Beard Blog

Day 2... Enough of arty fatty blogs, the one everyone has been waiting for... Beard Blog is here!
Having vowed to get fully into the traveling spirit (and help me get over my hair envy from being with Mike) the shavers, razors and clippers have been left at home for a full 3 months of facial foliage! Managed to sneak in a cheeky weeks head-start at work so here it is, day 2:
Love Doc x

Miraflores & Barranco (Lima)

So we're here! Mike and I were greeted at the airport with a sign for 'Anson', and we were soon on our way to Miraflores with a very friendly taxi driver who didn't speak any English so we did our best to play charades whilst he drove and gave us all his local knowledge. On arrival we were jumped on by Nikki and Rich who had spent the day here already, and it finally feels real. We share beers & wine in the hostel courtyard and chat till early hours. Rich set a new record by waking himself up as he falls out his chair, and we retire at 4am giddy about the next day.

In the morning we woke up, breakie in the yard, suns out and we head off through Miraflores which is a nice part of Lima. Loads going on everywhere. Hustle and bustle, kids playing with giant skipping role in the park, sunday mass (and it's actually rammed inside!) and we settle for lunch early on. Had some buttifara for lunch (Traditional pork type sarni) then we eventually wander to the beach. The sun peeps out and we loose ourselves here for a while. It's nice to feel the sand between our toes and pacific ocean washing away any nerves we may have started with. It feels really safe everywhere, friendly, a chilled out place to be.
We take the beach to Barranco, a boho area that's got stretches of windy street that carve through the hillside. It's more traditional here with colorful buildings, carvings on them, and everything is heavily gated. Gives a sense it's not safe but it feels the complete opposite. We meet the sailor dog 'Droll' and head to a bar for the taste of our first Pisco Sour. The traditional tipple I won't be having again! I'm glad I didn't know the white foam was egg white until I was half way through it! Nikki quickly polishes hers off but Mikes taste of the Machu Pichu cocktail wasn't as easy to swallow. He washed it down with beers and attempted to regain his manhood.

We headed back and crashed with too much fresh air in our lungs and day one tired legs. Sun burn already achieved through the clouds. The sun is so High in the sky which was a reminder of how close to the equator we are. Factor 50 out tomorrow.

Heading to Lima centre in the morning.
Love Caz x

Packing up goodbyes

So I'm now unemployed! Been trying to pack for three days, Not going well! What do I pack when I'm going through every climate possible? This is not easy.

Great news the other day.. Doc finally got down on one knee to the beautiful Nikki B.  don't think the rock will make it through the 'no jewellery' rule but it's ace they now have three months together to celebrate. Can't wait to start planning!

Already said my first farewell to papa Cawood. He's in NZ with work, and it was sad to say bye so early. Now I have the two most important women in my life to say bye to. My mum and sister are everything to me, and its horrible saying bye even if its only 6months. It's made even harder knowing that baby Webster is growing day by day. I can't wait to come back a week before she's due! Jon.. Look after Nat while I'm gone. Weekly bump pics are non negotiable!

Three days to first stop.. Lima. Caz xx

5 weeks today..

So five weeks today, Nikki, Mike, Rich (Jack) and I are due south, meeting in Lima on the 1st Oct 2011. Fed up of rain and routine we are decided to get away, and here we are a year later and so excited to head off and discover a new part of the world. As they say "the world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page", so we start a new chapter about South America..we've heard great things and read amazing stories, now we want to discover it ourselves. Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, wine tasting in Chille, dancing in Buenos Aires, and paragliding in Rio (hmmmm we'll see) and i'm sure many unknown adventures along the way.

So four friends head out, approaching the pending travels with no real plans and not knowing what each day will bring, where we will be sleeping that night, or who we will meet. But we'll be leaving you updates on here as we go (thanks to Anson's ipad and hopefully some free wi fi) so if you get a spare five mins and want to see what we're up to, feel free to come and read our story.

Next stop..Peru! Love caz x