Puerto Varas

Just arrived in Puerto Varas, which is on the way back to Santiago (where I will meet Toria when she flys back from the UK)

Really nice here, its an old german colony sited on a beautiful lake. I just arranged a kayaking tour and white water rafting tour !

Torres del Paines

I went on a day trip to Torres del Paines, a really scenic national park in Chile, with glaciers and some jagged peaks ("paines"). Here are some pictures. Would have loved to do some trekking if I had the time:



Guanacos !


The Peaks


Waterfall


Glaciers

Onwards to Chile

Leaving the Amazon jungle wasn't quite as easy as getting in. They overbooked the 12-seater plane (!!) and there was only 1 space for 2 of us. So Toria got on ... she is actually flying home for a week to do a PhD funding interview (which she got !! ... she's now a Fellow of the Royal Exhibition 1851 ... very plush). So I ended up having to get a river boat and do a night drive through the jungle (this ranks as one of the most dangerous things I have ever done ... won't be repeating it in a hurry)

Anyway, I made it back to Cuzco & made my morning flight to Chile.

I flew straight onwards South to Punta Arenas, right in the South of Chilean Patagonia. Not so far from Cape Horn, but that's only possible to get to by boat.

Quite a temperature change ... from Jungle humidity to biting Patagonia winds in less than 2 days ... its only 18 degC around here.

Into the Amazon Jungle

We sorted out a trip into the Amazon jungle in Cuzco. We planned a 4 night trip, staying in Jungle lodges and campsites.

We headed out on a 12 seater plane ... that it turned out we had all to ourselves as the rest of the group we were going with decided to take the bus/river boat instead. Our own private jet !! It was quite a bumpy journey as the plane was so small ... even had to put on oxygen masks at one stage ... but apparently that happens all the time ...!?!



The accomdation was pretty basic, but it was a great tour ... saw lots of monkeys, mackaws, parrots, tapir ... alot of insects ... there was a Tarantula on the wall of the lodge on the last night ... nice ... probably time to leave at point !

We also met some of the indigenous tribes ... which was amazing. They are still hunter/gathering people living in the jungle. They are quite afraid of some of the white people since they were enslaved by Fitzcarldo during the rubber boom. But some of them sell handicrafts, which we bought.

Here are some pictures from the week


Macaws


Me & a local tribal boy



Liking the jungle food



Tarantula

Lima - Cuzco & Machu Pichu

After a short stay in Lima, we hopped on a plane to Cuzco ... the ancient captial of the Inca empire. Cuzco is really beautiful. Lots of old colonial spanish buildings.

After a day in Cuzco, we headed for Machu Pichu, the lost city of the Incas! It was quite a journey to get there, but it was worth it. Its a huge site, really well preserved. Although I did manage to get bitten to death by sandflies.

Lima, Peru

Just arrived in Lima ... got a 26 hour bus journey from Guayquil in Ecuador (we flew back from the Galapagos to there). 26 hours on a bus was a trial ... but at least it was comfortable & served us meals & even had a waiter !

Staying in a nice hotel in Lima ... in Miraflores. Actually very nice here, even though we heard some bad reports. Some nice old spanish architecture on the main squares and the tourist area of town is very clean and quite scenic

Going to fly inland tommorrow to Cuzco to head for Machu Pichu and a trip into the Amazon for a few days to see some wildlife!

Galapagos Islands

Just back from the week on the Galapagos Islands. it was awesome ... the wildlife there is very unique as all the animals evolved in isolation. They even have penuigns ... on the equator!

Our boat was nice, although the sea was quite rough ... and we both suffered a bit with sea sickness, but it got better towards the end of the week.

Below are some pictures from the week


Me & A Giant Tortise ... the almost the only place in the world they are found in the wild


Blue Footed Boobie Birds


Giant Turtles ... got to snorkel with these guys as well as some Sting Rays and Reef Sharks ... I wasn't making any sudden movements !


On one of the Galapagos's many beaches



Sending a postcard to Granny ... I sent it from a old seafarer's post office box ... you have to rely on another sea farer (or tourist) coming, checking the post box & bringing it back to Ireland to send it ... it may take a while


Some furry seals ... there were thousands of these. Got to snorkel with them as well!