The Kiwi Experience Bus

The Kiwi Experience, along with Stray, is one of the most popular ways to get around New Zealand, with a comprehensive network of hop-on hop-off buses around both islands.

The Kiwi bus is very popular with British teens on their gap yahs, and I had pretty much nothing in common with 60% of people on the buses I hopped onto. But, I made some incredible friends and had one of the best times of my life. 

It's a very slick operation, and all the drivers know exactly how it works, and can recommend places that are best to hop off if you have spare time to explore more. As I did it in autumn/ winter, there were four buses a week, so hopping off usually meant three nights in one place, but in summer there are buses every day. However, it's much busier in summer, and there might be some difficulty getting the bus you want unless you call or email the office and book a few days in advance. Most buses I was on, except the first one with the newbies all starting in Auckland, were quiet. Once you're on one bus they assume you're staying on it and following the set itinerary until you book a different bus with the main office. The timetables are available online. 

Most people, including me, hop off for a while in Queenstown, mainly because it's a fantastic place with loads to do. And the most popular route seemed to be Auckland to Christchurch, which works really well. That way you don't have the dull activity-less ride north to Auckland, but having said that I made my own fun on that section of the trip in Taupo and Auckland. The only thing that is a shame to miss out on if you finish in Christchurch is the whale-watching or dolphin swimming in Kaikoura, but you can pay the Kiwi Experience driver NZ$20 extra to take you there, and then arrange a local bus back to Christchurch. 

Before every stop you make, the driver will pass round sign-up sheets for activities on offer. These are normally at a good discount, often as good as 30% off. And there are often a variety of options. Or you can do nothing if you want to save money or feel like having an afternoon/morning off. I was in need of a break after five days straight of at least one big activity per day. I loved the madness, but it's nice to sit back from the fast pace once in a while. 

The drivers do the same with accommodation sheets. Most people stay together, but if you've booked ahead somewhere else they can normally drop you there. The accommodation can be cheaper if you book ahead online, so if you can find out what hostel everyone is staying at, you can save money that way. 

When it comes to choosing what pass you want to buy (basically what you want to see in New Zealand), I would definitely recommend going for one that includes both islands if your time limit/ budget allows. Both islands are packed full of things to do, with the south being more rugged and beautifully wild, and the north full of culture, beaches and activities. 

The Deep South (Dunedin, the Catlins, Invercargill and Milford Sound) is very scenic. But if you're pressed for time I would recommend just doing the Milford Sound day trip from Queenstown. 

I can't comment on the Bay of Islands section because it wasn't included in my pass, but the people who went there, even in autumn, said that it was beautiful. I'd be more inclined to go and see its beaches if it was summer though. 

Either of those sections can be bought from your driver if you want to do them and they're not included in your pass. 

Absolutely look at what passes they have on offer at the time you book. This is just one of their pages on their website. I got my Auckland-Auckland Chilly Bin pass for 46% off, bringing it to less than NZ$900. And that includes the cruise at Milford Sound as part of the Deep South. 

I didn't meet anyone who said they had paid full price for their ticket. So have a look and see what's on offer. They rotate the passes on offer every so often. 

To be honest, I thought that the price I paid was a good deal, and made it worth it. I wouldn't have been happy to pay upwards of NZ$1000 for it. But it all depends on your budget. 

Alternatives include the Naked Bus system, and Stray. 

And when it comes to deciding how much time to allow, have a look at the 'minimum days' they suggest for each pass, and go from there. Try to leave yourself some days to play with, so you can hop off if you want to. You might meet people you want to stay with. Most people stay extra nights in Wellington, Kaiteriteri and Queenstown. I heartily recommend QT out of those though, if you only have time to hop off in one place. But for the most part I found people didn't hop off in many places, if at all. 

Overall, I think the Kiwi Experience is a fantastic way to meet people, have a nice easy time, and see this amazing country. But it's definitely not the only way to do it.

Tacna, Peru to Arica, Chile by Bus

Yesterday I left Peru and the five weeks there behind me, and entered a new country! I was really excited to go to Chile, if only for a change of scene. But also I can't wait to explore the Atacama desert.

I got a Flores bus from Arequipa to Tacna, which was advertised as taking five hours, but actually took six. The journey south was through very rugged terrain at times, the road clinging to the sides of valleys seemingly made entirely of golden scree. Then we went into the desert proper, and I had my first views of all-encompassing, horizon-hugging nothingness, only broken occasionally by the waltz of power cables across the landscape. 

I met a very nice couple on the bus, Amy and Cody, and they were going to Arica as well, so we tackled the border together. Arriving at Tacna you need to cross the road to the international bus station and find one of the many people asking if you want a colectivo to Arica, which is basically a taxi which they fill with people and then go. It cost us 20 soles per person. 

They take your passport from you to print off a small form which you need at Chilean immigration. Keep that safe! 

It's 20km to the border from Tacna, and then a further 20km to Arica once you're in Chile. Despite being directly south, Chile is in a different time zone, and due to daylight saving time we lost two hours, despite my iPod insisting Chile was only an hour ahead. There is a digital clock when you go through to prove Apple wrong. 

Then our driver took us to the bus station in Arica and dropped us and our bags there. The three of us bought tickets for our onward journeys, Amy and Cody to San Pedro, and me to Iquique for this morning. 

We walked along the beach, just in time to see a gorgeous sunset, and had dinner near the main plaza. Arica is a really relaxed surfing town, and I liked it a lot, even though I was only there for one night. 

It was also really nice to be back at sea level, as for the last four weeks I've been at least 2,500 metres up in the mountains. But oddly I didn't feel any different, other than not being out of breath after taking two steps. I guess I had properly acclimatised to the thin air, which I suppose is a good thing. 

Right now I'm lying on a very comfortable sofa by a window overlooking the front patio of my beach-adjacent hostel in Iquique, and tomorrow I'm doing a tour to the nearby mining ghost towns and oasises. No complaints my end. 

Arequipa

I'm now in Arequipa, Peru's White City. And its second largest city as well. I was prepared to be a bit meh, as I was with Lima and Puno, but Arequipa has earned itself second place after Cusco in my world-famous ranking of Peruvian cities.

I've stayed in two hostels, both in the historical centre, so I can only comment on the area with the cathedrals and pretty buildings. It's this area that gives Arequipa its nickname as the White City, thanks to the volcanic stone the buildings were made from. 

But the best thing about Arequipa is its setting on a plain beneath three snow-capped active volcanoes. My first hostel, Park Hostel, was in a nice colonial building with a fabulous roof terrace that looks over the roofs of the centro histórico over to the volcanoes. What a sight for breakfast. 

From here you can do all manner of trips, including white-water rafting, mountain/volcano climbing, and hiking. Not being an adrenalin-junkie myself, I'm doing a one-night two-day trip to Colca Canyon, which is one of the world's largest canyons, even outdoing the Grand Canyon. That's Wednesday-Thursday, so I've got tomorrow to explore Arequipa some more. 

But the girls I met in Rio (god that feels like ages ago, and it was only two months) are joining me in the hostel I'm in now. It's a full on party hostel, The Wild Rover, which also has branches in La Paz and Cusco. I haven't stayed in a lively hostel like this before. I love a good party, but I tend to like my partying and sleeping to be in separate places. We'll see I guess. Got to try these things! I'll pretend I'm a one-man lads on tour group. 

So anyway, it'll be really nice to see them again. I assume we'll do some kind of sightseeing tomorrow, then I've got Colca Canyon for two days (booked through the hostel - 75 soles for the one-night tour). And then I've booked a bus for Tacna on Friday, and from Tacna I'll go by bus to Arica, in Chile. Then it'll be goodbye to Peru! 

Oh also, I took a Cruz Del Sur bus from Puno to Arequipa, and it was very comfortable. Cruz Del Sur is generally regarded as the safest bus company to travel with in Peru, so it's a bit more expensive than you'd pay with other companies. It cost me 59 soles for the cheaper level (top level) for the five and a half hour trip here. There was a small snack included, and blankets! You still don't get a choice about whether to hear the films they played on the overheard screens though. Four hours of Ben Hur and I was ready to Ben Hurl. But then they played Tangled, which I'd actually wanted to see when it came out. Well done Cruz Del Sur. 

Anyway, my lively hostel awaits my presence. Will update soon! 

Farewell Cusco

As a note, this post is not meant to be in Spanish! A computer I was using when I wrote it changed it automatically. As soon as I figure out how to translate it back I will.

Yo lo he hecho! He abandonado la nave. Cortar los lazos sueltos. Tuve que salir del agujero cómoda que había pasó tres semanas acariciando dentro y salgo de mi familia anfitriona, mi hermana de acogida, y mi rutina de voluntariado atrás.

Para compadecer mi última noche Sarah y yo nos fuimos de nuevo a la cafetería en la Avenida El Sol, Amorino, ya que, en mi opinión, el mejor pastel en Cusco. El personal puede ser hosco, pero 6,50 soles para una gran parte del pastel más rico y muy bien húmeda de chocolate nunca no se puede argumentar con. 

Luego nos fuimos a Mama Africa para nuestra segunda ronda de salsa y un poco de boogie de después. Es todavía muy bien. 

Luego la mañana de ayer fue mi último adiós a mis padres de acogida. Lo hice ahogar un poco, pero mantuve la compostura. Labio superior rígido y todo eso. En cierto modo me alegro mucho de que yo estaba triste por dejar, porque significaba que tenía un buen tiempo. Si yo estaba feliz de salir, eso no dice mucho durante las tres semanas que estuve allí. 

Pero yo estaba, y estoy, muy contentos de estar en el camino de nuevo. Y es casi como si esta es la primera vez que 'en el camino' adecuadamente solo, porque incluso cuando estaba volando en solitario antes, siempre tuve Milena que vendrá en una semana, o como voluntario en 10 días. Ahora sólo me y América del Sur para el próximo mes. En serio, no puedo creer que tengo poco menos de cuatro semanas a la izquierda aquí antes de que Nueva Zelanda. Hay un montón de Perú, Chile y Bolivia dejó de ver en ese momento! 

Mi viaje en autobús a donde estoy ahora, Puno, fue bastante tranquilo. Ellos nos filmaron cuando abordamos, que estoy suponiendo es que los registros de seguridad en lugar de una serie de tomas falsas hilarante. Fui con la compañía de autobuses Julsa, porque yo quería hacer el viaje en la luz del día, para disminuir el riesgo de accidentes de tráfico, que no son poco comunes en los Andes. La  compañía de autobuses regulares que los extranjeros se revierten en el Perú es Cruz Del Sur, debido a su buen historial de seguridad, pero sólo hizo un bus nocturno a Puno. 

Dejó a sólo 20 minutos de retraso, y sólo tuvo que parar una vez que el conductor fijar la escotilla claraboya que había soplado abierto. Esto provocó una disputa entre él y algunos pasajeros, que no creo que yo he entendido, aunque mi español era perfecto. 

El viaje duró poco más de siete horas, y nos llevó más arriba en las montañas (tomé una enfermedad píldora altitud por si acaso, como Puno se encuentra a 3.800 metros sobre el nivel del mar, 400 metros más alto que el Cusco). Había un poco de un gran escenario, cuando no estábamos de ser lanzado de un lado a otro por las carreteras sinuosas. Ellos no estaban muy mal en realidad. Me esperaba un paseo mucho más irregular. 

Había dos puntos de vista que más me impresionó. Uno era de un solo balanceo colina iluminada por los rayos del sol, mientras que la llanura que conduce a ella y todas las montañas de los alrededores fueron cubiertos en la sombra, como si alguien se había olvidado de convertir sus interruptores. Comenzó a llover de una nube delante de la colina iluminada, creando un arco iris que se extendía por la llanura al lado del autobús. 

Y más tarde, una vez que ya era de noche, comenzó a irrumpir en el horizonte. Era la primera vez que he visto una tormenta donde no ha llovido por encima, sólo en la distancia. Pude ver el flash relámpagos, revelando la nube en forma de yunque sentado amenazadoramente sobre las colinas. Muy por el espectáculo! 

Sufrí un poco de mal de altura, pero sólo un dolor de cabeza persistente y hormigueo, especialmente durante la noche. Pero creo que ahora estoy bien. Les digo que cuando regrese al nivel del mar que ejecutaré maratones en mi sueño. 

Esta mañana hice mi bus de Puno a Arequipa para el sábado, porque Puno es aburrido. Tan simple como. La única razón para estar aquí es para el Lago Titicaca, que voy a salir en un tour de mañana. 

Esta tarde fue en un viaje (40 soles) a Sillustani, una sepultura de tierra en las afueras de Inca de Puno. Estaba bien, como lugares de interés van, pero nada que destacar. Había un poco de información interesante acerca de los incas sin embargo. Perú está tan orgulloso de su historia inca, se puede oír cada vez que los mencionan. 

En el camino a Sillustani hubo algunas buenas vistas de las tierras agrícolas, sembradas de hierba pirámides y llamas pastando. Pero creo que el lago es lo que atrae a la gente a monótonos Puno. Hasta ahora, el punto culminante de mi presencia aquí es un acuerdo de ocho soles la hora del almuerzo me encontré en un pequeño restaurante junto a la Plaza de Armas. Así que espero que mi visita a las islas mañana cambia eso. Wow mí, Titicaca! 

Iguassu Falls

I know I`ve already raved about the Falls on my previous post, but today we went back to them, this time to the Argentinian side. And oh my god it`s even better than the Brazilian side.

While I would still recommend doing both (same as everyone), the Argentinian side is fit to bursting with stuff to do, including boat trips and easily accessible walks. And the walks don`t last 9km like one on the Brazilian side.

We did all of the walks (being three) and also got a combined ticket for two of the three boat trips. We went for the Aventura Nautica and Paseo Ecológico for AR$300. The other boat trip available was the Gran Aventura, but that takes about 80 minutes. Who has time for that.

The first one we went on the 20-minute Aventura Nautica, which takes you right up to the Falls in two places, and gets everyone in the boat soaking wet. You do get a waterproof bag to put your things in, and I changed into my swimming shorts (I was wearing them under my shorts) and flip flops because I`d heard how wet you get. And you`re literally as wet as if you`ve jumped into the river. But it`s so worth it. The views from the very bottom are incredible (when you can see through the spray) and it`s exhilerating to bounce your way up the rapids towards the cataracts and see them so close up.

We finished the day with the Paseo Ecológico, which was a relaxing boat ride along the forested waterways on top of the Falls. That was a really nice thing to finish with as it`s very calming and you get to see some wildlife along the way.

But right before we did that, we did the actual best part of the entire thing. Seeing the Devil`s Throat from the Brazilian side was fantastic, seeing it from the Argentinian is mind-blowing. You get so close to it you feel like you could be hovering over the semi-circle of pouring water, spraying mist and thundering noise. There`s an omnipresent rainbow here as well, which makes it all the more impressive.

This, for me, was the absolute do-not-miss of all of the Falls. In fact, I think it`s the most impressive natural thing I`ve seen in my life. The world will have to do very well to top it. You do get very wet from the spray coming up, but you don`t care because the sight is amazing. Milena`s review is: "IT`S SUPER AMAZING". That says it all.

We are slightly disappointed though, because we found out while we were here that you can do moonlight visits to the Falls for the five nights surrounding the full moon. Which starts tomorrow! So close...

But tomorrow we`re getting on the overnight bus to Buenos Aires (another 20 hours on a bus, how delicious...) but we paid for `cama` (bed) which looks a lot more comfortable than the Convencional we had coming here from Sao Paulo. Very much looking forward to Buenos Aires, I`ve heard very good things about it so let`s see.

Three Countries, One Day

Being at Iguassu Falls gives you the opportunity to visit all three countries that meet here at 'Tres Fronteras' - Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. 

Yesterday Milena and I went to the Brazilian side of the Falls, and they are breathtaking. Such an amazing sight. As we rounded the corner of the forest trail and caught our first sight I couldn't help but stop and point. I'm pretty sure my mouth fell open. What a loser. But it was a view I'd wanted to see since I was a child, and it was worth the wait. And the 15 hours on the bus to get here. 

We did the whole trail, crescendoing with the awe-inspiring, and soaking, Devil's Throat. There are platforms that go right to the lip and look down over the pouring water. And the best part was the rainbow stretching across the canyon at the foot of the falling water. Absolutely beautiful. 

We are going to the Argentinian side of the Falls tomorrow to do a boat trip and do the other activities on that side. But today we decided to stay dry and go to Paraguay for the afternoon. Casual. 

We took the bus from Puerto Iguazú, Argentina to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay this afternoon, and found that the bus went back through Brazil to get there. Although we didn't have to stop at the Brazilian border, so we just got our Argentinian exit stamps and Paraguayan ones. 

Ciudad del Este seems to be an electronics and shopping mecca for people from all the surrounding countries. As soon as you're through the border you're confronted with markets, department stores and street-sellers peddling everything from handbags to iPhones. It reminded me of Akihabara in Tokyo. And I actually found an iPhone 5S for the equivalent of £108. I was so tempted. But no, if something was wrong with it, I'd never get that money back. So I refrained. 

The interesting thing was that, being on the triple border, most places took a variety of currency. The place we had lunch asked if we wanted to pay for it in Uruguayan Guarani, Brazilian Real, Argentinian Pesos or US dollars. Spoilt for choice! 

The ATMs also give you the option to withdraw US dollars, which is very handy, as you can exchange dollars on the black market in Argentina for a much more favourable rate than the official rate. The current official rate is 7 pesos to the dollar, whereas you can get 13 pesos by talking to the "right" people. 

Leaving Paraguay, we had to wait over an hour at the border for the bus back to Argentina (via Brazil of course) so that was a bit of a grind, but we got back eventually, our passports even more overflowing with exit and entry stamps. 

It was interesting that Ciudad del Este was the first place I've been to in the last three weeks that I've actually felt was a developing country. Everywhere else in Brazil and Argentina could have easily been Spain or Italy. I need to get used to it though, I imagine Peru to be quite similar. But I'll find that out in just over a week! 

15 Hours on a Bus

And I survived! It's the longest I've ever been on a mode of transport, including flying, so it was a bit of a trial. We had to go for the Convencional bus, which is the cheapest, so it got us from Sao Paulo to Foz do Iguacu for 30 pounds, which is really good. But it also meant limited legroom, a slightly reclining seat and not a lot of other comforts. But it was actually fine. We had regular stops for toilets (there was a toilet on the bus though) and we even went to a couple of roadhouses where they gave us all an electronic card and we took food from a hot buffet and then paid our tab on the way out. Not too shabby!

For me, as someone who is prone to travel sickness just driving down my road in Birmingham, I was worried that it would be a hellish journey. I took a couple of travel sickness pills before we left, and if they did anything then they worked, because I was fine, and even got a few hours sleep.

We have another long bus journey coming up soon, from Puerto Iguazú (on the Argentinian side of Iguassu Falls) to Buenos Aires, but we're going to splash out the extra 10 pounds and go for a semi-cama one, which should recline to almost bed gradient, and apparently they serve you food too!

Overall, as quite an uptight traveller, I was impressed with the journey and am no longer worried about going long distances by bus. Which is handy really, as I have a hell of a lot of them coming up! But not Buenos Aires to Peru. That mother of a distance is getting flown.

Tomorrow Milena and I are finally going to visit Iguassu Falls themselves (on the Brazilian side) so I can fulfil that dream. Along my trip I have several glowing hotspots that I'm really looking forward to seeing, and this is one of them. Hopefully it won't disappoint!

São Paulo

So São Paulo does not have a good reputation. It's billed as a massive smog-choked metropolis with not much to see, but with good food and a booming nightlife scene. So I was expecting a grey, depressing city that stretches to the foothills of Mt. Doom.

And when our bus pulled into Tiete bus station last night, it was smog-filled, and it was grey. But then when we were leaving for the nearest metro station (with bus tickets for the following day to Iguassu Falls - yay!) the clouds parted and the sunset bloomed over the pedestrian squares and skyscrapers, and it was actually a lovely sight. I love cities anyway, so being in the largest city in the southern hemisphere probably suits me. Now I've lived in Tokyo and been here I've completed the set and been to the largest cities in the both the northern and southern hemispheres. Cross that off my list!

This city seems to work better than Rio. Rio is very relaxed, and while São Paulo is still very Brazilian, it seems more efficient, with a much more comprehensive and user-friendly metro system, recycling bins (!?) and an overall sense of organisation.

And interestingly, the people here seem friendly than in Rio, which really surprised me. You'd think that in sun-soaked and beach-surrounded Rio, people would be more relaxed and more willing to give a smile, but they seem relaxed and also cold. I have only spent one day in São Paulo, so I might be being too quick to compare, but that was my first impression.

Last night Milena and I went to São Paulo's Japan Town for dinner (there's a huge Japanese population here), which is something I've been really looking forward to, as I haven't been to Japan since 2010. We had onigiri, gyoza, and I had tempura udon for my main. Oh what a feast. I took photos of everything, obvz.

Today we're going to take in some of São Paulo's museums - Milena is keen to see a building within a building (don't ask me...) so that sounds worth a look. And we found a Sukiya (a Japanese restaurant chain) right by our hostel, so we're definitely going there for lunch!

I'd actually really recommend the hostel we're staying in. It's Hey Hostel, near Faria Lima metro station. It's near some funky bars and seems like a safe neighbourhood (which is very important when choosing a hostel in this city). The staff are nice and helpful, and the building is clean and secure. Definitely a winner.

Here are some photos of our second day in the city.

Tonight I'm spending the night on a bus for the first time in my life. This could be terrible, but we'll see. The blow should be softened when we arrive at Iguassu Falls tomorrow. I can't wait to see them. That's one of the points along my journey that I've wanted to see since I was a child, so bring it on!

Booking Brazilian Buses and Collecting Carnival Tickets

Okay, this is when I knew travelling would be a bit more stressful than being a beach bum. Actually trying to make things happen.

I'd heard of foreigners having trouble booking buses online because you need to input a Brazilian tax number (CPF) when you pay. I was keen to book in advance because Milena and I are going to Ilha Grande on Wednesday, straight after Carnival, and a lot of other people I've spoken to are planning to do the same thing. So my friend's mum booked it for me with Costa Verde and I gave her the cash. We had to provide our passport numbers, but because Milena was on a plane at the time we put my passport number in for both passengers. So tomorrow we're going to have to go and explain that we need to change that passport number, just in case they refuse us boarding to the bus on Wednesday. So fingers crossed we can sort that out. (My friend wrote out an explanation in Portuguese, so with any luck that will be sufficient).

And then I thought, okay, let's make this a productive day, I'll go and collect the Carnival samba parade tickets I ordered for me and Milena from Rio Carnival.net for this Sunday. I found the place without trouble and handed over my photocopy of my passport and the debit card I used to buy the tickets. The man disappeared for a second and then came back. He waved me over to the side and then said "There's been a bit of a problem". Right.

Apparently they are waiting for more tickets for Sector 8 (which I ordered because it's meant to have one of the best views of the whole parade) to arrive, so he offered me two tickets for Sector 7. Now I knew that Sector 8 was one of the most expensive sectors, so I told him that that wasn't good enough, and he insisted that the sectors cost the same. So I said I would return on Sunday, which is when he said they'd have more Sector 8 tickets. (I checked when I got back to the hostel, and did the sectors cost the same? Did they my foot.)

I asked the woman at the door when I left the collection point, and she said they might get more Sector 8 tickets tomorrow afternoon. Conflicting information! So I might go on Saturday during the day and see if they have any. But considering today is the first day we were able to collect the tickets, it's pretty poor that they didn't have enough for everyone.

My worry now is that they won't have ordered enough Sector 8s and we'll miss out. Of course I'll kick up a fuss if that's the case, and ask for more than the CD of samba music the guy offered me as a "present". But will I end up regretting not taking the Sector 7 alternative and cutting my losses, when I'm stuck in Sector 1? We'll see.

Anyway. Here's a picture of the sunset at Copacabana yesterday. That's just nicer in general.