MUD VOLCANO!! already scorching and humid, we still couldn't resist checking out the mud volcano. And oh-my-fried-chicken(!), it is such a weird/fun experience!!
You're standing at the top of the volcano, watching others float in the grey mud, and deciding not to cover yourself all over cos you might look like that freaky old man over there. Then it's your turn to get in, it's thick, really thick like honey, and you've already lost balance in the mud. So naturally, you move around and put more weight into other areas of your body. No, appantz not. Mud doesn't work like that. Instead, you spin like on a rotisserie.
It's a short stay in the mud, your wash of is merely a wash, and after trying to wash off at a beach, then home shower, your bikini is still dripping grey water.

And Milo frappe! Someone make me one stat! New love of my life - I swear you won't regret it! Try to make one and tell me how u go!

We've moved into Makako Hostel, from El Viajero Hostel, & wish we hadn't. The aircon isn't always on like in El Viajero, and there aren't cold water bottles in the fridge for your last minute buys (both are HUGE factors when you're melting & your brain is frying). On the up side, there's a large TV room to chill, and the internet is faster!

Playa Blanca is the most talked about beach in Cartagena, and my(!) the water is Maldives clear! I've never been at a beach in the tropics, but unlike home beaches, water is warm even when it's hot outside! Passed out a couple times in the heat, drank strong pina colada out of a coconut, turned down 100 massages, more drinks, jewelry, & sarongs, and enjoyed the national fish dish for 10,000pesos (just over $aud5).

Cartagena, you are bloody hot & sticky, but you are packed full of little treats!
Can't wait to go to a castle tomorrow, and eat more Aussie food! Milo frappe is probs in store for me too! (;

[above: having drinks while watching the sun set]

will be home soooooon!
xx

No matter how many people you have important in your life, no matter how many people you can trust your life with, there's always one thing you must learn to do for yourself: be your own best friend.
Sure, no man is an island, but it's inevitable that people come and go. Those who stay forever, you'll never really know.
It's a hard mix, I think. You don't want to be distant/anal, but you also don't want to get hurt.
So I guess it's just important to do things for yourself, and do what makes you happy. If u don't hurt anyone, there shouldn't be anything stopping you. Love yourself and respect yourself. And while you're at it, learn to not give a shit what people say and think about you. I've learnt that it only matters when your lovers do.
This is starting to sound lame.

Just remember: life is a long twisted game, so do what YOU want.

PS: this is not to say you should get rid of your besties, i just think you should make yourself your number one BFF.

..anndd goodbye! xx

Okay. So Aguas Calientes is a rip off - food is exxy, and don't bother buying souvenirs there.
But oh em gee - 4.30am walk to Machu Picchu, climbing up the mountain by uneven steps (wanted a challenge instead of walking on the mountain road), using only moonlight for light. Ah-may-zing!! Head spins, sweating like a sun-not-wearing-sunnies, thirsty, no food in my stomach.. pure awesomeness at the last steps of Machu Picchu.
When we finally got through the gates, waiting in the raining cold, we rigidly walked through our tour - and what an amazing and unreal view - esp with all the fog!!
We stayed in Cusco for one more night - if ur going in, Chakana is a lovely hostel. Yolanda is such a treat, she's like the cool aunty. And the rest of the staff are also really friendly and nice.
After eating at Map again, we checked out Limo - such fuxking amazing flavours and variety!

From Cusco, we took the flight (thats right, no more overnight long hour bus rides) to Lima, to transfer to Panama, then finally arriving in Cartagena (Colombiaaa)!
And my, it is HOT! much like Malaysian weather, it's low 30s and humid! It is so awesome though, it's what I pictured Brasil to be.
We are staying at El Viajero Hostel for our first 2 nights, and is pretty cool. There's an artist painting the walls of our rooms, and there's an outside shower and sink. The showers are spacious and are set to an optimum temperature of perfect-on-a-hot-n-sticky-day-or-night. Our next hostel should be just as awesome!!
For lunch, we went to Australian Fusion Restaurant - we missed Vegemite and sausage rolls!!

[above: me with my vegemite on toast]

[above: sausage roll lunch worth about $AUD5]

[above: the street like area to our rooms. the open showers are the blue section]

[above: artist painting the walls with new birds]

[above: my bruise from the Death Road fall is starting to fade]

anyway, gotta pee. xx

We arrived at the border of Argentina, & got our stamps into Bolivia. Bussed our way into tupiza to stay at Mitru hotel. It hadn't snowed since 20yrs at the glaciers we wanted to tour through, so we booked for a 2 day tour to see the salt lakes (which would've been the peak of the 4day tour we originally wanted). The hotel was under construction, but werent very noisy. We got hot showers, and a big breakfast. Then we hopped on the bus to make it to Uyuni.

Uyuni is a small town close to the Salt Lake, but had no hot water. We slept side by side like peas in a pod that night and watched Community together. We woke up super early in the uber cold a.m. to drive to the Salt Lake, which was an amazing place to see, & beautiful during sunrise.
The bus ride to La Paz was the worst bus ride ever! The roads were so rough, we were literally thrown off our seats during the bumpy ride.

We stayed in Wild Rover Hostel in La Paz, which was like Milhouse (Buenos Aires, Argentina), big, lots of travellers, party atmosphere, hot water, and alright beds.
We checked out the beautiful San Francisco church, and the Canon World Press 2011 Competition, which was the most amazing, inspirational, & moving gallery of photographs I have ever seen!! Be sure to check it out if there's one being held near u (or if they have it online)!! We winded down strolling through the Witch's Market.. Which we soon found out was named Witch's Market cos they sold actual witchery ingredients/dried up baby llamas!!?!
We watched Cholita Libre, which is wrestling with Cholitas, the traditionally dressed Bolivian women. All good fun, & the crowd really gets into it!
Death Road is the most popular tourist attraction, and we knew we couldn't miss it. Twas awesome fun up to the bit I crashed, got injured, fainted, & rode the rest of the road laying on my back in a van!! I definitely won't be trying to speed up while riding downhill again!
The first time we took the bus to Copacobana, Bolivia, we were stopped halfway by protectors. still unsure what they were after (perhaps petrol), they started throwing rocks at the bus. Of course, no one was hurt, but me. Seriously no biggy - the rock missed me and just glass scratched my nose to bleed. Everyone was very sweet & worried about it, prolli cos I was the only one hurt, & was wearing an arm sling.

Copacobana is very hilly (whats a better word? Idk. Ugh, so illiterate!). Its a lovely place to just chill back by the shore with a few mates and a few drinks. We spent our night at the Internet cafes with bearable speed, and had their specialty (trout).

From Copacobana, we took a 2hr boat ride to Sun Island, where we trekked uphill to have beautiful views of Lake Titicaca, and saw the ruins of the island.

Left to Peru that night, got stamped through immigration and crossed borders. Finally, we took a bus Coche Cama, where the seats push low enough to sleep comfortably on.

Cusco is beautiful! The architecture is so pretty, especially the churches. There's lots of green in their spacious squares, and pretty flowers.
I would highly recommend eating at Map Cafe, and DON'T forget dessert!!!
Old ladies roam the alleyways with baby llamas/sheep (can't tell the diff), for pictures with them at the cost of donation.
Nothing was opened on Sunday, so we took the whole day trip to Sacred Valley.

Tomorrow we're heading to a little town near Machu Picchu...


(above: a little statue thing in our hotel in Cusco, Peru)


(above: a mural on the wall of our hotel, Cusco)



(above: one of the many squares in Cusco)


(above: a pretty church in Cusco)


(above: one of my bruises from the Death Road fall)






(above: eating in Cusco)




(above: Sacred Valley, Cusco)

Much love, miss you lots, and so sorry for not enough pictures (IN A PHOTO BLOG!).. But u know I'll make it up to u (:

Ex and oh's

Mendoza is known for their wine production, and so we went on a winery tour the other day. We covered a couple wineries (one province called Maipu - yes, I, too giggled like a little girl), & an olive oil farm. Twas a little boring for me, cos I don't appreciate wine.. So the olive oil farm was the star of the show. Tasting platters of extra-virgin (giggles) olive oil, some flavour infused, pastes, raisins, & olives. My favorite was the sundried tomato on bread with extra-virgin basil infuse.
Unfortunately, i didn't get to take any pics on the iTouch.

Nothing to do on Sunday, & was gonna do hotsprings - hopefully we can still do it in Bolivia/Peru.

Today we went horseriding - scariest and fuxking exciting moment when the horse is gallopping!!
The tour ended with perfect empanadas, amaazing parilla (grill meats), & dessert with deuce de leche (milk caramel).

[above] the Andes

and a sweet little sign off pic

I love body art: ink, makeup, facepainting...

And this is just as amazing!!

ex & ohs

At the end of our stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I started to get a little sick. A dry throat turned into that and a runny nose, which also led to a temperature, and losing my voice. All that helped me knock out for our 9 hour bus ride to Argentina's university town, Cordoba. We're staying at Che Salguero in Cordoba, which is quite central to a lot of places. The place aint bad.. u get crossaints in the morning, and can have coffee/tea too.. hot showers when no-one else is using it, and the beds are a little poo (bunks squeek & shift a lot). but there's a heater in the room! (:

My bestman has thoughtfully and stupidly (I drop things very often) lent me his iTouch so I can take pics for my blogging!

Here's pics of argentinian architecture, stray dogs, and Los Gigantes.. Where we hiked to the
'nose' of the 'giant' (Cerro La Cruz mountain. Los Gigantes looks like a giant lying on his side).

and this is hiking in the Los Gigantes, in Cerro la Cruz

photos dont do justice, it was a pretty cool view, and the experience was awesome!

tomorrow, we're gonna watch the new Transformers. just cos we in luhbbbb.

peace in the middle east. x