Lots of highs, few lows: a trip round-up

I've been back in the UK for six weeks now - six weeks which have flown by just as fast as the six weeks I spent travelling and the weeks in Rio. Every time I've seen a friend for the first time since returning they've asked me what the best bit was, usually prefacing with "how was the Olympics?" At that point I've usually gone "oh yeah, the Olympics, I did that too". The travelling part of the trip, being more recent and immediate, had somehow taken priority over Rio in my head.

I blogged about both the Olympics and Paralympics earlier and the memories are still strong. The ones I've been dragging out when people ask tend to be:

• the lovely chat I had with single sculls champion Mahé Drysdale before racing started, because it genuinely was just a nice conversation with a nice guy;
• watching the GB women's eight win silver, because over the years I've known a number of the women who have been fighting for that medal for so long; 
• being in the athletics mixed zone on the night of the men's 100m final and squishing into the front of the agency pen to grab Usain Bolt's quotes (that man is TALL - my arm was aching from holding my phone up to record);
• the many, many incredible stories from the Paralympics, but maybe most that of Australian para-canoeist Curtis McGrath. We sat in the shade in the boat park and he told me, with perfect clarity, about the moment on 23 August 2012 when he'd lost his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. It was only moments later, being stretchered to the helicopter, that he told his mates they'd see him at the Paralympics. Some of them were in Rio to watch him win gold four years later. It was hard to listen and ask questions without getting emotional.

The Lagoa at dawn

But those are just a handful of the many moments I'll remember from those two and a half months in the Cidade Maravilhosa, shared with a great bunch of colleagues and friends.

When it comes to best experiences from the travelling, the Salkantay and Machu Picchu probably top the list. I had such high expectations from the trek and they were met almost entirely, which is saying quite a lot. Iguacu Falls is also up there as one of the best bits of the trip. The sheer power of all that water was just astounding - and I got to go to Argentina for the day!

But I also loved Ilha Grande and wished I'd stayed there longer; I was very pleasantly surprised by Lima, which everyone had said wasn't that great a place; I chilled out with the locals by Lake Titicaca; I was awed by condors in Colca Canyon; and saw pelicans in a place that looked like the moon in Paracas. I stuffed my face with steak in Brazil and with livelier fare in Peru, and drank somewhat more than my fair share of capirinhas and pisco sours as well as plenty of ice-cold beer.

With my Lake Titicaca homestay host Calixto

Along the way I encountered all sorts of interesting people, from the wonderful locals who were my guides and hosts, to other travellers. Young couples taking career breaks, older solo travellers looking for something new, backpackers from all over the world stretching their money as far as it can go. And of course in Rio a whole host of fantastic cariocas who were so generous with their welcome to their city. 

In many ways it's odd looking back at the journey. At the beginning of the year I was tired, trying to give as much time as I could to work and to rowing and not quite succeeding on either level. I felt like I'd been operating at maximum capacity for far too long. And I really wanted to work in Rio, having spent the best part of four years looking back wistfully to the London Olympics. When the offer came through I was on a long weekend break in New York, seeing my brother and sister-in-law and enjoying a brief few days of travel - it seemed appropriate that I spent much of that weekend buoyed up with anticipation over Rio too.

It was difficult in some ways leaving my job. I worked with an awesome team and the job itself was interesting, varied and challenging. But I'd been there a while and the changing shape of the world of business media was getting me down. Taking the leap into Rio, travelling and then the challenge of trying to go freelance was absolutely the right thing to do. Writing this now, despite the fact I haven't really put much effort into getting work yet, I feel refreshed and excited about next year. Planning is overrated - I'm going to see what happens and seize any opportunities that come. It seemed to work this year, after all.

Thanks for following my travels with me. Until next time!

Peru round-up

It's almost a month since I got back to the UK and I somehow haven't got around to finishing the last couple of posts I planned for this blog.

First up, a Peru round-up!

Why go to Peru?

Go to Peru if you want fascinating history, awe-inspiring ruined cities, stunning landscape and interesting food.

My top three Peruvian experiences:

•  The Salkantay Trek and Machu Picchu - I can't really split up the trek from Machu Picchu, as, to echo our tour company's slogan, the journey was as important as the final destination. The group was so great and the whole experience truly memorable, culminating in that 6am view of the early light over Machu Picchu. 
• My Capachica Peninsula homestay. It was a very chilled out two days, but it was lovely to meet people in their own environment, eat proper local food, and sit for an hour gazing over Lake Titicaca. 
• Colca Canyon - for a combination of reasons why I'm picking the Salkantay and Capachica Pensinsula! Colca combined the scenery and sense of achievement of the former with some of the isolation of the latter. 

You know you're in Peru when ...

•  A lady is standing on the street dressed in traditional costume either clutching a lamb or towing an alpaca and asking for you to take her photo (I never actually did).
• You're standing at a crossing waiting to get to the other side of the road and three taxis drive past beeping at you, just in case you might actually be wanting a taxi instead of simply crossing the road.
• There's a random parade going on to celebrate a religious festival, the fact it's Sunday, or the local university!

What to pack when going to Peru

Layers. Lots of layers. And suncream. On the coast it's hot and dusty but at altitude it can be chilly. Except when the sun's out, when it's hot again and you're liable to burn in no time at all.

Annoyances and things to look out for

As a solo female traveller I felt safe in Peru at all times, although a few people seemed astonished I was on my own (given that I met a few other women in a similar position this was odd, but there you go). Single rooms were reasonably-priced and I was well-looked after eating alone too.

It wasn't all perfect though! A few things:

Peruvian traffic is truly awful. The big comfortable tourist buses are a good, cheap way of getting around but your driver will take bends on mountain roads fast and wide. Best to buckle up and trust they know what they're doing. Taxis in towns are cheap and seem fairly reliable, save for the driver I got in Arequipa who drove in circles and almost failed to find my hostel.

There was a S./ 400 limit on ATM withdrawals at most ATMs for much of my stay, which was a pain. When I needed to withdraw a large amount of US dollars to pay for the Salkantay trek I had to go to a bank and get it over the counter. I stuck to bank ATMs as in Brazil, although I'm not sure if the skimming issue is the same in Peru as Brazil. 

Prices of things are definitely elevated in tourist towns - food, drink and entry to attractions. Foreigners are charged substantially more to visit attractions than locals (which I get, but I wish the same applied in the UK!)

What I've missed most about Peru

The vibrancy and colour of the place, especially the bright clothes worn by the locals away from the bigger towns; and the fantastic fresh fruit.

Brazil round-up

I am shamelessly stealing the concept of a country round-up from my friends and fellow travellers Julie and Andrew and their Two Year Trip blog. I've actually been in Peru a week now so a Brazil wrap-up is overdue ...

Why go to Brazil?

I'm not sure I can really say I properly visited Brazil. I saw a very small part of a very big country and to do it justice would need months. Nevertheless, I recommend Brazil for:

• Beaches. The Brazilians do love their beaches, especially in Rio.
• Samba. I didn't go to a proper samba night but the sound of the music is everywhere and I experienced some of the dancing at the Olympic closing ceremony. It's kind of infectious.
• Amazing scenery. From Rio's mountains to the forest of Ilha Grande via Paraty's turquoise sea and Iguacu's astonishing waterfalls, Brazil really is a strikingly beautiful place.

Top three Brazilian experiences I had:

•  A very Olympic/Paralympic-related one: hearing the partisan support of the crowds for their idols, particularly canoe sprinter Isaquias Queiroz dos Santos during the Olympics and Daniel Diaz at the Paralympics. And seeing the ensuing press scrums in the mixed zones after they won medals. Bonkers.
• Seeing Iguacu Falls.
•  Walking to the top of Corcovado to see Christ the Redeemer. The views weren't great that day but it was a lot of fun.

You know you're in Brazil when ...

• There's someone drinking beer at 10am on a weekday. 
• You can't walk 100m without seeing either a) a self-serve restaurant or b) a pharmacy.
• Every meal involves meat, rice and beans. 

What to pack when going to Brazil:

Your tiniest bikini or swimsuit. Everyone else is wearing one, after all. (Don't worry about packing flipflops, Havaianas are ridiculously cheap in Brazil!)

Annoyances and things to look out for:

I can honestly say that I felt unsafe only a couple of times in the whole time I was in Brazil, and by 'unsafe' I mean I felt a little unhappy that I was in a particular spot by myself. I was careful not to carry too much money or my credit cards around, but I did always have my phone and usually my camera - a good Canon DSLR - on me. I tended to keep my camera in my bag until I needed it, and a couple of times I literally got it out, took a picture and put it away again, but I never felt like my camera was making me stand out. I stand out anyway in South America just by dint of being fair-skinned and fairly fair-haired. Not having my camera is not going to make me look any less a foreigner!

That said I did hear about people being robbed in Rio. A colleague had his wallet taken, we think from the 'hippie market' outside General Osorio metro station in Ipanema on a Sunday. It's worth leaving your passport and most of your cards back at your hotel otherwise you do risk them going with everything else. Basically my tip would be to look like you know what you're doing, be sensible, and you'll be fine.

Money: use ATMs inside banks. You may find paying for something with a R$100 note is tricky - I found supermarkets and restaurants were happy to take them but few other places were.

Transport: in Rio, the metro is good and relatively cheap, and easy to navigate, although its destinations are moderately limited. The BRT (bus rapid transit) system is also good but the buses tend to be rammed. The 'Supervia' trains which leave from Central station are also pretty good but do not go at the advertised time. I had no problems on ordinary buses in Rio either, but I did only use them during daylight hours. In Sao Paulo, the metro is excellent and cheap, although annoyingly you have to buy single tickets one at a time when you need them. In both cities Uber was a cheaper alternative to taxis, and saved having to explain destinations! 

What I'll miss most about Brazil:

Probably the people. The Brazilians I worked with were awesome and welcoming and wanted everyone to have a good time. And I did. Obrigada a todos!