NAME: Ben Rutherford

EMAIL: btrutherford@hotmail.com   

DATE: 27th May 1999 - 21 July 1999

EXCHANGE RATE: Ecuador 10000s; Peru 3.35sol; Bolivia 5.8bol = $1

WEATHER: Winter = cold and clear in Andes, Garua in Lima, hot in the Amazon basin

TERRAIN: Varied from the volcanic islands of the Galapagos, to the Andean highlands of Ecuador and Peru, to the desert areas of Peru, the high Altiplano of southern Peru and Bolivia, to the rainforest in the Bolivian Amazon basin.

TRIP RATING: 10

ROUTE: I began my travels in Ecuador, flying into Quito from London, via Madrid with Iberia. After staying in Quito for 3 days I flew to the Galapagos Islands, for a week long tour on a boat I had booked a week before leaving, over the net(Overall cost $1000 - flight $324, tour $560, Park fees $100). After returning I bussed down to Banos (3hrs,$2), for a few days, relaxing in the hot springs, going cycling and horseriding. After Banos I continued to Riobamba (1hr,$1), where i went on the autoferro(bus on train tracks!) down the Devils Nose, which was exciting, and also up to the second refuge at 5000m on Mt Chimborazo. Moving on to Cuenca, I spent a morning exploring the El Cajas NP ($10), where I didn't see another soul the whole 6hrs! Similar to the English Lake District. The rest of my time in Cuenca was spent enjoying the beautiful colonial architecture and museums. In all the Ecuadorian cities I visited, there were not many other tourists/travelers, which was nice in some ways!

After Cuenca I traveled into Peru via the border crossing at Huaquillas, on to Tumbes. This crossing was a pain, so many people hassling you, but generally you can get through OK. No problems with the officials, just the hangers on. Then a 20hr bus journey to Lima($9!), which wasn't much fun, but did the job. Saw Lima for 3 days, nice canter, good museums, otherwise a little grim. The I flew to Cuzco($59), where I spent 8 days, including rafting, site seeing, the Inti Raymi festival, and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! Great place to visit, good travelers scene. Then it was the train to Puno (10hrs,$8), which was nice, and a few days around Lake Titicaca, staying the night on the island of Amantani, which was lovely, so beautiful and tranquil, and also visiting Taquile and the floating islands of the Uros. Then I crossed the Bolivian border to Copacabana, from which I went to the Isla del Sol, where I spent another night on the lake. Again, a wonderful place, and deserve! A few days just to explore the island.

On my return to Copacabana I caught a bus to La Paz (4hrs,$4). The ferry crossing over the Lake is mad! Can't remember the name, but buses are ferried across separately, while the passengers cross on small boats, its all very strange, with all these buses being ferried across on the little flat ferries. Entrance to La Paz is beautiful, descending from El Alto into the city canter, with the mountainous backdrop. A few days exploring La Paz, a pleasant city to be in, nice museums, buildings etc. Visited the Valle del Luna, which was interesting, and the zoo at Mallasa, which was depressing.

Then I flew to Rurrenabaque ($45), after my flight had been put back a day due to bad weather. This was a pleasant change after the cold of La Paz , and the altiplano, as the jungle here was hot, but not overbearingly so. Here I went on 3 day Pampas and Jungle trips, which were good, especially the Pampas, where you see a lot of wildlife - monkeys, alligators, pink river dolphins, lots of birds, anacondas!

After about a week in the area, I returned to La Paz by road, on another 20hr bus journey ($9), but passing through the wonderful panorama of the rainforest just stretching seemingly forever into the horizon, and especially when the sun began to set, was magical. Arriving in La Paz in the morning, I continued up to the Peru border at Yunguara, and on to Puno, a total of 6hrs, from which I caught a night bus in the afternoon to Arequipa (10hrs,$6). Thus a total of 36hrs on buses, in a 43 hr period! Not recommended.

Arriving in Arequipa, spent the day relaxing, and simply enjoying this very beautiful city. Next day left on a tour to the Colca Canyon, Visiting the hot springs (wonderful), and the Cruz del Condor in the Canyon itself, where we saw 3 condors close by, one flying just a meter above my head!

After returning to Arequipa, I headed to Nazca, where I spent a morning on a tour visiting a pottery and a gold refinery(local style!), and the Chauchilla Cemetery, before flying over the Nazca lines, which was amazing, really really good. This tour cost $35, which was pretty good value I thought.

After the tour I caught a bus to Ica (3hrs,$1.50), from which I took a taxi($1) to Huacachina, a little oasis resort nearby. Here I did a little sand boarding, which was fun, but I was running out of time. I caught a bus to Lima (4hrs,$3), where I visited the Franciscan monastery, and the Museum of the Inquisition, before catching my flight in the evening back home, again via Madrid. And that was that! I lot in two months, but all very enjoyable.

HOTELS: South American Handbook for addresses (rec). Quito - El Cafecito, Nice, good bar/rest, can be noisy ($6) night. Banos - Los Andes, big, empty, cheap ($1.50), nice owners, good restaurant. Riobamba - Nuca Huasi, basic, cheap ($1.50), central but noisy, little dirty. Cuenca - Hostal Pinchincha, big, empty, ($2) Lima - first stay Pension Ibarra, very nice, central, very helpful, like an apartment, ($5) second stay, Hostal Espana, nice place, central, great travelers atmosphere, nice restaurant, cheap ($3) Cusco - Hotal El Arcarno, nice, small and cosy(although not warm), friendly owners ($3.50). Puno - Virgen de Copacabana YH, tricky to find, but very welcoming, nice rooms, friendly ($3.50). La Paz - Hotel Torino, central, single rooms like prison cells(!), big, ($3.50 share, $4 single). Rurrenabaque - Hotel Oriental, nice place, pleasant garden with hammocks, ($3). Arequipa - Hotel El Mirador, on the Plaza de Armas, amazing views especially from roof top, basic rooms, cheap esp. for location ($3 p/p after negotiation for group of 5). Huacachina (nr Ica) - Hotel Salvatierra, basic, cheap ($3).

TRIP ESSENTIALS: Patience, sense of humour, Spanish. You can buy everything else, but not these!

TRIP COMMENTS: Highlights - almost everything, but esp. Galapagos, Banos, Cusco and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, islands on Lake Titicaca, Pampas wildlife, Arequipa and Colca Canyon, Nazca lines. I traveled alone (22yr male, some travel experience) and had a great time, no real problems, I say just do it, but be aware of your surroundings, to stay out of trouble. Lessons - count and check your money when changing. If entering a new country, ask other travelers if poss. what to look for on the notes, to check if genuine. I lost a little money on the Ecuador-Peru crossing to a crooked money changer. Also other money changers in Bolivia tried to short change me, so count the money in front of them. Otherwise don't get so paranoid so that you don't enjoy yourself. Look confident even when your not, and pretend you know where your going even when you don't! And remember, the people around you are like you and me, they're not all trying to rip you off, most are simply going about their everyday lives, which is sometimes pretty tough in these poor countries, so a little respect is due.