Heading back to South America
Our path for this coming trip
Obviously Poor John and I didn’t get enough of South America last year, which is why we’re on our way back next month.
It’s another overland trip—in sleeping bags and a tent again—cruising along the recently completed Trans Oceanic Highway that goes from Rio to Lima.
Country-wise, we’ll visit Brazil and Peru in 55 days. It’s a new trip for Oasis Overland so we’ll be pioneers. Most of the time we’ll be in Brazil and that’s what we’re enthusiastic about because we only had two weeks in Brazil in 2012. Frankly, the country is huge—the size of an Australia plus a Western Australia.
Have a look at the map above. We’ll be seeing national parks, colonial cities, the national capital, the Amazon, the jungle, remote beaches and the Pantanal. Actually, I’m especially keen to revisit the Pantanal. We had Christmas there in 2012.
A toucan visits in the Pantanal
The Pantanal is one of the world’s largest wetlands, but we saw it in the dry—very dry—season. It was fascinating in the dry, but this time there will be water. 🙂
We’ll also be revisiting some of the highlights of Peru, including the delicious national dish of ceviche. This time, Poor John is also keen to do the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Not sure my knees are up to the thousands of steps on that hike, so I might do the Lares Trek again or—shhhh—take the train.
There are three other great aspects to this trip.
- Three friends are thinking about joining in too.
- We already know the driver and guide. Colin and Danny were with us for the last month of our Oasis trip in 2012. They were coming on as new crew in South America, and were onboard for some final training. They are good at what they do and a lot of fun.
- It made it on to Wanderlust magazine’s list for the top 50 trips of 2013.
Our vaccinations are current, the passports are going in for Brazilian visas and we’ve paid for the trip, so stay tuned for more of our overland adventures. Here are some more details about the adventure itself.
During the wet season, water in the Pantanal can be knee-deep on the horses.
Where to next? 
WOW this is quite a trip, looking forward to lots of updates on it
I just sent you an email,(lots of questions, as usual) it wouldnt let me post a comment here
This might be something I might like to give a try
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We’re really looking forward to it, and I promise to post lots.
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That’s so exciting! I look forward to reading all about it 🙂
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Now we just have to figure out how to do Canada again. 🙂
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I really want to do Canada and the US, but not these short 10-15 day trips they offer
So anything you can advise would be good
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To do Canada and the US properly, I think you need to buy/hire a car and take your time. That’s what we’ll try to do.
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What is the weather like in South America during your travel there ?
Do they have anything simular to the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year ?
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Wow, seems like you only just got back – hope we’re not tooooo boring!
; ]
Sent from my iPad
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You boring? Never! Severe wanderlust for me? Always!
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Have a great adventure!
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Thank you The Rider. I’ll try to post lots about this adventure.
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It looks brilliant. Would love to join you, but we are returning to Hong Kong and Vietnam in a couple of weeks and then away again in July. Not quite on your scale, but so looking forward to it. We promised ourselves a holiday once everything was over and rushed to book the flights this morning! 🙂
We will follow and enjoy your adventures as always x
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Lin, we’re just so thrilled about your and Norman’s news and that you are travelling again. Come back to Australia and we’ll drive to Uluru again or the Great Barrier Reef or Western Australia. You pick. Sending hugs.
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HOW exciting! We get to see more of South America through yours and Poor John’s unique eyes!
Cheers! Joanne
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Thanks Joanne. We’re excited about the new destinations.
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I’m fascinated about the ruins of Machu Picchu. I’ve watched a documentary several times on Netflix about the site. What an amazing engineering marvel they created without iron tools. How the heck did they do that on top of that mountain?
Yep… lots of steps and stairs to climb.
I live vicariously thru your travels with Poor John.
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Oh Potsie, Machu Picchu is amazing. I promise to do a post about it soon.
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That is another pile of rocks to take lots of photos of, seen a lot of ruins
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Here’s a good story about ruins. A friend of Poor John’s took his nephew to visit the ruins of Luxor and Karnak in Egypt. The child looked around and said, “Oh Uncle, who broke that?’
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I really like Egypt and Luxor, always plenty to see and do
I think we have seen every tomb out there now, but I still enjoy going back there and just wandering around the ruins
I have a friend who has an apartment out there, not bad and he seems to know everyone out there and how to get the best prices for everything
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I love, love, love Egypt. Met Poor John there, did a uni degree there, learned Arabic there and could go back again and again and again.
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Leggy Peggy,
It is nice to know people like you and “Poor John” who are “Rich and Famous!” I can hardly afford to make a fancy gourmet meal at home, let along venture out on a big trip like you and “Poor John” have and can do. And famous… look at all the people you know and have met throughout your extensive travels. The best I can do is to be a computer potato (like a couch potato) and read about your adventures, in the comfort of my apartment… and it does not cost me a “Red Cent.” I look forward to reading about your latest overland trip across South America… and maybe this time read about Machu Picchu. Aside- I think I read about tourists being kidnapped on the mountain treks up to Machu Pitchu… so talk “Poor John” in taking the train with you… and play it safe.
Sy
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I promise to write about Machu Picchu before we go this time. I have all the pics, but keep getting side-tracked. 🙂 And I reckon there’s no chance of talking Poor John out of the Inca Trail, but there’s little chance of being kidnapped either. These treks are organised with professional guides and porters. The company, Pachamama, has an excellent reputation.
And these trips really are inexpensive. All the transportation and accommodation (tents or hostels) and about 60 per cent of the food is included, and we’ve figured out that it costs us just about the same to stay home. The only pricey bit is the airfares to go and come back.
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Hi, Peggy and John
Surprised but not surprised that you are going back to South America!! By the way, we went to Machu Picchu by way of the train! Saw some of the hikers packing up gear for one of the trail hikes at one of the train stops. It was still a hike up after the bus took us up as far as it could go. Well worth it!!!!
Have had a lot going on in our lives since you visited here with two new great-grands, marriages (Colleen and Robert), visits from son Mike and Patty from WI and son Mark and Kathy from New York, grand-kids visits as well. Grandson Brett from WI will be here for Mother’s Day week-end.
Colleen and Robert had a trip planned to Germany on business for Robert’s company (he was named President of the company just a few months ago), and were to stop in Paris on the way. Robert changed the itinerary a bit so they spent 3 days in Paris so they could be married there. Just one hitch – France (or maybe just Paris) wouldn’t allow them to be married there unless one of them had lived in Paris (or France) for at least 40 days. Sooo they were married by a minister in their home a few weeks before leaving. Treated to lunch on one of the dining room levels of the Eiffel Tower, married the next day (with their marriage certificate in hand) in a chapel near the Louvre. Colleen’s close friend is an event planner who speaks fluent French and made the arrangements for the lunch and the wedding in the chapel. They were told during the lunch by an Ambassador sitting next to them that they were very lucky to have been able to do the lunch without reservations many months in advance and were also told that not just anybody would be able to get married in that particular chapel! It had to be Vie and her French. Her mother was French and Vie grew up speaking French. No other way to explain it! I didn’t mention that Vie and her husband were going to be in Paris at the same time so stood up for them at the chapel ceremony.
After the Aviation Show in Friedrichshaven, Germany they were invited to spend some time in a spa in Dubai that was owned by the father of one of the dealers for Robert’s company. They left Dubai today and will return to Seattle tomorrow. Just in time to unpack and repack for a trip to Orcas Island for Robert’s daughter’s wedding next Saturday.
I have a lot of reading to do to catch up with all your travels since you visited us. Just last week we saw a very interesting documentary on NOVA about The First 4 Billion years of Australia. We enjoyed our trip there very much.
Enough for now. Love, Jo.
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Oh Jo, it’s so great to hear all your news, especially about Colleen’s and Robert’s wedding and travels. And how fun for you to see the rest of the family and grandkids. Have a fantastic Mother’s Day. Much love from us.
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Hey it seems nice.. I can understand ur excitement about Pantanal, it is amazing place and if u would be lucky u could see jaguar, giant river otter, peccary,tapir and so many birdssss… well i have a very good frnd in peru she got her resort there. i wish i could join with u guys.. have fun and happy journey 🙂
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Hi Deepti, thanks for stopping by my blog and your good wishes for our travels. I wonder what animals we’ll see this time. 🙂
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Wow I wish I could hike a ride in your carry on baggage or something. Sounds really exciting!!
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Hi Liz, I’m sure there’s still room on the truck so come join us. 🙂
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You are going back to South America again? I wish I could come camping with you. I am finishing uni at the end of this year. Hopefully, I can visit you sometime this year or early next year:)
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Sending you huge hugs, Asami. We’ll figure out some trip we can do together. Stay tuned for ideas.
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