Attempting to Return to the USA

 My funds have dwindled to what is surely to become a new low so having failed to find dependable work here in Chile I must accept a temporary setback and return to the USA.  That being said, it will not be without a little bit of mystery and adventure.  

The first step of my trip will be a flight to Lima, Peru on Halloween.  All flights from Chile were extremely expensive so in an attempt to add more fun (and maybe save a few dollars) I am making up the trip home as I go.

Right now the options are:
Fly to Washington DC from Lima
Fly to Fort Lauderdale FL from Lima
Fly to Bogota Colombia from Lima and then to the US from Colombia
Fly to San Juan Puerto Rico from Lima and then toe the US

Bus to Ecuador and Colombia (80 hours) from Lima and then fly home

or magic carpet.

I am sure there are other options that I will have to just make up as I go.  wish me luck.

I took a bus for close to 60 hours to make it down to Vina del Mar, Chile so you will excuse me if I have been taking a little time off now that I have set up shop in my new apartment.  The bus ride was surprisingly easier that I thought it would be although the bus company I wanted to look into at the beginning that a friend talked me out of did turn out to be super-luxury (I saw one of them half-way through my bus ride).

Now I am living in a building that oozes West Virginia Mountaineer pride... so I will be supporting them from thousands of miles away this season.

Here is a shot from Vina del Mar of the city of Valparaiso at night.  It is great living right on the water.  It would be great to have a view from the apartment, but all I have to do is walk out the front of the building to see the water.

There are sand beaches but seeing as how it is winter it is great to go out and sit on the rocks when it gets nice outside.

PERU VIDEOS

Fountains of Lima

I realize that  my updates are a little bit behind schedule but I am going to chalk that up to being on Peruvian Time.  This phenomenon automatically adds an assumed 2 and a half hours to whatever time that is said.  (EX: "let's meet at 5" = "See you around 7:30 if all goes well")

These are some shots from the fountains of Lima.  For the low price of 4 soles (1.40 US) you get to walk around great water displays and they even throw in some 3-D glasses for the laser show that is ultimately not in 3-D, but the glasses rock.

The apartment in Lima

Here in Lima I have been staying in the area of Miraflores for the past 10 days now.  To make this time more enjoyable 4 of us rented and apartment.  The accomodations weren't amazing by any standard and the elevator was a bit on the slow side which made the 12 story stair run a daunting task, but for these past few days the place has been home.

Only now that we are leaving the place to travel a bit around Peru do I look around the 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment and try and remember it for posterity. 

If you count very short term apartment rentals I have now had a places in Peru, Argentina and England aside from my time in the USA.

 Regardless of the amount of time spent, each of these places has felt like home while I was there.  I enjoy staying in hostels but there is something calming about knowing that at the end of the night the people you are sharing a space with is not randomly assigned.

 As an added bonus to the 12th floor height was a view that is rarely seen in Lima due to the normally gray conditions.  You can actually see the water in this shot.  Well I am going to go pack for the trip that lie ahead tomorrow.... wish me luck.

People in the casa

This is a shot after we prepared some food tonight.  From left to right is Sofia, Bob(owning the picture), Rocio, and Peke.  Tonight we made a bunch of food and stayed in(I think).  I only think this is the plan because it is only 12:30 and apparently we have people stopping by before going out on the town.  Lima never sleeps.

Livin It Up Down in Lima

Having rented an apartment here in Lima has kept me from taking up work in a hostel so I have had more to see the city.  Of course that has translated to sitting in the apartment a lot of the time and enjoying a few beverages but it has been fun. 

It is always odd to travel and not stay in hostels but I am considering this adventure a move so I guess I can change it up.

 Here is a picture of Bob on top of Sofia's house after a great meal with her family.  I only wish I could have ate more. (Sadly, the aforementioned beverages from the night before slowed me down a bit).

Lucky for me I checked facebook the other night and found out that a friend of mine that I had worked with in the Loki Hostel here in Lima over 2 years ago was celebrating his birthday so I got to go enjoy a drink with him to celebrate his birthday.  He never expected to see me again and especially not to celebrate his birthday.

In a recent development Bob and I decided that they need to make the show Jersey Shore here in Lima so we broke out our "Stunner" poses at a concert the other day.  Let's just say our Gringo essence was noticeable. 

Lima Update

Apparently, I have not been posting enough to appease my nephew so I will just let everyone know that I am in Lima safe and sound.  My flight left from DC at 7am and I was dropped off by friend of mine that live outside DC.  A definite thanks go out to Desiree and Brandon for all of their hospitality.

I then flew to Fort Lauderdale where I noticed a familiar girl sitting across from me in the terminal.  Turns out it was a friend of mine from Snowshoe Mountain who was on her way back to DC after spending some time in Lima.

I have taken a total of 5 pictures so far so here is pretty much everything.  I just snapped the last two from the window at the apartment that was rented for the 11 days that I will be in Lima before taking a short road trip.  I am staying in the Miraflores area of Lima and have been on a steady diet of street vendor sandwiches, ceviche, and cheap beverages.

Hopefully this update will keep my nephew happy for a day or so... 

Leaving the country

THE BLOG

I understand that I should be better with my pictures and posting them on here but I am finally ready to leave the country again and there are definitely pictures to come.

Currently I am in Woodbridge, VA staying with my friend Brandon and his amazing wife Desiree and she is taking me to the airport tomorrow.  I have been hesitant to disclose my travel plans thus far because everything was tentative and like any traveler I did not want to set myself up to fail.

In terms of lateness on disclosure I really couldn't be closer.  I take my first flight tomorrow morning at 10am and I have been packed for a week now.  My first destination is Lima, Peru where I will meet up with my friends Robbie and Flame who are down there currently on different trips but the three of use will unite in the same apartment (just like at Snowshoe) for the first week I am there for some light imbibing at social gatherings (partying) and taking in of the local culture (more of the same). 

After the month of July ends I will be slowly migrating south (although unlike the birds I will be heading into winter conditions) down to Chile.  Hopefully, as of tomorrow my apartment will be booked and I will be living near the ocean in the resort town of Vina Del Mar until at least December of this year.  Granted, I will be there illegally after 3 months so before that happens I will have to cross the border for over one night before crossing back in.

Well now that my travel plans have leaked out I guess I should sleep because it is nearing 12 and I leave for the airport at 5am to catch my first flight down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where I will wait for my 5pm flight to Lima Peru.  Wish me luck.

On my way out of South America

Now that I am closing out this leg of my adventures in South America in Lima and doing such wonderful things such as talk down the price of bootlegged DVD down to under 70 cents American at the massive Polvos Azules *Similar to a black market... I am ready to go home.With my camera still down I will just boost some random pics and show some airport shots. I fly out of Lima's airport at Midnight tonight en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.



Six hours to go until American soil... wish me luck.

Then just the 12 hours or more in a car to be i West Virginia again.

Arica - South of the Border

I am now in the middle of the longest day of my travels thus far. Luckily it is in a beach town. I arrived in Arica, Chile this morning at 6am after 36 hours straight on buses and somehow I am still awake. I have floated the entire day in an odd state of subconsciousness caused by lack of sleep and massive changes of altitudes.

Here are some shots of the town.


I did find some water, but no beach at first

Later I allocated the beach



Here is a shot of the view without my massive head in the way

The town itself seems to be very nice although I am not sure I will entire grasp it all in my current state. I really want to go surfing, but still feel uncertain of the effect it will have on my leg so I might just save up for sandboarding on my way through Peru and then maybe some surfing in Lima.


Tomorrow I plan to make the border crossing, but have heard from a taxi driver that there are issues with it. I will know more tomorrow and find out if I need to fly north instead.

Proper Cuisine

After living for 2+ weeks on bar food and the menu economico at all the local restaurants (2 to 3 dollars american for two courses and a drink) I decided it was time for a proper meal. The english menus down here can be quite funny.

I had to order the earth and sea from the birds and meats section.


Suhail and Helen joined me.


I also ordered an appetizer of eggplant wrapped around mozzarella with dried tomato topping.


Here is what the spread looked like.


Despite its fancy appearance, the food was not amazing and I now have challenged myself to find a better meal for under 3 dollars American as I travel... wish me luck

Nike The Human Race 10K Lima

This morning I was awoken at 7 in the morning after a great night out. Today Nike put on The Human Race 10K at multiple places around the world. Right outside of my hostel was the start and finish of Limas leg of the run. I did however have to work at 9 so I was up for. Sadly, it also woke the entire hostel for breakfast. i am absolutely knackered and will be back to sleep shortly.


They all stretched in unison and then started the race. it was quite epic.

Centro Lima

Yesterday my friends took me to the historic center of Lima. The absolute center houses the cities church and the house of the president of Peru. It is quite a sight to behold. There is a video below of the scene. Pardon the poor quality, but connections here are not strong.