Machu Picchu: Get There For $11

from: http://machu-picchu-expeditions-tours-south-america-peru.bloghi.com/2011/07/3...

Want to know what's the lowest priced, most affordable way to get to Machu Picchu Town from Cuzco ONLY $11 USD...

This was accomplished by a Bamba Encounter representative in buy to create the tale: Here's what you have to do. Hear (go through) intently.

1. Very first thing's 1st. Go away your serious pack at your hostel and begin out early in the morning. In Cuzco, go to the terminal with buses departing to Quillabamba, which is found upcoming to the Almundena Cemetery. "Donde esta la terminal de autobuses que salen a Quillabamba?"

2. Acquire a ticket for the upcoming available chicken bus that departs to Santa Maria (six hrs, 15 soles) "Un boleto a Santa Maria por favor."

3. Upon arrival to Santa Maria, get a collective taxi to Santa Teresa (1 hour, 10 soles) "Donde estan los taxis colectivos a Santa Teresa?"

4. Upon arrival to the hydroelectric station, get started walking alongside the teach tracks in the direction of Aguas Calientes for 2 several hours.

6. In Aguas Calientes, you can discover a hostel or hotel on arrival.

Test out the following encouraged hostels: Supertramp Hostel (Calle Chaskatika, Barrio Las Orquideas, Plaza de la Cultura, Dorms from $10 usd). Pirwa Hostel (Tupac Inca Yupanqui #103, Dorms from $ten usd, Private Rooms from $18 usd). Hostal Muyurina (Alameda Hermanos Ayar - Mza.

9 Lote six, Personal Rooms from $18 usd).

7. As soon as you have checked in and left your things in the place, walk straight by way of city to the hot springs and soak on your own till they kick you out. (Entrance Payment $one.fifty usd)

8. The next early morning, you can catch the tourist bus up to Machu Picchu ($7 usd a person-way / $14 usd round-journey) departing just about every 10 minutes from 5:30am on or if you are up to it, you can wake up and do the moderately uncomplicated one hour and thirty moment hike up to the archeological web page of Machu Picchu.

Crucial Notice: You need to buy your entry ticket to Machu Picchu ahead of arriving to the archaeological website. You can no extended obtain the ticket at the entrance to Machu Pichu.

In Cuzco you can obtain it forward of time at the INC, Instituto Nacional de Cultura, near the Plaza de Armas on Calle San Bernardo, or in Aguas Calientes up coming to the Plaza de Armas Prior to taking the bus up.

The ticket is legitimate for three days but only makes it possible for one entry. Check out to arrive as early as probable to the office environment and bring correct modify ($126 Peruvian Soles, fifty% discount with ISIC university student id card only).

Maintain in thoughts that if you want to hike the one-hour trek to the Wayna Picchu peak, you need to arrive to the internet site as early as achievable (no later on than 6:30am) in buy to get a single of the four hundred passes (these are cost-free and handed out on arrival, 200 individuals are authorized up at 7:00am and 200 much more at 10:00am ).

Whole Expense to Get to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town): $30 soles / $eleven USD Whole Time: eleven hours All round Practical experience: Priceless

Financing a Galapagos Getaway

I am obsessed with Ecuador. Galapagos Islands are high on my list however this trip is notoriously expensive. I found this article that helped me put things in perspective in a financial way. This article helped me plan my trip to the famous Galapagos, hopr this info can help you too
I was there in the “off” season. That would lead one to believe that prices should be lower and availability greater. Not so! During this time, many boats are moored and there simply aren’t spaces. I was told by many an agent that the space he was trying to sell me was the last space for that particular cruise…of course I figured it was a line, but later, when inquiring about the same cruise from a different agent I would find it to be sold out.

Any reduction in prices is simply an indication that the worldwide economy sucks and has nothing to do with what time of year it happens to be. The tour operators and agents know how much you spent to get to

The Galapagos and seem reluctant to budge much at all on price. When you have negotiated the lowest possible fare on a cruise, there’s no room for the operator or the agent to pay any credit card processing fees – and I’m not sure that’s even possible on The Islands. I was able to go to the bank and get a cash advance for a sufficient amount to pay for my cruise in cash.
There was no fee for doing this, not even from the thieving assholes at Wells Fargo bank. There you have it, that might not be the way it’s supposed to be done, but that’s the way I did it. If this helps even one person plan for The Galapagos then I’m happy to have taken the time to write it up.

Real Life: Traveling with Dad makes for lifetime of (often embarrassing) memories

from: http://www.mercurynews.com/family-relationships/ci_18479112?nclick_check=1

This summer my dad and I went backpacking together for six weeks through Argentina and Peru. When I say backpacking, I mean good old-fashioned backpacking.

Forget traveling like those Sheraton nomads with their designer bags and English-speaking guides to ferry them to and from tourist sites and overpriced restaurants. Instead we dragged our 40-pound packs with us to $5-per-night hostels, praying at every stop for flushing toilets with seats and hot showers.

Traveling like that can be taxing. Fortunately, I adore my father. Also fortunately: I have always had a high tolerance for public parental humiliation, as this trip pushed me to my limits. For example, there was the time a twentysomething guy from Germany dared my 63-year-old father to dive into an ice cold pool of water so he could swim to the wet rocks and stand under a 60-foot waterfall. Before I knew it my dad stripped down to his tighty-whiteys and dove into the water before an audience of other college students. I, of course, followed to make sure it was not his last hurrah.

On another occasion, my dad decided to climb up a tree in the Amazon to swing down from one of the vines. The result? The other tour members, much older than me, were horrified, expecting him to fall into a crumpled mess on the floor of the jungle. I found myself pleading with Rafiki to come down before he threw out his back -- or worse. Such is life on the road with your dad.

At times I felt my only options were to crawl into a hole and die or push him into oncoming traffic. But, I slowly learned to accept him.

Yes, he could have been the grandfather of 97 percent of the other hostel guests but, you know, he's my dad. And he did so much to make it work. In an effort to not slow me down, he trained to make sure he was able to keep up with the treks and other activities. Of course, this included doing awkward yoga poses in the middle of crowded hostel common rooms every morning. But it all paid off.

During a trek in and out of a canyon in Peru with three twentysomething travelers, a 25-year-old soccer player/coach suggested my dad take the burro to scale the canyon wall in order to meet a bus. Not only did he refuse the suggestion but he bet the guy he would make it out of the canyon before the bus arrived. My competitive and very focused father easily beat the soccer player out of the canyon and won the wager.

Hearing all this you might ask, "What possessed you to take on such an adventure with your father?"

After finishing an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador, I had planned to travel by myself for several months. Truth be told, I was just a naive college kid and, to put it mildly, I was terrified. The only person more terrified than me was my mother.

Having lived in Bogota, Colombia, during the drug cartel reign of the 1980s, the prospect of me traveling alone in South America shook her to the core. Unfortunately for her, I'm as stubborn as I was naive, so she did the only thing she could do: she insisted my dad go along with me for part of the ride.

Helicopter parent that he is, he was happy to oblige. And I was happy to discover some of the great advantages to traveling with a parent. We have similar personalities, so we got along really well, cooperated easily on the road, understood all of each other's jokes and would say how we really felt. And when I got food poisoning, my dad took care of me just like when I was little, bringing me soup and tucking me into bed at night.

If you ever find yourself thinking about embarking on such an unusual trip, here's my advice: Be clear on why you are traveling. It worked for us because I was less concerned with checking off visits to cool tourist sites. I traveled to have fun with one of the most important people in my life, and to grow as a person. Lucky me -- I was able to do both.

Jenny Reich, a 2009 graduate of Acalanes High School in Lafayette, attends Arizona State University.

World Cruise Dreaming

Wouldn't it be absolutely glorious to embark upon a world cruise? My husband and I love water, boating and traveling so it would be right up our alley! Here's an article I found if you want to dream along with me. It's from: http://www.travelbite.co.uk/travel-partners/articles/cruise-holiday/where-to-...$1382245$1378862.htm

Where to find a life of luxury on a world cruise

Tourists hoping to make the most of their holiday time should consider a world cruise in 2012, as they provide a fantastic travelling experience set against a luxurious backdrop.

Whether you are opting for a complete round the world tour or are just hoping to cruise South America, there are a number of perfect packages for you.

Cruise ships are built for long voyages, with many holding in the region of 800 passengers, so people who have booked a world cruise in 2012 will know they are going to experience a luxury holiday.

Boasting a wide array of suites and numerous balcony cabins, these ocean-going vessels often have a mix of informal and stately restaurants, enabling guests to pick and choose depending on their mood.

However, the onboard facilities are just a part of the luxury to be experienced on a world cruise, as you will also be able to stop off at multiple destinations across the globe, such as Vietnam, Mumbai, Singapore and Tahiti.

Tour highlights include witnessing the Great Barrier Reef in Australia - where passengers should keep an eye out for dolphins, sea turtles and porpoises - as well as the vibrant modern cityscape of Hong Kong, with its excellent shopping opportunities and first-class cuisine.

If you are opting for a luxury holiday cruise around South America, some liners can carry upwards of 1,350 passengers, with a diverse range of onboard facilities for people of all interests, including swimming pools, Jacuzzis and gyms.

Despite their size, these liners still have a home-away-from-home atmosphere and guests will be able to relax with a wide selection of cocktail bars and traditional pubs, allowing them to sit back and enjoy the trip with a few late-night drinks.

Tours take holidaymakers to some of the most well-known South American hotspots, including Montego Bay, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, the latter of which is one of the must-see cities on any cruise.

Holidaymakers can enjoy an eclectic mix of shopping, cultural pursuits and exciting nightlife in the Argentinian capital. Alternatively, you can opt to stay on the ship and still enjoy the sights, with a number of packages sailing through Cape Horn - the most southerly tip of South America.

Why I Started This Blog

I have so many dreams and plans of travel! Some people dream of a home, a white picket fence, 2.5 children and a steady 9-5 Monday to Friday job... That is SO NOT Me! I actually sold off my dream home that I lived in for 8 years. I also sold my flower shop business that I had for 15 years. Have I gone off my rocker? Shouldn`t I be looking for another home and another secure job?

I now live in my camper which is parked in front of a large Northern lake. I wake up every morning to the sound of birds and squirrels, I turn in at night to the sight of the most glorious sunsets the North of Ontario showcases. I am So lucky to be living here now and to be working online, making all the money I need to live comfortably without having to go into town to do it. I am a Northern Girl wild and free...

Of course this is all well and wonderful but once it starts getting cold and icy here in my little northern paradise, it won`t be as pleasant to be here! And so, I am planning my escape. Actually, I came up with a lifestyle design plan so that my husband and I can have the best of all worlds. You see, we are also avid boaters and often spend days and nights on our 27 foot Doral Citation out on our northern lake. And so, my escape plan also includes boating in the winter in a southern location.

Here is my global plan:
September, October and November- International Travel
December, January- Northern Ontario
February, March, April- Florida and the Caribbean
May, June, July, August- Northern Ontario

I will be elaborating my plan more in depth in my future posts and sharing with you some of the highlights of the locations I will be travelling to...
Hope you enjoy dreaming with me, seeing the evolution of my lifestyle design plan. Ideally, you could be inspired into designing your own life in exactly the manner which suits you best. Anything is possible especially in this day and age of thoughts that create things. It all starts with a dream...then a plan. Good Luck to you and wish me luck!