experience in knowing what to expect. Communication difficulties with my guide who spoke only basic English also created problems. At 5516m I made the decision based on safety concerns that we should turn around. Despite everything it was a life changing experience, something I will never forget.
It all started on 2 June when I made the journey from Latacunga to Cotopaxi National Park- we parked the car at 4300m and made our way to base camp situated at 4800m. This required lugging all my gear including cold weather clothing, food and equipment such as crampons up a loose gravel route to the Base camp. The afternoon was spent acclimatising and doing some brief training in ice-snow climbing. This required a climb to 5000m where the ice and snow of Volcan Cotopaxi begins. Sahra was able to share this experience with me and was staying the night at base camp.
Despite trying to retire early to bed a dull persistent headache meant that I had little to no sleep before starting the ascent. At 1.30am we got underway but due to the altitude I found it difficult to take in food and water- at 5400m a moment of fatigue resulted in a trip which could have ended very badly. A short time later at 5516m I decided that in order to make it back safely I needed to turn around and start the 2 hour descent. I arrived back at base camp around 8.00am having missed the summit but avoided all the crevasses which are even more dangerous than they look- I hope the photos illustrate just how unforgiving the climb can be.

Horse Riding in Pululahua Crater

Two days after arriving in Ecuador and doing a bit of sight seeing in Quito, we headed north to the Pululahua National Reserve where we spent two days horse riding in an ancient volcanic crater.

On the first day we met our beautiful horses, Bria and Apache II. Bria was my horse and she was pregnant and didn't really like to move very much (unless she was heading towards food). I was a little bit nervous as we set off for our first day of riding, especially on the steep ascents and descents, so I was glad Bria didn't like moving too fast! Aidan was very relaxed and looked like he had been riding horses his whole life.

Riding in the Pululahua crater was a unique experience. It is the largest crater on the American continent and one of only two inhabited craters in the world. The constantly changing scenery was amazing and in the afternoon the clouds descended into the crater creating an eerie but majestic atmosphere. At the end of our first day of riding we were quite sore and retired to a little hacienda for a 3 course dinner, a jacuzzi and plenty of mojitos!

On our second day of riding I decided to upgrade my horse. This was a decision I came to regret later as my new horse, Tango, had a habit of charging full speed ahead and scaring the crap out of me whenever he felt like it. We rode for almost 3 hours until we came upon ancient pre-inca ruins. When we stopped to have lunch at the ruins a group of wild horses ...... scared our horses which got loose and one of them took off and headed straight back to the ranch. It took us a little while to catch and settle the other horses before we could head back to the ranch. The afternoon ride took us back past areas of traditional Andean agriculture to lush tropical vegetation, passing cloud forests, deep gorges and clear mountain streams.

The Samba Kings

Well after just under a week in Rio de Janiero we have farwelled the fine shores of Brasil. It is hard to sum up the hedonistic capital of the world in a just a few sentences but our time in Rio was perhaps some of the most amazing since we left Australia. On day 1 we walked the entire length of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches approx 11km in total- the beaches themselves are comparable with Bondi Beach- very chaotic and not the most asethetically beautiful, however, what they lack in beauty they more than make up for in atmosphere and character. The local life revolves around these beaches and the beaches are packed no matter what day of the week it is.
We hired bikes oneday and rode around the lake which was extremely pretty, this gave us our first real glimpses of sugar loaf mountain and christo redentor. As the afternoon set in we had a late lunch and went to a beutiful park which was at the base of christo redentor. We could have spent the whole day here but time didn't permit. In the evening we went to Lapa, a suburb of Rio, which was the location of a street party and a great samba club, Funidcao Progresso. The line up consisted of some well known samba groups that play new years and carnival each year. The atmosphere at the street party was sureal- very bohemian- you could literally find every interest group catered for. The samba groups didn't kick off to 12.00am so we had a late night getting in at 3.00am- Sahra represented when it came to the samba- me not so much.
On day 3 we did a tour of the city which involved visiting a national park, a beautiful waterfafall, christo redentor, Santa Teresa and Lapa- including the famous steps- as popularised by the snoop dog film clip- 'favourite girl'. Lunch was some salted meat from the north-east of Brasil.
Day 4 was the best sporting experience of my life- Brasil v Cot d'Ivore- on the big screen at Copacabana beach with 70,000 of my closest Brazillian friends- the atmosphere was insane- the goals were plentiful and the antarctic beers were cheap- the rest is a blur. Luis Fabiano's wonderful juggling act where he handballed twice in the one goal only served to increase the enjoyment of the day- 'Joga Bonito'.
Finally we ended our stay with the most informative and enjoyable cultural tour Brasil has to offer. There are over 920 favellas in Rio itself and we visited two of them including the biggest which is called Rochina. With a population of between 80,000 and 120,000 it is grand in scale and an impresive site. Despite the bad reputation favelas receive we felt completely comfortable and safe- even despite the fact we encountered civilians carrying uzis and assault rifles. Mick would be happy to know that one of the first songs I heard in Rochina was Charlie Brown Jr- tudo mudo.
Have arrived safely in Quito which is a wonderful city with an amazing outlook- and massive volcanoes- our trip to get here was a haul- Rio to Sao Paulo- Sao Paul to Caracas- Caracas to Bogota- Bogota to Quito. A measly 4 flights with 3 carriers- Our bags could only be checked in as far as Caracas and the longest lay over we had was 1hr- how we got here with our bags is anybodies guess.

Whats Three More Days

After arriving in Santiago and having a few days of sight seeing and rest, we started to get itchy feet and decided like forest to just keep on walking. Finistere (which means- end of the world) was only another 95km, or three days walking. We lightened our loads slighly and decided that day packs would be an easier option. The scenery was again stunning especially the last day as we finally glimpsed the coastline.

It was really nice to be walking again and to be away from the crowds. The last week before we arrived in Santiago things got quite busy. On the road to Finisterre we were lucky to see 4 other pilgrims a day. However, after our beautiful quiet hotel room it was very difficult to go back to the dorm with all the snoring, farting and sleep yelling! Communal bathrooms and bunk beds are things I will truly not miss and after our experiences I am much more appreciative of the fact that Aidan doesn't snore.

On our last day of walking we did an easy 34 kilometers. We arived in Finistere to streets laiden with flowers and we met up with a lovely English couple we had met previously and spent the afternoon looking at the sea drinking gin. Unfortunately the day had to be cut short as we had to get the bus back to Santiago to make our early morning bus the next day to Porto, Portugal.

Finishing the Camino

Finishing was quite a surreal experience, we got a little bit carried away on our second last day and instead of walking 23 kilometers we decided to just keep going. After walking 43 kilometers we could see the spire of the Cathedral! It was so exciting to arrive in Santiago but also a little bit sad as another chapter of our journey was ending.

I was very disappointed that there were no cheer squads as we entered the city, I was hoping for a street parade, maybe a marching band.... at least a line of people ready to hi-five us. But alas, we walked in, did a victory lap of the cathedral and took some photos, a bit of an anticlimax really. We were lucky however that a few Aussies we met along the way had arrived the previous day and were on hand to give us a slap on the back which was great.

I did get a little emotional, one- because I wasn't expecting to arrive the day we did and two- because it was finally over. We had been walking for 31 days and the whole time I was focused on getting to the end and when I finally arrived I was emotionally drained and physically exhaused.

We did go to the nearest pub and celebrate with the biggest beers we could find!! We found a great hotel which had opened only a few days earlier right next to the cathedral.

The Final Contdown

Not only is this a great song by jefferson starship but this is probably the best way to describe our feelings at this point in time. Everything we have been doing for the last 29 days will culminate in five days time.
Today we had a lovely walk and we find ourselves in a town somewhere in Spain, on someday of the month on someday of the week. You really feel like you have achieved youre goal when you seriously cannot answer the above questions. The beautiful undulating greenhills of Galicia, with roman walls dotting the countryside and celtic huts littered around the place continue to amaze. A little old lady walks out of a barn and offers you a crepe with sugar- the sweet smell of freshly cut grass in the early hours of the morning. A church bell dings in the distance as you wander through a herd of cattle, can the world be at any greater peace. Welcome to the world of the Camino.
After packing up our lives in Canberra I feel so removed from the previous 12 months of anxiety and stress- sadly I am already thinking about returning home! Happy to see family and friends but disappointed that Spain and Africa will be a memory- something to be treasured forever but non the less a memory.

Alas there is still much to see and do and Portugal and South America are on the horizon.

300, 400, 500 & 600

Well since we last posted a lot of milestones have been met and targets exceeded...... sounds alot like program management jargon right?
The weather has finally cleared, we are back in shorts and shirts and have seen some amazing country. Castilla and Leon was amazing with many beautiful old churches and castles dotting the countryside.
We recently completed three big climbs and decents- the first was at Cruz de Ferre which took us up to 1500m and amongst snow capped mountians- an unusual sight in Spain weeks before Summer. Today we summited O Cerebrio at 1270m followed by a decent to 1000m before another climb which took us to 1300m. Today we set a new record for distance covered in a day- 36km- not bad considering it including 17kms of climbs.
Today represented our entry into Galicia pronounced Galithia which means we have less than 130km to our final destination of Santiago de Compostella- in real terms this is less than 6 days of walking. As this is a holy year- we are looking forward to walking through the door of forgiveness which wipes the slate clean with the big fella upstairs. This only occurs in the holy year so for those of you out there who need forgiveness, start saving for 2021.
The niggling injuries such as blisters and tired muscles that plagued us at the start of the walk are a thing of the past- Sahra has been band aid and plaster free for almost 7 days and Ive taken her off the fibre cookies which caused a few problems along the way. I am almost injury free, have a blister which has cropped up for the second time, which I am paying close attention to. Had some shin splint problems but that has cleared up.
To reward our efforts we have decided to walk for an extra three days to Finisterre which is on the coast and will allow us bragging rights of having walked the entire width of Spain . We have also booked some accomodation in Porto after we finish for some well earned rest and relaxation.
Overall we have experienced some major highs and a few lows in the past 28 days of walking. I have to put my hand up and say I really underestimated the physical and mental challenges of this journey. Thus far we have overcome all the challenges thrown our way, we have learnt a lot about ourselves, as individuals and as a couple, which will serve us well in our life together. Overall it has strengthened our bond and helped us realise just how similar we both are and that we want the same things in life.
All in all a great expereince which we will never forget.
Will try and post some photos celebrating our milestones but until we reach Santiago- Peace

Blisters, blisters, blisters....

Aidan´s toe and Sahra´s heel.

Day 10- Azofra to Santo Domingo de la Cazada

Well, after three straight days of bad weather surely things would improve today.....wrong. Yesterday it was five degrees today it was as low as zero. Overnight the drizzle continued making the clay paths from Azofra to Santo Domingo near impassable. A section around 1km long took us 30 minutes to navigate through. Just when we were getting accustomed to the cold, wet conditions, the driving rain commenced leaving us around 1km from the nearest town. Sahra glanced up at the hill only to notice snow at around 850m, we were walking at around 750m. Undertking the walk during spring we really didnt think thermals or wet weather gear would be all that necessary. It seems like one thing after another on this walk challenges you to the core.
Once we reached Ciruena at around 11am we thought we were on the home stretch but again we underestimated the powers that be- time for the sleet and hail to test our wits. By this time we were both tired and wet and to be honest so overwhelmed that it was like water off a ducks back. Bring on a cyclone we both said.
Despite everything we continue to tackle this beast head on. While we only managed 14km today we are still on track, yesterday we did over the recommended distance.
My toe continues to be a source of trouble- not sure what the solution is- its not really the blister that is causing the problem its the toe itself. Before entering into the walk we really thought it would be a challenge- thus far it hasnt dissappointed, and its not the physical aspects that are the challenge- its the associated unexpected elements such as the weather or your feet.
To end on a positive note we passed the 200km mark yesterday, see photo below.
Get on and start posting your comments of support to keep us going strong.

Day 7- Los Arcos to Viana

Thank you everyone for your suggestions we are currently reviewing them and will try and post photos´s to mark the milestones in the future.
Another 20km down the pipe today but some of the toughest we have encountered. Not because of the distance or the terrain, but some days the body just won´t respond. My toe is getting increasingly worse and as such I feel excrutiating pain for the first 30min of each morning until the blood really gets pumping. Not much skin left on my toe these days. Have tried everything possible but it really is the result of my shoes.
The weather was wet overnight and unfortunatley we encountered a great deal of mud on todays walk- this made things all the more difficult. We are currently averaging around 5km an hour but today it was much less. The stupid thing is if we followed the road we would have had a much more comfortable walk. Despite the difficulties of today we remain bouyant and are really enjoying ourselves.
Yesterday we passed a winery at 8am which had a pilgrims fountain of wine. Couldnt resist the lure of free wine so we got on the gas. Perhaps this has something to do with yesterday´s walk being so comfortable. Sahra had been looking forward to the wine fountain before we started the walk so I´m not sure what her motivation is now.
Currently in the town of Viana. It is 3.50pm and we arrived at around 1.00pm. The Spanish GP is on the TV and we have just had a nice walk around the town but alas there are no bridges to fall asleep under. Did find a bar and it seems our luck is changing- pulled out 50 euros from a pokie which is not a bad return from a 1 euro investment. We didn´t understand a lick as it was all in Spanish but there were a lot of bells, lights and whistles so thats always good. Maybe I should write a book- ´Europe on 50 euros a day- assuming you win it on a pokie´.

Adios...... Special Birthday wishes to Amanda and Alysha.

Cracking the Century

Today we surpased the magical hundred mark, to my diappointment we did absolutely nothing to commemorate the ocassion. We would appreciate any suggestions for future milestones?
To give you a brief summary of our day we generally depart the Albeurge between 6.45 and 7.00am walk for around 2 hours then have a break. We usually try to cooridnate this with a town that has amazing Spanish coffee. After any break it is a good 10 minutes for the legs really work again so we usually hobble out of the town and commence another 2 hour stretch which takes us to 11.00am. By this time we could ´eat the ar$e out of a low flying duck´ so we stop again and have a snack, maybe ham or nuts.
Our camelbaks have been immensenly handy and really assist with dehydration. At around 12.00pm we like to stop for lunch in one of the towns which thus far have been beautiful- if we are feeling in the mood we stop for 1 hour however the longer you stop the harder it is to start again. Sahra is a bit like a victa lawn mower after lunch, she really needs priming and it take a few goes to get her started. Still no success with her feet, she almost made it the whole way in her runners today- she is doing a great job- her pack is heavier than a lot of the men doing the camino. I am very proud of her thus far.
By around 2.00pm to 3.00pm each day we have arrived in our new town, our first job is to locate an albergue, get our credencial stamped, then have a nice long relaxing shower before the other pilgrim riff raff arrive. We have started going for a walk after we arrive as it relaxs the muscles and yesterday we went and sat under a wonderful old bridge and had a nice siesta like the loccals.
Lately we have been cooking dinner for ourselves but there are many pilgrim meals around town for roughly 9 euros. They generally include wine and it really is a nice atmosphere catching up with the other pilgrims after a long day. By 9.00pm to 10.00pm we fall into bed ready to do it all over again.

Buen Camino!

Day 2- Ronchevalles to Larasoana

Well just to clarify any confusion from our last post it is Sahra who has decided to wear her thongs after day 1. I am suffering from a sever blister to my little toe but it hasn´t necesitated a change in footware. Today´s walk was a mere 25km and although shorter than yesterdays it was just as difficult. Sahra left her boots in the little town of Espinall as carrying the extra weight wasn´t a viable option. We stopped for a morning coffee and ran into an Australian couple who, can you believe it, had a bag on wheels with them. They mistakenly thought that they could send there bag home from Ronchevalles but there was no post office in the town.
Once again the scenery was breathtaking, it was full of many undulations and we had only two major climbs which was nice. With 3.3km to the town of Zubiri we were pumped but an error in the marking meant that the distance was more like 5.5km. We arrived in Zubiri at around 2.00pm had a quick bite to eat and bought some supplies as there are no supermarkets for the next 18km of the trip. Once again out of Zubiri the sign marking was incorrect as we thought we had only 2.5km to Larasoana which was more like 4.5km. We arrived in Larasoana at 3.15pm on the dot, tired and exhausted. Despite the trials and tribulations it was a great day- it is an awesome expereince walking through these samll towns which you would never visist as a tourist.
Had a pilgrims meal at the albeurge which coincidental had us dinning with the people we walked with for extended periods of today and a great Canadian couple we met on the first day. Dinner came with a bottle of red and by the time we left there were four empty ones on the table. Can´t wait for tomorrow as we are staying in Pamplona.

Walking in Thongs!

That´s right, I have walked the last 35 kilometers in my Havianas!

My hiking boots were not kind to me on day one and after hobbling the first 6 kilometers on day two I left them near a fountain in a small town and put my thongs on. I was a much happier walker after leaving my boots behind and my blisters are begining to heal nicely. I will attempt to walk in my running shoes tomorrow, but at least I know my havianas are a trusty backup :)

The Way- Day 1 St Jean Pied Du Port to Roncesvalles

Day 1 supposedly the toughest we will encounter involved a 27.1 km slog up the pyrenese in what can only be described as hell with a 15 kg bag and only two walking poles for support. This aside the scenery was lovely- the snow was melting around us and the snow capped mountains were amazing. Enjoyed a coffee break in Orisson and a lunch break before taking on the climb up Leopoder. The Leopder climb is around 1500m and is well above the cloud line. It provided us with some amazing views of the surrounding countryside which includes both France and Spain. The descent you would think would be much easier but sadly no- in my opinion it was much more difficult and taxing on the knees. Sahra suffered from some bad blistering on the back of her heals so it will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few days.

After departing at 6.40am we arrived safely at 3.00pm, a bit worse for wear but excited about sharing a room with 100 other pilgrims (please note the sarcasm). Our accommodation was a mere 5 euros each and we enjoyed the pilgrims special priced meal for 9 euros- this included soup, fish or beef for a main and a yoghurt for desert. Most of the price accounted for the bottle of wine between 4.

All in all an awesome start to our journey- not to oversell it but one of the best days we have had since being away. Cant wait for tomorrow. Anyways off to sleep as we have 25km ahead of us tomorrow.

Volcanos and Stuff

Since our last correspondence so much has happened but it is the last few days which have been the most challenging.

We caught the last flight out of South Africa which successfully landed in Europe. Twenty minutes after arriving in Frankfurt the airport closed due to the errupting volcano in Iceland. As such we couldnt get our connecting flight to Paris stranding us in Frankfurt for several days. Nothing against Frankfurt but it is the second most expensive city in Germany and 48th most expensive city in the world. In the end we hired a car for 300 Euros- yes thats correct, and drove the 500 km to get to Paris where we have been for the last four days.

Weather has been great, we went to the Moulin Rouge which we thoroughly enjoyed. Have visited the Eiffel Tower and Louvre. Off to eat some baguettes and croissants Sacre Bleur!!!!!!!!

New Photos

Check out some of our new photos at http://s912.photobucket.com/home/kenya2cusco

Walking with Lions

This morning we rose with the sun and headed into Antelope National Park in Zimbabwe to walk with lion cubs. It was amazing. The 12 month old lion cubs looked fully grown and were very relaxed around people, it was fascinating to interact with such wild and instinctive animals.

We were required to carry a large stick each and were given 3 very strict rules:
1) show no fear(this is easier said than done when a lion is heading straight for you! :)
2) never run or back away from a lion, stand your ground and look the lion in the eyes; and
3) don't ever turn your back to the lion.

After signing an indemnity form, which meant we would not be able to take legal action if the lions attacked and ate us, we headed into the park. The lions were beautiful, graceful and playful. Aidan was a master lion tamer and looked very natural strolling through the bush walking a couple of lions! The cubs were happy for us to pat them and I think they quite enjoyed all the attention. I felt confident that we would not be eaten alive as a spotter with a rifle kept a very close eye on things!

We were also lucky enough to visit two cubs that had been at the park for only 2 weeks, they were a brother and sister that were two months old. The male cub was quite playful and not threatened by us at all, but the female cub was terrified. She did not like to walk with us, we couldn't touch her and she was attempting to roar at us, but it sounded more like a little bark.

All in all it was a fantastic experience and all the proceeds go towards programs to help re-introduce lions into the wild as their populations are declining rapidly. At last count there are less than 20,000 of these beautiful creatures left in the wild.

Reflection

'It is terrible the way you think time is going to change you. The way you think of some future time when things will be all right. And all that happens is that you drop back into the previous stream of time and it closes over your head'.

Giles Foden- The Last King of Scotland (1998)

Naivasha and Beyond

Yes it’s true we missed our first day of our long awaited African Safari after we were screwed around by Kumuka and Best Flights- buyer beware! As a result of our tour having left early we decided to go out for dinner in Nairobi to the world famous Carnivore. Up until two years ago they supplied game meat including giraffe, antelope, african buffalo and zebra. The menu has changed slightly since then with chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, ostrich balls, chicken gizzards, crocodile and chicken liver now on the menu. With an all you can eat philosophy and a whit flag to signal your surrender we got stuck in. While we made a valiant attempt to eat as much as possible Sahra let the team down as we gave up quite early due in part to her sweet tooth. Sahra’s favourite was the honey basted ribs- while I really enjoyed the chicken gizzards.

Carnivore is an institution in Kenya- recommended by Lonely Planet and in the top 50 restaurants in the world. While ‘probably the best…… in Africa’ is a commonly used phrase- in this case I have to agree. There were an abundance of staff who delivered the meat fresh to your table- I should also mention that we enjoyed our first alcohol since departing the fine shores of Australia- Tusker- Not a bad drop.

At 6.30 am our taxi driver picked us up and took us on the journey back to Naivasha to meet up with the tour (which ironically we drove past yesterday on our way to Nairobi). Meeting the people on the tour for the first time was daunting but they all seem really nice. Some have been traveling through Africa for the past two weeks spending the majority of their time in Uganda doing the Gorilla trek.

Our first stop was Masai Lands where we camped overnight. Our first day was a six hour long haul drive which despite the cramped nature of the vehicle was enjoyable. The countryside was beautiful and seeing the small communities which dotted the sides of the roads was nice. Sahra didn’t get sick so all in all a good start.

Update with Details to Follow

In the last twenty-three days we have travelled from Nairobi to our present destination Livingstone, Zambia. During this time we have visited the Masaai Mara National Park (Kenya), the Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Arusha (Tanzania), Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania), Stonetown-Zanzibar (Tanzania), Lake Malawi and Victoria Falls (Zambia).

It has been extremely exciting however we have had no mobile reception and little internet access (or electricity in general). We have spent many 10 hour days on the big blue Kamuka truck with our tour group, consisting of an irish couple, two English girls, five Aussies and one Kiwi. Aidan has been keeping us entertained on the truck by hosting 'Name that Tune' competitions and I definitely think I am winning... We have also entertained/disturbed many local towns as we passed through them singing Queen songs at the top of our lungs! We thought this was particularly appropriate in Tanzania - the birth place of Freddy Mercury.

We have spent every night thus far in our trusty tent despite the allure of upgrading to lovely rooms with a bed. The campsites have varied greatly between each country, but most have a bar/communal area, dodgy toilets and if we are really lucky we get a hot shower about twice a week.

The highlights so far have been seeing the big 5 (lions, elephants, buffalo, leopard & Rhinos), relaxing on Zanzibar Island and seeing Victoria Falls. We spent 5 days on the beautiful sandy shores of Lake Malawi but as the lake is home to many parasites, crocodiles and hippos we decided not swim. Aidan will do more detailed blogs on our adventures soon, but for now we are heading to Zimbabwe to walk with the lions. I should mention that we just got some Zimbabwean currency and we are officially trillionaires- 600,000,000,000,000 to be exact. This should buy us at least two cokes (this is not a typo)!

Lake Nakuru NP

At 7.00am we left the orphanage and travelled the 15km's to the Nakuru NP which is home to an abundance of Africa's most recognisable and endangered species. Immediately on our arrival we were greeted by a mass of Vervet Monkey's including some babies which were extremely small. Once we entered the park we encountered a vast array of animals, the highlight being two Spotted Hyena's working their way through a carcass (see our photo's for this picture). Some of the smaller animals that we spotted also gave us tremendous satisfaction, in particular the rock hyrax which we spotted at Baboon Cliff and the Lilac Crested Roller- a parrot like bird. Of the big five animals- the Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Rhinoceros and African Buffalo, we were lucky enough to see the Rhinoceros and the African Buffalo.

It was amazing to see just how alive the park was- on one occasion- We spotted no less than 15 Rothschild Giraffes grazing on the plains. The animals were not particularly wary of vehicles or people which helped with taking photo's. It was great to see the smile on Sahra's face because she had been looking forward to her first encounter with the wildlife- particularly the Rothschild Giraffe. Other animals that we spotted during the day included- Thomson's Gazelle's, Helmeted Guinea Fowl's, Greater and Lesser Flamingo's, Plains Zebra's, Impala's, Olive Baboon's, Warthog's and another favourite for me the Black and White Colobus. This was a particularly good spot as they were high in the treetops.

As the day drew to a close we met Mary in the city to finalise our assistance with a family introduced to us by Mrs Pastor. The single mother has two 15 year old daughters but can only afford to send one to school. Petrolina and Thelma help their mother run a small fruit and veg stand. All the produce is sourced from the markets then re-sold to the general public. Each piece sells for 5 shillings or 0.7 cents AUD. It was clear when we met them at their home that any assistance would have a big impact on their lives. Their home consisted of a single room divided by a curtain to distinguish between the living room and bedroom. The living room was just big enough for a single two seater couch and coffee table. To assist the family we bought Thelma the necessary school books and uniform as well as paid for her first semester tuition fees- All in all a busy but eventful day.

Lord Egerton

Lord Egerton Castle is one of the more random tourist attractions in Kenya. Located about 20 min from Nakuru it was built by Lord Egerton in the 1940's. When I say built by him I actually mean 100 red Indians imported from the US. The story of this amazing building was told to us by the the caretakers of the castle who lived with the late Lord Egerton. His story was translated by one of the MIA employees, Martha, who is getting married at the castle in April this year.

As the story goes Lord Egerton brought his Fiance' to Kenya who upon arrival mocked the 'birds nest' of a house he was living in . The result of her taunts is an exquisite, if slightly run down castle with an amazing ball room complete with grand fire place, parquetry flooring, winding staircases, terraces and amazing gardens. It appears that Lord Egerton after the departure of his fiance' went a little crazy. The caretaker in formed us that the Lord enacted four rules that were to be followed at all times on the compound-

Rule 1: No live chickens to be on the grounds
Rule 2: No dogs to be on the grounds
Rule 3: No men in uniform to be on the grounds; and
Rule 4: No women whatsoever to be on the grounds.

Amongst other oddities Lord Egerton kept a safe in the castle for the safe storage of eggs and money to buy eggs. He used the terrace for his own interests including playing soccer with himself everyone morning at 10am in full kit- he also used this space for riding his bike. The terrace I should let you know is not that large.

Lord Egerton's distaste for women extended beyond the grounds- those working for him would pay money to local women to ensure that they were never in his presence. In 1958 Lord Egerton died unmarried but had an adopted son Preston who carries on the family name. The castle is now owned by Egerton University and is available for weddings costing 10,000 ks or $140 AUD.

A Day in the Life of...

Our mud hut at the orphanage is great, it has a shower, toilet, kitchen and a gas cooker, but unfortunately no dishwasher (maybe that's why Aidan brought me). We have an amazing view over Lake Nakuru and the city. Each morning the African sunrise is a spectacular display of burnt orange, flaming red and gold. And, if we are lucky we wake to the sound of chirping birds and not screaming children.

Caring for the children is really hard work but I absolutely love it. They are so full of energy and are happy to sing songs, listen to a story, jump on the trampoline or just look out the window and watch the tractors and horses go by. Aidan is hilarious with the children, particularly when he can smell poop, he alerts me and waits for my immediate action. I laughed so hard when he picked up little D (nicknamed the vaccum cleaner because he can be found under the table after every meal eating the scraps) who had "crapped his dacks" in semi-solid and liquid form, which subsequently ran down Aidan's arm. Aidan assures me that the pungent stench could not have come from a human. His frantic search for soap, disinfectant, hand sanitizer and any other chemical to wash himself with, left me to wash and change little D.

The volunteers have a weekly roster that roughly equates to 8 hours work a day. The daily duties include caring for the children, working in the school, assisting the cook in the kitchen, working in the yard and the dreaded laundry duty, which includes hand washing 80 dirty nappies a day! When we are not on duty we take walks to nearby villages, play soccer with the locals and play scrabble on the very dodgy hand made board we purchased from the Nakuru markets.

Nukuru city is about 16 kilometers from the orphanage. It is a bustling city with hawkers on every corner trying to sell you something "madam would you like a tie or a bookmark? Maybe a paper necklace? I will give you a good price... $2000 Kenyan shillings ($30 AUD!). We come to Nakuru about once a week to use the internet and do some grocery shopping. On average we spend about $30 AUD on groceries which buys 2 loaves of bread, 6 bread rolls, 1 doz eggs, pasta, rice, tin tomatoes, fruit, veg and 2 minute noodles. This works out to be quite cheap, but if we were to shop at the markets we could buy a bucket of tomatoes for $1.00 AUD. It would be a lot cheaper for us to shop at the markets but it would also involve a lot of 'negotiation'. As soon as the Kenyans see a Wazungu (white person) the price automatically doubles, even at the chemist I was charged double for some cough syrup.

New Photos

Check out some of our new photos at http://s912.photobucket.com/home/kenya2cusco we will upload more this weekend.

The Orphan Epidemic

The scale and tragedy of Kenya's battle against diseases including AIDS and HIV is only just beginning to dawn on us. Where we are located in Nakuru there are no less than three similar orphanages- one build by a British couple another by a German man and a large American built orphanage. Most of the children at the Orphanage have lost their parents from diseases but there are those who are the exception. M a beautiful little girl with 4 pigtails is at the orphanage with her brothers F and N after they witnessed their father murder their mother. It is my understanding that their father is in gaol. Despite the trauma these children have experienced the smiles on their faces are unbelieveable- especially with their sparkling white teeth.

Some children are not in fact orphans but choose to leave home of their own volition as things are so bad at home that a life on the streets is preferable. Others are dumped and may end up becoming dump kids which means they fend for themselves at the local rubbish tip. It is sad to confirm what we already know and that is that many of the children in Kenya die of preventable diseases. We visited the local dispensary on our first day where a boy was bitten by a rabid dog on his head and face- rabies is still prevelant in Kenya and most people die without the relevant course of drugs. His mother couldn't afford the 1000ks approx $15 AUD required for the injection. Sad but a reality when people live on less than a few dollars a day. Volunteers at the orphanage who heard about this boys plight will help the family get the shots they need.

Their are countless other examples that we have come across in the short space of time we have been here. There are various other institutions which have been set up for those with disabilities, deafness and other such physical ailments. A lot of good work is being done but you have to ask yourself- this is the situation in Kenya, one of the stable countries in Africa, what is it like in the rest of Africa?

Community Visits and the PM Shift

Our first rostered shift at the orphanage was to undertake the PM shift with the children. Prior to this we went with one of the founders of the orphanage to do some community visits including providing clothing and food to those in need. There are so many children that genuinely require assistance- we stopped in on one family whose father recently died and the mother is struggling to care for her five children. The eldest child who is just 16 has just had her own child which complicates things even further. Sahra took great delight in giving the children biscuits to nibble on- the smiles on their faces were amazing. We left some clothes and grain for the family, perhaps Sahra and I will revisit them before we leave and provide some further support.

We picked up Mamma Agnes a respected community elder who then guided us through the rabbit warren of streets to get to our next family. This family has endured the death of two children in the last month- one from cancer and the other from a heart condition. The mothers eyes were really expressive of the grief that she felt inside- her youngest daughter arrived home from school just as we were leaving- she was beautiful.

When we returned to the orphanage I did some manual labouring before the PM shift started while Sahra provided assistance in the kitchen. At 4.30pm we started our shift- the children are beautiful and they each have their own personalities, some are cheeky and as you can imagine with 43 kids under one roof their manners need some work. They love to sing and dance and always want a hug. Watching over so many children with only three people on watch requires some serious juggling. They need to be fed, bathed and changed each night before bed- the whole exercise takes several hours and did I mention they're all under seven, I've lost count of the amount of times I've been asked "what's your name' and I left out the thirty minutes of worship which they have each evening. The orphanage has a strong religious influence which adds an interesting twist. Overall the children were great but it was an immensely long day but very rewarding- off to bed at 9.30pm- Sahra's been asleep for an hour.