Last night we stayed for free with an lovely Australian man at his Garden Nursery. He's got quite a huge plot of land near Ibarra, Ecuador and sells thousands of plants wholesale style. He has a nice spot to park up and a kitchen and shower. He even has rooms if you're on a motorbike.

If you want to stay there just send him an Email to make sure he's around. His Email is gkersy at hotmail . c o m

The GPS point is below (you can look at where it is on BING MAPS, not Google) N 00 18.416    W 078 07.918  

He mentioned he likes visitors ! Its a good place to stay and then cross to Columbia the next day. His place to Pasto in Columbia is easily done in a day. Even if you take hours to cross and spent over an hour buying insurance !!

We'd like to say thanks to Rusty, Laura and their lovely family for looking after us,,,, for a week !!! in Quito. THANKS !!!!

We've arrived in Columbia and we are staying in the Hotel Chambu in Pasto. They have a nice garage with 2.6 meter door. So if you need a hotel because you feel like you're going to be murdered due to the FCO reports then this is the place.

More on the spider when i upload the photos tomorrow.

There I was going under the car an this little fella....(LARGE fella) decided to happen by. Not sure what he is or if he's a biter but I didn't stick around long. I resisted the temptation to "nuke his ass" and let him run away. Hopefully he's not back this morning. If he comes back he's getting nuked.

OK so i did a little goggle searching and it looks like a Brazilian Wandering Spider.......OH !!!! "The most venomous spider in Earth". It did rear up just like one when I annoyed it. I hope its not in the garden or more importantly in the car !!!!

On a lighter note....

When flying one way some airlines will stop you boarding and this includes the return portion of your ticket you used to visit home. You see you don't have a return ticket now do you....you only have the return part. This means they will stop you flying. Except you can check the rules and wave them in their faces before you travel. I'm not saying you can fly but if you know the rules then you can travel pre-warned.

For example we we flying back to the USA and if you use VWP you need a return ticket. If you have a B2 visa then you don't need a roudtrip ticket.

STAR ALLIANCE TIMATIC APPLICATION

Sorry about the formatting.....

/ 25MAY13 / 0708 UTC
National United Kingdom (GB)     Embarkation United Kingdom (GB)/Destination USA (US) 
USA (US)
  Passport required. - Passports issued to nationals of United Kingdom must be
  valid for the period of intended stay.  Passport Exemptions:
- Holders of a Form I-512 ( Authorization for Parole of an
  Alien into the United States").  - Holders of a Temporary or Emergency passports.  Visa required, except for A max. stay of 90 days for holders of British passports endorsed  British Citizen  traveling as a
tourist, on business or in transit (SEE NOTE 42904) (SEE NOTE 42905) (SEE NOTE 42906) (SEE NOTE 42907)     NOTE 42904: Passengers must obtain an ESTA authorization
   (via https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/) prior to boarding.      NOTE 42905: Passport issued on or after October 26, 2006    must be biometric (i.e. e-Passport, containing an    integrated chip).     NOTE 42906: Passport issued on or after October 26, 2005,    but prior to October 26, 2006 must:    - be machine-readable and contain a digital photograph; or    - be biometric (i.e. e-Passport, containing an integrated    chip).     NOTE 42907: Passport issued prior to October 26, 2005 must    be machine-readable. Visa required, except for Holders of British passports
endorsed  British Overseas Territories Citizen  issued to
residents of Bermuda. Visa required, except for Holders of a Form I-512 ( Authorization for Parole of an Alien into the United
States"). Minors: - Children, up to/incl. 15 years of age, being nationals of
  United Kingdom, are not allowed to enter the USA on their   parents passports.  - Minors traveling unaccompanied, or accompanied by one parent   or a person other than parent/legal guardian,   For details, click here.       Additional Information:
- Visitors are required to hold proof of sufficient funds to   cover their stay and documents required for their next   destination. 
- The following applies to those traveling under the US Visa   Waiver Program:  - Each passenger must hold own passport (incl.    Emergency/Temporary passport) and be traveling as a    tourist, on business or in transit.   - A return/onward ticket (or electronic ticket record) must
   be to a final destination country other than Canada, Mexico
   or contiguous (adjacent) countries or territories situated
   in or bordering the Caribbean Sea For details, click here . If    passenger holds proof of residence in, or is transiting the
   USA to such a country or territory, an onward/return ticket
   to that country or territory is accepted.   - Passenger can make side trips to Canada, Mexico or    Caribbean countries/islands, provided first entering the    USA on a carrier participating in the VWP. No additional
   time is given (extension) based on the departure to
   contiguous (adjacent) territory For details, click here .   - A passenger may enter the USA with a valid visa in an   expired passport, provided For details, click here - Beginning students holding "F", "J" or "M" student/exchange   visitor visas For details, click here Warning: - Visitors must hold return/onward tickets For details, click here.   (SEE NOTE 46524)     NOTE 46524: Exempt are holders of a valid US visa.  
 
USA (US)
Vaccinations not required.
Warning: - Those entering on a K-1 or K-2 visa must hold a medical form   FS398 and X-ray plates of chest (full size not necessary).   To facilitate handling upon arrival considerably, passengers   are advised to have these health documents ready in their   hands as they must have them at hand for the health control,   which takes place immediately after disembarkation.
CHECK TINEWS/N1 - EGYPT: DOCUMENT VALIDITY

Today we managed to find some partially used drive flanges thanks to Rusty's local Land Rover garage. We're staying with Rusty and Laura who we met on the internet. They've been so generous like many others we have met on our travels. Thankfully the local Land Rover place sold me the drive flanges for only $30USD so about the same as the UK. One of them is piratically new and the other shows very minimal wear and I've can now rest easy if we decide to go to Manaus in the Amazon.

A good few nights wild camping and driving quite quickly we stayed one night in a rather expensive campsite in Hotel Huanchaco Gardens Hotel. It was OK. I've posted some photos. For the price is could have been better but it was quiet so probably worth it.

I might not have mentioned the attempted robbery in Puno in Peru. Well We've noticed what he dried to do. Take a look at the block lock off the door. He never managed to get it off of course but there you have it. Daylight and we saw him do it. So did that little girl. Now I remember I mentioned it at the time.

We've caught up with Henning again and he's of course staying in a hotel with a car park suitable for overlanders except they won't let us park and camp without paying for a room. We're parked outside another hotel that has security and and "evening guy" with a big stick who charges $3USD to look after the car. The area is party central so unluckily Henning's Hotel is on one of the noisy roads and ours not so much. They were out partying until 4:30am though. When we got up this morning there was a guy passed out just behind the car and he was motionless. He may have been dead but he wasn't there later so maybe they cam and collected the body. We did get at least three "door tries" and "shovel lock wiggles". At one point I shouted "leave it !!!" at the top of my voice to scare them off. It was probably just drunk people but you never know. Its not the first time. The other day a policeman at a check point decided to try and open the back door whilst we were talking to his buddy.

Tomorrow, Julies birthday.....we stay with Rusty and Laura in there home in Quito. We met online and they invited us to stay. Its also Rusty's Birthday and he's 40.....We seem to have a habit of doing spectacular things on Julies Birthday. However this time she's only 41 so its not like its anything special like last year. Can you remember what we did last year on the day ? I certainly can. I drove a very long way to sleep in a church yard ! Happy Birthday Julie....

No i didn't eat the guinea-pig....

The driving here is markedly better than most South America countries however they still have little regard for any rules. They do seem to actually stop at red lights however. Cones on the other hand are meant to be flattened.

The Fuel here, Henning warned us, was really expensive. It was some $2USD per liter. He forgot its per GALLON and for diesel its $1.03 for 3.79 liters. So about 25c per liter or 18p UK. Now how can that be ? Could it be the extraordinary amount of tax we pay on everything amounting to some 70 or 80% of everything we earn going on tax. Well for some readers at least. We are no longer UK tax payers.

We should be on our way again today. Thanks the Club Germania in Lima for our stay. Trying to find the boss man to say thanks but if we can't find him we've said it here. I wonder if i knows we have a web site....

Not sure where the next place is or if we will get web access. On our way to Ecuador to meet some nice people we met on the Internet. Rusty and Laura.

I've decided to ditch the Facebook posts to my personal page. So all future posts should be copies to the OverLandBirds Facebook profile. I hope the changes work....!

This of course means I need to post somethings twice and effectively doubles the work if i start making status updates on there. I must be mad !

We are staying in the Club Germania in Lima and its pretty damn OK. For free we have a flat car park , security, a Cafe and the best showers since Eldoret Africa. If we want to use the pool and tennis courts there's no problem. So if you are reading this Oberland Hotel, La Paz. They are FREE and their facilities are better !!!! The Wi-Fi is fast and they make money off us using the cafe and restaurant. Rather like we did in Oberland except we also paid to camp on the (not flat) car park. I'm having a bit of a downer on Oberland but after all it was expensive for what we got and although they sorted out the problems with our bill, we still had the problems in the first place! This place is not a campsite at all and we are lucky they let us vagabonds stay here...maybe they should charge. I would happily pay something....(I must be ill)

bringing me neatly on to.....

My sea food did stay eaten but some mystery illness came along a knocked me for six for just over 24hours. I had the same symptoms I did with the last bout of "dehli-belly" but not the rear trouble that normally comes with bad food. I was just knackered and had a high temperature. I had shivers and was feeling just shit. Its taken a few days to disappear completely but now I'm about 98%. Good enough to go to the Korean Restaurant up the road tonight we think.

Today we had the oil changed in the gearbox. A problem as they only have the older specification for lube here and not the recommended stuff. So far it seems OK and only time will tell if it lasts a long. The old stuff looked like new when it was removed. Would it have lasted another 10,000miles....maybe.

The only big think worrying me at the moment is the rear drive flanges. They are wearing and I have no spares. The half-shafts are also showing signs of wear. We might be doing a bodge job in Ecuador with the aid of our internet friends who will hopefully be staying with. More on that later.

Henning's been stopped again but the Police. He's not having much fun. I'm sure his web site will tell the tail soon enough. Go to oneworldonejourney to follow his travels and brushes with the law on every continent.

Kiwipanamerica are also having fun in the jungle and helping out stranded truckers.....they must be trying to catch up to my rescue record.....Their facebook page is were its all at although I did my best at embarrassing them into updating their proper blog.

Oh...and since we are in Lima we've been to see Iron Man 3 and the new Star Trek......fantastic in 3D.....and the new Star Trek is better than Iron Man although I'm not so sure about Dolby Digital 3D.....

As I`ve said before we hate the beach....Paracas was OK. Pisco is crap. So there you have it. For the first time in ages were are in an internet cafe doing internet stuff. So no photos as I don`t plug my stick in just any old hole. Last time I did, in vietnam I got a dose of something unmentionable.

As Dad rightly pointed out Julie was and is still knackered. She`s walking like Dad was when he climbed a fence he shouldn`t have and broke his leg.....Julie needs your crutches....Hobbling around like an 80 year old....not that Dad is 80 but having a zimmer makes you look like you are. I`m sure you went a bit more grey when using it....

We ate sea food yesterday. Hopefully it stays eaten.

Did I mention we saw the Nasca lines. Not really as big as I imagined. for 50p to go up the tower It wasn`t a bad 5 min stop off. We didn`t want to do the plane ride.....you can google the lines.

We saw 8 and 9 here from the viewing tower.

The problem with Machu Picchu is its a clear as mud how to get there and what stuff costs. So....

Drive to Santa Theresa and camp in the little campsite. Camping is 5 SOL but they do have some rooms for the same price. Location on our MAP.
The next day in the afternoon get a Taxi from Santa Theresa to Hydro Electrica for 5 to 10 Sol each. The campsite will arrange one. Leave your car at the campsite. Its safe !
Once at Hydro Electrica you can either catch the train (around 3pm) from Hydro Electrica to Aqua Calientes for 18 USD or walk the 2 hours up the train line to Aqua Calientes. You are better walking in the afternoon and getting a hostel in Aqua Calientes for 40 SOL overnight. Don't try to do it all in a day !!!
That evening go to the ticket office and get a ticket for Machi Picchu for the next day. The hostel will tell you where it is. These are 128 SOL each. In the morning you can either walk up the path to Machu Picchu or catch the bus. The bus is 9.50USD single or 18USD return, you'll see the ticket office on your way into town. I'd catch to bus as you have to walk back to Hydro Electrica in the same day. In the morning go up to Machu Picchu and see the sights. If you want to go up the big mountain to get the views this takes 3 hours, about 1.5 up and 1 hours down. Its costs a bit more to get the combo ticket for the mountain and Machu Picchu. You have to start climbing before 11am. The views are great. This is not the smaller hill with limited tickets but the bigger one with better views. Once you've done the mountain and Machu catch the bus down and get off at the bridge. Just shout at the drive to stop when you get to the river. Walk back along the train line to Hydro and catch any waiting taxi or bus back to Santa Theresa to the campsite.

So If you do the walking thing you pay for the campsite, hostel, entry ticket and bus. There's also the fuel to get the Santa Theresa. The road is OK. Travel light, its a long walk. There are places to get drink and food along the rail line at about half way.