Down (under) time in Australia

Hello again! Having some down time in Australia is allowing me to log on to email heaps. So lucky for all of you, more newsletters! In Sydney, Alison and I did the bridge climb up the harbor bridge. It's only been open to the public since 1998, and they are so systematic about the whole process! We got full gear: climbing harness, jumpsuit, fleece jacket, hat, and they even had shoes if you needed them! If you show up to this place in only your underwear, it's STILL possible to climb the bridge! I thought it would be much more scary than it actually was. More of a stroll than a climb, as Alison said. We got some great photos of us, completely posed by the guide, of course. I suspect he's done it before...they are almost as ketch as the Taj Mahal shots we had done. Alison said they make us look like we should be announcing our engagement to be married or something.

The next day, we "czeched" out the Tarrango Zoo in Sydney. We were lucky enough to arrive in time for the koala's to be fed. I'd never seen them so active! Alison must've taken over a dozen photos of them. It was hilarious. We wanted to get our photo taken with the koala, but the booth was already closed. Ah well. Sarah's parents promised to take us to the zoo in Brisbane, where that can be done there as well.

So in case you felt my last newsletter was a bit dull, well, here is a classic story: We're on the bus, having a rather mundane conversation, for once, and the Australian guy sitting across from us remarks out of no where, "Oh my God, you have the strongest American accents I've ever heard! Are you doing that on purpose, because you're traveling?"

Alison: "No, this is how we really talk."
Rude Aussie: "But I have American friends in Japan, and they don't sound like you. You seem like you've turned up the volume on it, deliberately. Has anyone ever said that to you before?"
Alison: "No, not to our face, anyway."
Rude Aussie: "Well, I prefer the American southern accent. It just has a sound to it that is so pleasing, and the wide brim hats the men wear, I just love that! (he smiles and reflects fondly on this)
Carla: "Interesting, I think some Americans wouldn't agree with you on that one."
Alison: "So, do all Australians talk like you?"
Rude Aussie: "We just say it like it is, ya know? Put it all out on the table. Nothing beats honesty, I say."

He got off the bus at this point, which was good because Alison looked ready to smack him silly and I was biting my lip, trying not to laugh.

We're in Canberra now, with my penpal of 15 years, Sarah Kearns. This city is like a country version of Washington DC, minus the Smithsonians. Alison discovered there's an Erotica Museum here, though, so we're going to "czech" that out tomorrow. Sarah's brother, Scean, is taking the day off from work to show us around. When we told Scean where we wanted to go, he couldn't stop laughing.

Oh, in regards to my newsletter about the Indian burning man festival I went to in Delhi, but couldn't remember the name, my Mom sent me the following information via her friend Amy:

I believe she is speaking of Diwali (pronounce dee-vall-ee). It is the Festival of Lights representing (light over darkness or good or evil). It is the major Hindu holiday.

Hope that was as enlightening for all of you as it was for me! Thanks Mom and Amy!

Love, Carla

Last stop....Winchestaaahh Bauston!

I am back in Massachusetts, as evident of the accent surrounding me. My kind brother and wife have taken me in and even given me my own bedroom! I get to play with my 1 1/2 year old niece as much as I want. Life couldn't get better, well, maybe after I get a job, that is.

Left the warm weather and warm people behind in Brazil and arrived into the Northeast with all its cold and ice. I think I put on every item in my backpack, including some that were gifts as well. It is soooo cold here! I am glad to be back in America though, and it has been great seeing my brother, Dad, and old friends again. Alison's Dad helped me dig out all my winter clothes out of her garage and then even let me borrow a winter coat until I find my own. Did I mention how freaking cold it is here, already?

Brazil was heaps of fun. My highlight was going to the soccer match. You have not lived until you have attended a soccer match in Brazil. These folks take team spirit to the nth degree! I got right into the action in the stands, waving the gigantic flags, shouting the chants in Portugese, and even wearing the team shirt. The game ended in a tie, but I didn't mind because that meant everyone was a winner!

What a bonus having Mangueira, our samba school, come in second place. We all donned our wilting, smelly costumes a second time, for the championship parade, and this time I brought my camera and took heaps of photos. I bought the video, so if any of you are intersted, I can show it to you and point out where I am. har har Alison is shipping our costumes home, and is thinking of trying to sell them on ebay. Isn't that an incredible idea?

Ok, now that I am back, I will be reconnecting with all of you American folks asap. Hey, Elizabethe! If you are reading this, email me your new phone number. It may be awhile before I dig out my address book in that garage...

Good to be back. Love you all!
Carla

The Grande Finale: Carnival in Rio!

Letting you all know, I have officially written off the carla_martino@yahoo.com email address. I will probably never regain access into it so please just use this new one now: carlamartino2003@yahoo.com.

This will be my last email before I head back to Boston! I can´t believe my world travel adventure has come to an end. What an end it was though! I think I last told you about my Amazon trip and hitching a ride to Argentina with two Brazilians. I didn´t do too much in Salta, slept, did laundry, went to the movies, and met Ryan, an Aussie who needed a place to stay in Rio. I told him to join us as we had space and then I went on from Salta to Puerto Iguazu, where the famous waterfalls are. They make Niagra Falls look like child´s play. I hiked all around the falls on the Argentina side with two new friends, Sam (Frenchie) and Karl (another bloody Brit). We found a swimming pool at the base of one fall in the middle of the jungle and went swimming. Sam told us about it as his friend had discovered it earlier as he came across a playboy shooting there. The water fall cascaded down on rocks, perfect place to photograph naked women. I didn´t offer to re-create the scene for them, however. I do have some boundaries!

After czeching out the Argentina side, I took a bus over to the Brazilian side of the falls and stayed at the best hostel I have ever seen. It even beat out the ones I saw in New Zealand! It had a pool, hammocks galore, game room, free internet, laundry, free breakfast, and a bar with a TV. There was a soccer field too, of course and I watched the boys all play a match in their bare feet. Brazilians play barefoot here.

Off to Rio after the falls. I met up with many hashers from Boston, Hugh, Jen, Dick, Austin, Todd, and Alison, of course! She and I reunited after going our separate ways in Equador. We had lots of stories to share with eachother. Hugh had rented 2 apartments so I recruited a few of my travel friends to join us. Made everything much cheaper and much more fun! Thanks Ryan, Karl, Dave, and Charlie for joining us! Karl, Dave and Charlie, see you in London, eh???

Rio was much more beautiful and a lot safer than everyone warned me about. Saw nothing of any riots that were reported to me. Saw no crimes or muggings, and the local Brazilian people are just as friendly and helpful as the rest of the people in South America. Hugh, Alison and I got to march in the samba parade Monday night with a samba school. Our costumes were so pink and had heaps of feathers. We had to dance and pretend to sing a song in Portugese and smile and stay in line. It was so easy! Our school came in second so Alison and I are going to march again this Saturday.

We also went on a run with the Rio hash. They took us everywhere thorough the city and I had so much fun talking with the hashers of Rio. I would do a write up but I think Hugh is going to take care of that. Thanks Sarah and Caroline! You both made me feel so welcome!

I also czeched out a Carnival Ball. The band was phenomenal and the costumes were amazing. Everything you imagine of the women is true. Too bad I didn´t bring my camera with me that night. The street parties were a blast. All the Brazilians were dancing and singing the samba school songs. The two most important prides of Brazil is their soccer team and their samba schools. It was just incredible to take in the love of the culture here.

I´m hanging around in Rio until I head back to Boston in 2 days time. The beaches are beautiful and I need to work on my Brazilian tan. I am also going to go see the Brazilain soccer team play this Saturday!

Looking forward to being back in Boston soon. I am ready to hang up my backpack for a spell. Just to tell the rest of you, since I haven´t told everyone yet, I am going to move to England this summer for 6 months, to work and try my hand at English nursing. I´ve gotten an offer I cannot refuse, after all...

Life is an ongoing adventure. Carpe Diem! See my Bostonian friends and family soon!

Love, Carla

I´m still alive, and Rio bound soon!

Hi everyone! I was seriously out of internet access for 2 weeks. Feels good to be back in civilization again. Civilization would be Salta, Argentina, by the way.

I did end up doing that Coricho road mountain bike trip. The road really was the most dangerous one in Bolivia. There were two trucks that went over the edge in the past week. I wanted to get a photo but Julio, the guide said it would be in poor taste since people died. He´s right, but the photo would´ve been cool.

After that, riots started erupting in La Paz, so I got out and went up to the Amazon for a week. I treked in the jungle, czeched out all the "toxico" insects, drank water out of a tree, and swam in the Amazon river. After that I headed to the pampas to meet all the alligators, monkeys, pink dolphins and stuff. The guide, Juaquin, would make Steve Irwin look like a pansy. He grabbed alligators for us to inspect, wrestled cobras and andaconda snakes out of the marsh for photos, and showed us how to fish for pirahanas. I was the only one who caught them. Must´ve been all that wonderful fishing Papa and I did when I was younger. I also swam with the pink dolphins and alligators. You know, alligators will only bother you if you are near a nest. Not that I´m speaking from experience or anything...

Then the rainy season really did arrive and I was stuck in Runnebaque until the grass runway dried enough for a plane to take off. There were tons of other backpackers in the same boat as me so it made for a very entertaining time. The only bar there floods in heavy rain. I met my first farmer traveler. He runs a sheep and corn farm in Australia and takes time out inbetween harvest and shearing to travel. The plane that finally took me away was so small that we had to wear oxygen masks in flight. I got a photo of the pilot taking photos out the window while flying the plane.

By the time I made it back to La Paz, the riots had stopped. I was done with the city anyway though and went on to southern Bolivia to czech out those salt lakes everyone kept raving about. I went on a group tour, and the other backpackers I was with were hilarious. Good thing we all got along since we were seven in a small 4x4 jeep for 3 days. The first night we played a game of strip poker and when Jilian, the French dude, had to start showing skin, all the other French backpackers in the hostel shouted, ¨Viva la France!¨and took their clothes off as well. Just in case any of you are curious, I fared very well in the game. No worries.

Our guide didn´t speak English, the tour reminded me of the one I did in Turkey. He´d make random stops at various places and just point and say the name in Spanish. I did work out most of it, like vizcahas are like large chinchillas, and live in the random rock islands in the salares. Aren´t you glad you know that now? The best part was the Sol de Manana. There were geysers, mud pools and a NON- sulfur hot spring where we soaked all morning, feeling quite in need of a bath after 3 days without.

I nearly missed the bus to San Pedro de Alcama, Chili. Just my luck that the bus driver happens to be the only anal-retentive Bolivian in existance (My friend Gary calls Bolivia the country of "nearly"). I couldn´t find my ticket fast enought and had to throw myself in front of the bus shouting, ¨No salga, por favor!¨ The last thing I needed was to be left stranded in the middle of the desert. I got quite an audience, with my little spectacle, but it worked. I got on the bus and then found my ticket. I also became friends with two wonderful Brazilians, Shenk and Mauro, who let me come along with them in their comfy SUV to Salta, Argentina. It was a 12 hour trip, and I kept them entertained with travel stories. They wanted to hear every bit about my journey, since May, and said not to leave out details, since there was loads of time. I learned Portugese, got great tips for Rio, and ideas for places to go afterward, in Brazil.

I feel like this is long enough as is. I have too many emails to read and try and answer now. Hope you are all well and the Bostonians are surviving the snow.

All my love, Carla

Movin´ Right Along in South America

Heidi and I left Cusco and headed on to Lake Titicaca. The islands there are beautiful and, I thought, as nice as the Galapagos islands were. There is one called Uros, which is made entirely of reeds and floats in the water, like a cork. The Peruvians who live there never leave, as the guide said. They get everything they need from the island reeds and the lake. When I asked how they manage to kill the birds they eat, he replied, "with guns." So I guess they do have to leave sometimes, eh, to buy guns? I am getting quite sarcastic as I grow travel weary. The other island Taquile, had no Taquila that we could find, but also didn´t have dogs, cars, or bicycles. Made for a nice change from the mainland.

Heidi and I made friends with 4 others on our island tour that day, and went out for dinner with them that night. One couple is from England. More Brits to be friends with! The others were Canadian and Irish. Eddie had us all in stitches with his Irish humor, as the Irish do. I learned a bunch new cards games that evening in the bar, and got invited to dance the salsa with a Peruvian called Thomas. He was a very good lead. I think I may like the salsa better than swing!

I had gotten my fill of islands in general, and the Peruvian culture, so when Heidi left for Boston, I left for Bolivia. I took a very long and rather complicated bus/boat ride across the lake to Bolivia. When we reached the waterway, the driver had us get off the bus and board this tiny boat I was sure would sink with the amount of people who got on. It was a lot more sturdy than the raft the bus was driven onto, in order to get it across to Bolivia. That raft was so dilapidated looking, I just had to take a photo of it. Alison, I am becoming as photo savvy as you now!

So here I am in La Paz, for a bit of rest and regroup to where I go to next. There are heaps of things to do from here. Today I walked around in Valle de la Luna, which looked like a cross between the Badlands of South Dakota, and Bryce Canyon in Utah. After I was completely winded from walking around the trails (the altitude just kills you here) I had to czech out the "kick *ss zoo" as the writer in the Lonely Planet described it. Well, I think the zoo in Cairo was better, that´s how pathetic this was. I can say I have visited the highest zoo in the world, but the animals were nothing to write home about. I may have to write to the Lonely Planet and tell them they need to redescribe the zoo as "sucks *ss."

I´m just biding time until I meet up with the La Paz Hash at a bar here in Zona Sur tonight. Zona Sur is the wealthiest neighborhood in La Paz. Guess the "south end" of every city isn´t like Boston´s Southie, eh? Makes me a bit homesick, really, thinking of Southie.

Tomorrow I will czech out all the markets in the center of La Paz. Apparently there is a Witches Market that is reputed to sell some dodgy items. This girl, Allison, from Texas, who walked around the zoo with me today, was there yesterday and she told me they sold animal fetuses! Ewwwwwww! Makes me think of Harry Potter, when he accidently got stuck in that sketchy part of Diagon Alley.

I haven´t decided if I want to snow board down the highest peak in South America, or mountain bike down the steepest slope in South America, or just get on a bus and go see the Salt Lakes in Southern Bolivia. Mom, don´t worry, I think the latter will be the winner.

Love and miss you all!

Surpaiki Apu!

That is an Inca blessing that was said at the top of the mountain on the Inca Trail. I put coca leaves under some rocks and said "Surpaiki Apu!" It is supposed to bring good luck and it worked. Even though it was the rainy season, it barely rained at all. The Inca Gods were in favor of me having a great experience here in Peru.

I flew to Cusco from Lima with my friend Heidi and we spent a couple of days getting used to the high altitude. The first day here I had trouble breathing and my heart was racing. I think that is how people with heart failure must feel! Cusco is a beautiful city. It used to be the capital of Peru, until those darn Spaniards came and colonized the country. They changed it to Lima so they could have a port capital. There is plenty to do around Cusco. There are tons of museums, shops, churches, and ruins galore. Heidi and I saw just about everything. We also met up with two very nice doctors from Boston, Aswama and Dennis. They had been doing volunteer surgery the past two weeks in Cusco and were taking some time off to do some sightseeing. Just our luck they were on a private tour of the ruins in Cusco. They let us join them then took us out to lunch, and then we all had fun drinking and playing games in the bar that night. I played about 10 games of backgammon with Aswama and only won twice. Being from Beruit, he is quite good, and the beer consumption didn´t help my concentration at all. Aswana had some hair raising stories of his medical days in Beruit, during the war, but my favorite one was how he proposed to his wife, an anesthesiologist, over an open heart surgery.

We left for the Inca Trail the next day, and started at mile 82, in a small town called Chilca. The whole trek would be 42 kilometers and take us 4 days. I was so excited to do some backpacking again and see the countyside of Peru. The trip exceeded my expectations. We had 16 great people in my group and a wonderful guide, Juan. The first day we came across a drunken Peruvian fast asleep on the trail with his backpack still on! I should have taken a photo but felt it might make him angry.

The second day was the most challenging. We had to hike uphill for 4 hours straight. I was really feeling the weight of my pack by then. Chris, an Aussie, was having a tough time of it, with altitude sickness, so we kept each other company. We were at 13,000 feet, with a 1,200 meter assent. The two of us kept each other moving and laughing once the others long past us. Chris got a classic photo of me imitating the drunken Peruvian on the trail. He and I also took our minds off our discomfort by talking about our friends, family and love lives. Thinking about all of you our there kept my energy going. I thought Chris and I would miss lunch, we took so long to make it to the camp, but we just made it with 10 minutes to spare! His girlfriend was a little annoyed at him, for taking so long, but I suggested he pick some flowers to hand to her at camp, and it worked. Guys, you can NEVER go wrong with flowers!

The third day was the longest, but we saw 7 Inca ruins along the way. Juan was amazing with his knowledge of the Inca history. Made me want to go out and get a book and read more about them. The last night we stayed in a campsite with a bar. We had dinner in a civilized manner at a table indoors and got to drink some Peruvian beer and dance the salsa. I didn´t stay out late though because we had a 4 am wake up call to hike to the Sun Gate in time to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu. Unfortunately our good luck with the Inca Gods had expired by then since it rained that morning and clouded over the valley. By the time I made it to Machu Picchu it had cleared, however, and there was no one there but us. My photos are just incredible! It was probably the hardest hike I´ve ever done, but I feel so good having accompished it. Thanks Mom, for loaning me your hiking boots. They saved my feet!

We stayed a night in Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu, and famous for their hot springs. A bunch of us from the group all trouped over there after spending the day walking around Machu Picchu and sat in the hot spring for 3 hours! There was even a place to buy beer while you soaked, but I was quite content just soaking sober. We did a massage circle and everyone fought to be in front of Heidi, since she is a massage therapist.

Now we´re back in Cusco, for a day, and tomorrow we take a bus to Puno. Lake Titikaka is suppose to be very beautiful and a few of our new Inca Trail friends are heading in the same direction. I am
sending my love and thoughts to you all!

Loving the Galapagos Islands!

The island here are amazing! They are totally pristine, full of wildlife, and just bellowing with Darwin´s theory of evolution. I have been on a week long boat cruise around the islands and have been very well educated by Diego, our guide, on all the different species and geological formations of the Galapagos.

For example, there are 15 different Darwin finches here. Some get most of their food from land, hence the name "Land Finches." Some have very long and strang looking beaks. They are not a freak of nature, as I suspected. They have merely adapted to get their food in the easiest way. So those strange birds are not the "Elephant Bird Finches" as I suggested, they are "Cactus Finches" with beaks long and bendy to get into the cactus flowers. I may have caused Darwin himself to turn in his grave with my observations of the creatures here.

We get to go snorkelling with the sea lions, and penguins, and I even got to swim with a white tipped reef shark, that was perfectly harmless, as Diego assured. I kept my distance, all the same. The animals have no fear here of people, since they don´t have predators.

Bet you all didn´t know that there are TWO kinds of iguannas here. Marine iguannas and Land iguannas. When they sometimes mate, their hybrid offspring are infertile. Darwin´s theory at work! The Marine iguannas can really swim fast in the ocean, and they eat seaweed. The Land iguannas eat the prickly pear cactus fruit, as it falls off the tree.

I´m having a blast with the other people on the boat as well. We are from all over, Austria, Netherlands, England, Canada, Equador and Australia. We are also all pretty sarcastic and a bunch of jokers. Poor Diego doesn´t get most of our jokes.

I have another couple of days here on the islands on the boat tour, then I fly to Lima to meet up with Heidi, my friend from Boston, and we´re going to hike the Inca Trail.

Well, time is running out. I hope you are all well.
Love, Carla