Monday 13 June 2011

Fear makes the wolf look bigger

There is some artistic graffiti on the road to Devon’s north shore in England that all surfers can relate to, “Fear makes the wolf look bigger”. Every time I drive past it, it always helps to give me drive and focus for my next session.

Depending on your surfing experience, fear can mean different things. For the learner it’s a combination of progressing into bigger waves, managing the crowds, using the rips, taking steeper drops, suffering the wipe-outs and enduring the hold-downs. To the seasoned charger the same still applies but on a much higher level. That and the bottom is more likely to be lined with rocks than a forgiving layer of sand.

At some point we’ve all been intimidated by the surf conditions:

“I don’t think I can I make this drop”
“I can’t handle a swell this big”
“These waves are breaking way too fast for me”

These are just some of the voices inside our heads pushing us to hesitate and save our skins, and to be fair, it’s a natural human instinct. Fear is however a matter of opinion. In the early part of the learning curve a lot of surfers’ fears are misplaced. Sure the new environment of staring down into the pit of a shoulder high wave may feel intimidating, but the risk is somewhat small compared to the waves more learned surfers are prepared to take on.

If those more experienced surfers were to recall their early days of surfing when they took that first big drop, they’d probably admit they had butterflies at the time, but the surf would have to be at least over-head for them to feel the same terror now.

Whether fear is misplaced or not, whether you’re a seasoned wave rider or not, fear isn’t what makes surfing fun. Fear is what makes surfing exhilarating. Of course fear can make the wolf look bigger, but ask most surfers and they’d prefer the surfing equivalent of being chased by a wolf, than taking the dog for a walk.

Everyone, including myself can remember occasions when they worked up the bottle to take on a daunting set wave and say, “screw it, I’m going”. For me it happened again recently surfing in New Zealand. It was bigger than anything I’d attempted in a while and the waves had looked makeable from the shore but at least half of them were now closing out. I was in the vein of the wave, there was no going back, the only way out was to catch one in, so paddling for all my worth, the adrenalin pumping, and the wave literally exploding just over my shoulder, I scrambled to my feet.

As usual I mistimed my wave and found myself air dropping into an abyss of foam, but somehow, unbelievably, I’d set my rail and as I opened my eyes I came shooting out of the exploding white water and realised I was still there, in the pocket, hugging the wall and going faster than ever before. Screaming down the line at the top of my lungs, no one was any doubt how I felt. I won no points for grace, poise or style but I’d never felt better, ever.

Instances like this when you overcome trepidation, yield the most powerful feeling from surfing. Regardless of your motivation for paddling into that wave (glory/challenge/quickest way to the beach) the fact that you know you went for it, without hesitation, with no guarantee of making it and came out the other end with a huge grin on your face is an extremely potent type of stoke.

They say the best surfer is the one having the most fun, and I’ve seen learners having just stood up for the first time be more stoked than more experienced surfers, but I bet if you asked them how they felt after their first wave of consequence, the first time they pushed their fears aside and caught their first mini-monster, their stoke would surpass anything that had gone before and make most wolves run for cover.

This is not to say that trying to overcome our fears doesn’t have consequences. Fear by its very nature demands respect otherwise it would not be fear. Even innocuous waves can pack a punch and be the ones that provide a humbling wipe-out.

We all have different fears and none should be underestimated, but consider a future where on that one occasion when you had that chance to take that wave that scared you, and you backed down. You didn’t even try. Not a comfortable thought eh? As surfers, we go or we do not, but I’d like to propose an alternative, where next time, you go for it, go for it like you’ll make it… and who knows… you might make that wolf look a little smaller. 

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Patagonia

So leaving the hot and humid city of BuenOs Aires behind, the three musketeers/amigos/tenors went south to Patagonia. The region is as different to the Pampas we've just left behind as you can get. We had gone from the lush, hot cattle loving fields of Central Argentina to Patagonia's endless golden plains surrounded by imposing mountains, devoid of trees and interspersed with lakes the colour of raspberry flavoured ice-pops (electric blue not red!). Down south, we had landed squarely into Autumn, the layers went on but still the sun shone. Having by-passed the epic bus ride in favour of a plane, we touched down in El Calafate late morning and headed into town for feeding.
 
 
After having a fight with an overly territorial local pooch (that's why I got my rabies jab isn't it?) we hit the centre which gave us a feel of an alpine town in between snow seasons with outdoor cafes, pine trees and very tasty hot chocolate. Argentina is the first place I've seen the infamous submarinos, a hot chocolate drink with a twist you'll have to wait for until I get back home to use the Peruvian chocolate I hope has arrived back in the UK by now.
 
Back at the world's friendliest B&B, the Casa de Grillos run by Alejandro and his wife Marta, we were off to the Puerto Marino Glacier with our own taxi driver (at a cheaper rate than the tour groups and with our own freedom too boot!). The glacier, for the sophisticated, is a marvel to behold, a gargantuan sheet of ice creaking, cracking and exploding into the lake.  The glacier for the chav's who's Mums went to Iceland, will probably reflect that it looks like a massive viennetta.
 
 
Silly analogies aside, the glacier was spectacular, and can hold your attention for hours as every few minutes, small chunks of ice shear off into the lake,  but every 20 minutes or so, giant slabs part company from the glacier making a noise like an avalanche. The area around the glacier is full of Andean Condors, enormous birds, that I think live so locally because of the high density of Chinese tourists. They taste of chicken apparently. Right now I'm in Hong Kong, and I love Chinese, but I couldn't eat a whole one.
 
Back in town, and out for food, we decided to by-pass the street with the angry mutt and pass the house that is apparently the President's weekend retreat, tried to give her a wave, but not sure the countless numbers of security guards found this amusing. She's up for re election soon, and its strange that hardly anyone in the country offers their opinion. Lips are kept tight about politics in Argentina, and it's hard to find anyone with a word about any politician let alone a good one. The history of Argentina is sad and complex one, and one not corruption free nor as romantic as Madonna (or the Evita museum) would have you believe.
 
Back on the road the next day we were off to the Torres Del Paine National Park just over the border in Chile. After some long bus rides and a very bumpy boat ride we were in the park. The translation means Towers of Pain, and is extremely beautiful and yet foreboding at the same time. Trampers tend to walk a long through the park over 5 days, but for those with a little less time but more common sense, we opted to take a boat into the centre of the park to do a day hike instead. Staying over night in the country's most over priced crappy hostel (Paine Grande Mountain Lodge), we struck out the next day to see the towers up close and we thankfully were blessed with some very clear weather, as we were expecting heavy rain which the park was famous for. The wind however did not let us down, and made the day a chilly one, but none the less we covered about 12.5 miles in just one day.
 
 
The views we took in, were inspiring, and at the mid point of our trail at the French Valley the scenery was some of the best I've seen in months. Every 20 minutes or so the ice up the mountain ahead would come tumbling down creating some epic avalanches. Thankfully well out of range it was impressive to witness, but made us realise that off the trails, this area was incredibly remote and treacherous. How anyone managed to climb the actual towers I'll never quite fathom.
 
After our jaunt in the park we moved on further south to Ushuaia, the world's most southerly city in the heart of the Tierra Del Fuego (Land of Fire). The city is famous for being relatively close to Antarctica, playing up it's history of the reputable names that have passed through such as Darwin, and playing host to a national park (Parque Tierra del Fuego) reputedly to be one of the world's most spectacular. Arriving after the 45 minute flight (buses take 21 hours!) we checked in to our French hosts B&B in the middle of town. We were thankful to have a few days here and not need to rush around like we had since leaving BA.

Ushuaia is a city split between tourism and industry, as it's the place to see penguins, seals, whales, but also seems to be bursting with shipping containers and fish stocks, being one of the few places in the world to distribute tasty King Crab. Winter was beginning to take hold and despite not being able to see the mountains on a mornings walk on the local slopes due to falling snow, our spirits did not dampen, or at least mine didn't
 
Cue snowball fight.
 
 
I was honestly aiming for my good-for-nothing ugly brother, but my snowballs seemed to find Sarah more often than Alex. Whoops! Back in from the cold and back down nearer the sea, we took a trip to see some penguins on the very tip of Argentina. The weather had returned with a vengeance, as we not only had fierce winds, but freezing rain as well. The penguins undeterred, shot towards the beaches like flying-fish torpedoes and provided much entertainment, despite most of us having frozen noses and fingers. I'm quite glad these penguins had the island to themselves, as they made a fair mess of the place; penguin poop everywhere and nests appearing anywhere. Despite the Penguin's lack of a sewage system or system of managing planning applications, they're great fun to watch and well worth going to see.
 

Our final taste of Tierra del fuego, was the national park itself. We were lucky to be in town in Autumn, as its easy to see how the park got it's firey name. The thousands of trees of the park at the end of the world were a brilliant colour palette of reds, oranges, yellows and golden browns. Photos do more justice than I can so see the link below, plus I'm typing in Hong Kong, and I'm flying home tomorrow, so I'm heading out on a Dim Sung bender and can't be bothered to write any more. Suffice to say, my two weeks with Alex and Sarah were fantastic, and we headed back to BA, they were off to Blighty and I to NZ.
 
 
Maybe I'll get around to writing about New Zealand at some point, or maybe in a few days or weeks, I'll bore you with my stories face to face, so you can't ignore them...
 
I hope you've found these blogs readable and not too dull, as the time I've had, has been so good at times, it's been tricky to put into words. Words are all well and good, but they never do an adventure justice.
 
There are a lot of photos here, testament to how beautiful all the places were (that doesn't include the ones of Alex behaving like a 5 year old)
 
Puerto Morino Glacier
 
Torres del Paine National Park
 
El Calafate
 
Ushuaia
 
Tierra del fuego

Saturday 4 June 2011

Steak, Football & John Wayne

Predicting the future is difficult and tricky business. From palm readings to tea-leaves, the methods range from the ancient to the daft, but when my brother Alex arrived in BA and showed me what a fat version of my face would look like using his smart phone's "fat app", I knew I had a glimpse into what my future would be like if I stayed in Buenos Aires for too long.  To be fair however, when you drink red wine and eat steak most nights, the future is not too hard to predict. Predicting just which places you'll love when travelling is alas, something I'm not sure a smart phone app can help me with.  If you asked me what attributes would make a city the best to live in, things like good surf, fun nightlife, lots of sun and maybe even snow would be high up the list, so Buenos Aires came as a bit of a surprise as it's definitely not a surfing city but is somewhere I could happily work. The curry in BA was woeful, and naturally a deal breaker for any potential move. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richsmith/5598799221/in/set-72157626755522281

Having arrived a few days before the impending arrival of my oldest brother Alex and his boss (and fiancée) Sarah I met up with Sam Kelly, an old friend of my uni mate Chris Nash, who lived and worked in BA. Sam is a football journalist and therefore in a position to advise those woefully illiterate in the football world such as myself on how best to take in a match in BA without getting trampled on. Meeting in the very comfortable Gibraltar, an ex-pat pub (and the first pint of decent ale in 6 months), he introduced me to another footy-journo Dan who'd take me to a match the next day between the All Boys and Colon. Football is huge in Argentina with 24 professional clubs in BA alone and the 3rd oldest league in the world, football is the lifeblood of the city. Dragging another unsuspecting and football illiterate Englishman from the hostel with me, we traveled by the underground or "supte" (trains were actually made of wood) to meet Dan before heading to the Estadio Islas Malvinas, home of Club Atletico All Boys. 



Going to a football match deep in the suburbs of BA, feels like walking into enemy territory; everyone is in doned in the black and white of the All Boys, the fans are drinking and singing and to utter the words of Boca, River or worse Juniors (all local and rival teams) is something you don't even dare to do, this, is the home of the All Boys. With tickets in hand we took our seats in the stand opposite all the hard-core fans who it seems have been smuggling in just about anything that explodes. As the whistle goes for kick off the stand is an explosion of confetti, flares and incessant singing. Growing up, I never had the patience to support a team for very long (transferring my allegiance from Wimbledon to Spurs to Leeds back to Spurs to Woking to Exeter and then to no one before I was age 20), but after just 5 minutes in the Estadio Islas Malvinas, I declared myself to be an All Boys fan. 


They lost 2-0. Undeterred, I bought my first football shirt, which I was subsequently warned not to wear if I valued my life, as post match Dan and I went for dinner in his neighbourhood, home to River Plate for a slap-up steak dinner. Back to my hostel it was time to get an early night, as my brother Alex and his fiancée Sarah were due in the following morning and I wanted to be there at the airport for their arrival. A good time to open another bottle of wine and make friends until 2am in the hostel then... 

... when I did finally get to the airport somewhat later than planned it was great to see them both. They were tired from the flight and I was a bit hungover, so a mellow first day was needed. Having upgraded accommodation to a B&B that actually had warm showers and no pot-heads it was time to receive my requested rations of chocolate and tea from Alex and Sarah and head out to the infamous San Telmo market. 

San Telmo is the heart of tango, music, art and antiques in Buenos Aires, and every Sunday down Calle Defensa, every bit of space for the best part of a mile was taken up with market stalls selling anything from mate (South American Tea) to Messi football shirts. Behind the market stalls were shops akin to those of Portabelo Market selling all manner of arts & antiquities alongside stylish restaurants and cafes buzzing with people exhausted from shopping and content to watch the performers and punters over a cup of mate. The market alone is enough to entice me to return, hopefully next time I can get my purchases back home as my last batch ended up in the hands of a pikey thief in New Zealand.

The Argentines I've met in New Zealand all remark that everyone here eats and goes out really early, but it's actually the other way around, as Argentines are the late ones, and don't get out the door for dinner until at least 10 at night and to turn up to the clubs any time before 2am is a significant faux-pas. This was something that Alex, Sarah and myself all found a little hard to get used to as we explored the city by day and the cities restaurants by night.  Thankfully, early evening siestas not only meant we could squeeze in a little extra red wine but also meant we could placate Alex for a few hours longer before he needed to be fed. On our final night in San Telmo, we decided to go to a tango show, and despite it being one of the more dearer and more touristy things to do in BA, it was worth every cent, as not only was the food delicious (entraña is now my favourite cut of beef) but the show was unbelievable. How anyone can do that dance without kicking their partner is beyond me, and I have a new-found appreciation for the ability of the pro-dancers on Strictly (but still not an ounce of respect) but at least this show was extremely entertaining and integral to any visit to BA.

One of the more sombre and eerie sights of BA was the cemetery La Recoleta. The cemetery rivals the Pére Lachaise of Paris, and is a sombre yet mysterious place. Walking through the gates we pass many people keen to see the final resting place of Eva Peron, but La Recoleta is enormous and it's streets are lined with 15-30 foot high mausoleums that make it more of a mini city than a cemetery, each street lined with the final resting places of Argentina's elite. Exploring here feels oddly out of place and slightly sinister, but after wandering around amongst the endless tombs, you're left with more questions than answers. The tomb that intrigues me the most is a tomb in the shape of a pyramid, the only one in the cemetery and I'm certain it holds either a bunch of killer zombie mummies or the next clue to where the holy grail maybe found as it looks oddly masonic... 


After I'd finished pretending to be Indiana Jones sniffing around graves and before we all embarked on a jaunt around the rest of the country, we all wanted a crack at horse-riding western style. We found a chap called Adrian based on the outer edge of the city who ran 3 hour intensive courses, designed to get even the most timid riders cantering. I had no clue what cantering meant and was only hoping I could pull off being a cowboy without falling off. After an introductory round of mate we all saddled up, complete with helmets disguised as cowboy hats we walked out of the stables and through the fields. 

After receiving many compliments from Adrian ranging from, "back straighter!", "hands lower!", "get your legs forward", "go faster" and "slow down", I finally felt comfortable on my horse and very soon I learnt that cantering meant going just shy of a gallop. Leaning forward and letting the horse get some speed was truely fantastic, like riding a surfboard for the first time, the sensation of natural speed was exhilarating. Towards the end of the session we were cantering across the plains and I was in my element, I was no cowboy, nay, I was the Sheriff, hooning it across the fields, only missing a lasso in my spare hand to try and capture my brother and have him tossed in the cells, before getting down to the last-chance saloon for some well earned whiskey. Wild West day dreams put to one side, that afternoon was pure joy, and post-travel career #36 of cattle rancher is definitely high up the list.

Photos:



The video is well worth a look! Although it may not work... http://db.tt/gDZzVHg



After our adventures in BA, it was time to head south to Patagonia.

*the curry offering in BA is however woeful and a definite deal breaker.

Friday 27 May 2011

Wino's & Parklife

Exhausted from 4 days of treking in the highlands of Peru it seemed sensible to get on a bus and travel 1,960 miles in one go. Cusco, Peru to Mendoza, Argentina, piece of cake. Its a similar distance from London to Istanbul in Turkey, although according to Google Maps, that journey takes only 34 hours. My journey was double that at 68 hours, 57 of which were on buses and 11 in bus stations. I travelled south 20 degrees in latitude, effectively driving from Summer into Autumn. Look on the map, it's quite a distance.

Arriving in Mendoza the best part of three days later, I'm understandable a little tired, but for rest, recuperation and red wine, I'm in the best possible place. The next week is a battle like haze of sizzling steaks, intoxicated Dutchmen shouting Blur's "Parklife" and all to the soundtrack of gun-fire-like pops of bottles of Malbec being opened every thirty seconds.

Thankfully I kept a diary.

Expectations are strange and dangerous things. When you have high ones, they can be unmercifully dashed (like the last dozen England managers) or when you have none you can be left surprised and speechless (like meeting Ameican that is both intelligent and doesn't have gun). I had high expectations of Mendoza, and despite being half asleep as I arrived, I was none the less a little hesitant. Mendoza did not disappoint, it was Officially Awesome. Fact. Capital Letters Mandatory.

Mendoza's reputation for red wine is well justified, as for for 15 pesos (about 2 or 3 quid) I was made very happy, and fairly merry too. But it's a city that is more than just affordable delicious wine, it's a city that doesn't have to rely on foreigners empty wine bottles to sustain it, it's destination for Argentinians themselves. From Buenas Aires it's a short flight or an over night bus journey landing you in a leafy city of only 110,000 people close to ski fields, countless vineyards and the most beautiful parks and streets I have seen.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richsmith/5593858288/in/set-72157626649599379/

For me it's the gateway into a country a world away from the Latin America I've so far experienced. The roads are now paved properly, stray dogs are non-existent and people don't have their donkeys/cows/goats tied up in the front garden. Their donkey is more likely to be a shiny saloon, the dog is probably being walked by a paid-for dog walker and the cow is roasting on the BBQ.

Argentina is more affluent than its neighbours, but it's worth comparing it not with other Latin American places, but with European ones. Every street in Mendoza is lined with trees and looks more like France or Italy than South America. For a city in the desert Mendoza is amazingly lush and green. Not only is there a canopy on every street, but on the edge of the centre is the Parque San Martin; a park that rivals all of London's put together.

I hired a bike and spent a few days just cycling, picnicking and reading in this vast park on the edge the city as if I was a world away from the nearby buzzing metropolis. For someone who values the beach being very close by, I was surprised to be so content so far from it. The designer clothing shops of the city displayed warning signs that winter was well on it's way, but like a lazy squirrel I was content to bake in the hot sun lying in the park, thinking "if only London got this hot or looked so good". 


Come eventide, and it was time to cook up a storm, and I impressed a fair number of the hostel with my Peruvian cooking, and ability to always have a glass of wine in one hand and a ladle in the other. A few nights out were had, but my fondest memories were with the Dutchmen Sander and Ivo in the club opposite the hostel. It was like stepping into a indie disco in North London, but a few years behind. The pair of them screaming the chorus to Blur's Parklife and me pretending to be Phil Daniels in my best cockney accent will sit long in my memory.


Finally on my last day I got myself together and went on a bike tour of the nearby town of Maipu, the heartland of the local wine industry. Despite getting lost on the bus system, I finally got myself on a bike, and with a map of the bodegas (vineyard or wine cellar) and an empty backpack (to accommodate lots of wine) I set off to explore without incurring a drink-riding fine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richsmith/5593982920/in/set-72157626649599379

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richsmith/5593991472/in/set-72157626649599379/

The fields of Maipu, could be easily mistaken for those of Southern France or Italy and cycling in the intense of the midday sun it's easy to forget that I'm a few thousand miles from the French countryside. The area of Mendoza is magical, and although it' my first taste of Argentina, I have the feeling this will be a country hard to leave. 

By the end of the afternoon, I've collected three bottles of vino, drunk the best part of two and my bike's ability to turn my wobbles into seemless cycling makes me think it's carried a number of slightly merry tourists in the past. I thankfully make my bus that evening to Buenas Aires and surprisingly I manage to sleep rather well...

photos in the usual place
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richsmith/sets/72157626649599379/with/5593858288/

Friday 20 May 2011

Yo estoy agotado y quiero una cerveza

(means I'm exhausted and I want a beer, which I was after this...)


When I was planning my jaunt around the world there were only a handful of things that I simply had to experience; the wine of Mendoza, the coffee of Colombia, the Mayan ruins of Tikal, the surf of El Salvador and of course Machu Pichu in Peru. I had so far chanced upon a lot of amazing experiences through out my travels, but I enjoyed planning on the move and not knowing which sights I'd be unable to forget when I left a place. So it seemed very strange when after travelling for over 5 months, my Dad, my brother Nick and I were finally on the bus heading to the start of the trail to one of the world's new seven wonders. 

Our road to Machu Pichu is a long and wet one, and takes us 4 days. We soon realise our porters are undiscovered pro-athletes, as not only do they run past us carrying two to three times the weight of our backpacks, but we learn that when they have nothing to carry, they run the 26 miles of the Inca trail in under 4 hours. Baring in mind the trail is over 10,000 feet, this is quite a feet and if I see any Peruvians debuting at the London Marathon next year, I wouldn't be betting against them!


Our own plight was barely underway when the inevitable rain started. We all knew we were in the midst of the wet season, the trail only just having re opened a few days before having had a month to rest, but after 5 minutes, my jacket was already starting to leak (two months later this jacket was stolen in New Zealand, so I thoroughly hope the culprit gets rained on, as the jacket will make sure they get a good soaking). thankfully we are all equipped with 30p plastic ponchos, which keep the rain off and the heat in, so after a day of trekking they make a good boil-in-the-bag backpacker.

When we make camp every afternoon, the superhuman porters have already arrived, set up camp and started cooking. The days of them carrying insane loads are now long gone, but none the less, they put our fitness to shame. Despite the trail being the world's most renowned, the facilities have failed to keep pace. It's a home from home for Frenchies as we're treated to the latest in hole-in-the-floor toilets. Perfect for dropping alcoholic hand wash down when you really needed it.

The second day is a beast, as it's uphill nearly all the way, to 4,200m and the crossing of the Dead Woman's Pass. The trail is all steps, so whilst conforming to most western countries health and safety standards, its a thigh burning walk up, and as the rain increases and the temperature drops at the summit, we're only to eager (post photo opp) to continue down the other side and onto the second nights camp. Now that we are suitably shattered each night, sleep comes very quickly. Even Nick is sleeping through Dad's snoring, which whilst surprising, is surpassed by Nick's cheeriness first thing in the morning (even more surprising).

The food on the trek is always something to look forward to. Nick, Dad and I agreed before hand to all go veggie to aid our stomachs, but regretted the decision for 4 days, as the most delicious meat was cooked up for every meal. Cooking for 16 people and 22 porters is no easy task, but after spotting the chef cooking on just two small gas burners, we were left in awe. With 4 hobs and clean kitchen I struggle to knock up anything near as tasty. Despite no meat, we were never left hungry, although I think one porter should be charged with carrying a keg of beer for future trips. Beer was rather hard to come by in the middle of the Peruvian highlands, however, they did manage to produce some Pisco Sours on one evening.

Up at the crack of dawn again and on the road for the third day, nick-named the Gringo Killer, as it was pretty much all down hill and was the main cause of complaints of sore knees from pathetic tourists. So off we stomped in the intermittent rain, through tunnels and through ancient Inca sites with secret paths tucked away in the tightest and narrowest of places. After lunch, the descent really kicked in, as the path was steep, tough and also the new route for what I think was the nearby river. The water poured down over the steps in torrents, but this did little to deter the porters whose break neck-pace turned out to be more a break-ankle pace, as one of our group tried to keep up with them only to be left hobbling 30 minutes later.

Towards the end of the third day, Nick and I were privy to something that simply nobody sees on the Inca Trail. Our guides had been walking the trail for over 8 years, and they told us they had never seen them and we should not expect to see any... Spectacled Bears. Walking around a corner, an hour or two before arriving at the campsite, we were confronted by a mother and cub crossing the path. Seeing Paddington (for that is the type of bear that he is) and his Mum cross in front of us, was truly amazing, and extremely special, given that no one ever sees them. They're not huge and are extremely shy, and I am still kicking myself for just freezing at the sight of them and neglecting to take a photo. Like all things on the trip so far, memories last a long time, shame I can't put them on Flickr mind.

The animal documentary continued down to camp, where we saw a raccoon and a bunch of courting toucans. Potential post-travel career #17; being David Attenborough's replacement is now top of the list. Finally arriving in camp, to a rapturous applause it was time for a couple of beers, to take off walking boots and watch them steam and reflect on the bulk of walking now done. It was also time to sort out a thank you speech for the porters, chefs and guides. Having already introduced myself to the porters in Spanish, I was nominated, but thankfully with a lot of assistance from some of the other travellers, we sorted out a lengthy speech which I read out in my best (not that good) Spanish, devoid of Spanglish, gesticulations or any of Dad's Italian.

The following morning we were up at 3.45am and off to Machu Pichu. The rain had returned with renewed vigour and we were all sheltering at the control point before we got under way. It was that time of morning where the first light is making everything slightly creepy, you can see other people, but not their expressions, the mist was causing the light to fade in and out and rounding one corner, out of the mist there stands defiant, a rather large llama, blocking our way. He gives us a feeling of foreboding, as if to say, "Who goes there and what brings you to my mountain?" or "The way is shut, it was made buy those who are woolly". Apologies the second one is a ripoff of a quote from Lord of the Rings as I'm currently in New Zealand...

Anyway, thankfully llamas cannot talk nor charge tolls or prevent us from continuing, which we do for a couple of hours before we arrive at the monkey steps. We'd heard about them before the trek, very steep metre-high steps that prove a tricky challenge to the weary. Having set off near the front of the line and in anticipation of seeing Machu Pichu, Nick and I effectively ran up them with ease, in fact our whole group was pushing such a fast pace we all cruised up. 

We were minutes from the top, when our guide William turned around to Nick and me claiming he was too tired to continue. In the moment in which we paused to laugh, he'd got the drop on us and was sprinting the last hundred metres up hill to the Sun Gate. Keen to show the Gringos still had stamina after 3 and half days we hooned it up in close pursuit to get through the Sun Gate (entrance) both out of breath but also breathless at the view. We´ve all seen photos of Machu Pichu, but from the Sun Gate the combination of finishing 3 days of very damp trekking and the most beautiful sight I have ever seen go beyond any impact a simple photo can ever do.

Photos will do this more justice than I can, and thankfully my brother took some belters. My photos were corrupted but having taken 1300 photos in Machu Pichu alone Nick has selected a handful of the best ones through the following link.


Our guide William took us around the city, telling us an array of stories from the ancient Incas to a more recent tear-jerker of a tale from the 70s that left us all in no doubt how meaningful this trail can be, and how finishing it even for the second time can be overwhelming. You´ll have to wait until I get home to hear that particular story, but for now I can assure you that as tourist heavy this trail people incorrectly think it is, and despite so many gringos having already been before and despite losing my photos, I will never lose the memories of the moment I crossed the Sun Gate and saw Machu Pichu for the first time.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Incan Aliens & Italian Spanglish

It had been five months since I said goodbye to the family and Mum had been extremely keen to send the troops out to make sure I was being fed properly, particularly after I'd already sent clothes home some months back having lost a few pounds. As I stood waiting for the first troops to arrive at Cusco airport I was naturally looking forward to seeing them, but more importantly, how much tea and chocolate and they'd brought out. When finally they'd finished faffing inside the arrivals hall, they emerged, both with super short haircuts identical to my own, my only saving grace was that I had 5 months of tropical tan to tell me apart from the two pastie Smiths. I could clearly see what I'd be looking like in 5 and 30 years time, but as my brother inspected my scalp, he reminded me that I wasn't far behind.
 
The three reunited "baldys" hit Cusco and settled into accommodation far exceeding any luxury I'd previously experienced. After handing over the goods (two giant bars of Cadbury's best, two packets of breakfast tea and two moleskin diaries) we headed out into Cusco to be fed. Cusco is head and shoulders above the rest of the country when it comes to tourism and given they have one of the new wonders of the world in their back yard, it's not surprising. I think there are more restaurants here than there are people in central Cusco and more touts here than in Leicester Square, although nowhere in London does anybody ask if you want a massage or your photo taken with a baby sheep. Clearly there are some parts of Soho that I need to spend more time in...
 
After a much needed catch up and thorough feeding at a place overlooking the "Plaza De Armas", I'd had a chance to demo my Spanish and after 5 months in the Americas I thankfully impressed both Dad and Nick, and much to Nick's relief as in their last few days in Lima, Dad had apparently kept speaking Italian, instead of Spanish. I put this down to getting used to the altitude, although Nick was quick to point out he'd been speaking French as well. Over the next few days we saw the various sights on offer around Cusco and acclimatised to the altitude which is around 3,400 m (11,200 feet) in the world's highest Irish Bar.

 
The history of the Incas is hard to miss in Cusco, but here more than most places I'd been to before, could you get a real sense of how things used to be before the Spanish came to town. Like many places in the Americas, the Spaniards were brutal in their mission to conquer and nick as much shiny stuff from Cusco as they could, but within the many churches, the Spaniards' inability to stifle indigenous customs was easy to spot. In the Cathedral in particular, the need to convert the locals whilst keeping them happy meant a significant compromise between Incan and Catholic beliefs. With a different person/saint/God to pray to depending on what you wanted, what day of the week it was, whether you wanted a husband or to be rid of your wife, or possibly what colour socks you happen to be wearing, the blend of beliefs was quite considerable, and far from what I thought Catholicism was all about. The price of the Spaniards occupation of the area was however far higher than the impact of the belief system, and when the Incans brought knives to the Spaniards' gunfight, things were fairly one sided and many of the Incans were killed, and those that remained repressed.
 
Their legacy, however is not forgotten, and despite how touristy they maybe, the different Inca sites are something to behold and not to be missed. The only one I can remember the name of was Sacsaywaman (you pronounce it Sexy Woman, sort of...) and the scale of what they built truely humbles what you thought was possible without specialised tools. The cries of "aliens!" and other stupid conspiracy theroies from even stupider Americans is quite frustrating. Conspiracy seems an easier thing to say rather than admitting that a race that died hundreds of years ago was more intelligent, could build better and did it all without needing to go to Walmart. 
 
The Incans deserve praise for their achievements, and we'd set out to achieve our own glory, but taking on the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Pichu... We'd heard about the gruelling second day of walking to 13,800 feet and the evil third day of walking down hill that was nick-named the Gringo Killer for the state of people's knees after ward. We were also aware that we were walking the trail at a rather soggy time of year... things were against us, but the Smith's could not be deterred and set off regardless.
 
photos are unfortunately lacking at present as the my memory card wasn't working. Photos from my brother to be released with the next blog...which will be here soon...

Thursday 7 April 2011

Peru... hmmm tasty

In my last job, I remember my superiors used to chastise me when I was ever so slightly late. One boss would even put the talking clock on to speaker phone to let everyone know when I was late by even just 1 or 2 minutes, but I think my blogging has far exceeded any previous tardiness as I find myself a month and a half behind... 

To bring things up to speed quickly, the next blog will be all of Peru except the Inca Trail and will take on a foody theme... as it was here that I learnt to cook Peruvian style...

Mancora - like a dodgy mutton vindaloo

Just over the border from Ecuador, this dish is like a vindaloo the health inspectors wouldn't need to try to know it was not fit for consumption. Hot, spicy, no taste and will definitely irritate you for a few days. Everyone who's had it brags about it, "if you love surfing you simply have to go to Mancora man, the place is amazing, such a party vibe". But like those who know their  curry, I found Mancora to be over hyped. Crowded surf with grumpy locals who say one thing, do another and expect you to stand there and take it doesn't make for a place I want to sample again. Incidentally, Mancora was one of the few places I visited and did not get sick from eating bad food... 8 hours further south was...

Chiclayo - like a Chinese Take-away

A dish you know you shouldn´t request as you can never be sure if the meat will turn out to be dog, opposed to the chicken which you ordered. In Chiclayo, the contents could be far more exotic, ranging from monkey paws, stuffed eagles, snake blood or llama's feet. The reason being is that Chiclayo is famous for its witch's market, where sellers hawk the answer to all your health problems with the most popular products being alternatives to Viagra. Speaking of which Jonny, I got you a present. An otherwise unexciting dish that comes with a side of transvestite hookers. 5 hours further south was...

Trujillo - like a McDonald's Big Mac

As is the case with Macky D's, you're not sure why you ended up in Trujillo. The clever marketing campaign has done a number on you, and the delicious photos of a mouth watering city turn out to be that feeble and squashed burger you see in your greasy mitts.  You're also not convinced the place is not going to make you ill as many a fast food jaunt can do, and after witnessing some Trujilo locals getting a touch stabby I'm feel my health is in better shape by leaving promptly. 

Huanchaco - like a Chicken Cottage (or poor man's KFC)

Huanchaco is a surfer town that is forever in the shadow of the infamous point break Chicama down the road as the latter is reputedly home to the longest wave in the world. Huachaco is however, far from being a second place destination, as it sports one of the longest waves I've ever surfed and is a great place to relax for a few days. As in the past where I have failed to persuade my shocked work colleagues that Chicken Cottage really is as good as KFC (for post night-out grub that is), Haunchaco is a destination that far too many under estimate and pass by for Chicama. I should concede the point that as with my favourite fast food, the threat of food poisoning is alas very real, which my time in both Tooting and Huanchaco can attest to.

Terrible analogies to food aside, you can guess some of these places were not the best I´ve been to, but the time spent in Huanchaco, despite the umpteenth case of dodgy stomach, was time very well spent. Beautiful Spanish girls I failed to flirt with, long powerful point break waves that I rode, amazing live Peruvian music and fantastic weather all made for a fantastic few days. My last surf on the western seaboard of the Americas was made all the more memorable by the most vivid sunset I have ever seen; the sun set and the sky turned bright pink and with calm water between waves, it was impossible to see where the sky finished and the reflection on the sea began. There may not be any photos, but its one image i will never forget.

It was now time to head down to Lima, to the central highlands where I learnt how to cook, to Huacachina to learn how to sand board, before finally heading to Cusco to meet my brother Nick and my Dad to retrace the steps of the Incas, Condors and Spectacled Bears.

There are a few photos from Peru but my memory card is currently refusing to yield them, so for only a couple of snaps see below: