Suzie's World

The mundane...

2005-06-11T18:44:00.000+01:00

So I'm back on the treadmill that we call ordinary life. I don't like it. Take me back to the places with friendly faces and sun, because it isn't England.

I miss travelling. At the time it was hard, but being back is harder. Knowing that every day will start and end the same way, in the same bed, in the same village is driving me crazy.

I was crazy anyway though, and here at least I have my family and friends, albeit that most of my closest friends aren't near here, so I guess my travels will be shortened to around the UK for the time being.

It was a blast. One day I will tell you all about it. Not today though, today is for another Mojito.

Fat toes and Mojitos

2005-05-18T15:27:00.000+01:00

It's sooooo hot here in Cuba my little toes have swollen haha!

Anyway this will only be a quick blog as internet here in Cuba is the most expensive anywhere (beats Easter Island Cerdito) and the only place we can get to it is in a strange telecom building, because the locals are banned from using it. So I'll keep my moaning short.

I am no longer the chilled happy little skippy traveller I once was, oh no. Goodbye to the days when I could smile at people and try and chat and generally have a nice time. Now I have a permanent frown and am so rude. Why? I hear you ask... well the Cubans (not all obviously, but the delightful kind that travellers collect) my little friiieeends, are oh so friendly, but only because they want to sell you something, hassle you to go somewhere, or want all your money, oh yes. Last night we were hassled by a grand total of 15 jineteros. FIFTEEN! I had had a couple of mojitos by this point and actually growled and waved my hands at the last one, yelling in a crazed manner 'nonononononononooooooooo por favor noooooooo'. I do believe I scared the poor man, so much so he quickly ran away.

I'm not surprised.

I have to say that Cuba is not at all what I expected, Cubans don't even eat rice and beans Papa. All they eat is Pizza!!! Pizza coming out of their ears I tell you. All the side street stalls that would normally be the cheapest way to eat are more expensive than going to a restaurant, because as Cuba has a dual economy us tourists are screwed 24 pesos to one tourist peso. The exchange rate is bad too. So most stuff is pretty much the same price as at home. AND we left Havana before a huge anti-American march that would have gone right past our balcony argghh! Looked so cool on the TV, we're kicking ourselves for missing it!

Ok enough of my moaning, just be glad this place was shut last night when I was in a really bad mood! This morning though is much better. We ate a great breakfast at our Casa Particular (where some nice Cubans live) and tried a new fruit that I swear she called Zapatos (yes shoes Cerdito) guess I misheard her!

Anyway we are in Santiago de Cuba, so this afternoon we are going to a rum factory hurrah! Roll on the mojitos! Guess how we got here... oh yeah baby nightbus! Pretty disappointing after our lovely last one in Argentina, but Scotty survived (I'm so proud!) hurrah! 16 hours too, so a hardcore journey. It was freezing at night with their air con, so we resorted to spending the journey under a towel haha, should have kept my fleece liner. Although I suspect we won't need it again as it's about 30 degrees in the day and it hardly gets cooler at night!

p.s. you probably won't get another update til I get home, because this internet malarky costs too much, still you never know ;)

¡Hola Perú!

2005-05-11T17:42:00.000+01:00

So we´re back to where we started...

Before we left Buenos Aires we thought ah we´re going back to Perú, how much fun we had there, but we have to be very protective with our things again... then we got off the plane and realised we had forgotten how busy, dirty and smelly Lima is!

That was mainly at the airport though, and now we´re in the lovely Miraflores, just writing you all perhaps the last entry from South America before we grab some lunch.

We had to leave the hostel at 3.30 this morning, and it was particularly noisy so we didn´t get much sleep at all. We had a brilliant last supper in Buenos Aires though, we got a takeaway pizza for a mere 4 pesos (which is about 60p ish and it was huge) and a bottle of beer and sat on the floor of our room nattering. It was a nice end to Argentina.

I know I´ve promised to tell you more, hopefully there will be internet at the airport, because Matt and I have decided to sleep at the ariport as we can´t get up at three again tonight. It is going to be one hard day, the lack of sleep last night is already taking its toll on us.

So tomorrow it is off to Cuba for me and home for Matty. I just wanted to say what an ace travelling companion Matty has been for this trip. We´ve made a brilliant team.

So here´s to Matt my great pal and to the many more adventures for us to come - thank you Cerdito! hehe x

Brazil and Uruguay baby yeah!

2005-05-10T03:21:00.000+01:00

Well there's another two countries I can knock off my to do list... well not really but I have at least visited one town in both hurrah!

We left for the Iguazu falls on Tuesday. Guess the mode of transport? Ah yes the nightbus I hear you all cry, and if you did then you will receive 10 Suzie points that you can collect and trade in for a prize!

The nightbus was the best we've been on, with a great man doing the airhostess thing, who even got down on one knee to offer me champagne, now there's service for you! We arrived after 16 hours in Puerto Iguazú where the sun was shining and it was so hot people were wearing shorts (in Autumn oh yes!). Matt and I were properly impressed as we were met straight of the bus, even though it was an hour early and got straight across the border into Brazil. Our hotel (note the word, not hostel!!) even had a swimming pool which I made full use of the minute we got there!

We went on a tour of the Argentinian side on Thursday, where we got a little train across the national park and got to walk across metal grided bridges above the rivers until we got to the Devil's Throat, which was utterly incredible! Then we did a couple of other walks to see other smaller waterfalls which were also really beautiful. The best bit, however, was a boat trip that we'd been sucked into paying for the day before. It was brilliant, we got our lifejackets on and got into a speedboat, luckily Matt and I grabbed the closest seats to the front. The driver started by swinging us round and getting each side as close to the water as he could, until both sides were a little sprayed and the others had started woo-ing. Then the fun started! We raced towards a small waterfall where he suddenly stopped (for a moment we thought he was going to smash us straight into the rock) then he went back and drove us straight under the waterfall, he went backwards and forwards til we were all completely drenched! The water was so powerful and cold, but it was brilliant, and we got taken under a few more times! Then we sped off down the river, jungle on each side with gaps where there were little idyllic looking coves. After a few more spins for good measure it was, unfortunately, over. We got out and I think half the river got out of the boat with us! I had to take my top off to wring out the water there was so much!!
Then we all traipsed the steps up the hill to where a large open truck was waiting for us, to drive us through the jungle.

It was a brilliant day, and the following day we got to see the falls from the Brazilian side, which was great because we got the whole panoramic view. We came back that Friday night and arrived back in Buenos Aires Saturday morning. We checked into a horrible hostel in the morning and after dumping our things went into Recoletta. We went shopping in the craft market (danger, danger on all sides...(just for you D) I wanted to buy EVERYTHING! Matt had to pull me away from all the pretty things) and went for a great meal in a swanky restaurant, which still only cost about 2 pounds haha! Recoleta has a huge walled cemetry in the middle of the square, full of the rich and famous of Argentina. The crypts were amazing, all very ostentatious, and we saw Eva Perron's tomb. We didn't realise it but it was actually her birthday so there was a huge crowd, people singing and shouting things and loads of bouquets of flowers.

After leaving the cemetry we went back to the hostel to clean up. I had a shower in a really skanky room, where the water wouldn't go away so they left a squeedgy thing in there for you to sweep it away yuck yuck, we did not like the hostel! Anyway we met Carmen and we went to the Ballet together. It was Sleeping Beauty at the Theatre Colon, dahhling. It was brilliant, the theatre is gorgeous. Afterwards Carmen invited us to her house, so we managed to get out of skankyville (without paying, how we managed that I don't know) and went to stay with lovely Carmen in her lovely house. That, of course, is another story which I'm afraid will have have to wait for another day...

Buenos Aires

2005-05-03T00:49:00.000+01:00

Buenos Aires is so cool. Only problem is that the streets are full of dog muck, but if you ignore that, everything is ace! Well actually not quite everything. I have once again become the tastiest morsel around for mozzies, and currently my face is the size of a balloon, because all the bites are swollen (on my face!!) arrrggghhh. At the moment it´s hard to get through doors!!

Anyway apart from that everything is good. We´ve finally got a plan and tomorrow we´ll be heading to the Igazu falls (hurrah hurrah). Although we still have to confirm our flights and tickets as after the tour we´ll be back in Buenos Aires for the night before heading to Puno.

Back to Easter Island and Machu Picchu briefly, Matt´s just loaded up some new photo´s so you should check those out. Hopefully I´ll be doing the same, but I´m waiting for a confirmation e-mail, so check my links and it will be updated when some of my photos are up too. Oo just got it, so hopefully there´ll be a link there now.

Well this photo thing is painfully slow, so I don´t have time to write anything again huh! Maybe tomorrow we´ll get a chance to actually write something!

Easter Island rocks!

2005-04-29T01:15:00.000+01:00

Well you may have thought we´d actually dropped off the side of the planet for five days, and you may well be right. At least sort of, we had moved down to Easter Island, currently my favourite destination of the trip!

We landed at a sticky, humid hour, may I add, however, until getting off the plane, this was not the case. After all they make sure you are precisely the right temperature in first class baby yeah!! Woo hoo, it´s the only way to fly!

Matt did brilliantly when we landed, by finding out what was on offer hostal-wise (as all the hostal owners were in the arrival lounge with their clipboards of photos), we picked the cheapest and hey-presto had a ride to our new home for five nights! The hostal we stayed at was brilliant. We had an ensuite bathroom, I got the double bed, we had a patio window and sort of balcony and a really nice hostal owner. Although we had a lot of rain, most of the days were glorious. We got to see loads of Moai, which were pretty impressive, and the island itself is gorgeous.

We saw volcano craters, met some ace people, gained a third travelling companion, again (lost one again, because he´s still in Easter Island), cycled and trekked for miles, hitched a couple of rides, adopted a dog (or rather Rosita adopted us!), and ate the biggest sandwich in the world ever. When I say 'ever', more like 'ever...outside America' - so I´ve heard).

As you can probably imagine, we´re running out of time, and there is an awful lot to tell you about the wonderful Eater Island so it will all have to wait for another day.

Matt and I are off on a night bus to Mendoza in Argentina shortly and then (fingers crossed) straight off to Buenos Aries. Hopefully we´ll have a chance to update properly when we get there!

I'm very sorry!

2005-04-22T13:04:00.000+01:00

Sorry for worrying everyone. Everything's fine it was a terrible joke.

That takes the cake

2005-04-22T04:06:00.000+01:00

Matt and I were having what I thought was a great night. We went to an ace cafe that I found and ordered a cake to share. As usual Matt had to go to the toilet within 3 minutes of ordering.

The Chilean guy brought the cake over and proceeded to divide it, but after smiling at me and saying something that I didn't understand, he gave me the slightly larger piece. I'd taken one bite when Matt re-emerged from the toilet. He took one look at thecake and had what I can only describe as a mental episode. He cried for a full 10 minutes after knocking his cake on the floor, whilst the Chilean man looked on in disbelief.

Apparently this trip has been too much for Matt and the fact that I was given the larger piece of cake was the last straw.

He is unbelievable. He finally lost the plot, it was clearly too much for his weak mind. He said he was going his own way and ripped up my Easter Island ticket. Except he didn't. Obviously the red rage prevented him from being able to read because it was his return ticket to England. I'm sure he'll work that one out soon. I can't believe what an utter arse he's been. He limped off with cake all down his trouser leg and I came back to the hostal to change my room. I don't know where he is now but we are certainly not travelling together any longer.

19 hours later... the driest place on Earth

2005-04-22T01:57:00.000+01:00

Well I wrote a great blog yesterday, however, due to some kind of technical problem (I´m assuming it´s not because I was drunk of course!) it somehow got lost! Pah!

I did write a witty reposte of yesterday´s events, (made so much funnier by the beer) however it was not to be, so here is a less funny version.

Our first coach trip of joy was from Cusco back to Arequipa. It was, again, a night bus and it started out ok, with more leg room and a film, but as the night went on things were a little strange. We were woken by Police men who flashed torches at us, and our feet (obviously there is sock smuggling going on in these parts), then some Peruvians got on about 1.30 and proceeded to bring on the most luggage that they thought was best in the rack above our heads. Which it wasn´t. I didn´t appreciate the plastic bag that kept being swiped against my head either!

After managing to get back to sleep the driver then put on his delightful Andean music... I do not find a wailing woman the most condusive to sleeping, nor the cold. Matt and I had to keep close for warmth, in fact we were frozen together by the end of the night!!

At any rate we arrived in Arequipa and found the next bus to Tacna. We opted for Cruz del Sur again, so joy of joy we got to play bingo again, and we were given breakfast and two films! Luckily this bus was only 5 hours, and we only had one stop to check that none of us naughty people were smuggling fruit and therefore fruit flies from one end of the country to the other!!

Once we arrived in Tacna we had to get a taxi, from a very scary place, across the border into Arica. The taxi driver was actually really nice, and made sure we knew where we needed to be shifted to check our passports etc, so that finally Matt and I arrived in Arica. We got the exchamge rate a bit wrong, so when the lady told us it was 3000 pesos we initially thought it was about 9 pounds each, to which we said no, and tried to get a cheaper room, however, we now think its about 1000 = a pound (or at least its easier to think of it like that) so we felt a little embarrassed when we were arguing over 3 pounds!!

We did, as you might have guessed go out for a quiet beer or two, (ahem) and ate some great Mexican (even though we are in Chile!). Alas the beer and lack of sleep made us sleepy, so yet again we had an early night!

Machu Picchu

2005-04-18T17:20:00.000+01:00

Well we came, we saw and we conquered! Well, at least Matt and Autumn can say they did (after treking up hundreds of step steps to get to Machu Picchu), but alas I am too unfit so took the lame way out and took the bus haha! I´m glad I did though, because Autumn and Matt were exhausted and drenched by the time they got to the top.

Due to waiting for a bus for an hour I had the great fortune of meeting a lovely lady called Carmen, from Argentina. However, it seemed to be unfortunate for Carmen, because somehow while we were chatting her purse was stolen. Luckily, it only had dollars in it, so she still had her credit cards, and she still had cash elsewhere on her.

So the newly formed team of four made it through the ticket gate. It was raining hard and the clouds were low. We emerged atop Machu Picchu and lo and behold we saw... nothing.

We were so disappointed.

After about ten mintues of us standing and feeling dejected, (after all we were up at 4.45am to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu - which technically we still would have missed as we all didn´t arrive til 7am, but enough of that.) the clouds began to float slowly about or disipate and we began to see parts of Machu Picchu.

Imagine our faces then!! Half an hour later the view was incredible, still overcast, but we were so pleased to be able to see it properly. By lunchtime the sun was really hot and the clouds had disappeared, it was beautiful.

We walked around most of the sight, and Matt had a funny hour where he left us girlies soaking up the ambience and of course, the sun whilst he ran up the mountain. It looked too steep for us to contemplate and we were happy enough to see the sights from where we were.

Unfortunately around 10ish the masses came. Like little ants crawling over everything. It was the only horrible part of the experience (not counting Autumn receiving no change from her money at the ticket gate, and Carmen´s stolen wallet). People were everywhere, and the gorgeous silence and spell of the morning were broken.

We didn´t hire a tour guide, which in hindsight perhaps we should have done, however later in the day there was always a tour near enough to glean what was what. That is, of course, if they knew what was what, which it has to be said, most of them did not.

We left in the afternoon, wlaking down the way Matt and Autumn came up. It was gorgeous, like a mini-jungle, but not good enough for Matt and Autumn who decided they would run down the mountain (after some other crazy American´s hared past). So Carmen and I took it easy and waited for them at the bottom! (They ran down the road so it was much longer for them).

If you want to see some photos Matt´s just updated his Peru photo page. Unfortunately Machu Picchu isn´t there yet, but hopefully soon!

Night bus no.2

2005-04-15T01:44:00.000+01:00

So last night we had more night bus fun, this time with a different company where we were given in-flight entertainment in the form of Bingo, a meal, and a blanket. Oh what you can get for an extra 10 Soles! Leg room was tight though and we didn't sleep very well, even though they showed an awful film in English to try and send us off.

Suffice to say this morning three weary travellers arrived at Cusco at 5am. We chose a hostel from our LP guide, which I have to say was a bit of a shock after our run of good hostels. This is up a steep hill, with lots and lots of steps to climb, I almost died!! They had a room, which we were glad about, until we saw it, and the clientele. The guy put us in a dorm and threw other people's stuff off three beds and said they could be ours, we said ok and went out onto the terrace, the view is absolutely stunning (the only good bit about the place). The only thing to spoil our gorgeous view of the sunrise over Cusco and the mountains were drunk people. One of whom had brought a Peruvian girl back with him and was proceeding to tell her alllll about his adventures, however, the only word he explained to her throughout the whole thing was 'horse', which made us think that perhaps her grasp of English was not ready for this drunken fool.

Luckily they left after a bit, only to our horror we found them in our dorm, him with a cigarette in one hand beer in the other, whilst trying to give her a back massage... we left, went downstairs and requested another room.

Now we three have a room for ourselves, it isn't so bad, but we've taken the precaution of booking into another hostel for Sunday when we get back from Machu Pichu.

Ah yes I hear you cry, you kept that quiet! Well after much chopping and changing of plans we're going off tomorrow and we should be at Machu Pichu early Saturday morning! Hurrah!!

What a debacle!

2005-04-13T15:01:00.000+01:00

Last night we went to a veggie restaurant called Lakishmivan (or something along those lines) here in Arequipa. We ordered, what appeared to be relatively safe on the menu, Autumn had yoghust, Matt asked for a veggie burger, and I (because my tummy wasn´t sure what it could cope with on their menu, and thought it may be a safe option) went for Pizza (honestly I´m not proud).

Autumn´s yoghurt didn´t seem to present too much of a problem, and watching other people in the restaraunt, we were glad we didn´t get something traditional. Put it this way, you have a kitchen, it´s open to the restaraunt, everyone can see in, you don´t microwave the food...

Anyway I will finish this story later run out of time byeeee
Right I'm back...

I've lost the flow now, but basically the whole family was required in the kitchen for the mass prepartion of heating a veggie burger, and making pizza, when I say making what I actually mean, of course, is sending the youngest member of the family out to buy: (and not all at once, but one at a time) cheese, pizza base, can of tomatoes, olives, matches (I'm not joking) and some cereal.

Every two minutes this poor little child would come back with another ingredient, only to be sent out for another, and they thought they were being subtle! Why they just didn't say it wasn't on the menu I don't know. Worst thing was it tasted disgusting, but I felt so bad I asked them to give it to me as a takeaway...the boy had to go buy a box!!

Oh the joys of dodgy restaurants!!

A series of small walls and bowls of soup.

2005-04-12T23:42:00.000+01:00

Hmpff now I´m cheesed off, just wrote all about the last two days adventures and I´ve managed to lose the whole lot.

Well because now I´m seriously running out of time. I´ll give you a verrrry brief overview, and I´m sure you can check Matty´s for his version.

Yesterday we left for a canyon trip up in the mountains, unfortunately due to my dodgy tum the day before I wasn´t too up for it, especially after drinking all the herbal teas and chewing as much coca as I could (yeuch)I managed to get altitutude sickness! So I was very green when we reached 4000 metres high. I did manage to do the trek though (albeit slowly) to see some tombs (the views were incredible), and we visited a spa (where lucky me lost her watch, it didn´t even last a week!) and also went to see some Andean dancing at a restaurant. This appeared to consist of either pretending to sow seeds, or beating your partner with a ball of wool, enough said.

Today was an early start at 5.45, and we went to a Canyon to see Condors, which was amazing, but then had to endure another 4 hours bus ride back to Arequipa with Altitude sickness.

Well I had other things to say but unfortunately time´s up, so I will write again soon.

¿dondesta los baños por favor?

2005-04-10T20:15:00.000+01:00

Well the night bus to Arequipa was pretty uneventful, 12 hours of sitting in a coach, mm-mm my favourite!

Arequipa though was worth it. It has a lovely atomosphere and lovely buildings set out in front of a volcano!!
Unfortunately the only downside to Arequipa ia that I arrived with the traveller's bug, woe is me. On the up side I saw a hilarious mugging, a man stole something from another Peruvian, he almost toppled me over when he ran past, then the guy he stole from ran past and everyone on the street turned and started shouting. Miraculously a policeman appeared from nowhere and everyone shouted 'Taxi!', then a taxi appeared and the policeman hopped in and fell in hot persuit of the robber, amid jeers from the crowd! Hurrah for the people of Arequipa!! Unfortunately I missed the finale as I was in a hot peruit of my own to the toilet, never mind, I'm sure they caught him!

Well my time is up for now, but I will fill you in at a later date about the dance class we took in Chincha yesterday...it was so much fun!

ooooo I say...

2005-04-08T14:01:00.000+01:00

Just a quickie in case Matty's parents are looking, the God of Luggage answered our prayers and accepted our offerings of drinking beer... the luggage has arrived!!!!! (I feel there should have been a round of applause there!)

I will write about yesterday later and the great and unexpected day we had with a group of other travellers, but currently am in no state to do so, I am returning to my bed!

You say shoes, I say potatoes.

2005-04-07T13:24:00.000+01:00

Well Matty's luggage hasn't arrived, so we're stuck in Lima.

Still we had a fine old day yesterday, once I got over the smell of stinky Matt!!

Lima is...interesting, very busy and actually full of lovely locals. I say this because although they all stare at us as if we're aliens, but those who talk to us are lovely, full of helpful tips and stuff even when we don't ask for it.

I'd like to say our Spanish has improved from non-existent to a few words.. you'll all be please to hear we can ask where the toilet is, and manage to order four drinks and other side dishes that we couldn't manage!! hehehe (we weren't t know it was a set menu!!)

Well after a Cathedral lots of walking and a few beers I would say that we have pretty much tired out Lima, today we're off to Miraflores to the Park of Love, and to hopefully get Matty a clean t-shirt, boy does he need one!!! Please let his luggage arrive today Mr God of Luggage...

Act 1 Scene 1

2005-04-06T02:11:00.000+01:00

I had a fantastic story of the trials and tribulations of getting to Peru - and here I am, however it is currently 8.10 this time, 2.10am uk time, this keyboard is sticky and I haven{t slept since 3am yesterday...so in short I landed.

Hostel seems cool, everyone{s really friendly. So now the wait begins to see if Matty makes it tonight! Think I might go get a shower...

Oh my gosh!

2005-04-04T09:16:00.000+01:00

Hello peeps,

Thought I'd get a quick post in before the day gets too manic! Tomorrow my flight leaves at 7.30, so guess I'd better start packing in a mo...

Anyway got to go and wash the mossie net.

'Last minute Suzie?'..oh no not me... ;)

Hello World!

2005-04-01T07:26:00.000+01:00

So here is my first posting, hurrah for me!

Welcome to Suzie's World, where I shall be residing in written form for the next two months, so if you want to catch up with me, this is where you can see what I've been up to with my trusty pal Matty.

The countdown has begun, only 5 days until my magical mystery tour begins in Lima, Peru. (This is where the crazy dancing starts yipppeeeeeee!)

Ha-ha Matty see I can start my own blog!!!

Well think that about does it for now,

cheerio! :)