Now, I am aware that I am about 9 months behind... and I have a lot to share with you - since a lot can and will happen in 9 months:

He's very cute isn't he! A typical Bees boy! :-)

As my first nephew, I'm thrilled to bits and can not wait to meet him in person.
Marc and Vikki - I am so proud.

Final Weekend in North Island.

For me, it will be remembered as a crazy farewell to the north Island.
For Carrie, it will only be remembered when Liz & I remind her!!! :-)

That weekend, I met the awesome 'T-Dawg' <Pssh!>... and an interesting lady from Dunedin:

She very quickly and openly told me that she wanted chocolate and me. (I am not sure there was anything sexual implied... I think she was feeling a little hungry. Tristan & I exited the bar very quickly in fear of my life).

Then there was the Thai and the Butan... Tida and Melissa. Thankfully, they were just thirsty and great fun to dance with.

From here... we are 'Going Down' to the South Island...

After a few days of falling out of aircraft in Motueka, we arrived in style

At the spectacular national park of:

From here, we zig-zagged across the country... taking in an All Blacks game in Christchurch:

Being dressed like this and sat amongst Kiwi fans, whilst your team is getting SMASHED by the All Blacks is not fun! There is no where to hide. And, even if there was... they wouldn't let you!

After that, there were the hot springs in Hamner, and the Pancake Rocks (with complimentary blow holes!) in Punakaiki:

That was before getting snowed in at Arthur's pass.

And, how might a BIG kid pass his time whilst being snowed in???
With a little help from some friends of course:

And coercing people into a snowball fight:

Once we escaped the fun snow filled incarceration on the mountain... we celebrated our freedom by hiking a Glacier in Franz Josef.

Spent some time in a Puzzling place:

After that we arrived for a much longer stay in the awesome place that is Queenstown...
Which... my friends, deserves at least one blog entry to itself!

Catch you very soon,
Glacier Climbing, Snowball Fighting, Speed boat riding, Bees -Out!

PS The beer drinkers amongst you might enjoy this drink that I found in a off licence called:
Beaver Liquor:

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It's amazing how time flies when you are having fun... so apologies my hobbits for the delay in updating this blogumentory!!!

There has been so so much happening, I am not sure where to begin...

The weather in Taupo has been poor... the pesky wind is blowing too hard towards the lake for a beginner like me... so I have had to pass the time as best as I can... and ... you know me... what might I do with time on my hands???

Re-invent myself???

This is me and my new identity. I prefer to be called Candice now... I feel much happier.

People like it too.... the ladies:

This officer of the law even Coppered a look (DUDE, SERIOUSLY - GET YOUR EYES OFF... IT'S JUST BALLOONS!)

Hee hee... As if... I couldn't live like that!!! One night looking that hot, gets you too much bitchy attention from the jealous ladies... who'd be a woman!!! Not me!!

Instead, I got talking to the reception staff... practically family now that I have been here so long. So, they kindly agree to put the next set of hot girls that arrive into my room.

Result!!!

I arrive home from not Skydiving to find Hanne, Anne and Maria. Incidentaly they are from Norway and Sweden. Sharing a room with Scandanavians.... hmmn... :-)

It was not long before they begged me to party with them (Ok, I've never promised honesty in this blog... sometimes there is some Bull....)

Although, for the records, I did kindly oblige the party invite!!!

We also found some time for the Tongoriro crosing....
(Thankfully I didn't meet Gollum at Mount Doom again... I think he is sill doing the hot dance in the bar we left him at...)

To my delight... (without any persuasion here)... I discovered that there are more people in the world who do crazy dances for fun....

Not quite the Chicken....

But, the Duck Dance... with words...

I love this dance!!! I love the fact that there are other crazy people like me about!!! (I mean that in a good way!)

After the crossing, we spent a few days in the wilderness of RiverValley.... (Erm, it was inventively called RiverValley... since it was literally a valley with a ...wait for it... with a river in it!) where it was really nice place for some country persuits...

Soon after, it was time for me to push off and for them to head South...

It was a real shame our time together was so short - because they were absolute stars: :-)

But shortly after, back in Taupo... I fortunately met the second celebrity of the trip...

BORAT!!! What an amazing dude!

High-Five!!!

Unfortunately, after much persuasion... I could NOT stop him following his destiny to become an accountant in ISRAEL. (Sadly, he'll have to spend over 5 years studying... erm, and dodging bombs...)
Good luck Alon (Borat) ... It'll be worth every second of your investment and no one will ever make fun of you!)

One important thing to remember Borat...

What's the difference between a Rhino and an accountant?
One has a small brain and charges a lot. The other is a Rhino!

Translation for accountant: Debit Smile, Credit me the joke teller

Still in Taupo

Since the weather sucks (this time the wind is now blowing too hard towards the trees for a beginner like me!) - I took a few more days away... this time to 'Road To Ruin' or 'RotaVegas'... aka Rotarua

Anyone who has been there will tell you that the place smells as bad as sharing a lift with someone on a Brocolli diet... kind of like Egg sarnies that have been left in a plastic container in the sun for 4 days...

But, ignoring the smell.... its a wonderfully cultural place...

Maori....

the only race on earth that greet you with aggression, spitting, tongue poking and bulging eyes... not to mention tattoo's on the face and sticks in hand...

Actually, it is not overly dis-similiar to to entering my local in Bristol... :-)

Although, at least there, they don't insist on greeting you by rubbing noses whilst wearing a skirt!
(How do you say no to him when he still has that spear in hand?)

All joking aside - getting a small (albeit touristy) glimps into the rich history of the Maori culture was inspiring.
Their values were ones I personally connect with... pride, passion, enthusiasm.

The greatest thing in this world are people, people, people.

And... importantly, they knew how to cook up a decent feast! Even if it was slowly cooked under the ground on hot rocks. i.e. using an earth oven (Hangi)which is naturally heated by the geothermal heat in the area. No oven!

And... back to Taupo!

Taupo... the wind again is not my friend. It's not blowing the lake or trees but instead it is blowing my time budget. Enough encouragement to move on with gust-o to Nelson... the place in NZ with the best sunshine and also a drop zone (DZ)... so I am orf... via Wellington where my friends Andrews and Poustie still are!!!!

Cross dressing, horse riding, Not Skydiving and well behind on blogging - Bees-Out

p.s. Thank you to all the awesome people at Taupo Tandem Skydiving for being so awesome!
http://www.taupotandemskydiving.com/
May I wish you all blue skies and winds that are just light westerly BrEESIES!

32. New Zealand (Aotearoa) remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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I have realised another dream... and this one is bloody exciting!

Brace yourselves... 'cause I doubt you know what is coming!!!

Here is me working towards my dream...

Enjoying myself with my awesome AFF master Ian... and legendary skydiver JK:

I really wanted to post my qualifying solo jump up here... but my technical ability has let me down! (If you know how to convert DVD into a web format - or how to take stills from the DVD, let me know!)

I have managed to do 14 jumps in the last week... and loved every single one!
I am now qualified to skydive alone... the last 5 jumps have been Solo!!!

I will be hanging around in Taupo until I get to 25 jumps... then I will be given an 'A' licence, and will be able to jump from anywhere in the world!

So... Australia... Asia... China... look out!!!
P.s. Bank Manager... brace yourself... it ain't good!!! :0)

Conclusion

Bus Ride to Taupo... $52 NZ
Accomodation in Taupo... $26NZ per night
Jumping... Bloody Pricey
Solo Controlled Freefalling over a beautiful lake and Mountain... turning... doing flips... Priceless

Seeing my folks face when they find out about this... would also be priceless. (They have no idea about it... so I thought I would deliver them the news by DVD!!! Mum and Dad... let us all know your reaction!!!!)

Skydiver Bees-Out!!!

p.s. Here is someone taking the sport to the extreme... not sure I'd have the nuts for this!!!

31. New Zealand... Taupo Part II remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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He was really cool and down to earth (middle earth, that is) for someone who is such a big celebrity, especially in these parts!

I am of course in Taupo... which is the prettiest place... it has a massive lake (the same size as Singapore)... and some beautiful mountains...

...one of which is best known as Mount Doom...

So can you guess who I met???

My Prescious! Mine... All Mine!

Any ideas??

I met Gollum!!!

It you don't believe me... check out this picture...
(You should have seen his feet and you would have known for sure it was him!!)

Here is Gollum dancing!!!

If you don't believe me... check out this...
As soon as we got back to the hostel... he threw himself in front of the TV... something was calling him!!!

Hee hee!

Thanks for being such a good sport Aussie lad!

Time for Sme Ago! <Smeagol... ok sh*t pun... put simply ... time for me to go!>

Stay tuned though my hobbits... I have the mother of all blogs coming up!
I am so excited at the moment... and can not wait to share this one with you!

Your Prescious - Bees Out!

30. New Zealand: Dead RINGer remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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It was sad leaving that place... since it was truely an awesome 3 months... that covered 7 countries, extremes of heat and cold... altitudes of high and low... cultures and economics as vast and different as the physical landscape ... and of course it proved to be an amazing place to party!

Looking back, its amazing how many amazing people and how many amazing places you can see and meet in that time! Amazing! I truely can not recommend a visit there enough to you! (In case you didn't get it... I think the place is Amazing!) I could talk to you all day about it... and to be honest, I probably will bend your ear about it next time I see you!!!

But... onwards and upwards... there is still another 9 months and 2 massive continents left to explore... Oceana followed by Asia.

First Stop... New Zealand... and in the words of Mark Watson (the Welsh Comedian I saw in Auckland):

Strap yourselves in F#*kers!

New Zealand

Arriving at stupid AM... the NZ authorities soon pushed me into the Immigration Declaration Area... I've never been there in any country... and expected bad things to happen... but, on the contrary... it was the best service I have ever received on entering a country!

As a welcoming gift, they gave my hiking boots a clean and sent me on my way!

Thanks! (OK, I guess they didn't want me to bring any nasty germs with me... but, still... thanks!)

Refreshing

It seems so so familiar... there are so many similarities to home...

Arriving outside the airport and I find fresh cold air...
A taxi driver that is giving a fair price... no haggling required... ooh and English speaking...
Currency with the queens head on it...
Right hand drive cars... driving on the left hand side of the road... in an orderly and non agressive fashion.

Beyond that I find decent chocolate... English tea... and Sausage sarnies and HP Brown sauce!!! Yum Yum Yum... I've been craving that for a while!!!

Back to civilisation? Feels a bit too familiar after South America... but... hang on... there are a few things that you won't find at home!

Auckland

A busy city with 25% of NZ population residing in one place. Full of commercial shops that you would expect from a big city... bustling with lots of students, tourists and a multi-cultural range of locals (aka lots of cute Asian ladies...)

I could tell you about the thought provoking art gallery I visited (on the topic of how we are destroying the earth)... but I am sure you would rather hear about the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, right?

Well... sorry to disapoint you... it is not actually big at all...

Well... until you get up close to it...

It makes for an awesome view at night...
From The Bottom

And From The Top

Apparently its also a very fun place to do your first joint chicken dance!!!
Thanks Hyo Jung and Lucy of South Korea for being so much fun!!!

For those people brave enough... you can walk around the tower on the outside of the glass...

But... why on earth would you waste your time on that when you can jump off of it and freefall in a controlled base jump????

So that's what I did... Twice!!! (They gave me a free go since they liked my landing so much!!) The full video is with the folks if you care to take a gander... since I cant figure out how to convert the DVD format for here!

Wellington - The Capital of NZ

After a very brief visit to Auckland... I flew down to see my good friend from home, Carrie (AKA Andrews) who is teaching out here with Liz (AKA Poustie)... for some much needed cowboy partying... and some rest and relaxation.

It truely was a home from home there... it was nice not to be sleeping in a bunk bed for a few days... and enjoy the comforts of a decent kitchen... a bathroom (with bath!)... a sofa... a TV... and that much needed supply of PG Tips and HP Sauce!!!

A bit of site seeing...

Beesy @ The Beehive (Government buildings)

A trip to Eastbourne... where Poustie was attacked by some giant seagulls

All before moving on to Lake Taupo... to realise a lifelong ambition of mine...

Watch this space... its gonna be good!!!

Cold and Content Bees- Out!

P.S. GET WELL SOON HUGO THE CAT!

29. New Zealand remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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I am gutted we are going our separate ways after a month of travel together... and even more so that he is going to see Montanita... a place I desperately wanted to see...

At about 11.15, I snap... pack my bags and leave with him! BIG risk... since I can't discuss changing my flights until I arrive in the next big city of Guyaquil at about 9am tomorrow. If I can't change my flights... I will need to be straight back on the bus to get my flight that evening from Quito (another 8 hour ride after doing 8 hours over night).

Eek... double worry... since I only want an extra 5 or 6 days, and last time I did that, I had to take 3 weeks, since the flights to NZ get very full!!!

It's a very long night on the bus!

Those of you who know me... will know that I have a hate for 3 types of music.

1. 80s pop
2. Panpipes
and since I hate it so much... number 3 is also 80s pop

You can imagine my horror... at 1.30 am... as loud as a siren ... for several hours... the driver starts playing his collection of 80s music (all 5 songs)... repeatedly. I can assure you... sweet dreams are not made of these. Especially when one of the 5 songs combines 80s and panpipes... URGH! By far his favourite was "Hes a maniac, maniac, maniac!"... and I think that was true.

I was hating it so much, I devised a list of things I would rather endure than that:

Watch back to back episodes of the crap UK shows "Heartbeat" or the Great? British soap Urine-ation Street. (Those who have ever spent a Sunday evening with me will understand the level of de-test here... those who don't will... with the following things I'd rather do! The level of severity of course increased as time went on

• Swim in a Pool of Vomit
• Run naked through a pack of lions with only a large juicy steak strapped to my donger
• Jump from a helicopter over a sharp spear with no parachute or safety harness.

I actually wrote that I would rather be working again, than have to be subjected to this pain... but thought that was a step too far and scrubbed it out!!! :0) Hee hee!

Worth The Pain!

For sure! The risk paid off BIG style! It was meant to be! Apparently, I wasn't even booked onto the flight I was meant to be taking... so I would have been delayed in Quito on my own anyway! Once I got that sorted out, I had the very best final week of South America in the surf town of Montanita... with some great lads!

Surfing by day (the countries best surf), partying by night... even finding time and energy in the mornings to go for a run and swim in the sea! It's amazing what energy the sun and coast brings you!

The view from our room (3.50 GBP per night!) was reasonable too!

As you are accustomed to hearing now... the journey in was interesting... with the driver stopping to repair the engine... which is on the inside of theh bus... and spitting hot oil everywhere!

But, these are the things we are so happy to endure... when we get this at the end of it!

One last stop

Ok... on the way back to Quito, a few days in Guayaquil (Ecuadors biggest city). Hanging out with someone... who seriously confuses me... someone who is really fun, friendly... but also French!? Is that an Oxymoron?

May be I have judged the French too hastily in the past... and will be more open to them in the future!

Talented, multi-lingual French Pauline demonstrating that she is the only person I know with a sweeter tooth than me!

The last supper

Ok, my very dinner before I leave Ecuador and the warm continent of South America for the coldness of New Zealand.
So... what should it be... something traditional....

Guy... aka Guinneypig... OK, I feel mean now because it tasted horrible... so no need to lock up your pets next time I come around!

Next stop.... Santiago, Chile International Airport...

Surfing & Guinneypig eating Bees-Out!

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The journey to Bogota was nice... for a change! In bus entertainment of Shakira on the big screen was very welcome!

The City

The city appears to have a lot of history and culture... and some amazing museums and galleries... all of which are at risk of making me sound rather intellectual when I drop into conversation that I've seen the works of Botero (sampled below), Dali, Renoir, Picasso to name a few... don't you know! (Some of you aren't convinced... I can tell!)

Botero seem to have a fascination of making everyone look like a chunky monkey... check out Mona Lisa!

Wandering through the city is great... behind all of the commercial streets, you can easily find the markets, selling inexpensive and fresh fruit, veg, sea food... and anything else you want... in fact, even some old tat that you would never buy... since some of the markets specialise in second hand gear... kind of like a UK boot sale! We even got some old Colombian dude to play us a song...

Then there is the military presence...

Several Plaza's.... some where you get a lot of attention from the birds

And some really big queue's... no idea why these people were queuing... just know that this web site only allows me to put up 90 seconds of footage... and the line went on like this for another 60 seconds!

And you thought the Brits led the world in queuing! The only other place I've seen a queue like this is @ 3.28 pm (just before home time) in a Manufacturing Facility I worked at!!! Hee hee

Solento

A few days of the busy ambience in the capital was enough, after coming from such a relaxing country stay in San Agustin... so it was time to get back out to the sticks... and the coffee district of Solento was the place!

What an awesome place too! A walk down the quiet village street allowed you to peer into noisy bars, where men were playing pool and cards... and not drinking... then into the shops where the women were selling unique, locally designed and made artesians... In fact, the idea of locally produced goods really worked here... the shop where we purchased our fruit and veg actually grew everything it sold at the back of the shop.

Beyond the vibrant streets, were some amazing views. I could really live in this place... although, the sunset lets it down slightly... don't you think???

Coffee Farming

Colombia is the largest producer of coffee in the world... so no trip would have been complete without a tour...

I am now officially an expert at producing coffee... so if you fancy opening a coffee farm... then I'm your man!

Celebrity?

And... more to the point... Pete (the best German I've met on this trip!) & I were somewhat stars in this area... a few minutes of juggling & happy sack in the local park drew roaring crowds of fans:

Cocora Valley

Ignoring the guide book again... we risked going into the Cocora Valley. A place where the Guerilla's hang out.

Risky? Yes!

Rewarding? I think so... take a look at a couple of these snaps!

Left to right... the best couple I've met on this trip... the beautiful Emilie and very funny Peter
My good friend Arran, and Norweigen Snoorin' Noruun... then me and Swedish Louise!

No Guerilla's made an appearance... but, why would they want to come out and mess with this animal???

Leaving Colombia

It's sad to say... but I have to leave this wonderful Country.

The guide books warn you away... and perhaps the country is still under a cloud of negative perception generated in the past. Ignoring the books was the very best thing I have done... since it led me to a place of outstanding natural beauty... with the friendliest people. Colombia is definitely a place I recommend, and a place I will definitely return to... for sure. Well... I haven't even seen the masterpiece that is Cartegena... nor the Carribean coast.

I love Colombia.

Exiting... One risk too far???

Ignoring the guidebook (and the strict warnings of our hostel owner), we took one last risk... an overnight bus out of the country, on a road notorious for having the bus hijacked at gun point, before being burnt out.

Falling to sleep on the bus conscious that a passanger could stick a gun in my face at any point was ok...
Waking up with a gun in my face and being told to get off the bus with my belongings was worrying!

Thankfully, it soon became apparant that it was the Colombian army doing a random check. What a awesome guy too... in typical Colombian style... he was friendly and chatty the whole time he checked my bag... and even after when I was due back on the bus.

Back to Quito...

Colombia loving... wishing he could stay longer... Bees-Out!

26 Colombia remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Being flexible and rolling with changes to your plans whilst travelling is the best feeling!
The freedom is great... and the unexpected experiences are the best!

Colombia

The guidebooks and the reputation of this place leaves you thinking... 'I am going to stay well away from that place!'
In actual fact... I even said before I left that I would not go to Colombia... Check it out!

What a mistake that would have been!

BEAUtiful

The beauty of the country is equal to any of the other places I have seen on this continent...

View from the window of the bus 10 minutes from the border:

....but the real beauty is captured in the people. The friendliest anywhere... and they are so proud of their country... and I can see why! It doesn't matter where you go... but the Colombians just want to chat!

A special thank you to my incredible Colombian friend Tatiana who introduced me to the idea of Colombia when we met in Peru. She told me how great her country and people were... and she was so right!

I seriously love this country. I will be back for sure!

Although... be careful!

So... when I say the people are beautiful... in places like Cali (my first stop), there is a reason why!
Apparently, it is the plastic surgery capital of the world. The results are jaw dropping!

In fact, Arran and I had our jaws dropped so low at the hottest lady we had seen anywhere... and the taxi driver started lauging at us... since this hot lady was in fact not a lady... but a hot lad, eh! You never would have known... well, until it was too late anyway!!! YUK!

That was not the only 'YUK' we experienced in Cali! One meal in particular stands out in my mind...

Yes... that is a chicken foot in Arran's soup!

The only 1GBP feast we had a problem with in the whole of South America!

Beyond that... Cali was good for Salsatec's... i.e. a disco for Salsa dancing!
The people there have some moves... and of course, I blended right in...
... I even had a local girl tell me I was a natural at Salsa...
I have no idea why she thought that, since I stood on her guide dog every other step!?

In Cali, we met Norwegian Norunn and Swedish Louise... and squashed into a taxi for a trip to San Agustin...

They took great amusement in the fact that my name Kev sounded like the word KEF which is apparently a slang word meaning that I am 'rubbish'. So glad I did not grow up in Sweden... imagine how much stick there would have 'bin'.

San Agustin

The long bus ride to San Agustin was as per normal...

awful

... the longest, bumpiest and curvacious road you could imagine... and then some. Average speed 13 KPH.

Thankfully I was sat next to the one legged eccentric Venezuelan mute for the 8 hour ride... who besides freaking me out, made the journey amuzing! I had no idea what he was attempting to communicate to me... except on the numerous occassions he made impressions of him beating up the bus driver... eek! No idea what his vendetta was!

On the upside, he didn't seem to let his disabilities hold him back... he could do impressions of at least 3 animals with his hands... the butterfly was the high point for me!!! Inspiring! Hee hee. Ooh... 4 impressions if you include the 'bird' he kept motioning in the drivers direction!

San Agustin Village

This place is off the beaten track. Very few 'gringo' tourists here... and infact, some locals were more amused by us than vice versa.

On arrival you get the impression that this is a small sleepy place... where everyone knows everyone... but, getting up for a 7am run quickly dispelled that idea. On route, local work men were already digging away, vendors in the town were already selling pre-prepared snacks to the hoards of people scurrying across the street to shops and busses!

Horse Trekking

Saddled up on my horse, Ray <Spanish for KING>... and on a two day trek across, (and up and down) the valleys... leaving behind the comforts of the awesome Eco-lodge we were staying at. Taking in historical tombs that were older than your nan (over 3,000 BC), viewing valleys that were more breath taking than an ice cold shower... and along the way passing by the workers of the sugar cane and coffee plantations.

One of the many amazing views from the trek...

And of course, those seriously historic Colombian artefacts I was telliing you about:

Then to the really awesome experience that you can not pay for... a night in the village of Obando

Obando

On arriving at the isolated village, I quickly got a game of football against a handful of skillful kids.
At the end of the game, I joked that their team (Chelsea of the UK?) was rubbish. Before I knew it, there were more kids around me wearing official Chelsea shirts than there would be in Stamford bridge on match day.

They had a point to prove for Chelsea... and had to take me on! In fact, the whole village of kids insisted we played...

Sadly Chelsea won... oh well, I guess they had to win something this season!

Rafting

Confusing as hell having a French person shout Spanish instructions at you... to paddle, stop paddling... and DUCK!
But, I survived... and it was great fun... even if we did look rather peculiar in the wet suit!

The time in this wonderful place drew to a close... but not for Colombia... loving it so much... I have delayed my flights again... and I'm moving on to the capital... Bogota!

Horse riding, White water rafting, Colombia loving Bees-Out!

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Although, even though there is less beeping... the chopping lanes at a split second still occurs!!!

Quito, the capital is charming. A walk of the city reveals and amazing array of old buildings and churches... a lovely theatre square... to sit and take in the city over a couple of cuppucinos!

Climbing up past the bells of the Basicilica church... hold tight!!!

Seeing the city from above is also a spectacle... riding the cable car to the heights gives you a wonderful view of Quito. Walking beyond this further allows you to meet some very interesting people!

How many times in your life will you be stood on the side of a hill talking with 3 Ecuadorian lads, 2 Peruvian girls, two Priests and a priests dad??? Sounds like a joke right... but this one is without a punch line! It was a weird combination... but I relished in the opportunity to discuss life with them! (Well, I would never meet these people if I stayed wrapped up safely in my old life!)

Following that, I went to the middle of the Earth with the Ecuadorian lads...... a place called Mitad Del Mundo... a place where you can hop between the Northern and Southern hemisphere in a flash...

...and when the security team aren't looking... become part of the display in the museum!!

Protest

The next day, we had arranged to hire a car to visit North of Quito... only... it couldn't get through on account of the protests... since the protest scuppered our plans we joined in and marched with the Indigenous community to the presidents office at the Plaze Grande!

For good cause as well, I might add...over 15,000 people... chanting to get attention to the fact that it should be a "plurinational state" i.e. the indigenous want their customs, culture and language (Kichwa) to be officially recognised and taught too!

I wish them good luck in their cause... since Ecuador has had 8 presidents in the last decade... and that makes it pretty difficult to see through changes!!!

Otovalo & Why Trusting Strangers Can Be Good

I am not a big shopper, nor a fan of markets... but this one rocked out! The arts and craft here were amazing... as were the selection of wollens!

Ooh... a sample of some art work I have sent home if anyone was interested in buying some Ecuadorian art from me?

I arrived here with a local (Patricio), who I met when he was working at the hostel! Once we had exhausted the market and enjoyed a local cake and Coffee... he suggested that his friend could drive us to see the lake on top of the mountain and the waterfall at Cotocachi! So I risked it... with two virtual strangers... to the middle of nowhere...
and I am glad to day, these guys were no "Danny!"... my faith restored!... and we had a good time!

We even saw locals washing their clothes... in the stream...

Canadians!

I met Nick and Sophie on the way back from Otovalo... and we soon became friends... later that week hanging out in the park playing Frizbee and then off to Guysamin art gallery - which was awesome.

Cotopaxi National Park

After a few beers, I convinced Nick and Arran and Josiah to come with me to Cotopaxi park the next day... where we would bike and hike!!! So, the next day, we found a tour... set off... and had a interesting day!!

Over 3 hours, many car changes... some Chicharron e Pappas on route (Pork and spuds)... and we were at the park entrance... (perhaps 1 ish!) Although... there seemed to be some problems with letting us in!!!!

Apparently... someone in the van looked drunk! It wasn't funny since we'd gone all that way...but the series of events that unfolded were...

Nick gets out of the car... and the guards ask the boy to smell him to see if he was drunk.

Verdict. Apparently he is drunk!!! Hee hee

Despite long debates... going into the park with bikes was too dangerous for us in our current state... but we could go in and trek up to 4,800meters (a bloody hard level of altitude... through snow capped peaks!)

So we did... and built a snowman!!!

Josiah even got into the swing of it and sang us a song!!

Back outside of the park... we took the mountain bikes for a spin down to the main road... going through rivers... bumpy gravel roads... past cows.... it was all great... even when I managed to hit a bank/ pothole combination... and land on my head!!!

It was quite funny really... and I was of course thankful for the helmet!!!

It was all worth it for the view from the bikes...

End of My Time in Quito?

My time in Quito has drawn to an end...which I am gutted about... I still want to see Montanita and Guyaquil...may be I will do that if I come back to see the Galapagos!!!

Right now I should be heading to Chile and then NZ... but I have changed my plans!!! I have heard so many things about Colombia... and it seems so close, I just have to go! So, thats what I am doing... it will mean canning my Australian working Visa for now... and may be losing some time there or elsewhere... but I have a good feeling about risking that for a trip to Colombia....

Watch this space!!!

Plan changing, Quito liking, Mountain climbing snow man making Bees Out!

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It didn't help that I arrived in the Capital La Paz with a bad case of 'Puno De Puree' or put in another way... the 'Cusco Caca's'... if you get me! (My fault for saying Puno was the ARSE END of no where!... Karma methinks!)

La Paz is altitudinally the highest Capital in the world - approximately 4,000 meters above sea level in parts! Coupled with the fact that its warm, and polluted - it does not make for a comfortable environment to live. In fact, it left me feeling drained and run down - so I wonder how the vast population feel - since they are literally squashed into the hills.

So, feeling wiped out for the first few days... I missed biking down the most dangerous road in the world (I will have to get my adrenaline fix in a bigger dose elsewhere). Instead... I found time to stomp on a very small lad... and then get taken to prison... (see below!)

Uyuni Salt Flats

I spent the day with a wonderful Bolivian family - who were very good hosts. They kindly bought me a traditional drink of 'Appy' (Warm purple Maise based drink), along with a deep fried pastry... which you season with Icing Sugar to take away the 'orrible taste!

Since I was feeling peckish...

Fancy some giant Twix?

The family proved to be good fun too... taking some cool photos with me:

On the way back, we visited a train graveyard... where I attempted an arty shot... of the trainline vanishing into the distance of the mountains and clouds!

Although, to firmly remove any suspicions that I am using my camera to take serious pictures...

Chicken Dance

Some people never grow up!!! Tsk Tsk.

San Pedro Prison

Its true. I went to prison... but I was back out again in a day... thank goodness!!!

It was a really random experience that I did not expect, could not have imagined... but kind of glad I had it!
Being nieve and not having read the book "Marching Powder" (yet)... I had no idea what was in store for me when I tagged along to the Bolivian jail with some strangers from the hostel who had a spare space...

Handing over my passport and being locked inside the prison (which only has a police presence on the gate outside) was worrying!

My thought process once inside!

I am inside a prison.
My passport has been confiscated.
I am surrounded by criminals.
There are no guards to protect me... since prisoners self regulate...

Don't worry though... there is a little girl over there... if a 5 year old can hack it in here... I can!!!

What? A Little girl? Uh? I'm confused.

No time to be confused... there is a lady (in this male prison)... walking towards me with a knife! eek.

What is going on???

Am I going mad?

Nope! Apparently the prisoners live in here with their families! The woman had a knife since she was going to the kitchen to make dinner! OK - I can accept that!

It gets stranger though!

Prisoners have TVs, kitchens, music.... and the more money they have, the better accomodation they may buy. The best 'cell' - (belonging to a Colombian drug lord who was apparently a close friend of Pablo Escobar) was actually a 2 story appartment with a view of the city... living room... kitchen... it looked swish for a prisoners digs!

Ooh... he owned other rooms which he was letting out to the other prisoners!!!

It gets stranger still!

After touring the prison and speaking to some inmates... we sit back at the tour guides room. At which point, he asks if I would like anything...

Anything... like what?

Some rum... a joint... some Cocaine... or may be a burger and chips!

Again, am I going mad?

Nope... apparently the prisoners have their own production line... and supply a lot of Bolivia with drugs!
And, apparently, if you were into taking cocaine... this is the purest you'll ever get... so you really should do it!

Hmmnn...

Not my thing... I will stick with a burger and chips please mate!

Another group arrive and shortly its my turn to leave... the new arrival had a stupid English girl in it... she open up her purse... only to realise it already had drugs in it... she smuggled drugs into prison!!! She is lucky she wasn't searched otherwise she would have joined them!!!! Crazy!!

Crazier still... you could pay the prisoners and stay in over night to party with them... !!??

Moving on

So, Bolivia makes for an interesting story... but, given the altitude and the frantic nature of the city... I would not be in a hurry to go back... especially at Easter (there was a total alcohol ban over the whole easter weekend... no pubs, or shops would sell you a drop!!!)... on a positive note... 'Oliver's' did sell me a pint of PG tips... yum... been missing a good cuppa!

To show I am not completely negative about the place though... here are some piccies of some Easter parade... which looked quite good!

Prison going, kid squashing Bees-Out!

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Arriving first at the floating islands... we got chance to see what life was like for the residents... they literally live in the middle of the lake... effectively on floating reeds....

Making their money from the artesians they can craft... and they appear to be very talented at that!

Here I am wearing some traditional clothing and ... in their house! Imagine... the parents sleep in the bed... the kids take the floor... and this is all their house is! It is a very basic life!!!

Onwards

On from here to the residents of an actual island. An island with no cars, no cashpoints, no dogs (dogs are only required to deter crime... and since there is no crime on the island... dogs are not needed!)

There is a real sense of community in this place... everyone mucks in and helps out!
A local family took us in, and fed us and gave us a bed. The lifestyle is basic... as is the food... essentially they mainly eat what they can grow or can sourse cheaply... so for a couple of days, I lived on potato... potato... potato... and rice! Yuk!

Not sure on that diet how I found the energy... but we took the locals on at football! This was seriously hard since we were at altitude of greater than 4,000 FT... a height I understand that FIFA has banned football from being played at!

After that, a trek higher to see the lovely views and learn about the local customs!

Getting a Date!

The lifestyle here is very different from what most people reading this will be accustomed too... but in a lot of ways, I think these people have it right!

For example... to get a date... you don't have to spend ages chatting a girl up... romancing etc...
Instead, the rules are simple.

See someone you like.
When they walk past you, throw a small stone at their back (obviously softly!)
If they turn around and smile at you.... game on!!!

If your relationship goes well and you get married, the community will build a house for you to live in!

Sweet... I promised you all that I would be back... but... I have a lot of stones to be throwing here... law of averages... if I throw enough stones... I'm gonna get one smile at least!!!???

Mother Earth

On the other hand, some of the customs are odd to me. At a certain point in the year... the community brings lots of food to the peek point of the island, and leaves it as a gift for pachamumma (Spelling is probably way out... but it means Mother Earth) as a way to thank her for the things she provides to them!

Personally, I would thank her by eating it and enjoying it... actually, then again... if it is just spuds... I am with them all the way... give her as many back as possible!!!

Dancing

We were well entertained on the island... we joined the local community centre and danced the night away to traditional music (live band), wearing traditional clothes, doing a traditional dance, with the locals!

Awesome experience!

Next stop... Bolivia ... via the Arse End Of NoWhere... Puno!! Yuk... another overnight stay required in that dump!!!

Stone throwing Beesy Out!

22 Peru remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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On to the amazingly beautiful and historical 4 day trek & camping in the cold... only to realise on arriving that I could have taken a 4 hour train ride in!!!!

At the end of it, I was RUINed... hee hee! Literally

Catching the train would not have been worth it though... since on the way
... the sites were amazing
... the people fun
... the porters and chefs carried our tent and food and cooked great meals for us
... and did I mention the bear???

Ok... (s)he was only a baby... but that doesn't stop you feeling concerned when you think the branch above you, which s(he) is on is going to snap!

Video to Follow

Wayna Picchu!

WAYNER Picchu! Wayner... just for you... although, I bet you a beer you don't read this blog before I return!
(Drop me a note to claim your prize!!) Friends... no prompting please!

This mountain (translates as Big Mountain, I think!), was a nice surprise for me! The views were awesome... they should be too... since it was another 50 minute hike up practically vertical steps... and this is at the end of the 4 days!

Hot Springs

No worries... chill out in the natural hot springs... and then a nice fry up and massage in Cusco the next day! Yum!

Me, a nice cold beer... a warm pool and... Alex... the top man who struggled to keep up with me over the course of the 4 day trek!!! :0) hee hee!

Carnage in Cusco

An awesome place to party... if you don't get corrupted by the drinking games of Bhav, Sheena and Laura AKA "Flash"

Team Peru 2008! We all trekked to Machu Picchu together... then celebrated slightly beyond the recommended limit!

But we managed to meet up with the lovely Cristina again...back to Cusco now from Lima... before moving to NZ to study!

Cusco is very touristy and commercial... but beautiful none the less!!!

Puno

From here... a trip to THE ARSE END OF NOWHERE!!!

This place is worse than Weston Super Mare.... honestly!! :o)
We were here on St Patrick's day... and the place is so poxy, that it does not even have an Irish bar!

Although... it was just the place to stop before our trip to Lake Titicaca and a stay with the Locals.

So far Peru has been outstanding! But now its time to see how the local Indigenous people live on Lake Titicaca!

Inca Trekking, Stone Throwing Bees Out!

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So here goes:

Lima

Peru is of course the home of someone we are all fond of...

Paddington bear is not the only Peruvian I am fond of... the people here are amongst the friendliest I have met!
On numerous occasions, I was overwhealmed by their generosity!

This lady for instance... whilst I was checking out the amazing art in her shop... she insisted I shared her dinner of
Chicharron Y Pappas... Pork and Spuds! It was lovely

The locals are friendly and great to party with too! Left to right... Apple, Cris and Olivia

The 'tranquila' people once they get behind the wheel become horn honking lane chopping maniacs!!! :o) And the Taxi drivers always find an extra special (double) price for you when they know you are a Gringo!!!

Above, view of traffic from the window of the hostel... and also a view of the mall too!

Looking at this, you will see that Peru can appear quite wealthy in places...

But that is not the case for all... just around the corner is a big town...

Its sad to see, but coming out of a club at 2 am... and there are 5/6 year olds trying to sell you chewing gum for cash... the ones who speak English tell you they can not go home until they make more money...

Makes you realise how fortunate you are, eh? Despite the daily grumbles (we all make)... we never had to endure anything like that, right??

Jungle

On from Lima... I spent a few days in the deepest darkest Peru... some jungle time in Puerto Maldonaldo.
So isolated that there was no internet, no phones, no cars, no hot water... and electricity in the evening from 5 to 10 only (if we were lucky!).

Any problems...

Say getting bitten by this little monster:

Or if you meet a mad man:

you would have to take a 2 hour boat ride to get back up stream for help!!!

Besides that, the accomodation was nice... and Eco friendly... the nature & views was awesome too:

And a couple of monkey's here too:

Next Stop... Inca Trail of Machu Picchu and also Staying with the Indigenous people of Lake Titicaca

Machetti Wielding, Peruvian Loving Bees Out!

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Now that´s clear, I am left to say that there are some interesting old buildings, a port... but in comparison to BA not much more. Here are a few snaps.... and a chicken dance to boot!

Hee hee... at least I seem to have amused the the person filming this... (you need the audio on!)

However, on the upside the people of Montevideo that I met were spot on!

The owner of the coffee shop would have talked all day as I chomped into his amazing home made cakes.

The couple in the park sipping their Maté were also friendly.
(Here, as in Argentina, people seem to sit around in parks and street corners sipping Maté from their flasks, and odd shaped cups!)

Then there was the really charming man called ´Danny´!

´Danny´

In retrospect, Danny had about as much credibility as a Sweedish gangster rapper... but he was charming... and after the day I had yesterday... I took the risk in trusting this stranger, in hope that I would get another amazing experience I didn´t expect or couldn´t have planned for!

Believe everything you see... and nothing you hear!

Cas, my Solihull-ian friend I met in BA!
Fresh in my ears from a few days before...

OK... so with this in mind, when I bumped into ´Danny´ and he happened to tell me he was the owner of a club in Uruguay, I asked him the name... and sure enough it was in my guide book as he described. Credible guy!?

Since we were walking in the same direction, we got to talking more. Talking about our musical interests, we struck up a rapport, and he invited me to enter his club for free later that evening... great! Meeting another stranger looks like its going to pan out to be fun!

As we continued to talk, I asked where he was going... he was going to pick up some tickets for tonights international football game at the local stadium! (Eek, that got me... watching an international football game would top my Uruguay trip off!!!) His friend had the tickets and he just had to give him the money... and guess what, his friend would have a spare ticket for me too!!

So... International game... he would drop me off to change, we'd eat some traditional food, then party in his club (with free entry). Sounds a bit too good to be true, eh!? That is of course because it was too good to be true!!!

Ok... I am feeling gullible now... but this dude was charming... and seemed to be known locally, since as we got to his friends block of flats, the old men sat on the wall said ´Hi Danny!´ . So he is known around here... good!

So, it was time for him to go and see his friend to get the tickets! I had to give him $22 USD (about 11 GBP... not a big risk!) Only stupidly... I only had $100 on me (approx 50 GBP). Probably enough for up to 10 nights accomodation in this part of the world!

I reluctantly gave him the money, and he reassured me he would only be 2 minutes! I had a real bad feeling in my stomach as soon as he left... considering what I had just done... trusting a stranger with that amount of money.
No worries though... after a minute, he popped back and said he would not be much longer! Phew!

Never saw the B#####d again though!!!

Hee hee hee! I admire the cheekiness of the guy. I have been super cautious with everything. Bags padlocked... carrying them on my front... only taking out what I need... taking cabs in dodgy areas... and this guy actually had enough charm to get me to give him my money and I even smiled at the same time as doing so!!!

Thanks for the lesson Danny! I wish I could charm people that easily!

Thinking back, the logic is crazy... why would there be an international game on Monday??? Why would his mate have a spare ticket???

Trust

It´s a real risk to trust strangers... but before now (and after), I have taken risk on people and it has panned out really well. Not trusting people would be really sad! For now though... I am not handing over any money to anyone unless I have something in return straight away!

Thankfully I leave Uruguay in the morning... flight to Lima, Peru.... so excited about Peru!!!

Gullible but still trusting Bees Out!

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So... a mixed bag for me in Uruguay...

Colonia Del Sacremento - A Truely Amazing Day!

A very late night (or early morning!) saying goodbye to some friends I had become close to over the last week in BA... before being up and out by 8am to catch the Ferry and do border control to get into Uruguay.

Arriving in Colonia Del Sacremento at about lunch o´clock... I stopped for a bite to eat, and soon found myself talking with an Argentinian girl called Laura... also in Colonia as a tourist! Great! It wasn´t long before we found ourselves on mopeds exploring the place. Thankful of her Spanish... we found ourselves seeing the coolest places.

First stop... the derelict bull ring. We weren´t meant to enter here... but so glad we ducked the barbed wire!!! Inside gives you a real sense of feeling and history... and the echos make you imagine what it would be like to have heard the place full.

Enroute, also an enchanting church... before some Yoga on the beach... where the water was really warm!

Laura put me to shame!! Thankfully she found it rather amusing that I am so un-supple that I can´t touch my toes! New Years resolution... daily stretches!!!

Then a cute picture that summarises the town for me:

Before some Dulce De Leche filled pancakes! Yum! (Spanish speakers look away, since I guess the spelling is way out!)

Strangers

Today was brilliant. Meeting and trusting a complete stranger meant that I shared an experience I never could have expected or planned for. Exhilirating! (The mopeding rocked too!)

So... day two in Uruguay... off to the Capital... Montevideo...

Un-supple, Mopeding Bees Out!

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Strap yourselves in...

BA

Boca Juniors

Wasting no time we got ourselves straight to a game at La Bombonera... to see CABJ (Club Atlético Boca Juniors) turn over Argentina Juniors by 4-0! The atmosphere was electric & the ground packed. It was a great game, great result, but not quite on the same scale as the Maracana experience... which I think you already know I was slightly fond of!

(Photos of the game courtesy of my lovely friends, pictured here in the darkness of the stadium... Rachel, Al and Rob!)

The police presence was noted. The copper on the left sneakily hid his massive gun for the purposes of this photo... and that was all I was aiming for!!! I will aim to get some more gun shots later in the blog!!!

The interval entertainment was noted too. Frankily... worth paying for on it´s own. Infact, there should be football when the cheerleading breaks!!!

And of course, the day wouldn´t be complete without some chicken dancing:

Video of the Chicken dance... (To arrive shortly!)

San Telmo

After the game, a few more drinks at the lovely square of San Telmo where there were Tango dancers, drummers, fire swingers... in the place where the busy market had been earlier in the day.

Wandering

BA is an amazing place for a long stroll. Any day, any which way, and you´ll find more amazing statues, buildings, shops or Tango dancers. Such history and culture... all mixed in with a busy array of modern commercialism.

For example, the Obsilisco, an English postbox, all overshadowed by busy advertising boards... and of course, what you don´t see... a MacDonald´s immediately behind the shot!

Ooh... and be careful who you mention you are English too here... sometimes you receive a really luke warm reception... I found that it is much better if you say you are Irish!

Street Tango:

Possibly the coolest mall I´ve seen... with a replica of my next car & some cool artwork on the ceiling:

It´s amazing who you meet in a place as big as this. Just walking around the historical square where Evita made her renouned speech (Casa Rosada)... I pulled a few chicks:

NOT CASA ROSADA: (Photos available on my Flickr if you're interested though... let me know and I will give you access)

Recoleta

A stroll through the wealthy area of BA is a nice thing to do! At the risk of sounding cultured again, a visit with my new group of friends to the cemetry of the rich and famous (it costs more to ´rest´ here after death than it costs for me to live in my place in the UK!)... apparently Evita is buried here too... although, there is some historical debate over that one!

A rather understated gravestone:

And Another:

The Australian memorial which opens and closes based on the solar activity!

San Martin

Wonderful Plaza dedicated to the revered Military Leader of the same name!

La Boca

Bright and vibrant place... just check out these pics... ooh... and who is showing Maradonna how to play?

Palermo

Very cute area full of little shops etc etc... although, I got side tracked by a really cool zoo where I spent my time absorbed and excited by the wide aray animals:

Me and the Ele-funk:

How Cute! (No... I mean the photo below... not the one of me above... :0P )

Oh, and Partying!

BA is renowned for being party central... coming from Brazil in Carnaval... we didn´t quite find this to be the case... arriving on Sunday... and Monday... we struggled to find the buzz!

Monday Night... Where is the P A R T Y ?

Beyond those days though, we rocked at the party hostel of MilHouse & several clubs!

A couple of the party animals... Katie and Cas:

And a few drunken yobs in the street:

One club in particular was called ´Lost´... and was a wee way from our hostel. Ironically, in my drunken state, I did actually manage to get lost.

...Leaving the club at 4.30 am ish, I managed to part from my friends, and get a cab to drop me off... on the opposite side of the symetrical main road, facing the wrong direction from my hostel. Clever move, Kev!

...Obviously the closer I thought I was getting to my hostel, the further away I was! Until I was totally lost, the cab I tried to get to return me to something familiar was also at as loss... so I decided I could find my way back on the tube!!! Hmmn... after 3 changes (and seeing a lot of people on route to work in business suits), I find myself 6 blocks from the hostel... where I make my way home at about 7 ish! Hmmn! Mum and Dad... you are right, at age 28 I really should know better... hee hee!

Life lesson learned! Don´t get drunk and lose your mates! Or, do as I do now & keep the address of your hostel on you at all times! :o)

And of course, not to forget the Tango Lessons and Tango show

Ok... I am not going to show you a photo of me failing to Tango well... so see some pictures of some of my friends at the show instead...

Then the Show itself:

And a couple of the entertaining clowns....

I have a feeling that last quip will see me with some custard pie on my face in the future!!!!

Oh, and finally... just to let you all know... I have been taken in so well by the Argentinians, they made a fragrance based on me:

Beesy with his Own Fragrance - Out!

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The Service can be awesome too, though! One place gave us a free shot of Port to open out stomach before eating. Followed by a free Lemon Shot (pictured), and rounded off with a nice glass of champers!!! What service!!!
Ooh... that was for a main course and dessert... a bottle of wine & water... and it was still less than 10 GBP per head!

Arrival

I arrived in a slightly grumpy mood... since my amazing Argentinian bus experience turned out to be a bloody nightmare... (I am beginning to dislike South American busses) for a couple of reasons...

Not wanting to dwell on it... here are the lowlights:

21.30pm Bus arrived about 3 hours late... (now feeling very hungry).
21.31pm Assigned a seat that didn´t fully recline as promised. Happiness eroding.
23.00pm Dinner of 5 cold chips, and some cold rubbery beef coated in breadcrumbs served. Yuk.
23.02pm Brummies complain loudly. I ignore it & nod off. Happiness restored again!
23.50pm I wake up feeling rather wet... hmmmnn...
23.51pm Discover its not my sweat or dribble.
23.52pm Apparently a leaky aircon unit above my head is to blame.
23.59pm Agree with the bus-hostess to change to the only other spare seat on the bus! Nod off in a reclining seat without leaks. I perk up slightly!
00.55am Bus-hostess wakes me up... to offer me my glass of champagne... cheap fizzy water at this hour? No Thank You!

01.50am Bus hostess cant leave me alone! Evicts me back to my waterbed... since this bed is for another passenger! Just great!

01.52am Attempts to stop the leak are futile! Lying in the most un-natural position, I avoid the majority of the flow. I ignore the Brummies continued whining and nod off again...

Stupid AM Woken up thanks to Russell Brand´s Booky Wook falling onto my head-y wed! Twice! Why I placed it back on the shelf above me after the first assault - I have no idea!!!

After negotiating the rest of the night, I woke up with the sun light at about 7am and found a seat that had been vacated... unfortunately next to the Brummies... clearly still whinging... now about the fact they had not been able to stop for a cigarette break... or something like that... and demanding compensation... (I would love to see how far their 40 quid bus ride gets them back at home!!!)

Ironically, at this point, the TV was on... and the song "Stiff Upper Lip Was Playing" (AC DC). I think the subtlty of this was lost on the Brummers though!

Ok... whinging and moaning over... on to the good bits now... part two coming up...!

South American Bus Hating Bees-Out!

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First Week and ´Chicken Kiev´ is born

Partying in Rio with my Mancunian friends... I soon became known as ´Kiev´ (it kind of sounds like Kev in a weird northern Manc-er accent). That quickly developed into ´Chicken Kiev´*

No sooner than that arrived, it was shortened into the more convenient name of ´Chicken´.

Anyway, before I knew it, I had strangers greeting me as ´Chicken´ (one person even whittily calling me ´Chick Bees´. Ha. Ha. Ha. Please note that a small level of sarcasm is intended here).

Of all the nicknames I thought I would ever have... Chicken would have been last on my mind! (Not unless you were trying to describe my legs, anyway!!!)

It goes one step beyond... I was even given my own brand of chat up lines... the most disgusting of course was to say to a lady... (Mum... Nan & people who are easily offended look away now!)

Do you like Chicken?

When she responds ´Yes´, say;

Then taste this... it´s fowl!

I am sure that would earn me a slap in the giblets at the very least! Thankfully I didn´t try it out!

The Dare

However, one thing I could not backdown from was the dare.

One night, in the middle of a busy Samba dancing club (Brazillian´s take their dancing seriously)... I was dared to chicken dance for 30 seconds, non stop...

... 30 seconds can feel like a life time.... but, much to the suprise of my Mancunian friends... I did it! Again, encountering some weird looks and some smiles...

And, the chicken dance was born. I quite enjoyed it too! Since it made a few people smile... I thought that I would chicken dance my way around the world....

So... here´s me at Itaipu Dam!!!

And plenty more to follow!

You may smile or not... but for now... Chicken Dancing Bees - Out!

• Chicken Kiev is a dish of boned chicken breast pounded and rolled around cold unsalted butter, then breaded and fried. It is also known as Chicken Supreme. As its popularity spread internationally, various seasonings have been added to the butter. It has also been known to contain various fillings such as broccoli and blue cheese sauce. Yum. Yum. Yum.

15. Chicken Dancing remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Being stood next to the falls in Foz do Iguaçú* literally made me feel again like a kid in a sweet shop (and I have always a quite excitable kid with a really sweet tooth)!

With the falls thundering down next to me and the surface sprey in my face... I just felt so energetic and happy!

So energetic and happy, that I just had to chicken dance!!!

Chicken Dance

Not the best quality clip... but here goes!!!

Hopefully that made you smile... the dance normally gets one of two reactions;

People laugh at me (or with me)... eitherway I make someone smile... so it´s a job well done!

Or

People look at me like I am some crazy fool... Hmmn, could be true, but doing it makes me smile!!!

Dare

I dare you to try it today, in the middle of your workplace!
You might make someone laugh... or you might get given some time off for being crazy... eitherway, Chicken dancing will give you a good result!!! (Try it when you are alone if you don´t believe me!)

If you do pluck up the courage to do it, comment back here and let me know the outcome!!!!

Enough of being crazy... Back to the falls

So, Brazillian side of the falls were awesome. Again, made all the better by who you experience them with;

My Irish friends Rob and Al. We had a real good laugh....
All I have to say to you two is.... W A T E R F A L L Hee hee!

And of course my Aussie friends Lucie & Alex; and Vanessa & Kyle

Puerto Iguazú

So, I liked the Brazillian side... but, as this trip seems to be panning out, things are getting better and better each day. The day on the Argentinian side of the falls was no exception to this rule...

Taking a trip across the border into Argentina... and into the national park... we soon found ourselves stood on top of the devils throat;

Not content that this was close enough... we jumped aboard a speed boat and took a trip right under the falls!

Awesome!!

The infamous Travelling Pigeon Sneaked into this one too... check him out here.

(Video clip to follow...)

HydroDam

OK, here is a section for the (nerdy?) Civil Engineers amongst you... the worlds largest operational Hydroelectric powerplant !!! (If, like Itaipu, you conveniently forget the three Gorges Dam in China!)

All joking aside, this is a very impressive piece of work! By utilising the power of the Paranà River, Paraguay and Brazil are able to respectively generate 90% and 20% of all their Electricity needs. Wow!

The falls make me happy!

Although, its time to leave... and make another epic voyage on bus to Buenos Aires... estimated time... 17 hours!!! This one promises good things. For the equivalent of about 40 GBP I have been offered a fully reclining seat (Super Cama), a meal and Champagne.... and hopefully no nappy wearing dogs!!!

p.s. Dont forget to subscribe if you like to be updated!

Waterfalling Hydro Damming Bees Out!

• NB - The falls are on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Foz is the Brazillian´s share & Puerto Iguazú is the Argentinian´s portion!!!

14. W A T E R F A L L ! ! ! remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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The journey was eventful! The boat and taxi were a breeze. It was the 20 plus hour bus ride that was interesting!

Sat at the back of the bus with my new friends I made at the station (Alan and Rob my Irish Friends, then the girls Josie, Mika and Bex from the Lake District)... I thought we were in for a good trip across the width of Brazil... although, my judgement on that one was severely mis-placed for several reasons:

1. The Airconditioning unit. I thought it was meant to keep the bus cool... only it was broken and pumping out so much heat, that I remember thinking that it would easily melt a blue cow as far away as Budapest...

Then when I got to my hostel, I saw this on the news:

2. A few hours in, we pick up a few more passengers... including a drunken (or crazy?) Portugese speaking Brazillian... who insisted on walking up and down the whole of the bus every few minutes looking for his bag (which was blatantly at the front)! He did this for several hours!

Coupled with that, he took to leaning over and staring at the lake district girls...
At that point in the trip that we were due to sleep... although, we obviously didn´t feel comfortable enough to do that!

If that wasn´t quite enough... he tried to sit on the arm of my chair (with his arse in my face) to talk to the scared and un-interested girls. He was not complimentary when I protested! In fact... he took to yelling at me a fair bit...

Thankfully I don´t understand any Portugese swear words! Ignorance in this case really is bliss!

To our relief, at the next stop, security got on and pushed him about a bit.... then he was quiet for a few hours.

Great... some sleep now??? Asif! The night gets more bizarre!

3. At the very same stop... a lady gets on. With a dog. In a Nappy!
Yes... a dog in a nappy!

In the 7 hours she was on the bus... that nappy was utilised... beyond its capacity I might add...
much to the disgust of Rob who was sat next to the lady and pooch... and found some reminence of the nappy on his jacket... EEEK!

Arriving at the Hostel was a welcome relief. Lets hope these falls are worth the trip!!!

The Hostel

This place was bliss... it was in the middle of nowhere... it had lots of greenery, two lakes, a swimming pool and only a handful of guests.

The owner was so friendly and welcoming that he let us serve our own drinks, ànd cooked BBQs for us.

He even gave us a shot each day on arriving back at the hostel. All my favourite shots too... (Yuk!)
Absynth
Tequila

The Locals

It wasn´t just the owner who was friendly... the locals were too. After missing the bus for the village... a local family stopped and picked us up and dropped us back to the hostel... on their tractor!!!

Ooh Eer... tractors makes I feel right at home, init!

After the nasty bus ride... things are looking up... and I have a good feeling about the Falls!

Nappy Wearing Dog On Bus Hater Bees-Out!

13. Trip from Ilha Grande to Iguazu Falls remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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It was sad to leave Rio and Mellow Yellow... since I had the best week of my life partying there and met some awesome people!!! Although... Ilha Grande is only a couple of hours down the road... then a couple of hours by boat... and some much needed beach time awaits!!!

Backwards?

Hell yeah!

There are no cars, and no cashpoints. That is backwards. In fact, one storm knocked the power out on the island for several hours!

Pre-storm...

Is that a problem??

Hell no!!

In fact, that is what makes this place so charming... and such a great place to be to unwind after carnaval.
Besides which... lack of power in the evening doesn´t impact the bars ... since they still have candlelight and can still serve the beer! (And since its raining hard outside... where is the rush to move on???)

Paradise?

Hell yeah!

I have seen some amazing beaches in my life (Namely Patara, Turkey.... ooh & Weston-Super-Mare, nr Bristol), but the beaches here rule. Especially Lopez Mendez!

In fact, travelling couples, make your way here! The soft white sand stretches and stretches... until the clear atlantic ocean softly consumes it. As the sun and beach retracts, the bars and taverns alight the streets with soft flickering candles... perfect for a cosy drink and slow stroll hand in hand!!!

Or... if you are stuck here with a bunch of lads, like me... then there is still plenty to keep you amused...

Erm... how did that get there... I meant that the there are things to keep you amused, like trekking through the island to Lopez Mendez....

Lopez Mendez

Venturing into the green backdrop to the beaches to get to Lopez Mendes beach is well worth it! Arriving at the top of the ascent, the trees clear and the view of the island from up top is remarkable. Beyond that, monkey´s playing in the trees, some beautiful beaches... and then the king of all beaches on the island... Lopez Mendez beach. For once, I will let the pictures do the talking!!!

Here, the ocean really rips onto the beach. The waves are strong.... and perfect for body surfing....
this was a new one on me... but great fun!

Positioning your body at the right angle as the wave breaks sends you along way in very quickly! Sounds tame... but with the power of these waves, it is a good rush... (well, until it spits you out!).

And of course... the good thing about this place... no men of the sand trying to sell you things! See Rio Entry

Double Dutch

And of course, as I am discovering... it doesn´t matter where you go in the world... your experience is all about the people you meet! Today, I was lucky, I met two awesome Dutch ladies (From Amsterdam), who had a great sense of humour (well, you need to have one when your music exports are 2Unlimited.... and Venga boys!!!)

Unfortunately, pointing that out to them led to a torrent of abuse... the good quips related to crap English cuisine... like... why do we serve our fish & chips in newspaper? That one stumped me!

Why would you want ink on your food???

The most suitable response I could give them to that was singing....

The venga bus is coming... and everyone is jumping

That seemed to do the trick!!! (Probably because they were deathened by my tones... but, I will take all the victories I can!!!)

So, after 5 days of chilling out, its time to move on... next stop... Iguazu Falls.... after a 30 hour trip door to door... covering boats, taxis and buses!!!

Tanned & Chilled Bees Out!

12. ILHA GRANDE remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Inspired by the sense of community.
Inspired by the level of happiness.

Thanks to www.Bealocal.com I was given the unique opportunity to walk through the heart of the Rocinha Favella & help towards the improvement of education and health care with my tour fee.

Luiz, the tour guide really humbled me. Within the Favella, you could see he was well liked and respected - due to his efforts (and others at www.bealocal.com), he was improving the quality of life for others. Standing back and thinking about our lives in the UK, how often do we do something so selfless? Personally, I can say that I do not do enough - something I endeavour to change on my return (or sooner)!

Luiz gave us a unique experience to travel into the Favella like a local...
...on the back of a moped
... in the rain
... with no helmets or leathers
... weaving in and out of traffic.

I had a near death experience when cutting between a parked car and a fast moving bus! Thank goodnesss I am an adrenaline junkie... or I would have had to change my shorts!!!! It was a real buzz!!!!

On arriving at the Favella, the first thing you notice is the level of maintenance or repair required. The Favella´s have raw running sewage, loose electrical wiring, broken buildings... In addition to this the houses are very close together and very small.

This, of course, you know.

Mr Mugridge... fancy a re-wiring job??? Looks like FC has already been here!! Hee hee hee!!:

However, the insight that I never expected, was the feeling of community.
Children were playing together (some on computers).
Adults were crowded around TVs sipping beer, eagerly awaiting the Carnaval results.

People seemed to be happy. They did not appear to be thinking about all of the things that they did not have.

I know that in the UK, we can get hung up on these things, to the detriment of our happiness.
I.e. Why we only have a flat, and not yet a house?
Why we don´t have a bigger car?
Why when we work so hard don´t we have more money?

Don´t get me wrong, the people of Rocinha will obviously strive to improve... but, they do not seem to be hung up on these material things that can consume so many of us at home! The people here would be living in luxury if they had half the stuff we do!!!

Drugs

Obviously there is a dark side to the Favella´s. Police do not dare enter. The Favella´s are governed and guarded by the drug lords. No taxes are paid inside the Favella - things are inevitibly cheaper!

Guards of the Favella cover the entrance to the place. Inside there are guards walking around with machine guns! (We had to put our cameras away when they were near to protect their identity!)

In certain places in the Favella you can see bullet holes in the walls where shots were taken as police tried to enter in the past!

The drug lords manage to buy their weapons (which kill many people each year) using the money that people give them to pay for drugs.

Thats worth thinking about for a second... if you take drugs, you are ultimately responsible for those deaths.

Supporting The Favellas

There are many talented people in the Favellas. Especially artists.

Check out even the budding musicians:

Perhaps you would like to purchase one of the artists paintings that represent Favella life? Or if you wanted to donate to the health centre to improve the quality of life, then please contact

Luiz@bealocal.com
or visit www.bealocal.com

Humbled Bees Out!

11. Favella Tour - Rocinha remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Arriving at the ground with the lads!

There was even some pre-game entertainment laid on!!!

Then in the ground... we get our shirts;

It may sound weird... but watching Botafoga here, made my Barcelona Nou Camp experience seem like a non league fixture!!! The atmosphere was ELECTRIC! The chanting and bouncing did not stop!

Stood amongst the diehard Botafogans,

with a few cerveza´s in hand... it wasn´t long before I was bouncing to a different beat and whipping my scarf above my head!!!

Then getting covered by the worlds biggest flag was surreal too! Who turned out the lights!

B A N A N A ´s

Within a few minutes of being amongst the die hard fans, Botafoga went one up... and before we knew it... we were being piled on by very excitable fans!

Towards the end of the second half though... Vasco equalised... I have never seen an atmosphere turn so quickly! You could literally cut it with a knife! In fact... I am convinced one dude must have broken his foot, by the way he vented his agression on the seats!!!

Thankfully... Botafoga got the upper hand... with a penalty in the last minute... and guess the outcome;

Botafoga score.
Crazy celebrations
2 - 1 Botafoga Win!!!!

Lovin it!

And just for the hell of it... a clip of me chanting earlier in the game... now you can see why Simon Cowell doesn´t want me on X Factor!!! Jees... I knew I was bad... but not that bad!!!

Bad Chanting Botafoga Bees Out!!!!

10. Maracana Futball Stadium remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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The partying here never stops. Literally. And, if it does... who cares, because there will be another Bloc party or Lapa street party starting around the corner! Even parties in places with random interior decorations:

To make the most of it, I have come up with a new rule.... "Sleeping is Cheating"

For those of you who know me, you would think I would struggle with that... but the adrenaline carries you through.
It is only when you sit down that it hits you...

... especially if you choose to sit down leaning against the doors on a busy train...you then fall to sleep... and then the doors open!

It really hits you hard then (the ground that is)!

Ouch.

Funny for you... not funny for me!

Before falling to sleep on the train, I did manage to try on a wicked costume... check out this little monster:

CARNAVAL SAMBADROME 2008

Think rocking rhythmic music. Loud.
Think large lavish colourful costumes.
Think rain. Lots of rain.
Loving the rain, seriously!

Think those things and you still won't have the measure of Carnaval 2008, even if you picture what you already know about it.

Think about the place where you have seen the most people you have ever seen in one place, partying and celebrating. Times it by 10 and I dont think you will still be at the level of the Sambadrome in Rio.

People

Even with all of the processions, the Carnaval experience for me is about the people you party with around you.
The locals - supporting their dance schools. (These people take it seriously. I heard that last year the dance instructor from a school was shot because he did not lead his team to a win!!!)

Those in costume:

Chanting with the BotaFoga football fans & putting the BotaFoga diamonds in the sky!

BotaFoga Bota BotaFoga!!!!

And your Carnaval buddies from the hostel:

Ooh... and when there is a "girl" checking you out, you should look twice before you choose to dance with her!!!

Bang Bang Bang... I bet that you look good on the dance floor....

The next night we went to a party in the area next to the Sambadrome...

The live music was banging, and there were easily 1,000+ people dancing... mostly Sambarific Brazillians...

Then there was me. Slightly under the influence of Mucho Cervesa!

I think I bonded with a big group of them... since they laughed very hard with / at me (delete as appropriate once you read on).

They showed me their moves... I copied. They laughed. Lots.

So, I busted the bestest Bees moves I could. They laughed. Even more than before!

I know it was all a front... I could tell by their eyes that they could not wait to try out my chicken dance at home!!!!

Conclusion

Beer 10 Reals
Carnaval Entrance 80 Reals
Teaching Brazillians the Chicken Dance Priceless

Recommendation

Everyone should party at the Rio carnaval at least once in their lifetime. JFDI!

Appendix:

Jees, I think I slipped back into work mode there for a second... conclusions, recommendations... time for an afternoon beer to get that out of the system!!!!

Maracana next! The highlight of my trip so far....

Samba Killing, Chicken Dancing, Bees Out!

9. CARNAVAL remains copyright of the author BeesKnees, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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