Last Thoughts on Latin America

I've been in, on, and among ancient ruins in three countries.

I've watched ocean sunsets and walked on beaches barefoot.

I've climbed an active volcano and stood next to glowing, flowing lava at dusk.

I visited a cloud forest and hiked around the rim of a gorgeous crater lake.

I ate a picnic lunch next to a green lagoon with 2 - 90 something year old sisters and the young daughter of one of their daughter's.

I rafted. I looked at tons of waterfalls.

I went to natural hot springs several different times.

I tried a steam bath...nice!

I admired countless beautiful, old churches. COUNTLESS!!

I learned to speak Spanish.

I visited the equator.

I touched giant starfish.

Looked at ancient gold artifacts.

Watched shooting stars and ate pizza at night on the beach.

Listened to the waves crash and fell asleep in the grass in the park in the warm sun...for hours.

I ate tuna sandwiches, olives and cheese and coffee for breakfast on the beach and then ate the same thing for lunch in the same spot on the beach, but switched the coffee to beer...This was a routine for a few days. I loved it.

I took a couple of little boat tours - Flores, Granada, outside of Bogota.

I met wonderful locals, especially in El Salvador, Colombia and Ecuador.

I stood under waterfalls and went horseback riding on the same day.

I saw the Panama Canal.

I have been to 10 countries.

I have felt tremors!

Australia - Give me more of the same!

Hola, Peru! Hola, Lima!

I'm in Lima, Peru...I think it has a population of 8 million or so....so it's no Denver. But what a beautiful city, built on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean...wow!

I have 10 days left before I fly to Perth. I got a work visa for Australia, which I'm sure I mentioned already...but in any case, I have to enter the country by May 2nd or I lose the visa.

When I was granted the visa, nearly three months ago, I was in El Salvador, and I thought, "My god, how will I make it through South America fast enough?!" And the truth is, it's not possible to make it through South America fast enough. This continent is huge, and every country deserves a fair amount of attention and patience.

So, I've been to Colombia, Ecuador, and now Peru. Peru is certainly the sketchiest country in South America so far...I was scammed big time by the Peruvian taxi drivers (fuck them!), and today I was with an other America at the supermarket...he tried, unknowingly, to pay for his purchase with a 50 note (about $17), which turned out to be fake...along with another 100 soles that he got at the border...completely fake!

I was completely scammed by taxi drivers back to back on the Peruvian side of the border...which at one point, I thought this post would be titled, ¨I hate Peru¨ or ¨Thank god I eat fish¨ or ¨Get me the fuck out of South America." For the record...taxi drivers are scum...generally they screw you over in some sly method or another...don't get me started.

In any case, thankfully, I did not title this post that...Lima has been great...but I still believe Peru to be sketchy, and I can't wait to arrive in Perth.

However, Lima is a beautiful city, very metropolitan...beautiful skyrises, hotels, restaurants, but for me the best are the parks...along the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

Tomorrow night I head toward Cuzco, but I think I will probably make a stop 1/2 way because I'm not totally keen on a 20 hour bus ride.

So I guess that's it for now...

Ruta de las Cascadas

I had an action packed day today on four hours of sleep...and it's not over yet!

I rented a mountain bike for the day ($3.33) with two guys I met here in Baños. Paul from California and Vicente from Wales. We rode part of the Ruta de las Cascadas (Route of Waterfalls) about 10 miles (17K) fairly leisurely over the course of 5 hours with stops along the way to admire the many waterfalls and a few little side hikes to get a closer view. (Pictures soon to come.)

Oh! And how could I forget the bridge jumping ($15), which I happily observed despite the intense peer pressure. Watching was scary enough for me. Bridge jumping, I suppose, is a milder version of bungee jumping. Paul jumped. Vicente jumped. I took pictures.

At the bridge jump, we met a couple of Australians from Sydney (Simon & Jeff - ¨best mates¨) who also jumped, and who we met back up with towards the end of our ride and hiked up to the Pailon del Diablo waterfall.

The Pailon del Diablo (Pillar of the Devil) waterfall was amazing! Can't wait to post photos, but my battery is dead at the moment. It's not exactly Niagra Falls, but the water was really coming down fast and strong. You could walk right up underneath and have a bit of a ¨shower¨if you wanted...which we all did. It was a nice thrill!

Now it's off to thermal baths...which is what Baños (literally ¨baths¨) is famous for...this will be my second dip in the thermal baths. I also had a steam bath the other day, which was interesting and invigorating.

That's it for now!