Quito, Ecuador

The last stop of my travels within Ecuador brought me to Quito, it’s capital. As was the nature of most of my experience in this country, I had a limited amount of time to try and see as much of this place as I could.

On Monday I ducked out of the hostel early to get a well overdue haircut for the measly price of $1. The perks of travelling in South America. Surprisingly, the price did not reflect the quality of the job and I was able to, without embarrassment, show my face in the hostel again. Later that morning I took the free walking tour around the city, which culminated with a cheap lunch at the central market. Whilst there was a variety of local dishes on offer, many containing every part of a cow you could imagine, I opted for the safety of some fried pork.

In the afternoon a group of us visited the place where the equator line cuts through Quito - “The Middle of the World”. The funny thing is there are actually 2 equator lines in Quito - the real and the fake one. The real one, which has been confirmed by GPS, is where the tourists are shown the exact point for a cliche photo opportunity, then a bunch of “experiments” that are paraded about as if you were at a magic fair. For example, pouring water down a drain either side of the line and seeing it swirl in opposite directions, and trying to balance an egg on top of the head of a nail (it’s supposed to be easier on the equator). The fake one is around 300m away and is home to a huge statue (much better for photos), and is a little tourist town of it’s own, overflowing with restaurants and gift shops.

The wrong (yet more photogenic) Middle of the World

On Tuesday I walked up hundreds of steps to the top of the Basílica del Voto Nacional, then took a cab to the Teleférico (cable car). Both gave some superb vantage points over Quito, which really is a beautiful city to admire from afar.

My spare time was spent with friends at the hostel where there were delicious home made meals prepared by a chef every night, talking with my little nephew on Skype for the first time in as long as I can remember, having ice cream with a Quiteña I met off Couchsurfing and finally getting around to a few sessions back at the gym since I twisted my knee in Huacachina.

Whilst being the country I’ve spent the least amount of time in, Ecuador has been home to some of the most memorable experiences of the trip so far. From seeing nature at it’s finest in the Galápagos, to becoming an uncle for the second time in Cuenca. And many more in between. Whilst I intend to spend the rest of my time on this trip seeing as many new countries, cities and people as possible, Ecuador is the only country I can say that I haven't really had a complete experience of, and need to return to and explore some more one day.

Baños, Ecuador

After 11 huge days in the Galápagos, and as amazing as it was, I was ready to move on and have some new experiences. Baños was highly recommended as an adventure hotspot, and on the way to Quito, my last stop in Ecuador.

I met Emma at the bus stop in Guayaquil, a Kiwi girl who funnily enough lives in Perth (well, until she quit her job), and we hopped on the bus to Baños. It's funny how one minute you're alone trying to make your way around the bus station, and the next minute you've found a friend that you spend the next few days with. It has constantly happened during this trip and is both a source of great happiness when you meet these people, and sadness when you must say goodbye.

On Friday we were treated to some good weather (although still too cloudy to see the nearby volcano), so we hired some bikes and visited the slightly overhyped yet must not miss photo opportunity in Baños, the swing at Casa de Arbol. Whilst there we met a 40 year old Australian who has retired and set up a life in Ecuador with his uncle, in a cosy little half built cottage at the bottom of the volcano. He invited us into his place for a cup of tea, and gave us a great recommendation for an empanada stall near the Pailon del Diablo.

Pailon del Diablo

Yesterday we spent the day canyoning around a bunch of waterfalls, something I've never done before and because we were spending the whole day rappelling down or diving into waterfalls, the heavy rain didn't spoil the day.

The Galápagos Islands - Ecuador

I’m at a loss for words on how to describe these past 10 days. I could rattle off a few adjectives, but none of them would begin to tell the story of my time in the Galápagos. But for the sake of recording this whirlwind of an experience, I’ll try.

Flying in from Guayaquil, I arrived in Baltra Island early Sunday afternoon where the tour guide Edwin was waiting for me. My plane was delayed slightly so I had a late lunch on board the Guantanamera and then met up with the rest of the passengers. 

Fortunately, the group was full of interesting and genuinely nice people. More than three-quarters of them Dutch, two Brits, an Israeli, some Canadians, an American and an Argentine made up the mixture. And as has happened so often on this trip, the people made the experience all the more memorable.

The gang - minus the Argentine and American who left early

Because of this, the experience became so much more than just the sum of it’s parts. So I won’t do this story a disservice and just rattle off the itinerary for each day. Most of the time, they were constructed in the same way - breakfast at 7am, activity in the morning (e.g. trek on the island, dingy ride and/or snorkelling on the shore or in deep water), lunch at midday and then another activity in the afternoon. Dinner at 7pm, then afterwards we’d sail to the next destination. There were a few rough nights on board, so most of the time I found myself falling asleep whilst hugging the bed frame to make sure I didn’t roll off the top bunk during the night.

Our guide Edwin was incredible, not only did he keep the group laughing each day, he demonstrated an incredible knowledge of the islands, the wildlife and pretty much any other question we would throw at him. He also had quite an interesting life story which we were treated to late one morning after a few too many drinks, sneakily taken from the bar whilst the crew slept.

On top of that, the crew on board were amazing, even though most of them didn’t speak a great deal of English. The second captain (His parents actually named him “Segundo”, which means “Second” in Spanish. So this was quite fitting.) even let me take the reigns for a while.

A lot of nervous faces here...

The interactions you have in the Galápagos is out of this world. It’s nature at it’s most pristine. There’s no guarantee you’ll see a particular animal like you would get at a zoo or national park, yet we saw almost everything we expected to. We snorkelled with sharks, played with sea lions, swam with sea turtles, countless different types of fish and manta rays, cormorants, iguanas, penguins, owls and a whole lot more.

And then there’d be days you get an extra surprise. On Thursday we were all sat down for lunch when Edwin came rushing in yelling “Dolphins! Dolphins!”. We ran out to the front of the boat and were treated to several minutes of dolphins following the boat, playing together and jumping out of the water. On another occasion we saw a few whales breaching the surface in the distance.

Managed to get this shot amongst the madness

For the animals that you can get a lot closer to, the rules on Galápagos are pretty clear and obvious - no flash on your camera and don’t get closer than 2 metres. It’s things like this, coupled with the fact most of the animals don’t have any natural predators, that makes them surprisingly calm (and sometimes playful) when people are around.

On Wednesday the Dutch contingency grew as we said goodbye to two of our passengers and replaced them with a couple of girls from the Netherlands. That night the crew threw a party for us, with plenty of free drinks and dancing to some local music. It could have been the boat rocking, or the strong caipirinhas, but after 7 months in South America I’m sad to say I’m still no better a dancer than I was before I left.

Before long, Saturday had come around and with it the last full day of our amazing adventure on board. A few farewell drinks turned into an interesting conversation with Edwin and a few others until the early hours of the morning, then a few of us took the opportunity to sleep up on the top deck under the stars for our last night on board. It was really was the perfect way to end the week.

After what felt like 30 minutes of sleep I was woken at 6am by the crew cleaning the ship around where we lay. After dusting ourselves off it was a little island visit for those of us who didn’t opt for a sleep in. It was well worth it, as we were treated to a beautiful sunrise which the sea lions seemed to enjoy just as much as us.

A morning stretch

Then it was off to the airport to say our goodbyes. I had already planned to stay in Puerto Ayora for 4 more nights, so I headed back with the Dutch girls who couldn’t get a last minute flight out of the islands. We spent the afternoon relaxing at the hotel after not really getting a chance to do so on the cruise, then at night we hung out with some Aussies and ate some delicious empanadas from a street vendor (always the best kind), then had some drinks on the balcony of our room.

The girls left Tuesday morning, and the comedown from the week that was (and more) finally hit me. I spent the rest of my time in Puerto Ayora doing some day trips, and scuba diving around Floreana and North Seymour Islands, which was again another incredible experience with some equally incredible photos.

Diving with a Sea Lion at Floreana Island

And that’s it. My attempt at covering one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Just as hard was trying to pick the best photos out of thousands of equally worthy shots.

Cuenca, Ecuador

Cuenca can be added to the list of cities that surprised me on this trip. It more than surpassed my preconceptions of it being a quiet little colonial town, and made me glad I’d had a few days relaxing with the seniors in Vilcabamba beforehand.

Two big nights on the town were had with some locals I’d made friends with, one night ending with me crawling into bed at 6 in the morning - a rarity for me - usually I'm falling asleep on the dance floor at 2AM.

Aside from the partying, a day was spent in the beautifully peaceful Cajas National Park, where we were treated to some superb scenery, wildlife and a traditional Ecuadorian lunch. Notably delicious was the Canelasco shot and Locro de Papas soup.

Canelasco shot and Locra de Papas soup

Hours were spent at various cafes and restaurants, and it seems like Ecuador is one of few South American countries that has figured out how to do some of my favourite staples properly: coffee and bacon. A benefit of having such a big influence from the United States.

I gingerly strolled around the colonial streets one last time, nursing a slight hangover, and walked up the dizzying stairs of the Cuenca Cathedral to get a decent shot of the city and look back on what was a thoroughly enjoyable 5 days.

Parque Calderon, from the top of Cuenca Cathedral


Vilcabamba, Ecuador

I wanted to chill out in Vilcabamba for a few days, but I didn't realise until I got there that it was actually a common place for retirees from the United States to come and settle down. So I didn't last long before I had itchy feet and needed to move on to a more lively place.

Another border crossing...

Another day of buses from Piura to Loja, then Loja to Vilcabamba. I put my bags down at the hostel and took a walk around the city. A bit of live music in the square, but nothing going on outside a block or two from the main area.

The next day I moved to a hostel 2km out of town called Hostería Izhcayluma. It had been recommended by a girl I met in Huaraz, and looked like a really nice place. It was, but again it was too quiet for my likings. More of a place to come on a brief holiday to get away from everything, do yoga classes and some hiking. I spent one night there then was on my way again, taking the bus up to Cuenca.

The thing you notice immediately about Ecuador is the beautiful countryside on bus rides. The mountains are still there, just as they are in Peru, however it's completely green and looks much fresher and alive. The drive up to Cuenca was filled with rolling green hills, scattered farmhouses and cows and horses dotted in between. Like what you'd see on the side of a milk carton.

In saying that, as I was only really passing through I kept my camera away, preferring to take it in myself. There'll be plenty of other opportunities for photos of this scenery throughout Ecuador.

Trujillo and Piura - Peru

My last few stops in Peru brought me to Trujillo and Piura, two smaller cities perched up along the coast in the north of Peru.

After spending all of Wednesday on the bus, I arrived in Trujillo and found a hostel near the main square. I only had 2 nights in Trujillo, so I spent my only full day exploring the Chan Chan ruins. It must be rare to have such obvious gringos walking around Trujillo, as I often caught people quite blatantly staring at me, and some even asked me to take a photo with them.

The Pre-Columbian ruins at Chan Chan

Then it was a bus just before midnight (didn't actually arrive til 1AM) to Piura, some 7 hours away. I'd been told not to spend much time there - not only was it quiet but also pretty dangerous. Sure enough, I arrived at my hotel (and I use the word hotel very loosely) and asked the owner "Is it safe to walk around here?", to which he paused, then responded "Eh... kinda. Just don't draw attention to yourself". Bear in mind this was at 8AM, and being a 6ft2in white gringo, it's pretty hard to not draw attention to yourself.

In the evening I grabbed a bag of ice for me knee and settled down to my room at night to watch some TV shows. I went to to turn the fan on, then quickly realised they'd just put it there for show (you can see what happened here). Add to that the completely cold shower and you begin to wonder why they called it a hotel. All part of the experience right?

Needless to say, I was on the first bus out of Piura on Saturday. Another full day spent on the bus before making my way into Ecuador, where I'll settle down in Vilcabamba for a few nights.

I spent over 6 weeks in Peru, much more than I initially expected. It surprised me in what is has to offer, from incredible history and ruins to great food (I'll miss the Ceviche and Chicha Morada), kind people and stunning landscapes. Besides Trujillo and Piura, I never once felt unsafe and often ended up making friends with locals I had just met. It gave me one of the most amazing experiences from my life - the Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, and whilst it overshadowed almost everything else I did in Peru, there were plenty of other memorable experiences I had which make Peru one of my favourite countries in South America.

Huaraz, Peru

Huaraz is a beautiful place for trekking and mountain climbing, exploring glaciers and camping amongst the stunning mountainside. Not ideal if you're trying to recover from a knee injury.

As the anti-inflammatories begun to wore off, I soon realised I'd need to spend a bit of time resting my knee. I couldn't be going out on 4 or more day treks as I'd initially planned, so I was limited to picking a few one day tours that would put little strain on my knee.

Sunday I spent at Chavín de Huántar, an archaeological site from the pre-Incan Chavín culture of around 900BC containing ruins and other artefacts. Then on Monday I went out to see the Pastoruri glacier. Located in the southern part of the Cordillera Blanca, it sits on a peak of around 5,250 metres above sea level. The rest of the time I spent relaxing in a family's home which they use as a hostel, watching TV shows or walking around the city centre and cafe hopping.

So, my time in Huaraz was relatively quiet considering the activities on offer. But I had to sit this one out and rest up for my next big experience - the Galápagos Islands, in 12 days.

The Inca Trail - Machu Picchu, Peru

It’s been a couple days since I completed the Inca Trail, yet I’m still recovering. It was a challenging yet completely fulfilling experience, one of the best of my life - and well worth the considerable cost. Luckily, my knee held up (with the help of many anti inflammatories) and I was able to experience this amazing opportunity to it’s fullest.

Day 1: Cusco to Wayllabamba (12km)

I woke early on Friday morning and was picked up from the hostel around 5:30am, where I met Andy and Logan, two Americans who were in my group. We were picked up and headed to Ollantaytambo for breakfast, where we got to know the rest of the group and I wisely invested in a pair of walking poles to help reduce the burden on my knees.

Following breakfast, we headed to Kilometre 82. We showed our passports, took the obligatory team photos, and begun the Inca Trail, crossing the Vilcanota River.

About to begin the Inca Trail

One thing I noticed was how supremely competent our porters were. Called “chaski” in Quechua (the native language of the Incas), they were each carrying backpacks of about 25kg (before recent regulations were introduced, they were known to carry upwards of 60kg), wearing cheap clothes and shoes, and were still comfortably overtaking each one of us on the trail. They would rush ahead to the next camp site to have the tents prepared and food cooked. The best part was when we finally arrived at camp, they would stop what they were doing, and applaud us for arriving. It felt a little patronising, considering we had it much easier than them and still took much longer to make it to camp.

We settled into our camp for the night and Andy, Logan and I took a walk around the village in the evening and found an old lady selling Chicha. We sat around in the dark enjoying the local brew and appreciating the amazing day we’d just had.

The group at the end of Day 1

Day 2: Wayllabamba to Pacamayo (12km)

We were woken up at 5am and treated to “tent service” - where Ernesto (our second guide) and some of the chaskis came to each tent offering coffee, tea or hot chocolate. It was a nice touch that definitely made getting out of our sleeping bags a lot easier.

Day 2 was supposed to be the hardest. Whilst only trekking for half a day, the majority of it was on a steep incline. I was still having some pain in my knee, and we had the option of hiring a porter to reduce the burden on our backs. I considered it for a while, but the Scottish in me must’ve been particularly strong that day, as I decided to save myself 100 soles (about $40) and carry my gear on my own. I also didn’t want to diminish any sense of achievement I’d have at the end of the trek.

We made the ascent up to Dead Woman’s Pass (4,200m above sea level), where we stopped for a decent rest and took some photos of the unbelievable scenery (this was fast becoming the norm). 

After reaching Dead Woman's Pass

The hike uphill was helped with the aid of chewing coca leaves which I bought from the San Pedro market in Cusco. Chewing coca leaves is a common practice around Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador - it acts as an appetite suppressant, helps with altitude sickness, provides energy and improves digestion. It also mildly numbs your cheek which feels kind of strange at first.

Still at Dead Woman's Pass, I noticed a few llama’s in the distance and walked over to get what I hoped would be some nice photos, only to be spat on by the llama when I got anywhere near close enough to take a photo.

After cleaning myself up, we walked down about 900 steps to our camp at 3,600m above sea level. I was pretty knackered by this point, so I stripped down and had a cold shower in the nearby toilets. I use the terms “shower” and “toilets” loosely - the toilets were a hole in the ground, and the showers a hose in the wall. The water was ice cold, the kind that takes your breath away when you stand under it. However, it felt extremely refreshing and got rid of the dirt and sweat that had built up over the past 2 days.

After lunch, the rest of the day was spent relaxing and appreciating what we’d achieved so far - supposedly the hardest day was over. I wrote in my journal then had some dinner, and an early bed as we were to be up at 5am again the next day

Relaxing in the tent at the end of Day 2

Day 3: Pacamayo to Wiñay Wayna (15km)

I didn’t sleep so well on the second night, the thin mattresses and t-shirt pillow stopping me from getting any decent rest. Getting up in the cold and walking down to the toilets didn’t sound too appealing when you were wrapped up in your sleeping bag, so when I woke up at 3:45am I held it in and waited for tent service to arrive.

The trail on day 3 took us again through some stunning scenery, and beautiful inca ruins. The last stage of the day's trekking was all downhill, some 3,000 steps and more. The problem was not only the amount of steep downhill walking - it was also the rough, uneven terrain which meant you spent a lot of the time looking at your feet to make sure you didn’t take a tumble.

After about 1 hour from the second pass we arrived at Sayacmarca by way of a superbly designed stone staircase. The name Sayacmarca means "inaccessible town" and describes the position of the ruins perfectly, protected on three sides by sheer cliffs. No one knows the exact purpose of these ruins.  

We had to backtrack a little to rejoin the trail as it passes Conchamarca, a small Inca dwelling situated in the shadows of Sayacmarca, which was probably a tambo (Incan structure built for administrative and military purposes) for weary travellers on their way to Machu Picchu. From then on the path descends into magnificent cloud-forest full of orchids, hanging mosses, tree ferns and flowers, passing through an impressive Inca tunnel, carved into the rock, on the way.  

Wiñay Wayna was the last official campsite before Machu Picchu. The name in Quechua means 'forever young' and is named after a variety of pink orchid which grows there. The ruins comprise magnificent agricultural terraces set in an impressive location. There are also many buildings of good quality stonework and a sequence of 10 baths, suggesting that the site was probably a religious centre associated with the worship of water. Ritual cleansing may have taken place here for pilgrims on the final leg of the trail to Machu Picchu.

This was our last night with the chaskis, and also one of the group members' (Penny) birthday. They really pulled out all the stops here and surprised her with a delicious cake, with her name written on it. Failing a well calculated air drop, I still don't know how they managed to do this. We enjoyed our last dinner together, and afterwards the chaskis were called in to be thanked and given tips for their exceptional service. Again it was an early bed as the next morning we were to be up at 3:30am to begin the final portion of the Inca Trail - the trek to the Sun Gate to enter Machu Picchu.

The last supper, and Penny's birthday.

Day 4: Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu (5km)

After waking, had a light breakfast and set off on the trail again to get to Machu Picchu before sunrise. This was the only time during the whole trail that we saw any rain, and by a stroke of good fortune it was while we were all waiting undercover at one of the control points.

The trail contours around a mountainside and drops into a cloud forest before coming to an almost vertical flight of 50 steps leading up to the final pass at Intipunku (Sun Gate). Suddenly the whole of Machu Picchu is spread out before you in all its glory, and whilst it was pretty foggy at that point, it couldn't cloud our sense of achievement at completing the Inca Trail.

We walked down to Machu Picchu and stopped at the classic viewpoint for a team photo, then it was a quick stop to refuel - for a steep price - around 13 Soles for a coffee and Milky Way bar.

With the group at Machu Picchu

We re-entered the ruins with our superb guide David for a complete tour of the major sectors, and were given an in depth insight into the discovery and history of Machu Picchu.

After the guided tour, Tomasz (a keen trekker and traveller from Poland) and I headed off for some more hiking, this time to the outhouse and Inka Bridge. After exhausting our legs and cameras, we took the bus back to Aguas Calientes. I checked into my hostel and had the first hot shower I’d had in 5 days. Bliss. Then we met up with the group at the restaurant across the road for some celebration and goodbye drinks.

Our guide David and I at the celebration drinks

Aguas Calientes is a notoriously touristic town where everyone knows they can get away which charging ridiculously high prices for tourists (thousands arrive every day year round). So my lunch and drinks amounted to 100 Soles.

I went back to the room and laid down on the bed. It’s funny how during the trek you keep powering through the trail, as you have an end goal in sight. As soon as it’s over and I had a chance to stop, my body begun shutting down and I was sapped of all my energy. My whole body ached, my knee froze up and I came out with 4 or 5 ulcers (probably also caused from chewing all the coca…).

But the experience wasn’t quite over yet. I’d booked the night in Aguas Calientes, and also another day’s entrance to Machu Picchu and entry to hike up Huayna Picchu, a nearby mountainwhich gives an incredible vantage point overlooking Machu Picchu.

Atop Huayna Picchu

It was nice to be able to stroll around the ruins somewhat refreshed, put the camera away and soak up the atmosphere. I chose a spot to sit down and listen to some music, and on my 6 month anniversary from leaving home was able to reflect on the trip so far, and what was left in store.

Then I began the trek to Huayna Picchu. I had the option of just seeing Huayna Picchu, or trekking the entire circuit of the mountain, which was quoted at a 4 hour round trip. If you’ve been keeping up to date with my blog, you’ll know which option I took. Even though I was exhausted, I pushed my body up to the top of the mountain, then around the rest of the circuit. I ate the few muesli bars I had packed with me, which made no difference to my energy levels, then began to run down the stairs.

On the way back up to the exit point, it felt like each corner turned presented an ever increasing set of stairs. I was beyond the point of exhaustion at this stage and frequently keeled over trying to catch my breath. It felt like I’d never get a rest.

Temple of The the Moon, along the Huayna Picchu mountain circuit

Nevertheless I eventually made it back, and made a beeline for the bus back to Aguas Calientes. I was too exhausted and hungry to care about the exorbitant prices and proceeded to eat 3 meals at 3 different restaurants. 

I took the train and bus back to Cusco and collapsed on my bed - knowing that I wouldn’t really be able to truly appreciate what I’d accomplished until my body recovers.

Paracas, Huacachina & Nazca - Peru

I'm combining these 3 cities into one blog entry, as they are pretty small and I visited them all within the space of about 5 days as I continue to make my way back towards Cusco.

Back at sea level, Paracas reminded me of the Bahamas. A small beach town (my hostel literally backed on to the shore), it was a good contrast from what I experienced in Lima. A nice place to unwind for two nights.

On my only full day there, I visited the Ballestas Islands. While we never actually stepped off the boat, it was a pretty cool little trip. We saw some sea lions, penguins and a ridiculous amount of seagulls. In the afternoon we drove around the National Park and whilst not jaw-dropping, again it provided some beautiful landscapes. I was forced into practicing some more of my Spanish as the tour guide didn't speak a word of English.

Playa Roja (Red Beach), Paracas National Park

Next it was on to Huacachina, which is basically a collection of resorts and restaurants around a blue-green laguna, surrounded by huge sand dunes. An antique image of the town is featured on Peru´s 50 Soles bill.

My gung-ho attitude to activities got me in a bit of trouble again. When booking a sandboarding tour of the surrounding dunes, I said to the travel agent "Sure, I've been snowboarding before!". I've literally done it once, and spent most of the time picking myself up. So, I was given a snowboard and boots, and up we went to the top of the dunes.

I made it down the first dune fine so when we approached the next one (it was massive), I was filled with a false sense of confidence. No surprises what happened next. I was flying down the dune and about half way down, began to wobble a bit. Not having a clue on how to fall properly, I proceeded to flip multiple times over my head, twisting out my knee in the process. Everyone else was watching (I was the only one game/dumb enough to be snowboarding), so naturally I dusted myself off, got up and went down the remainder of the slope.

The next day I was barely able to walk, and begun to fear if I would be able to complete the Inca Trail Trail trek, which started in 5 days (at time of injury). I'm still not sure if I'll make it, but I'm doing everything I can to be recovered in time. Including ice packs, anti inflammatory gel, anti inflammatory tablets, a knee brace, etc...

Today, with my knee feeling quite a bit better, I took the short bus to Nazca to see the famous Nazca Lines. The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. It is believed the Nazca Lines were created by the Nazca culture between 500 BC and 500 AD, and the hundreds of individual figures range in complexity from simple lines to hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, fish, sharks, orcas, and lizards. Unfortunately my camera isn't expensive enough to get a good enough photo, so I've had to blow my one up a bit to get a fair idea of what it looks like outside the small 6 seater plane.

Colibrí (Hummingbird), flying over the Naca Lines

The pilots were quite relaxed throughout the 40 minute flight and would often unexpectedly take a sharp turn or dip to give you a better view. Fortunately, the lady next me didn't throw up, although she did hold the sick bag for almost the entire flight and was sweating profusely. So I kept my distance.

So It's been a tricky couple of days, but I'll be crossing my fingers and toes on the overnight bus that my knee heals in time for Friday!

Lima, Peru

I don't know if it's just good luck, but again my preconceptions about Lima were proved wrong in just a couple of days.

I didn't go in expecting to have a bad time, or see a dull city. But other travellers I met had told me just that - "you don't need to spend more than 1 day in Lima!".

Looking back, I was extremely lucky to have been offered a place to stay by a man named Nino from Couchsurfing. He is honestly one of the most kind and generous people I've ever met, and it's comforting to know there are people like this out there. Each morning, Nino would have breakfast laid out for us before he went to work, and he even slept on the floor of his apartment while I slept in his room!

When I arrived, he'd left a key to his house with the security guard. I went inside his apartment and met a guy from the USA called Hunter (check out his blog at www.hunterstanford.com), who'd arrived just before me. Nino came back at around 1pm and took us to a local Cevicheria where we had the freshest (the fish were caught that morning) Ceviche I've ever tasted in my life. Not only that, the whole meal including a starter and a drink came to 20 Soles (under AUD$10).

Ceviche at the local Cevicheria

Hunter and I spent the next couple of days walking around Lima, and made a couple more trips back to that Cevicheria. We had a night out on the town on Wednesday (which is another story in itself), went for a run around the local park, cooked a couple of our own meals, and had some great conversations with Nino at the nearby Columbian café.

It feels like I've crammed a week of activities into the last 3 days. But not only that it feels like I've also developed months worth of friendships with these 2 people I only just met. People that blow me away with their kindness and generosity for others who, only a couple of days ago, were complete strangers.