Lake Titicaca (pronounced Titihaha)

Hola Chicos!

This time, as u can see, I´ve added another country to my list: Bolivia. Here I am again, in an Internetcafe in La Paz. Wifi (and Internet) is pretty hard to find around here, so probably only stories and no pics untill we reach Buenos Aires. Sorry... Anyway, just got here with Arjan (NL), ChangAn (Korea), Chris (EN) and Lin. We´ve been travelling together again, cause we accidentely met again on the Bolivian border. :P Between El Misti and La Paz, we´ve not done that much. We wanted to chil after the vulcano hike and I had trouble with the hight again, so was out of order for 3 days. Here the stories:

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1) A Arequipa, the aftermath

Okay, so we got back in Arequipa and chilled for a bit in an expensive (about 7 euro) hotel. Was too expensive for the service we got though.. Anyway. I was sick for 1 day because of the hight and did nothing while the others went to a nonnery/monestary. And we also made some pics from El Misti from one of the miradors. Damn, that thing was big! :S And on the 15th we went on to Puno.

1) B Puno, Peruvian Titicaca

In Puno I had a rendez-vous with someone we met in Lima: Viola from Sweden who was working there. And I also wanted to see the floting Islands. Chris and Lin wanted to go on already to Copacabana in Bolivia, but changed their minds at the last moment and they stayed with me in Puno. So we went to the Floting Islands. Quite funny, the indians built them from reet and need to refresh this reet each month. I´ll tell u all the details when I get back home and show u the pics.
In the evening we then went to Machu Pizza with Viola and Angela and had a nice dinner with something that resembled Gluhwein. Jumjum! After that (a bit drunk) back to the hostel, go to bed and next morning the bus to Boliva at 7.30h. So that the quickest visit to a city we´ve done untill now: only 17 hours!

1) C Copacabana and Isla del Sol, Bolivian Titicaca

It was just a 3 hours busride from Puno to Copacabana, so we arrived there early enough to just wander around, get some information, do nothing and play some poker. Next day there was another (3 hour) hike on the program, to the north point of the bay to take the boat to Isla del Sol. But the hight was ´killing´ me again, so I went by boat (and was out of order for most of the visit to the Island). Isla del Sol was supposed to have a lot of ruines, but we didn´t see them. Was nice view and walking though (even though it took me twice as long due to the altitude sickness :P I´m really getting old ;) ). And after one night on the island, we took the boat back to Copacabana.We also stopped at the Bolivian floting islands, but this was a fake, pure touristy version. :( In Copacabana we took the luxery upgrade again and took a hotel including buffet breakfast (for the Dutch this means: take away lunch as well :P). And of to La Paz in the morning. And that´s where I am now.

1) D La Paz

Still in La Paz but tonight we will go on to the Salt Plain in Uyuni. Yesterday we wandered around a bit in the city and had a nice lunch in an Idian restaurant. And in the evening we went to a Dutch cafe and had a.o. Bitterballen and Appelkruimeltaart!!! And we played some pool. The rest of the time, we watched some movies (they´ve got all the american moviechannels in spanish) or played poker. So not did a lot but lazzied around mostly. :P

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2) The Route

This was my trip:
- 22/01/09 I flew to Aruba to visit and pick up Linda;
- 03/02/09 We went to Washington DC and visited Mariska;
- 06/02/09 We took take the bus to New York and slept in our first hostel;
- 10/02/09 We had a flight to Orlando and did 2 days Disney World
- 13/02/09 Drove to Miami were we did Miami city and the Keys;
- 17/02/09 Flew to Bogota (Colombia);
- 23/02/09 Cartagena;
- 24/02/09 Santa Marta and la Ciudad Perdida (6 day hike in the jungle);
- 02/03/09 Taganga (rest!);
- 04/03/09 Medillin;
- 05/03/09 Salento (Zona Cafetera, between Perreira and Armenia);
- 08/03/09 We took the bus to Ipiales (border) and left Colombia behind us;
- 09/03/09 Quito;
- 13/03/09 Galapagos (8 day cruise and 2 days on Santa Cruz for diving);
- 22/03/09 Guayaquil;
- 25/03/09 Lima;
- 28/03/09 Huarachina (Sandboarding);
- 29/03/09 Nazca lines;
- 30/03/09 Cuzco;
- 01/04/09 Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu (hot springs and ruins);
- 04/04/09 Cuzco again;
- 07/04/09 Bustrip to Canyon Country;
- 08/04/09 Cabanaconde and the canyon itself (3 day hike);
- 11/04/09 Arequipa and El Misti vulcano;
- 15/04/09 Puno and Floating Islands;
- 16/04/09 Copacabana and Isla del Sol;
- 19/04/09 La Paz

And then what we planned (hopefully we’ll make it )
- 21/04/09 Maybe some jungle and some salt desert;
- 26/04/09 We will continue to go south, but only go to Arica in Chile and in Argentinia we only go to the waterfalls at border of Urugay/Brazil and Buenos Aires;
- 05/05/09 Brasil (Rio, Brasilia, Pantagan or Amazone Jungle);
- 26/05/09 I hope to fly to the states again (:S) to visit Joanna in Saint Louis and then Chicago at the same time. However, depends on my money.
- 04/06/09 B-day of Ta
As you can see, tight schedule. So everyone that wants to go to South America: 4 months isn’t enough!!!

Roughly my trip after North and South America will look like this:
- 07/09 (or 06/09) Australia (working and traveling 1 year, maybe with Katie);
- 05/10 (or 06/10) Asia (Indonesia, Philipijnen, Maleisia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Korea and Japan, maybe with Isabel for a while);
- 11/10 Trans-siberian Railway Peking Express through among others Peking (China), Mongolia, Jarkoetsk (Rusland), Onsk (Rusland), Moskou (Rusland) for 18 days (maybe with Robbert);
- 12/10 Home sweet home, Wingman back in the Netherlands.

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3) My to do list

In one of the first messages I wrote, I said that you could let me do certain things in exchange for money. Here is the status quo:

- Get (naked) on national tele in the USA: Waiting if were on, being taped for Comedy Central and MTV’s the Fashion Show ~ REWARD: € 100,- by Ruud and Youri;
*** (nearly) ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Find a famous place/square and be a street artist: I forgot my jiggling balls every time I went into Paris or other cities, but I had some audience in Zipaquire. ~ REWARD: € 100,- by Ruud and Youri;
- Enjoy your trip: I will! ~ REWARD: € 25,- by Hans (Thank you Hans!!)
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Shave your head bold: since my mum shaved me twice I'm almost hairless now. :S ~ REWARD: € 3,50 by Sarah H;
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Come to the Luna-Tik Switch: since I'm in Maastricht now (and bored) and waiting till 10h, I think I'll manage. ~ REWARD: free entrance as per Erik;
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Carry Mickey around the world and take pictures in famous places: I WILL! ~ REWARD: A cool photo collection, as per me!;
- Get married in Las Vegas in an Elvis Suite and stay married for at least 6 months: Linda s not interested ~ REWARD: € 450,- as per Erik;
*** FAILED ***
- Carry the hand cups around that I ‘won’ with the Saint Nicolas Surprise: they are still on my back, but people looked weird when I took them into the jungle ~ REWARD: ??? told by Jule;

Did I forget one, do you want to add one?? Let me know!!
Do you want to add some?? Let me know!!

NOTE!! I’m running out of quests, please give me some more!!!

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4) Games

A little game for all:

Each person that posts, must repeat the sentence 'I will go on holiday and take with me:', repeat the items of previous persons and add one item of his own.

This is where we left of and since nobody played last post, we’ll stop with this one:

*I'll go on holiday and take with me: my backpack (Inge, afblijven!), my hand cups, Inge's prom dress, Mickey Mouse, a snorkel, juggling balls, 1 under pens, a passport, mama's toothbrush, Linda!, a winter jacket, snow boats, my MP3 player, mama’s bracelet, some dollars to buy breakfast, everybody’s notes with the best wishes on them (there actually at my parents Erik) and my lonely planet.

Here’s a new one:

Each post must say a number (in sequence from one till 50). The one who is number 50, will receive a little reward. And there will be a secret number reward as well!

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Not much more to say, only that the number game is in CHRONOLOGIC SEQUENCE!!!

Kisses, great love and more from the one and only Wingman aka Ralf and a hug from Mickey!!!!

PS. Who has some more quests for me!?!?