Home

ummmm... so I am home now (AKA back in the USA).   I realized I haven't posted forever and sort of fell off the map but my trip home took 2 weeks and involved Lima, Peru and Florida, but I am now back.  I will post some details and photos soon.  Right now I am just adjusting to life back here and recovered from drinking Peruvian water.

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.

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.

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.

Working Toward My Escape

I am currently in the process of looking for the cheapest method of getting myself to Chile.  I have decided that I will be moving there (if all goes according to plan) as early as this July.

 

 (with any luck this will be my plane)

Of course I have been to Chile before.... that is how I got to make the flight to Easter Island to see these guys.

 

Right now it appears that the best (most fun and cheap combo) is for me to fly from Washington DC to Lima Peru, Where my friend Bob will be for the next 2 months and staying with him for a while and ultimately renting and apartment in Vina Del Mar, Chile starting in August.

Where am I getting the money for this trip you might ask?  OK so I still haven't got that ironed out yet, but I am working on it.  I have taken up 4 jobs or so that have been going on for over a month now and with another month or so to go I figure I will at least have a start.  I am also certified to teach English as a Foreign language so maybe that will pan out down there.  If not the plan is live cheap and try to make ends meet.  Wish me luck.

Sean Bruce

Sean Bruce Music

To anyone who reads my site faithfully (I am sorry) to the others I want to let you know that one of my friends has tried to make good. I now send you on to my friend Sean Bruce's (pictured below on his birthday with me in Lima Peru) myspace page to hear his music. Give him a listen and let me know what you think. He is touring England next summer so I might be making a return trip.

Sean Bruce Music


Here is my boy looking a bit more like a musician and a little less like an international birthday boy.

Sean Bruce Music


Well here is the link one more time in case you missed it on the multiple other times on the page.

Louisiana BABY!!

The Epic - 30 Min Video of South America

So I mashed up all of my videos from South America to make just one for the entire trip. It lasts 30 minutes so I applaud you if you make it the whole way through and I apologize for its length.



Now to start looking toward Europe. The Jonnywalkeradventures will be heading East as early as January to check out new places. Wish me luck.

Cusco Peru - Video

Border Crossing Chaos...

2 days ago I woke up early in the morning in Arica, Chile and began my journey into Tacna, Peru. It is one of the structured border crossings in and out of the country and I had done it in reverse already on my way out of Peru a couple of months ago. Needless to day the situation has change a little since then.

The crossing was easy enough

Then things got a little rocky... literally. Hundreds of people had relocated thousands of rocks into the street to keep cars from entering and also threw rocks at the cars that might have tried to go around.


My taxi drived turned through the median and drove back a little bit before dropping us off miles outside of town. I then had to walk through the town of protesters hoping that they didn't turn on me.


I walked for over 2 hours and found out that the bus station was closed indefinitely and that I would be stuck in Tacna if I couldn't find a flight out.

They also had large demonstrations in the main square.


(I apologize for the lack of quality pics, but I didn't want to get stoned for taking pictures. You never know what could set somebody off)

Luckily for me I had a friend. One of the people in my taxi extended his hospitality to me and accompanied me to the bus station. When it was found to be closed he then took me into his home and helped me find a way out and made sure I was well fed. Needless to say I hope to have found a friend for life.

This is my friend Christian and his family. Without them I am certain that Tacna could have become the worst part of my trip, but now I consider to be one of my best days.


His hospitality extended far and beyond any common courtesy. It is something that I have found abundantly during my time in Peru and that is why I consider Peru as one of my favorite places in the world.

I do think I started a guitar player on her way while I was there, and afterwards I managed to catch a cab that snuck me to the airport and I flew into Lima. No more buses for this guy.

Please excuse my horrible Spanish

Para Christian y la familia,

Gracias por la hospitalidad. Usted es verdad un gran amigo. Recordaré siempre su ayuda y esperanza de permanecer en tacto.

Su amigo,

jonny walker

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.

The travel with Jamie and James

So it is late for this update but I will do it anyway. Jamie, James, and I st out from Arequipa to Tacna by bus. As a "gringo" from the US it costs me an extra hundred to fly into Chile, but by land it is nothing. The bus ride was about 6 hours long and then from Tacna we spent over an hour in a taxi and going through customs at the border. After that we were in Arica Chile. Sadly, on Sundays everything closes including travel agencies.


We then rallied in Arica to get to the airport. After finding it relatively abandoned we pushed on and found a sales rep for Lan Airlines that got us onto the 8:15 flight to Santiago. The 2 hours plus flight beat the possible 28 hours by bus.


Being in the jetset is the only way to be. South American airlines don't charge extra for anything. Other airlines should learn from them.

In Santiago... pics to come

today and yesterday were a complete travel whirlwind. Somehow we made it from Arequipa, Peru to Santiago chile in about 18 hours. By bus, taxi, taxi, plane, taxi... the day was crazy but Jamie, James and I suceeded. Now for a Sunday night in Santiago. Pics to come

Loki Cusco

Here are a few shots from inside Loki Hostel in Cusco. It is definitely different than the friendly confines of Loki Lima, but I can see how it grows on people. I am booking my train to Machu Picchu at the moment for 6am tomorrow. I really wish I had some form of alarm clock.

Back Garden
Blurry shot of the bar (this is how most people remember it)


Front Garden - my room is down the corridor that is cut off on the bottom right


Shared kitcken

Another view from the top

First Day in Cusco

I arrived in Cusco yesterday, but after a big send-off from Lima I took some time to sleep once I got in. Today I awoke refreshed and went out to see the city. Luckily for me it was a Sunday parade day here in Cusco so I got to see some local flavor. Of course being the horrible tourist that I am I was only focused on food and forgot my camera in the hostel. Luckily my new hostel friend Binita brought her camera along (her camera is also a lot nicer than mine).


This is a great action shot of some of the dancing that was going on in Plaza de Armas in the center of Cusco.


The costume were quite exotic and I will have to research a little to see what stories that they convey.


After the parade I finally got that food that I originally went out for and then slipped into a nice food coma.

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.

Working at the Bar in Lima

After staying at the hostel for a week and propping up one end of the bar at my hostel in Lima, they decided to offer me a job. I am now on bar staff here and will be staying for close to another couple of weeks. I made the decision on little sleep and now it is part of the adventure.

Big Day Con Los Toros

Today bullfighting and other activities.


Basically the events recruit local teams and let guys who have never been around livestock get in the ring and see if they have what it takes. It is quite a spectacle.


In my favorite event two teams of 3 compete to see who can get the bull to chase them through goals the most times using their bodies as bait.


Of course there are a few good spills but the bull is rather small. Nothing in comparison of size to the bulls I have known.

Needless to say i badly wanted a turn. Lucky for my mother I chose to protect my leg.


It was fun and traditional. I was one of a handful of gringos at this massive event.

It was even styled to accommodate children.

In peru it is also tradition to host cock fighting. It is illegal in the states but traditional here. It was odd to be in a place where music blasts and people dance between fights and betting rounds that involves a fatality.

(After viewing the video a day later I have decided that it was in poor taste for me to put up. Although it is a tradition here I am still not comfortable with it. Sorry)



Despite the violence the whole thing was done quite well although I am not certain I will be frequenting too many cock fights in the future. Thanks again to Fabiola and Mayra for setting up another amazing day in peru.