tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44507366634594626672024-03-04T21:33:59.042-08:00All of the gear no idea A Travel Blogallofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-45834637901486027612020-03-01T15:04:00.003-08:002020-03-01T15:16:33.509-08:00Photos from Marrakech<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaVtVM7Iq59PEoY1eptlSi07bxlS_uVKeoQc3-Zseongwlr2Z63jZCUBJ1gV_h1Fhqv-tY9JwCGQ6Ldr26FjG_yYid9hmqao2p92rgbrLMhE51t0Z_-z-0Q0m5WdLzncgCCSzf4XJidPo/s1600/DSC01319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaVtVM7Iq59PEoY1eptlSi07bxlS_uVKeoQc3-Zseongwlr2Z63jZCUBJ1gV_h1Fhqv-tY9JwCGQ6Ldr26FjG_yYid9hmqao2p92rgbrLMhE51t0Z_-z-0Q0m5WdLzncgCCSzf4XJidPo/s640/DSC01319.JPG" width="512" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A8obhvKn8tP2zNHWKkD5ZeNaTKhwPVdqHvlPYct7ZkFAeV-mH67kT25QRv-A2h4U8tKvVcqDtSWY69BhNR1oK7bFUof4w5xQnfS18zyrFwf-2Cfq1KL7xvfmSGwYdZ52sFTMDZ3lnl9W/s1600/DSC01136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="996" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A8obhvKn8tP2zNHWKkD5ZeNaTKhwPVdqHvlPYct7ZkFAeV-mH67kT25QRv-A2h4U8tKvVcqDtSWY69BhNR1oK7bFUof4w5xQnfS18zyrFwf-2Cfq1KL7xvfmSGwYdZ52sFTMDZ3lnl9W/s640/DSC01136.JPG" width="510" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOft89pUmWnynKiKBg2oP_3oEH5hNSTXCCHdz0xMP3nL_KLbbAh3NKmw55YaACeKrRYtE2ZmQysWqnpFKzKaZfiTD7pSXMLAJwaB5fvNIIkl947d2QXpV_VQq9oBurReJZ7qZzvGnUon7P/s1600/DSC01142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOft89pUmWnynKiKBg2oP_3oEH5hNSTXCCHdz0xMP3nL_KLbbAh3NKmw55YaACeKrRYtE2ZmQysWqnpFKzKaZfiTD7pSXMLAJwaB5fvNIIkl947d2QXpV_VQq9oBurReJZ7qZzvGnUon7P/s640/DSC01142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi617Tja9N4yY3DdicMiSz4lcHYz_Zny_9izygsbJ4VtYoLJ3gQ1p0nqtLwwZUaCnSVcmNlnxpYvIWwrWlg71u8AkiingUNX5VVYjC2ie0zBypryYISTzSzSqLGJXUo1giSi8gtzGlgvh6T/s1600/DSC01139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="951" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi617Tja9N4yY3DdicMiSz4lcHYz_Zny_9izygsbJ4VtYoLJ3gQ1p0nqtLwwZUaCnSVcmNlnxpYvIWwrWlg71u8AkiingUNX5VVYjC2ie0zBypryYISTzSzSqLGJXUo1giSi8gtzGlgvh6T/s640/DSC01139.jpg" width="510" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPwUQQE23ZENgGaqjF6Vz8oJf1j6mNXVzmHaPYfEM6LGpOxC16akGv7Gkc7762fit9duDNHKySOC6YiQIWGexuAr7HB4yzTTupXkOWO1VLu0X56SimsZroFJnduN8ew2uMQ6F8KJX0t6y/s1600/DSC01151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPwUQQE23ZENgGaqjF6Vz8oJf1j6mNXVzmHaPYfEM6LGpOxC16akGv7Gkc7762fit9duDNHKySOC6YiQIWGexuAr7HB4yzTTupXkOWO1VLu0X56SimsZroFJnduN8ew2uMQ6F8KJX0t6y/s640/DSC01151.JPG" width="427" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCktQbuswVcnK0whAEcehHJUevCHDKmBgEM6GvXwG4srNnoHMpF7dkwiZDzHJU_Oz1NbitwCYUYLcCqRb1a_KKhGWMflItCgVTXh35N6ePVcX4AdDXErjQrgypElGAEZkaXQ-J74w0IdA/s1600/DSC01165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCktQbuswVcnK0whAEcehHJUevCHDKmBgEM6GvXwG4srNnoHMpF7dkwiZDzHJU_Oz1NbitwCYUYLcCqRb1a_KKhGWMflItCgVTXh35N6ePVcX4AdDXErjQrgypElGAEZkaXQ-J74w0IdA/s640/DSC01165.JPG" width="512" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5hlis5uwgLvy4SS2x1Igh_xD09FYwb8XiqIZgoqLplebrVjlVZdnK6c_mFwJEMgYTaeoyTruMB4g1TDoVm6DKfYKxz7jt0qZuFAQ2oujxbWVGHEgAaDHRhwFUIjYNhTWJMN1UcAUZR7N/s1600/DSC01173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5hlis5uwgLvy4SS2x1Igh_xD09FYwb8XiqIZgoqLplebrVjlVZdnK6c_mFwJEMgYTaeoyTruMB4g1TDoVm6DKfYKxz7jt0qZuFAQ2oujxbWVGHEgAaDHRhwFUIjYNhTWJMN1UcAUZR7N/s640/DSC01173.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrYCHq5NoY2JmiErRnU-4gsDGFG_Jv5Z40BWQlvw0kHxZ5aSTEWp6AHrhy5ybn85nX0NZnTWvtTgdEttc9LJDlMiyb2VWplj62PQ0vfLKEA1XXdwaERWeK07KfruHkRzSXjPSSeazB367/s1600/DSC01179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrYCHq5NoY2JmiErRnU-4gsDGFG_Jv5Z40BWQlvw0kHxZ5aSTEWp6AHrhy5ybn85nX0NZnTWvtTgdEttc9LJDlMiyb2VWplj62PQ0vfLKEA1XXdwaERWeK07KfruHkRzSXjPSSeazB367/s640/DSC01179.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTFGfkNmA5vxsv2IioT1uvXkmhxrIttMf7zJO_chcvIgoooBMs_AbzeDZkKiUDSKF0G2vscbccyy6SSwWO1_hHX6swNUWR7Nl-RvNpLQz3PtLUhLpwI5ABsTii3DgJ-UDu1kp1SDd7Kx3/s1600/DSC01194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTFGfkNmA5vxsv2IioT1uvXkmhxrIttMf7zJO_chcvIgoooBMs_AbzeDZkKiUDSKF0G2vscbccyy6SSwWO1_hHX6swNUWR7Nl-RvNpLQz3PtLUhLpwI5ABsTii3DgJ-UDu1kp1SDd7Kx3/s640/DSC01194.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzgsE8Pl0axeKqT58l0pdsNhaPvCP0sXWY8XJ5p8-du0h1tCP6tupAGNHdSWc_CEDSD7NkTv0eWl_I-_RgtEHaXtY_YiHDdXFaaQaETJGMTrRG5sdMpIIGdSSzKO5Fhk0AZJCS3SGeXYx/s1600/DSC01182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzgsE8Pl0axeKqT58l0pdsNhaPvCP0sXWY8XJ5p8-du0h1tCP6tupAGNHdSWc_CEDSD7NkTv0eWl_I-_RgtEHaXtY_YiHDdXFaaQaETJGMTrRG5sdMpIIGdSSzKO5Fhk0AZJCS3SGeXYx/s640/DSC01182.JPG" width="512" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3C86PbwdQk9IhHXxJXKCnltg14yAFC0X80TLZk5PcWqNrmutbwzeBKjIBoE-BLVFlynQvN7GMthjGBHEQEBumR5IKdrPhYzZOmIyfYrVQSKkdww5n7h-NTv8OzqgVz94SKUCYDcO5Qey/s1600/DSC01201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1079" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3C86PbwdQk9IhHXxJXKCnltg14yAFC0X80TLZk5PcWqNrmutbwzeBKjIBoE-BLVFlynQvN7GMthjGBHEQEBumR5IKdrPhYzZOmIyfYrVQSKkdww5n7h-NTv8OzqgVz94SKUCYDcO5Qey/s640/DSC01201.JPG" width="510" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7p2XAbXLgDa4Hh6En81WqJj0c6u9DMN7ITdgwICyc20QRvmoMVxf2NRKFrzFXuGjAAjLQK4uJ4iKX70dE_GMHgrctxwma3IRlRiz0FPXIEVecs2AUQcse1Z-7UyCvmt39XC4PEKXzI8dE/s1600/DSC01203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7p2XAbXLgDa4Hh6En81WqJj0c6u9DMN7ITdgwICyc20QRvmoMVxf2NRKFrzFXuGjAAjLQK4uJ4iKX70dE_GMHgrctxwma3IRlRiz0FPXIEVecs2AUQcse1Z-7UyCvmt39XC4PEKXzI8dE/s640/DSC01203.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYavaMYdVlx3B_Yb458alpmEmYLAyRBwAEKHH65pXyk6AcjtE6dFG6CMnOJ8-WPyiBwEBcA2x_Iq722ZuN_ZiBL8xpj2LiySluTvy2mu5d0tcNkkHvqIpzzqIIdpbA3Jpfq-ql-35OlRr/s1600/DSC01209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYavaMYdVlx3B_Yb458alpmEmYLAyRBwAEKHH65pXyk6AcjtE6dFG6CMnOJ8-WPyiBwEBcA2x_Iq722ZuN_ZiBL8xpj2LiySluTvy2mu5d0tcNkkHvqIpzzqIIdpbA3Jpfq-ql-35OlRr/s640/DSC01209.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLxlrUyWlSTkdku2HqKjjG29MEeLIaY_xW6LiTou0ZrMeF8Sl0lKlIWQuujPVtItaTnSTMtOX7_wwB5LKHksdvs1mR78gMwJxYe1MQKTT8TMrD7gtggUx0YL0Obe45-vB9FVMhtzyIG0T/s1600/DSC01230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLxlrUyWlSTkdku2HqKjjG29MEeLIaY_xW6LiTou0ZrMeF8Sl0lKlIWQuujPVtItaTnSTMtOX7_wwB5LKHksdvs1mR78gMwJxYe1MQKTT8TMrD7gtggUx0YL0Obe45-vB9FVMhtzyIG0T/s640/DSC01230.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1noEtjgGV5owqG3MbcDBImobNTUiGUWK_T5q849so3mETznhd129j2616YHwG6DeXwM0miW5ef0MC_wGMnXcl8IiPvNEn7fD2YS2IFbFQpr-YpCjcxN5ATRg06MbFprBWcz1rgUFec9W/s1600/IMG_2918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1noEtjgGV5owqG3MbcDBImobNTUiGUWK_T5q849so3mETznhd129j2616YHwG6DeXwM0miW5ef0MC_wGMnXcl8IiPvNEn7fD2YS2IFbFQpr-YpCjcxN5ATRg06MbFprBWcz1rgUFec9W/s640/IMG_2918.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3B2MTFuOyjuKsXHXXjCbjrOnGjhH7AIq1_KMtMp9_o4GJG9dU_4gL55jOyuY9cmlY_lmjl6ONAU4qFnyi_rDdWPbytjpm0W345PpseV7n3yki3f2wabXU1aj6KF-mqcMCnm316Ab0nEwl/s1600/DSC01272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1539" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3B2MTFuOyjuKsXHXXjCbjrOnGjhH7AIq1_KMtMp9_o4GJG9dU_4gL55jOyuY9cmlY_lmjl6ONAU4qFnyi_rDdWPbytjpm0W345PpseV7n3yki3f2wabXU1aj6KF-mqcMCnm316Ab0nEwl/s640/DSC01272.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7rf1i-fmZu2ww_Zm-9IdvVXnlUHU08XFjsCliKTRpHHnqzg5svGikxNVTCBR-kGb5GwlElXPrNc_CCSw_Yn_GGl3uGbg4kg8QK6jztslnqRjtRL8vEfRMGZbA-C_8WGBMBRDWaSRxe8W/s1600/IMG_2991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7rf1i-fmZu2ww_Zm-9IdvVXnlUHU08XFjsCliKTRpHHnqzg5svGikxNVTCBR-kGb5GwlElXPrNc_CCSw_Yn_GGl3uGbg4kg8QK6jztslnqRjtRL8vEfRMGZbA-C_8WGBMBRDWaSRxe8W/s640/IMG_2991.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn11ur37Ddkb3vkMCAe3HBWxImbkSWpXQWSnn8eBFG5UanVI49EVyFsH5nmwGON99eP3TkvRRt545I_cj0PRDJc4XJdpBVbvMu0IsyfLFM5msYEPWXiG1NQbfhOUNsOh7ly74hrXlqQerm/s1600/DSC01407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn11ur37Ddkb3vkMCAe3HBWxImbkSWpXQWSnn8eBFG5UanVI49EVyFsH5nmwGON99eP3TkvRRt545I_cj0PRDJc4XJdpBVbvMu0IsyfLFM5msYEPWXiG1NQbfhOUNsOh7ly74hrXlqQerm/s640/DSC01407.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPxwgKSVsYGTM_N-2jNQTEzots3gVu9UBbYiqrhS2S_fgMrb0CZwXlNe2xnItVKq1NdWrlu-yDPchO_nTHCADVaHruTzggct4My3fFlykfuXLpfcvzO4n_bp5CrxoJnrMjOfiJL5YG542/s1600/IMG_3066.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPxwgKSVsYGTM_N-2jNQTEzots3gVu9UBbYiqrhS2S_fgMrb0CZwXlNe2xnItVKq1NdWrlu-yDPchO_nTHCADVaHruTzggct4My3fFlykfuXLpfcvzO4n_bp5CrxoJnrMjOfiJL5YG542/s640/IMG_3066.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d11717.136747482868!2d-7.98778778445652!3d31.631479601078716!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1583103875528!5m2!1sen!2suk" style="border: 0;" width="800"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Marrakesh, Morocco31.6294723 -7.981084500000000631.4131643 -8.303808 31.8457803 -7.658361tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-42651894812822996312019-12-01T12:36:00.002-08:002020-03-01T15:06:46.458-08:00A Week on the Cheap in New York City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_0SKRgCsJN-wfqPydotmTlWJAnJPb6GLbyBs_RuEka-BjCmNxWA9dKzJS0_hBmQLDFRXkPo05oc7T86J9tD37qRoGNa9rrheoDlH0PamoRkt8G4DQGRUOOg-DjkwcRIyAjQCFTFGD8qN/s1600/DSC00402.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_0SKRgCsJN-wfqPydotmTlWJAnJPb6GLbyBs_RuEka-BjCmNxWA9dKzJS0_hBmQLDFRXkPo05oc7T86J9tD37qRoGNa9rrheoDlH0PamoRkt8G4DQGRUOOg-DjkwcRIyAjQCFTFGD8qN/s640/DSC00402.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
New York City regularly comes in the top 5 most expensive places to live in the world. Sadly, it's not any cheaper for tourists - but don't let that put you off! If you book far enough in advance, you can get return flights with a reputable airline (ours were approx. £250 with BA) and if you're smart when you're there you can easily fill a week with free activities, without feeling like you're missing out on anything major. In this post, we want to show you all the things that we would recommend doing in the city whether you're traveling on a budget or not. New York has been one of our favourite places we've visited and somewhere we'd definitely love to live if we ever had the opportunity. We spent 5 days in the city, which may not sound like a lot, but on an average of 25,000 steps a day, it felt like plenty of time! Without further or do, here are some of our favourite things to do in the big apple:</div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><h3>
<br />Walking the High Line</h3>
</div>
<div>
The High Line is a 1.5-mile greenway in western Manhattan built on a historic freight rail line, elevated from the city's streets. It makes a nice change from Manhattan's long straight roads and meanders around the city, offering plenty of great photo opportunities along the way.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NBAK_dlb1bl5xuu92y1sgmWBiaOH0IeUzvVU4VnoRnkqDA85yhSQER6mKK8FKf_cKZK1CI61pO_9t5cDd7EveCZatTH3fIslkEGE0iGeMjy9hdsYSsMZLhGOcu2oBWbIoh7_ovm8b9oK/s1600/DSC09926.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NBAK_dlb1bl5xuu92y1sgmWBiaOH0IeUzvVU4VnoRnkqDA85yhSQER6mKK8FKf_cKZK1CI61pO_9t5cDd7EveCZatTH3fIslkEGE0iGeMjy9hdsYSsMZLhGOcu2oBWbIoh7_ovm8b9oK/s640/DSC09926.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2FmcxTdXBmFZsOWWE9pPFz6ypXMeI41OleuEEuFDZDMVCOGZML3Hi-ZCoR72lDnaE_EYk-H79UYtjcV_a5VV_h-mkBQylxHYtcS6Pybyj00m58xO_PCmLn8jUG-TiVQN6sh0wHGqJL8x/s1600/DSC00023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2FmcxTdXBmFZsOWWE9pPFz6ypXMeI41OleuEEuFDZDMVCOGZML3Hi-ZCoR72lDnaE_EYk-H79UYtjcV_a5VV_h-mkBQylxHYtcS6Pybyj00m58xO_PCmLn8jUG-TiVQN6sh0wHGqJL8x/s400/DSC00023.jpg" width="266" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhLcY9az4dRF98hcBJrs_93SoMJ896rq51_HuVlzYvvHUBxZukBIpp5SpjETWRGawsOsLMUu7OC86aVNANEiyo6Vy3gW4F_TVnY2zBCrEcfLrpx-S_wR47L6z8guWJPfQNBtTQN_7b1TB/s1600/DSC09937.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhLcY9az4dRF98hcBJrs_93SoMJ896rq51_HuVlzYvvHUBxZukBIpp5SpjETWRGawsOsLMUu7OC86aVNANEiyo6Vy3gW4F_TVnY2zBCrEcfLrpx-S_wR47L6z8guWJPfQNBtTQN_7b1TB/s400/DSC09937.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl86fzIN1k5ceXwis6-AYH_HRkA8GaQIjL3IgDqJHmaYQOResCOWLPFKO6f_Bo6kkOAyTu1D0ZYAQLMnYaKkcKrLvWOujL206EPB_oSrDbbity7o3OQtzyfJ3iGBnl0v5L_H_b_PmV-myf/s1600/DSC00100.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl86fzIN1k5ceXwis6-AYH_HRkA8GaQIjL3IgDqJHmaYQOResCOWLPFKO6f_Bo6kkOAyTu1D0ZYAQLMnYaKkcKrLvWOujL206EPB_oSrDbbity7o3OQtzyfJ3iGBnl0v5L_H_b_PmV-myf/s640/DSC00100.JPG" width="425" /></a> </div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<h3>
<br />Exploring Brooklyn</h3>
</div>
<div>
We spent a while wandering the streets of Dumbo and Williamsburg, both great for markets, vintage clothes shopping, photography and general people watching! We went to a great vegetarian restaurant called The Butcher's Daughter, which was in Williamsburg.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJH7pDMpPmPQdyNTnvuxBVd_QHvQfB3v2F00I6vzX_cksLoYCOiGolgIfpLvNtAUd_pzbp-Iolwf_z5JuS_gHwqi6dNrs98KHuLtjkOti8-riI4rbh_iBclrywOpZXl6L1IpwdR32XVVH/s1600/DSC00212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJH7pDMpPmPQdyNTnvuxBVd_QHvQfB3v2F00I6vzX_cksLoYCOiGolgIfpLvNtAUd_pzbp-Iolwf_z5JuS_gHwqi6dNrs98KHuLtjkOti8-riI4rbh_iBclrywOpZXl6L1IpwdR32XVVH/s640/DSC00212.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dV06Hv9nAZwrUJyF1a6Cm4ZBQKeuSBMOXLI_Dljt98qcAe0i7jnpuARZPZaWW65aB5mioYq2oJXh_bdIGnrNFOSvJj3MCopOehTX1vsCBhpZ_rwxl8EPacRgThHYV6ZnnEVcCxoBkW4w/s1600/DSC00265.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dV06Hv9nAZwrUJyF1a6Cm4ZBQKeuSBMOXLI_Dljt98qcAe0i7jnpuARZPZaWW65aB5mioYq2oJXh_bdIGnrNFOSvJj3MCopOehTX1vsCBhpZ_rwxl8EPacRgThHYV6ZnnEVcCxoBkW4w/s640/DSC00265.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZMCpqZXXvMYPBGo0ZlgpzF3Y6DZr4RFIhrMdgb7HkiLj6Z0TFvbJMyDYH0THiEFdJicF9wkStmFKbdPgPRCPmf7w21YhqBxG3Rc7KbH9zz1PMDlZPb4LcY76wQ0IpRxhDmGMcclxRCUS/s1600/DSC00290.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1561" data-original-width="1052" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZMCpqZXXvMYPBGo0ZlgpzF3Y6DZr4RFIhrMdgb7HkiLj6Z0TFvbJMyDYH0THiEFdJicF9wkStmFKbdPgPRCPmf7w21YhqBxG3Rc7KbH9zz1PMDlZPb4LcY76wQ0IpRxhDmGMcclxRCUS/s400/DSC00290.jpg" width="266" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqeNaKnD-ykuHpKQc32ccG-qCKgD5GuPoEdql3d6SrSP4_SSZTSfqkz_W2WaCp8mMejmyq7uu8R02YA67DgnYfDSQOGGhWXNRq2KBWnUlaO_MGrBf6WPXx-UAljJMpvgZqenBU72Qa_B6/s1600/DSC00169.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqeNaKnD-ykuHpKQc32ccG-qCKgD5GuPoEdql3d6SrSP4_SSZTSfqkz_W2WaCp8mMejmyq7uu8R02YA67DgnYfDSQOGGhWXNRq2KBWnUlaO_MGrBf6WPXx-UAljJMpvgZqenBU72Qa_B6/s400/DSC00169.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXeQHXhrW9A49AIKNcx1gr5n9OEpZE3CaDIgZqOHNnnkCfFFa0E_w7nOCiZE2WxkGTpXKguwwJqWFSnSQZMIXc_XqEYIm7bWJggewup3ea3iWesXwgePbmv7L6V7c9-vpZGkE1VjkduJt/s1600/DSC00280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXeQHXhrW9A49AIKNcx1gr5n9OEpZE3CaDIgZqOHNnnkCfFFa0E_w7nOCiZE2WxkGTpXKguwwJqWFSnSQZMIXc_XqEYIm7bWJggewup3ea3iWesXwgePbmv7L6V7c9-vpZGkE1VjkduJt/s640/DSC00280.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1APc_CSAGdxBhdA8t3L95RKcIDuS1yRmbtWPgSvABE30iF4a5S8al0oripec7HOBgVX4V6grvXh0uribZr-XMYRxbhWOCYmSD00lh8XvpSwLvhxOnh9Ax1fxAN5o88U3-q8VV_ASXIwY/s1600/IMG_0760.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1APc_CSAGdxBhdA8t3L95RKcIDuS1yRmbtWPgSvABE30iF4a5S8al0oripec7HOBgVX4V6grvXh0uribZr-XMYRxbhWOCYmSD00lh8XvpSwLvhxOnh9Ax1fxAN5o88U3-q8VV_ASXIwY/s200/IMG_0760.HEIC" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rVQnb3bdbVoZlurYtLMAn2839Xf1ynDhkdi9G3-RHFmwrdLUbeQhJ-5iSx9frH88K0XR-60E3XtVp_9RXuL6wiCbdejw68hfk5jS8OPpyQ-AE1VsNurRTawbvJYW4MuWKsHVu5PaCDhF/s1600/IMG_0762.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rVQnb3bdbVoZlurYtLMAn2839Xf1ynDhkdi9G3-RHFmwrdLUbeQhJ-5iSx9frH88K0XR-60E3XtVp_9RXuL6wiCbdejw68hfk5jS8OPpyQ-AE1VsNurRTawbvJYW4MuWKsHVu5PaCDhF/s200/IMG_0762.HEIC" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4mDjrkm62FvLAGuT5HgAx5kd1QvAdt0BmKqO9SbtxM1Y5paOLCkAOKogo98CUmRmalBqxoILSWI_dD43AIPi4JCfj36YwIPwBlVJSbazdIjqq6OZQhF40uU8AtmkSwaLcSdvCBQ2TEFJ/s1600/IMG_0765.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4mDjrkm62FvLAGuT5HgAx5kd1QvAdt0BmKqO9SbtxM1Y5paOLCkAOKogo98CUmRmalBqxoILSWI_dD43AIPi4JCfj36YwIPwBlVJSbazdIjqq6OZQhF40uU8AtmkSwaLcSdvCBQ2TEFJ/s200/IMG_0765.HEIC" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMAgki_aa2u47Io2zZv8YIn6oi_F6ztaDvr5N-gOJR-5YznP5s1A3fk1TwpE62X9ylY362RrJ1wk0EeOYcwmYpK3q6a9v6dWLWqdCfbHp-KIg_qbRX7NH4Iz43bKmuB51naH0GhGsp3Gy/s1600/IMG_0761.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMAgki_aa2u47Io2zZv8YIn6oi_F6ztaDvr5N-gOJR-5YznP5s1A3fk1TwpE62X9ylY362RrJ1wk0EeOYcwmYpK3q6a9v6dWLWqdCfbHp-KIg_qbRX7NH4Iz43bKmuB51naH0GhGsp3Gy/s640/IMG_0761.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHTzQ2Vuzc9TgYum2g3m4tErAIQynzJCQBs3HPOi0c2xZgyx8gK9S6qBk6iP19vcQVP4NJ3YzBwDJMqsFaJY7rPxnGNMaRCYnmFtfn8fKCe87bB4Rmbz8ROLgUiQXS36z2icwr4evcxRC/s1600/DSC00269.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1600" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHTzQ2Vuzc9TgYum2g3m4tErAIQynzJCQBs3HPOi0c2xZgyx8gK9S6qBk6iP19vcQVP4NJ3YzBwDJMqsFaJY7rPxnGNMaRCYnmFtfn8fKCe87bB4Rmbz8ROLgUiQXS36z2icwr4evcxRC/s640/DSC00269.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-HIjWguM5nNmF5D3WcRcQqLOoyhu6Cxc4YsN4rFwqGxCY5N52eIBnO1syaw87zovqwa4LRXoV2GVFTeuWoRsNpm9pamocq_FJXVs5l0awv70lM760GGmFBbya5bVPLTjM5aPI_ss7HNR/s1600/DSC00158.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-HIjWguM5nNmF5D3WcRcQqLOoyhu6Cxc4YsN4rFwqGxCY5N52eIBnO1syaw87zovqwa4LRXoV2GVFTeuWoRsNpm9pamocq_FJXVs5l0awv70lM760GGmFBbya5bVPLTjM5aPI_ss7HNR/s200/DSC00158.JPG" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7_Gy_yvPN8qrHFXU9zVqGsNFIv00YGLMSi8W2E0MJP-sMlITHaaT0XCzwBaNKsLD9IvVIkmoTTVowypLXaJTE0Zfs4zk_tpGtP6xSwHn9bmU7H1y778HMt1b-oWZxPIci26i7HyvZcNH/s1600/DSC00187.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7_Gy_yvPN8qrHFXU9zVqGsNFIv00YGLMSi8W2E0MJP-sMlITHaaT0XCzwBaNKsLD9IvVIkmoTTVowypLXaJTE0Zfs4zk_tpGtP6xSwHn9bmU7H1y778HMt1b-oWZxPIci26i7HyvZcNH/s200/DSC00187.JPG" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpRLaN9fF3GUGHolOd2_mgZ0OF5sy9W5InpwvZlnxu93K5tMksjf3XTPCq8dIEcSDmGGouVwW_avxvBBXMKlQ67ZfHN3jO23vAD3EQU2IioFuCSqUwMc3j4IS_nO1H6VfhB3AQdySnFb4/s1600/DSC00221.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpRLaN9fF3GUGHolOd2_mgZ0OF5sy9W5InpwvZlnxu93K5tMksjf3XTPCq8dIEcSDmGGouVwW_avxvBBXMKlQ67ZfHN3jO23vAD3EQU2IioFuCSqUwMc3j4IS_nO1H6VfhB3AQdySnFb4/s200/DSC00221.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlbNZtUXOMPydr3IGx8NUy3uAC8bU0Y_UmBGJ8ju4fHzXrBX_UVPvSYU5d9BbQJCDBHS-ZvV8zrAiSDkRHygNk-waIklJKGCXZfvSQWORo2jS7ZpLCQBww38ps4dJLko10-ILxwzPPzH4/s1600/DSC00227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1595" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlbNZtUXOMPydr3IGx8NUy3uAC8bU0Y_UmBGJ8ju4fHzXrBX_UVPvSYU5d9BbQJCDBHS-ZvV8zrAiSDkRHygNk-waIklJKGCXZfvSQWORo2jS7ZpLCQBww38ps4dJLko10-ILxwzPPzH4/s640/DSC00227.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kbfYPr4hTXe_bjYx_kYz1xVVm4xS7bmB4AjpLDIWOcDaa6NNWB7u8eRiRLq-fpzsCDr22QU_kCffqCWGc3ISknozFbBnh-4cpbp8h3KIrcVl5lJnWbPqM4HUY7TU_BpwV92Fn17kukHS/s1600/DSC00177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kbfYPr4hTXe_bjYx_kYz1xVVm4xS7bmB4AjpLDIWOcDaa6NNWB7u8eRiRLq-fpzsCDr22QU_kCffqCWGc3ISknozFbBnh-4cpbp8h3KIrcVl5lJnWbPqM4HUY7TU_BpwV92Fn17kukHS/s640/DSC00177.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioejPWai6faAk189vdpqMJCy19Yd5JHIrbZ6r4gvDcDtZi48cRr79gD4lvkxv4qMh1MNXZ0p_JjJ8X53GaXeqnXnIdSvRAelkoA7C2UZNQSXJ3_MgDfK_S2PwQCMEwdQZWxjgWTbXTUxXT/s1600/DSC00168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioejPWai6faAk189vdpqMJCy19Yd5JHIrbZ6r4gvDcDtZi48cRr79gD4lvkxv4qMh1MNXZ0p_JjJ8X53GaXeqnXnIdSvRAelkoA7C2UZNQSXJ3_MgDfK_S2PwQCMEwdQZWxjgWTbXTUxXT/s640/DSC00168.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFGovcZfbJ2pm2FMWhz4qZkuYnaAH0vUdeexO6HiDLrvLJWWn0JYLnWndcIh9a6ISY8TCn2o4P2TBqe15Sk_kbeUjUvDvtruUpl_DQzPCf4qOG1UvExe6muV-LWhs5ZOr-UtpAk0TcZcK/s1600/IMG_0791.HEIC" style="display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFGovcZfbJ2pm2FMWhz4qZkuYnaAH0vUdeexO6HiDLrvLJWWn0JYLnWndcIh9a6ISY8TCn2o4P2TBqe15Sk_kbeUjUvDvtruUpl_DQzPCf4qOG1UvExe6muV-LWhs5ZOr-UtpAk0TcZcK/s640/IMG_0791.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3yameZw-ELa6YYiqO8N9EPZFtWrLp0sNYmLo4sYnKXFygYGNlhYofxNI6MEre45JmOAmdqQ5o70DrNHf1CXDt3oRyUecV6RLeGATCm3LBWZT9KiN4y47kBSXNege1zeZQgAGENAigpFk/s1600/DSC00252.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3yameZw-ELa6YYiqO8N9EPZFtWrLp0sNYmLo4sYnKXFygYGNlhYofxNI6MEre45JmOAmdqQ5o70DrNHf1CXDt3oRyUecV6RLeGATCm3LBWZT9KiN4y47kBSXNege1zeZQgAGENAigpFk/s640/DSC00252.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
</div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<h3>
Top of the Rock</h3>
</div>
<div>
Now if there is one thing that's worth paying for in New York, it's getting a top view. You can go up the Empire State Building, seen in the photo below, but in our opinion, you're best off going up the Rockerfella, so that you can get the more iconic Empire State in view. It's $35, so by no means cheap, but you can stay up there as long as you want and it gives you a view of Manhatten like no other.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHYlBfi2uKvDQQylsg_bCwnRCBW3XlSr9f8cQugQ5BZHvQNdXmkVddqPGZGcrajswQI51vPwnntEYEWVYfWm2GI_ItuWHXmv6HKWXz3YTFjl7zs2zP9lVtpD0j-XngvA6sglIXWcUs5Yu/s1600/DSC00348.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHYlBfi2uKvDQQylsg_bCwnRCBW3XlSr9f8cQugQ5BZHvQNdXmkVddqPGZGcrajswQI51vPwnntEYEWVYfWm2GI_ItuWHXmv6HKWXz3YTFjl7zs2zP9lVtpD0j-XngvA6sglIXWcUs5Yu/s400/DSC00348.JPG" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuprA2KQ0X0L18od_3jmILB7HtHMf-_LxP41eDfImbKIfxrPWFmxOaNthbVzdXcCdh7tmR_MnKSXL6JJUz1kBrcSH7RkFiksrl0DWZeIANujBtD-QiiJ3xLJt-U7rKSdimsOB36I5XGWBh/s1600/DSC00404.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuprA2KQ0X0L18od_3jmILB7HtHMf-_LxP41eDfImbKIfxrPWFmxOaNthbVzdXcCdh7tmR_MnKSXL6JJUz1kBrcSH7RkFiksrl0DWZeIANujBtD-QiiJ3xLJt-U7rKSdimsOB36I5XGWBh/s400/DSC00404.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x7yBaF2iDrsv-64iB0uABDbmpTXF6HZvqJqqmRmU-_vjRB4yfoU6tcCBx2Y4QMahxgUjsPp4aJBw8B7QP3HsOzn74S9l9kOnAHzNTyn5HvaIcn3GCB4gtcS_X7iGJ5rJpbEjQmDOFoea/s1600/DSC00371.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x7yBaF2iDrsv-64iB0uABDbmpTXF6HZvqJqqmRmU-_vjRB4yfoU6tcCBx2Y4QMahxgUjsPp4aJBw8B7QP3HsOzn74S9l9kOnAHzNTyn5HvaIcn3GCB4gtcS_X7iGJ5rJpbEjQmDOFoea/s640/DSC00371.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
South Manhattan and Staten Island</h3>
<div>
Heading south from central Manhattan, passing Noho and Soho, you'll find yourself in the area of the 9/11 memorial and the world trade centre. Not far from there is the architecturally brilliant Westfield shopping centre, which is definitely worth a quick look in. Not far from there is Wall Street and if you carry on walking towards the water, you'll reach the South Ferry Terminal, which will take you to Staten island for free. Even if you decide you want to come straight back to the main island, the boat trip is definitely worth the time, as its a great free way to get up close to the Statue of Liberty. If you time it right, you can get the ferry out at sunset and get it back once it goes dark, getting a great view of the lit-up Manhattan skyline. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2Ibz18Cf_ut_rgVEzjY8qvfVAcAf17eJ0DLYBT13xf2qPN42SwhoDQCoCQruNoARxyCe2AqJc2-ltRDgyR5fFLAKQpGliLjqkE1I28PLFQzHFkGhU4-n-LxU2InJLlScf3DUtDa3_xI0/s1600/DSC00456.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2Ibz18Cf_ut_rgVEzjY8qvfVAcAf17eJ0DLYBT13xf2qPN42SwhoDQCoCQruNoARxyCe2AqJc2-ltRDgyR5fFLAKQpGliLjqkE1I28PLFQzHFkGhU4-n-LxU2InJLlScf3DUtDa3_xI0/s640/DSC00456.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADhMOJeBFNOUV_37qLVpyAcy52qfht1_W0DDNUVdPA93T0u4830jXg0jlxPdyQIKK-WhMGT08jbN4fPS3VXk6Dx6_BXpTYtHsnx3LLpYrmFzROqYRNJiCq8C5ZdUL53obr5tPH1ERmHzk/s1600/DSC00436.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADhMOJeBFNOUV_37qLVpyAcy52qfht1_W0DDNUVdPA93T0u4830jXg0jlxPdyQIKK-WhMGT08jbN4fPS3VXk6Dx6_BXpTYtHsnx3LLpYrmFzROqYRNJiCq8C5ZdUL53obr5tPH1ERmHzk/s400/DSC00436.JPG" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwox-WTnRcIdv3Et-8QrsAXNXdQ5h81Yl2WwCZgBLKLpj8JJxP23m1L9S86SNVWIv5zmAA35pjD3feFlMFIkvRKBs4H9HlzbGm4CRAXo_VYmN8j9Ny1-S4nIlRQsnm-sgm8uLROHqsBlpj/s1600/DSC00450.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwox-WTnRcIdv3Et-8QrsAXNXdQ5h81Yl2WwCZgBLKLpj8JJxP23m1L9S86SNVWIv5zmAA35pjD3feFlMFIkvRKBs4H9HlzbGm4CRAXo_VYmN8j9Ny1-S4nIlRQsnm-sgm8uLROHqsBlpj/s400/DSC00450.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswdNTEbIh2W-XC_ey1_6IboCM-DMjQPVJNC7_mDx3L7ldIlUXipYmD2xKJAnGGrUGUqz5et5oTGNe_LRAsozKnqUJuu1ow1g9glEfrKHPuJ4uOJYlulbWBcpYjV8n9xn6WTPXtBeo_Nqi/s1600/DSC00441.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswdNTEbIh2W-XC_ey1_6IboCM-DMjQPVJNC7_mDx3L7ldIlUXipYmD2xKJAnGGrUGUqz5et5oTGNe_LRAsozKnqUJuu1ow1g9glEfrKHPuJ4uOJYlulbWBcpYjV8n9xn6WTPXtBeo_Nqi/s640/DSC00441.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZPhd3CIQbfRf_7r1j7MibvQTAUpWuE1X7hA4nueKFtAOmgjacltzik6EhHzccJVNzJIGo5PzRwx_Lr0tH5JUc0XEkPKjqCzr5N2Q5Kaheu8dzmZvoZC2uMtp-4QEOUwDp-fVWuLaBWdP/s1600/DSC00538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="1600" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZPhd3CIQbfRf_7r1j7MibvQTAUpWuE1X7hA4nueKFtAOmgjacltzik6EhHzccJVNzJIGo5PzRwx_Lr0tH5JUc0XEkPKjqCzr5N2Q5Kaheu8dzmZvoZC2uMtp-4QEOUwDp-fVWuLaBWdP/s640/DSC00538.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxHh0bXjlPrY-SNwZBduO4YcFYozmeCKSsdL7r2WEnXgIUpf6gAQ40IN0AZ439ae9Fo8M2_0wDefIwFovYkPTcjoqJUu7-db-YDHm71KJUGzuuoGojTpkaTZHyADTJ1efvbsnA8w4BfNf/s1600/DSC02129.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxHh0bXjlPrY-SNwZBduO4YcFYozmeCKSsdL7r2WEnXgIUpf6gAQ40IN0AZ439ae9Fo8M2_0wDefIwFovYkPTcjoqJUu7-db-YDHm71KJUGzuuoGojTpkaTZHyADTJ1efvbsnA8w4BfNf/s640/DSC02129.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 18.72px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Department Stores</div>
</h3>
There are almost too many department stores to go in, each famous for featuring in different rom-coms and reality TV shows. The best is without a doubt Saks on Fifth Avenue, for its over-the-top displays and funky lighting. Although if you're on a budget and are actually looking to go clothes shopping, then Bloomingdale's is a much better option.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybRLxT3jjdrGIfv2uS9ec6hclwloXvKdic63tDbx34U0PphrQm9WpRkXaxDCHDMVCFA_0NU58kRGZLv59BRORW4LLew7BOlPZSjUUR5ZC1QNzclxzbDojfBYdTbLFNv-4EKKBOIHO0Y60/s1600/DSC09718.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybRLxT3jjdrGIfv2uS9ec6hclwloXvKdic63tDbx34U0PphrQm9WpRkXaxDCHDMVCFA_0NU58kRGZLv59BRORW4LLew7BOlPZSjUUR5ZC1QNzclxzbDojfBYdTbLFNv-4EKKBOIHO0Y60/s640/DSC09718.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoArDN7aaSK6Yf75CzK3zU55_2yNSpUHuxzraWBOQpgPjmfMhnbJ7oVJWK0nmw2BkSiAWy_t0mcouSG7SzsUPcDLJe8o02_G7VkP-dukPXZwWs747iki98d9gd-Dg-iOVM9wfPI7-e_4V/s1600/DSC09737.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoArDN7aaSK6Yf75CzK3zU55_2yNSpUHuxzraWBOQpgPjmfMhnbJ7oVJWK0nmw2BkSiAWy_t0mcouSG7SzsUPcDLJe8o02_G7VkP-dukPXZwWs747iki98d9gd-Dg-iOVM9wfPI7-e_4V/s640/DSC09737.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV25dcI7rZGcAXvRYnWx3otAtgyTjWjVEZJSAXSmFUkcBVt1c2rw8gtnKmRWCYvOzOqZ7cWCjJZpWK71wctIA-gxdDEodefxmagZ7HlcCMIp3g5ONVJg3UkE-TWLXJeWtldxmcXHCDBhsG/s1600/DSC09662.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV25dcI7rZGcAXvRYnWx3otAtgyTjWjVEZJSAXSmFUkcBVt1c2rw8gtnKmRWCYvOzOqZ7cWCjJZpWK71wctIA-gxdDEodefxmagZ7HlcCMIp3g5ONVJg3UkE-TWLXJeWtldxmcXHCDBhsG/s640/DSC09662.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Chelsea Market</h3>
Like in London, Chelsea is one of the nicest (and most expensive!) areas of the city. Chelsea market was one of our favourite places to visit in Manhattan - full of individual boutique shops, artisan food places and cool street art.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMuXxlAYpZdih7ZbQX_WnNpJ3JiOZ-yA-KvwJl3v6uFmMZITkDUq5Ozmqvac7ITtTDaiZMLiirU9uH_v5FTFcrv78Z9VaEB4rdBT90sLnkej0Lx31Ebss9FZkCBRgxxI5Etxm5xeH8xGD/s1600/IMG_0438.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMuXxlAYpZdih7ZbQX_WnNpJ3JiOZ-yA-KvwJl3v6uFmMZITkDUq5Ozmqvac7ITtTDaiZMLiirU9uH_v5FTFcrv78Z9VaEB4rdBT90sLnkej0Lx31Ebss9FZkCBRgxxI5Etxm5xeH8xGD/s640/IMG_0438.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvh4a_Zyco-TmnN1yLzpBTVAa6svl83a4gYYNT866QUKTJgMJH_pIHnG7Go_0YBa289flIcNtgae-msklwaLquJJY2xInYGYEyNhCicKUeNwZqQuVpjSKMeuBg-FEQe2_S93ya1sRGF5U/s1600/DSC00111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvh4a_Zyco-TmnN1yLzpBTVAa6svl83a4gYYNT866QUKTJgMJH_pIHnG7Go_0YBa289flIcNtgae-msklwaLquJJY2xInYGYEyNhCicKUeNwZqQuVpjSKMeuBg-FEQe2_S93ya1sRGF5U/s400/DSC00111.jpg" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySW0t6hpN6bQUInEOZQod-3R1tXrWIq5XfgmSYbz5itgQgAiNJMn42FWE6sQMyg3NZeoNgJxVX8mSewqI_0oC_eFns0MVD-j1JzPJkuEwStjCJs-UmDUTV0H5bxkrJSK91F7s0DcIL17f/s1600/DSC00116.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySW0t6hpN6bQUInEOZQod-3R1tXrWIq5XfgmSYbz5itgQgAiNJMn42FWE6sQMyg3NZeoNgJxVX8mSewqI_0oC_eFns0MVD-j1JzPJkuEwStjCJs-UmDUTV0H5bxkrJSK91F7s0DcIL17f/s400/DSC00116.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYx50jnobODeKScw85YxgxTiuWxyTByjZQ5jYsIfaIKhZi7OxhvcOHHUgRZXixbGXYZnrPVputAPOp3Jjkch3pud7sCL1XJqTBsg9gNvzUgE2an4eU1RsOMf3gpdHx7erbT-44kmTwZh4/s1600/DSC00114.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYx50jnobODeKScw85YxgxTiuWxyTByjZQ5jYsIfaIKhZi7OxhvcOHHUgRZXixbGXYZnrPVputAPOp3Jjkch3pud7sCL1XJqTBsg9gNvzUgE2an4eU1RsOMf3gpdHx7erbT-44kmTwZh4/s640/DSC00114.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDpct5dA-OCm546fyd8fkw7HZ1UPST5GcjpFaWmqPGPdZwMiIXGle_GMQmsqvmxUEuIDtDCKunScZnV1sKwg6ERMz8VjcJt1gh7hnZ1bK7j4DtoSvWvZoFgNT2FyolGhyc0k-KfFRisDS/s1600/DSC00121.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDpct5dA-OCm546fyd8fkw7HZ1UPST5GcjpFaWmqPGPdZwMiIXGle_GMQmsqvmxUEuIDtDCKunScZnV1sKwg6ERMz8VjcJt1gh7hnZ1bK7j4DtoSvWvZoFgNT2FyolGhyc0k-KfFRisDS/s640/DSC00121.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CQiqbORRKm_XJxVnHzP5qVImJAZVUYB53ruzdUqF8x2bJTP2XWpP3jDC-gUs_s_c0QnVaEu9Kzw3QDPDwYGRUHYYgcOVC3wW3Uy5EKwSFXWIvPR9SNHNtKNZ15qj4uGztahnJnTUOTq9/s1600/DSC00124.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CQiqbORRKm_XJxVnHzP5qVImJAZVUYB53ruzdUqF8x2bJTP2XWpP3jDC-gUs_s_c0QnVaEu9Kzw3QDPDwYGRUHYYgcOVC3wW3Uy5EKwSFXWIvPR9SNHNtKNZ15qj4uGztahnJnTUOTq9/s640/DSC00124.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
New York Public Library</h3>
<div>
It's quite likely that you'll walk past this as you make your way through the streets of Manhattan, and its definitely worth a look in. Make sure you check out the main reading room.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-RF_xYJFyHlZXQ0cSz91KyHpaUcV5uKuCOZxq3us5UPnggUU9RG1DWoTfDWiZBwa8BNuJkoJH26APXjT4N7_hFuQs6mdC1t3Czql_NwpMfYxN861O9xZDbLIhhmQQHjyyTUobEfjLzu_/s1600/DSC00578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-RF_xYJFyHlZXQ0cSz91KyHpaUcV5uKuCOZxq3us5UPnggUU9RG1DWoTfDWiZBwa8BNuJkoJH26APXjT4N7_hFuQs6mdC1t3Czql_NwpMfYxN861O9xZDbLIhhmQQHjyyTUobEfjLzu_/s640/DSC00578.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1WY-mEgFafzV9nF4F-gErOQ5ATyvYnuALY5O3zRGaP8nJUhUrA-ahIOeuhzD36-TsN1QG_3_wtTLaiOIBXp209_bM8sld_Q89up4Xb5cBihJx37eY0CEHKBf4YIk77A0pzjT9LrevgVT/s1600/DSC00573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1WY-mEgFafzV9nF4F-gErOQ5ATyvYnuALY5O3zRGaP8nJUhUrA-ahIOeuhzD36-TsN1QG_3_wtTLaiOIBXp209_bM8sld_Q89up4Xb5cBihJx37eY0CEHKBf4YIk77A0pzjT9LrevgVT/s640/DSC00573.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Grand Central Station</h3>
<div>
The USA is not known for railways and yet undoubtedly one of the best buildings in NYC architecturally is Grand Central Station.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwcP157JLASgpm7TQqxlSgD7iaibC64_Ibg0mj9LCuLRVR5wIm2Or4uL25MK5zV4t8Ez2sdhwL4ilVkCgKogzKQd-LrsPIfPRAMWWCMPPwZaSeL6oP0mQ26dQjl_zi2oFmHZsfWKCw3YK/s1600/DSC09897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwcP157JLASgpm7TQqxlSgD7iaibC64_Ibg0mj9LCuLRVR5wIm2Or4uL25MK5zV4t8Ez2sdhwL4ilVkCgKogzKQd-LrsPIfPRAMWWCMPPwZaSeL6oP0mQ26dQjl_zi2oFmHZsfWKCw3YK/s640/DSC09897.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-decoration-line: underline;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d57165.79721901693!2d-73.98697729211126!3d40.73737674625929!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1583100943696!5m2!1sen!2suk" style="border: 0;" width="800"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com1New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972839.9423093 -75.296866299999991 41.483241299999996 -72.7150793tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-12149477616650777232019-07-18T09:15:00.001-07:002019-07-25T03:56:04.306-07:00Why You Should Visit Marseille<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N6vINn9FqGGU2XvGhJozJR1iX2AUU6R8Zvu-g2W9cssFV1ufykDS_DNT5rBL4rraPWbc0RnJ0GCR1B2bm9FVBAGxINkVHxY8ZDk-cO02METKu4hbs7B0D96Q6l9QmgkNYT_sE7ji3pxr/s1600/LRG_DSC08683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1055" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N6vINn9FqGGU2XvGhJozJR1iX2AUU6R8Zvu-g2W9cssFV1ufykDS_DNT5rBL4rraPWbc0RnJ0GCR1B2bm9FVBAGxINkVHxY8ZDk-cO02METKu4hbs7B0D96Q6l9QmgkNYT_sE7ji3pxr/s320/LRG_DSC08683.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When you tell people you’re going on holiday to the Côte d’Azur (or French Riviera), they very rarely assume you’ll be spending your time in Marseille. Despite being France’s second-biggest city, Marseille is often overlooked as a major tourist destination, holidaymakers often preferring the likes of Paris, Bordeaux or Toulouse for their French city breaks. Not us! We spent 4 nights exploring the very best that the city has to offer, which, by the way, is a hell of a lot. Without further ado, here’s our travel guide to Marseille - enjoy!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<h2>
<br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">What to do?</span></h2>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Basilica Notre Dame</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In our opinion, one of the very first things you should do when you arrive in a city is to get your bearings - get a feel for the size of the place, where you might want to go, or just as importantly where you might want to avoid! A walking tour is always a safe bet but in Marseille, we took for the shorter but steeper walk up to the Basilica de Notre Dame, where you can enjoy 360-degree views of the city, and not a bad looking church too if you’re into that kind of thing! It takes about half an hour to walk up and like all sweaty uphill activities, is best to be avoided in the heat of the afternoon sun.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwXWos2juRLlwtWBWoshMqn23Yb1yLZ5iUvo_JlXIpQ8cRjIKVBr8D4_t-FoD7nYVXPq8aaQPFeJNwpt_Q6waiSydOck0eSzWBjT3qVsP72m60dMMhrdOx3SPB1YO_v3m3IEmVfgI11ir/s1600/LRG_DSC08619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwXWos2juRLlwtWBWoshMqn23Yb1yLZ5iUvo_JlXIpQ8cRjIKVBr8D4_t-FoD7nYVXPq8aaQPFeJNwpt_Q6waiSydOck0eSzWBjT3qVsP72m60dMMhrdOx3SPB1YO_v3m3IEmVfgI11ir/s400/LRG_DSC08619.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnN8-cI_P6UjDwtb0pK9Ryg8GDpP5ZLbytVEGNDAWs03lEMCYr3cpaLlUxxBk0cDk8IooYtadjtXz1AQRXJBFjK6Am7CnXy2CwQbLlAj149vLYtnQ65LGgEwh-BUOSrJUbqQEh5ODTTKla/s1600/LRG_DSC08604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnN8-cI_P6UjDwtb0pK9Ryg8GDpP5ZLbytVEGNDAWs03lEMCYr3cpaLlUxxBk0cDk8IooYtadjtXz1AQRXJBFjK6Am7CnXy2CwQbLlAj149vLYtnQ65LGgEwh-BUOSrJUbqQEh5ODTTKla/s640/LRG_DSC08604.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Le Panier</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If Marseille had a designated tourist district, this would be it. Old cobbled, windy streets are lined with colourful houses, cafes and boutique shops - it’s undeniably one of the cities prettiest areas. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBYJOrWiMcgalfzbpa_roSf2pneN4aUHwG-gHwah7iCjekBnpdrQgdSkMgvD1tsro-c_mtFVTprb-59UoJ9qrjL08RKl1FekvDqrsuov73y_ZrulpxSLTq6_NPfpldT0GQsWxXnzO-RDJ/s1600/LRG_DSC08794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBYJOrWiMcgalfzbpa_roSf2pneN4aUHwG-gHwah7iCjekBnpdrQgdSkMgvD1tsro-c_mtFVTprb-59UoJ9qrjL08RKl1FekvDqrsuov73y_ZrulpxSLTq6_NPfpldT0GQsWxXnzO-RDJ/s640/LRG_DSC08794.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Musée Cantini</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you’re into museums, this would be our pick of the bunch! For us, it ticks all of our museum boxes: It’s a good size (long enough to feel you’ve got your money’s worth but you won’t get bored!), it’s cheap (only €xx or free on the xxx), it’s weird (see pictures below) and it’s got great air conditioning (I know that makes us sound like right queens but when it’s 40* outside these things matter!).</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5Fh-tU_vp8Om30zfYGIz3ugKAY28H2rIeczziFJEFSnMaO0-EkRW6wGQbmljC9Lx6gLd6RAReXorPGINcSc_yVVRur6z34ozIjNbtrEiGBimhEwfyjbw97ScnKHxS7FS1O0zTTuLu0g_/s1600/LRG_DSC08633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5Fh-tU_vp8Om30zfYGIz3ugKAY28H2rIeczziFJEFSnMaO0-EkRW6wGQbmljC9Lx6gLd6RAReXorPGINcSc_yVVRur6z34ozIjNbtrEiGBimhEwfyjbw97ScnKHxS7FS1O0zTTuLu0g_/s640/LRG_DSC08633.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Cours Julien</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is without a doubt the coolest area we visited in Marseille. The walls are covered in street art, and the streets are lined with individual vintage shops, cool cafes, and bars. Apparently, there’s a market which goes on Monday to Saturday in the mornings at Place Jean Jaurès, but in true ‘no idea’ fashion we couldn’t find it. The steps leading into Cours Julien are an attraction in themselves and should not be missed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvFD4msZjiK2nnmqhwzCxXZEKKKhqUwVIChuvHSLB2pJ89452UqJEDz_7Ol0NRHFO5-NOJBNdttBGHWUxsIhy0_TBCZzePwWTQHXv1Szh3KXILY7dit9vsgzx8-0weZ4Y_FnUGtRZ-peW/s1600/LRG_DSC08703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvFD4msZjiK2nnmqhwzCxXZEKKKhqUwVIChuvHSLB2pJ89452UqJEDz_7Ol0NRHFO5-NOJBNdttBGHWUxsIhy0_TBCZzePwWTQHXv1Szh3KXILY7dit9vsgzx8-0weZ4Y_FnUGtRZ-peW/s640/LRG_DSC08703.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsWbeG-h5OWKVctbzjz2PWgaZP9Jsf28KpyMgGy87rf_H7BmZquEywsNjIHRNQaG_X295iM1fuOXt-CWNkLy-5joswIplM5knJ7DGffgAT24SDrRfm00-_G8fiJNe12DzKsXvEe9oX-z4/s1600/LRG_DSC08724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsWbeG-h5OWKVctbzjz2PWgaZP9Jsf28KpyMgGy87rf_H7BmZquEywsNjIHRNQaG_X295iM1fuOXt-CWNkLy-5joswIplM5knJ7DGffgAT24SDrRfm00-_G8fiJNe12DzKsXvEe9oX-z4/s640/LRG_DSC08724.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YPT26tyXiE57Cbzn4pJhE1BfG-nNcrV_Tjb65lfKF6z56EhaMPmPqXkEukeRJU9qcYR5JQIud1t0Y3adFcFcgGcaduX6LqB62maRE24MoEzUq_l2clRenApb1b5skA8AUYqY5wLjPQ_q/s1600/LRG_DSC08754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YPT26tyXiE57Cbzn4pJhE1BfG-nNcrV_Tjb65lfKF6z56EhaMPmPqXkEukeRJU9qcYR5JQIud1t0Y3adFcFcgGcaduX6LqB62maRE24MoEzUq_l2clRenApb1b5skA8AUYqY5wLjPQ_q/s640/LRG_DSC08754.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Marseille Cathedral</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">You’ll very rarely find 2 churches on our list of top things to do in a city because, to be totally honest, we find most to be underwhelming and a little bit boring. Some, however, are architecturally impressive and just look a bit different to your usual church, which just about makes them worthy of a spot on our Marseille top 10.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrouSw1K3zAFbOeEMX3zQEtbUN_LU0OFfZKXZewr1p9RppwAdjksk06vep1ZSNAaomh9X8ufhrB5a5HPpvJXtZKlhDzJ7NOmQAtv7goPGOf7GFqEOFU30uf3VGS09t9LgpE1dlaXIFoXd/s1600/LRG_DSC08579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrouSw1K3zAFbOeEMX3zQEtbUN_LU0OFfZKXZewr1p9RppwAdjksk06vep1ZSNAaomh9X8ufhrB5a5HPpvJXtZKlhDzJ7NOmQAtv7goPGOf7GFqEOFU30uf3VGS09t9LgpE1dlaXIFoXd/s640/LRG_DSC08579.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Boat trips</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We love a good boat trip and luckily for us, Marseille has plenty to choose from. Here are the main ones:</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<ul>
<li style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">To the prison</span></li>
</ul>
</h4>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">About 20 minutes on the boat from the Vieux Port, you’ll find the island of If, and its fortress, chateaux d’If, famous for featuring in Dumas’ novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’. You’ll have to pay around €6 for entry and a further €11 for a return boat trip to the island.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<ul>
<li style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">To Ile de Frioul</span></li>
</ul>
</h4>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Just a few minutes further than the prison you’ll reach another, larger island called Frioul. If you’re not going on peak holiday time or at the weekend then this is really worth the trip as there are some great places to swim and not too many people around. It costs just a couple more euros than the trip to If and in our opinion made a good day trip activity. Head to Calanque de Morgiret for reduced crowds and a really nice stretch of (coarse) sand beach. It’s rocky getting into the water though, so take water shoes if you have them!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<ul>
<li style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Tour of Les Calanques</span></li>
</ul>
</h4>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is more of an excursion/day trip and so naturally costs a lot more, coming in at €30 pp or </span><span style="font-size: large;">€35 if you want to go for a swim. The tour takes about 3.5 hours and is supposed to be beautiful, but of course not in everybody's price range. For more information on this tour, see <a href="https://www.visite-des-calanques.com/en/visite-des-calanques-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Also - Be wary, boat trips from Marseille often don’t run if there is are strong winds, so it's worth checking the day before at the ticket office (they were honest enough to tell us not to buy a ticket for the next day as it was expected to be very rough).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi176gUtd5WpkBQJVo40zJIwZfergdxZLb0MbghqaucKILCMp2pJfymKGoKq7iaV-HfAvZj91C-v0gu88Pe0sgkrl_OPI30QRUyWytUfsbe8EdOkXjeY_IJc0Dmn3c1H6jCMzibEk4XiM9q/s1600/LRG_DSC08651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi176gUtd5WpkBQJVo40zJIwZfergdxZLb0MbghqaucKILCMp2pJfymKGoKq7iaV-HfAvZj91C-v0gu88Pe0sgkrl_OPI30QRUyWytUfsbe8EdOkXjeY_IJc0Dmn3c1H6jCMzibEk4XiM9q/s640/LRG_DSC08651.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCzmi2-W9zP5V-9j_DGqvTSaKYECSMzfqDZpEP793H5l7yVY56eyxhlcK2q6noBYAPR-sqpZPJzBebF-pm1-EdiE1Ga1hPaUa9-GGRL9YFW3ftgyYNnYicEw_S4AudheY5Q4IygXLAOcF/s1600/LRG_DSC08698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCzmi2-W9zP5V-9j_DGqvTSaKYECSMzfqDZpEP793H5l7yVY56eyxhlcK2q6noBYAPR-sqpZPJzBebF-pm1-EdiE1Ga1hPaUa9-GGRL9YFW3ftgyYNnYicEw_S4AudheY5Q4IygXLAOcF/s640/LRG_DSC08698.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Le Vieux Port </span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is where it's all going off. Three streets surround the old port in a horseshoe shape, each lined with fancy hotels, cool bars, and cafes. This is where you can catch a boat to the Calanques or the Frioul island as mentioned above, but even if you just fancy hanging around the city and taking in the atmosphere this is the best place for just that. A lot of the streets and squares that run off the old port are worth visiting too and are good places to go for something to eat in the evening, although bear in mind that in general, it seemed that the closer to the port you were the more expensive everything became.</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8o4beLHrEZB2ntLMx-TQgmXVgQHUhjuhP9-hraMxgXXuWtr9ZCqWYWeABO6xTZXxGeJjjcKNvw3MM7Du201Cu7JXP4m8AGPoLX5QEEY3PAMRTEvj9-5yW87QL13h7kIV7pXRN7Sfb0U7B/s1600/LRG_DSC08532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8o4beLHrEZB2ntLMx-TQgmXVgQHUhjuhP9-hraMxgXXuWtr9ZCqWYWeABO6xTZXxGeJjjcKNvw3MM7Du201Cu7JXP4m8AGPoLX5QEEY3PAMRTEvj9-5yW87QL13h7kIV7pXRN7Sfb0U7B/s640/LRG_DSC08532.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Beaches </span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Naturally, one of the major selling points of Marseille is the fact that it's right on the water, and with that, comes the beach. Whilst there are plenty of places to go for a swim near the centre of the city, we found a great place to go was Plage du Prado about 20 minutes on the bus from the centre. We got off at Parc de Boreli which is pleasant for a little walk before you lie down in the sun for the next few hours. When we were there we were (un)lucky enough to stumble upon the Petanque world championships (although who really plays Petanque other than the French?)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">MUCEM</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Last, but certainly not least, is MUCEM (The museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations), which is in many people's eyes the star attraction of Marseille. The architecture is really impressive and it's certainly worth going to have a look at, even if it's just from the outside. There is a bridge you can walk across which connects the Mucem to just by the Old Port, but be warned - it's shut on Tuesdays!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Getting Around Marseille</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">You're spoilt for choice when it comes to getting around Marseille. First of all, everything we've listed above (all of the touristy stuff) is in the centre of town by the Old Port and it is all quite walkable. If you're there for a few nights though, you'll probably not going to want to walk constantly, especially in the summer heat, and so you'll want to check out one of these transport options:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Buses</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Buses are a really good way of getting around town. Like Paris, you pay a set fee to use the bus (</span><span style="font-size: large;">€2)</span><span style="font-size: large;"> no matter how far you're going, which makes it really easy for tourists. If you're there for a few days it would make sense buying tickets in bulk, as if you buy 10 journies you save around </span><span style="font-size: large;">€5. They go all around the city, have great air conditioning (woo!) and go regularly. We found that using google maps for bus times worked really reliably.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Metro</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">There is actually a metro in Marseille, but unlike the French capital, it doesn't appear to be the main provider of transport. There aren't many stops connecting the tourist locations (as they are all fairly close to the centre) however it can be useful if you're planning on venturing further inland into the city, such as to the Velodrome, or even if you're going to the central train station, which can be easily accessed just two stops on the metro from the Old Port. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Scooter</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, that's right. Scooter. Depending on where you call home, you will either be amazed or totally unimpressed, but Marseille is one of those cities which have adopted an electric scooter uber-like system, where you can just sign up to the app and pay as you go. You can then drop the scooter off wherever you like and get on with your day. There is a </span><span style="font-size: large;">€10 minimum loading amount but if you're confident enough and you're there for more than a day then we think it's a really good option. Bare in mind though that it seems these things came along before anyone had the chance to right up the rules. A lot of the locals will use them on the roads, but you should try to always use cycle paths where possible and failing that, you're probably best sticking to the paths. They cost </span><span style="font-size: large;">€1 to start and then </span><span style="font-size: large;">€0.15 per minute. Oh and also, make sure your phone is charged as you'll need it to end your ride.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Taxi / Uber</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">We were traveling as a group of five in Marseille and so we would have needed to take an Uber XL to fit us all in. These didn't seem to exist in Marseille and so if we ever needed a taxi we simply went to the taxi rank to find one. We also noticed that unlike most cities, Uber didn't seem to be any cheaper than regular taxis, but we'd always say it's worth going on the Uber app to check what you should really be paying before taking a regular taxi, to make sure that you're not getting ripped off. That said, taxis seemed to all just run on the meter. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<h2>
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">Is Marseille expensive?</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">Yes. We'd love to tell you that it's much cheaper than you would expect and you can get by on </span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">€15 a day etc etc... but sadly it was actually more expensive than we thought. You need to treat it like you would Paris or London and then you won't be too disappointed. You'll be lucky to find a pint for under </span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">€5 and shopping at local convenience stores may often feel extortionate. However, it is not all doom and gloom. This is France remember - home of the </span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">€1 baguette and </span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: large;">€2 bottle of vino. Stick to these two staples and you'll be just fine. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d36228.04163353049!2d5.380029895407675!3d43.29538123113!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1563460049867!5m2!1sen!2suk" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></span>
<div style="width:165px;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:0px;line-height:0px;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.trips100.co.uk" title="Trips100 - Travel Blogs" rel="nofollow"><img style="width:165px;height:110px;border:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" title="Trips100 - Travel Blogs" alt="Trips100 - Travel Blogs" src="https://www.trips100.co.uk/top/badge-1470-1.gif" /></a><br /><a target="_blank" href="https://www.trips100.co.uk/top/sponsor.html" title="Trips100" rel="nofollow"><img style="width:165px;height:56px;border:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" title="Trips100" alt="Trips100" src="https://www.trips100.co.uk/top/sponsor.gif" /></a></div>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Marseille, France43.296482 5.369779999999991642.926569 4.7243329999999917 43.666394999999994 6.0152269999999914tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-10186518807942576602018-09-24T02:49:00.003-07:002018-09-24T02:51:53.307-07:00Siem Reap - Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Angkor Wat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBU6zWyiCsggpN1nM7RjST5zHmTGQ1OIInIlsGKALnU-xXxkbTBhMtVjvpSB7qfsfrF1noQMbj0DTl7IgD-tEw7TjUs35Unk5UIvQUZFQ6EKD-htzge2Rl29kwmt8wOPey6wtaJZBnISh/s1600/SAM_2414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBU6zWyiCsggpN1nM7RjST5zHmTGQ1OIInIlsGKALnU-xXxkbTBhMtVjvpSB7qfsfrF1noQMbj0DTl7IgD-tEw7TjUs35Unk5UIvQUZFQ6EKD-htzge2Rl29kwmt8wOPey6wtaJZBnISh/s640/SAM_2414.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world and so its not surprising that it attracts over 2 million visitors a year. It's not it's size that gets people through the gates though, rather the fact that the impressive reconstructed stone structures have been around for over 1000 years.</span> With entrance at $37 for a day or $62 for 3 days you might think twice about going here if you're travelling on a budget, but in our opinion it'd</span><span style="background-color: transparent; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> be a big mistake to miss the ruins out as they really are worth your money. Like many tourist sites Angkor Wat gets crowded and you'll rarely get that perfect picture without other tourists lurking in the background, but don't let that put you off either. Some places are touristy for a reason and can still be enjoyed regardless.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">We arrived in Siem Reap, the jump off point for visiting the ruins, after a night bus from Sihanoukville in the south of the country. We stayed at <a href="https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Mad-Monkey-Siem-Reap/Siem-Reap/60254" target="_blank">Mad Monkey hostel</a> which is always a safe bet in Cambodia. They are very organised, cheap, fun and in this case had a pool, which is always a bonus in the heat. The hostel also had its own tuk tuk drivers to take you around Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples which saved the hassle of having to get from your hostel to the entrance, as well as the risk of getting an impatient driver. We chose to get a 3 day pass for the ruins, as we wanted the chance to explore lots of the smaller temples as well as the more famous ones and it meant that we could go for sunrise on one of the days.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Many people don't realise that 'Angkor Wat' is more than just 'Angkor Wat', meaning there are a whole load of other temples on the site to visit, all with different names. In fact our favourites were Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm, but we'll go into them all in a bit more detail later. The point is, there is plenty of things to see to fill 3 days. In a day, you could probably see the most impressive temples and watch the sun come down in the evening, but you wouldn't have much time to explore some of the less famous ones at your own pace. This exploring through the ruins, away from all of the other tourists, was what made buying a 3 day pass worthwhile for us. Also consider whether you may want to go to Angkor Wat for sunrise, as if you do then a 3 day pass would make a lot more sense</span><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">We took a tuk tuk from the hostel each day and chose to explore the temples with a driver. He took us on a set route based on how much time we had and what we had already seen each day and he would meant that we would wait as we walked around each temple.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> The benefits of taking an Tuk Tuk are:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">You don't have to walk anywhere (obviously!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">You can take shelter if the heavens open (which they did a number of times)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">You can get historical information from the driver, who often acts as a tour guide as well. (Not always the case, as will depend upon their English level, but generally good)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">However there are a few drawbacks...</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Paying for the driver. This cost us around $15us / day or $20us for the day we went at sunrise.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">The Tuk Tuk can break down. In our case it did twice!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">If you get a grumpy driver they might try to hurry you up as you go along.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Your next best option is to probably rent a bicycle, as the distances between the temples are easily cyclable and you can then of course go at your own pace and save some money. If you go for this option, just make sure you check the weather before hand, as you wouldn't want to be cycling in the heat of the day in the Summer.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Is It Worth Going For Sunrise?</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive answer for that one. When we went we didn't get the picture perfect pink skies that you may see on postcards around Siem Reap and instead it just got gradually lighter (not worth the 3:30am start!) However the day before us, somebody was showing us their photos and it looked better than you could've possibly hoped for. If you really hate early starts and they make you grumpy for the rest of the day - don't bother. If you're not too bothered then there's no harm in giving it a go. The other benefit of going so early is that, if you time it right, you can be the very first few into Angkor Wat, meaning you can explore what is normally a ridiculously busy site, all on your own!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Which Temples Are the Best?</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Everyone will have their own personal favourites for lots of different reasons, but here's out top few...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><b>1. Ta Prohm</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Whilst all of the temples are impressive, none of them will blow your mind as much as this one. Ta Prohm is woven together by the outstretched roots of trees around the site, so much so that it seems a miracle how it's still standing. Of course, there have been huge restoration efforts to keep the site up and safe to walk around, but you won't see anything like this anywhere else. It felt like we were walking straight into a film set, then when we googled it afterwards we discovered that it features in the film Tomb Raider, for any of you Lara Croft fans out there.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORU2nvuD4Yb_pubs3NxJ9LL1RdV740hdRDN3iglYLVcGmDU0-xFyrEY0ptP9iy5NfsDTU88LMN6iGSfLnp5aAqI5awC04y_SoGHhyphenhyphenNGHOEWTW4S3r7lZ5iD1LgrrzS5whiJn0ZLVyporb/s1600/SAM_2430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgORU2nvuD4Yb_pubs3NxJ9LL1RdV740hdRDN3iglYLVcGmDU0-xFyrEY0ptP9iy5NfsDTU88LMN6iGSfLnp5aAqI5awC04y_SoGHhyphenhyphenNGHOEWTW4S3r7lZ5iD1LgrrzS5whiJn0ZLVyporb/s640/SAM_2430.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><b>2. Angkor Thom</b> </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Established at the end of the 1100s, Angkor Thom was the final capital of the Khmer Empire. At the centre of ancient city is the Bayan, the state temple characterised by its stone faced facades. Due to the sheer size of Angkor Thom, we feel that it is even more impressive than Angkor Wat and you'll probably find yourself spending longer here.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTCQ4_nFlhZ3LCgWqHydTPXhCorl9gi5ZAsrYIuGRqrI9jstJk0VJOnc-BjumBpMLESScsL5Ons1oW9EfbdebMRTKeMh1tt65Id00vL-8y7Gyzao7_mam_ROsSYxNE4wtsHwNmzFGa5ei/s1600/SAM_2394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1043" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTCQ4_nFlhZ3LCgWqHydTPXhCorl9gi5ZAsrYIuGRqrI9jstJk0VJOnc-BjumBpMLESScsL5Ons1oW9EfbdebMRTKeMh1tt65Id00vL-8y7Gyzao7_mam_ROsSYxNE4wtsHwNmzFGa5ei/s640/SAM_2394.jpg" width="416" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><b>3.Angkor Wat</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Despite all of the other points we've made, Angkor Wat does live up to expectations and is of course very impressive. It looks the best on approach and therefore probably makes for the best postcard picture. There are monkeys around the grounds which are good fun to watch once you're all templed-out and there's also a chance to climb up a tower in the centre of the temple for views over the site. The only thing worth considering for all three of these temples but Angkor Wat especially, is what time of day to go. We were the first people through the gates which was totally worth the early start to avoid the crowds.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrF9vghVKVryVrRYlTyfpPk0pAlGqcxOgO8YanknkjnT_xzf03wCdYXGa32icgn3jkMZs8by-m_ZcTp3D8281Xu7R_Be8acTV71zeuC7c8Gx-oGeCgHeJjMhYpnSZP071fSGJz5VBHR0i/s1600/SAM_2303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrF9vghVKVryVrRYlTyfpPk0pAlGqcxOgO8YanknkjnT_xzf03wCdYXGa32icgn3jkMZs8by-m_ZcTp3D8281Xu7R_Be8acTV71zeuC7c8Gx-oGeCgHeJjMhYpnSZP071fSGJz5VBHR0i/s640/SAM_2303.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><b><br />4. Phnom Bakheng</b></span><div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Finally, this temple makes out top 4 as it is without a doubt the best place to sit and watch the sunset. If you've got a Tuk Tuk driver then they'll probably take you here last and give you half an hour or so to walk around before climbing the steps and waiting for the sun to set. On a clear day I'm told you can just about make out the tops of the other temples in the area but when it's a little cloudy you often get a more impressive sunset. Either way, its worth the visit.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVCvxrq_ufC1Zb4cIt-kW85uE-4C7ZGUV-hYNWtc6iUgHMtheNBGCmRlGYSn_VSG21Ff4U-fmNzhAPHp8gLhJtR8Wo1HxJ32mW1ydO1pmDiDoVaZiPrykSSeKtZBKaONXBGwDLQ3QNe_H/s1600/SAM_2469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVCvxrq_ufC1Zb4cIt-kW85uE-4C7ZGUV-hYNWtc6iUgHMtheNBGCmRlGYSn_VSG21Ff4U-fmNzhAPHp8gLhJtR8Wo1HxJ32mW1ydO1pmDiDoVaZiPrykSSeKtZBKaONXBGwDLQ3QNe_H/s640/SAM_2469.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Finally, make sure you take the time to stop off along the way around the temples and don't be afraid to ask your driver to stop if you want to take photos. The scenery in between the archaeological sites is really beautiful in areas and worth taking the time to enjoy.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbjdgfmnW_R6COJtPHMHYSm6XacwPJGo73A8d0fRiiK2KDNKVSiQxNPmklcEgEWUnmkZxlfPIlT2Nwv00mdQJ3vwXa0VP3R6aLDju2eMW3_ScEEP_7JAXczl1H8Wec05SMzlTfYHdS3cm/s1600/SAM_2206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbjdgfmnW_R6COJtPHMHYSm6XacwPJGo73A8d0fRiiK2KDNKVSiQxNPmklcEgEWUnmkZxlfPIlT2Nwv00mdQJ3vwXa0VP3R6aLDju2eMW3_ScEEP_7JAXczl1H8Wec05SMzlTfYHdS3cm/s640/SAM_2206.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> Is There Anything To Do in Siem Reap Itself?</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Some 'jump off' towns really don't have much going for them and solely survive on the nearby tourist attraction. Fortunately this is not the case for Siem Reap, which is actually a really pleasant place to walk around with plenty of bars, restaurants and market stalls selling a big range of clothes and souvenirs. If you fancy something really tasty for a little more money (although still reasonable), head to the FCC Angkor hotel where the food is second to none and you'll be treated like royalty.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE342BmY0DB8kHpCfrODhyphenhyphenzGXBEWcFjn65e2UAihCvb4CAoVbQ8jAWHp-l6AcAVCIID-8KHmOmeLZZRtqXRCBzpcWXEPwaGRi7EpC5z-sCGBLNRkeanHdsZJd34pI1dPY-XId_HXVIHwg/s1600/IMG_3459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE342BmY0DB8kHpCfrODhyphenhyphenzGXBEWcFjn65e2UAihCvb4CAoVbQ8jAWHp-l6AcAVCIID-8KHmOmeLZZRtqXRCBzpcWXEPwaGRi7EpC5z-sCGBLNRkeanHdsZJd34pI1dPY-XId_HXVIHwg/s640/IMG_3459.JPG" width="480" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">How Do I Get to Siem Reap?</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">If you're travelling from Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh then you can get a direct bus which will take approx. 12 hours ($15us) and 7 hours ($10us) respectively. Flights are available for both journeys but are considerably more expensive. From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap you can also take a boat! Yes they are both inland, but you can travel along the river the whole way. Again this is a lot more expensive but could be worth it if you are looking for a more unique travelling experience.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">That's all for now, thanks for reading! Again, if you have any questions at all please hit us up on Instagram, Facebook or comment below.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d78758.44189019655!2d103.86157383001078!3d13.414674301166673!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1537569496534" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></span></li>
</ul>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Siem Reap, Cambodia13.3550091 103.8551729999999213.1078061 103.53244949999993 13.602212100000001 104.17789649999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-38491054212598278792018-09-21T10:25:00.000-07:002018-09-24T02:54:16.980-07:00The Ultimate Guide To Hanoi <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b02vAgF9ROMggGGiMw_m9XR2ligzNeIWgb9NA3Ky9G7rfZqP1G7DXYx40EjOFKmZgnMLEd5Et4oTftPZj19FKhPhx_KTeHnA7IgBItwCARSJVZW5EhYWp1luD1PRrSzVwi7fxRldNTzT/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b02vAgF9ROMggGGiMw_m9XR2ligzNeIWgb9NA3Ky9G7rfZqP1G7DXYx40EjOFKmZgnMLEd5Et4oTftPZj19FKhPhx_KTeHnA7IgBItwCARSJVZW5EhYWp1luD1PRrSzVwi7fxRldNTzT/s400/IMG_2456.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For the best part of 2 months Hanoi felt like home. In September last year we spent over a month volunteering with the charity VCV where we taught kids and adults English, before then travelling up and down the country. During our time in Hanoi, we made so many friends and had some incredible experiences which we will never forget (to read more about volunteering at VCV see our post here). Living in a flat with other volunteers from around the world as well as Vietnamese locals gave us a unique opportunity to experience Hanoi in a different way to tourists passing through. In this blog post we've compiled all of the very best things to see and do in the capital - enjoy!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="color: black;">
The Very Best Museums in Hanoi</span></h3>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Ms Hay, who ran VCV where we volunteered, told us this was the very best museum in Hanoi, so despite not really knowing what 'ethnology' actually meant, we went along as a group. It's really wel set out and in a great modern building. All of the information is translated into English well and there are some fun outdoor activities such as demonstrations of traditional games, puppet shows and traditional houses. The only problem with the museum is that if you're not familiar with Vietnamese history then it feels strange reading about the depths of Vietnam's minorities. We both felt like we wanted to know more about general history rather than how many different sub-groups there was within the country. (If you feel the same, then don't bother going to the Vietnam National Museum of History as it is truly awful).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ835Bz3RnFB2zTpEM4hvOUOFt14FKVZkuHwVJDmT_1o3DpTT-wXCw0p7Dgd856iExFJuXgClbakSrnPTjApu02Q9Eyu3D7WdlDitFPRdEJkn9ajRgR6HHe5a7U7Ur9UOY5PNbKknCifpy/s1600/IMG_2700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ835Bz3RnFB2zTpEM4hvOUOFt14FKVZkuHwVJDmT_1o3DpTT-wXCw0p7Dgd856iExFJuXgClbakSrnPTjApu02Q9Eyu3D7WdlDitFPRdEJkn9ajRgR6HHe5a7U7Ur9UOY5PNbKknCifpy/s640/IMG_2700.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUSam_HtLyQY8LsHPrRhpJEgQepovqWgl25Fwc3MRjJjnVDgvu562inPj3A5i6LRV0jcLHO40iSU-1QB4CBEKz4DoxEMSCBNi-PEIYGEhCQOm4aNACqomPOadT5rdSgWnUDucLdThltaT/s1600/IMG_2454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUSam_HtLyQY8LsHPrRhpJEgQepovqWgl25Fwc3MRjJjnVDgvu562inPj3A5i6LRV0jcLHO40iSU-1QB4CBEKz4DoxEMSCBNi-PEIYGEhCQOm4aNACqomPOadT5rdSgWnUDucLdThltaT/s640/IMG_2454.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">The Mausoleum is definitely worth a visit. Ho Chi Minh was a communist Vietnamese revolutionary who was and still is looked up to with almost God-like status within the country. The mausoleum is where they keep his body today but it's more than just a dead body to look at - the site is probably the most well maintained area of Hanoi and is a big green space in centre of the city chaos which makes a nice change. You can either take a guided tour or walk at your own pace and along the route around the park you'll pass some pagodas, Ho Chi Minh's old house and the presidential palace.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9UeulMd5tN9wL3oRW4kEfQ3wWcxt2ITpfZMxWg4ynM8TywNRAGgSKC9BqCuIGSBDHAZLurMWdaqUdI_IOiQjblSk2wKHqYG9Q890M-wUS_FaxdgjgJIE_SlNtDu8fUP9KIR6RhaDyJ0U/s1600/IMG_2847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9UeulMd5tN9wL3oRW4kEfQ3wWcxt2ITpfZMxWg4ynM8TywNRAGgSKC9BqCuIGSBDHAZLurMWdaqUdI_IOiQjblSk2wKHqYG9Q890M-wUS_FaxdgjgJIE_SlNtDu8fUP9KIR6RhaDyJ0U/s640/IMG_2847.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfqf746jXvcfWuguseqjHj52zZblhGm03xIuVI0PwSgPSNptWw0KuGCGv9QAJ5r38hs8Lz5-_YwACD4yw0jJmUPzD9ELUo3qwcwWu_xrAiz7gz7aKgL8TSQBI8jZTwxtgzzvkIYtR935O/s1600/IMG_2850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfqf746jXvcfWuguseqjHj52zZblhGm03xIuVI0PwSgPSNptWw0KuGCGv9QAJ5r38hs8Lz5-_YwACD4yw0jJmUPzD9ELUo3qwcwWu_xrAiz7gz7aKgL8TSQBI8jZTwxtgzzvkIYtR935O/s640/IMG_2850.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Hoa Lo Prison Museum</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">This museum offers an insight into a fascinating part of Vietnamese history. If you're British or American then it's quite common to have only really heard about the Vietnam war in terms of America's involvement but a lot of this museum is dedicated to what the Vietnamese call the French war, exhibiting how Vietnamese revolutionaries suffered at the hands of French colonists. The prison did then go on to be used by the Vietnamese to house American POWs and was the home to John McCain for some time during the American Vietnam war which is equally interesting. The most shocking part of this museum is that it is in the old prison building itself and some of the cells have been left untouched since they were used for torture. This was probably our favourite museum in the city and is a definite recommend. The museum is on the corner of Hai Ba Trung and Hoa Lo streets and 20.000vnd (cheaper for students).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxD0wPT8h-ZyDGVby7Tu4hw0mGzsLL-aIKjHNxKOPI-EX1kmqQHlx42kAlQ9NkwlN9ySziSwNtzK3-YqxecMAjjpN5ZnzGf2ubbovliW_bjIXQE4rwB-j0AhR65MZUEbdvSIm0ST2WIXz/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxD0wPT8h-ZyDGVby7Tu4hw0mGzsLL-aIKjHNxKOPI-EX1kmqQHlx42kAlQ9NkwlN9ySziSwNtzK3-YqxecMAjjpN5ZnzGf2ubbovliW_bjIXQE4rwB-j0AhR65MZUEbdvSIm0ST2WIXz/s640/IMG_2456.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6skxI2JiYbaSa7DVMC3twS_sG42TC13EP47RcTfbP4-oZ48o9XG3VJD43pWW9sp4pBylOHDJkLe6oEW3GMvk9UO0ynIp3HN2tWLx4A3EWtHNU1PXF1bR56zshn_Z111KnLs-a6r4vuPq/s1600/IMG_2449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6skxI2JiYbaSa7DVMC3twS_sG42TC13EP47RcTfbP4-oZ48o9XG3VJD43pWW9sp4pBylOHDJkLe6oEW3GMvk9UO0ynIp3HN2tWLx4A3EWtHNU1PXF1bR56zshn_Z111KnLs-a6r4vuPq/s640/IMG_2449.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Temple of Literature</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Less of a museum and more of a peaceful area to walk around, this place was the site of Vietnam's very first university and dates back to almost 1000 years ago. It is one of Hanoi's most beautiful sites and a chance to see some relatively unharmed old Vietnamese architecture.</span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Van Phuc Silk Village</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Again, not strictly a museum, but Van Phuc Silk Village is there to explain how the locals make and sell silk garments, much like a museum would. If you're interested in textiles then I imagine you'd find this particularly fascinating but even if you're not the place makes a good day out. It's a quiet area to walk around a your own pace, out of the busyness of the city. There are opportunities to watch the silk making process in action, as well as take guided tours and buys a few things if you want to.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE71jUlZhkPbML4IqVipik_G5UW-P3ZFelCMfaE-daU8doYJbYRsupK-G4tdXqvesn3-FICTZZ97CbVMoYfYdeE1PLDW6KWhS-HUnt0G2rLjnigkI4Pj1FBeRdPeFmO2F6HIRi0t3YuE6/s1600/SAM_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE71jUlZhkPbML4IqVipik_G5UW-P3ZFelCMfaE-daU8doYJbYRsupK-G4tdXqvesn3-FICTZZ97CbVMoYfYdeE1PLDW6KWhS-HUnt0G2rLjnigkI4Pj1FBeRdPeFmO2F6HIRi0t3YuE6/s640/SAM_0778.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_3NIoDeFtJr4HBZ_6naVZOm7Bbj9x6g9yv7iX72qciglc-gbETJ-u8LfDEQJJa7QOKkATxHhFMAOm0Vaf6Gduwsy_C7RemssdmS8ywwg-ibJjLlobU4BHOORuZErBrUGMV37cI9eNeD1/s1600/IMG_2911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnItypdPA5hvmO0AgAHtOZwg46LbtTYGiHdoi_hHdbKEe0STGpBFDxxs7UojqrVAb8lOqcrWH9QijxnTewqLDpNWKmpeoJbGxDMuyeNKIVRtrAgPrnuspXCweqC2HY8OIHf_E2q1A4e4B/s1600/IMG_2911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnItypdPA5hvmO0AgAHtOZwg46LbtTYGiHdoi_hHdbKEe0STGpBFDxxs7UojqrVAb8lOqcrWH9QijxnTewqLDpNWKmpeoJbGxDMuyeNKIVRtrAgPrnuspXCweqC2HY8OIHf_E2q1A4e4B/s640/IMG_2911.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: black;">
The Very Best Cafes in Hanoi</span></h3>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
The Note Coffee</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Meet likeminded travellers, leave notes and read stories of other travellers! The staff here are lovely and make the effort to talk to you and practise their English. If you want to try something new then I'd recommend the egg coffee (cà phê trúng), devised in the 40s due to a milk shortage. It's not going to be your new favourite drink but will certainly be much better than you'll expect.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpTbpf1wzv9VONOhrHWH9A4IH1uR-tuo3R4Shryt__iZ4GYoopHio_4GOqt9sDWCpgsA8IitaANYAjlNcmyQw9Eby8dSWei8Rm3qhxsEn2G_IDQ_CCj-zjgHec2iThRoo3jkVEW422sCz/s1600/IMG_2458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpTbpf1wzv9VONOhrHWH9A4IH1uR-tuo3R4Shryt__iZ4GYoopHio_4GOqt9sDWCpgsA8IitaANYAjlNcmyQw9Eby8dSWei8Rm3qhxsEn2G_IDQ_CCj-zjgHec2iThRoo3jkVEW422sCz/s640/IMG_2458.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Bus Café</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Hanoi's coolest undiscovered café, the bus cafe is a bit out of town but really close to Landmark 72/Keangnam tower if you find yourself in this area. It's on the opposite side of the Landmark 72 building a couple minutes along the main road. Click <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/BEEPRO/@21.0143653,105.7829047,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x3135ab5532dd7487:0x29f985d2b17ba60a!2sVCV+Social+Enterprise!8m2!3d21.015963!4d105.7821541!3m4!1s0x3135ab557a949451:0xedfd61f373b56eae!8m2!3d21.0143653!4d105.7843783" target="_blank">here</a> to find it on google maps!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeCpwq3bBADBDzfbQLOzlQmQhnl6EM_Gmbb6WRvnmQ1c21cKl99_N0sELstce1gTXrqJ6eAp1H1WfocdCVEoK4aO2tcjWuLfqePKMw-O6QYro3yNKcAAc88v8eQscOmi3HP_55GdvGHTn/s1600/IMG_2413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeCpwq3bBADBDzfbQLOzlQmQhnl6EM_Gmbb6WRvnmQ1c21cKl99_N0sELstce1gTXrqJ6eAp1H1WfocdCVEoK4aO2tcjWuLfqePKMw-O6QYro3yNKcAAc88v8eQscOmi3HP_55GdvGHTn/s640/IMG_2413.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEi4iFgpubaYRPEUZG3Wvd-UBXDyNFaTGmivCAYbl6EW5LnC_vUjkrAu_FtyuiG8e1OSpSomAaEDyl_g-agNrKyRQ2G8Cdv1eRM6N_kjiIclYIJlSZKhNkfiaOIj-rHKqtDWx2nx64LAc/s1600/IMG_2630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEi4iFgpubaYRPEUZG3Wvd-UBXDyNFaTGmivCAYbl6EW5LnC_vUjkrAu_FtyuiG8e1OSpSomAaEDyl_g-agNrKyRQ2G8Cdv1eRM6N_kjiIclYIJlSZKhNkfiaOIj-rHKqtDWx2nx64LAc/s640/IMG_2630.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Café Pho Co</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">A hidden cafe overlooking Hoàn Kiếm lake, to find this place you'll have to walk through what looks like a silk shop, then somebody's living room, up a ladder and a staircase back into what looks like a local's house before reaching a balcony area. Click <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Old+Town+Garden+Café/@21.0321625,105.8488348,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3135abbeed1a0639:0x1aa441a5b73b8bce!8m2!3d21.0321575!4d105.8510288" target="_blank">here</a> to se where it is.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Cộng Cà Phê</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">It's always good to know a good quality chain cafe. In Vietnam it is Cộng Cà Phê. These are dotted all around town and across the country as well. Inside you'll find communist themed retro décor and plenty of caffeine options.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bSFwYjIomFL6qzMCw6VQK9-tAeU1q3HbLj4bVOmyjp65FybwArWJD_6tJ2T7exoZ8aso1Z_AoVXVQJGuC0XPbCf-8b3tU2NebeIaAa0l_91-djI-_p3aGVQDFX96fKilL7nKjPHsrl1s/s1600/IMG_2338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bSFwYjIomFL6qzMCw6VQK9-tAeU1q3HbLj4bVOmyjp65FybwArWJD_6tJ2T7exoZ8aso1Z_AoVXVQJGuC0XPbCf-8b3tU2NebeIaAa0l_91-djI-_p3aGVQDFX96fKilL7nKjPHsrl1s/s640/IMG_2338.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="color: black;">
The Very Best Bars in Hanoi</span></h3>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Lotte Tower Rooftop</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">The Lotte tower is the second highest in the city and therefore makes for good views. Western prices (v expensive for Hanoi) but worth going up for a drink for the view before heading elsewhere.</span></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKFTAI6cYUJa6K3CvohHKfGmTa3jxU_yTYrsbQZ7W0AdTHTI8FkCpZTD6TvwV2rmdn-wLmYyhKm4549ll5hVxNrrj52x1TYOB9WD1RXLJCwnk-BfJcT6J12DiIaTzFHb7h8sf51mkFjlz/s1600/IMG_1995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKFTAI6cYUJa6K3CvohHKfGmTa3jxU_yTYrsbQZ7W0AdTHTI8FkCpZTD6TvwV2rmdn-wLmYyhKm4549ll5hVxNrrj52x1TYOB9WD1RXLJCwnk-BfJcT6J12DiIaTzFHb7h8sf51mkFjlz/s640/IMG_1995.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Beer Street (corner)</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Beer street or corner can be found at Ta Hien Street and is where most nights out seem to start and finish. Cheap restaurants and bars spill out onto the road - grab a little blue stool and get talking to the locals and other tourists.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tRaVtNeOwQAW4keLkKuveL9TiAYBNeMHXvIryf92OOlQ6uxswPgZHFqZuApbyCIz-dCWKOf20DwtrzuYvnarK3q0KU_yFqtFOh_EUu1DrEalq4O66k61Uy4yoOIVzYkPJVQiLZJXKPph/s1600/IMG_E2925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tRaVtNeOwQAW4keLkKuveL9TiAYBNeMHXvIryf92OOlQ6uxswPgZHFqZuApbyCIz-dCWKOf20DwtrzuYvnarK3q0KU_yFqtFOh_EUu1DrEalq4O66k61Uy4yoOIVzYkPJVQiLZJXKPph/s640/IMG_E2925.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<ul>
<h4>
</h4>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Pirate's Den</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">An edgy 3 story bar in the centre of the Old Quarter, the Pirates Den seemed to be a place we kept stumbling upon. Its one of rthe few places to stay open after 1am and often has really good live music.</span></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Unicorn Bar</span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">A cool cocktail bar also in Old Quarter, the Unicorn bar is known to make a big effort with presentation. We tried pho cocktails here which were weirdly better than expected.</span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: black;">
The very best markets in Hanoi</span></h3>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Night Market </span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Taking place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, this is the very best place to pick up super cheap clothes, tourist tat and anything in between. More so than some of the other markets, this place is set up for tourists and so pay attention to the price you're paying for things to avoid getting scammed. A lot of the stuff on sale here is actually from China rather than local factories and so be wary that the quality of the products are likely to be very low. That said, I picked up a 'North Face' pack-up raincoat for under £5 which is honestly the most waterproof thing I've ever owned.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R3PVqiGJZkB-2xNrm1kUIwknyn79uJUF1HCWD89Mc1RqZMtdNc-HrLHwW3CaGPL4Q0tbeIsUQOwNXmy4qbSJ7vUHq7H5O0UvKd3MD03ikZTzv9WFKZUPpdbNVYXu7-mDv0ouIviUtQib/s1600/IMG_2922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R3PVqiGJZkB-2xNrm1kUIwknyn79uJUF1HCWD89Mc1RqZMtdNc-HrLHwW3CaGPL4Q0tbeIsUQOwNXmy4qbSJ7vUHq7H5O0UvKd3MD03ikZTzv9WFKZUPpdbNVYXu7-mDv0ouIviUtQib/s640/IMG_2922.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Student Market </span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">One perk of living with the locals was that we could take them shopping with us to help find us the cheapest deals and the best quality. One great place to start for this is the student market as the locals know how to seek out the best prices without awful quality.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Dong Xuan Market</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">If you get stressed out by small crowded places then you'll want to give this market a miss. However if you're not so put off by this then definitely head down to Dong Xuan market. It's mostly indoors and is on 3 floors, each packed with what seemed like hundreds of small stores selling everything and anything. There is an area on the ground floor full of tourist stuff and some great bargains to find on the higher floors. Even if you don't want to buy anything, we'd still recommend giving this place a visit for the experience!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykP8U-K0ttCok1V4fkUh0oLnzw2VH9VnPx2sG_dDhi73RdeFMUke7o_cbY7vlQVwiHuno1zLWcyCQfhbKPo6SaO5i0Ovl2Y3MtMcF6ZWCBLYpj-jn1J0VbjjqhnYPNvOwLwenhqjXtlut/s1600/IMG_2682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykP8U-K0ttCok1V4fkUh0oLnzw2VH9VnPx2sG_dDhi73RdeFMUke7o_cbY7vlQVwiHuno1zLWcyCQfhbKPo6SaO5i0Ovl2Y3MtMcF6ZWCBLYpj-jn1J0VbjjqhnYPNvOwLwenhqjXtlut/s640/IMG_2682.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Hang Dau Street</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">More commonly known as 'shoe street' this road sells lots and lots of...you guessed it, shoes.You'll actually find decent quality in many of the shops so don't expect to be paying rock-bottom prices. It'll still be cheap, but think around £10/15 for trainers.</span></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Hang Gai Street</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Also known as silk street, this is your place to find great quality fabrics and clothes for a fraction of the price back home. You can also take the opportunity to get some clothes tailor made to pick up the next day, although if you're heading South to Hoi An then you're best off waiting until then.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="color: black;">
Other Things to Do in Hanoi (that you might not have thought of!)</span></h3>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Escape Room</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">There are a number of escape rooms in Hanoi which are just as cheap as everything else there. We did one as a group one day and had a great time (although sadly didn't quite escape!)They're set up for tourists and the clues are in English so if you're looking for something different to do on an afternoon then why not give it a try!</span></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Cinema</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Just like escape rooms, cinemas are also really cheap in Vietnam and almost all of the films are played in English with Vietnamese subtitles. If you're like us and love going to the cinema but can never justify paying £10 on a ticket then you'll soon get into the habit of going regularly when travelling in Asia!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYzW54MyQLrwymCukNuC9bSiOUFRF2eJdUCD0kfi8_pi4r0FRxJfrBUO0hx95I3pWJYOqvrj6EO_Wwb2VQxi8D3eyfqPblOEhyNgp_nbIMd8HnwKYpEIpJdjb3NmWHochL3dLKVt-EcE7/s1600/JVMQE0399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYzW54MyQLrwymCukNuC9bSiOUFRF2eJdUCD0kfi8_pi4r0FRxJfrBUO0hx95I3pWJYOqvrj6EO_Wwb2VQxi8D3eyfqPblOEhyNgp_nbIMd8HnwKYpEIpJdjb3NmWHochL3dLKVt-EcE7/s640/JVMQE0399.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Landmark 72 Swimming Pool</span></h4>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">It can get incredibly hot in Hanoi so finding a swimming pool where you can relax for the day might not be such a bad idea. We went to the one at Landmark 72 Keangnam building which was great. It's a little more expensive then most things in the city but then it's part of a fancy hotel and there aren't many pools around to choose from.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Well, that's the lot! If you've got any questions about Hanoi or travelling in general, please send us a message on Instagram or Facebook or comment below.</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">
Go to the Football</span></h4>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Hanoi have a local team in Vietnam's top league, as well as a decent national team which is one of the best in Asia. We went to watch a game in the Asia Cup, Vietnam vs Cambodia (we won!!!) which was really fun, despite the torrential rain! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGV7vTZBeS4jNzjOcbtfYD0OnqIlpXb5yQKuZMpPOLq74RZYx3sE7rQNaQz5MZQucC-Ojs0-8ZkI4kN5qlj4iYlmpne6DeM2Nqu1zK89xlfJaDyyT9JVZ7HkIOb9ZCvvkNw3ClAdCaLpT/s1600/IMG_2837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGV7vTZBeS4jNzjOcbtfYD0OnqIlpXb5yQKuZMpPOLq74RZYx3sE7rQNaQz5MZQucC-Ojs0-8ZkI4kN5qlj4iYlmpne6DeM2Nqu1zK89xlfJaDyyT9JVZ7HkIOb9ZCvvkNw3ClAdCaLpT/s640/IMG_2837.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Thanks for reading,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<span style="color: black;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d71089.93645934132!2d105.81395409601283!3d21.017047683447074!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1537569605847" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
</span>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com3Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam21.0277644 105.8341597999999520.968477399999998 105.75347879999995 21.0870514 105.91484079999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-84299473030940133452018-09-13T06:12:00.004-07:002018-09-14T04:00:18.066-07:00A Day Out in The Hague<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGyyE6h9bPvRWR51Qn4284Q591feEmzNdiiIPg0g5o0CzJdtLGPIhmXwCjQ4nngaSOJSss2Zuip2zKqeusfwhWC6ZtIU7gDvNT6p4nKHQ06nyrtf371I4_0BLaDk7x4SbqVEGmQGkYqXI/s1600/LRG_DSC06256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJGyyE6h9bPvRWR51Qn4284Q591feEmzNdiiIPg0g5o0CzJdtLGPIhmXwCjQ4nngaSOJSss2Zuip2zKqeusfwhWC6ZtIU7gDvNT6p4nKHQ06nyrtf371I4_0BLaDk7x4SbqVEGmQGkYqXI/s320/LRG_DSC06256.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Being less than an hour from Amsterdam, you really have no excuse to miss out The Hague if you're coming to the Netherlands. Holland's third biggest city boasts endless quirky shops, cafes and bars as well as a decent beach and of course, enough canals and bicycles to give the place that distinctive Dutch feel. Whether you're the kind that will happily spend hours in Zara, or you're the type who'd prefer to wonder round some museums - Den Haag's got you covered. Read on for our favourite things to do in the area and a few photos from our recent trip...</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Admire the architecture</span></b><br />
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Hague has both impressive old and new architecture. Nordeinde palace and the Ridderzaal contrast starkly with the modern high rises that you can see from all of the city. The Ridderzaal is part of the Binnenhof which is the workplace of the prime minister of The Netherlands and is found in the city centre. This area by the Binnenhof is a pleasant area to explore as it's right next to one of the bigger and prettier canals.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FadoMREIbXmB-2RzuqQISSJJowYZLBM0XuvltiPiE0rLliyMLyM91wQlrVO8iLlG4E9Zc_1reJWVsziHGliScRi3J34qoUGA6M_Pop1b30O6Kne8gzt5PRoTKkr9BJkGQ11gAfyVmOvr/s1600/LRG_DSC06281.jpg"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FadoMREIbXmB-2RzuqQISSJJowYZLBM0XuvltiPiE0rLliyMLyM91wQlrVO8iLlG4E9Zc_1reJWVsziHGliScRi3J34qoUGA6M_Pop1b30O6Kne8gzt5PRoTKkr9BJkGQ11gAfyVmOvr/s1600/LRG_DSC06281.jpg" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7lbRw1oz62N192J6V18WUr_bRl5WgTTbwm6X5mHY71HXQ154bcgoHdHSFj6GT6ufE-z-yu7cCVXWLw9x8p-wDcVcxw7MuFWoGPztJZJuOq8-kdVT4REgU4ai6442fvLIL24k3o2jhjPQ/s1600/LRG_DSC06267.jpg"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7lbRw1oz62N192J6V18WUr_bRl5WgTTbwm6X5mHY71HXQ154bcgoHdHSFj6GT6ufE-z-yu7cCVXWLw9x8p-wDcVcxw7MuFWoGPztJZJuOq8-kdVT4REgU4ai6442fvLIL24k3o2jhjPQ/s1600/LRG_DSC06267.jpg" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Escher Museum</span></b><br />
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This was the best museum we've been to in a long time. Escher was a Dutch artist from the area, famous for his mathematically inspired drawings and artwork. He was and in many people's eyes still is, the king of optical illusion. This naturally makes for a great museum, as a lot of his work is clever and will hold your attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cBTRuR5ekLtgH43ZaZzyFYXbg5wwHkkZQ-tviTDwGmOTs1xcjD5LCW9PL6NjXj7n0x6sxwex3aiuurU33OPZojSDw4OEbIP3EtjWZ2ih2Yn3_ZuzAFY7Vxf2vGlCAZtI-G-ReWz3HlqW/s1600/LRG_DSC06222.jpg"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cBTRuR5ekLtgH43ZaZzyFYXbg5wwHkkZQ-tviTDwGmOTs1xcjD5LCW9PL6NjXj7n0x6sxwex3aiuurU33OPZojSDw4OEbIP3EtjWZ2ih2Yn3_ZuzAFY7Vxf2vGlCAZtI-G-ReWz3HlqW/s1600/LRG_DSC06222.jpg" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cBTRuR5ekLtgH43ZaZzyFYXbg5wwHkkZQ-tviTDwGmOTs1xcjD5LCW9PL6NjXj7n0x6sxwex3aiuurU33OPZojSDw4OEbIP3EtjWZ2ih2Yn3_ZuzAFY7Vxf2vGlCAZtI-G-ReWz3HlqW/s1600/LRG_DSC06222.jpg"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGz8HbvUZfzE5LOy-yetn9yWXSk1eh4PEjRzhr07F2cwkP0LvwHmM8uQOKNMpfpguMdCKcby5xZ-yo_AlWrGCHYJaQ9Vjj5nyWIeDFW23J3Y-06T_C2Fa4SrhXRtDdyyL_HBfai-evEhHr/s1600/LRG_DSC06234.jpg"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGz8HbvUZfzE5LOy-yetn9yWXSk1eh4PEjRzhr07F2cwkP0LvwHmM8uQOKNMpfpguMdCKcby5xZ-yo_AlWrGCHYJaQ9Vjj5nyWIeDFW23J3Y-06T_C2Fa4SrhXRtDdyyL_HBfai-evEhHr/s1600/LRG_DSC06234.jpg" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Explore the area by bike</span></b><br />
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't already worked it out, The Netherlands is an absolute dream for getting around on two wheels. We were staying with friends in Wassenaar and so chose to cycle into the city from there - a route which is mainly through the woods and is completely on cycle paths. If you're staying in The Hague, we'd recommend doing it the other way around, as Wassenaar is a pretty little town worth a visit for it's amazing ice cream parlour. Alternatively, you could use bikes to cycle down to the sand dunes and beach at Scheveningen.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6k8jF7_Za1KEaHLI9NyRcxrN5CG7wmcZC6GqSCGcvigcX4lm6ZDW69Cvd2lgYCiGPuQ-DzMDlAL8kbl8NDeXgquCsYzJJ6F6Dp8hBdIoK22ekdvmjPJ9QZphXpq-zUV6gw6yTBDLtHTKk/s1600/LRG_DSC06219.jpg"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6k8jF7_Za1KEaHLI9NyRcxrN5CG7wmcZC6GqSCGcvigcX4lm6ZDW69Cvd2lgYCiGPuQ-DzMDlAL8kbl8NDeXgquCsYzJJ6F6Dp8hBdIoK22ekdvmjPJ9QZphXpq-zUV6gw6yTBDLtHTKk/s1600/LRG_DSC06219.jpg" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Head to the beach</span></b><br />
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you're being realistic with the weather then you'll probably be pretty pleased with the beach at Scheveningen. Considering temperatures in Holland are very similar to the UK, we found it impressive that there were so many beach bars and cafes along the sand, all of which seemed pretty well established, rather than shoddily put up when the sun came out. Across the water on the English coastline you would be a lot less likely to find such a set up and everything often seems just that little bit more sad. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So basically, we were pleasantly surprised with the beach at the Hague. On top of this, it's very well maintained, there's plenty of space (even on a hot sunny day) and there are a number of adrenaline activities by the pier such as bungee jumping and zip-lining if you're that way inclined!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Walk in the dunes</span></b><br />
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The sand dunes around the Hague and Scheveningen are a dog-walkers' paradise, but dog or not, they are certainly worth a visit! If you fancy getting away from the busy city but aren't up for going to the beach then this is the perfect in between. With an extensive network of cycle paths and walking tracks you could easily spend an hour or so exploring the yellow hills.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Shopping in The Hague</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In our opinion, The Hague makes a great place to go shopping. It's got all the big name brands you know and love, plus plenty of smaller individual shops which lure you in with their quirky window displays. The Court Quarter (Hofquartier) wouldn't be a bad place to start if you're looking for more up-market boutique buys or head to the areas around the Spui and Grote Markstraat for high street shopping.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Once again, thanks for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d39238.095711608184!2d4.2860058093676345!3d52.072794158539885!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1536922782172" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0The Hague, Netherlands52.0704978 4.300699900000040551.9143338 3.9779764000000406 52.226661799999995 4.6234234000000409tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-42941883370610876572018-08-08T10:36:00.003-07:002018-09-24T03:04:21.962-07:00How to Spend a Day in Leiden<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2kjHYTEgBdx0yyN5aDBXez50thZs8L8crUbdrZ2wzJAC7-Jbww30zokZdseZ7WRd-Jk-5ZojvbEnYhswl4Rx09T5vvI_8mhbl0w553mwOUezNWMcyzDm3VhU7RgcwHZzQ_902VuY8QvX/s1600/LRG_DSC06213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2kjHYTEgBdx0yyN5aDBXez50thZs8L8crUbdrZ2wzJAC7-Jbww30zokZdseZ7WRd-Jk-5ZojvbEnYhswl4Rx09T5vvI_8mhbl0w553mwOUezNWMcyzDm3VhU7RgcwHZzQ_902VuY8QvX/s1600/LRG_DSC06213.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Leiden is a charming town which feels a lot like Amsterdam, only smaller. Like in the capital, boats and bicycles seem to be the popular way of getting around, although here just about everything worth visiting is walkable. Home to the oldest university in The Netherlands, Leiden has many beautiful buildings which boast some of the very best traditional Dutch architecture, rivalling Amsterdam as well as the rest of the country. This is why Leiden should be high up on your list when visiting the Low Lands.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Just a short walk from the city’s old gates towards its centre will take you past a traditional Dutch windmill and weave in and out of cute streets lined with individual cafes, restaurants, bars and shops. There aren’t many ‘big name’ tourist attractions here, but then there doesn’t need to be, because wondering around the town and ducking into little cafes and shops will likely take up the majority of the day. Without further or do, here’s our top tips for visiting Leiden.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXi8s8nx5Ezd2_ckpNP7D2KHFLnhoJ5Xb87yONK60EplMcMp4L7IuUqk_AK9wL_NX7_5D2H-tBvjAX47LghvlDxXDSGZdxzRC1jdNp47AEAL0N3Fyfxj0jZUXy0gOidGer-cb4-KQ-uh5/s1600/LRG_DSC06218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXi8s8nx5Ezd2_ckpNP7D2KHFLnhoJ5Xb87yONK60EplMcMp4L7IuUqk_AK9wL_NX7_5D2H-tBvjAX47LghvlDxXDSGZdxzRC1jdNp47AEAL0N3Fyfxj0jZUXy0gOidGer-cb4-KQ-uh5/s640/LRG_DSC06218.jpg" width="427" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqsO7J-rH_7IAvv1XvvVc8spwRqnnj_Nv1DWHZd_p6iHZLQlTLtxTbiqmkyR6ZngMIDtzx0mMqJL6T9pSGrn8x5mBvQgxWfqTonbBCJWtOuLV1p3Dl4emJBBoHWaokPX6eHsuO3ap8ASJ/s1600/LRG_DSC06166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqsO7J-rH_7IAvv1XvvVc8spwRqnnj_Nv1DWHZd_p6iHZLQlTLtxTbiqmkyR6ZngMIDtzx0mMqJL6T9pSGrn8x5mBvQgxWfqTonbBCJWtOuLV1p3Dl4emJBBoHWaokPX6eHsuO3ap8ASJ/s640/LRG_DSC06166.jpg" width="427" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-Qkmo4iMyKSVLKN67frJyGs0AnxeDdHwdndAy59jIUWpcxhCd4PqizD3LzP1rWSLuwZGHDnAePFpKrRe40x-0UvlSe51D-twMMvpU_xviUXCRGvY_lX0c7GF5NoL4pQhgVFlBflN72kE/s1600/LRG_DSC06176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-Qkmo4iMyKSVLKN67frJyGs0AnxeDdHwdndAy59jIUWpcxhCd4PqizD3LzP1rWSLuwZGHDnAePFpKrRe40x-0UvlSe51D-twMMvpU_xviUXCRGvY_lX0c7GF5NoL4pQhgVFlBflN72kE/s1600/LRG_DSC06176.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ_BcUSm8a14ZATYyzyhr0DswVe8N7ZBexBJnJUjwXeLWHQ1jjJEAVsEhMHMcuJlqa6e2ZCJ1E2Sgb_pmDvPudngN3OoXAmZUEDMdEijNiWNHEIpmpWokzAtMvXxKgPRmPIMQQBrgyArE/s1600/LRG_DSC06192.jpg" /></span></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">Learn the local history at the Pilgrim museum </span></h2>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">If you’re even the faintest bit interested in history then this place is a must. Consisting of only two rooms, the Leiden American Pilgrim museum is set up for you to view and understand what typical life was like for these people hundreds of years ago. The museum has original books, paintings and artefacts that you are allowed to pick up and explore yourself (including a 12th Century chair that you can sit on!) The woman working there currently is excellent and could answer any possible questions we had. Entrance cost us €5 per person which seemed very reasonable - would totally recommend giving this place a visit!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">View the city from Burcht Van Leiden</span></h2>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">This is a castle like building situated on a small hill just large enough to give you decent views of the cathedral and the city. The 11th century keep is surrounded by a park which would make a great stop for a pick-nick lunch if you're trying to save some money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Stop for a drink by the canal</b></span></h2>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">There are so many places where you can grab a drink alongside the canal, almost all of which make a great spot for taking the time to sit back and watch the boats glide by.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev6qmMGwuXniSPc_1Pl1-lo4BcMh2oPPwdpy1Un-6b3x3rjpDcZzPNqdKn0K7UKxgdNMvQGDYEAJ44nctLp6DDjFmM1dJVf3UuNetcCmeeGarzYak7mYd6_-kEXRvJgVazFSqg0f22bvQ/s1600/LRG_DSC06179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev6qmMGwuXniSPc_1Pl1-lo4BcMh2oPPwdpy1Un-6b3x3rjpDcZzPNqdKn0K7UKxgdNMvQGDYEAJ44nctLp6DDjFmM1dJVf3UuNetcCmeeGarzYak7mYd6_-kEXRvJgVazFSqg0f22bvQ/s640/LRG_DSC06179.jpg" width="427" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>How to get to Leiden</b></span></h2>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">From Amsterdam, Leiden is about a 45 minute drive or a half hour train ride. The train will cost you about €10 each way and regularly throughout the day. To check train times, click <a href="https://www.trainline.eu/?_ga=2.199687657.637425480.1533749630-1948012866.1533749630" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Thanks for reading,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Will & Melissa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d20189.81844179283!2d4.480785055009263!3d52.15912279023517!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1533752089245" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Leiden, Netherlands52.1601144 4.497009700000035152.0821724 4.3356482000000351 52.2380564 4.658371200000035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-44607055627452425892018-07-20T10:25:00.001-07:002018-09-24T02:53:50.900-07:00Mompiche - Ecuador's Hidden Beach Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4qQsJgCuXcXlrfUrohHRwckQ2UoDQkgLGnDTL6Bvrw4RsbqFFRNVisfB5b_G4EdM3kSmcUROqtQMHzA3wHd8gyzSXvE3SUePOt4NUnPIBnIIeZxrHQbgp81O6c_jNirbB21xT7b9SN4f/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4qQsJgCuXcXlrfUrohHRwckQ2UoDQkgLGnDTL6Bvrw4RsbqFFRNVisfB5b_G4EdM3kSmcUROqtQMHzA3wHd8gyzSXvE3SUePOt4NUnPIBnIIeZxrHQbgp81O6c_jNirbB21xT7b9SN4f/s320/IMG_0296.JPG" width="318" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The two hour windy journey from Esmeraldas to Mompiche took us deep into the jungle before reemerging back along the ocean front. It had been a blissful couple of weeks travelling north up the pacific coastline from Peru to northern Ecuador and Mompiche would be our final stop before heading back inland towards Quito. So far, we'd experienced the more lively towns of Mancora and Montanita as well as Puerto Lopez and Canoa which were both a lot quieter but both lacked a certain charm we'd been searching for. The small fishing village of Mompiche ticked that box for us. It was quiet but still had an atmosphere in the evenings and it felt like a place for the locals as much as for the tourists. This is something we're begun to feel is really important. All of the best experiences that we've had on this trip so far have been embracing local life and getting involved with the local community. It can therefore be a real shame when you arrive somewhere and you get the vibe that everything has been completely set up for the tourists and the locals are hiding away in the background. Well, Mompiche wasn't like that at all and although it was naturally a tourist spot for its beautiful beach and great surf, locals were still happily<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>going<span style="font-family: inherit;"> about their daily lives. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A lot of people tended to either give Ecuador a miss entirely and get a flight between Columbia and Peru, or only allocate a week or so for the country. This meant that if they did come to Ecuador they would be less </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">likely</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> to make their way out to the coast and would probably travel the more well-trodden route along the centre of the country. This, in our opinion, is a HUGE mistake, as Ecuador's beaches are beautiful and many would say some of the best on the continent. Anyway, if you are short of time, then we'd recommend going to Quito, Mindo and Mompiche along the north western side of the country as they are all relatively close together and make it easier for onward travel towards Columbia if you're heading in that direction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Back to Mompiche and here's the lowdown on what you need to know...</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><br />
<div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The Beach</span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Beach in Mompiche is actually really nice. The sand isn't perfect and golden but there really aren't a lot of people around and it hasn't been spoilt at all. If you walk to the end of the beach and past the big rocks you'll get onto another stretch of sand which is really quiet and great if you want to go in the water and leave your stuff in the sand without being concerned someone will run off with it.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just be sure to check the tide before you make big sunbathing plans, at high tide there really isn't a lot of space!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxtHxL1gKr2tL8E9PT9JNa3e007YCVhq-OechMR6d6aGcv8Fj-9vbmxVm-LPpc61k0VPBc2GZLsXPyQ3ouX_C1YcltpTAu9FYCLu8LRaIFmazu3kdAkZx_0SbJSYXtoJtNxpypBRIn0oH/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxtHxL1gKr2tL8E9PT9JNa3e007YCVhq-OechMR6d6aGcv8Fj-9vbmxVm-LPpc61k0VPBc2GZLsXPyQ3ouX_C1YcltpTAu9FYCLu8LRaIFmazu3kdAkZx_0SbJSYXtoJtNxpypBRIn0oH/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFuJFxmgX158ZP4EtISVyOZek3ntr-UTWDdMhhQFq4RL65ZDlZbv4c64kq4anRBqe1WRqswqkp43mUkII50LBTtBDc-tefgo7VG5UIlXgPuSK79k3RJsMiLp0ZxMn8rN92xWFXYqEpfO_/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFuJFxmgX158ZP4EtISVyOZek3ntr-UTWDdMhhQFq4RL65ZDlZbv4c64kq4anRBqe1WRqswqkp43mUkII50LBTtBDc-tefgo7VG5UIlXgPuSK79k3RJsMiLp0ZxMn8rN92xWFXYqEpfO_/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXweFNnwg9SxD6uhuA7uY6BZ3QtLgimI9KUhAj4hFr_VkihaS2AVk6C7DhPmm6qVPVDob36AVlydo73NZmnkeVjiYP6Ciq62hwS8lXUSYTLU24-30a7mqpvjmDq1R27mTyGgR5ldwGtA63/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXweFNnwg9SxD6uhuA7uY6BZ3QtLgimI9KUhAj4hFr_VkihaS2AVk6C7DhPmm6qVPVDob36AVlydo73NZmnkeVjiYP6Ciq62hwS8lXUSYTLU24-30a7mqpvjmDq1R27mTyGgR5ldwGtA63/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQ-JI9yCmS2WuDs6bmrEJRjDeElo3n33nGrYzAbzXdCjlbgx_VU47SyZnePXs1ki6lX3TqnF4TGJhVu-ZlKbAeZcs30YfzNwaB_u32JizgdGeU_FzFlnu59FtJxiYBdXpnwXmsda_Do3s/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQ-JI9yCmS2WuDs6bmrEJRjDeElo3n33nGrYzAbzXdCjlbgx_VU47SyZnePXs1ki6lX3TqnF4TGJhVu-ZlKbAeZcs30YfzNwaB_u32JizgdGeU_FzFlnu59FtJxiYBdXpnwXmsda_Do3s/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pGL_a0AVJkcbHXfvlKy7VLKJfDlY_O7-KNYgu-mdAfKl2l7XeHlz9g5OcBWTxLe-88KVQWSAKVLXuAmv7XVoiIfxwMls8YvArjppvPjBRP820SwK4dpiut_E1uP7akyMJ6ykZnPyutgH/s1600/IMG_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pGL_a0AVJkcbHXfvlKy7VLKJfDlY_O7-KNYgu-mdAfKl2l7XeHlz9g5OcBWTxLe-88KVQWSAKVLXuAmv7XVoiIfxwMls8YvArjppvPjBRP820SwK4dpiut_E1uP7akyMJ6ykZnPyutgH/s1600/IMG_0299.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>What to do</b></span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We found ourselves more than happy to simply lie on the beach and watch the hours pass by but if this isn't you then don't worry - there is plenty to keep you occupied in the area! Playa Negra (black beach) is about a 40 minute walk from Mompiche's beach. Head down the dirt track road from the South end of the main beach and keep walking until you reach a swinging gate. Follow the path down and you'll reach a secludid strip of soft dark sand. Again, check the tide before you head off! Portete beach is a little further (about an hour by foot or 15 minutes drive) but if you've got the time it sounds like its worth the walk. Lined with plam trees, this beach looks like a perfect piece of paradise that is certainly worth checking out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Where to eat</b></span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">To be honest the food here isn't going to blow you away, although you can get lots of fresh fish in just about every restaurant/cafe. Apart from the usual cheap and cheerful lunchtime deal places, we'd also recommend La Chocolata Cafe which serves up just about anything chocolaty plus a few other things, as well as La Facha (where we stayed) for slightly more expensive but very tasty snacks and meals.</span></div>
<div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Where we stayed</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We choose <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/ec/la-facha-hostal-restaurant-surf.en-gb.html?aid=356930;label=metagha-link-localuniversalGB-hotel-1073813_dev-desktop_los-1_bw-9_dow-Sunday_defdate-0_room-0_lang-en_curr-GBP_gstadt-2_rateid-0_cid-68;sid=7d9e3f7e8fecd56a7c770794f83dfd5e;all_sr_blocks=107381301_86804600_0_0_0;checkin=2018-07-29;checkout=2018-07-30;dest_id=-930929;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=2;hapos=1;highlighted_blocks=107381301_86804600_0_0_0;hpos=1;is_swapped_image=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;srepoch=1532109238;srfid=906d6533a1eb3070e02405a9763c92025ee0851fX1;srpvid=9ea27dda9200003e;type=total;ucfs=1&" target="_blank">La Facha Hostal</a> which did the job just fine. Location isn't so important in Mompiche as the village is so small but when you're looking make sure to check out whether the room has a fan s it gets very hot and nights would be uncomfortable without one.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for reading!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Will & Melissa</span></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d3382.132921479573!2d-80.02326693678182!3d0.5062617985953537!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1530549844087" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe></span></div>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Mompiche, Ecuador0.5050308 -80.0213537999999860.49709180000000003 -80.031438799999989 0.5129698 -80.011268799999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-87712945326493773462018-07-04T01:07:00.002-07:002018-09-14T04:02:41.599-07:00Glamping in the British Countryside with Campden Yurts<span style="font-size: large;">It's fair to say we've been around a bit in the last year and have ticked off a whole load of countries on our list. On such a list of visited countries</span><span style="font-size: large;"> we'd naturally include the UK our home, although we began to realise that it wasn't somewhere we had explored as much as you might expect. With that in mind we decided that when we next went away it</span><span style="font-size: large;"> would be somewhere local. This brought us to the Cotswolds, Chipping Campden and Campden Yurts...</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Cotswolds is a beautiful area in south central England known for its idyllic countryside towns which are quintessentially British. Chipping Campden, a small historic market town is in our opinion a perfect slice of british countryside that's definitely worth the visit, whether you're a travelling Brit or are coming from abroad to explore the UK. For us, this made a great base from which to explore the area. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We were staying at <a href="http://www.campdenyurts.co.uk/" target="_blank">Campden Yurts</a>, a small glamping site on a little farm just 15 minutes walk outside of the centre. It was the first time we'd ever been glamping before as being students at only 19, we would normally opt to camp in such a situation and probably save a bit of money. However after doing extensive research (Will has a problem), Campden Yurts looked like the best place to stay by far, due to it's location (a tranquil out of town site, but not too far of a walk in), its facilities and the yurts themselves. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A yurt is a large round tent which many have originally been used by the Mongolians hundreds of years ago, but it is now a solid member of the glamping team (along with tipis, bell tents, shepherd huts and many more). In this case it was a large tent which could sleep up to 6 people and included a double bed, two roll-out futons, a table, wood burner and stove. It was clear that it had been set up for comfort in all weather, from the sunny and hot days we were lucky enough to experience, to the more usual cold and windy British climate.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6Ga1ERmipTuBIqRQG6scX5TfPOVHBoYJoY-zhonXeua6KVKiyzB5BcmMlesw443eH0nmhCObARoC30dWXHslqkQ1aCgQpGwsMU4WoS05L6HLwDOI9cpytXXEseh0eWwVsRIkP74aRy6E/s1600/edit_346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6Ga1ERmipTuBIqRQG6scX5TfPOVHBoYJoY-zhonXeua6KVKiyzB5BcmMlesw443eH0nmhCObARoC30dWXHslqkQ1aCgQpGwsMU4WoS05L6HLwDOI9cpytXXEseh0eWwVsRIkP74aRy6E/s1600/edit_346.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSAQVWp-NwYJyNViTXuA8KAMmpcIYWreowbrfaz5zNxdKqOFWcbwnXzdISV-j-2DxEHiGhL3misAV2f9r4tcTtbUZLRSY9mmifJ6WmRTWymw2WfhvVXVgNBVp5QlCBY6lG4GNSTWj4Prk/s1600/edit_320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSAQVWp-NwYJyNViTXuA8KAMmpcIYWreowbrfaz5zNxdKqOFWcbwnXzdISV-j-2DxEHiGhL3misAV2f9r4tcTtbUZLRSY9mmifJ6WmRTWymw2WfhvVXVgNBVp5QlCBY6lG4GNSTWj4Prk/s1600/edit_320.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVcMl9YEG7ZLRlj_CHvX4FK-IDpeQ-0aVmR2M9VoMM9ab_hDzWAlzA9rXcRiEcnrRau1eVigmUfyR7_uTCNzBRyg2G3xBXd34d3luObbG8W3-t2ucylUApv7z5cBloMXjIwTGPKnAaBxr/s1600/edit_313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVcMl9YEG7ZLRlj_CHvX4FK-IDpeQ-0aVmR2M9VoMM9ab_hDzWAlzA9rXcRiEcnrRau1eVigmUfyR7_uTCNzBRyg2G3xBXd34d3luObbG8W3-t2ucylUApv7z5cBloMXjIwTGPKnAaBxr/s1600/edit_313.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWrkmCelKb73kxCN6A2gtAYaRh7NzBQBtzrCpblPKFLKdWwh4tOhTr7PxT0DgpmROFWGCQjP-uTO3uA-BimK-m-KQprTnlq39vBcvrssyQHmuqu0rnDFWxKKhhuquHD2yuU3EF8lFUpwi/s1600/edit_331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWrkmCelKb73kxCN6A2gtAYaRh7NzBQBtzrCpblPKFLKdWwh4tOhTr7PxT0DgpmROFWGCQjP-uTO3uA-BimK-m-KQprTnlq39vBcvrssyQHmuqu0rnDFWxKKhhuquHD2yuU3EF8lFUpwi/s1600/edit_331.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Once we'd arrived and dropped off some of our food in the fridge we then headed straight back out again to Broadway, another town not far from Chipping Campden, where we'd decided that we'd go on a walk. Broadway is famous for having an impressive tower on a hill and so we set out on a short circular walk aiming to reach the tower half way around. In true All of the Gear No Idea style we got lost within 5 minutes. In fact we couldn't even find the start of the walk. Not to worry though, after asking a few people we were back on track within the half hour! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">(Note - Please don't let this put you off doing the walk. The instructions for the walk are most likely completely clear to the average person with no conceivable way of possibly getting even a little bit lost. Getting lost is just something we tend to do, if anything it allows us to live up to our name!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The walk was perfect. The sun was shining which always helps, but aside from this, it was a great length, tiring in parts but never too steep, and the tower was impressive. There's a cafe/restaurant at the top which looked great but was unsurprisingly expensive and so we opted for getting a drink in town instead. Broadway is a charming town where each house and building is unique and charismatic. Our only criticism would be that it was noticeably popular with tourists and we've heard it can get very busy at weekends. That said, some of the most amazing places in the world are understandably touristy and that shouldn't necessarily put you off!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwj10i5x_T_0fWpGT7ZIjUw4FmjDCZ7dZbD-6UliC6D2lZXerd1vzicBzz51HlFLu8qkq-mFshsuuu68RBonNKmBboRXbDqh5-VEG892l7ZgxlvcrNh9OHpbWl2_Gic-vKBxQbNu3c5xkw/s1600/edit_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwj10i5x_T_0fWpGT7ZIjUw4FmjDCZ7dZbD-6UliC6D2lZXerd1vzicBzz51HlFLu8qkq-mFshsuuu68RBonNKmBboRXbDqh5-VEG892l7ZgxlvcrNh9OHpbWl2_Gic-vKBxQbNu3c5xkw/s1600/edit_41.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwvk7sfmxYm2UnZ6K2U9rAQNMZbirGiPsAKX1QmBXvC1IFJrtHeZP4PpqqRFPsNIuM_SGpgTVhiQw-5G5NCndwSf9tfFa2dASMfGdeFSH1drgvatlnWxcn7DCZ6576GkVSRD6tuSLBIvc/s1600/edit_88.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwvk7sfmxYm2UnZ6K2U9rAQNMZbirGiPsAKX1QmBXvC1IFJrtHeZP4PpqqRFPsNIuM_SGpgTVhiQw-5G5NCndwSf9tfFa2dASMfGdeFSH1drgvatlnWxcn7DCZ6576GkVSRD6tuSLBIvc/s1600/edit_88.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TlrnPi_UU2X9OinAskYeIVRGxvbEqpnTLOqJRDk6RntF1nJee3uey-s0TpVhSGaMgBoo3yxnF4Ww3AKUcotS5tTMq-tBvH5ck2xBUYYIOmtKZ2zuayTGwdyVN7hQWG_04J4fhYdezY_V/s1600/edit_144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TlrnPi_UU2X9OinAskYeIVRGxvbEqpnTLOqJRDk6RntF1nJee3uey-s0TpVhSGaMgBoo3yxnF4Ww3AKUcotS5tTMq-tBvH5ck2xBUYYIOmtKZ2zuayTGwdyVN7hQWG_04J4fhYdezY_V/s1600/edit_144.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLH27v4enpep3HUjhlXjb7_BiZsdyW8tCnmcPY757jR3u7rRt_3EwKdZ6THoFd4ewPy7QZ3Sm-b0Th6ti7LmlLdYVCTrF4uhGdssaXcJYgCpqlembTu4G0Z9-ua3u0DIxFSfHTcHX-fvxX/s1600/edit_193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLH27v4enpep3HUjhlXjb7_BiZsdyW8tCnmcPY757jR3u7rRt_3EwKdZ6THoFd4ewPy7QZ3Sm-b0Th6ti7LmlLdYVCTrF4uhGdssaXcJYgCpqlembTu4G0Z9-ua3u0DIxFSfHTcHX-fvxX/s1600/edit_193.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__uljdhcMD5K5UjHBZWLzumRAw7cUXQiHTlAWSc3xkQIti9WlZ-q6tiLxQfsyhCRwhKpLcOqhxxpRLIp719E6olJ2dOQxOxPMVl6Eta-7moti6GfpsB9ZAHTpdivt7x9UwKWzlp6d6Z7X/s1600/edit_202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__uljdhcMD5K5UjHBZWLzumRAw7cUXQiHTlAWSc3xkQIti9WlZ-q6tiLxQfsyhCRwhKpLcOqhxxpRLIp719E6olJ2dOQxOxPMVl6Eta-7moti6GfpsB9ZAHTpdivt7x9UwKWzlp6d6Z7X/s1600/edit_202.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSJ9UzG4HEG7bKcwh4L3sZbh9j08aChB6GDl0oOM1omT3AJNDq2T1NYGk33H0XA2kWj8Lh4_vksHF40OsBFFW2x7_wYjfA2NBo-rvcUIFHLfI2q9ZtxLysB_W9xox2M6t9mtjR0ewCnH5/s1600/edit_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSJ9UzG4HEG7bKcwh4L3sZbh9j08aChB6GDl0oOM1omT3AJNDq2T1NYGk33H0XA2kWj8Lh4_vksHF40OsBFFW2x7_wYjfA2NBo-rvcUIFHLfI2q9ZtxLysB_W9xox2M6t9mtjR0ewCnH5/s1600/edit_1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D8S5o942fUfY1Dpg8DYuIRBA9t4DiPtbvnqRDet6EczOVHA_ebbD_-4fqNE9xQthl1jMIxlnPzZyoSlY0Fn3nPwfIvJIJxXhE1AbhXPmi77cS3vYksBNf8LnKeuUBipZYM2yJ3VG2ImX/s1600/edit_257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D8S5o942fUfY1Dpg8DYuIRBA9t4DiPtbvnqRDet6EczOVHA_ebbD_-4fqNE9xQthl1jMIxlnPzZyoSlY0Fn3nPwfIvJIJxXhE1AbhXPmi77cS3vYksBNf8LnKeuUBipZYM2yJ3VG2ImX/s1600/edit_257.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6VZDE3I6y15dC5EpcYrBoydTEavIP3GVOzjIRIf0u5nZaZXAuaoL3DcnL-PUwHurtrsszL-4Hw3k1m-YuzaSdwmg0a7IhzTUSjh9Vf1GuhHKBw5LfLZ3_Q2kEE4ESet952s8hEmJkY-W/s1600/edit_229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6VZDE3I6y15dC5EpcYrBoydTEavIP3GVOzjIRIf0u5nZaZXAuaoL3DcnL-PUwHurtrsszL-4Hw3k1m-YuzaSdwmg0a7IhzTUSjh9Vf1GuhHKBw5LfLZ3_Q2kEE4ESet952s8hEmJkY-W/s1600/edit_229.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7zWGQ3KXxl0PBvamRPVqr100DZX7EKqGvp1O4EW1XbgBZUrprBTcJUpQpk2_WLT3IK3grPSfGBDIg30UgPUqrnLCoC4lC2rk-kgqPWrwS8Qk7FLFP_dMbY6rfWB3xLe9EgIHPmA8QXMO/s1600/edit_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7zWGQ3KXxl0PBvamRPVqr100DZX7EKqGvp1O4EW1XbgBZUrprBTcJUpQpk2_WLT3IK3grPSfGBDIg30UgPUqrnLCoC4lC2rk-kgqPWrwS8Qk7FLFP_dMbY6rfWB3xLe9EgIHPmA8QXMO/s1600/edit_18.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We spent the evening chatting with the other guests around a campfire, roasting marshmallows and swapping stories we'd each picked up from travelling. It had only been half a day and we were less than an hours drive from home, but we were relaxed like we were well into a holiday and felt far away from our daily lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVzWWtD0ekGypbLfPI0Gb_6GCBJJYifnatRTq7qszbixZ74BTj79bLWTVZON3UljjRAH3pZcbX6q6y5wB1V2Qq2uN4C5VWOQ9C0c5JpNuIvTMc99upkBLzXhZf-5zS9ZkWUgQP96-goTL/s1600/edit_348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVzWWtD0ekGypbLfPI0Gb_6GCBJJYifnatRTq7qszbixZ74BTj79bLWTVZON3UljjRAH3pZcbX6q6y5wB1V2Qq2uN4C5VWOQ9C0c5JpNuIvTMc99upkBLzXhZf-5zS9ZkWUgQP96-goTL/s1600/edit_348.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The following day we lazed in the morning, cooked up some breakfast and then headed out into Chipping Campden. We wandered around, took some photos and inevitably ended up at a cafe. Bantam Tea Rooms is where we went and it's a strong recommend from us if you fancy a bite to eat. Afterwards we strolled towards the church and took some more photos, before grabbing a drink at a nearby pub. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCqK1jQ6DlUyaM-tMChnvMZfmIPUU0XjRSNmwUoC-OzTPlX0LObM_kC21eoR_sm2A-ordTHhEme71NGQkZx8tC1L7iH6j1W1559CijCYBywRmgb2A1v9l-pvX6d3Viddl7NJP4X4E9Fih/s1600/IMG_6617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCqK1jQ6DlUyaM-tMChnvMZfmIPUU0XjRSNmwUoC-OzTPlX0LObM_kC21eoR_sm2A-ordTHhEme71NGQkZx8tC1L7iH6j1W1559CijCYBywRmgb2A1v9l-pvX6d3Viddl7NJP4X4E9Fih/s1600/IMG_6617.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXGkNRFiOb6o37oHhWZEqslKKrcHjPeY1Nt2toL1pAXzyHU4Wr5ffmbdE1xYNdCMMMmD8xG2nFxemppvdqyE2sfXXZbYmveJti3IZBwsD4PDiRRDcRTOVenMmtX-5DyaIVEOZOI-dypN5/s1600/IMG_6614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXGkNRFiOb6o37oHhWZEqslKKrcHjPeY1Nt2toL1pAXzyHU4Wr5ffmbdE1xYNdCMMMmD8xG2nFxemppvdqyE2sfXXZbYmveJti3IZBwsD4PDiRRDcRTOVenMmtX-5DyaIVEOZOI-dypN5/s1600/IMG_6614.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67zdabtd9R2PwzBIuqCNSbKB3L9tP5K8yVTjFwkt-wAyPvPWj1F2PyaBKNYpT86F1szdl5BsM8g-0AwWEf9DRRilvOiWKeI1RZG13LnoxZgJgcutzO_OY_DAwoo9gJYYALkL8dDbU9_n7/s1600/IMG_6620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67zdabtd9R2PwzBIuqCNSbKB3L9tP5K8yVTjFwkt-wAyPvPWj1F2PyaBKNYpT86F1szdl5BsM8g-0AwWEf9DRRilvOiWKeI1RZG13LnoxZgJgcutzO_OY_DAwoo9gJYYALkL8dDbU9_n7/s1600/IMG_6620.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuDfWIKSZDJrMO_CbkO9ftqzMn34Wshwe5AZzZeGgv137NX5V6eBIznq1-MRdJq89kxxyXTGa4V-fW5ssMtQQBFRJag3tJOIbh09PjrHiHs476saHKIz7V6JI54mTc7rUI8-zRgnvTuz-/s1600/IMG_6627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuDfWIKSZDJrMO_CbkO9ftqzMn34Wshwe5AZzZeGgv137NX5V6eBIznq1-MRdJq89kxxyXTGa4V-fW5ssMtQQBFRJag3tJOIbh09PjrHiHs476saHKIz7V6JI54mTc7rUI8-zRgnvTuz-/s1600/IMG_6627.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We realised that if you wanted a typical 'British' experience then Chipping Campden wouldn't be a bad place to start. Countryside walks, pubs, individual gift shops and tea & cake were all present across the two nights we were there (and we could've added fish & chips and football to that list if we'd wanted to!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We spent our final night cooking up the rest of our food and trying to reignite a fire we never really got going in the first place. We love the outdoors but its fair to say we're pretty useless when it comes to camping skills.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxjDFwHiQizPwMUr09UV6zNikc8ElSxVbNCmmmElmlwwobo39kumpNcy1PTt4ev6eBjQHaaMSXD4jiZXykHDsSGiEuLa9VSaMo2ZKKaJJQrXAsDvGHbB2nahaQvz98FKK3FtCOMbhjrX9/s1600/IMG_6653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxjDFwHiQizPwMUr09UV6zNikc8ElSxVbNCmmmElmlwwobo39kumpNcy1PTt4ev6eBjQHaaMSXD4jiZXykHDsSGiEuLa9VSaMo2ZKKaJJQrXAsDvGHbB2nahaQvz98FKK3FtCOMbhjrX9/s1600/IMG_6653.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.campdenyurts.co.uk/" target="_blank">Campden Yurts</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We found this to genuinely be one of the best places that we have ever stayed. It didn't take long at all for you to feel like you're properly on holiday and everything was set up in a way that made you feel instantly at ease and relaxed. Jane, the owner, had thought of absolutely everything to help make our stay as enjoyable as possible, from providing wood, fire lighters and matches to help us get a fire going to even having an 'oops I forgot' cupboard with toothbrushes, marshmallows and lots of other little useful things.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There were separate bathrooms and fridges for each yurt meaning you didn't have to keep taking stuff back and forth. The cooking facilities were great (gas hob and oven and even a pizza oven called Bob), and the yurts themselves were so thoughtfully fitted out. We really tried to think of something constructive to say about Campden Yurts but honestly couldn't fault it one bit. So, if you are looking for a UK mini-break and fancy going glamping then you should definitely consider <a href="http://www.campdenyurts.co.uk/" target="_blank">Campden Yurts</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-n1JL3syuN1uO0QIDF-emeMxo9fYruRDCs2xi84sNjVJIkp1vsr2rIiaGHHkG6Sd0kc41Qr9yK9EpL0B_tFv_2lkvuaR26yEqqdBxXhW1UbtKvOhSdNbaIAilfQx6fgfllZ8kKvXF_R4/s1600/edit_294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-n1JL3syuN1uO0QIDF-emeMxo9fYruRDCs2xi84sNjVJIkp1vsr2rIiaGHHkG6Sd0kc41Qr9yK9EpL0B_tFv_2lkvuaR26yEqqdBxXhW1UbtKvOhSdNbaIAilfQx6fgfllZ8kKvXF_R4/s1600/edit_294.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Jane was so kind to let us stay 2 nights here for free which made this write up and review all possible, so thank you. That being said, all opinions are our own as always and the positive review you have just read reflects the amazing time we spent there. We can't wait to come back someday and we're sure that it'll be sooner rather than later.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, thank you all for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Will </span><span style="font-size: large;">& </span><span style="font-size: large;">Melissa</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d5454.160603187855!2d-1.7869134646996583!3d52.05192065945867!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4870d9b0db2b6149%3A0x6a9b3692c0c1871a!2sCampden+Yurts!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1530465123560" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Chipping Campden, UK52.049654999999987 -1.783221099999991651.971504499999988 -1.9445825999999915 52.127805499999987 -1.6218595999999916tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-79893975715404877322018-06-07T04:36:00.001-07:002018-09-14T04:03:22.371-07:00Photography Workshop - Discovering Birmingham Through The Lens of My Camera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWSm1liCGB4GwwnIt-qh8HSxRg9srVOT_AfmBxesM-fhtuHFkOqMygYbH8G5hgDQwkszE3B0Lt_E1mUk9924msOXp1cQrIIzLo43dgkOq8GBfHgXFESYQWaLzLqil2lIrxfC9Rzt4A6jl/s1600/LRG_DSC05399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWSm1liCGB4GwwnIt-qh8HSxRg9srVOT_AfmBxesM-fhtuHFkOqMygYbH8G5hgDQwkszE3B0Lt_E1mUk9924msOXp1cQrIIzLo43dgkOq8GBfHgXFESYQWaLzLqil2lIrxfC9Rzt4A6jl/s320/LRG_DSC05399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's fair to say that we've been guilty of sticking to the safety of automatic mode in the past. All we really knew was this: aperture priority can help you blur a background and shutter priority can be useful for taking pictures of waterfalls. Well we thought it was about time for that to change, because what's the point of buying an expensive camera and then only using a tiny percentage of it's features. I (Will) took a friend up on the offer of coming along to his photography workshop in Birmingham where the aim would be to improve on both the artistic side of photography, looking at composition tips, as well as the more technical side, focussing in on all the settings and dials on our cameras.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The day started in a coffee shop, where I rather embarrassingly discovered how little I knew about my camera. We started off learning all about how to get the correct exposure on a picture, breaking it down into three areas: shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Once this was over and we had explored the settings on our camera we were assigned our first task - takings pictures of signs on aperture priority. Having learnt that a lower depth of field and low f number (higher aperture) would help to focus in on a subject and blur the background, I tried to put it into practise.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCab4idCgXs3zrSrWYX9ji165MezRGEoZVTic4F4R8C3fIMDlpH7Qpbi-u85ntpUWbCNXy5c1YUDwvLrCXrGcX_xo482naUThlGEqOQRj1ctVRlIiIZrsG7ecpkGMT95rWtDkhgBrUw3v2/s1600/LRG_DSC05297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCab4idCgXs3zrSrWYX9ji165MezRGEoZVTic4F4R8C3fIMDlpH7Qpbi-u85ntpUWbCNXy5c1YUDwvLrCXrGcX_xo482naUThlGEqOQRj1ctVRlIiIZrsG7ecpkGMT95rWtDkhgBrUw3v2/s1600/LRG_DSC05297.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_RvBi79frjWlYc0ZACMYMerXiSJ4Zozwzq4ACHx3PUviidlFCMAi88LpKQns3iXJANw-bLZ3HwJwkOCqFv5DnXIpHCRybCpglGfMfS1CTU-R24CgHdpUa7LBaN2hbXjcmVLOL4vuHrTj/s1600/LRG_DSC05320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_RvBi79frjWlYc0ZACMYMerXiSJ4Zozwzq4ACHx3PUviidlFCMAi88LpKQns3iXJANw-bLZ3HwJwkOCqFv5DnXIpHCRybCpglGfMfS1CTU-R24CgHdpUa7LBaN2hbXjcmVLOL4vuHrTj/s1600/LRG_DSC05320.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm2-61sFkstL11RMHytCEUyKw9D2lndvwkgDIDu7T5jrfMjEuvVi-WEO19WGIi2hqXaESCFqa8RqJA9BHGX9F01dzr-7FiqhOAygDbN9Dgu3NduzVe8sGpj4XRbk9oHXu_zhdvGlO59RO/s1600/LRG_DSC05344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm2-61sFkstL11RMHytCEUyKw9D2lndvwkgDIDu7T5jrfMjEuvVi-WEO19WGIi2hqXaESCFqa8RqJA9BHGX9F01dzr-7FiqhOAygDbN9Dgu3NduzVe8sGpj4XRbk9oHXu_zhdvGlO59RO/s1600/LRG_DSC05344.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We headed in the direction of Birmingham's iconic Selfridges building and the bullring to have a go at taking some architectural photos, something I'd never really tried before. It was then that I learnt two really important composition tips that I'd previously ignored:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">1. Avoid screaming babies</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Fill the frame</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Screaming babies was what James, our teacher, called the little annoyances in the corners and sides of photos, that you may not notice when taking the photo but somebody else viewing them will spot in an instant and it will spoil the photo. This could be the arm of a person walking by, a tiny corner of sky sneaking into a photo of a building or even your own shadow. Just like a screaming baby, you really have to pay attention if it's yours otherwise you'll tend to block it out and it'll only become evident to somebody else.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Filling the frame might seem like an obvious tip but its something I had never really considered. I realised that whilst travelling I would have the tendency to get everything into the frame, even when it didn't quite fit. After taking some photos of Selfridges I realised that when you really zoom in to a building and get up close to repeating patterns you can come away with some impressive photos.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1VD0xfEyqO1SjogX23g467JBcSSsNjhY59vcJt3QGkglUGVFQHjPBnMKQTXPraKwFt2ooUooi-UiH6DBo0faVe2WU0Lpd8ijaQZJUwQjo2PLaAazJAi94NJQy6DcJRWAxhGgnTggmMa1/s1600/LRG_DSC05391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1VD0xfEyqO1SjogX23g467JBcSSsNjhY59vcJt3QGkglUGVFQHjPBnMKQTXPraKwFt2ooUooi-UiH6DBo0faVe2WU0Lpd8ijaQZJUwQjo2PLaAazJAi94NJQy6DcJRWAxhGgnTggmMa1/s1600/LRG_DSC05391.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTySYB0fKWUNgn26pzoMTYeAmBtCFKGTDKDU1KZ6dM6FkW_iOUFAXt7VQ4G13tRCtIGBRJTmMc4VtoR-ZZjvotX0WffXmTklNICchRhAU0XHZDE2Yo1sgCAsHVmuyHt8HMkElmY05mVXL5/s1600/LRG_DSC05389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTySYB0fKWUNgn26pzoMTYeAmBtCFKGTDKDU1KZ6dM6FkW_iOUFAXt7VQ4G13tRCtIGBRJTmMc4VtoR-ZZjvotX0WffXmTklNICchRhAU0XHZDE2Yo1sgCAsHVmuyHt8HMkElmY05mVXL5/s1600/LRG_DSC05389.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjur2OXaWyiLeAXllymWe3vIUCD-zkkaXMQrga3GUPtffEix3kzgR_FnHWflKQGAcwR_OQ7exRpz-L5YjZWU6Whe-o8yCxPsxPyLZI1mZuczdVk97rkG1Ssz6ELmi6jJTjqS1TFPrJ5TIdl/s1600/LRG_DSC05396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjur2OXaWyiLeAXllymWe3vIUCD-zkkaXMQrga3GUPtffEix3kzgR_FnHWflKQGAcwR_OQ7exRpz-L5YjZWU6Whe-o8yCxPsxPyLZI1mZuczdVk97rkG1Ssz6ELmi6jJTjqS1TFPrJ5TIdl/s1600/LRG_DSC05396.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We then took another break to review our photos, go over some more tips and tricks of the camera and replenish caffeine levels before heading out again towards the cathedral, where we were given another challenge - 'you are only allowed to take five photos inside the church'. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The thing about digital photography these days is that you can take thousands of photos without much thought going into them and you might walk away with one or two good ones. By restricting the amount of photos we could take, it really made us think hard about every little technical and compositional tip before taking the photo. We had roughly 20 minutes, here are a few of them...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxzXirFJ6nPfPiOuZjh_L81JR877ogYY9w6EPnRERBkh25Y1VGIZXWpAXQBqsSV1aPvqyJ-d-14nXUe3tqTgRAxWq1WPGnG4XxM0QYwHuIxqWrqtkFQ2wXfJIe6c7hOeGMbMB52Gj-Skv/s1600/LRG_DSC05407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxzXirFJ6nPfPiOuZjh_L81JR877ogYY9w6EPnRERBkh25Y1VGIZXWpAXQBqsSV1aPvqyJ-d-14nXUe3tqTgRAxWq1WPGnG4XxM0QYwHuIxqWrqtkFQ2wXfJIe6c7hOeGMbMB52Gj-Skv/s1600/LRG_DSC05407.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQImcD6CbIaAEDShwkmKE0okfgoYUWxwVkwnMZw7mBDPYJ25LOtLSHL_Updw8R9mUSRNpMiW06j9Xh5wJLt_cQSWMqQlx1UyxELjvBum1PXfMdcMD2N3Xv90hYC6B-r74RhTWyESZxmwf8/s1600/LRG_DSC05424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQImcD6CbIaAEDShwkmKE0okfgoYUWxwVkwnMZw7mBDPYJ25LOtLSHL_Updw8R9mUSRNpMiW06j9Xh5wJLt_cQSWMqQlx1UyxELjvBum1PXfMdcMD2N3Xv90hYC6B-r74RhTWyESZxmwf8/s1600/LRG_DSC05424.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGtJm2n5Xmc76yG0k-v9s0_io3dMxsiGQu4Z8t4NgQq9es6Im54xDY16vx_-_R0yCkrDs0e65BziuDyQtYqfKeZkF46dSnpDUjD8cQp9aMfgBnZZTS9ZHRk9KoS7CM-mhd2byGoF1LG4i/s1600/LRG_DSC05409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGtJm2n5Xmc76yG0k-v9s0_io3dMxsiGQu4Z8t4NgQq9es6Im54xDY16vx_-_R0yCkrDs0e65BziuDyQtYqfKeZkF46dSnpDUjD8cQp9aMfgBnZZTS9ZHRk9KoS7CM-mhd2byGoF1LG4i/s1600/LRG_DSC05409.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We then pressed on through the city, now with the aim of using shutter priority mode. By taking photos with a slow shutter speed you can get a great blurred effect on moving objects. This is particular useful if you want to capture motion within a still image, for example photographing a waterfall or a fast road. The opposite setting, a quick shutter speed, allows you to freeze motion in a shot, which can be useful when taking photos of sport. We took a spot on top of a bridge and had a go messing around with the shutter speed on our cameras.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMXYwjePamGRY_gpbVfL2QRR1fa21FP-7NUjxWgiS9Ikqe67mnbNn6YlTNsyN9dQnANFHpIMPcrXOazaiWctDEDJge8LFyzN5IxbFno3GDzwYW9qh43chds_N8W_bOo29O7ShPjDLk6G-/s1600/LRG_DSC05495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMXYwjePamGRY_gpbVfL2QRR1fa21FP-7NUjxWgiS9Ikqe67mnbNn6YlTNsyN9dQnANFHpIMPcrXOazaiWctDEDJge8LFyzN5IxbFno3GDzwYW9qh43chds_N8W_bOo29O7ShPjDLk6G-/s1600/LRG_DSC05495.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">After crossing the bridge we came to a red brick wall which would make a good backdrop for some portrait photos, so we switched our cameras back to aperture priority and got practising. We were encouraged to get close and think about different angles from which to take our photos.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RG0puWvti7Rd0UqohPzACWr9r2BuvJ4-OPdXlHj9Xah_F5cUsvAV6ZkZDSMsf-S7qe9qopQv-89sJlRA1fBBHUi9sk0b9NUdQrqYeDQ2gqWKByAv2hcb80X-NW9Eg1ajnV7UaXYuKOlu/s1600/DSC05560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RG0puWvti7Rd0UqohPzACWr9r2BuvJ4-OPdXlHj9Xah_F5cUsvAV6ZkZDSMsf-S7qe9qopQv-89sJlRA1fBBHUi9sk0b9NUdQrqYeDQ2gqWKByAv2hcb80X-NW9Eg1ajnV7UaXYuKOlu/s1600/DSC05560.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">'Panning' isn't an easy photography trick to master we were told. It is almost the opposite of what we were doing on the bridge with the cars - instead of taking a picture of a moving object keeping the camera very still, we were told to move the camera at the same speed as the moving object, in order to get the subject in focus and a blurry background. The result was far from perfect but I was pleasantly surprised with myself!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7v-v2tlRNOPkrKgMsd1gARfiy6kQAcVcc2EditwYBYliSl0p7FB2SL_Qe49R1huBNPajz9TUy5wOhiod2o6LHP_xbIr5smKplFPqiKQ7Qb1u517gP5v-cH61b7FGvV4nWBoYkzGvUf3S/s1600/LRG_DSC05532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7v-v2tlRNOPkrKgMsd1gARfiy6kQAcVcc2EditwYBYliSl0p7FB2SL_Qe49R1huBNPajz9TUy5wOhiod2o6LHP_xbIr5smKplFPqiKQ7Qb1u517gP5v-cH61b7FGvV4nWBoYkzGvUf3S/s1600/LRG_DSC05532.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Our next location would be the canals. Birmingham has more canals than Venice, 9 miles more to be precise. These canals make a great spot for some grungy, arty photography and we were there to practise taking photos in black and white. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XwT4q8u6SmxSKnvSwWeqYuok6E4mBv-IM1GpoudhmpDzz-lP_c17C44kk_S7bZJ6Av8dZg0MQ7kIiWkXTOjn1yIbaw4GB2dHDa9R-hTyxhUTyu7Qv2ldLnxV-QSLL-MpaF4c4h4ABTno/s1600/LRG_DSC05589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XwT4q8u6SmxSKnvSwWeqYuok6E4mBv-IM1GpoudhmpDzz-lP_c17C44kk_S7bZJ6Av8dZg0MQ7kIiWkXTOjn1yIbaw4GB2dHDa9R-hTyxhUTyu7Qv2ldLnxV-QSLL-MpaF4c4h4ABTno/s1600/LRG_DSC05589.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbadhgbkdx9YH6wRhnRoDGJKntWhU6oRDOLilh4rDCylk9sqt6UJaqMQO5fTeU5WckCSPzclUyGLoPECVrz-qZ5KS5WRQjrD64B6tJbsnff9A3mjXibxKt4oGVkNfGG3RRQHBONXCfAZ8/s1600/LRG_DSC05622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbadhgbkdx9YH6wRhnRoDGJKntWhU6oRDOLilh4rDCylk9sqt6UJaqMQO5fTeU5WckCSPzclUyGLoPECVrz-qZ5KS5WRQjrD64B6tJbsnff9A3mjXibxKt4oGVkNfGG3RRQHBONXCfAZ8/s1600/LRG_DSC05622.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMvXL_zH2tNeXDgDn2M6hHz3ksMb2By-jyAx7XL85LAMYLjHdWq8wxqOpipkxzlBVVPQxBhYlj9jmQ9BTSSzpIX55PeKgo5qQby7yvvObogfwEf1rxSMgO6HKeKrxg2KUXGHCzbXlUbUG/s1600/LRG_DSC05610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMvXL_zH2tNeXDgDn2M6hHz3ksMb2By-jyAx7XL85LAMYLjHdWq8wxqOpipkxzlBVVPQxBhYlj9jmQ9BTSSzpIX55PeKgo5qQby7yvvObogfwEf1rxSMgO6HKeKrxg2KUXGHCzbXlUbUG/s1600/LRG_DSC05610.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFFgvbzrwBIwCMDNahM0id7p4Ne9q59e6kP-sfrrtl3uLagDQ9CRoXpRkAXG5ayZWRhyphenhyphenwwVXK1Wb6xiDaqiEj7__cGxcz73HfUz-UjS4ifTTECy1Vx3LvyIZ8Xq-DnRgL7TvOv4VbpR2k/s1600/LRG_DSC05598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFFgvbzrwBIwCMDNahM0id7p4Ne9q59e6kP-sfrrtl3uLagDQ9CRoXpRkAXG5ayZWRhyphenhyphenwwVXK1Wb6xiDaqiEj7__cGxcz73HfUz-UjS4ifTTECy1Vx3LvyIZ8Xq-DnRgL7TvOv4VbpR2k/s1600/LRG_DSC05598.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7NHVTNwNf58i3ZbZvIqEjupzXY-URd8TRUmoPlcDST28ZN184XG_XgqnPgkob1lefFT_rM3rLyQxgAgNaZHQbtdq-kQBYWuh9BAPS8gaOtm6OsgeRJQNQYw86PGTsY4v2SmEEat2t7uI/s1600/LRG_DSC05615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7NHVTNwNf58i3ZbZvIqEjupzXY-URd8TRUmoPlcDST28ZN184XG_XgqnPgkob1lefFT_rM3rLyQxgAgNaZHQbtdq-kQBYWuh9BAPS8gaOtm6OsgeRJQNQYw86PGTsY4v2SmEEat2t7uI/s1600/LRG_DSC05615.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">After a fair bit of walking and hundreds of photos taken, we took a final break in the Symphony Hall building before making our way back to New Street station, passing the new library building on the way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrYl53VvqDU6m-3UQKhDjlIltpad8ASHoWTOzicqkn1YNpbaqSDq97syFWywmhrBnty2mfWplAyQylTJ-84Pq8qV3DkZS5YN9TGg7V4j2u39xDBfJJ5nryP4IIJgrjHq3XTA2RI7fCU0E/s1600/LRG_DSC05636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrYl53VvqDU6m-3UQKhDjlIltpad8ASHoWTOzicqkn1YNpbaqSDq97syFWywmhrBnty2mfWplAyQylTJ-84Pq8qV3DkZS5YN9TGg7V4j2u39xDBfJJ5nryP4IIJgrjHq3XTA2RI7fCU0E/s1600/LRG_DSC05636.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvLz0zWEN896JHkNhVMB_66ujmgzHSh314A5lQGZLMAIqFr-z033-W5VTa1vxwl1Rr4kWXcwsHqke1N6gH8y0jZjhqYz6hWjg9wbmTOHqkjSV97lBPyVcE9YZ-KY2Y4k1d8-MQGxTrPFG/s1600/LRG_DSC05638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvLz0zWEN896JHkNhVMB_66ujmgzHSh314A5lQGZLMAIqFr-z033-W5VTa1vxwl1Rr4kWXcwsHqke1N6gH8y0jZjhqYz6hWjg9wbmTOHqkjSV97lBPyVcE9YZ-KY2Y4k1d8-MQGxTrPFG/s1600/LRG_DSC05638.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdCsqIOhVMMQWskx-qkhjVLzIcr3ZCmVW3OI80hHJRY-yWQkTjB_c5q9yXDguGg1PADSJy2WJO_Jh4xc8qCEP-2ivK4_4HgMrYSKnzyHwviVWMTUTljdo-rNEf6pX3dNNC1cTxr9bUan8/s1600/LRG_DSC05656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdCsqIOhVMMQWskx-qkhjVLzIcr3ZCmVW3OI80hHJRY-yWQkTjB_c5q9yXDguGg1PADSJy2WJO_Jh4xc8qCEP-2ivK4_4HgMrYSKnzyHwviVWMTUTljdo-rNEf6pX3dNNC1cTxr9bUan8/s1600/LRG_DSC05656.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I felt like I learnt so much across the day and that my photography skills have improved somewhat. When you're constantly visiting amazing places in Peru for example, its not so hard to take what you think are great photos, but to be able to take photos you're pleased with in around where you live is certainly more of a challenge, but something I fell that I have achieved today!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">JCL photography is ran by James Lawrence who is a semi-professional photographer. He runs workshops throughout the year with only small classes of 3/4 students at both beginner and intermediate level. The class I took part in was at beginners level and I couldn't recommend it more. James was able to answer everyone's questions, (no matter how bizarre and specific they may have been!), he took us to great locations, gave us a vast amount of shooting tips and had a really impressive powerpoint on his ipad to show us examples and talk through the theory. We were also given handouts on the day and have been emailed weekly projects to help consolidate what we've learnt and increase our retention rate. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you're interested in taking part in one of these workshops, please email James for more details I'm sure he'll happily answer you're questions and let you know when the next one will be taking place.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> - jclawrencephotography@gmail.com - </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">James has also written an excellent ebook all about getting to know your camera, composition tips and developing your creativity, all for the price of a coffee! Click <a href="http://payhip.com/b/0M4S" target="_blank">here</a> to buy and download it and use the code: 6JHY9R8CUO to get a </span><span style="font-size: large;">25% discount.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">What Camera Do You Use?</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I took all of these photos using my Sony a5000 which is a compact system camera (CSC) or mirrorless camera. These cameras are great for travel photography in my opinion, as they are small but still hold a similar power to a DSLR. I've only got the kit lens at the moment but there are dozens more you can by to increase range, get a lower aperture or get more in your picture. As with all camera makes, models get updated all the time and I believe the newer version of my camera is the Sony a5100.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for reading!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Will</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-17506172859171181632018-05-22T06:50:00.003-07:002018-06-03T11:43:01.762-07:00Discovering Northern Vietnam - What to See & Do in Sapa on a Budget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAUM4vk0d-qzdmBBkQPtH1HQrB8lYknLOP7o_JvG-BRlptlkXOpu5U3rrm_ws2h31BI4glaQnzyDMN5d7MNAHxTkcPX6lJTHwArygjk7fhPnoUuDvSQzNSP3D55WjaUImTLskx_Ddtl_u/s1600/SAM_1293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAUM4vk0d-qzdmBBkQPtH1HQrB8lYknLOP7o_JvG-BRlptlkXOpu5U3rrm_ws2h31BI4glaQnzyDMN5d7MNAHxTkcPX6lJTHwArygjk7fhPnoUuDvSQzNSP3D55WjaUImTLskx_Ddtl_u/s1600/SAM_1293.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to another post in our Vietnam series! Now that we're back from travelling there'll be a lot more posts on Asia, Europe and general travel top tips coming to the blog soon so keep your eyes peeled!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, Sapa. After having taught English in Hanoi for 5 weeks we were sad to leave but excited to start travelling and Sapa was the first destination on our list. We took the sleeper bus heading North West into the mountains and watched the windows as the scenery seemed to constantly change. Vietnam is a big country with around 1000 miles separating the old capital of Saigon and Hanoi, it's current capital city. It's therefore unsurprising that the culture, people, food, landscapes and weather, change so much across the different provinces. This was certainly the case for Sapa. Many of the locals are of the H'mong community, who look and talk very differently to the Vietnamese around Hanoi, making you feel almost like you've entered another country. Whilst we didn't have the time to explore the full extent of Northern Vietnam, we really enjoyed the 4 nights we spent in Sapa and would highly </span>recommend<span style="font-family: inherit;"> making the trip out from Hanoi for a few days. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's how we spent our time in Sapa, Vietnam, dotted with a few top tips and recommendations for the area...</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We dropped our bags off at the hotel and decided to spend the rest of the day exploring the town, taking a few photos and getting some good coconut coffee. We soon realised however that the weather in Sapa is significantly colder than what we'd gotten used to in Hanoi. We therefore prepared for spending the next few days as None of the Gear, No Idea and decided that due to low visibility, thundering rain and deceptively cold temperatures we wouldn't make the trip to climb mount Fansipan, something we'd previously planned on doing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mount Fansipan is the highest mountain in Indochina and can be reached by a two day hike or by taking a newly built cable car and is what brings a lot of the tourists to the area. However if you're in a position like we were and don't fancy it but would still like to do some walking, there are many other options.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hiking in and around Sapa</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So, apart form Mount Fansipan, what other hiking is there to do in the area? Well your best bet is probably to join a Homestay trekking group. Local women go around town gathering people up for the next day, to depart on a 2/3 night hiking trip in the mountains, where you'll stay in basic homestay style hostels or huts. We've heard from other travellers that this is supposed to be really worth while and we would have done so if we knew we'd get some nice weather. Unfortunately it didnt seem like the grey skies were going to change anytime soon and with predicted storms coming in across the following days, we gave this a swerve.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cat Cat Village</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What we did do though, is the short 45 minute walk from town to Cat Cat village. This is a 'must-do' from us, as the views over the surrounding hills are stunning and the rolling hills of rice fields replicate those all over Vietnamese postcards. The village itself is a huge tourist attraction in itself. The place has been set up in a way for tourists to enjoy and learn about traditional H'mong culture but we were glad to see that it hadn't stopped the locals living their ordinary lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Upon arrival you are given a map, which points out the best route to follow through the town, taking you past traditional houses, farm land, a water mill and a small waterfall. You can either walk back up (about an hour and a half long) or get on the back of scooters (10 minutes). No prizes for guessing which option we took!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29jBPuLw112MSW915_GbmuNVcESu5vJH7kkNBGEglOTJM61IZMZzYXk7qXETBVelcJN4bd0CB2kNbxYztstoy8TPMuY9dY-IlRbsbRmADHtpK8cF7CrhxhGxGKcdL2ExPyyl1G9Nimrhm/s1600/SAM_1150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29jBPuLw112MSW915_GbmuNVcESu5vJH7kkNBGEglOTJM61IZMZzYXk7qXETBVelcJN4bd0CB2kNbxYztstoy8TPMuY9dY-IlRbsbRmADHtpK8cF7CrhxhGxGKcdL2ExPyyl1G9Nimrhm/s1600/SAM_1150.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XnGgVvOaGIyNnDuayPhJ9lmkws4P1oFmAecrxMg0pUrL5QFK701UOUZa9kU-XqbIYvLUh07GCEl2A6DUDDA9Q-8Z3EsmFG1Yjvcc3n2wWQdZghChHu4-w8e9ZZo_Q5ZbOPDNJV9FjICj/s1600/SAM_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XnGgVvOaGIyNnDuayPhJ9lmkws4P1oFmAecrxMg0pUrL5QFK701UOUZa9kU-XqbIYvLUh07GCEl2A6DUDDA9Q-8Z3EsmFG1Yjvcc3n2wWQdZghChHu4-w8e9ZZo_Q5ZbOPDNJV9FjICj/s1600/SAM_1035.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpzsOm3GWfn3juhJGnxlw9tyTgYnehKwl_k0u1Q2gg2CrVfcK3XwSi-phhqKW24H7vUzFb9Eo74cLVoUTlwZFW6tFnaAzVjPY5hnIO9ayyKVdLOH0CTLilDVM1RjWvQCgex1x9HGVkGGI/s1600/SAM_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpzsOm3GWfn3juhJGnxlw9tyTgYnehKwl_k0u1Q2gg2CrVfcK3XwSi-phhqKW24H7vUzFb9Eo74cLVoUTlwZFW6tFnaAzVjPY5hnIO9ayyKVdLOH0CTLilDVM1RjWvQCgex1x9HGVkGGI/s1600/SAM_1104.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhok_Yh3lpeqMJe_kCPcgVcSdYjmycFg3mumc56pDKkPFAfddJcYP35IZlEvi88v5t2gNfIubB2VAnagZw8xBlhC3E8Chl5gM1nHmfGsA9zHyVK3RoO5ozitvEEV1Y1YBziWtfw33Zlxasz/s1600/SAM_1011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhok_Yh3lpeqMJe_kCPcgVcSdYjmycFg3mumc56pDKkPFAfddJcYP35IZlEvi88v5t2gNfIubB2VAnagZw8xBlhC3E8Chl5gM1nHmfGsA9zHyVK3RoO5ozitvEEV1Y1YBziWtfw33Zlxasz/s1600/SAM_1011.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fMGQUBdDowDgMslBEwhvu1JhCPENUWP_hT4n2JLtX0uIjU8jvTRJatRCx11t18vBhysG9QS8qTzlMvy0RgsuRJZgXYol7Dtf3kPe5kQXXMnEgGByzgkqivHZ-RKPEK_Dw70oen-ndqjO/s1600/SAM_1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fMGQUBdDowDgMslBEwhvu1JhCPENUWP_hT4n2JLtX0uIjU8jvTRJatRCx11t18vBhysG9QS8qTzlMvy0RgsuRJZgXYol7Dtf3kPe5kQXXMnEgGByzgkqivHZ-RKPEK_Dw70oen-ndqjO/s1600/SAM_1076.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Waterfalls near Sapa</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The next day we hired a motorbike and drive off towards some waterfalls a little higher into the mountains, The road out from Sapa doesn't start great but we promise you it gets much better, once you get our of the mud and onto the windy mountainous roads.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The first waterfall that you'll come across is called the Silver Waterfall. You pay a small entrance fee, before walking up lots of steps, getting better views the further you climb. A little further down the road is another called Love Waterfall which, although perhaps no as impressive, is where you can swim (just not in the weather we had!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QsSuIBcgGfRgt-aalktrFnN-OaKCNtfg2HpdaZQAibIVF3XgDrNw6f6n1MF4lYpSCdZu6eav2NwL5mN4s3RKc-Kc-Ute6j6BeYoqqm6nHA8D78UF9fkHjvBjsH08xk9Hel_UZFpXEpHO/s1600/SAM_1202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QsSuIBcgGfRgt-aalktrFnN-OaKCNtfg2HpdaZQAibIVF3XgDrNw6f6n1MF4lYpSCdZu6eav2NwL5mN4s3RKc-Kc-Ute6j6BeYoqqm6nHA8D78UF9fkHjvBjsH08xk9Hel_UZFpXEpHO/s1600/SAM_1202.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Heavens Gate</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you've gotten this far, then you HAVE to carry on for 10 minutes further to a viewpoint known as Heaven's Gate. It doesn't seem like much and there aren't any signs indicating 'STOP HERE TOURISTS!' but it is easily recognisable by a few tarpaulins and huts on the side of the road and most likely a few other tourists doing the same thing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Walk through the open hut to get to a wooden platform on the other side, where you'll have a breathtaking view of the windy road back down the other side of the mountain. It was one of the best viewpoints we went to in the whole of South East Asia and so despite the lack of anything to do but look out into the distance, we spent a long time just sitting there on that platform.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4ZQgOWqdNwtR6AIzrdLUSZDa1Nqt56poy6gHRQeASNeCzqjdfFVYNIy_-1-MGLO09FeppuVehjVTdfsZZSInPjqg4Lg3meIDM3uD8TiqaP46Lnq67_9WHXmTfjm702wUm16Ctf-f0gN9/s1600/SAM_1266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4ZQgOWqdNwtR6AIzrdLUSZDa1Nqt56poy6gHRQeASNeCzqjdfFVYNIy_-1-MGLO09FeppuVehjVTdfsZZSInPjqg4Lg3meIDM3uD8TiqaP46Lnq67_9WHXmTfjm702wUm16Ctf-f0gN9/s1600/SAM_1266.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">On our final day in Sapa we decided to stay in town, relax and enjoy the cool, fresh air, before catching the bus back to hectic Hanoi. We headed to the lake near the town centre and grabbed a coffee at one of the many nearby cafes as we starting making plans for where we would head next...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Where to stay in Sapa?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We stayed at a couple places during our time in Sapa. The first was <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/%3Ciframe%20src=%22https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d7449.474376434149!2d103.84124241080767!3d22.335794232382018!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1ses!2suk!4v1526995986988%22%20width=%22600%22%20height=%22450%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20style=%22border:0%22%20allowfullscreen%3E%3C/iframe%3E" target="_blank">Sapa Paramont Hotel</a> which we would recommend for it's price, decent location and staff who were lovely. The second place wasn't budget at all, rather much more luxury and is probably the best hotel in which we have ever stayed. I'd booked <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/vn/sapa-diamond.es.html?aid=311090;label=sapa-diamond-e%2A174Vtp4VET64e%2AI8g4vQS201223221073%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atiaud-146342138230%3Akwd-299252067524%3Alp1007030%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm;sid=7d9e3f7e8fecd56a7c770794f83dfd5e;bshb=2;checkin=2018-05-24;checkout=2018-05-25;dest_id=-3728113;dest_type=city;dist=0;hapos=1;hpos=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;soh=1;soldout=0%2C0;srepoch=1527000289;srfid=eb459456dbd90cec14410265e34a4dc377c3f521X1;srpvid=17cd67b0c6fb0384;type=total;ucfs=1&#no_availability_msg" target="_blank">Sapa Diamond Hotel</a> as a birthday present for Lissa so we didn't mind it being over budget at around £35 per night. The rooms, the view the service - everything there was incredible and we couldn't recommend it more.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for reading, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask, we're always happy to help!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d7449.474376434149!2d103.84124241080767!3d22.335794232382018!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1ses!2suk!4v1526995986988" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0tt. Sa Pa, Sa Pa, Lào Cai, Vietnam22.3363608 103.8437851999999622.277616300000002 103.76310419999996 22.3951053 103.92446619999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-52190656925556484002018-05-16T09:08:00.002-07:002018-09-14T04:04:06.951-07:00Breakfast with a View - The Shard, London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvsY49HMuEj_sPl3apE8SrlxapDiei24vDelAWDj-eYZQdvrA2QY5dOX4navkKD3yC4SI2gsAUUywXqUMzq4LeDg7KerliSX6YmPF36D3VQ_iK7-YzxT_RcOC4WjlM1YLJFRfTcZsOS4T/s1600/SAM_3136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvsY49HMuEj_sPl3apE8SrlxapDiei24vDelAWDj-eYZQdvrA2QY5dOX4navkKD3yC4SI2gsAUUywXqUMzq4LeDg7KerliSX6YmPF36D3VQ_iK7-YzxT_RcOC4WjlM1YLJFRfTcZsOS4T/s1600/SAM_3136.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">London is a quite spectacular city. Being from the UK we often forget to even think about London like a tourist, but when we do, we realise that, accommodation and food aside, its a budget travellers dream. From travelling around the world we've begun to appreciate the importance of free things to do and we must admit that London makes up for it's expensive living costs with its free museums! Anyway, whilst we are going to put up a blog post all about our favourite free things to do in London at some point, this is not that post - this post is all about the Shard!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Shard is a 310m high (relatively new) pointy building in London which hosts a hotel, a number of restaurants, bars and lots of offices. It also has a viewing platform at the top, where you can get 360 panoramic views of the city for £31 per person. Now after a little bit of research, we realised that you don't have to pay to go up the lift to get into any of the restaurants (which by the way have nearly the exact same view, just a few metres lower.) We therefore booked us in for breakfast at Aqua Shard, with the idea that if we spent less than £30 each on Breakfast then we'd be getting the view and some really nice food at the same time and would've saved money. It almost seemed too good to be true, but it wasn't and we ate possibly the best breakfast we've ever eaten with one of the best views we've ever had all for less than we would've paid to go to the viewing platform. Not bad eh? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxfDm8A9bTZg7zZsc7ODFJjA7vNl9vfPPkHAYAB1lCWY3eetZSq-bL4OUQHNYlCkRg9b3sm4snisQgArPJX-y1uJU2820Ieg6IIeVr3gK-Ef7of6W1nsLxz9NgoP3Yny9aGJ4kdyj5s5J/s1600/SAM_3086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxfDm8A9bTZg7zZsc7ODFJjA7vNl9vfPPkHAYAB1lCWY3eetZSq-bL4OUQHNYlCkRg9b3sm4snisQgArPJX-y1uJU2820Ieg6IIeVr3gK-Ef7of6W1nsLxz9NgoP3Yny9aGJ4kdyj5s5J/s1600/SAM_3086.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We're by no means saying that having breakfast at Aqua shard is a budget-friendly thing to do. However if you had a special occasion and were looking to do something a little more unique then it is a great option. If you've got the cash to splash, then you can order an amazing set menu breakfast which comes with more food and drink than you could possibly eat for £29. But if that's not in your budget then there's a huge menu that you can order off, with everything from pastries at £3 all the way to lobster at £20.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you want to have a look at the full menu then click <a href="https://aquashard.co.uk/mod/menu/24" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant is excellently designed so that it's almost impossible to not get a stunning view, the service as expected was second to none and there's a loo with a view!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguboxfbM-aqMAEgrVk_Ai7DNSEz8OKhl4qPRAtFf7SoQRnxNHk76eElsX5s7FS9e3UW1sUPI1gotNBg-BmCrT989FCc_K63CwBsSn6Mf9Tr6ps28Tu-3hMrpKu__JM8bLiKfLBvBRXOfy8/s1600/SAM_3094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguboxfbM-aqMAEgrVk_Ai7DNSEz8OKhl4qPRAtFf7SoQRnxNHk76eElsX5s7FS9e3UW1sUPI1gotNBg-BmCrT989FCc_K63CwBsSn6Mf9Tr6ps28Tu-3hMrpKu__JM8bLiKfLBvBRXOfy8/s1600/SAM_3094.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7sZocIMOSkgSV3A_ovAzAVUavQYXu9rZtx2Co7zxFp-sIXTfthIYKh7q84lnxb4xyTI-H6BdM2Xd2OPkutvNxKaDK9j9pnqFu3AWG3OhjzG67C0wropDngriAnq2HPEnVNlAdYpOoZ1T/s1600/SAM_3105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7sZocIMOSkgSV3A_ovAzAVUavQYXu9rZtx2Co7zxFp-sIXTfthIYKh7q84lnxb4xyTI-H6BdM2Xd2OPkutvNxKaDK9j9pnqFu3AWG3OhjzG67C0wropDngriAnq2HPEnVNlAdYpOoZ1T/s1600/SAM_3105.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUGpThDSchnioaba1SGoB6kkP7CqxgmLTCLgJdPEW5Dz-3dvS_Nnrm9IL5M-5vcKKphx-qebQ-pWPQ6ZdElqqoZkNmYfK_L3HNLA3JVoCFeklTZZ_xsq99Z6zCJAhnuFITUgizwlRdL31/s1600/SAM_3107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUGpThDSchnioaba1SGoB6kkP7CqxgmLTCLgJdPEW5Dz-3dvS_Nnrm9IL5M-5vcKKphx-qebQ-pWPQ6ZdElqqoZkNmYfK_L3HNLA3JVoCFeklTZZ_xsq99Z6zCJAhnuFITUgizwlRdL31/s1600/SAM_3107.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHhDjTUbz1sgucHVOboFc1n8Nagnu5G5GvCDrdP3VpW3aQluF1ct8BnKaxJVhFRxwmLj8yYAaz0bdOw083uzmRRZyIQ95_nYy92zGenH3Wk33PegOxzfcYM77NJL7gu-StkLVBppTDTKS/s1600/SAM_3121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHhDjTUbz1sgucHVOboFc1n8Nagnu5G5GvCDrdP3VpW3aQluF1ct8BnKaxJVhFRxwmLj8yYAaz0bdOw083uzmRRZyIQ95_nYy92zGenH3Wk33PegOxzfcYM77NJL7gu-StkLVBppTDTKS/s1600/SAM_3121.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast up the Shard is hands down my favourite activity in London that I've done to date and we're sure if you go up there yourselves you won't be disappointed. Make sure to reserve your table in advance, as although it wasn't busy when we went, at certain times of year and times of day it can be fully booked.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for reading, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d19866.55571016896!2d-0.10131652413469591!3d51.50735481985147!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4876035a0a9271d3%3A0xbdf26ba73efb7b!2sThe+Shard!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980150803" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-83669121653023626722018-05-16T08:10:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:39:00.291-07:00Why Cuenca, Ecuador Should Be on Everyone's South American Itinerary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZfMOHpJMHqGJpsCDZjfpuxl7jBldU0VvIDKehQclCBgGOvjGMYMnHQS4iXWUCF_738AxKmm1xTKbWizMDZ9k8PCqeKSPuJCkeYPW5QqgEZzVvNG2RonfvMyprgAx03zSaNvRbnNqBxbV/s1600/ORG_DSC04289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZfMOHpJMHqGJpsCDZjfpuxl7jBldU0VvIDKehQclCBgGOvjGMYMnHQS4iXWUCF_738AxKmm1xTKbWizMDZ9k8PCqeKSPuJCkeYPW5QqgEZzVvNG2RonfvMyprgAx03zSaNvRbnNqBxbV/s1600/ORG_DSC04289.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Cuenca was our first stop in Ecuador and it really set the bar high. Some cities are packed with things for tourists to do, so much so that you can hardly fit everything in across a few days. This wasn't Cuenca. In our opinion Cuenca fitted the other category of great cities we've come across in South America, somewhere where you would happily spend a week without doing much at all. The town does have a few good tourist attractions which we enjoyed and will of course share below, but for us the best thing about Cuenca was it's charm . The city itself is definitely above average in terms of looks and the people here are incredibly friendly and welcoming to tourists. Interestingly Cuenca has a large expat population of Americans of whom we can only assume felt the same way as us when we visited - this would be a great place to live. Outside of the city there are beautiful national parks to explore and the city is relatively near (for South America) to the beach towns of Mancora in Peru and Montañita on Ecuador's coast. We spent 3 nights here and would have more than happily spent the same again if we had the time and money! Cuenca will definitely be somewhere we plan on heading back to in the future, so here's our guide on what to do and where to go for you and our future selves to enjoy!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">
What to Do in Cuenca</span></h3>
<div>
<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Panama Hat Museum</span></b></h4>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Regardless of what TripAdvisor says, this is probably the most popular tourist attraction in the city (at least according to Instagram and other blogs we've read!). It doesn't take long to realise</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"> that like most places in South America, the people of Cuenca are pretty big on their hats and in this case opt for the traditional Panama style, rather than the bowler hats you may see further south on the continent. Whether you're looking to buy a hat for yourself (bare in mind they aren't cheap), have a look at the hat making pro</span><span style="font-size: large;">cess or simply try some nice hats on pretending you have the money you so obviously don't, this place is definitely worth a visit. Theres is also a cafe at the back of the museum</span><span style="font-size: large;">/shop with a pretty view over the river.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1wDMPWRHoQTV3U7Gosjy-fqmnB8dMMhRErReDHI24woFaOpSGzLzihuSRu-lAN1foqgx0k2G5sFgsSfBSp2mJ7vdVZd5BMgeuAxZ32-MtocSe_42zrhCZ4pZik7D33V8TfJv5ayRba7O/s1600/ORG_DSC04277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1wDMPWRHoQTV3U7Gosjy-fqmnB8dMMhRErReDHI24woFaOpSGzLzihuSRu-lAN1foqgx0k2G5sFgsSfBSp2mJ7vdVZd5BMgeuAxZ32-MtocSe_42zrhCZ4pZik7D33V8TfJv5ayRba7O/s1600/ORG_DSC04277.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Artisanal Market</b></span></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In our opinion this is probably the best touristy thing to do in the city. If you've just got to Ecuador like we had, then its a great opportunity to see the kind of artisanal things they make here and what you might want to buy to take home with you or for presents. If Cuenca is your last stop in Ecuador before you go to Peru then this is a great last minute chance to pick up a few things! The entrance is a little hidden but there is a sign for the market quite high up above the archway. The market is a lot bigger than it seems at first glance and is very relaxed (the venders aren't pushy at all which is always nice). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggMMUZSl4J3hbhWt2I282n5tjxK8Yx3AYr2ZyoL8HtYBULlG54GBmoVLz_1l8QngX8lhV-VWEVUOOMYnY935wUmaWDcj64XBoHP3bXHtNd9PnowM9wNb2S3JD1fFoI-ySy9z1EnPYxEEx/s1600/ORG_DSC04304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggMMUZSl4J3hbhWt2I282n5tjxK8Yx3AYr2ZyoL8HtYBULlG54GBmoVLz_1l8QngX8lhV-VWEVUOOMYnY935wUmaWDcj64XBoHP3bXHtNd9PnowM9wNb2S3JD1fFoI-ySy9z1EnPYxEEx/s1600/ORG_DSC04304.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCbjeVXfz3ajZjaKxHVN-vNSX7EmJBnShrxKt6FWMospvk_U7f_wU2CooR77O3ZgYPSmjHiFZV2v5jMAy6FLZUx1pP7qFfOKIgvU6B-43nF6BvTY73AlBMfqmqwixY8oTxXt6OLT8UVPv/s1600/ORG_DSC04300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCbjeVXfz3ajZjaKxHVN-vNSX7EmJBnShrxKt6FWMospvk_U7f_wU2CooR77O3ZgYPSmjHiFZV2v5jMAy6FLZUx1pP7qFfOKIgvU6B-43nF6BvTY73AlBMfqmqwixY8oTxXt6OLT8UVPv/s1600/ORG_DSC04300.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Plaza Principal</b></span></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The main square in Cuenca is top notch. If you like pretty doors then you'll be smiling as you make your way to the front of the cathedral, which to us, looked a lot like the Notre Dame in Paris. There's also a pretty pretty church not too far away!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_j-tiDQ6zkXkkfPmc2aKQxI6AajdtEBxQCTJO1hRSRIiq9Anoz9FoIdooF_8EXjfvsq1j1_xrsy_jfvau1l5hunEEk4MpOHTyufd4Rx2MWWAUZB059njZwzoGCpaRFo-rrfMgV1JyRs29/s1600/ORG_DSC04357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_j-tiDQ6zkXkkfPmc2aKQxI6AajdtEBxQCTJO1hRSRIiq9Anoz9FoIdooF_8EXjfvsq1j1_xrsy_jfvau1l5hunEEk4MpOHTyufd4Rx2MWWAUZB059njZwzoGCpaRFo-rrfMgV1JyRs29/s1600/ORG_DSC04357.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjtDxVdKIxjttKnhbCEZPnUacrQsh5YnHB54gGUZ6zoktHXcrCvm_J_-UDSqlaIxf4ShhkWldE7q4TmOK_DuqK9OfQmVjNDw7EVO8KOeT9bJ6E6k_ohZSAT8wnqrJmqPoIWHI6QpGSQsK/s1600/ORG_DSC04346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjtDxVdKIxjttKnhbCEZPnUacrQsh5YnHB54gGUZ6zoktHXcrCvm_J_-UDSqlaIxf4ShhkWldE7q4TmOK_DuqK9OfQmVjNDw7EVO8KOeT9bJ6E6k_ohZSAT8wnqrJmqPoIWHI6QpGSQsK/s1600/ORG_DSC04346.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtunF3EGRsCE8gKghueei8TGGL4aJmCwEdUrvK4uObT019IbAytTEP8YIS2BNcL4W5wCfYFEYpYRmRnzjQI54iW6SWk3jizQfLPWv1KDhMTib3P1HRdT7MtFXgPyQ65LuKF5p-qrsytM9/s1600/ORG_DSC04332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtunF3EGRsCE8gKghueei8TGGL4aJmCwEdUrvK4uObT019IbAytTEP8YIS2BNcL4W5wCfYFEYpYRmRnzjQI54iW6SWk3jizQfLPWv1KDhMTib3P1HRdT7MtFXgPyQ65LuKF5p-qrsytM9/s1600/ORG_DSC04332.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Walk Along the River </b></span></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Cuenca has a beautiful river running through the city and a quiet walking path alongside it. Get yourself down to the bank and walk along in either direction to relax and enjoy the tranquillity of the city. There is a broken bridge to be seen by the river which may interest you (but to be honest, it's just a broken bridge).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxkT6O9RfV4w4Bezp3LbJYYt5yA9yE6wP55-VR-XAQe2P7_caPR2qKR4A_gNXUlN2pGvJ3eaQdkMAr6LQQypa0OXxZzskd3Sn76doGXDiv0u0GHsGkbg1C5OXgrJD0AgPAtxmozklafhf/s1600/ORG_DSC04289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxkT6O9RfV4w4Bezp3LbJYYt5yA9yE6wP55-VR-XAQe2P7_caPR2qKR4A_gNXUlN2pGvJ3eaQdkMAr6LQQypa0OXxZzskd3Sn76doGXDiv0u0GHsGkbg1C5OXgrJD0AgPAtxmozklafhf/s1600/ORG_DSC04289.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3oMHRlH5N3zEYuDumgZEFRXfSgHvenfZQ1019nVLVZhxivPRLGt2reX20psfetOv5L09CoQm6JNwkcra469eyu6WNE99bGzlfHkzrc7gL_lGwU4HDo66BG3zcptOIE5xgO16LPgV-sqZ/s1600/ORG_DSC04294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3oMHRlH5N3zEYuDumgZEFRXfSgHvenfZQ1019nVLVZhxivPRLGt2reX20psfetOv5L09CoQm6JNwkcra469eyu6WNE99bGzlfHkzrc7gL_lGwU4HDo66BG3zcptOIE5xgO16LPgV-sqZ/s1600/ORG_DSC04294.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_CIsdGKf8V0Fpnf0xz5bxJevuELmuQIdedqkpX8XTtFm1ZoIeVcyPebkFh7HVNaOQUlkicxLYo1_5kaFXzPQzap93NxtiOHydpgLdQNHcccwQcosgqG67J-g18LjAnwLKQzyWmjyqWrM/s1600/ORG_DSC04296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_CIsdGKf8V0Fpnf0xz5bxJevuELmuQIdedqkpX8XTtFm1ZoIeVcyPebkFh7HVNaOQUlkicxLYo1_5kaFXzPQzap93NxtiOHydpgLdQNHcccwQcosgqG67J-g18LjAnwLKQzyWmjyqWrM/s1600/ORG_DSC04296.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno</b></span></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When it comes to art museums, we much prefer the weird modern stuff and thats exactly what this one is. Entrance is technically free but the nice old lady at the desk insists on you putting a small amount in the donation box.It's a little bit further out from the centre of town and isn't worth visiting if you're only in Cuenca for a day but if you've got the time then go for it.</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Where To Eat in Cuenca</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is something we're very excited to talk about as the food in Cuenca was amazing. There were so many different options, here's our top pics for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Breakfast - <b>Ñucallacta</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">All of the food and drinks here come American sized. Whether you prefer yoghurt, fruit and granola, or eggs, bacon and a face-sized hash brown you'll be pleased with this cafe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Lunch - <b>El Tokte</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you fancy a break from carb-heavy South American set meals then this is the place. El Tokte is a little cafe which sells fresh juices, smoothies and small selection of healthy of vegetarian and vegan food. They do a great menu of the day option although the pink water it comes with is a bit weird.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Dinner - <b>A Pedir la Boca</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If we hadn't come across this place on a blog or TripAdvisor or something we would've never gone in. It's a small restaurant that looks peculiar to say the least. However, the food is phenomenal! The menu consists of a weird mix of some Asian and some European dishes, both of which were cooked and plated to perfection. The portions here a huge so you could probably share a meal between two.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Where to Stay in Cuenca</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We stayed <b><a href="https://lacasacuencana.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">La Casa Cuencana</a></b> which is a great middle of the range option. We paid $20us on Booking.com for it per night, for a private room with a shared bathroom. A bed in a dorm room costs $10us. The location is great, just a few blocks from the main square and surrounded by some great cafes, restaurants and bars. This is a recommend from us!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We hope this has been useful. Thanks for reading,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d21251.204088049897!2d-79.0066039676484!3d-2.901326496810452!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980049179" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-88265622522482960932018-04-29T14:57:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:40:00.896-07:00The Complete Guide To Máncora - Peru’s Main Beach Town<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Máncora exceeded our expectations. Talk to any Peruvian and they’ll tell you that the beaches in the north of Peru, namely Máncora, Organos and Zorritos, are by far the best their country has to offer, but all too often these comments are followed up by the fact that they’re complete ‘party towns’. This somewhat put us off as in our experience when beach towns get a reputation for being party towns they often become trashy and spoilt. This had been the case in some places we’d visited in Asia, particularly Thailand and we hoped it wouldn’t be the case here in Peru. Thankfully it wasn’t and Máncora turned out to have a great balance of bars, restaurants and nightlife alongside long stretches of golden sandy beaches which weren’t overly commercialised. We really enjoyed the time we spent here and much preferred the beach to any other place we’ve been to in Peru. So, without further or do, here’s our ultimate travel guide to Máncora!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">The Beach</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Máncora’s beach is great. There are quite a few tourists around but even at high tide there is plenty of space for you to put your towel down and have your own area. The sand is soft and relatively un-polluted although our biggest criticism is that ever so often people will drive past in quad bikes that they’ve just rented for an hour or so, without realising that there really isn’t anywhere to use them. Apart from this there really isn’t anything else wrong with the beach. Occasionally you’ll get pestered to buy sunglasses or a cold drink but that can be expected anywhere along the coast.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVFfaEwQQorzqgiT5NU9r3yG-R7cLsBSySJX897a7yYxZsg_MkO6lpJM0b1Mse7k03QN723y7oUqCBxKBzI6O7xgYYVapFgkuZfH79TqLAEIVMpAOXqsuHvDdEp1u0MtVIIqxYkTCPAwy/s1600/IMG_8945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVFfaEwQQorzqgiT5NU9r3yG-R7cLsBSySJX897a7yYxZsg_MkO6lpJM0b1Mse7k03QN723y7oUqCBxKBzI6O7xgYYVapFgkuZfH79TqLAEIVMpAOXqsuHvDdEp1u0MtVIIqxYkTCPAwy/s1600/IMG_8945.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Surfing</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Surfing is pretty popular here although in our opinion the waves were much better further south in Huanchaco (LINK). There seemed to be more waves earlier on in the day whereas in the afternoon there were ten or so surfers all trying to ride the same tiny wave. If you’re an experienced surfer you’re more likely to enjoy it here but if you’re a beginner (like us) you’re likely to find it more stressful as there as so many people in the water to avoid hitting!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-weight: bold;">2 Hour Surf lesson</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> — 50 soles ($15.50us / £11.20)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-weight: bold;">2 Hour Surf Board Hire</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> — 10 soles ($3.10us / £2.20)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-weight: bold;">Whole day Board Hire</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"> — 20 soles ($6.20us / £4.50)</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aZyobxqiuCUXZTN9dC5ZPOWcp24uj0szePryMZr3f1pqZbjuVzyL_wnDiuSWJ7jsR7Fia_1h4G6ZlcEiVs5XawtgbWEEC4Tcj7q51KR_Jhg4sTg5Tret8LhtPHWV2d9eNpsxG6wTrn46/s1600/ORG_DSC04226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aZyobxqiuCUXZTN9dC5ZPOWcp24uj0szePryMZr3f1pqZbjuVzyL_wnDiuSWJ7jsR7Fia_1h4G6ZlcEiVs5XawtgbWEEC4Tcj7q51KR_Jhg4sTg5Tret8LhtPHWV2d9eNpsxG6wTrn46/s1600/ORG_DSC04226.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Going out</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Despite being ‘the party town’ there really didn’t seem to be many clubs or live music anywhere. There were more bars then you’re average Peruvian town though and the town was definitely more lively in the evening than somewhere like Huanchaco.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpb0k1OFNqbBV2EohsqlR5seN0-6ZNG_srsub1gg26D_jkyYDjP6qPwlfY2saubc6_dLAMgJT4lwTU6smCH2CYgnEFsauCK1iDmzjmxnW6bkCzbFmWED5oeMTjIpXec-6vu1tnlELJdCk/s1600/ORG_DSC04219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpb0k1OFNqbBV2EohsqlR5seN0-6ZNG_srsub1gg26D_jkyYDjP6qPwlfY2saubc6_dLAMgJT4lwTU6smCH2CYgnEFsauCK1iDmzjmxnW6bkCzbFmWED5oeMTjIpXec-6vu1tnlELJdCk/s1600/ORG_DSC04219.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Where to eat</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Máncora had a good amount of cheap food options, particularly for lunch where you could get budget set meals which didn’t have to be the useful ‘pollo a la plancha’ or ‘ceviche’. Our top picks are...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-weight: bold;">Cafe del Mundo </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">- Open for lunch and dinner, this place had great mix and match menu options with big portions.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-weight: bold;">Tokuyo </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">- A Japanese restaurant which makes lots of sushi but also some salads and chicken teriyaki. We weren’t too sure about eating raw fish in Peru as our stomachs haven’t always been in perfect condition here, but the food was really excellent and we had no problems. It’s ran by a Japanese couple so it can be trusted!</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Getting around</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Máncora is a town of tuk-tuks / Moto-taxis and if you don’t fancy walking somewhere this is your only option. The town is really small and so you shouldn’t pay more than 2 soles each trip to get around. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Transport </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">We took a direct bus from Trujillo to Máncora overnight. The service was run by CruzdelSur which is our favoured company for reliability and comfort and it cost us $25us. Other more budget options are available but may not always run overnight.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">You can also get direct buses from Guayaquil and Cuenca in Ecuador and Chiclayo in Peru.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Where we stayed</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">We stayed at Wiracocha Hostel which we were really pleased with. The owner was so lovely to us and made us feel at home right away. Breakfast was excellent and was even brought to us in bed! We were also allowed to use the room into the evening after check-out so that we could shower after going to the beach. The hostel is slightly further out but still only a 10 minute walk from the beach and less time to the town centre. It was really reasonably priced at around $17us a night. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2iqW84xaeW_d6a5uKMiA506fM7HyYRzIAAnH0jdYcZzjuMoBHbbsOJgk_uHZqVQNUVJWT6AtJz0kHZOqW2wiCF_Cz2Ohji44sZHf3unuSN5hYATVqP4hsOwJm6PiYbzVet2iRS0aRJDi/s1600/ORG_DSC04259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2iqW84xaeW_d6a5uKMiA506fM7HyYRzIAAnH0jdYcZzjuMoBHbbsOJgk_uHZqVQNUVJWT6AtJz0kHZOqW2wiCF_Cz2Ohji44sZHf3unuSN5hYATVqP4hsOwJm6PiYbzVet2iRS0aRJDi/s1600/ORG_DSC04259.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">We hope you’ve found this post useful, thanks for reading!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d7273.337423190566!2d-81.04960793784633!3d-4.104970514641235!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980244597" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-85557274566597028502018-04-29T14:16:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:40:17.319-07:00Learning to Surf In Huanchaco <div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Huanchaco is a small beach town in the North, just 10 minutes away from Trujillo, Peru’s third largest city. We wouldn’t put it into the ‘must-visit’ category of Peru as to be honest the beaches are better around Mancora, there’s a hell of a lot more to do around Lima and you’ll find much more beautiful architecture in the South such as in Arequipa and Cusco. However the town does manage to attract a fair few tourists around the year and this is mainly due to its waves. Surfing is incredibly popular here due to guaranteed waves, making it good both for learners and those more experienced on the board. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We’ve always wanted to try our hand at surfing and Huanchaco sounded like the perfect place to do so, especially with it being positioned between Lima in he centre of the country and the beaches in the North, making for a good stop of point for us heading up towards Ecuador. We were so glad we made this decision because, as promised, the waves were great, the teaching was excellent and it didn’t cost us an arm and a leg. For anyone thinking about learning to surf in South America we’d recommend heading to Huanchaco and in this post we’ll explain why and let you know a little more about what to expect from your first surf lessons! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Day 1</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We’d booked surf lessons with Muchik surf school the day before, arranging that we’d start at 9:00am. The first part of the lesson was theory where we went over a two step process of how to stand up on the board. The guy teaching us had been teaching longer than we’d been alive and so we were in good hands. After (kind-of) getting the hang of the steps, we were given wetsuits to change into and we headed to the water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoAF4ubihu186tk-W3oVH4BoSWaSNajfjXBoHxP5OUcQc2MKiKOnHB74OS8DLL80yCGSnQFUGaaw6zjaXCQXTh9NYo3vs0vBvGTU3JaDRCpDCQwi-3j5GLS7gwdt0N03Wsfp-nAU-4OcT/s1600/ORG_DSC02022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoAF4ubihu186tk-W3oVH4BoSWaSNajfjXBoHxP5OUcQc2MKiKOnHB74OS8DLL80yCGSnQFUGaaw6zjaXCQXTh9NYo3vs0vBvGTU3JaDRCpDCQwi-3j5GLS7gwdt0N03Wsfp-nAU-4OcT/s1600/ORG_DSC02022.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_DPL7YnSqSVK76bhaAoeMnk31X_SD7UsW0PcltqVE1op95SIZeiGxJfss6dAtyN9J66OmoL1A6TXuA3jCcty3FYys2Z91XwfVqkK1hWUFZNx_FfOr1EMntu66SNFwJhYrXzJGG8WG0w2/s1600/ORG_DSC02020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_DPL7YnSqSVK76bhaAoeMnk31X_SD7UsW0PcltqVE1op95SIZeiGxJfss6dAtyN9J66OmoL1A6TXuA3jCcty3FYys2Z91XwfVqkK1hWUFZNx_FfOr1EMntu66SNFwJhYrXzJGG8WG0w2/s1600/ORG_DSC02020.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Surprisingly the water was a reasonable temperature, or at least the wetsuits worked well, which reminded us why we’d never tried surfing in the UK. There were three of us and we had two teachers in the water which meant we never had to wait for the instructor to catch the wave.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We were also surprised how we managed to stand up on the first go. Of course we weren’t great and didn’t last too long, but the steps we’d learnt seemed to work well and the teachers in the water were clearly good at their job.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One thing we weren’t aware of though is the huge effort it takes to paddle back out to catch another wave. This gets exhausting and we were all ready to finish by the end, feeling like we needed to go back to bed.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyIv9wmlNO1YhlmqC1bcT0Bp9K3fS9de32ex2m4jgeqB9QTVj1aytvzaD3GwJ1fMfz8vtWbPACuz5Gn7neltqSBbbakHZR0vgboGtXXGINugK_HViE7e0vsEt6TFKRCxlAXO3_-_VVp99/s1600/ORG_DSC02042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyIv9wmlNO1YhlmqC1bcT0Bp9K3fS9de32ex2m4jgeqB9QTVj1aytvzaD3GwJ1fMfz8vtWbPACuz5Gn7neltqSBbbakHZR0vgboGtXXGINugK_HViE7e0vsEt6TFKRCxlAXO3_-_VVp99/s1600/ORG_DSC02042.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4AiiyT2oMI0hV9Z2-xburhW4wtrxrEBNeqVNYYbfdwnIsG-alOXX5jOxZYeq_sFszqxfdiu7oDWDq6X9WOdL2UsNdUj8XGQsZqZmDOe2sI_O071ugWRDI7nGXppxXTNHtULxjGoUonAk/s1600/ORG_DSC02032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4AiiyT2oMI0hV9Z2-xburhW4wtrxrEBNeqVNYYbfdwnIsG-alOXX5jOxZYeq_sFszqxfdiu7oDWDq6X9WOdL2UsNdUj8XGQsZqZmDOe2sI_O071ugWRDI7nGXppxXTNHtULxjGoUonAk/s1600/ORG_DSC02032.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKBaCh1u4CLnL4xcQ7fCZRJWmEjzy_bvryAj19ybjnIWlUoerV1oA55UUtGJx0PjgSCMNg5R5NW079y4dzSJDiuWpQSxDQ1grP7fNreQaVa3_e2I7l-9-PdTp3MT05lbFIxO87da4kDFl/s1600/ORG_DSC02034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKBaCh1u4CLnL4xcQ7fCZRJWmEjzy_bvryAj19ybjnIWlUoerV1oA55UUtGJx0PjgSCMNg5R5NW079y4dzSJDiuWpQSxDQ1grP7fNreQaVa3_e2I7l-9-PdTp3MT05lbFIxO87da4kDFl/s1600/ORG_DSC02034.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><br />Day 2</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Lissa enjoyed surfing but not enough to go back out the following day and so decided to sit on the beach and laugh at my pathetic attempts to ‘catch the wave’. I took another lesson which followed the same format - theory first, then practising in the water. The main steps up from the first lesson were that I was now using a smaller board (which is apparently harder) and I was encouraged to catch the wave myself and work on my own timings. This was a lot harder than previously where I was told exactly when to stand up. By the end I felt pretty confident on the small waves, but I think I’ll need to take some more lessons in the future!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">How much did it cost?</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A lesson which lasted 2 hours cost 70 soles ($22us) which we thought was very good value. The teaching was excellent, all of the instructors were qualified and were patient. The lessons were almost one on one meaning we never had to wait around for the instructors. In our opinion, two hours was plenty and we wouldn’t have wanted to do much more, as to the beginner it gets really tiring. We would highly recommend Muchik Surf school as they were really patient with us, even then we were forgetting everything we were told as soon as a wave came.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Where to stay in Huanchaco?</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We stayed at Wachaque Surf which is a really good option if you want a quieter place and are looking to save a bit of money. It’s pretty close to the beach, only a 5 minute walk, and the area felt completely safe to walk around at night. We paid 50 soles ($15.50) for a double room with shared bathroom but a bed in a dorm room was 20 soles ($6.50). The breakfast was also slightly better than average.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Where to eat in Huanchaco</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are a number of places along the main road by the beach which offer the standard set menu options which are great if you’re on a budget. One place that has incredibly good reviews and a lot of hype is ‘Surfer Burger’ which we found a little disappointing - alright but nothing special. Our favourite place by far was the restaurant of the hostel ‘Moksha Yoga & Surf’. They served up really good value and very tasty veggie and vegan dishes along with a good ‘special’ option for only 10 soles ($3.10)!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">I have no interest in surfing, should I go to Huanchaco?</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In short, no. The beaches further north in Peru around Mancora are much nicer and the weather is more reliable.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">However we have heard really good things about Otra Cosa a volunteer program based in Huanchaco that we looked at doing before realising that we didn’t really have time. If you fancy staying somewhere for a while doing some environmental or English teaching based volunteer work then check out their website for more details. They also offer cheap Spanish lessons for those of you wanting to improve whilst volunteering.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Thanks for reading, we hope this is useful!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d12834.35087684442!2d-79.1193214389398!3d-8.077502743589044!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x91ad3bfd13804739%3A0x7131fd877140e1d2!2sSurf+School+Muchik!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980315710" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-39335429838482335212018-04-28T18:30:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:40:31.551-07:00Hiking Laguna 69 - How difficult really is it?<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzvfEGMCyQ9HCXrn9BjJEVpDlmYhGJL7o5rZAZyoUEb2Y7rImBCQqj4UX7vllYs53P0oGMwUfXuWqTSFtLc26rliHtkWwR9cp-FUlvyScbZ6R-mL8TgRskgTu5JNlSW_UMMk68RNNX5m-/s1600/IMG_8883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzvfEGMCyQ9HCXrn9BjJEVpDlmYhGJL7o5rZAZyoUEb2Y7rImBCQqj4UX7vllYs53P0oGMwUfXuWqTSFtLc26rliHtkWwR9cp-FUlvyScbZ6R-mL8TgRskgTu5JNlSW_UMMk68RNNX5m-/s1600/IMG_8883.JPG" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We’d done so much looking into all of the places worth visiting in the south of Peru but once we got to Lima we began to realise that we knew very little about the north. So we did some research and aside from the beach towns, the other main spot on the tourist route seemed to be the city of Huaraz in the mountains. Intrigued, we looked at what there was to do around the city, as we weren’t about to leave the warm weather along the coastline for the cold and rainy Andes for no good reason. Laguna 69 is without a doubt Huaraz’s biggest attraction and after seeing the pictures we made up our minds - we were heading for the mountains. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Huaraz is nothing special. As expected there really wasn’t much to see in the city apart from glaring at some of the most ridiculous hats we’ve seen all trip. It is however the perfect location for venturing off into the hills to hike, with tens of trips leaving every day, from 1 day hikes to 10 day expeditions. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">Summary</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Laguna 69 is a one day hike which involves a 2 hour bus ride to the start point followed by roughly 5-6 hours walking, mostly uphill, with a very blue lagoon to enjoy looking at about halfway through. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">More detail...</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">After struggling with the altitude the last time we did a trek over 4000m (Rainbow Mountain) Lissa decided to give this one a miss and so I did it with some others from our hostel. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We were picked up from our hostel at around 6am then headed into the mountains on a minibus. At around 8am we stopped to eat breakfast for half an hour or so (but this was not included in the price of the ‘tour’). I say tour but really all that is included in the 30 soles you pay is the transport. Everybody walks at their own pace and consequently you'll have to wait for the last person to reach the end before heading back.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">After breakfast we continued on for half an hour or so before entering the national park (an entrance fee must be paid which is 30 soles for tourists). We then stopped a few minutes further down the road to take some photos of a lagoon (not Laguna 69) before carrying on towards the start point. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixd-G5QcuwfP9xK2c6hsYt4v23-9f_NLf9xtXPjsJdOGgzVGnuGsLZFaRk9ySnA78pgZEMwDNjN2WzUsPwR0f91Ir7ZCNZULH30EOzalEEVZnh049vkSMcKlwTUU_6K3ulN9grH2k6zmEQ/s1600/LRG_DSC04071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixd-G5QcuwfP9xK2c6hsYt4v23-9f_NLf9xtXPjsJdOGgzVGnuGsLZFaRk9ySnA78pgZEMwDNjN2WzUsPwR0f91Ir7ZCNZULH30EOzalEEVZnh049vkSMcKlwTUU_6K3ulN9grH2k6zmEQ/s1600/LRG_DSC04071.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLpCq39meljLsWrC-Yh2MNtQ18pfQmZ8ySM8_oiWbNu2ZJEQWMDate5ORqoKEKkgdbBEfi1eDa1JjOr3h8Na5NbD8BmMTIOe2xq3UkU7X5tqOOEdWjPdN4Crf8q90Du6YnSSyjs2wHTf0/s1600/LRG_DSC04089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLpCq39meljLsWrC-Yh2MNtQ18pfQmZ8ySM8_oiWbNu2ZJEQWMDate5ORqoKEKkgdbBEfi1eDa1JjOr3h8Na5NbD8BmMTIOe2xq3UkU7X5tqOOEdWjPdN4Crf8q90Du6YnSSyjs2wHTf0/s1600/LRG_DSC04089.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We started the hike at 9am and, as mentioned, you walk at your own pace. There was no guide to walk with the group but the route is very clear and it is impossible to get lost. There are lots of people doing the hike as a few companies run the tour everyday which on the one hand meant you couldn’t enjoy the scenery completely undisturbed, but on the other hand it meant that there were always other people walking the same speed as you to talk to if you’re walking alone as I was.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">There were timings given to us by the driver to ensure that we weren’t all waiting for someone at the end of the hike. There were as followed:</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">9:00 - 12:00 = Hiking up to the lagoon</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">12:00 - 13:00 = Hour spent having lunch at the top of the lagoon (take your own food there is nothing to buy up there)</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">13:00 - 15:30 = Hiking back to the minibus</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">It is not a circular route and you will be walking back down the same way you came. I wouldn’t say this is such a bad thing as I found the views facing there other way were quite different and can’t be enjoyed hiking uphill at high altitude (on the way up you’re eyes are fixed on the finish line!).</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWznLkyiZOF3Xpt5cS2su-Ea0twLnXzfzxa96bZyoVKyWW3hm6g1Jy31ViBqzfk0yz2NSr6NWknuKIk3i6aX8Jaok54OvIfrT5gRoS-nt3VWP_GQ8Q6zzZLJW7hp2KkYp-M1z2-r9Fh3Qx/s1600/LRG_DSC04104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWznLkyiZOF3Xpt5cS2su-Ea0twLnXzfzxa96bZyoVKyWW3hm6g1Jy31ViBqzfk0yz2NSr6NWknuKIk3i6aX8Jaok54OvIfrT5gRoS-nt3VWP_GQ8Q6zzZLJW7hp2KkYp-M1z2-r9Fh3Qx/s1600/LRG_DSC04104.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXEu9uAo1h_0m7-nHFOfbVhrmpIyrlszEsDQJCqqQ_cKGZHFdTmfP2MvUKWdydxzGOM-1M8EA7yIz8eKEQMemZQavoFJ8hBxb-kmL0rKH4iPmXpRj_b05F7bNgU1ChZOcIwPZmmGme78J/s1600/LRG_DSC04134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXEu9uAo1h_0m7-nHFOfbVhrmpIyrlszEsDQJCqqQ_cKGZHFdTmfP2MvUKWdydxzGOM-1M8EA7yIz8eKEQMemZQavoFJ8hBxb-kmL0rKH4iPmXpRj_b05F7bNgU1ChZOcIwPZmmGme78J/s1600/LRG_DSC04134.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3ED2lrahe5ag9JytixUODhYRJFP1-0gmLmqS9RhEYv16YFNKzkuNtOwKOd3D4_IL4qzFdqVmtI5bsngr2w6VztJS-TAdSnl5oAQrWqFykgmHmG-cyiiAlCE1wBRqtTzq_rYsIOTEsPo7/s1600/LRG_DSC04146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3ED2lrahe5ag9JytixUODhYRJFP1-0gmLmqS9RhEYv16YFNKzkuNtOwKOd3D4_IL4qzFdqVmtI5bsngr2w6VztJS-TAdSnl5oAQrWqFykgmHmG-cyiiAlCE1wBRqtTzq_rYsIOTEsPo7/s1600/LRG_DSC04146.JPG" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The timings that we were given were generous and aimed at the slowest in the group. I am an alright hiker but struggle as much as the next person with the altitude, however I reached the top at about 11:30, half an hour earlier than expected. I also found that an hour was a very long time to spend at the top so even if you were half an hour late to the lagoon, you could take 30 minutes for lunch and then head back.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The lagoon really is as impressive as the photos make it out to be and it’ll take a while to get over how blue it actually is! It’s definitely a trek which is ‘vale la pena’ as the locals would say (worth the effort).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6e4C9AwGLgSX7zmES4Z5TABIHnbP3iLJd3iZ4cp5r9tsTkVSn2hQTJDIYC0J86MgFpf6_CL2eE53m0EwaNkOBp2OZrOotBoZW6VjUPNzybKyjo1mNTXY7oS_cBzzP2esivMwSERQDdlN/s1600/IMG_8889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6e4C9AwGLgSX7zmES4Z5TABIHnbP3iLJd3iZ4cp5r9tsTkVSn2hQTJDIYC0J86MgFpf6_CL2eE53m0EwaNkOBp2OZrOotBoZW6VjUPNzybKyjo1mNTXY7oS_cBzzP2esivMwSERQDdlN/s1600/IMG_8889.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsq2MOjHknCs5fcW8EnYJKFZRPb5YhjzVjuZes7M_7IzXTeIH1hkNQWW0vPU_GwNVEXICyB_PfYde2iYRRboCjMJuIhjHmA9_78-TxR_wnPi75MYTFKGuY_vtdFV1RCUOCJ_6II1MgYy0/s1600/LRG_DSC04154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsq2MOjHknCs5fcW8EnYJKFZRPb5YhjzVjuZes7M_7IzXTeIH1hkNQWW0vPU_GwNVEXICyB_PfYde2iYRRboCjMJuIhjHmA9_78-TxR_wnPi75MYTFKGuY_vtdFV1RCUOCJ_6II1MgYy0/s1600/LRG_DSC04154.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-c9fpUo1OC58o8qIUyr1PDQivRe7kT-omXMgtE2BeGRZ5_SHtw5nucCegiLJu63tkYsjAruA9ozO6o7cZziTA7igmkhQ4Q2-CMi0XXF9ij7e1QB9HHp_Vjyvo9w5qHsvncefHqt2S3Gz7/s1600/ORG_DSC04159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-c9fpUo1OC58o8qIUyr1PDQivRe7kT-omXMgtE2BeGRZ5_SHtw5nucCegiLJu63tkYsjAruA9ozO6o7cZziTA7igmkhQ4Q2-CMi0XXF9ij7e1QB9HHp_Vjyvo9w5qHsvncefHqt2S3Gz7/s1600/ORG_DSC04159.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtghuAEG27ZUB-ktMa5hcZ2-K1Vcn19ZpFOw3hjI5tTUSiAXM44cnleaQB92Dv3dfVJwwjF14QZHHc05PfZ13QK3JSJNbQL2bo40lNad1balLksymMyNwfO6_zAJIhzP-WxtxzetwHC0F/s1600/ORG_DSC04162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtghuAEG27ZUB-ktMa5hcZ2-K1Vcn19ZpFOw3hjI5tTUSiAXM44cnleaQB92Dv3dfVJwwjF14QZHHc05PfZ13QK3JSJNbQL2bo40lNad1balLksymMyNwfO6_zAJIhzP-WxtxzetwHC0F/s1600/ORG_DSC04162.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The walk back to the minibus is significantly easier than the walk to the lagoon as when walking downhill you’ll hardly feel the effects of the altitude at all. It is likely to only take you around 2 hours for this reason. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I got back to the minibus at around 5:00 and only had to wait 40 minutes until everyone was here and we could leave. This isn’t so bad because after the early start you’ll probably welcome a short nap.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">How hard is the trek to Laguna 69?</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">First off you need to consider the fact that you are walking at high altitude. Lissa hasn’t agreed with walking over 4000m in the past such as climbing Rainbow Mountain in the photo above and so decided it wasn’t for her. I tend to feel it when walking uphill a lot but not so much going down, which is pretty common for most people. We’d deliberated for some time as to whether it’d be too difficult or not and I’m glad I did it whilst Lissa’s glad she didn’t. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you are generally fit and have hiked in the past then I think you’d manage it alright, just make sure you take it slow as you are given plenty of time. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you’ve had problems with altitude in the past in cities such as Cusco or Puno which are below 4000m then this hike probably isn’t for you as the lagoon is at an altitude of nearly 5000m. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">One piece of advice I was given from some friends was if you’re not sure, do it, because the walk in itself is beautiful. This means if you’re struggling more than you thought you would and can’t reach the top, you haven’t wasted a day. It’s also relatively cheap with the whole hike costing just over $15us dollars for transport and entrance, meaning you haven’t wasted your money. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you decide to go for it then make sure you’re prepared for the altitude. This means taking coca sweets or leaves, lots of high energy snacks and paracetamol for headaches. For more information on how to deal with altitude sickness, check out our post all about it <a href="http://www.allofthegearnoidea.co.uk/2018/04/how-to-cope-with-high-altitude.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you’re still unsure about whether it’s for you please send me a message on Instagram or Facebook @allofthegearnoidea, comment on this post, or send us an email at allofthegearnoidea@gmail.com.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">What other treks are on offer?</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">As mentioned before, Huaraz is a hikers paradise and we met a number of people who had spent over a week here doing different treks each day. Here is a list of some other options on offer in the region:</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Laguna Wilcacocha</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> - This trek is supposed to be slightly easier than Laguna 69 and doesn’t reach as high an altitude. It can be done in half a day and without booking a tour through taking a collectivo (shared taxi).</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Santa Cruz trek </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">- This was a very popular option from talking to people at our hostel. The trek normally takes five days (but can be done in four). It is accessible to people who like to hike (but are not obsessed!) and can be done with our without a guide. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Huayhuash trek </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">- This one is for all of your hardcore trekkers out there. Taking anywhere between 10 days and 2 weeks and with mountain passes at 5000m, you’ve got to really like walking to do this one! The trek passes through the Yerapajé mountains which are the second highest in the Andes and are supposed to be spectacular.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px; min-height: 22.7px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Pastoruri Glacier </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">- You pass glaciers on the Laguna 69 trek but if you really want to get up close than this trek is for you. You’ll need to take a tour as it is a few hours away from Huaraz but the tour often includes stop off points to view lagoons on the way.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">Where to eat in Huaraz</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We didn’t spend much time in the city but we did find one nice cafe which seemed to attract all the tourists in town. This was California Cafe, which did great breakfast and lunch (not sure whether it was open in the evenings) and it had great WiFi.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">Where to stay in Huaraz</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We stayed at Hostel Akilpo which we were really pleased with. The location was good, the beds were comfy, there was a great social space, the showers were hot, the WiFi worked really well and there was a kitchen we could use - all for only £5 ($7us) a night! Are only criticism is that there seemed to only be one toilet for quite a few rooms. You could also book treks from the hostel which was really handy. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We hope this post has been useful.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Thanks for reading!</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d31479.094411237496!2d-77.53118283368195!3d-9.51856356595038!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980392965" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-14705064019715487952018-04-28T16:11:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:41:02.305-07:00How To Cope With High Altitude <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ymbzt9Y10v-OG8LGjR828EqwFFRNFVQyrLZaRBHYsYBmm4VisYi9NRvppQ45Y6eGVEyF1thhsxAudwGb47lcMzoEsiUezyvgsBgVEnbiZySh5rLrsMKM1M0gNACNKa9GRHSTJ454THnW/s1600/IMG_7716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ymbzt9Y10v-OG8LGjR828EqwFFRNFVQyrLZaRBHYsYBmm4VisYi9NRvppQ45Y6eGVEyF1thhsxAudwGb47lcMzoEsiUezyvgsBgVEnbiZySh5rLrsMKM1M0gNACNKa9GRHSTJ454THnW/s1600/IMG_7716.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When travelling through South America, one thing that you’ll learn early on is that much of the Western side of the continent has a high altitude. Naturally, this is because of the Andes, the second highest mountain range in the world after the Himalayas, which ranges from Chile and Argentina all the way to Ecuador and Columbia in the north. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">For us, we spent over a month travelling in and around high altitude cities and towns across Bolivia and Peru and in doing so have come across lots of different ways to reduce the effects of sickness and general lack of breath.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In this guide we’ll run through all of the options there are for dealing with being at high altitude along with their benefits and drawbacks.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Agua Florida</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We’ve started with this one as it’s the only option we hadn’t heard of until we went away and at times it has proved to be the most successful. Agua Florida is an alcohol and herbal based liquid which you rub on your hands befitting cupping them and then taking a big sniff of the air inside. You then rub the remaining liquid on your glands around your neck.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️It really does work to combat headaches. Often with being at high altitude it’s common to get headaches, especially if you are hiking. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️It doesn’t take long to feel the effects. If you’ve got a horrible headache then using this will help to ease the pain in minutes not hours.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️It’s really cheap and easy to get. Agua Florida can be bought over the counter in a big or small bottle (you’ll only need a small) for just a few dollars. All chemists seemed to know what it was if you mimed sniffing and said for the altitude.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️It’s safe. When we climbed rainbow mountain this is what all of the doctors were using on people who were suffering from the altitude. We were skeptical at first but having talked to a pharmacist we were informed that it was completely safe to use.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ Its not very pleasant. Sniffing it in gives you a little bit of a shock the first time as it’s so strong and you may find that you just don’t like it. It does get a lot easier after that first time though! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ Simone mentioned that it’s possible to get addicted to the liquid. Whilst we have no evidence to say this is true we though we should mention it here anyway. Just don’t be over reliant on it and only use it when you have strong symptoms of altitude sickness, by just a lack of breath.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Coca Leaves</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Coca leaves are quite simply the leaves from a coca plant. To take them roll a few leaves into a ball in your hand, then place the ball in the side of your mouth at the back. Don’t chew the leaves, just leave them there and suck on the juices which come out of them.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>✔️ </b>Coca leaves are very easy to get hold of in Bolivia and Peru, two countries which are full of high altitude areas. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️ They are fairly effective and are what the locals use to help them work longer hours in the day. It has a similar effect to caffeine.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️They are very safe. Coca leaves are NOT cocaine. Coca is one of many ingredients which goes into the making of cocaine but alone does not produce the same effects. You aren’t taking drugs any more than you are by having a cup of coffee or some chocolate.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ They are quite unpleasant. They don’t taste nice and it’s uncomfortable having them in your mouth. Many people who try them end up spitting them out before the effects really work.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ Coca leaf plantations are used by drug cartels to make cocaine with and so you may have some ethical issues with taking it. For this reason in some countries such as Ecuador it’s production is banned to help reduce cocaine production in the country.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Coca Sweets</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">These can be found in most supermarkets and some mini corner shops. They imitate the effects of coca but are simply sweets that you can suck and chew on.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️ They are a great alternative to coca leaves as they are a lot more enjoyable. They taste alright and don’t feel horrible in your mouth like the leaves do.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️ They are cheap and easy to find.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ The effects aren’t quite as strong as coca leaves and so you may not feel much of a difference.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Altitude Sickness Pills</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">These didn’t seem to be sold in UK farmacies, only Diamox was sold (which we’ll mention later.) There are two different pills sold together, the first is Diclofenaco and the other is normal parecetemol. You take one of each every mealtime. They are normally branded as either Dolodran or Sorojchi Pills.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️ Easy to get hold of (any pharmacy will sell them) and effective at reducing headaches and naesia from being at high altitude.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ As with taking any pills there are always possible side effect which tend to effect 1 in 10 people. This is also true of these pills and so they may not be for everybody.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ They would get a little expensive and annoying to take if you were at high alitiude for a few weeks as you are meant to take one of each pill 3 times a day.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Diamox</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Diamox is a drug that can be used to treat a whole range of things from heart failure to epilepsy to, of course, altitude sickness. It can be bought in the UK easily from any high street chemist. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>✔️</i>Proven to be a effective at reducing headaches, dizziness and nausea making it particularly good when hiking at highalittifue if you don’t have the option to take it slowly and ascend a little at a time.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ One side effect is that it can make you wee lots! I have also taken Diamox before and honestly felt no difference. This is just my opinion however and it will certainly affect different people in different ways.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ You have to start taking the pills a couple of days before hand so need to plan when you’ll be at high altitude.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ They are one of the most expensive options out there.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Gingko Biloba</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is a herbal based pill which is normally used for improving circulation but has been found to have additional benefits in terms of reducing AMS (acute mountain sickness) symptoms.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️ I’ve used this when hiking over 5000m and I didn’t seem to struggle as much as normal. That said, I also took coca sweets and so I can’t say that it was the gingko biloba that had the positive effect.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ Definitely more expensive than travel sickness pills bought in South America but probably slightly cheaper than Diamox.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ Not easily found. You’ll probably have to go to a specialist chemist or herbal shop to find them or buy it online. In the UK it can be bought at Holland & Barrats. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Sugary Food</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One simple thing to try is just making sure you’re eating a lot of sugary food and high energy food whilst trekking. This seems obvious but it’s easy to forget to not have snacks on you when you set out on a hike. I found feeding myself with sweets seemed to take the edge off a bit! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We hope this post is informative and helps to answer some of the questions we had before travelling to high altitude places. If you have any questions, please comment or contact us!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Thanks for reading,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-11044758811084702812018-04-19T07:00:00.002-07:002018-05-22T08:41:25.670-07:0024 Hours in Lima - What to See and Do in Peru’s Capital City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjYQ1IYDtat9AQz69ATC5G2a-igzfeRv_8aH8297j9Z_nOh2rp9gvlDWmVeD_JDgoPBrmLbiYivlgysFXCY89CdO3xk9zd8rril7UE44N9vSbJl4zGTwZT3b-OOAVSAxCVw3HQ3EElKCf/s1600/LRG_DSC04045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjYQ1IYDtat9AQz69ATC5G2a-igzfeRv_8aH8297j9Z_nOh2rp9gvlDWmVeD_JDgoPBrmLbiYivlgysFXCY89CdO3xk9zd8rril7UE44N9vSbJl4zGTwZT3b-OOAVSAxCVw3HQ3EElKCf/s1600/LRG_DSC04045.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Lima is a city we enjoyed a lot more than we thought we would. After hearing horror stories of travellers getting mugged, robbed and pickpocketed we decided that it wasn’t somewhere we’d like to be for a long time. This wasn’t really a fair representation of the city though as we didn’t have any problems concerning safety at all during our time here - it honestly felt no more dangerous than any other big city. Instead we found Lima to be a modern, busy and exciting place to be, with endless possibilities of how spend your time. Having already booked onward transport overnight for the following day, we found ourself having to pack in as much as we could into a short space of time and in doing so seem to have come up with a good 24 hour itinerary. So, if cities aren’t really your thing or if you’re just stopping here for a night before flying off somewhere else, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our best pics of the city than can be squeezed into just a day or two.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">For tourists there are 3 main districts of Lima you need to be aware of. These are Miraflores, Barranco and Downtown.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Miraflores</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is probably the best place to stay as there are many cafes, parks and shops to occupy you in the day and lots of bars, pubs and restaurants for the evenings. It is the most touristy place in Lima by far which makes it a lot safer than other areas of town but naturally means that everything is a little bit more expensive. </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Shopping</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are ample opportunities to shop in Miraflores from cheap market stall shops around Parque Kennedy to the more expensive malls and department stalls such as Falabella and Larcomar, which overlooks the ocean. If you’ve been missing Western shops, restaurants and cafes you’ll find them all in and around these areas but expect to pay Western prices.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Parque Kennedy </span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This park makes a good starting point for exploring the area. There are many hostels around here as it is a good central location to museums in Miraflores and not too long a walk from the coast. Here you’ll also find well cared for cats wondering all over the park which makes it a little more interesting! Make sure to try one of the Peruvian donuts from stalls in the park - they’re totally worth the calories!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt_R7znfj3BLQMCwcuxT_NN25dl_fV_GbNCjeoxa7As96XZ_-nT7_ZaP1lcuubFrwrsr8zBYB5YUAVlgIrwv6hiS5DGMkNp4rLgcoQgy5oZxxFZ3s4x0TaRkea7QC5HTNgs9-okNbxk3n/s1600/ORG_DSC04026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt_R7znfj3BLQMCwcuxT_NN25dl_fV_GbNCjeoxa7As96XZ_-nT7_ZaP1lcuubFrwrsr8zBYB5YUAVlgIrwv6hiS5DGMkNp4rLgcoQgy5oZxxFZ3s4x0TaRkea7QC5HTNgs9-okNbxk3n/s1600/ORG_DSC04026.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Walk along the coast</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One of our favourite things about Lima is that it sits right on top of the Pacific Ocean and so walking for over an hour along the coastline was one of our favourite activities. Follow the path named the Malecón for as long as you feel like - the road goes on for miles!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYikMUZX1jXC_zWUmVkqCBkFPOrBoWTu3UV8rtwPCr9Lwck-XPEur_WGje5nLPovewLNBfLDyR0Pa6ETJZbm-H_LWwgnp7Wd5Kt1Fv6Dmicc9A9slWCAric8ON_Yhl2rGe2A1nt9Nz91h/s1600/IMG_8673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYikMUZX1jXC_zWUmVkqCBkFPOrBoWTu3UV8rtwPCr9Lwck-XPEur_WGje5nLPovewLNBfLDyR0Pa6ETJZbm-H_LWwgnp7Wd5Kt1Fv6Dmicc9A9slWCAric8ON_Yhl2rGe2A1nt9Nz91h/s1600/IMG_8673.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Barranco</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This was by far our favourite district of Lima and it reminded us of Bellavista in Santiago at the start of our trip. The walls are covered in street art and the streets are full of trendy bars, cafes and restaurants. Here’s a list of our ‘must-do’s’ in the area...</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">La Feria Flea Market</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Open all day Friday to Sunday, this place was probably our top pick of the whole city. Selling everything from vintage clothes to coffee to craft beer, La Feria Barranco has a really chilled out vibe that’ll make you stay all evening and spend more money than you really should. There’s also record stalls, touristy shops, food stalls and live music in the evenings.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4EjqEh-UWORlHICBjEw2qMmRVtx_vPfud8YNjyPoRU12HoYUZCILiMf3qutbF66hluh_npts9wzuxtQqrFdAPpXKQuiJPRBbqk746e8ULhf16oqBznc71LRpseGVw0gtECqMdfctBB5p/s1600/LRG_DSC04059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4EjqEh-UWORlHICBjEw2qMmRVtx_vPfud8YNjyPoRU12HoYUZCILiMf3qutbF66hluh_npts9wzuxtQqrFdAPpXKQuiJPRBbqk746e8ULhf16oqBznc71LRpseGVw0gtECqMdfctBB5p/s1600/LRG_DSC04059.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_taJUCSVb2VclzAjyrE8K5rDmOuH2k8y6mzBDSjnmXA-oUWom2WgFS1nYMqHIfRcym2k0hbVuJfQKwtmA7KreZIjWk8zcmV_t-1BTjFunjiZ_4vc4H5rg_qEqVBk7lFir71Tpj5cuk-A/s1600/LRG_DSC04060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_taJUCSVb2VclzAjyrE8K5rDmOuH2k8y6mzBDSjnmXA-oUWom2WgFS1nYMqHIfRcym2k0hbVuJfQKwtmA7KreZIjWk8zcmV_t-1BTjFunjiZ_4vc4H5rg_qEqVBk7lFir71Tpj5cuk-A/s1600/LRG_DSC04060.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFaa07LIAiEAYkW-SeOvpREI8I1NejsbRe4g05g3I3T3o1QKubk8hbySIm9BN9bLYbo7ZgbeHwn33GFqQft9ML9iW3ALNvRVcDrdQcRFvWlL3qgQY5ZVDFLMbwkOToLVYC8nBjCYf7tgt/s1600/LRG_DSC04062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFaa07LIAiEAYkW-SeOvpREI8I1NejsbRe4g05g3I3T3o1QKubk8hbySIm9BN9bLYbo7ZgbeHwn33GFqQft9ML9iW3ALNvRVcDrdQcRFvWlL3qgQY5ZVDFLMbwkOToLVYC8nBjCYf7tgt/s1600/LRG_DSC04062.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaZLFKJ7_Rfr7QdvcxeARKwWz08H7Zzh1igzShZlRkrClxhEoxwkVlO8PkWNEobTG9Fu2MnuvCS39WYpBLSo-s_DGFxpDRJpXvkVwRTJ5AtLZHjGL10_i1oXxt_tvfkXUp4MJyeXKS6hQ/s1600/LRG_DSC04066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaZLFKJ7_Rfr7QdvcxeARKwWz08H7Zzh1igzShZlRkrClxhEoxwkVlO8PkWNEobTG9Fu2MnuvCS39WYpBLSo-s_DGFxpDRJpXvkVwRTJ5AtLZHjGL10_i1oXxt_tvfkXUp4MJyeXKS6hQ/s1600/LRG_DSC04066.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Blu Gelateria</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This ice cream place was possibly the best we’ve been to all trip (and we’ve had a lot of ice-cream!). We couldn’t get enough of this place and went out of our way to go back a second time. Our top pick - try the Maracuyeah!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Art Galleries </span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you decide to walk to Barranco from Miraflores as we did, you’ll be amazed by how many different art galleries you pass as you come into the district. We ran out of time to visit these as we were having too much fun at the Flea market but from the research we did and recommendations, it seemed both the ‘Museo de Arte Contemporáneo’ and ‘MATE’ were of a really high quality and were free or cheap to enter.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Downtown</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We found the best way to explore downtown was to do a free walking tour which left in the morning and lasted about two hours. Most hostels advertise these and you can normally get picked up from your accommodation. Whether you do a tour or not, here are a few of our highlights of Lima’s downtown area that we’d recommend you checking out:</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Plaza de Armas</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One of the biggest main squares we’ve come across in our time in South America, this is a natural starting point for exploring the area. If you time it right you’ll catch the changing of the guards at the presidential palace which normally starts around 11am and finishes at noon.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxsdjJuhtLKRqDop9MaSnLmhyphenhyphenugoVVXEFpm2paEFU-3KxOqLxEDGIKo3X4ys0F5n30HEeYaUIrs1TAsjEIvfvQn6Gv-zgiH1gKJQN14xEkl27xEzWdz8rIMoN1ub2lel7Z0G4O6jJF1Ud/s1600/ORG_DSC04036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxsdjJuhtLKRqDop9MaSnLmhyphenhyphenugoVVXEFpm2paEFU-3KxOqLxEDGIKo3X4ys0F5n30HEeYaUIrs1TAsjEIvfvQn6Gv-zgiH1gKJQN14xEkl27xEzWdz8rIMoN1ub2lel7Z0G4O6jJF1Ud/s1600/ORG_DSC04036.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8y5Ju9bVL_KWpGUWMqaeI1yQr7XYedURFhp5LY1P2cJ0jKuTtS1qgG4aFSJOxvAfWXkO5IEN72H7ZPJ9QMK3AM9CZ_VVkgaE3aMsC5ED9HSEwoBGfB6BLyDaAz_w6SyVbyO-hPKevBxkF/s1600/LRG_DSC04054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8y5Ju9bVL_KWpGUWMqaeI1yQr7XYedURFhp5LY1P2cJ0jKuTtS1qgG4aFSJOxvAfWXkO5IEN72H7ZPJ9QMK3AM9CZ_VVkgaE3aMsC5ED9HSEwoBGfB6BLyDaAz_w6SyVbyO-hPKevBxkF/s1600/LRG_DSC04054.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Post Office Alley</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A former post office, now a small tourist market place, head here to enjoy one of the city’s few differently coloured buildings and maybe pick up a fridge magnet whilst you’re at it!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvQwMBVuY07TtR3y1WsWpkg5T-3UP3dv3yv_XqaTyEgaHZS3-vqLZl57HI0SmZ7TnlyzBZk8JtJWxACR7QfAWRN_VRMaaOOrG2qwkEkLGpRsYOONfXaVTzTmbur3IGuIX0TnNfxstGDjW/s1600/LRG_DSC04045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvQwMBVuY07TtR3y1WsWpkg5T-3UP3dv3yv_XqaTyEgaHZS3-vqLZl57HI0SmZ7TnlyzBZk8JtJWxACR7QfAWRN_VRMaaOOrG2qwkEkLGpRsYOONfXaVTzTmbur3IGuIX0TnNfxstGDjW/s1600/LRG_DSC04045.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiRVRPmwwKYpybuOE4g_uxg-h_IKr9gJYMtYD-o5z0qHFBnmi6wX6Hm2MEwXdY34xpF6GmfoPGk9iPQRHrYZZJHaffV523SHb6X-CS8fELKuFkyQUsxODs8EnOzs5s81dvJ_6mKLlvAeZ/s1600/LRG_DSC04046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiRVRPmwwKYpybuOE4g_uxg-h_IKr9gJYMtYD-o5z0qHFBnmi6wX6Hm2MEwXdY34xpF6GmfoPGk9iPQRHrYZZJHaffV523SHb6X-CS8fELKuFkyQUsxODs8EnOzs5s81dvJ_6mKLlvAeZ/s1600/LRG_DSC04046.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Churches</span></h4>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you’re into churches, Lima won’t disappoint. The cathedral and San Francisco church are probably the best two and full of golden decorations and some interesting paintings.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfNh6wpv20JXfzepz3fbK9A46L-TWVkWRL2FtxGxJx4hNAnMEgoeXDqGV0llObjSinMbn-n3d4zDLgOsMGOEuUYk99uP2mnbh2PfcGT97pncG5ws561Q20R0SD-DsP2Oja14Sv9L8tAYh/s1600/ORG_DSC04043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfNh6wpv20JXfzepz3fbK9A46L-TWVkWRL2FtxGxJx4hNAnMEgoeXDqGV0llObjSinMbn-n3d4zDLgOsMGOEuUYk99uP2mnbh2PfcGT97pncG5ws561Q20R0SD-DsP2Oja14Sv9L8tAYh/s1600/ORG_DSC04043.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In summary, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys city breaks and can put up with busy streets, noise and a little pollution, then you’re going to like Lima. There really is a lot to do here and the city offers a completely different perspective on Peru compared to the more traditional Southern cities of Cusco and Arequipa. </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Santiago is probably the closest city to Lima in size and in terms of how economically developed they are and to be honest we’d choose Chile’s capital over Lima. At times Lima felt a little over-crowded and lacked the charm of Santiago’s quieter backstreets and colourful buildings. That said, it’s likely that you’ll be heading to Lima at some point during your South American itinerary due to its central location and it being one of the cheapest places to fly to. If this is the case then we’d recommend spending a couple of days here but not much more, as there is so much on offer outside of the capital which deserves your time more so than Lima.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We hope this post is useful!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Once again, thanks for reading,</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<div style="height: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d177795.6316134825!2d-77.01606720363111!3d-12.069019785681013!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980505344" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Lima, Peru-12.0463731 -77.042754-12.5433321 -77.688201 -11.5494141 -76.397307tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-43534340315793245312018-04-12T15:48:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:41:39.817-07:00Sandboarding In Peru - What To Expect From Tours Around Huacachina<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsWtgoNvdikhLCF2SkGfVuUOg5bfNtoE1UD0sw_XZZcHk5ObHYD4qsVe2jPWFIpPenrzpFFK9-ot1SgEDD4f9o5rS6WY3u94BSfeTGQquMbejgS6eyPW4N9zes04S3CtAwGqgjImcyBVM/s1600/IMG_8581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsWtgoNvdikhLCF2SkGfVuUOg5bfNtoE1UD0sw_XZZcHk5ObHYD4qsVe2jPWFIpPenrzpFFK9-ot1SgEDD4f9o5rS6WY3u94BSfeTGQquMbejgS6eyPW4N9zes04S3CtAwGqgjImcyBVM/s1600/IMG_8581.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The sand dunes surrounding the oasis town of Huacachina really are the cherry on top of the cake in terms of tourism in Peru. As if it weren’t enough to have the Nasca Lines, Machu Picchu, the Andes, the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon, Peru also boasts miles and miles of perfect sand dunes which can be explored by sandboarding and dune-buggying. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">This is therefore a place for adrenaline seekers, somewhere where for relatively little money you can get the thrill of bouncing over mountains of sand before hurtling down them on a small board. It’s fair to say we loved it. For us, the hot climate of Ica was such a positive change from the grey skies of Peru’s high cities and towns and made a more budget-friendly base for going out into the sand, rather than staying in the much more pricy Huacachina. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">In this post we’ll let you know what to expect from a Sandboarding and Dune Buggying tour, what else may be on offer in the region and of course the usual top tips for the area. Enjoy!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We took a car with a few others from the hostel in Ica to Huacachina, where, after a painfully long and confusing conversation in Spanish, we were informed that we had an hour or so to spend around the oasis before we’d start the sandboarding tour. This was a bit of a pain to be honest as we’d spent a lot of the previous day in the town and there really isn’t much to do, so we sat down on the sand and relaxed for a bit as the time passed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7fbGPii20bJpE4FB2y2sP-PX-82YR5tMVGV2Lt9G3_8vcaz66e5ykZUJdAxJmNXzFbXyGDK1vnPqWwjb0WzIL-wwbrPGut0Vh5kyrh52G20_d7WdpTVfdVoDDHyKr_Te2n3YCQy3WNzb/s1600/IMG_8498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7fbGPii20bJpE4FB2y2sP-PX-82YR5tMVGV2Lt9G3_8vcaz66e5ykZUJdAxJmNXzFbXyGDK1vnPqWwjb0WzIL-wwbrPGut0Vh5kyrh52G20_d7WdpTVfdVoDDHyKr_Te2n3YCQy3WNzb/s1600/IMG_8498.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">4:30pm came and we set off in the dune buggy, all squashed in so tightly that the guys on the edge were barely inside. For those of you who are unaware of this particular vehicle, the ‘dune buggy’ is a mad-max style roll cage on wheels which looks like a death trap. We therefore felt a little concerned handing over the reigns to an unknown Peruvian who looked the same age as us, to drive us ridiculously fast over a completely unpredictable landscape. Worries aside though, we had to admit that we were finding dune buggying a whole lot of fun. The driver seemed to know the route well, sending us down sand cliffs taking the buggy almost vertical but never too far. After about 20 minutes of this we stopped at the top of a dune which we were evidently going to be sandboarding down later.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Of course there were a few tough guys who were never going to admit it but it’s fair to say the majority of the group were surprised by the size and steepness of the dune. It seemed that there’d be no practising on the baby hills - big dunes from the start. A little nervous we lined up along the top, then laid down on the boards with our feet dragging behind in the sand, one by one being given an encouraging push downwards. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Once you get over that ‘first time’ it does become a lot easier. That said it seems I was incapable of turning to keep straight and still managed to roll myself to the end more than anyone else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFqpYoTFf-iAyE-XnEvAkJq2RGWZYotTb6_fhSsqwyRaPNDjyqo-NHxqMTf9fI42yEbgevl2gSm4lPwp8U-7fK0lHAUH3RMIT-EPTFiBOzX3DpJ8cvilKe91H8QKfnyQDG9AqjI5fNcQ2/s1600/ORG_DSC03889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFqpYoTFf-iAyE-XnEvAkJq2RGWZYotTb6_fhSsqwyRaPNDjyqo-NHxqMTf9fI42yEbgevl2gSm4lPwp8U-7fK0lHAUH3RMIT-EPTFiBOzX3DpJ8cvilKe91H8QKfnyQDG9AqjI5fNcQ2/s1600/ORG_DSC03889.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">It also turns out that this WAS the ‘baby-hill’ and what was to come was a monstrous near-vertical sandy drop. After deliberating for some time, I decided to go down and thankfully remembered to turn with my feet for once. Lissa wasn’t too keen and took the dune buggy around to the bottom with some of the others, which was apparently just as scary as with less people in the buggy they were flying all over the place! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWprYNMDLXEL1UZuol1_ei_KpRUrpkGVtk226FZgE0_KUFJoqTeyhD1esSdUpvi59uYWrDpVdTkOvwXpUTssNvpg9oelFXVHPRJirId4brm1OH4nBqOfwNRAOZ4WbLDwHECOAJr5wen6x/s1600/IMG_8590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWprYNMDLXEL1UZuol1_ei_KpRUrpkGVtk226FZgE0_KUFJoqTeyhD1esSdUpvi59uYWrDpVdTkOvwXpUTssNvpg9oelFXVHPRJirId4brm1OH4nBqOfwNRAOZ4WbLDwHECOAJr5wen6x/s1600/IMG_8590.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie80XKfdSo6LAORS6XmtIOVZM6GvXMhPLd8xIWqqiwnacfzUHSyoXQvs3BR6UpkOy7PzaNlasmjTRjjqawfkmOK3vQmcXIidKU9RLI3gWqLnOChw2dKXIS-8MvtItD1c9_9YV6csA5Ppgv/s1600/ORG_DSC03908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie80XKfdSo6LAORS6XmtIOVZM6GvXMhPLd8xIWqqiwnacfzUHSyoXQvs3BR6UpkOy7PzaNlasmjTRjjqawfkmOK3vQmcXIidKU9RLI3gWqLnOChw2dKXIS-8MvtItD1c9_9YV6csA5Ppgv/s1600/ORG_DSC03908.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">After taking the time to enjoy the sunset we head back, stopping off along the way to look down on Huacachina lit up as night time fell. Overall it was a great tour and good value too. Here are a few tips and things to consider before doing the tour and travelling to the area.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoyFcQFV85Eawf8j9BDlxf2ZnPaALnt4ydlgrA88fa_Wp8oVMScNOjI_WUwKYqX4e6ppe9XWxW6Gp4Oc4eUe55afHcv7pD60S40IVwZQg0isWbxtsdKPp4GQpcWGy2cu9-a-pnhu10tV7/s1600/IMG_8591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoyFcQFV85Eawf8j9BDlxf2ZnPaALnt4ydlgrA88fa_Wp8oVMScNOjI_WUwKYqX4e6ppe9XWxW6Gp4Oc4eUe55afHcv7pD60S40IVwZQg0isWbxtsdKPp4GQpcWGy2cu9-a-pnhu10tV7/s1600/IMG_8591.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px; text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">Things to know before travelling to Ica & Huacachina</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Don’t pay more than 5 soles for a Tuk Tuk. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So many times drivers tried to rip us off. Although it doesn’t seem like much worth fighting over, paying 10 soles rather than 3 every time adds up.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">You don’t need to stay in Huacachina. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We originally thought that we’d have to stay in Huacachina to be close enough to easily book tours etc, but we didn’t realise how close Ica and Huacachina are from each other and how expensive it can be to stay in Huacachina. If you’re booking things way in advance we can see a benefit of staying at the oasis as it gets you away from the busy city life, but there are very little options, all of which book up quickly. We’d recommend staying in Ica for half the price and get a 10 minute taxi to Huacachina when you want to.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Can I go sandboarding without a tour?</span></h4>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Yes. You can rent boards cheaply from stands at the end of the oasis but bare in mind this means you’ll have to walk back up all the dunes you slide down which is much easier said than done on the sand. Also the dune buggying is great fun and you’d of course miss out on this.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Staying safe in Ica</span></h4>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Although we didn’t have any problems at all, in our opinion Ica didn’t seem like the safest of cities. We had heard of someone getting robbed at an ATM, so you’re probably best to not go walking around by yourself at night and try to use ATMs in the day.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">How much does a tour cost?</span></h4>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We paid 60 soles for our tour which included about 2 hours of sandboarding and dune buggying in between, with stops along the way to take photos of the views and watch the sunset. We didn’t really shop around for this price and it seems that if you go into Huacachina you’re likely to get it cheaper. Most tours leave in the evening so that you can see the sunset over the dunes.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Huacachina itself isn’t the attraction, the sand dunes are!</span></h4>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Lots of people seemed to turn up to the oasis a little disappointed because to be honest it’s a bit naff, 100% touristy and there isn’t much to do. The sand dunes however are genuinely really cool and worth making the trip out to!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<h4>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">What else is there to do?</span></h4>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Other than the sand dunes, the main attraction in the area is to visit one of the many vineyards between Ica and and Nasca. Most hostels offer day tours from Ica and, like most things, don’t need to be booked in advance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px; text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">Where we stayed</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We stayed in two places across our time here. The first was what most would describe as a party hostel and if that’s what you’re looking for then <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/pe/ica-adventures-2.html" target="_blank">Ica Adventures 2 </a>is a good bet. The beds were comfy, the WiFi was alright, the showers were hot and the location was just fine. Best of all there was a good vibe, lots of activities going on and there was a decent sized food shop beneath the hostel which was handy.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The second place we stayed in was an Airbnb which we think is also listed as a hostel on Booking.com, called ‘Dulce Estancia’. Although it seemed like it was kind of in the middle of nowhere, it was as close as you could possibly be to Huacachina (less than 5 minutes taxi / 20 minutes walking) without having to pay the high prices of staying at the oasis. The owner Gloria was lovely and very accommodating. It was really nice to have a pool because the heat in Ica is really strong and at times almost unbearable. This place is a strong recommend from us! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to ask us @allofthegearnoidea on Instagram or Facebook, or alternatively send us an email at allofthegearnoidea@gmail.com.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Thank you all for reading, we hope you’ve found the post useful! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d14892.21896564192!2d-75.74655469513479!3d-14.079327231525719!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980590960" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Huacachina, Peru-14.0874587 -75.762586-14.0913092 -75.7676285 -14.083608199999999 -75.7575435tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-39117270128675253132018-04-07T07:47:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:41:54.918-07:0010 Things To See & Do In Arequipa<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0S7rDhabD4d8AMwXrn0_Xc5TXkEGeJDgrx4Acun8NoLKDnDzj-fM9RXL2zjnmOtyMqftJqCR6zZZ9J0rg1Z1Q7g-Wy918yt6Y3MEx-1a7m9UruKACAYzmwpsiVMFgB8c84O54XUJ2obK5/s1600/IMG_8321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0S7rDhabD4d8AMwXrn0_Xc5TXkEGeJDgrx4Acun8NoLKDnDzj-fM9RXL2zjnmOtyMqftJqCR6zZZ9J0rg1Z1Q7g-Wy918yt6Y3MEx-1a7m9UruKACAYzmwpsiVMFgB8c84O54XUJ2obK5/s1600/IMG_8321.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Arequipa is without a doubt one of our favourite cities in Peru (so far!) and it feels very different to the rest of what we’ve seen in this amazing country. In fact Arequipa doesn’t really feel very Peruvian at all. Take a walk through Barrio San Lázaro and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were walking through a typical European Old town. Alternatively spend the afternoon exploring Santa Catalina monastery and you’ll easily convince others that you were in Morocco by the colours on your photos. For us, Arequipa has a good mix of busy city life and quiet backstreets and is a place where traditional Peruvian culture exists alongside Western influences, making for some amazing food and some interesting fashion! What’s most striking about Arequipa though, is its stunning volcanic backdrop which never ceased to impress us, especially during sunset. There really is a lot to do here and with it being the main jump off point for visiting Colca Canyon, you may find yourself spending a few days in the city. We’ve therefore put together a list of our absolute best 10 things to see, do and enjoy in Arequipa, Peru’s White City, so that you can make the most of your time! </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<br />
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Monasterio de Santa Catalina</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We don’t normally like to spend money on these sorts of things and the 40 soles entrance fee to the Monastery completely put us off at first, but after seeing pictures and how big the site was on a map of Arequipa we were intrigued and felt the need to look around. Luckily there’s an under 20s price which we both just about qualify for (yay!) and so we ended up only having to pay 20 soles each ($6.50us). </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As it seemed on the map, the monastery really is monumental and is like a small village in itself. What’s best is that there is an option to take a guided tour but you are also able to simply explore the area yourself (which we much prefer), allowing us to take way too many photos next to the brightly coloured red and blue walls! </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mu_07kYBhYj1biM0Uk3VI1onJ7UcGo8C4Q-HfrgIDGLidqTl3UZUr5hJOQk3q7h1sI5Xe2wb_VVhBVLvilUCTqForTG09vjUjmdEcCD1Q2nTCBZtI0lHDyWC6oPEpn8mbjZ_buFNJEfi/s1600/IMG_8337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mu_07kYBhYj1biM0Uk3VI1onJ7UcGo8C4Q-HfrgIDGLidqTl3UZUr5hJOQk3q7h1sI5Xe2wb_VVhBVLvilUCTqForTG09vjUjmdEcCD1Q2nTCBZtI0lHDyWC6oPEpn8mbjZ_buFNJEfi/s1600/IMG_8337.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHDV7MpaDIMWLK6AfENPNVBTtNjwK-dAcl3I7Ym0y9oWGqWQ3ESB4P2Lbt3Ayi4RwRTyKcz6rbavLLOO_UHFmdr4bK8kAqdtx2JYPGTw4kN21chxPDEcq9EVi9THW4Slu4-2De-nomibe/s1600/ORG_DSC03579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1086" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHDV7MpaDIMWLK6AfENPNVBTtNjwK-dAcl3I7Ym0y9oWGqWQ3ESB4P2Lbt3Ayi4RwRTyKcz6rbavLLOO_UHFmdr4bK8kAqdtx2JYPGTw4kN21chxPDEcq9EVi9THW4Slu4-2De-nomibe/s1600/ORG_DSC03579.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLP0qx2zRcKNxCtKsUXFBo8L8ron0M7r992P9p1lgI1_Q0VWLhB1i4tCnxufsI74OdAnmpk4FkZxkmcsu5ShMVKuR2DMVaZUoOSe-fY5P-_Z6rsVjgc-YPlG3UtJJ-HsXfuFZHPRb7Gjzf/s1600/ORG_DSC03736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLP0qx2zRcKNxCtKsUXFBo8L8ron0M7r992P9p1lgI1_Q0VWLhB1i4tCnxufsI74OdAnmpk4FkZxkmcsu5ShMVKuR2DMVaZUoOSe-fY5P-_Z6rsVjgc-YPlG3UtJJ-HsXfuFZHPRb7Gjzf/s1600/ORG_DSC03736.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxRTfV1rYP0gDODK0b6bL7HneS-eNd5bDqgDL_TLZmPhKVRDSAqRZf7mXOgVe_ur7XsugpPFx8zWOTJCUV0We-NeGxuwdHNcgB34Q6_Z2-8dHoo3cviFqZ7R-otZkirRV0HtNumwRzt53/s1600/IMG_8339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxRTfV1rYP0gDODK0b6bL7HneS-eNd5bDqgDL_TLZmPhKVRDSAqRZf7mXOgVe_ur7XsugpPFx8zWOTJCUV0We-NeGxuwdHNcgB34Q6_Z2-8dHoo3cviFqZ7R-otZkirRV0HtNumwRzt53/s1600/IMG_8339.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEG37Y_sCw88tuD8x35FLWrGq8VfkH6HIvTUt3RWrZ41NNi3gTfCAHfj1bq2QbGNoZkdI58gNFUV234EsEJN8SsdgTfLG4kjv0xSTZR4pi3dkPzR8kCP43bqhvPwFK_pZngnvDaPqVMIU/s1600/ORG_DSC03719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEG37Y_sCw88tuD8x35FLWrGq8VfkH6HIvTUt3RWrZ41NNi3gTfCAHfj1bq2QbGNoZkdI58gNFUV234EsEJN8SsdgTfLG4kjv0xSTZR4pi3dkPzR8kCP43bqhvPwFK_pZngnvDaPqVMIU/s1600/ORG_DSC03719.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">San </span><span style="font-size: large;">Lázaro</span></span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you’ve seen pictures of Arequipa’s cobbled narrow streets, they will have most likely been of the San Lázaro district of the city. The area in the north of Arequipa is great for wondering around if you don’t have a particular agenda. There are a few cafes and restaurants around here and it is close to one of our other favourite spots, Alpaca world! I</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphIc0x1Qbm8zHfdhbaZ33aSFXm7L4jLARxoasVwsnFKctQ5xvZyqqKaj7RzzGA2pEai-2Y55NZWqsYYhL8HiNPfjpCg8SJG_jbwOJToP16Suhs9J7w8uFf10Ymo2Ag70ZWUGJkop28jMI/s1600/IMG_8338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphIc0x1Qbm8zHfdhbaZ33aSFXm7L4jLARxoasVwsnFKctQ5xvZyqqKaj7RzzGA2pEai-2Y55NZWqsYYhL8HiNPfjpCg8SJG_jbwOJToP16Suhs9J7w8uFf10Ymo2Ag70ZWUGJkop28jMI/s1600/IMG_8338.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAn7DpkG0QBAlN3Mm9uw1cMqphhrnSzQMwsyJXnwe64Lxh6rolDGoKcdqr_RTgAwoXzPu7UqY9MKQhQ-k5b1MZtyqD-fizJNs9AJkJnpF2Mt1cLUBQzTFRX9g0nLtZjtZGocmUsqe6zxM/s1600/ORG_DSC03509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAn7DpkG0QBAlN3Mm9uw1cMqphhrnSzQMwsyJXnwe64Lxh6rolDGoKcdqr_RTgAwoXzPu7UqY9MKQhQ-k5b1MZtyqD-fizJNs9AJkJnpF2Mt1cLUBQzTFRX9g0nLtZjtZGocmUsqe6zxM/s1600/ORG_DSC03509.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Alpaca World</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you’re anything like us then the novelty of seeing Alpacas around doesn’t really wear off and so a place like Mundo Alpaca really is exciting. There are some really cute alpacas of all different breads which you can feed, then you’ll be given a brief explanation of the wool making process before heading into a big alpaca shop from which they’ll hope you’ll buy something (although don’t feel pressured!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjaXisEcYeCLBj5RkTt2hfkRNsWJhRjCZDScVpdO2p9XXtOYJhffXR11tE04l_5WT_pOPXo4NAK9Ly2qMz2vDAmNzNLof23j_PxEm0ltwLADjLsH5o-D6GY4kHBwCCK81MVNalFvlUmlc/s1600/ORG_DSC03465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjaXisEcYeCLBj5RkTt2hfkRNsWJhRjCZDScVpdO2p9XXtOYJhffXR11tE04l_5WT_pOPXo4NAK9Ly2qMz2vDAmNzNLof23j_PxEm0ltwLADjLsH5o-D6GY4kHBwCCK81MVNalFvlUmlc/s1600/ORG_DSC03465.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEoJZdowu4tiB-04itEJ2IRaRF8Op6J2Z5YrGZ2qkoAynlBHHl9clXdriG_nCVXtwedfyLM0AyLmW42n1XgP9AOKFiqR62NAOficNXzt7mlXDJ5oWfaR4Z-cAt6-1Shtf8fLsq42-ubWZ/s1600/ORG_DSC03472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEoJZdowu4tiB-04itEJ2IRaRF8Op6J2Z5YrGZ2qkoAynlBHHl9clXdriG_nCVXtwedfyLM0AyLmW42n1XgP9AOKFiqR62NAOficNXzt7mlXDJ5oWfaR4Z-cAt6-1Shtf8fLsq42-ubWZ/s1600/ORG_DSC03472.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiox3kzqOFyiCvtw6PUiAyA_SJhlYM9ljG-JDHyUnY0uqVHqixqlUm9I_mTWrDNrKObwsEUO5cp0VT0O-jOE6cO0GRo47z1x_XAhQ4991C9mzXgsOw-18JZuwYV9iQ1ZKAH8SDvPL8XRYyE/s1600/ORG_DSC03474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiox3kzqOFyiCvtw6PUiAyA_SJhlYM9ljG-JDHyUnY0uqVHqixqlUm9I_mTWrDNrKObwsEUO5cp0VT0O-jOE6cO0GRo47z1x_XAhQ4991C9mzXgsOw-18JZuwYV9iQ1ZKAH8SDvPL8XRYyE/s1600/ORG_DSC03474.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Hatunpa Potato Restaurant</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Bar far the coolest restaurant in town. Hatunpa serves up amazing Peruvian food all based around potatoes. Peruvians like to brag about the 5000 different varieties of Potatoes they grow in their country but this was the first time we actually got to taste some. The meals are really reasonably valued and are cheaper than most other food in that particular area of town. They also make a weirdly good potato cider!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Plaza de Armas</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">All too often the main square seems to make our city top 10s but we couldn’t not include it for Arequipa, who’s ‘plaza principal’ really is stunning. Head here around sunset and the light on the cathedral is beautiful. </span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzeWOlQCEwlvLEROoCnTN9DyS1-ffZ6IgHufqrZhvTVJ6p3wTY8jp6g6xhoBA5goELn-mVKQXcJvF41cEkOJ-fxalPrqEoZic091Ab_8f4AcLTEgqhyTmpEp4akUG4ZhyphenhyphenX3eL3xWCcEaY/s1600/ORG_DSC03428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzeWOlQCEwlvLEROoCnTN9DyS1-ffZ6IgHufqrZhvTVJ6p3wTY8jp6g6xhoBA5goELn-mVKQXcJvF41cEkOJ-fxalPrqEoZic091Ab_8f4AcLTEgqhyTmpEp4akUG4ZhyphenhyphenX3eL3xWCcEaY/s1600/ORG_DSC03428.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Y3zqjEwUz5vQ70Y9CISmrJsilIQC2RRC0n9MU67b6O67bUMvN2QCtMBttrMGchqKTPNnQZBWmgm4Nevun5aCa3KTykVi8CcgUF69RN6p-1dMhGx3ya1Petr9XsrcwrIAEDuRMqWNrJ-o/s1600/IMG_8321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Y3zqjEwUz5vQ70Y9CISmrJsilIQC2RRC0n9MU67b6O67bUMvN2QCtMBttrMGchqKTPNnQZBWmgm4Nevun5aCa3KTykVi8CcgUF69RN6p-1dMhGx3ya1Petr9XsrcwrIAEDuRMqWNrJ-o/s1600/IMG_8321.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Crepisimo</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A top notch pancake restaurant. Experts in both the savory and he sweet, these crepes are to be found in an all things French courtyard and so are to be trusted!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Rooftop Bars</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">With the sun setting behind the mountains and volcanoes, which hover over the city, it seems like most restaurants had the idea of putting in rooftop seating. Make sure to get up high an hour or so before sunset and watch the sky turn pink!</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6MZyRLtniPSufV95LDw8HsGcTrUhaqhiao7ySmhV31hrhY5Xn96ImMZyoqtVpaqU_C7kMz9ZE0JE5WMkpvuyy8sNw7tYZZdJf-9tkr59O2qSfnJc3ZUILKunrmCRFTNtmVuj0d313xqv/s1600/ORG_DSC03744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6MZyRLtniPSufV95LDw8HsGcTrUhaqhiao7ySmhV31hrhY5Xn96ImMZyoqtVpaqU_C7kMz9ZE0JE5WMkpvuyy8sNw7tYZZdJf-9tkr59O2qSfnJc3ZUILKunrmCRFTNtmVuj0d313xqv/s1600/ORG_DSC03744.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Yanahuara Mirador</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This place was a lot busier than we expected due to its distance from the centre of town, but it’s worth the walk. Cross Puente Grau, over the river, walk through the park alongside the bank and then take a left, heading uphill to the viewpoint. You get a decent view of the city and there’s a great restaurant nearby called 'El Tio Dario' which is really good value.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJ7Yv7UjgbIUwJ0xmyveup1St3ZOHYiExi8-WWqiyO1-IylODzToPgnko5RvCmbWEY8GL5Hen4wgCRqFu0pd382kl3ZiUS06Xk67Yb-lXjYpGVSbzVnscV8-Dyp7xaakTe4iEBoQrbIY-/s1600/ORG_DSC03525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJ7Yv7UjgbIUwJ0xmyveup1St3ZOHYiExi8-WWqiyO1-IylODzToPgnko5RvCmbWEY8GL5Hen4wgCRqFu0pd382kl3ZiUS06Xk67Yb-lXjYpGVSbzVnscV8-Dyp7xaakTe4iEBoQrbIY-/s1600/ORG_DSC03525.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgNiiH433wI_b9FhYWOXHHapieCiLsojyym7GjRIRbLimrUteIQ9tI-MADIJZ1VAIP522lxmj-YqyqbhBxwf2EPC0Wi2WSXmjTY0tasO3I50eglIMULlW4B3KgEId2ZNeDRj84kbws0yO/s1600/ORG_DSC03527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgNiiH433wI_b9FhYWOXHHapieCiLsojyym7GjRIRbLimrUteIQ9tI-MADIJZ1VAIP522lxmj-YqyqbhBxwf2EPC0Wi2WSXmjTY0tasO3I50eglIMULlW4B3KgEId2ZNeDRj84kbws0yO/s1600/ORG_DSC03527.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZ9exZyZ8yQO-qxkU57qQV9j9H2JnCfF3wH0V7NfZaoal1yAkJQrxKi9KcrGyakEVSI4YbEiohlT6Y4k0xHKJzdTRvjKp93W4MWxxPIWY-gZan00yNhULN-7NC6T8mRywKkbTBha4gIQs/s1600/ORG_DSC03544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZ9exZyZ8yQO-qxkU57qQV9j9H2JnCfF3wH0V7NfZaoal1yAkJQrxKi9KcrGyakEVSI4YbEiohlT6Y4k0xHKJzdTRvjKp93W4MWxxPIWY-gZan00yNhULN-7NC6T8mRywKkbTBha4gIQs/s1600/ORG_DSC03544.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Kaffeehaus</span></h3>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This German cafe is more than just a coffee house, and is also a great beer garden or simply a lovely space to relax inside or out. (Also - They do great sweet and savory waffles!)</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Museo Santuarios Andinos</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This was the one place that we wished we could've visited but simply didn't have time. It hosts the preserved, frozen mummy of a girl named Juanita who was sacrificed by the Incas almost 600 years ago. Bare in mind though that when visiting here a tour is compulsory and lasts about an hour.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">How to get to Arequipa?</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Arequipa, Peru´s second most populated city, is situated the South of Peru and can be reached by bus or by plane. Regular flights go from all major Peruvian cities to Arequipa but to fly internationally from Arequipa it is likely that you will have to connect via Lima.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Buses are a much cheaper option and so are much preferred by us! Regular buses leave from Cusco (10 hours), Puno (5/6 hours) and Nasca (9/10 hours). We'd highly recommend the bus company <a href="http://www.cruzdelsur.com.pe/" target="_blank">Cruz Del Sur</a>, as the seats are really comfy with plenty of room, the staff are professional and often meals are included.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Where to stay in Arequipa?</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Similarly as to in Cusco, we stayed in an appartment as we were travelling with our Mums for a bit. The place was called Apart Hotel Incamin, for for details see <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/pe/apart-incamin.en-gb.html?aid=311984;label=apart-incamin-A%2Ab8FGmFhqG2a3gRNno4ugS162182764441%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atiaud-146342138710%3Akwd-72508311218%3Alp1011105%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm;sid=db75dfb92d141c464d96e207f541ea9a;dest_id=-337471;dest_type=city;dist=0;hapos=1;hpos=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;srepoch=1523110629;srfid=92d103fdb5fe01c22f3ee90c9cc3906b2bf70a40X1;srpvid=abbe6472e9ba01a9;type=total;ucfs=1&#hotelTmpl" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you´re looking for a budget hostel, <a href="https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/El-Albergue-Espanol/Arequipa/56221?dia=500&sc_pos=2&number_of_guests=2&dateTo=2018-04-11&dateFrom=2018-04-08" target="_blank">El Albergue</a> may be the place for you, with dorms beds for only $5us! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you´re looking for a party, we´ve heard great things about <a href="https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Wild-Rover-Backpackers-Hostel-Arequipa/Arequipa/49375?dia=500&sc_pos=17&number_of_guests=2&dateTo=2018-04-11&dateFrom=2018-04-08" target="_blank">Wild Rover Hostel</a> and would happily recommend this too!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We hope this has been useful, if you have any questions about Arequipa or any other destinations we´ve been to, please don´t hesitate to ask us at allofthegearnoidea@gmail.com, or via our Instagram or Facebook.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d34210.24377195645!2d-71.5280495654742!3d-16.40559750324473!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980667990" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Arequipa, Peru-16.4090474 -71.537450999999976-16.4699769 -71.618131999999974 -16.3481179 -71.456769999999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-80049527912007777422018-04-02T13:52:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:42:09.237-07:00How To Spend Your Time & Money Wisely In Cusco<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2uQFtEaRq1EXmEo7Hx0K1f-CqV4YA7_Is2fXrETtP_CMAc39ZC09z1VDjXq7HErAZfBPBjZ8hgxaXM0HG-6aNdLLY86EuP5ZXI1GrkrHdnLUV3YKu4TDfsDNs6w2irRaVEUp4-C44mQo/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2uQFtEaRq1EXmEo7Hx0K1f-CqV4YA7_Is2fXrETtP_CMAc39ZC09z1VDjXq7HErAZfBPBjZ8hgxaXM0HG-6aNdLLY86EuP5ZXI1GrkrHdnLUV3YKu4TDfsDNs6w2irRaVEUp4-C44mQo/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Cusco is a brilliant city, so much more than a jump off point for Peru’s star attraction - Machu Picchu. Take the time to wonder around the cobbled streets of San Blas, get cultured through visiting some genuinely interesting museums and spend more money than you have in Cusco’s markets, without considering how you’ll transport all your new jumpers and rugs home. Although the tourist capital of the country, Cusco doesn’t have to be an expensive city, with some decent hostels and hotels only costing $10us pp and an artisan burger with potato wedges and a drink coming to a staggering $2.50us - you just have to know where to look! In total we spent 7 days in the city alone, not counting trips into the Sacred Valley and for us it’s one of those places we’ve had to force ourselves to leave (because it’s just so easy to get settled). There’s so much to discover and with this in mind we believe Cusco should be a stand-alone point on any itinerary to Peru, rather than simply a 1-day convenience on the way to Machu Picchu. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide of the best activities, restaurants, cafes, museums and anything in between all for you to enjoy! So here goes...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">What to do in Cusco???</span></h3>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Plaza de Armas</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you’ve been travelling through South America for some time already, you’ll soon realise that the main square of pretty much any town/city is called Plaza de Armas. They are named as such because in the past this would be where citizens would go to arm themselves when the city was under attack (Armas meaning arms/guns). The Plaza de Armas in Cusco is particularly impressive and is pedestrianised, therefore making a good spot and starting point for exploring the city. Beware of pickpockets here, just like in any other major city square.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFb88PUMVaiJNHlMOPvEwe8D8E10nAx4tMRFpW0a4Nubah4y1FHFYppcrW6nOTWwV1GSpemp8LfLxUgiG6x2aRBBAJ0yZB-YkYTyPF5giHX-qz8QRXzvvKaOQcI2rvi99_-6e2IN1uB6Y/s1600/ORG_DSC02982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFb88PUMVaiJNHlMOPvEwe8D8E10nAx4tMRFpW0a4Nubah4y1FHFYppcrW6nOTWwV1GSpemp8LfLxUgiG6x2aRBBAJ0yZB-YkYTyPF5giHX-qz8QRXzvvKaOQcI2rvi99_-6e2IN1uB6Y/s1600/ORG_DSC02982.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnLPUbWtyWXdMMg0KAIroB2upOeQxhi2Le1dPBL1AOxalaxWtkOjHBoFOyJZg00hTEBEuznIwDQKTmqXa8F6Y_ewipk9t8IX8Ag7cqxCcrcNNIqmzSjGvkC79Wy4uWG7GaEfaNgb4EUFI/s1600/ORG_DSC02984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnLPUbWtyWXdMMg0KAIroB2upOeQxhi2Le1dPBL1AOxalaxWtkOjHBoFOyJZg00hTEBEuznIwDQKTmqXa8F6Y_ewipk9t8IX8Ag7cqxCcrcNNIqmzSjGvkC79Wy4uWG7GaEfaNgb4EUFI/s1600/ORG_DSC02984.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Markets</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Cusco has a great amount of markets selling all sorts, from alpaca jumpers to freshly squeezed juices. A nice small market is situated on a hill in the corner of San Blas district, which has a more relaxed vibe and sells mainly food and drink. The biggest (and best) market is Mercado San Pedro about 10 minutes walk from the main square. The market is undercover, it is open every day and has long hours, closing at 8pm.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Walk through the main entrance and you’ll find all the tourist ‘tat’ you could want - although the word tat isn’t fair to describe a lot of the beautiful textiles that are on sale. Carry on down the market and you’ll reach the food area, where ladies will compete for customers to which they’ll sell their juice and other locals will be selling local produce from fruit and veg, to cheese and meats. At the end of the market is a restaurant area where you can get very cheap set meals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE8j0G_46M42la_wG2ImlgU5xQ5J8vmj-Z6BVzIdfqYkLsfXdVUIgIIhCGjIB-JxvW2U0jmBOOE7igsESPb8o_mCHU22AbbjRz4DZ6gQohQC9W6BAQNVaSJeOFIkODueF3F9sXk4Ls9HG/s1600/ORG_DSC02957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE8j0G_46M42la_wG2ImlgU5xQ5J8vmj-Z6BVzIdfqYkLsfXdVUIgIIhCGjIB-JxvW2U0jmBOOE7igsESPb8o_mCHU22AbbjRz4DZ6gQohQC9W6BAQNVaSJeOFIkODueF3F9sXk4Ls9HG/s1600/ORG_DSC02957.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihY_8AtAsYZ7RMK_3xJEQMpSkQDDyt0-BELZ9Zp9Hg3oVOmsqVsVJFL62Dmkk9DjCPfH-F1ofYbd5eskpSJYvoLydNxJOw8WpMcQeHwd55JvVf3njDmJGyNNEXTEOaGnt5lMekbLGKhoeX/s1600/ORG_DSC02968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihY_8AtAsYZ7RMK_3xJEQMpSkQDDyt0-BELZ9Zp9Hg3oVOmsqVsVJFL62Dmkk9DjCPfH-F1ofYbd5eskpSJYvoLydNxJOw8WpMcQeHwd55JvVf3njDmJGyNNEXTEOaGnt5lMekbLGKhoeX/s1600/ORG_DSC02968.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkNeg4xJjBE_AYAJcAWWKmXaO5psZIh2p4qNR2AjwsmxKf_ATkjNmAImx5Bh_0XhZk90mqt9iPp6vYwNWB6VNVque1sAZEbuFiXJBGKi5e5dMOyEA3033WWwtKqxHG5ueOJmLoXtLd2KA/s1600/ORG_DSC02960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkNeg4xJjBE_AYAJcAWWKmXaO5psZIh2p4qNR2AjwsmxKf_ATkjNmAImx5Bh_0XhZk90mqt9iPp6vYwNWB6VNVque1sAZEbuFiXJBGKi5e5dMOyEA3033WWwtKqxHG5ueOJmLoXtLd2KA/s1600/ORG_DSC02960.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Shopping</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you get excited by alpaca clothing, bags etc then Cusco is the place for you. Similar as to in La Paz, Bolivia, there are a huge amount of shops selling alpaca made products, some cheap which are normally mixed with acrylic and some more expensive 100% alpaca clothing. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you’re on a budget the best place to shop in our opinion is San Pedro market again. The quality is not always the best here but the prices certainly are. For middle of the range quality and price your best bet is to head to the narrow streets leading off Plaza de Armas. If you’ve got the money then the more western style shops on the main square itself only sell the best quality alpaca and vicuña products and are worth checking out.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Note: Bargain for your price! </span>Especially in market stalls where you’re more likely to be ripped off, make sure you haggle for a reasonable price.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">For a ‘mixto’ touristy alpaca jumper you shouldn’t pay more than 40 to 50 soles.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Churches & Temples</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">To be honest, we’re not really ones for going in churches and tend to find that kind of thing a bit tedious. However the Cathedral in the main square really is worth a visit. There are so many interesting paintings which aren’t in the normal old Christian style (there’s probably a proper name for it) but anyway they are slightly more contemporary and therefore caught my eye a lot more. The church is spectacularly decorated and there’s a lot to see, so worth the entrance fee in our opinion, which was around $10us.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Temple of the Sun, or Qorikancha in its Quechuan name is another great place to visit, especially because it doesn’t come under the ‘Boleto Turistico’ meaning you can pay for it separately. The site provided lots of interesting information about the Incas and it too hosted some interesting artwork. It’s much bigger on the inside than it seems!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDkvKNla-5t24xetGphIoQ_p5xYhaHH5XJcRsTTgE9hydTk8Ur-Dw9dt4nMIwLzEm4weHthqfClKuxoTUUFUYtOG6R7ERz_EGvebL7IZTtCAh4esDb2YWsspxd5eYGfaUIlMq5QjZ2OWd/s1600/IMG_7808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDkvKNla-5t24xetGphIoQ_p5xYhaHH5XJcRsTTgE9hydTk8Ur-Dw9dt4nMIwLzEm4weHthqfClKuxoTUUFUYtOG6R7ERz_EGvebL7IZTtCAh4esDb2YWsspxd5eYGfaUIlMq5QjZ2OWd/s1600/IMG_7808.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJaCep3F6Vt9oiiv3QxKJNpH0vqW8PkyckzNohA26gDfFa3_5QLx4-QJglLqBgVtyvn14aTx_rG5i5laVDu5P4uGSNk6hmKFjyw71DF73bR5v-SVoWJxFko0lMISCFIA_VIXRSyZmTDGY/s1600/IMG_7816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJaCep3F6Vt9oiiv3QxKJNpH0vqW8PkyckzNohA26gDfFa3_5QLx4-QJglLqBgVtyvn14aTx_rG5i5laVDu5P4uGSNk6hmKFjyw71DF73bR5v-SVoWJxFko0lMISCFIA_VIXRSyZmTDGY/s1600/IMG_7816.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Museums</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I think most would agree, some museums are fascinating but a lot of museums are dreary. Well the first museum on our list, the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pisco museum</span>, is neither, in fact it’s not really a museum at all and I don’t know why it fits into this category...but it does. So, the Pisco museum is more like a bar that serves more pisco cocktails than you can imagine, along with fantastic tapas. This is a real Cusco ‘must’ in our opinion. The food, and of course the cocktails, were amazing. We’re still not too sure about the whole museum element but if you drink enough of the pisco you’ll learn something about the power of alcohol.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The <b>chocolate museum </b>is another which seemed to be good fun. Although we ran out of time to go there it seemed to be half museum, half shop of all things chocolaty.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The <b>Machu Picchu museum</b> is more traditional compared to the other two mentioned. It is however really interesting to learn about the ancient Incan site. We’d recommend going after visiting Machu Picchu so you can relate to the parts of the archaeological site it is talking about.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">San Blas</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">No visit to Cusco is complete without spending an hour or so wondering around the area of San Blas. About 10 minutes walk from the main square, San Blas is perhaps the prettiest area of Cusco and is full of great cafes and restaurants. We found it the best place to get a more exciting set meal (whilst still cheap) and a great budget dinner option.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgI54Q3M7ZDCfrTJQ_Ph4780gIqLBSoLblKwFa_S_yWXWtCUWcnPV3BDY_rwCQ2XxhfU4xUJlxu7BWWxRmxuoU-KZ-Iv9DmBObNQHnPbc6qYbbEzFC5WFwM9yrM1rHteLb5mCtp2Tejsdc/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgI54Q3M7ZDCfrTJQ_Ph4780gIqLBSoLblKwFa_S_yWXWtCUWcnPV3BDY_rwCQ2XxhfU4xUJlxu7BWWxRmxuoU-KZ-Iv9DmBObNQHnPbc6qYbbEzFC5WFwM9yrM1rHteLb5mCtp2Tejsdc/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv41qiYnumtX2bFEgnsyLyBB0oPe9uBBJvm-10sAynv6pJIKLLE3mHsRso0V2nSbzjEEmv6mQ2__-WxEQ2p4SQspgEMoyNkDuUO65D1h137oPee-76y8nWl2PWhsYS-EM58LOg_t6NG4Un/s1600/IMG_1234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv41qiYnumtX2bFEgnsyLyBB0oPe9uBBJvm-10sAynv6pJIKLLE3mHsRso0V2nSbzjEEmv6mQ2__-WxEQ2p4SQspgEMoyNkDuUO65D1h137oPee-76y8nWl2PWhsYS-EM58LOg_t6NG4Un/s1600/IMG_1234.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjjX6pkGuTmXQUwzTZm-eidbQksyY0KKFfPxJCwVTe2FsDObc0I3WFG9pi0kOoXw-aKcri-okVAiQlLNNYH7AbtHI_VgY4jscWupoSsPyYybKxSxom92iALUBOk83DikHNBqujHbQKzgP/s1600/LRG_DSC02920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjjX6pkGuTmXQUwzTZm-eidbQksyY0KKFfPxJCwVTe2FsDObc0I3WFG9pi0kOoXw-aKcri-okVAiQlLNNYH7AbtHI_VgY4jscWupoSsPyYybKxSxom92iALUBOk83DikHNBqujHbQKzgP/s1600/LRG_DSC02920.JPG" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Ruins</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are a number of Incan ruins outside and around Cusco, the most famous and most impressive being Saksayhuamán. To visit all of these you’ll need to purchase a Boleto Turistico, which will also grant you access to other Archeological sites across the country. This will set you back $45us approx, or $25us if you have an ISIC student card. For us this wasn’t worth the money as we knew we’d be exploring ruins when visiting Machu Picchu and didn’t feel a strong desire to see more. However if you’re planning on heading to Ollantaytambo shortly after your time in Cusco, the ruins there also require you to purchase the Boleto Turistico and these ruins are particularly impressive, meaning you might want to consider buying the ticket.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Tours from Cusco</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are heaps of different tours that leave from Cusco, some of which are related to Machu Picchu, some not. We did the <a href="http://www.allofthegearnoidea.co.uk/2018/03/everything-you-need-to-know-about.html" target="_blank">Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu</a> which was a 4 day tour, as well as the 1 day group hike to <a href="http://www.allofthegearnoidea.co.uk/2018/03/what-to-expect-when-climbing-rainbow.html" target="_blank">Rainbow Mountain</a>, SEE POST, both of which we’d recommend. Other day tours from Cusco include: Sal de Maras tour, Humantay lake tour and various other treks which end up at Machu Picchu.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Spanish School</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Walking around the city we noticed a number of places which offered Spanish lessons and it occurred to us that Cusco would be a really nice place to slow down and spend some time to learn Spanish, like we did in <a href="http://www.allofthegearnoidea.co.uk/2018/02/sucre-white-city.html" target="_blank">Sucre, Bolivia</a>. Here’s a couple of highly rated schools in the city: <a href="http://mobile.dudasite.com/site/spanishschoolperu?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spanishschoolperu.com%2F&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F#2841" target="_blank">San Blas Spanish school</a> , <a href="http://www.spanishcusco.com/" target="_blank">Am</a><a href="http://www.spanishcusco.com/" target="_blank">igos Spanish school </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Volunteering in Cusco</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We met someone who had an amazing experience teaching English for some time in Cusco and thought it was a great place to hang out for some time - and we see why! So, if Spanish school isn’t for you, why not try out these websites and see if there’s some volunteering you can do in return for free food and accommodation! <a href="https://www.workaway.info/" target="_blank">Workaway</a> & <a href="https://www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad/search/south-america/volunteer-abroad-1" target="_blank">GoAbroad</a></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Our Top Restaurant pick...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Tacomania<span style="font-weight: bold;">-</span> The best Mexican food outside of Mexico! (And not too spicy)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Our Top Cafe pick...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Valeriana - There are a couple of these around town, one near the main plaza and one opposite the Temple of the Sun. Both serves great coffee and top notch cake!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Our Top Bar Pick...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Pisco Museum! - As we said, not so much of a museum, but this place had a great vibe and nothing was over-priced. The best place to try pisco in all its forms! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div>
</div>
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Where we stayed</span></b></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We stayed at a couple of different places during our time in Cusco. The first was <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/pe/tayta-wasi-hostel.es.html" target="_blank">Tayta Wasi</a>. This is a real recommend from us if you're travelling as a couple or with a friend as it offers a decent hotel quality for a cheap hostel price, at around £13/$18us for a room, sleeping two. Its a little further out but the area felt safe and you could reach Plaza de Armas in about 15 minutes by walking.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The second place we stayed was called <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/pe/munaycha-wasi.en-gb.html" target="_blank">Munaycha Wasi</a> and was also excellent. We stayed here because our Mums were coming out to visit us and so for 10 days we were a 4 rather than two people. The appartment was in a great location, just outside San Blas and cost around $45us a night which works out even cheaper than the first place per person.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you're travelling alone or like staying in party hostels then <a href="https://wildroverhostels.com/" target="_blank">Wild Rover Hostel</a> is for you. So many people we met had a great time there and would recomend it to others.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We really hope this is useful.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Thanks again for reading,</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-left: 32px; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d24602.651400262417!2d-71.95417146093921!3d-13.52619274888131!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980752099" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Cusco, Peru-13.53195 -71.967462599999976-13.655454 -72.128824099999974 -13.408446 -71.806101099999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-63224722638860835532018-04-02T12:59:00.002-07:002018-05-22T08:42:35.805-07:00Flying The Nazca Lines With Great Nazca Tours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfk-sfMFn5OPaOasqW7I5Bu_pbRLHxn8LU3mxoqxfAHYc5XBvZfSAyzU6OvzACn_KHApeE4kayOa_UEbNYNJHq-PpCqFbhOcUdJGJD4mUQoark5jW6-vqraeHL-KS58gmekkGEcKaBA-sR/s1600/ORG_DSC03850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfk-sfMFn5OPaOasqW7I5Bu_pbRLHxn8LU3mxoqxfAHYc5XBvZfSAyzU6OvzACn_KHApeE4kayOa_UEbNYNJHq-PpCqFbhOcUdJGJD4mUQoark5jW6-vqraeHL-KS58gmekkGEcKaBA-sR/s1600/ORG_DSC03850.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I think most would agree, Machu Picchu is Peru’s trophy attraction and is most well known across the world. So much so that Machu Picchu has been named one of the seven modern wonders of the world. Despite the title though, historians and archaeologists know almost everything there is to know about the ancient Incan site. The Nasca Lines however, are in our eyes, a true wonder, as they are one of very few attractions around the world which experts still don’t really understand. Of course there are theories, the most popular referencing astronomy and religious motives for the construction of the lines but equally there are others that will tell you that aliens were involved. The point is, the Nasca Lines are still to some extent shrouded in mystery, which is what makes them so appealing to us and many other tourists alike. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We were picked up at 7:45am on the dot by an uncharacteristically punctual Peruvian. During the short drive to the airport he gave us some more information about the lines and the route that the plane would take. We were also informed that if we were quick we’d make it into the early slot they had for takeoff. We therefore ran straight through the airport, gave a lady the airport tax money and continued running straight onto the plane. We went from the car park to the sky all in about the space of a minute and started the 30 minute flight over the famous lines.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhali-SbMtQ_D-EvKiBKbXWaPGjJy4SPifMPBRCPcbkpLy5ybKtCjNEfjWdzsYrkXBo2CRRf-IR63onhLwKecrPmmgiSdSUv6x2KgClBGWYqE_Iv-F8bIjM4BxkEwJ2K3FtENSzUx1NEsI7/s1600/ORG_DSC03809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhali-SbMtQ_D-EvKiBKbXWaPGjJy4SPifMPBRCPcbkpLy5ybKtCjNEfjWdzsYrkXBo2CRRf-IR63onhLwKecrPmmgiSdSUv6x2KgClBGWYqE_Iv-F8bIjM4BxkEwJ2K3FtENSzUx1NEsI7/s1600/ORG_DSC03809.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">First up was the whale, then the geometric shapes, followed by the astronaut (or alien as some might say). We were astounded by how clear they were to see and how they hadn’t been damaged at all over the last 2000 years. It was crazy to think about how the ancient Nasca people created them despite being a long way off any form of flight meaning they had no way to see their work themselves. We were very lucky to be in a plane by ourselves, meaning the co-pilot could give us information and point them out to us as we went along.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXEi1pVv8FMOn0oBmMyzyrnhnI3ckVqXFG11A6lzA38YHJRCWrbc68bnbLze9LL-y0APAFiEwCVhyfXV1MQXiNO17Yg4ocSSnQRks6k3V6omXn7V_InMFQsEtsvdtWhxpOoKWihvqkKn4/s1600/ORG_DSC03763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXEi1pVv8FMOn0oBmMyzyrnhnI3ckVqXFG11A6lzA38YHJRCWrbc68bnbLze9LL-y0APAFiEwCVhyfXV1MQXiNO17Yg4ocSSnQRks6k3V6omXn7V_InMFQsEtsvdtWhxpOoKWihvqkKn4/s1600/ORG_DSC03763.JPG" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTbkJQcm3Sa-HqJ3KZ0qlE5L9guKDrsLI0zenV12SuwZh7KXnLLGuo5uC9z8ImGa1LB6zE_XcmvEC1ju3ki-SLYFAl0R1Hz9k2wWPvZYWtEwH38rT6cIog73vtGhplxDA51EWWS2ig-tp/s1600/ORG_DSC03770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTbkJQcm3Sa-HqJ3KZ0qlE5L9guKDrsLI0zenV12SuwZh7KXnLLGuo5uC9z8ImGa1LB6zE_XcmvEC1ju3ki-SLYFAl0R1Hz9k2wWPvZYWtEwH38rT6cIog73vtGhplxDA51EWWS2ig-tp/s1600/ORG_DSC03770.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsOGnv4rM2cdlogPoOL40b0YRyOhXLePHHEfm0rqbdKq8tRsGdcnJGgndL8y3PJp8pX1vStfygvGTLRnepBYtBR33MD0SR0XKe5Rthfs5t8GZh5L6R2HUfcCnHqUICu1aG3LWgDnXLZZE/s1600/ORG_DSC03805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsOGnv4rM2cdlogPoOL40b0YRyOhXLePHHEfm0rqbdKq8tRsGdcnJGgndL8y3PJp8pX1vStfygvGTLRnepBYtBR33MD0SR0XKe5Rthfs5t8GZh5L6R2HUfcCnHqUICu1aG3LWgDnXLZZE/s1600/ORG_DSC03805.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tGSkTkYRw4Js3OWw-KYJ44XN6zUuSOZJ-fqmMuMWLtd9d4QCB0FLXGb9LXFtHCl9nA8yHd_tRU8lwepUc5JTSt2b0w9l3W9eGFn2WqlYnaeZKiXeOpYoMP5REYJnurqLzTBv_4tP3d62/s1600/ORG_DSC03815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tGSkTkYRw4Js3OWw-KYJ44XN6zUuSOZJ-fqmMuMWLtd9d4QCB0FLXGb9LXFtHCl9nA8yHd_tRU8lwepUc5JTSt2b0w9l3W9eGFn2WqlYnaeZKiXeOpYoMP5REYJnurqLzTBv_4tP3d62/s1600/ORG_DSC03815.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Next up was the monkey, then the dog and the condor followed by the spider. Then the hummingbird (my favourite!), the Alcatraz bird, the Parrot, the Hands, the Tree and the Lizard. We’d seen so many pictures of the lines but it was nothing compared to the experience of flying over them ourselves. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishgzVbUFgI-E-w_Mp9W1TZncKWqaXzvit8Cjt1BDzw_J5g7qJv_SEyL63fshgpC3YQpdoahWO-YbLD1YR7xIOJiMHk73OU0tFnZKNe8ffUH17nrIqfvWWNhmYuAuGEAn3eJ7oMkIEriry/s1600/IMG_8486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishgzVbUFgI-E-w_Mp9W1TZncKWqaXzvit8Cjt1BDzw_J5g7qJv_SEyL63fshgpC3YQpdoahWO-YbLD1YR7xIOJiMHk73OU0tFnZKNe8ffUH17nrIqfvWWNhmYuAuGEAn3eJ7oMkIEriry/s1600/IMG_8486.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWG2MMrR3x09UbAZqWPzAxYxu3WN12llHHjB13vueEoXGDbUGoDRsw5ZI59mfN909W0-mL9WEFO7AP7Hk5SPfVPObG4KXfNTAWkahtEOX2l0hnmtsKzvk2ESeaK7r692kxMuTqaH9g5gm/s1600/ORG_DSC01969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="971" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWG2MMrR3x09UbAZqWPzAxYxu3WN12llHHjB13vueEoXGDbUGoDRsw5ZI59mfN909W0-mL9WEFO7AP7Hk5SPfVPObG4KXfNTAWkahtEOX2l0hnmtsKzvk2ESeaK7r692kxMuTqaH9g5gm/s1600/ORG_DSC01969.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ97KSrInDIvRAfAW3w-amWbT8zcNWduigjZxL4DJ4I6d7t67eso1_00ev6f7OALgyHeSCjQVOOfiXopulwZ0ToRdcR8zxPqApewaiVHRBUpGVvysll4wzd1pz6U3CP3UFFQCV5VDr8W5B/s1600/ORG_DSC01987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ97KSrInDIvRAfAW3w-amWbT8zcNWduigjZxL4DJ4I6d7t67eso1_00ev6f7OALgyHeSCjQVOOfiXopulwZ0ToRdcR8zxPqApewaiVHRBUpGVvysll4wzd1pz6U3CP3UFFQCV5VDr8W5B/s1600/ORG_DSC01987.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp5nKCAzPq3GmSKtTJ8OhZD__FN_tyddfao5D3ISPyPgyrjYVzxgowchefs_55lR5a09Eql7wtrvsjyKQ12RfvIk8O-PD01LpbuRmVTCaJHzeQRz4zhlTTcdjSjqk_1Mdvl731MpL-3GX/s1600/ORG_DSC01986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp5nKCAzPq3GmSKtTJ8OhZD__FN_tyddfao5D3ISPyPgyrjYVzxgowchefs_55lR5a09Eql7wtrvsjyKQ12RfvIk8O-PD01LpbuRmVTCaJHzeQRz4zhlTTcdjSjqk_1Mdvl731MpL-3GX/s1600/ORG_DSC01986.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEkuCqf3Fg5Yd7sFIXR4GYrGV6HhtDdraJJgUkO-h5cS89pTsv5MFA4ZwIm-86M1XrsLkyXmeJ8nsFu3zURdiW4vVOaIPj1BdrOE2eRH5lgKcl7kHcvwzbAXvrvuj6a1YMp4QLy7rxV7B/s1600/ORG_DSC01977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEkuCqf3Fg5Yd7sFIXR4GYrGV6HhtDdraJJgUkO-h5cS89pTsv5MFA4ZwIm-86M1XrsLkyXmeJ8nsFu3zURdiW4vVOaIPj1BdrOE2eRH5lgKcl7kHcvwzbAXvrvuj6a1YMp4QLy7rxV7B/s1600/ORG_DSC01977.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKtDroXExEYHWfqEG2bi9t15KMaug58rvgmizWtPZ4HJ4L30SvcWGB8C31f1q5YvcIP8hPEY9-sV2HSMwxBpd-j7G10BS_HKKZKM0N_o6ENDy3cZSz3ljh725ivUeio0xfa4ijUcyZmWL/s1600/ORG_DSC02001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKtDroXExEYHWfqEG2bi9t15KMaug58rvgmizWtPZ4HJ4L30SvcWGB8C31f1q5YvcIP8hPEY9-sV2HSMwxBpd-j7G10BS_HKKZKM0N_o6ENDy3cZSz3ljh725ivUeio0xfa4ijUcyZmWL/s1600/ORG_DSC02001.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqFl3wK1E2FKU-kVug6LHCtuI5hSVM5XdMEU3d66uScxi6RJm_dWq9DD8ynbMl6S4VY2qkL13RVvVKJwETvxHUc4hH8T-4c_0uNPRKbQUG5Za3UzDyWjoRnGCDDrHjq22cLGbdFL7jBUS/s1600/ORG_DSC03795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqFl3wK1E2FKU-kVug6LHCtuI5hSVM5XdMEU3d66uScxi6RJm_dWq9DD8ynbMl6S4VY2qkL13RVvVKJwETvxHUc4hH8T-4c_0uNPRKbQUG5Za3UzDyWjoRnGCDDrHjq22cLGbdFL7jBUS/s1600/ORG_DSC03795.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Due to the speedy start we were given the talk about the history and theories of the lines by our guide after the flight rather than before which was useful to ask any questions we’d thought about on the plane. We couldn’t have had a better experience and are so glad we made the choice to fly over the Nasca lines. We won’t deny though that it can be a difficult choice to make. It’s not the cheapest activity, there’ve been a disconcerting amount of accidents in the past and so some would say it’s not the safest either. Here’s a few points to help you decide whether it’s for you...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Should I fly the Nasca Lines?</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️It’s without a doubt the best way of seeing them. There is a viewing platform on the ground but this only gets you views of the Hands, the Lizard and the Tree and doesn’t compare to the birds eye view you get from flying.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️The plane ride is awesome! For us, flying in a tiny plane was just as exciting as the lines themselves!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✔️It’s much safer than previously. In the past there has been crashes from Nasca line flights which originally put us off, but much tighter regulation has forced standards equal to commercial flights back home.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌ If you’re on a tight budget it may not be accessible. With tighter regulations come higher prices and it is standard to pay $100us for the flight.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">❌Sickness. We’ve put this in here as we’ve read lots about air sickness due to the plane banking quickly to help you see the lines. We didn’t get this at all and we normally do get travel sick but if you’re someone who suffers from severe travel sickness, particularly on planes then take this into consideration. We were advised to not eat breakfast before the flight and would recommend for others to do so too - just in case!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Overall?</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In our opinion if you’ve got the money, go for it. It truly is an unforgettable experience and is a highlight of our South American trip. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Great Nazca Tours</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We were very lucky to have the majority of our flight paid for by <a href="http://www.greatnazcatours.com/eng/index.html" target="_blank">Great Nazca Tours</a>, to allow us to be able to enjoy, experience and review the trip on our blog here. All opinions however are honest and are our own. We did extensive research when choosing our flight company as we had heard that some had bad safety records in the past.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Great Nazca Tours has an exceptional amount of positive TripAdvisor reviews and we settled on the company after reading them. It is evident from what we’ve written that we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would therefore recommend using Great Nazca Tours to anyone wanting to fly the Nasca Lines.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Great Nazca Tours were extremely organised, keeping in contact with us regularly via email about the details of the flight and were constantly making sure that we were enjoying the flight as much as possible. We were given excellent information about the lines by our guide Oscar, who spoke perfect English and could answer all of our questions. The pilot and co-pilot were extremely professional and made sure that we saw all of the lines before moving on. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Thank you!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you don’t believe us, check them out on TripAdvisor for yourself <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g304044-d3177310-Reviews-Great_Nazca_Tours-Nazca_Ica_Region.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Where to stay in Nasca?</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We stayed at <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/pe/nanasqa-hostel.es.html?aid=352078;label=msn-T3xrcxdT06gyW90fIS*fKg-14107929500%3Atikwd-17768121309%3Aloc-148%3Aneo%3Amte%3Adet%3Aqsnanasqa+hostel;sid=fc8bc2fcf574b068764615ba319b7fe3;room1=A%2CA;dest_id=-355729;dest_type=city;cdist=2%2C4+km;ucfs=1;hapos=1;m_occ=2;srhp=1" target="_blank">Nanasqa Hostel </a>which did the job just great. All the staff were friendly, good vibe and although not central not too far a walk to the centre of Nasca. They also run tours to Nasca’s other sites besides the lines (the pyramids, graveyard and aqueducts). The rooms are basic but fine and are very cheap - we’d recommend it.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We hope this is useful!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Once again many thanks to Great Nazca Tours for making this post possible!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Thanks for reading,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FOQaG8xtnAqhzvKcJaTwoxLx2WYML5IWNf-1-hT_4BBFrD2Edp28v_-KqrknTEZi3KTOOK6A64ebn-0JVGA4zgOgC8JDnxSQcdrgfTl40mLWeGXcOzhNHPc0mkxHJmVgSeHYicxY71Uv/s1600/ORG_DSC03842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FOQaG8xtnAqhzvKcJaTwoxLx2WYML5IWNf-1-hT_4BBFrD2Edp28v_-KqrknTEZi3KTOOK6A64ebn-0JVGA4zgOgC8JDnxSQcdrgfTl40mLWeGXcOzhNHPc0mkxHJmVgSeHYicxY71Uv/s1600/ORG_DSC03842.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d18505.783128295978!2d-74.95093377556019!3d-14.836511394118256!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x91141e6e650fcd89%3A0xd77b01b8756c55a5!2sGreat+Nazca+Tours!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526980882995" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com1Nazca, Peru-14.8358687 -74.932758299999989-14.8972662 -75.013439299999987 -14.7744712 -74.852077299999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-31351030161881536442018-04-02T10:21:00.000-07:002018-06-03T11:58:12.379-07:00Puno & Lake Titicaca Tours - Visiting Uros and Taquile Islands<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSu5PmuLYn6_eLh9R6gcdq0mpZ_77YoVMIb14MUntxGnN9dLHiQEuQVK4EtBHRaaIKcBwA8eJg-7C4M5ymOusGnrj_dLFbwGj3hJCSDPc9coD4_MnT_RUv1QBqvPqDHC91oagsb6FHxBKX/s1600/ORG_DSC03134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSu5PmuLYn6_eLh9R6gcdq0mpZ_77YoVMIb14MUntxGnN9dLHiQEuQVK4EtBHRaaIKcBwA8eJg-7C4M5ymOusGnrj_dLFbwGj3hJCSDPc9coD4_MnT_RUv1QBqvPqDHC91oagsb6FHxBKX/s1600/ORG_DSC03134.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Puno is the main tourist hub for visiting the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. It’s not pretty and there’s little to do in the town itself, but that said you’d be mad to leave it out of your Peru / South American itinerary because the day trips out onto the Uros floating islands and to Taquile Island are unique and wonderful. Having already visited the world’s highest lake on the Bolivian side, we kind of felt that we’d seen all there was to see, especially having spent a couple of nights on Isla del Sol. It’s fair to say we were very wrong. Copacabana (Bolivia’s Puno) may be a whole lot prettier but in our opinion there’s so much more weird and wonderful culture to discover heading out onto the lake from Puno. From the Aymara speaking people of Uros, who live their whole lives on islands they’ve made out of reeds, to the knitting men of Taquile, described by UNESCO as being the best in their trade in the world, we feel like we’ve explored so much of this amazing lake and have enjoyed every inch of it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">So, rather than writing the usual city/town guide this post will be more about what to expect of Lake Titicaca tours from Puno. Enjoy!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Uros Floating Islands</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We had a few preconceptions of the Floating Islands, as the way they’d been advertised to us and talked about by other travellers it seemed like it could have been one of those slightly upsetting activities where you can’t help but think that tourism has destroyed the old traditions and cultures of the people who live there. We didn’t want to feel like intruders, but we did want to see how these people live about their daily lives on Islands made of reeds.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Luckily the experience was much more of the latter. The Uros people have embraced tourism as a way of selling their knitted and woven products to provide funds for their children to be educated properly. However it still seemed that they lived peacefully and were not overly disturbed by tourism as due to the number of different Floating Islands, there was a rotation meaning each island only had visitors around once a week. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When we arrived we were given a brief explanation of how the islands are made and maintained, before splitting off into groups to go into the houses of those who lived there. This was such a lovely experience. ‘Jonny’ (named after his favourite actor Jonny Depp) the assumed ‘president’ of the island, told us all about his family and how he met his wife out on one of the boats he helped made. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnIaFqjsJsiD5I-ey9OXHGZHoawkYecKUnZV6DCxDf1GwVI4bUY9CeFD4J7NCbS62xB90ZAiNU4YKZ1Xeph5iFKcutHPIS4QJniGajqKIXZg2-P5B9I63-XISx3gBZ9va4a9O6Pm0tO7R/s1600/ORG_DSC03091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnIaFqjsJsiD5I-ey9OXHGZHoawkYecKUnZV6DCxDf1GwVI4bUY9CeFD4J7NCbS62xB90ZAiNU4YKZ1Xeph5iFKcutHPIS4QJniGajqKIXZg2-P5B9I63-XISx3gBZ9va4a9O6Pm0tO7R/s1600/ORG_DSC03091.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-U4RiX9p_kIJV550QI7CYWaTArkXuNuWzJlEOwQbqUhrxahffbLFNVb-dw68TzGxdE1iYA5muXHqkYeeNINzCQM0Hzqvf3yfPTqOQ8ieeN_t0iFISpwDDWU6w6gJOTBfZt1tLBD4j2OIZ/s1600/ORG_DSC03098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-U4RiX9p_kIJV550QI7CYWaTArkXuNuWzJlEOwQbqUhrxahffbLFNVb-dw68TzGxdE1iYA5muXHqkYeeNINzCQM0Hzqvf3yfPTqOQ8ieeN_t0iFISpwDDWU6w6gJOTBfZt1tLBD4j2OIZ/s1600/ORG_DSC03098.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">After talking for about 20 minutes all about life on the island, traditions and Uros culture they naturally asked whether we’d like to buy any of their products. Now your instant reaction might be that their products are overpriced compared to back in Puno, but everything is made by hand by the locals and takes a long time. Even if this weren’t to be true, these people are relying on tourists buying something every week to be able to continue living their lives the way the currently are - embracing modernisation, encouraging education, but not forgetting their tradition and culture. For this reason we felt it important to buy some things, even if it were only small due to budget restrictions. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Later on, we went on a small boat ride on their ‘Mercedes Bens’ across to a different island where you can get a tourist passport stamp, a snack and a hot drink!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVE3suA8poIdH1NtB0bAMRD7xfI9T0irujU-sb4HBLYxKh8LeuEGiju6R7qtAGvRnLaC4-pmHfa3spTyIxES7xy1A-wHcbm12XJAL6G4-I5usjy9yryDbR7fR0wJtMNCy782F3QQ7u65T/s1600/ORG_DSC03094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVE3suA8poIdH1NtB0bAMRD7xfI9T0irujU-sb4HBLYxKh8LeuEGiju6R7qtAGvRnLaC4-pmHfa3spTyIxES7xy1A-wHcbm12XJAL6G4-I5usjy9yryDbR7fR0wJtMNCy782F3QQ7u65T/s1600/ORG_DSC03094.JPG" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This took us to about 11:30am, baring in mind we were picked up from the hostel at 6:30am and so if you decided to visit the Uros Floating Islands and nothing else, it would be a half day tour, getting back into Puno for around lunchtime. However on our tour a visit to the island of Taquile was also included...</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Taquile Island</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Back on the speedboat, we headed for Taquile Island, about an hour and a half further from Uros. The island instantly struck us as very similar to Isla del Sol in its size, landscape and unforgettable backdrop of the Andes. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Once off the boat we started a gradual ascent towards the local restaurant where we’d be eating our lunch. Lunch was included in the tour and was much better than the usual tour lunch, with fresh trout as the main. Whilst sat down we were given a talk all about the people living on the island and how their traditions differed from those on mainland Peru or on the Uros Islands. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60yCfjQjw2yuhH8ZauavsXqf0lvXDwq2vPPSrlYK4L9k97s7L1blqWG-4d554f29-Z7NS8qbs8QoWx5jvc9b4RBUGCLSe_tfQxQx9je2l_A6wZu0RB5nYWanYpM99EjQ3qZFEAES4G-As/s1600/ORG_DSC03119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj60yCfjQjw2yuhH8ZauavsXqf0lvXDwq2vPPSrlYK4L9k97s7L1blqWG-4d554f29-Z7NS8qbs8QoWx5jvc9b4RBUGCLSe_tfQxQx9je2l_A6wZu0RB5nYWanYpM99EjQ3qZFEAES4G-As/s1600/ORG_DSC03119.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindE60rkr0Z4RGH_RqYZSGe_FqkStkR06JOP3hnhspJTWQIYad3p2kgbb_sGkZfiELIW-N9Rl4-_2to2pBcSR9yTn9nx4-dkLTSYvYyxoPPck9K1vzmcqVrJBgznOhl2-uA07GHjOYjX8E/s1600/ORG_DSC03134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindE60rkr0Z4RGH_RqYZSGe_FqkStkR06JOP3hnhspJTWQIYad3p2kgbb_sGkZfiELIW-N9Rl4-_2to2pBcSR9yTn9nx4-dkLTSYvYyxoPPck9K1vzmcqVrJBgznOhl2-uA07GHjOYjX8E/s1600/ORG_DSC03134.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitERxvbTYzbbKMZXLY1A9tUl7wfBZfUkhu3Nq5sAoxoBYmos9cybKvuc-W9Mk8RWJ5I0xKPsoQRFGor86Bjsy4oB7nO-Vjh09Y6JS6U738tbNPDzLpDVSU2RvhBwSKCkMOmZoVozAQwtZR/s1600/ORG_DSC03143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitERxvbTYzbbKMZXLY1A9tUl7wfBZfUkhu3Nq5sAoxoBYmos9cybKvuc-W9Mk8RWJ5I0xKPsoQRFGor86Bjsy4oB7nO-Vjh09Y6JS6U738tbNPDzLpDVSU2RvhBwSKCkMOmZoVozAQwtZR/s1600/ORG_DSC03143.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOmm1stmlxkaVi6sQEqVdTzYIDoUruJyPuBGs1AePFUnsDnqu0ieEgBv7hv3gV4H4FjkD_dpO3XjemB3ItukeoN9LEriPeBKVnNDgaeNmTKLhhb0h2V78PKY2p4riN6okTn_dExPa_2QD/s1600/ORG_DSC03156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOmm1stmlxkaVi6sQEqVdTzYIDoUruJyPuBGs1AePFUnsDnqu0ieEgBv7hv3gV4H4FjkD_dpO3XjemB3ItukeoN9LEriPeBKVnNDgaeNmTKLhhb0h2V78PKY2p4riN6okTn_dExPa_2QD/s1600/ORG_DSC03156.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">So it turns out that the men on Taquile Island knit as much as the woman and in fact, according to our guide, their knitting has been recognised by UNESCO as the best in the world of that kind. All of the men wear the most ridiculous hats, white bottomed for the single men and colourful for the married! Even more amusing was the old tradition where women on the island would choose their partner by putting water in the man’s hat, waiting a few minutes and seeing whether the knitting was tight enough for it to not pass through. The idea being, good knitter, good husband.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2se1YEyV1VasYbUmo2vO9-4d4qD_2YfgUON1jQ-3LDnjASEd8Eoud3ZgeTyYty3lGhCeUHaWLpQNz0KGhGSKf58U4HDnW-vSWSvEdBlMe4K-oBpRV9MSm69tHJMpbFQxm5lDwqFZAUlIu/s1600/IMG_8065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2se1YEyV1VasYbUmo2vO9-4d4qD_2YfgUON1jQ-3LDnjASEd8Eoud3ZgeTyYty3lGhCeUHaWLpQNz0KGhGSKf58U4HDnW-vSWSvEdBlMe4K-oBpRV9MSm69tHJMpbFQxm5lDwqFZAUlIu/s1600/IMG_8065.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We kept learning more and more about the people who live on Taquile as we went along which was genuinely really fascinating. The island was beautiful to walk around and the terrain wasn’t too challenging despite the altitude - definitely much easier than the first ascent on Isla del Sol (you’ll know what we mean if you’ve done it!) </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Taquile Island really did seem like a great alternative to visiting the popular Sun and Moon islands on the Bolivian side of the lake, especially considering the <a href="http://www.allofthegearnoidea.co.uk/2018/03/isla-del-sol-what-you-need-to-know.html" target="_blank">current situation on Isla del Sol</a>.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We both agreed that Taquile Island was just as worth visiting as the Floating Islands and we’d really recommend taking the tour if you have the time for a full day trip. We arrived back in Puno in the evening in time to go out and look for some dinner.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Where to eat in Puno?</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We weren’t in Puno long, only going out to eat twice. The first place really isn’t worth mentioning, but the second was brilliant. Mojsa serves up Peruvian based dishes with a twist. The Alapaca Ragout Canalone, steaks and fish were all excellent, including the Ceviche starter (Peru’s raw fish speciality). </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Don’t be put off my the prices, which at a glance may be over your budget because the meal sizes are huge! Either order a starter as a main or a main to share and you’ll be full of great food at a cost of only 20 soles.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">How much was the tour?</span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We paid $17us pp for the tour which we felt was a great price for everything included (great lunch, English and Spanish speaking guide, boat transport etc). The company we used was called, ‘Great Trip Titicaca EIRL', click <a href="https://www.greattriptitikaka.com/puno-titikaka-lake/" target="_blank">here</a> for a list of their tours.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 9px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<h3 style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Accommodation </span></h3>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We normally like to put where we stayed but we wouldn’t particularly recommend the hostel, ‘Homecentre Puno’ and so are not going to write much about it here! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">However Booking.com is an absolute dream for finding cheap and reliable accommodations and checking reviews. Click <a href="https://booking.com/s/38_4/lissaw65" target="_blank">here</a> and use the code LISSAW65 when booking to get £15 off your first stay using Booking.com!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We hope you’ve enjoyed reading and maybe even found it a little bit useful!</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Thanks,</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m12!1m3!1d19133.982485768356!2d-70.01523804427704!3d-15.842220288530426!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526981028665" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com1Puno, Peru-15.8402218 -70.021880500000009-15.9624233 -70.183242 -15.718020300000001 -69.860519000000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-66962730585903803122018-03-29T06:55:00.000-07:002018-06-03T11:57:04.298-07:00What To Expect When Climbing Rainbow Mountain<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpgkL3tFBfnr_7Lx-WF0njhx40y7Q74TRWZAzyxM9W6kNIqXCZJgujx5hnniLm5hVucWNBLF4FBufg2r_vjtGHvAgjAAtRe0B2D0hfOjGB3B7xthMKZKCp0TTv3ijsGeFJHQO-zE8cjXe/s1600/IMG_7705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpgkL3tFBfnr_7Lx-WF0njhx40y7Q74TRWZAzyxM9W6kNIqXCZJgujx5hnniLm5hVucWNBLF4FBufg2r_vjtGHvAgjAAtRe0B2D0hfOjGB3B7xthMKZKCp0TTv3ijsGeFJHQO-zE8cjXe/s1600/IMG_7705.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Rainbow (Vinicunca) mountain is one of those places that is super famous when you’re in Peru but one you’re unlikely to have heard of if you’re not heading there yourself. It is an instagramer’s heaven - a mountain resembling a rainbow with brightly coloured rocks forming neat patterns on each side. But don’t be fooled by its playful and childish look! Climbing Rainbow Mountain has been one of the most physically challenging things we’ve done to date, not because of its steep accents or the time it took to climb but due to the crippling 5200m altitude you have to reach by the end (over 500m higher than the top of Mont Blanc!) We don’t want to put you off, as we’re glad we did it, despite it’s difficultly, but we thought we’d write a post on our experience to help you decide whether it’s for you!</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The day started with a painfully early wake-up at 3:15am in time to be picked up 15 minutes later. We then had about a 2 and a half hour drive to breakfast before continuing on an hour further to the start of the trek. With all the faffing around at the beginning, driving around Cusco picking people up, including about half an hour of a safety talk, we only started trekking at about 9:30 - meaning all the ‘middle of the night’ clothes we’d put on were way to much for the morning sun. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">After taking off a ridiculous amount of layers we began the trek, which was predominantly flat towards the beginning. The altitude was obviously affecting us, forcing us to keep a steady pace, but it wasn’t causing us any headaches or nausea so we were able to continue up the mountain at our own pace.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">About half way and an hour in, Lissa started to feel really unwell. We’d heard that at these heights it’s not uncommon to experience bad headaches and start to feel quite sick. To stop it getting too serious we made the decision to pay to put Lissa on the back of a horse which would then carry her up the rest of the way. This cost 20 soles which didn’t seem too bad as it was more than double that price if you took a horse from the start. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcFdG3ukauZ4T-OvIQ_oW6oIRa7NNmNSlbS4O06RZ3zNby2oUE8xKCs9jqU5shSyCNqlns9VnGRDejtyRkXhsM5od1heCEE-pA1ZsWuEFO2xMcQ6yW9uZgm-wKvFemG0oOGbuRjWCv3bi/s1600/IMG_7698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcFdG3ukauZ4T-OvIQ_oW6oIRa7NNmNSlbS4O06RZ3zNby2oUE8xKCs9jqU5shSyCNqlns9VnGRDejtyRkXhsM5od1heCEE-pA1ZsWuEFO2xMcQ6yW9uZgm-wKvFemG0oOGbuRjWCv3bi/s1600/IMG_7698.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We reached the top about an hour later where we were rewarded with the quite spectacular views of Vinicunca mountain or Rainbow mountain as it’s more often called. About half an hour at the top was plenty, then we started our decent slowly to try to avoid the altitude sickness hitting us hard. Unfortunately it slowly crept back up on Lissa who could only manage part the way down before again feeling really ill and so Lissa took a horse for part the way whilst I walked. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdavB2Rb_8y_YuPRsWaL8ZjDrVyi8kAF_oq_tV_g1GAkF06S57eXikr8rU1aP-fyR4Ny6nlqnlVp4bCGCvHxmh-zk6r7t_00bUKS15XkAvaqJb-9shsswJndzX_SZusNBH4V_CJxMKEZQh/s1600/IMG_7705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdavB2Rb_8y_YuPRsWaL8ZjDrVyi8kAF_oq_tV_g1GAkF06S57eXikr8rU1aP-fyR4Ny6nlqnlVp4bCGCvHxmh-zk6r7t_00bUKS15XkAvaqJb-9shsswJndzX_SZusNBH4V_CJxMKEZQh/s1600/IMG_7705.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">In my opinion the walk back down from the mountain is perhaps even better then the viewpoint itself. You’ll get bored of a colourful mountain quickly, but the beautiful surrounding scenery with lots of alpacas and llamas was much enjoyable, especially considering the affects of the altitude were significantly less when walking downhill. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEwe0tORzVkAhagQsulfXUwMwyyFEOt2P_ajdE0doTp4usPaeFNFsL-d8Wm2zrNi91ONKJk-X0DrIQV3kfEzgJsTsX6ue3Ge7U9n_hGvm6iZf2pOVB6sun8OntlSFlXFKfifCpnH-ej-G/s1600/ORG_DSC02861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEwe0tORzVkAhagQsulfXUwMwyyFEOt2P_ajdE0doTp4usPaeFNFsL-d8Wm2zrNi91ONKJk-X0DrIQV3kfEzgJsTsX6ue3Ge7U9n_hGvm6iZf2pOVB6sun8OntlSFlXFKfifCpnH-ej-G/s1600/ORG_DSC02861.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfkQjaUKZb8trQgCEN9aUybBBJ69d2afT7MmQvE1ldCTH8aKdY8ZdPrQ-YjLKlkbxxjQ2D0yXHcrUiryv5Ggdh0hd8CNZrzlYajLpzoRghct_W-Fl0beFSYkDqfCo-hLdP8H8_0imLDvY/s1600/IMG_7722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfkQjaUKZb8trQgCEN9aUybBBJ69d2afT7MmQvE1ldCTH8aKdY8ZdPrQ-YjLKlkbxxjQ2D0yXHcrUiryv5Ggdh0hd8CNZrzlYajLpzoRghct_W-Fl0beFSYkDqfCo-hLdP8H8_0imLDvY/s1600/IMG_7722.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1TTqTwCrrjvbgJRAJH1vWkfvMsxfnTCrAZFJP3-fH3qEEjdz1QK3EMZaJmhzdO8i8wawESP4U7Ocv05sZODZUkdgOhTx7oaqVnoeKsqEefD40_FtGmxBxmxVNIoO2Eta6m9OIZ2EwZkQ/s1600/IMG_7723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1TTqTwCrrjvbgJRAJH1vWkfvMsxfnTCrAZFJP3-fH3qEEjdz1QK3EMZaJmhzdO8i8wawESP4U7Ocv05sZODZUkdgOhTx7oaqVnoeKsqEefD40_FtGmxBxmxVNIoO2Eta6m9OIZ2EwZkQ/s1600/IMG_7723.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCAri_Yi6cjwQGrO9z7XXakmxE2DHd5CkQD3ajgt9qKbTNWtyXbVaiX_DZ7lAxA2OIpPmoHsrVdnms0pnlCjqaAbqR0wxMg0B89dSD2iB5ymGxP6goc1Wsrpu7zDHrSVKNTS_FCuawIvM/s1600/IMG_7728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCAri_Yi6cjwQGrO9z7XXakmxE2DHd5CkQD3ajgt9qKbTNWtyXbVaiX_DZ7lAxA2OIpPmoHsrVdnms0pnlCjqaAbqR0wxMg0B89dSD2iB5ymGxP6goc1Wsrpu7zDHrSVKNTS_FCuawIvM/s1600/IMG_7728.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdmTFBiNvdf_eHm5-Ogn74MYuUeYIhe07mXt3TtMMeIlndk8PCnrSNO69M36tjOY9S1yFVC-v01zkILTZpW3-2RRccgMi2XXrvmA0RQIcv0M0l_6bxIly-kzk46ETIc_1I10-TA7j9iTM/s1600/IMG_7773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdmTFBiNvdf_eHm5-Ogn74MYuUeYIhe07mXt3TtMMeIlndk8PCnrSNO69M36tjOY9S1yFVC-v01zkILTZpW3-2RRccgMi2XXrvmA0RQIcv0M0l_6bxIly-kzk46ETIc_1I10-TA7j9iTM/s1600/IMG_7773.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">That said, once reaching the car park at the end of the walk I too got a crippling headache, possibly the worst I’d ever had. We’d heard that lots of people got altitude sickness on the way down rather than when ascending but rather naively we didn’t really see how this could be true! </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Luckily there was a doctor on hand who was going around with his special liquid which you sniffed to clear your headache. Sounds weird, but I promise you it worked!</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">On the journey back we stopped off at a few lagoons adding on about an hour to the journey, meaning we got back to the hostel at around 8:00pm. Pretty much everyone on our minibus were rather nonplussed about the lagoons and to be honest they weren’t anything special, but they were part of the tour and had most likely been added in to make the tour seem better value. We were both incredibly tired by the end, feeling a little bit funny from the changes in altitude and needed a good nights sleep, but on the whole we were pleased we did the tour.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-semibold"; font-size: 19pt; font-weight: bold;">How much should you pay?</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">As with all tours in and around Cusco the price you pay if you book it the day before or a few days before is much much cheaper than booking online in advance.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Tourist agencies will charge you anything between 50 and 90 soles for the tour. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">We paid 55 soles / $17.50us per person (not including entrance fees)</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The entrance fee for the mountain is 10 soles pp, so make sure you check whether this is included in the price. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Things to consider before trekking Rainbow Mountain</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></div>
<ol>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Altitude sickness is real! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Make sure you take necessary precautions before doing the trek. By this we mean taking coca leaves or tea (or even coca sweets), having plenty of energy (snacks!) and making sure you are already acclimatised before doing the trek (spend some time in Cusco first which is also at high altitude).</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<ol start="2">
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Breakfast is small! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">They’ll serve you up half of a cold omelet and some bread, which is definitely not enough for the activity you’re about to do. So </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">take snacks! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Lunch is much better however.</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<ol start="3">
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Horse hire - </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">horses are available all the way up and down if the altitude gets too much for you. Don’t hire one from the start as they’ll charge you a lot, only get one if and when you need it. Be aware that, like most things in Peru, you can bargain for your price!</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<ol start="4">
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Walking sticks - </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">lots of people brought along sticks in our group and we felt a little concerned that we didn’t have any! Well you can hire them for 5 soles at the breakfast point and we’d recommend as they came in use for the last leg of the hike.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-size: 22.6667px;">Hope this was useful,</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-size: 22.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-size: 22.6667px;">Thanks for reading!</span></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d495079.0705499136!2d-71.97439803397636!3d-13.53615865965752!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x916ee6d88da13fa3%3A0x5f016d8e0db8c98a!2sVinicunca+Rainbow+Mountain!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526981112930" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com0Cusco, Peru-13.53195 -71.967462599999976-13.655454 -72.128824099999974 -13.408446 -71.806101099999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450736663459462667.post-81761013765827364562018-03-19T14:42:00.003-07:002018-06-03T11:55:39.745-07:00Everything You Need To Know About The Jungle Trek To Machu Picchu <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4UB3CxM_gVaFkLoHFJJw7DSyvQ5Hb8BIkiCK1n71UvC6NPLHhZAud-Llj7UYg_eiF_Nq6BnBzySGYe01fdbrtqQIrQzA0mEnYQYUFYkUbkPYBTWip0j71VV29G4pM3Otsn6FqehOXYjb/s1600/IMG_7627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4UB3CxM_gVaFkLoHFJJw7DSyvQ5Hb8BIkiCK1n71UvC6NPLHhZAud-Llj7UYg_eiF_Nq6BnBzySGYe01fdbrtqQIrQzA0mEnYQYUFYkUbkPYBTWip0j71VV29G4pM3Otsn6FqehOXYjb/s1600/IMG_7627.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So you’ve decided to do the Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu or maybe you’re considering it but want to find out some more details. You might just want a nosey at some Machu Picchu Pics. Either way you’re in the right place.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We want to start of by saying just how much we loved the trek and that we’d really recommend it for those of you who are generally fit and active, and are looking for an alternative to the Classic Inka Trail (which is ludicrously expensive). The trek is physically challenging but not beyond the capabilities of your average backpacker (someone who tends to do quite a bit of walking but not necessarily an avid hiker). This is a perfect description of Melissa, who admits she found it challenging but by all means doable. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Later on we’ll give you some tips we’ve picked up on how and where to book your treks, making sure you’re getting a fair price and are using a safe/decent agency. We’ll also give you some general advice we’ve worked out across the 4 days, in terms of what we’d recommend you bring with you. For now, here’s a brief summary of the itinerary to let you know what to expect!</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Day 1</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The first day starts with a 7:00 (ish) pick up from your hostel/hotel followed by a 3 hour drive towards the starting point, with a short break in the middle allowing you to get a coffee/breakfast etc or buy anything you might have forgotten e.g. raincoat/mozzy repellant. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You’ll then get kitted up with pads, safety jacket, helmet and high vis before hopping on a mountain bike and cycling down a 50km downhill stretch of road. You don’t need to be an experienced cyclist for this as it isn’t particularly dangerous (much safer than Death Road!) The ride lasts about 3 hours and requires no effort at all as is all downhill. That said you’ll probably feel pretty tired by the end from concentrating and braking a lot. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcKB9lOsDvcb9HQ5ug3Abt-c0-54QmZ_0E8KHKHNcXHjZcF0oONCE3a7GBW98pLeeRoxLEUOY1BBJFemaK7jljEo47fhXgObJAAHsFW5Y78P9yoZvuJ0EQP680DW5-UqvbRWAhRpjr1OG/s1600/IMG_7405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcKB9lOsDvcb9HQ5ug3Abt-c0-54QmZ_0E8KHKHNcXHjZcF0oONCE3a7GBW98pLeeRoxLEUOY1BBJFemaK7jljEo47fhXgObJAAHsFW5Y78P9yoZvuJ0EQP680DW5-UqvbRWAhRpjr1OG/s1600/IMG_7405.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You’ll then hop back on the bus, head to the lunch point down the road and then to the homestay for the night. You’ll have dinner at about 7:30pm then you’ll probably want to get an early night as it’s an early wake up the next day! </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Day 2 </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">This is the big day of walking! 6:00am wake up, 6:30 breakfast then out at 7:00am, where you’ll start the 9 (approx) hour walk through the jungle and along the Inka Trail. Bare in mind there are lots of breaks where you’ll try local foods and learn about local culture. On the other hand the walk is predominantly uphill and so is pretty strenuous. We were given the opportunity to taxi any of our kit we didn’t need for the day to the next homestay so that we didn’t have to carry unnecessary weight but this may not be an option for all tour companies.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The walk encompasses a lot of the Inka Trail with narrow paths and stunning views over the Sacred Valley, also crossing many rivers, involving a little bit of rock scrambling and walking through a tunnel. The pace is fast, it was for our group at least, but we never felt any pressure to walk at the pace set by the guide. Walk at your own pace and you’ll catch the group up when they stop for regular and long breaks.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpMFm-32NWKmlXPtQMtupeDehMOj7RsXmhvsvo8L7gQxK_4Za_9h6o3b1XK6xyoOViFpkT_UPm_SLH2Je8n5H9M4CHhyphenhyphenGy4qn3kBlrHDZyF83MyopoZinLLQZI4YUgIL9zWiUSUqdEBJp/s1600/IMG_7422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpMFm-32NWKmlXPtQMtupeDehMOj7RsXmhvsvo8L7gQxK_4Za_9h6o3b1XK6xyoOViFpkT_UPm_SLH2Je8n5H9M4CHhyphenhyphenGy4qn3kBlrHDZyF83MyopoZinLLQZI4YUgIL9zWiUSUqdEBJp/s1600/IMG_7422.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF8YR6Io2_V5-AFu3r7W2CqOce3GLILuM4_7h2kzz1bCcInREXVBcOCsMaM1L3Q8VG4q6-ZMio1L62WIhGDCYkkZ9MC58iYOy8Kh_J-czAt9Mq2ZIu_r6AVMXCKl0vjXpY6LylVVkdNom/s1600/IMG_7428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF8YR6Io2_V5-AFu3r7W2CqOce3GLILuM4_7h2kzz1bCcInREXVBcOCsMaM1L3Q8VG4q6-ZMio1L62WIhGDCYkkZ9MC58iYOy8Kh_J-czAt9Mq2ZIu_r6AVMXCKl0vjXpY6LylVVkdNom/s1600/IMG_7428.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLeMFEa9tb8fJJSVGA4br-a45DjayIWICwvvvCYYVQJPtIqh4V2lPQl_AtVyryJA6Fz6DlLEGaFRH9kcTubFdCvMcNJF1JM37by0N_OEaErRiDKeOvZLbBjVeriKOOWRkIs_uhIyvK5zg/s1600/IMG_7430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLeMFEa9tb8fJJSVGA4br-a45DjayIWICwvvvCYYVQJPtIqh4V2lPQl_AtVyryJA6Fz6DlLEGaFRH9kcTubFdCvMcNJF1JM37by0N_OEaErRiDKeOvZLbBjVeriKOOWRkIs_uhIyvK5zg/s1600/IMG_7430.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZPY4Bf9Irgmq4xXhzoxM8IsXhZClbqOAJvNkZJ_yQrQ8dzBqmMCXkh9KyVidbunJmdfrnbmfDJmGUuQ6oQAJ4Moaw9SpjV7GsOPKHr6INGRySysZa7XAbyNHMhP2hp1a3emiPntYoTgI/s1600/IMG_7460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZPY4Bf9Irgmq4xXhzoxM8IsXhZClbqOAJvNkZJ_yQrQ8dzBqmMCXkh9KyVidbunJmdfrnbmfDJmGUuQ6oQAJ4Moaw9SpjV7GsOPKHr6INGRySysZa7XAbyNHMhP2hp1a3emiPntYoTgI/s1600/IMG_7460.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29Nmk6Bl3HZaYE7-NByYTu1xRNfLP0bdHurEP5VQ5cvTIQhgci5jr_7g2dqF_yVSjz7rOdNH_wtdfx3BTiG_tOWnu6ircHymbH2HhSkbgaeuTBNzu70l1pMOgs44C4xrNcfm0XPp4LPpk/s1600/IMG_7468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29Nmk6Bl3HZaYE7-NByYTu1xRNfLP0bdHurEP5VQ5cvTIQhgci5jr_7g2dqF_yVSjz7rOdNH_wtdfx3BTiG_tOWnu6ircHymbH2HhSkbgaeuTBNzu70l1pMOgs44C4xrNcfm0XPp4LPpk/s1600/IMG_7468.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CvTV1PvMDlXHSIklHKxa213QABZUWzauKKDI5AZresSTW8fR2Lc5IPpo7-T0mOxgmd9f1iX5jKnggZr52hz2t_dloIDPh7IUOhGmef-jGbeL6lwx3AULtGtOCM6IQ5EDbHWxHTSg3Lba/s1600/IMG_7481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CvTV1PvMDlXHSIklHKxa213QABZUWzauKKDI5AZresSTW8fR2Lc5IPpo7-T0mOxgmd9f1iX5jKnggZr52hz2t_dloIDPh7IUOhGmef-jGbeL6lwx3AULtGtOCM6IQ5EDbHWxHTSg3Lba/s1600/IMG_7481.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">At the end of the trek there is the option to use the hot springs for a couple of hours or so, which was welcomed after the tough walk. Bare in mind the 10 soles pp isn’t included in most tours and is an extra you’ll have to pay.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You’ll then get a 5 soles taxi to the homestay in the town of Santa Theresa which is bigger than last town and has a ‘Discotheque Club’ for those interested! </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Day 3</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">A relatively late start at 7:00am, day 3 consists of ziplining in the morning (3 ziplines and a high rope bridge) followed by a 3 hour hike along train tracks to the town of Aguas Calientes, AKA Machu Picchu Pueblo. This day is relatively easy although you’ll probably be aching from yesterday’s hike. You’re probably going to want an early night due to tomorrow’s wake up call...</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MNsNEWynSr-l2QbqWil4lihFdwvQ0Ky8wQYV_T54fWNl25XBe_nyPnLmHYx_fKiUKO2P0ZyUP2Co1eq8tL_rkn9orDArG2BLpPCDj2bwuTu3sg-Fv6Usa9vycmWdmUtXndowQ_1nrCQ2/s1600/IMG_7492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MNsNEWynSr-l2QbqWil4lihFdwvQ0Ky8wQYV_T54fWNl25XBe_nyPnLmHYx_fKiUKO2P0ZyUP2Co1eq8tL_rkn9orDArG2BLpPCDj2bwuTu3sg-Fv6Usa9vycmWdmUtXndowQ_1nrCQ2/s1600/IMG_7492.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBKETz8pp_htP3u5UV8VNnZejnNzR0RMA-9GEvbHOMWmtDZyA5ttzBPxdCbmm10nKduGhZ4ZolIRmBd-k0nOhTmyklzGR6YkzIBk4DnK9J6prBp-jKYZlTEsEKTkDN2djxoFXKre6Yues/s1600/IMG_7505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBKETz8pp_htP3u5UV8VNnZejnNzR0RMA-9GEvbHOMWmtDZyA5ttzBPxdCbmm10nKduGhZ4ZolIRmBd-k0nOhTmyklzGR6YkzIBk4DnK9J6prBp-jKYZlTEsEKTkDN2djxoFXKre6Yues/s1600/IMG_7505.JPG" /></a></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Day 4</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The final day starts with a 3:30am wake up call before you either make your way to the start of the steps up to Machu Picchu or get in line to take the first bus up. Although the majority of our group took the stairs we decided to save our energy and take the bus but walk down the steps later. The bus costs an additional $12us pp and is totally worth it if you don’t think you’ll be able to do the steps in about an hour. (There are A LOT of steps)</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">You’ll get through the gate to Machu Picchu at 6:00am and you’ll probably have a 2 hour guided tour included at the start. Before this starts quickly run ahead to get some good pics and views of MP before anyone else enters! </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">After the guided tour you’ll have up to 4 more hours (until 2:00pm) to explore the site. However unless you’ve paid extra for the train back, you’ll need to give yourself enough time to walk back along the train tracks to the bus point, where you’ll get taken back to Cusco. This probably means you’ll need to leave Machu Picchu at 11:00am to not be late. </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The bus back is a painful 8 hours but you’ll probably sleep most of the way due to the early start. You’ll most likely arrive back in Cusco at 9:30pm.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VgwSLQ2sbF0McLmohBc4qDcyOizCDvWzx2xj9GatwxobsDnRjesYLKftYOq9NUIMn-qFOqKLw4eMgQrwmimWUN3DurRmXYdpX-c9wZPZnx9uhyCYRW-GHlaR4dR9f1kzyGuLMnBLJHeB/s1600/IMG_7527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VgwSLQ2sbF0McLmohBc4qDcyOizCDvWzx2xj9GatwxobsDnRjesYLKftYOq9NUIMn-qFOqKLw4eMgQrwmimWUN3DurRmXYdpX-c9wZPZnx9uhyCYRW-GHlaR4dR9f1kzyGuLMnBLJHeB/s1600/IMG_7527.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB9baAhY233dSXh913xE8TXZZXL2XKiard75Donc-xhcpXp2ed34LXvYwlkX-Qzd8FL8OwBDE5DpBDXq5xxy0Of3UzwIZN0MHM0o8s7VfoAuuYa0y2m4_lwohDgF3CWEag7SEE_qHsVKZ/s1600/IMG_7560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB9baAhY233dSXh913xE8TXZZXL2XKiard75Donc-xhcpXp2ed34LXvYwlkX-Qzd8FL8OwBDE5DpBDXq5xxy0Of3UzwIZN0MHM0o8s7VfoAuuYa0y2m4_lwohDgF3CWEag7SEE_qHsVKZ/s1600/IMG_7560.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33eQzH0P4uq0unHDKU9mPDdsi_YZKxwUiYpknebDgHSxCM8S7Xdf7jrRZr4qX-SJW2ef02LbevyHJ0Wet6qVewZ6y1OmCbg3DVDBwkSBiC30dsCbY-3Ifcg5LWR6ZQPt6BATPwyeLO3jn/s1600/IMG_7571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33eQzH0P4uq0unHDKU9mPDdsi_YZKxwUiYpknebDgHSxCM8S7Xdf7jrRZr4qX-SJW2ef02LbevyHJ0Wet6qVewZ6y1OmCbg3DVDBwkSBiC30dsCbY-3Ifcg5LWR6ZQPt6BATPwyeLO3jn/s1600/IMG_7571.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBBPL7FpZcSLQR178WOkv0gFcuy_OZEW90goi3y3poECPgpARf_hE0kDZya20FX8e4rWtC0hS-yEUBcEjpMjZ4kusnpLj2SVLEbB7A3p_qACGdmcf4XtzDAxXR7FwtMGVROvqi3jHWjm5/s1600/IMG_7575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBBPL7FpZcSLQR178WOkv0gFcuy_OZEW90goi3y3poECPgpARf_hE0kDZya20FX8e4rWtC0hS-yEUBcEjpMjZ4kusnpLj2SVLEbB7A3p_qACGdmcf4XtzDAxXR7FwtMGVROvqi3jHWjm5/s1600/IMG_7575.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_MyYnYTeH9aW2k-E4lBPcLBDEBBHbFWMs9UYNGPgsaAt6ehS3yrjFtvLiAIs1WtMyb5JDsSp-aujD6Nu0W2OI5QAWFZgLYb4n-h8AhOa3usfjCXEOuy-z95bTcHDW4jA2wgiyrCkN1RK/s1600/IMG_7580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_MyYnYTeH9aW2k-E4lBPcLBDEBBHbFWMs9UYNGPgsaAt6ehS3yrjFtvLiAIs1WtMyb5JDsSp-aujD6Nu0W2OI5QAWFZgLYb4n-h8AhOa3usfjCXEOuy-z95bTcHDW4jA2wgiyrCkN1RK/s1600/IMG_7580.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMPr-hdfiFRoGBYq9DGOUrdIh0djxweyKWH5gGWlkcYKKrEke5u73GCps42jWegeabF0lIecTQacRn5KiG-MyEM5HpIPnAMJvSp4VNpa6CGcnlGczo2nwZZFbvsFcDPUxInIEIA73Y77c/s1600/ORG_DSC02762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMPr-hdfiFRoGBYq9DGOUrdIh0djxweyKWH5gGWlkcYKKrEke5u73GCps42jWegeabF0lIecTQacRn5KiG-MyEM5HpIPnAMJvSp4VNpa6CGcnlGczo2nwZZFbvsFcDPUxInIEIA73Y77c/s1600/ORG_DSC02762.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSWSLH9i19-ok-0E0Jbs1mxPLulHQtKIefa1epTjOcd4cbpyxpY2i2rg9iImOBdb1whAtii1Vh1xUTpGnOsE46hI7dix6LIOZ4-Sk7r1Z_54ChQzd3spMgzpyYzTUqW7GHtOiynPj6QrT/s1600/IMG_7622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSWSLH9i19-ok-0E0Jbs1mxPLulHQtKIefa1epTjOcd4cbpyxpY2i2rg9iImOBdb1whAtii1Vh1xUTpGnOsE46hI7dix6LIOZ4-Sk7r1Z_54ChQzd3spMgzpyYzTUqW7GHtOiynPj6QrT/s1600/IMG_7622.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEkXqq383G0pTgGXUjaXPMt4YbT2rCCcWKwV9QnLW0LgAH23KZCJudH_BECc8kx5HLw0PJuDFpst0gw-VjYLOANgMpB8DDP5ZI9x1lx6z_SWUbUSMeNIqz6YOoTq5QW2nwbmJdmLVReWs/s1600/IMG_7634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEkXqq383G0pTgGXUjaXPMt4YbT2rCCcWKwV9QnLW0LgAH23KZCJudH_BECc8kx5HLw0PJuDFpst0gw-VjYLOANgMpB8DDP5ZI9x1lx6z_SWUbUSMeNIqz6YOoTq5QW2nwbmJdmLVReWs/s1600/IMG_7634.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg86SZheMYi7Vj8h-37LUubpiDn01S7Haa-fPKFrBmMrNz23IZlhoCeH6YjFDG519r-3dXzeekHYLTpmGVfbPAenR9AED0YXJVj_DfTXDu6svdVb9vPstQeYJvU-2c3vIKsOhSRnpTYfwC/s1600/IMG_7627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg86SZheMYi7Vj8h-37LUubpiDn01S7Haa-fPKFrBmMrNz23IZlhoCeH6YjFDG519r-3dXzeekHYLTpmGVfbPAenR9AED0YXJVj_DfTXDu6svdVb9vPstQeYJvU-2c3vIKsOhSRnpTYfwC/s1600/IMG_7627.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Things to</span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">consider when booking the trek</span></div>
<ol>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Don’t pay more than $150us! This is what we paid and other people paid as little as $130us</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">DO NOT BOOK IN ADVANCE! We cannot stress this more. Prices online are $700us upwards and there is absolutely no need to reserve it. Walk around Cusco and agencies will bite your arm off to get you on their tour. We booked ours only the night before!</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you’re on a strict budget you may consider to book the trek and entrance ticket to Machu Picchu separately as this will save you about $10us. You’ll need to do this if you also want to purchase the ticket to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain whilst up there.</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Check that transport back to Cusco is included!</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">There is the option to go white water rafting but this will only be available from April to the end of the dry season. Check with the agency.</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Make sure the zip line is included as they may brush over this and you’ll be forced to pay a lot more on the day!</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-bold"; font-size: 17pt; font-weight: bold;">Our top tips for the Jungle Trek</span></div>
<ol>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Wear walking boots. You’ll get wet across all four days - regardless of the weather (due to river crossings etc!) You’ll be a lot happier walking with dry feet!</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Take snacks! Although meals are provided you’re not given enough calories for the amount of exercise you’ll be doing. It’s SO much cheaper to buy snacks in one of the many supermarkets in Cusco rather than a town like Aguas Calientes!</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Bring some money with you. You’ll likely want to buy a beer or something at the end of a tough day and this won’t be included within the tour.</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Take bug spray with you! It’s called the jungle trek for a reason and you’ll get bitten very easily without it.</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Walk at our own pace. There are so many long breaks along the trek that mean even if you naturally walk slower uphill you’ll catch up everyone at the stopping points.</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Don’t feel pressured to walk the steps up to Machu Picchu. Some people in our group felt like they had to do the steps to stick with the majority of the group and to ‘finish’ the trek properly but in our opinion it’s much better to not be exhausted when you get to Machu Picchu. After all it’s the whole reason you did the trek in the first place!</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We really hope that this has been useful! If you have anymore questions please ask away - just email us (allofthegearnoidea@gmail.com) or hit us up on instagram @allofthegearnoidea</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Thanks for reading!</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Will & Melissa</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d13143.442732749234!2d-72.53788534451813!3d-13.158432187920482!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x916d9a5f89555555%3A0x3a10370ea4a01a27!2sMachu+Picchu!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1526981266509" style="border: 0;" width="600"></iframe>
allofthegearnoideahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623623018799188927noreply@blogger.com1Aguas Calientes, Peru-13.1547062 -72.525441199999989-13.1624372 -72.535526199999993 -13.1469752 -72.515356199999985