The Belly Button of the Inca Empire

Plaza de Armas, Cusco

Cusco is a beautiful gateway to the ancient Inca Empire that at its height spanned from Ecuador to central Chile and had an estimated 12 million inhabitants.  Although the Spanish tried to wipe out Inca heritage during the 16^th Century the native language remains in the mountains and the Quechua name for Cusco, Qosqo, translates as ‘belly-button’ to symbolise its central position in the Inca world.  As the longest continually inhabited city on the continent the city is filled with Inca culture from food and buildings to women in traditional dress selling bright textiles and an assortment of junk (generally fridge magnets and lama toys).  The downside to Cusco is that due to its huge influx of tourists the city is a watered down version of the rest of Peru and it is impossible to walk through the central streets without somebody trying to sell you something from one of the hundreds of tour or gift shops.  Despite this the centre of the town is a collection of cobbled alleys, small plazas and restored colonial buildings that are great to stroll around but often require nimble feet to avoid the herds of geriatric tourists who cause mayhem in their mass numbers on package tours. Accommodation was more expensive here and having had painful experiences in 3$ and 18$ a night hovels we upgraded to an extravagant 30$ a night where we were treated to a large roof terrace outside of our room offering fantastic views across the tiled roofs of the city to the mountains beyond.

The back streets of Cusco

First developing in the early 12^th Century the Incas based themselves in Cusco and limited themselves to a small domain with its most important region in the nearby Sacred Valley.  Under their 9^th King, Pachacuti, the Incas rapidly expanded their empire in the15th Century using his military and political talents and he has a huge statue in the Plaza de Armas (the centre of Cusco) in recognition of his great achievements.  This plaza also highlights the Spanish destruction of the Incas however and two huge Catholic Churches loom over the magnificent plaza built upon Inca ruins, as with most of the old temples in the region.  Next to the plaza we went to see one of apparently only 7 surviving true Inca decedents playing instruments he had made and dressed in traditional clothes pandering to the tourists that dominate this once great city.  Hannah at this point became more interested in the lamas and alpacas that are around the city attached to brightly dressed women who ask for money to be photographed with them. 

Meat at the market including roasted Guinea Pig

Similar to the other regional towns the Spanish sought to destroy all Inca customs but many of the colonial buildings are built directly on top of some of the Incas amazing stone walls. The most famous example of these walls in Cusco on Hatunrumiyoc where huge stone weighing as much as 40 tonnes have been cut and fitted like a giant Jenga puzzle so precisely that not even a knife can fit between them.  On top of these original walls colonial buildings have been built but at least some of the Incas incredible masonry skills still remain on show.  The city always seems to have a market or festival on and I was treated to a parade of traditional costumes, dancing and music (whilst I was in immigration having lost my immigration paper), we even managed to see fireworks that night. I managed to persuade Hannah to eat Guinea Pig at a food festival which didn’t go down very well.  San Pedro Market also had wired and wonderful fruit such as cherimoya which Hannah loved but I thought tasted of an overripe banana. 

The ruins at Pisac

Cusco is only the entrance into the amazing Inca world that surrounds it and we took a day tour around three of the famous ruins that survived the empires downfall in 1572.  Our first stop was at the amazing ruins of Pisac, set on a hillside above the Sacred Valley with huge agricultural terraces stretching down the hillside.  Above the terraces are a few remains of buildings and a strange cliff face where human skulls can be seen when the sun hits it as it was used as a burial site for the Incas.  Learning lessons from Chinese tours we made the obligatory stops at some traditional crafts shops receiving a short lecture about how the various tat was made and an overpriced buffet lunch (we hid and ate across the road at the local’s cafe) before we reached Ollantaytambo where we had caught the train a few days previously. 

The ruins are one of the few places where the Spanish lost a major battle and again contain the famous stepped terraces and a military area.  The site was not completed as the Spanish arrived first but huge rocks weighing 50 tonnes were mined high from the cliff face on the opposite side of the valley 6 km away.  There is also an Inca ‘fridge’ built on the opposite hill in the shade and built with vents to allow the cold wind to ventilate the inside!  Setting off back towards Cusco we stopped in the dark at quite a unique church covered in murals that was built on top of an Inca temple at the village of Chinchero, believed to be the birth place of rainbow by the Incas.  As we stood on the former Inca ceremonial platform with the silhouettes of the mountains behind the setting sun it had a spectacular setting!  Cusco had been a great place to stay for our trip and but we eventually had to catch an overnight bus to Lake Titicaca and continue our journey towards Bolivia.

Machu Picchu

The Stone Terraces

Perched on a ridge 2430m above sea level and surrounded by lush tropical jungle  Machu Picchu is one of the world’s most enigmatic places.  So many myths and legends surround the site that was rediscovered by American archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911 that scholars have endless theories about what the mysterious city was used for.  Set at the meeting point of the Amazon basin and the Andes and hidden from the valley below (the Spanish never found it after it was abandoned by the Incas) most people believe it was a sacred religious site for the king.  The self-sustaining city contains ornate temples, baths, palaces and houses with a second area criss-crossed with stone terraces used for different agricultural production.  There are a lot of ideas about the role the site may have played in the Incas sophisticated understanding of astrology with other ideas suggesting it served as an important post on trade routes coming up from the Amazon.  Whatever it was used for it definitely deserves its place as a wonder of the world! As I had previously walked the 4 day Inca trail, Hannah decided we should catch the train to the ruins (a good excuse to be lazy) as my memory of the site was a little hazy having arrived exhausted into Machu Picchu after completing the iconic trek. 

Botanical Garden in Machu Picchu

Our train in Agua Calientes

With only Nick to keep us company on our small tour we set off from Cusco at 9am to travel the three hours to the village of Aguas Calientes which sits at the bottom of Machu Picchu Mountain.  It took us just over an hour with a standard Latin American driver (without doubt the world’s worst motorists) to get to the train station in the beautiful Inca village of Ollantaytambo.  The train up to Aguas Calientes followed the Vilcanota River (which eventually reaches the Amazon) on a steady incline and is flanked by dramatic soaring mountains on either side, almost as impressive a journey as the Inca Trail itself!  Aguas Calientes is a little dilapidated (surprising considering everyone going to Machu Picchu passes through) although the setting of the town under Machu Picchu makes up for that with room to spare.  We were treated to an amazing lightning storm at night that illuminated all of the mountains around and after a fantastic traditional meal we went to bed early with a 4.15am alarm to head up to Machu Picchu.

The sun hitting the ruins

We arrived at the main entrance just as the mountain became bathed in light by the rising sun and we set off up a small set of winding stairs to be treated with the famous postcard image of Machu Picchu.  Last time I came was as a trip leader with a group of students and I had left feeling slightly underwhelmed, perhaps due to it being a little overcast and arriving following a four day hike – this time I had no such reservations!  95% of the ruins have been rebuilt using the same techniques the Incas used (unusually they were destroyed by forest rather than looters) but that does not detract from the view.  The ruins are set on a ridge around 1200ft above the river below that forms a horse shoe shape around Machu Picchu Mountain in the heart of the Andes.  Although the ruins are not the most spectacular we have explored, the setting is like nowhere else on earth and we spent the day stunned by what we were seeing.  We spent two hours with our guide who explained about the different temples, stone terraces and amazing astronomical achievements (there was even a stone compass that pointed perfectly in each direction accurately). In another observatory the Intihuatana stone is a precise indicator of the two equinoxes as the sun moves directly above the rock and as such it casts no shadow.  When this happens the sun is ‘tied to the rock’ to halt its journey north and the Incas held grand ceremonies.  Some of the rocks used to make the temples weigh over 50 tonnes and were cut with such precision that the mortar-less joints do not even let a knife pass between them.   

The stairs after breaking through the tree line

To stop me feeling lazy we had bought tickets to scale Machu Picchu Mountain after our tour which towers above the ruins by 2000 feet and only 400 people a day are allowed to see its unrivalled views.  The walk follows a steady 30-35 degree incline to start with as it climbs through the forest with clearings offering amazing views of the ruins below. Even at 9.30am the sun was scorching and we were grateful to be shaded by the trees that overhung the narrow path.  At nearly 10,000 feet above sea level the air was very thin and there was a lot of panting and swearing as we made slow progress. Although it was tiring we were confident of getting to the top (it is rumoured less than half make it up) but the steps soon became narrower and the drop over the edge plummeted.  After around an hour we broke through the tree line and we were treated (this maybe the wrong word) to an incredible view straight down the side of the mountain to the valley below and the snow-capped mountains beyond.  

Half way up Machu Picchu Mountain

The Summit Ridge

Reflecting upon the walk I am not entirely sure how we got up as the steps grew smaller and more dilapidated and after a particularly hairy 20 minutes Hannah stopped, some 15 minutes from the top.  An overweight American waddling pas gave me the motivation I needed to finish traversing the final narrow ledge and ridge that eventually broke out onto a small summit – there was a very real sense of achievement it making it! With towering mountains arching in a seemingly impossible 360ᵒ panorama and Machu Picchu sat below it was a once in a life time experience.  Going down was a combination of Hannah bum shuffling, flapping her arms in an apparent attempt to fly down the mountain and some amusing cliff hugging (I would like to say I did this in more style but that would be a lie!) and thankfully we made it down in one piece!  Despite the nerves and effort it was well worth the hike although we got stuck in the one way system that goes around the ruins and added an extra 30 minutes’ walk to our already exhausted legs.

The cloud forest below Machu Picchu

After a rest we decided to finish our walk off and headed back down through the cloud forest to Aguas Calientes rather than catching the bus.  The steep stone steps took us 1200 feet down the mountain to the river below although by this point our legs started to scream in objection.  Again we got amazing views of the surrounding mountains and we made it to the river just in time before the sun dipped below them and we treated ourselves to a beer at the bottom.  Unfortunately we had decided to save money by taking the cheap train home at 9.30pm and we sat with Nick putting the world to rights whilst dozing on the hostel sofas.  We eventually made it back to Cusco at about 1.30am after an exhausting day but having decided that it was our favourite of the five wonders of the world we have now been lucky enough to see.

The Peruvian Amazon

Jumping on another last minute deal we were collected at 5am for our four day trip to Manu National Park in the Amazon Rainforest.  After waiting for an eccentric American (Jeremy) the six of us set off out of Cusco to begin the long journey out of the Andes.  Unfortunately for everybody on board Jeremy was suffering backlash from a dodgy Guinea Pig he had eaten (Peruvian problems) so the start of our journey was punctuated with a vile odour which contributed to the groups near comatose state. After stopping for breakfast in a tiny mountain top village where we consumed vast quantities of Peruvian style coffee (a glass of boiling water to which you add a concentrate coffee syrup) we finally woke up to enjoy the breath taking views across the dry Andean plains.  Starting our decent into the rainforest we stopped at the Ninamarca Ruins where 17 Pre-Inca stone and clay mausoleums held mummified remains and in the distance jagged snow covered mountains capped a stunning view.  After stopping at the village of Paucartambo the road (which could only very generously be called a dirt track) snaked up from the valley floor and we began traversing the mountainside as the valley floor plunged away from us – much to my dislike!

Ninamarca Ruins

A section of our decent

After a four hour drive we arrived at the entrance to Manu National Park hoping this had marked the end of the track.  The national park is set alongside Manu River which stretches 336km where it joins the Amazon River in Brazil.  To my dismay this marked the beginning of a death defying 9000ft decent through cloud forest for 8 hours along a narrow dirt track that plunged at times to thousands of feet into the river below.  The vegetation undertook an amazing change from the dry landscape into pristine cloud forest although this was only periodically enjoyed when I forgot about the drop.  We spent the journey hunting for Peru’s national bird, the 'Cock Of The Rock' with high power binoculars (definitely a joke to be made here about a magnifying glass) as we were given recuperation time from the drive with short walks before continuing the descent.  We passed under waterfalls where the water went cascading off of our van and down into the valley below as well as crossing numerous streams and landslides as we slowly wound down the mountain– it was a hair raising journey!  We did catch a glimpse of the Cock Of The Rock as well as a Quetzal and Masked Trogon Hawk through the clouds.  After about 6 hours the fear subsided and I was eventually able to enjoy the scenery to as we finally reached the bottom and our lodge in the middle of the rainforest outside of the village of Atalaya.

Scarlet Macaws

Getting up early to the sounds of howler monkeys we set off on a short walk to a small animal rescue centre rehabilitating animals from the black market and locals who had been mistreating them.  Just before the centre we stopped to get some fruits from the trees which are used by an isolated tribe to paint themselves blue and red.  Having misheard the guide I thought the fruit only acted as mosquito repellent and having promptly rubbed it all over my arms, legs and face I began to go the colour of a Smurf (the dye acted after a few hours and will last a few weeks – thankfully it mainly came out on my arms and legs!).  The tiny rescue centre was looking after a few Scarlet Macaws & a baby sloth as well as Cabbage & Squirrel Monkeys.   The Cabbage Monkeys were a little excitable and spent most of their time running across our shoulders and perching on our heads trying to eat yam.  However the highlights were seeing a young wild Tamarin Monkey in a tree close by and then two wild Scarlet Macaws on the mountainside who proceeded to put on a display chatting and flying over the rainforest canopy.

The 'Stink' Bird

From Atalaya we headed up the river on a small boat before walking through some thick bamboo and rainforest, emerging at a small lake that used to be part of the river.  We were very lucky on route to see the beautiful Hoatzin bird, also known as the stink bird as its meat smells so bad it has no natural predators!  On the lake we took a crudely made traditional log raft to the centre to see the strange Horned Screamer birds and enjoy breath taking scenery as the steep slopes of the Andes rose up into the clouds.   As we travelled down the river into thicker rainforest we passed what were described as being ‘poorly drawn dogs’ (four Tayra) having a fight on the river bank as well as a Giant River Otter and a Capybara hiding in the reeds.  Our second night in the rainforest was spent on a platform that was raised 30 foot into the rainforest canopy where we were to sleep in sleeping bags under a mosquito net.  To get there however we had to go on a one hour hike through the rainforest at night! As we stumbled through the undergrowth hundreds of pairs of red eyes gleamed back from the torch light at us although much to our disappointment we only found a few tarantellas, wolf spiders and the footprints of a jaguar.  We did find a highly amusing tree which was christened 'The Peruvian Dick Tree' for obvious reasons.  The platform itself was riddled with termites and swayed alarmingly but we survived the night and it was a unique experience listening to the rainforest and half expecting the deadly Bushmaster or Fer de Lance snake to appear! 

'The Peruvian Dick Tree' 

A Skink Lizard, Capybara and Ocelot prints

Having survived the animals and platform our final full day in the jungle was spent on a long trek through the dense foliage where our guide, Jordi, spent considerable lengths of time hacking back the plants with his machete.  Born in the rainforest he knew a lot about the different plants and showed us how to find and drink water from bamboo as well as which plants can be used to treat stomach upsets and headaches.  He also taught us that by scraping the hard outside away from a termites nest, putting your hands in and then smearing squashed termites onto your skin it makes a natural mosquito repellent  - it was one of the most revolting moments of my life!  I also made a particularly poor attempt to climb a vine looking more like a damsel in distress than Tarzan.  We were able to see Squirrel Monkeys in the trees as well as more Jaguar tracks and those of an Ocelot as we headed further into the jungle.  With no toilet or shower we ended up washing in the freezing waters of the river, grateful to at least be partially clean having been covered in mud and sweat after the humid walk.  

Termite Repellent

We travelled back up the river via a small local canoe onto a banana plantation where our final lodge was. Myself, Mark and Jeremy went for a walk along the river spotting more monkeys, Scarlet Macaws and Chestnut Coloured Macaws.  At night the lodge was full of fireflies and we took another unsuccessful night walk looking for a snake, although this was probably for the best!  In the driving rain we took the boat back to Atalaya where villagers were drying coca leaves on a huge tarpaulin in the road.  From there we headed back up the mountain pass as water flowed past the van from the storm into the ravine below causing a few more nervous hours in the van.  We eventually made it back to Cusco dirty and exhausted but having had an amazing first adventure into the Amazon Rainforest. 

The Capital of The New World

Returning to Lima after eight years I was looking forward to seeing how another of Latin Americas giant sprawling cities had developed.  Set along the coast where steep crumbling cliffs plunge onto a narrow waterfront and surrounded by a desert that rises up into the Andes it certainly has a lot going for it!  It is however a city of 16 million (although this figure varies widely) and despite some beautifully restored neighbourhoods along the coast the city outskirts are expansive barrios made of crumbling colonial buildings and basic shanty towns making a lot of the city unsafe for foreign (and local) tourists.  On my last visit the bohemian neighbourhood of Barranco was one of these no-go areas but now the beautifully restored colonial area flows down to the beach and we decided to base ourselves in the centre for a few nights.  Staying in a cheap and cheerful hostel with our host Carlo it was a nice base to explore for a few days whilst we had a few jobs to sort out.  My favourite part of Latino cities are the bright buildings and tranquil plazas and Barranco had these in abundance, providing us with a relaxing few days strolling the streets and enjoying the atmosphere. The area came alive at night with all sorts of street music from traditional panpipes (the South American bagpipes - nobody likes them but everyone stops to listen) to jazz music and African drumming.

Plaza Mayor

On our second day we decided to catch the Metrobus into the city centre and we were surprised at how similar the layout was to Mexico City, making us feel at home instantly in the chaos of shouting street vendors and shops blaring loud music. Lima served as the Capital of the New World for 282 years under the Spanish and it was the biggest centre of politics and commerce in the continent.  As such the UNESCO heritage site is full of fading but grand colonial architecture.  The area seems to be having a resurgence and a lot of restoration work is taking place throughout the centre.  Having visited the wonderful Plaza Mayor surrounded by the Presidential Residence and Lima Cathedral we accidently stumbled upon an old world dining experience at Restaurant Cordano that has been serving Peruvian Presidents since 1905.  The traditional building served amazing food and we ate butifarra, French bread stuffed with home cooked ham, a great change from fish and rice!

Needing to do a few menial jobs we walked along the cliffs on our final day to the fashionable district of Miraflores.  The 5km walk took us past exclusive restaurants and towering flats built along the cliff edge.  Despite its manicured parks and gardens it lacked the soul and character of Barranco.  Arriving at Parque Kennedy I was able to reminisce when I saw the previous hostel I stayed in years ago.  After arguing with the racist LAN Airlines over the changing price of our flight tickets to Cusco (they charge a $100 gringo tax) and completing my asthma review we  strolled back to Barranco along the cliffs. Despite its bad press Lima has developed amazingly since my first visit due to Peru’s growing economy and it made for a nice stop for a few days before heading into the mountains.

The Peruvian Desert

Known as the worst border crossing in South America and having previous experience with it we stayed in the dilapidated border town (a worldwide tradition) of Huaquillas overnight to tackle it early the following morning.  We need not have worried as the immigration offices had been moved 4km from the actual border leaving nobody trying to rip us off and an easy entry into Peru – a pleasant change!  North Western Peru is an arid mix of the Sechura Desert, small fishing villages and ancient ruins stretching down to Lima and sandwiched in by the Andes and the Pacific.  We headed south to the small village of Mancora, built around the Pan American Highway. It is controlled by surfers by day and gangs by night giving it a slightly uncomfortable atmosphere. This was compounded when we checked into LOKI Hostel, a new chain that have turned the previously rewarding journey south into a teenager’s playground, full of strutting peacocks parading around in an enclosure aimed at giving you as little contact with the outside world as possible.  Sat in the corner with a beer berating everyone and thing like a geriatric 80 year old man regaling ‘the god old days’ of travelling in South America my famously long tolerance was finally broken when Justin Bieber starting playing to the joy of those playing beer pong around me.  We quickly headed off the following morning to a very chilled hostel with 6 volunteers ‘working’ and the same number of guests staying, set away from the main town in a small cul-de-sac made of mud brick huts, dusty roads and a small collection of hostels – life was better.

The cul - de - sac

Mancora itself is spread thinly along the Pan-Am Highway and a wide beach that stretches off into the distance at both ends.  It is a Mecca for surfers with its year round waves but unfortunately the beach is not quite as pristine as the Galapagos and the plastic rubbish and half completed concrete building projects detracted a little.  As the sun set crusty hippies seemed to emerge from the sands like Bedouin tribesman in a mirage selling all sorts of handicrafts from protection amulets made of cheap wool to the standard coloured bracelets that indicate your social standing within their herd.    It did at least offer us a nice rest for a few days after our hectic schedule from the start of Japan and we indulged in some fantastic restaurants offering amazing fish set menus for $5.  We left catching an overnight bus through the desert to another beach town, Huanchaco, a good halfway point on our journey to Lima.  Although similar to Mancora the small village is famous for the fisherman’s use of narrow boats made from reeds, a tradition passed on from 2000 year old pottery from the Moche civilisation.  The Caballitos de Tortora (little horses) only last a few months as they become waterlogged and only carry a few fish due to their size but the locals paddle out up to a mile and also use them to give tourists a ride around the bay, unique to this stretch of the Peruvian coast.

The Sechura Desert 

Just outside of the village are the ruins of the Huaca del Sol and Huaca del Luna (Sun and Moon), two temples from the Moche civilisation from between 100 AD – 800 AD.  Moche culture thrived in Northern Peru along the coast and are famous for their ceramics, a lot of which have been preserved amazingly well in the tombs of some of the religious leaders and warriors found around the temples. Most of the gold has been looted and El Nino has worn a lot of the estimated 130 million bricks away from the Huaca del Sol but a restoration project funded by the local brewery means you can now see the outer walls of the fiver ornate levels of the pyramid structure.  The ruins were quite unique and despite the ordeal of the journey (we took three different minivans, each only heading vaguely in the right direction despite the bus boys protestations that it was definitely right) it was well worth the time it took for us to explore.  Another night bus followed that evening to Lima, completing the first leg of our long journey south to Rio. 

Our first stop in the Andes

The Domes of the Cathedral in Cuenca

The inevitable come down from the Galapagos Islands came shortly after we arrived into the port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second city.  Set on the River Guaya and surrounded by lush green paddy fields and sprawling barrios Guayaquil is the commercial heart of Ecuador but it lacks all the glamour of Quito – we were not planning on staying long!  The humidity was unbearable even at 4pm when we stepped out of the airport and after the inevitable argument with a taxi driver we spent the evening planning our next leg of the trip to Lima, some 1500km south.  My last trip in Ecuador had left me a little disparaging about the nation as a whole having spent most of my time being pulled off of buses and roughly searched, as well as nearly being flung off of mountains by the death defying (at least most of the time) bus drivers.  Taking a bus in South America is a little like catching a flight in Asia, there is always a little voice telling you this might not be the best idea but you try and limit the risk by at least getting on the mode of transport that looks least battered and has a sober driver.  A good way to judge the driver before getting on a bus in South America is to see how many religious symbols and images of Mary he has hanging from the windscreen – as a rule of thumb the fewer the better!  This rule was about to be put to the test as we headed to Guayaquil’s chaotic three story bus station to travel to the Andean city of Cuenca.

Unfortunately the best I could manage of the plains in the Andes

The worlds second highest and longest continual mountain range are formed along the length of the South American Plate and are dotted with active volcanoes from Venezuela all the way to Argentina, they are spectacular!  Having travelled down the narrow plains that lie between the pacific coast and the Andes we suddenly started to rise steeply as the landscape does a full 360ᵒ, quickly becoming covered in thick jungle and cloud forest as we seemed at times to be travelling vertically up the zigzagging mountain pass.  Thankfully the driver was relatively slow as the gradient was so steep the tired bus struggled to get to 30km/h! When we did get to a flat section however this safe speed changed as we needed to take a run up for the next climb but these sections were few and far between and we were able to enjoy the amazing views as we climbed to over 3000m.  We spent 30 minutes in the clouds, seeing no further than the cliff edge that seemed to offer a drop that disappeared into oblivion, we thankfully avoided finding out!  After the initial climb we broke through the clouds into the sweeping plains that run between the Andean peaks (they consistently reach well over 5000m!) into scenery that looks like a foot-pump has been taken to the Scottish Highlands where we found the city of Cuenca.

The birth place of the Panama Hat

Cuenca is a perfect example of a renaissance town in South America and although similar to Quito it is a lot quieter and less crowded although unfortunately for us very wet.  Its narrow cobbled streets and beautiful historic buildings are set inside four converging rivers that run down from the surrounding mountains.  We got utterly soaked looking around the town and with little time to explore the surrounding area it turned out to be a long journey for a short stop – half of our time was spent sheltering in a coffee shop on the central plaza and in a beautiful hacienda eating a traditional 3 course meal for $3.  The town is the birth place of the famous Panama Hat (we were surprised as well!) and the town is full of indigenous women dressed in their hat and shawl selling handicrafts and food. Our slightly dirty hostel was great fun though as after a fair bit of alcohol the intoxicated owner decided to cook a traditional Ecuadorian meal of coconut shrimps with balon de verde (balls of cheese and plantain).  This was completed with a dodgy plastic bottle full of a local moonshine (80% proof!) that is distilled from sugar cane and warmed through with cinnamon cloves and orange to make it a little more drinkable.  After a few glasses my Spanglish was in full flow as I discussed the finer points of Maradona’s Hand of God with an Argentinian, tactfully doing my bit for international relations over the Falkland Islands and generally confusing most people I encountered.  We were relieved to leave the following morning having escaped the bed bug infestation in the dorms and we set off for the Peruvian border, back down the mountains to the border town of Huaquillas to continue our journey south.

A Cruise Around The Galapagos Islands

Galapagos

Day 1: Santa Cruz

The most famous resident of the Galapagos

As we began our decent into what initially appeared to be the middle of the Pacific Ocean there was a tangible excitement on board as we neared one of the most iconic places on earth.  We broke through the thin layer of clouds and the small islands that make up the Galapagos Archipelago suddenly came into focus (much to my relief) as we descended in Baltra’s Airport, 1000km from the mainland.  Ecuador was given this airport as a gift after WW2 after it had been built and used by the U.S.A as a base to protect the Panama Canal on Isla Santa Cruz, our base for the first few days.  As a Marine Biologist & Biology Teacher we had arrived at Hannah’s mecca and nearly bursting with excitement I was promptly escorted out of the airport and into the unknown.  After a short ferry ride across the narrow strip of water (where we saw pelicans and blue footed boobies) we headed up into the islands fertile highlands before descending the other side into a land of black volcanic rock which housed Puerto Ayora, a small town of 21,000 people and the hub of the Galapagos Islands.   Here we said goodbye to two adventurous retired French women who had been keeping us company from our hostel in Quito and we set out in search of accommodation for our first few days.

Excited to start exploring we decided to take a boat taxi to a small beach surrounded by lush mangroves and fenced off areas that house Marine Iguana eggs, almost like mini allotment patches. After a swim we walked further along the uneven path that had been forged through the lava fields, passing strange reddish pools around which crystalized salt had formed on the lava.  We eventually made it to Las Garietas, a 200m deep gorge filled with water from an underground tunnel that connects it to the sea.  The gorge had been created by a collapsing sheet of lava and as we snorkelled through the clear water it allowed for beautiful effects from the sunlight as it filtered through to the bottom.  Unlike the rest of the world the animals on the Galapagos Islands have had comparatively little to fear from human contact and as such they have no anxiety around people, most come closer to have a good look at you!  As we sat back on the beach I was visited by the finches made famous in Darwin’s Origin of Species and I even had a lizard who, after several failed attempts built up the courage to run up my arm! We passed out that night while watching David’s Galapagos series, very excited about the next nine days of exploring!

Day 2 – Santa Cruz

Waking up to beautiful blue skies we set off early from our hostel before the sun was too strong for an hour or so walk to Tortuga Bay, a protected area on the east of Isla Santa Cruz.  A paved path had been built through the lava fields that hosted five metre high Opuntia cacti which had evolved from the first plant species to have reached the Galapagos, known as a Candelabra cactus.  As their leaves provide the main source of food for the famous giant tortoise (Galapagos) and endemic marine iguana’s the cacti have grown taller to avoid the long necks of the tortoise and evolved to have smooth, flaky brown bark like a tree to stop the iguanas climbing them. We emerged from the path onto the most beautiful pristine white sand beach that stretched into the distance to the mangroves at the far end of the bay.  The black cooled lava rocks that jutted into the sea in places contained hundreds of orange and black sally - lightfoot crab. Sea birds and pelicans stalked the powerful white tipped waves that broke with tremendous force along the whole stretch of beach, unfortunately ruling out any swimming.

Marine Iguanas up close - thanks Kevin! 

At the end of the beach, lines in the sand left by marine iguanas tails allowed us to follow their trail (Bear Grylls style) and find them lounging around on the rocks and mangroves sunbathing. Having travelled to the Galapagos on natural rafts (flotsam) from the rainforests of Ecuador the iguanas have evolved strong flat tails to help them dive underwater (30-40m!!) to eat algae on the rocks, as well as a spikey mane along its body that acts as a rudder – the only place in the world this has happened.  Through the mangroves a calm lagoon lined with impossibly white fine sand was waiting for us and having taken shelter under the shade of the mangroves we spent the day attempting to snorkel, although with poor visibility we only found a sea cucumber and some giant clams with the help of a former police woman from the UK who was travelling through.   As the afternoon wore on the occasional Iguana idled past us and we could see eagle rays jumping out the water, adding to the idyllic setting.  In the evening we headed down to the pier for a walk where an array of animals had been attracted by the lights to aid their fishing.  We could see numerous white tipped reef sharks that patrolled the shallows, playful sea lions and even a grazing turtle from the pier – a magical end to the day!

Day 3: The Odyssey

Our yacht - The Odyssey

Excited to board our luxury yacht but keen to try and do it ‘on the cheap’ we went shopping for supplies (my standard bottle of rum) and a walk along the sea front.  We found a small fish market that had two sea lions keeping the fisherman company, waiting at their feet like obedient dogs as the men gutted the fish then threw them the scraps.  A dozen pelicans were next in line although the occasional frigate would swoop down and catch the thrown meat.  Marine iguanas were also lounging about in everyone’s way – a standard Galapagos market day! At midday we were met by Alfredo, a man who was as tall as he was wide who escorted us onto a panga (dinghy) and we set off to ‘The Odyssey’ to start our 6 day cruise around the western and therefore most isolated Islands of the Galapagos.  Our 5* wood panelled cabin was a little different to our usual digs and after getting over the initial shock we settled in to gaze out of the windows that ran the length of the room – not quite believing what we had landed ourselves with!  Ours fears that we would be surrounded by geriatric Americans were thankfully unfounded as 50% of the boat was made up of two couples of a similar age to us (there were just geriatric Europeans instead) from the UK. There was also a young Canadian and her young at heart mum who gave us great company for the duration of our cruise.

The first afternoon was spent visiting the Darwin Research Centre, a collection of small white washed laboratories set amongst trees and gardens of some of the Galapagos’ endemic plants.   As well as the continual research, the area also acts a breeding centre for two of the famous giant tortoise species from the Galapagos.  One species has saddlebag shells (to allow their necks to crane up to reach leaves in the highlands) and one with dome shape shells (to allow them to crawl under vegetation in the lowlands).   Sailors had decimated their population during the 17^th and 18^th century as the tortoise could be turned upside down and stacked on ships, staying alive for up to a year and providing fresh meat for the boat on the crossing back to Europe.  Their survival was threatened further when a Norwegian company set up a tortoise canning factory after the war which ran ‘successfully’ until 1959 and the creation of the Galapagos National Park, the world’s second largest protected marine area.  There was also a breeding programme for land iguanas at the centre (big red & yellow reptiles) as the introduction of dogs and rats had nearly caused their extinction. The information centre focussed on the impact of invasive species onto the islands (such as rats, dogs, goats & wasps) and efforts to combat the problem as they have had a detrimental impact on the fragile ecosystem.  

Back on the boat we had smoked gammon & tuna with mashed potato (a slight upgrade on our usual chicken & rice!) followed by a welcome ‘grasshopper’ cocktail to meet the crew on board. Our guide was a local from Isla San Cristobal called Christian and he was originally a fisherman of shark fins. He accepted an offer from a government initiative to train as a dive master 14 years ago and for the last 8 years he had also worked as a naturalist guide. With the mix of descendants on the Island (there was a German colony here which started in the 1930’s) his three children have German names and along with many of the fisherman he speaks English, German and Spanish.  Not used to the motion of the ocean we woke several times through the night in what turned out to be the only choppy stretch of water we encountered as we set off west to Isla Isabella!

Day 4 - Isabella

As with every day on the yacht we were up early at 5.45 with a misty view of Isabela’s southernmost volcano, Sierra Negra.  Isla Isabella was originally six islands made from six volcanos that have gradually formed to create a land mass that accounts for 60% of the total in the Galapagos (and coincidently a perfect shape of a seahorse).  After an amazing breakfast which I promptly threw up (the only bit of seasickness on our trip!) we set off on the pangas to the tiny Isla Tintorera, 500m from the main Island.  Isla Tintorera was formed from lava that had been funnelled up in an underground u-bend from the nearby volcano and cooled rapidly, causing the gases to pop. This created an amazing landscape of eerie jagged black rock which is now covered in patches of white lichen. Having carefully navigated our way past a sleeping young sea lion on the trail we reached a channel where dozens of white tip reef sharks (tintorera) were enjoying the warmer water and shelter from predators.  A green turtle comically ploughed headlong through them at one point as we watched whilst marine iguana’s perched above surveying the scene – we were already being spoilt with wildlife!

The Galapagos Penguin - the second smallest penguin in the world!

On our way across to the main island we were followed by playful sea lions who had come to investigate and we cruised past a colony of blue footed booby birds and beautiful adolescent Galapagos Penguins – still with half of their grey feathers. Despite Hannah’s protestations we managed to keep moving without steeling a penguin but unfortunately when we reached Isabella we were unable to climb into the volcano creator as we had planned due to the low cloud which covered the summit. Instead we explored some lava tunnels which were covered in stalactites and stalagmites before visiting a viewing platform which offered a fantastic panoramic of the change from the bare black rock of the lowlands into the lush green highlands of the island.   Isabella’s main town, Puerto Villamil, seemed full of half-finished buildings and Christian was able to explain the issues locals were having.  The town was a former penal colony and the dozen or so families were fisherman that continually rejected money and training schemes offered by the National Park to change their profession.  Eventually they accepted a credit scheme and built hotels that saturated the tiny settlement and subsequently they were unable to finish due to dwindling finances, unfortunately creating a toxic atmosphere with the National Park. Our afternoon was spent meandering along a beach before we set sail in calm waters further north into the isolated areas of the National Park.  We returned to the boat to discover a sea lion asleep on the rear of the boat, unimpressed at being disturbed but not enough to consider moving out of our way as we disembarked from the pangas.

Day 5 - Isabella

The Lava Fields courtesy of Kevin

Despite being up again at 5.45 the morning marked the first time we had slept the whole way through the night since being in Tokyo – a success of sorts!  We caught the pangas to the shore to walk for a couple of hours through the amazing dried lava flows. Picking our way over jagged mounds, flowing bumps and huge cracks we were both surprised to see beautiful endemic red plants, sandalwood trees and candelabra cactus alive in such a desolate landscape.   A solitary male flamingo waded in a small pond in front of the volcano, capping an unusual morning walk!  After lunch we finally got the chance to go snorkelling and we set off in search of turtles, sharks and sea lions in the cold water – we were not disappointed! In one hour we swam with some of the biggest green turtles we had ever seen, two playful sea lions that swam with us in the shallows and a 2m tintorera shark! In keeping with the lavish lifestyle we were becoming accustomed to we returned to the yacht to lounge in the jacuzzi on the top deck, admiring the lava fields and volcano next to us before we were called for our three course lunch (in no way are we gloating at all!). 

In the afternoon we took a panga ride around Elizabeth Bay and the tiny Pinzon island, the only island in the Galapagos to have successfully eradicated the black rat which has allowed the Galapagos Penguins to thrive here.  Afterwards we headed into a maze of watery channels created by the lava that was lined with mangroves, creating the perfect sanctuary for turtles and smaller fish.  Turtles live in the area from between 8-20 years old alongside baby spotted eagle rays and we canoed around the pools as countless marine animals swam around the boat.  After admiring the spectacular sunset over the volcano from the Jacuzzi (still not quite believing where we were) we were treated to a BBQ and Christian attempted manfully to give us a lecture on the complex geology of the islands.

Day 6 – Fernandina / Isabella

Overnight we travelled north to the most isolated island in the Galapagos, Isla Fernandina.  From Christians lecture we knew that as the most western island Fernandina was also the newest as the topography of the area shows the islands gradually moving east towards the mainland.  This is due to tectonic plate movement and today ancient islands (now submerged) can be seen with the huge undulations of the sea bed heading towards the mainland.  Disembarking from the pangas onto a highly regulated stretch of coast we entered what appeared to be part grave yard for Marine Iguanas as their skeletons were scattered across the rocks.  Thousands of iguanas lay basking on the rocks, often piled up on top of each other like a really bad group of cheer leaders! This was also our first glimpse of the bizarre flightless cormorant, a kind of failed penguin that still has stubby wings which due to evolution are now completely redundant.  This does not stop them spreading them out to dry as their brains have not yet caught up with their bodies and we sat and watched a courtship dance on land followed by some aqua dancing with the birds intertwining their necks as they swam in circles.  Across the other side of the bay a huge whale’s skeleton had been moved onto the black lava fields by some local fisherman.  Having seen life above the water we had our first snorkelling trip of the day where beautiful fish (parrot, tiger & numerous puffer fish) seemed to swim around nervously as numerous sharks either slept of circled below us around some spectacular lava formations.  This also marked my first attempt with a Go Pro and much to Andy’s amusement I only managed to film a handful of fish but vast strips of rock despite the water teeming with marine life.

Hannah & Darwin on San Cristobal Island

We cruised back across to the northern tip of Isabella during lunch to a sheltered cove where we were able to spend the afternoon kayaking (in a fashion) and snorkelling. Despite not quite understanding the joy of kayaking (it is always very hard work for often little reward- why not just swim??!!) we did see some giant red starfish along the rocks and a turtle that kept emerging for breath close to our kayak.  Our attempted hunt for seahorses afterwards when we were snorkelling also failed but despite the poor visibility we were lucky to see a flightless cormorant chasing a fish underneath us before diving down into the depths.  We finished the afternoon with a walk above Darwin’s Lake which is cut off from the sea by a 4 metre high rise created by a u-bend lava flow. As it turned out we had perched ourselves on a rock which turned out to be a famous sitting point for Darwin from his journals – we decided great minds think alike.  As a tribute sailors had come to the area and written the name of their boats into the rock face behind.  During the evening and night we embarked on a long journey around the top of Isabella to come back east, stopping only to pause on the equator where we saw 0.000 latitude on the ships navigational equipment on the Bridge and sparkling plankton around the boat.   The clear skies were lit up by the countless stars and we were able to see Jupiter, Saturn and Mars from our loungers under expert guidance from Andy who it turned out used to sail yachts across the Atlantic.   

Day 7 – Santiago

The Galapagos Hawk

Our final full day on the boat was spent exploring the coastline of Isla Santiago where we started the day by seeing the archipelagos apex predator, the Galapagos hawk (except for a month a year when the killer whales arrive).   Emerging from the mangroves where green turtles were nesting we arrived onto the beach where a hawk sat watching us from only a few feet away!  Just off of the beach there was some amazing snorkelling to be found around underwater stacks where white tip reef shark’s lay asleep.  The afternoon provided more great marine life where we snorkelled off shore from a black beach and some amazing archways formed by falling lava shelves.  Sian managed to film a playful sea lion who seemed intrigued by her Go Pro with far superior results than my slightly anaemic attempts!  Our final voyage on the yacht took us past Buccaneers Cove, an incredible rock formation that used to shelter British pirates stocking up on giant tortoise meat before we set sail to the most eastern island of San Cristobal. As we watched the sunset from the top deck we saw more than ten turtles and 2 dolphins, such an amazing sight! Another amazing day ended with Cuba Libres under another astonishing canopy of stars.

Day 8 – San Cristobal

Top deck

San Cristobal (named after the patron saint of sailors) is the island that Darwin first went ashore in 1835 and today is home to thousands of sea lions who litter the roads, benches and beaches of its main town Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.  Before we were evicted from the yacht we made an early morning stop for a final snorkel with some of the sea lions in a sheltered inlet where three young pups put on a performance for us as we swam through the shallow waters.  We finally saw a male frigate puff out his huge scarlet throat pouch along the shore, making itself look like a more streamline turkey much to Hannah’s delight.  Having been treated to a life of luxury by the amazing staff on the boat we sadly said goodbye to Alfredo, Francisco and Christian (as well as the others) as we crashed back down to reality in a cheap room in a water front hostel.  With our friends from the boat also staying for at least an extra night in the town as well we all headed out for a walk around some of the islands viewpoints and a few drinks to celebrate Kevin’s birthday and our final night in the Galapagos.  After dinner we went for a short walk along the front only to encounter hundreds of sea lions asleep either on the road like passed out drunks or on the beaches where the noise and smell was completely overwhelming.  Without a doubt the week was the most expensive of our trip but worth every dollar spent as we saw one of the most isolated and unique places on the earth.  Although I was expecting animals more akin to Jurassic Park (I have no idea why) it was fascinating to learn about the evolution of the species from an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide (as well as Hannah!) and the landscape is jaw droopingly striking in every direction.  We left very sad to be heading back to the mainland but with exactly three months until the Olympics with so much still to look forward to on our adventure.

(Big thank you to Andy, Sian, Becky, Lorraine, Kevin and Claudia who made our trip so memorable with their great company for the week and in particular to Kevin for his amazing photographs!!!)