I'm back!!

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Originally uploaded by Owenosity.

Back in blighty 12/06/05

Homeward bound!!

So after three months travel its finally time to go home. Thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in my journey and kept in touch. It was very comforting to hear from you all. I've learnt a great deal about how everyone else lives in the world and has given me a wider pespective own my own life. Travelling on my own has been a truly enriching experience and I'm looking forward to going again!!!! Yee Harr

Inca Trail

Well I survived...just
The Inca trail is a four day hike to Machu Pichu climbing over passes 4,200 metres high in the Andes. It was originally designed as a sacred pilgramage of healing and cleansing by the Inca's. Although it was'nt designed for the plebs as you had to ask the permission of the king himself in order to go. So only nobles important warriors and people considered worthy spent the year treking to Machu Pichu, stopping off at Inca sites on the way, bathing and cleansing themselves in preparation for Machu Pichu.
I however suffered a stomach bug a week before hand. So after climbing 4,200 metres on the second day my body descided to shut down. I managed to make my way to base camp and fall into my tent. Then regular trips to the tiolet ensued every half an hour. I stopped eating and survived on rehydration salts and some careful attention from my guide and cook. However the last and final day some drugs kicked in and stemmed the flow and I managed to enjoy Machu Pichu. It was truly the most beatutiful location for a fascinating Inca town sitting right at the heart of the spectacular Andes. There are lots of theories about the purpose of the place but one thing is clear that it was a secret place for the elite of Inca society. Home also to many dwarfs, as Inca's believed they had special powers, along with witches and the like. It was also an important place of astronomy, with plenty of star gazing. As it was located at the edge of the Inca frontier close to the jungle it was thought that Machu Pichu was a base to launch an attack on the jungle tribes and expand the empire.
The Inca trail is the most spectacular trek you could hope to do, although not for the faint hearted!!

White Water Rafting

With a bit of time to spare I descided to go and check out what all the fuss was about and try some rafting. I headed to a place called Ollantambo to the Rio Urubamba a region of river around Cusco surrounded by mountains with level 2-5 rafting conditions. We rafted a fair to middlin level 3, still choppy and exciting but not necessarily deemed 'dangerous'. Being a bloke I was naturally selected to sit at the front to do the most 'important' paddling and consequently get the most soaked. It was freezing even with a wetsuit but great fun, really recommend it. We were rewarded with a nice sauna and lunch at the end before we hoped on the bus back home.

Inca stuff

For those of you that simply don´t know Cusco is/was the heart of the Inca empire. It was a city that contained the sacred temples and fortresses. You cannot visit Cusco without getting all Incaed out with a tour or four. So I jumped on the tourist band wangon and armed with my guide (Michelle, well she pretented at least) I visited the main sights.
Sacsayhuman was megalithic fortress high above the city built as a dedication to the god of lightening. The massive exterior walls are built in a zig zag fashion to illustrate the lightening. Its also considered to the head of the panther, the body is the city of Cusco and the tail lies near the airport. Yes folks the incas built the city in the shape of the panther one of the three sacred animals. Other sites include Qenko, Salumpuncu thought to be the moon temple and Puca Pucara the imperial baths. We also took a visit out of town to Pisac to the visit the Temple of the Sun and to a cave where they sacrificed young virgin girls to the god Cochabamba by ripping open their chest and pulling out their beating heart, nice. Its all very impressive, they were clearly a very organised and advanced lot these Incas. They certainly intimidated the Spanish with their knowledge and skills. Boo to the Spanish up with the incas. The funny thing is that the naughty Spanish tried to destroy many of the Inca temples but failed to entirely destroy them because they were constructed so well. Instead the spanish simply nicked the stones and built their churches right on top, cheeky huh. But the Incas had the last laugh as they built their buildings to with stand earthquakes so all the Spanish buildings collapsed and revealed the Inca ruins. Ha Ha

Rock pan pipe stylie

One of Michelles favorite bands ever is a bolivian outfit called Kjarkas. People, you have to understand that this band have been around for ages and are considered the Pan pipe version of U2. They rock!! We went along to the local basket ball stadium and sat on the concrete terrace with tens of thousands of Cuscanians. You could cut the atmosphere with a machette as we all sat with cold bums for one and a half hours for the great Kjarkas to finally come on stage. After much whistling they came on to a great roar, all eight of them clothed in ponchos. They strummed away and puffed on their pan pipes. It was a great sound and Michelle simply could'nt contain her excitement, bless.

Michelles Cusco

Cusco is home to Michelle Graham (CG's sister) who is now a Cusconian after living and working here for over two years. She met Jose her boyfriend a local lad and they now run their own tour agency called Llama Path. Michelle also teaches English at a local college and is generally a very busy girl! But she also has time for bearded travellers and is showing me around the town and generally educating me in Inca ways. The good news is that she has'nt completely lost her Welsh accent! Its very impressive to see how well she has settled into Peruvian life and seems pretty contented.

Photos

Sorry theres no piccies folks, I did´nt bring my digital camera with me as I descided to opt for film quality over digital convenience. Just call me me picky. However on my return I will tie up this diarized journey with the best of my pics. (Arn´t you all so lucky!!!)

Lima Shmina and another bout of poisening yey!

After giving up on La Paz I took a plane to Lima in Peru. Being well brought up I descided I would get my moneys worth by not turning down a free meal on the flight. That was my downfall, as the next morning in Lima the stomache ache started up. I walked around dull scrubby Lima in discomfort all day. So I descided to head straight to Cusco by bus. An eighteen to twenty hour ride, this was clearly the wrong time to have food poisening. Needless to say I spent the whole night on the can and the following morning made my way delicately to the bus terminal. It was probably the worst bus trip so far. But on the bright side we all had a big game of bingo on the bus which was quite surreal. The winner got up and took the mike to make a speech. I just snoozed off.

Hasta Leugo Bolivia

I arrived back into La Paz airport to find the rioting and blockades had turned uglier. La Paz is now officially too dangerous for tourists. Those trying to cross blockades in private taxis get stoned, dragged out of taxis and beaten! La Paz city has now closed down and every tourist is advised to stay in the airport and fly out. So I have no other option than to go to Lima in Peru, not really where I want to go but it´s my only option. The cause of the upset is to do with the government selling hydro carbons cheaper to overseas folk than at home in Bolivia. That has angered many of the unions which are very strong.
So its off to Peru.