World Trek-II
Journal
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13 Nov 2009: D-14
This log will be filled in during the trip as opportunity offers.
Introduction
2 weeks to go! Time to start this log, & begin with some background.
After the original World Trek in 1974, the 4 participants
split up around Australia. Rik Favalli & David Brooks (ie your narrator) were more often in Perth than not, &
maintained contact. The idea gradually developed to complete some of the unfinished business left
from the original trip, beginning with an attempt to return to the
bridge where we stopped in 1974, and try to get further,
hopefully over Babusar Pass & so to Gilgit.
Eventually, 3 foci developed:
- Babusar Pass (Pakistan)
We have never been able to locate the spot where we stopped in 1974, on any map. There is some evidence
that my navigation may have been astray: we were not on the main Babusar road at all, but on some unmarked
side-track. But if so, that was a very solidly built "side-track".
In 2013, Rik returned to Pakistan with a local guide, & succeeded in finding that bridge. My 1974 navigation was indeed, astray.
- Mount Roraima (South America)
Roraima is one of the so-called Tepuis (or tepuys), flat-topped mountains rising from the Amazon jungle. In the
USA, such mountains would be termed "mesas", however mesas rise from arid country. The tepuis are
surrounded by jungle, & extend upward into an almost-permanent cloudbase. Consequently their tops receive
an inordinate rainfall, enough to wash away any soil. The world's highest waterfall,
Angel Falls, falls down the side of a tepui. There
are also strange, wind-sculpted rock formations.
The lack of soil has not stopped plants from evolving there, however they have been forced to turn carnivorous for want of other food.
It is believed that these tepuis were the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story
"The Lost World",
although there are no dinosaurs to be found there.
Roraima lies at the junction of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana, the "triple point" being on the flat top.
Generally, tepuis have sheer sides up to 1000m high: to climb them is a serious matter, far beyond our abilities
(one can hire a helicopter to "ascend" some tepuis).
However, Roraima is unique in having a natural staircase up the Venzuelan side, which can be ascended without recourse
to advanced rock-climbing techniques.
- Antarctic Peninsula.
There are only 2 ways to Antarctica: take your own boat, or join an organised party! Since my seamanship is
certainly not up to such a thing, we choose the second option. There are several operators running tours
by various routes around the Antarctic. Not having won the lottery, we are constrained to
one of the shorter trips, to the northerly end of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Fortunately, these cruises provide polar-grade parkas, so we don't have to carry them through the tropics!
(We might well have discarded them after the Antarctic, otherwise.)
There is no intention to fit out expedition vehicles as we did 35 years ago: we will
use public transport where possible, & obtain resources locally as needed. We had made contact with a
Pakistani tour operator, who specialises in the northern areas, and were well advanced in planning, when
political & military developments in Pakistan rendered Babusar impractical, at least for now.
So there remained South America, and the Antarctic Peninsula.
The Antarctic segment now set the timing for the whole enterprise: the cruises run from November through March.
If we visit Roraima before the Antarctic, we have a hard deadline to meet coming out of the Amazon jungle: this
was seen as a bad idea. Also the river levels around Angel Falls are too low for boats after December. These
considerations pointed us to an early Antarctic sailing, with Roraima to follow.
Itinerary
As developed, the overall plan has 4 segments:
- Antarctic Peninsula
Flying from Perth on Nov. 27, via Sydney & Buenos Aires, to Ushuaia, Argentina, the world's southern-most city.
The Antarctic ships leave from here. Our trip,
Antarctic Adventure runs for 10 days, returning to Ushuaia.
- Mt. Roraima
From Ushuaia, flying via Buenos Aires & Sao Paolo, to Manaus, Brazil, on Dec. 11.
Manaus represents the end of the pre-booked section of the trip; we play it by ear from here until we leave Chile to return to Australia.
From Manaus either by bus or plane to Boa Vista, and so
by road to Santa Elena de Uairén, Venezuela,
the departure point for trips to Mount Roraima.
- Amazonia
Returning the same way to Manaus, we take a boat up the Amazon to Tabatinga,
another boundary triple-point, this time Brazil, Peru & Colombia. One walks across the border to Santa Rosa, Peru,
then takes another boat to Iquitos. Iquitos is considered the world's
largest city (pop. 370,000) that has no road access. So from there, we fly across the Andes to
Lima.
- Andes
From Lima, we have no definite plans, but heading in a southerly direction, to join our flight on Jan. 18 from
Santiago to Sydney and home.
Timescale being 2 months, Nov. 27 to Jan. 20.
Ham Radio
As a licensed radio amateur (VK6ZMA), I had hoped to bring a "rig" (a portable transmitter/receiver), and operate
from various locations en route. However powerful radio transmitters are viewed with alarm in some countries,
licensing requirements are strict. I had sent enquiries to several South American countries: Chile replied
promptly and very helpfully, no others replied at all. So the radio aspect was regretfully dropped.
Visas
We had been advised that visas were not required for Australian visitors to most South American countries,
none at all were needed for British people. Rik and I planned to take advantage of this, as we are both
dual nationals. Very late in our preparations, we discovered that visas are waived (by Brazil &
Venezuela) only if one arrives & leaves by air. Surface passengers do need visas. The situation is complicated
by our making 2 entries into Brazil, one from Argentina (by air), and one from Venezuela (ground). So a regular (1-entry) tourist
visa will not do, & there is no way on the stock form to explain what we were doing.
As of this writing (13 Nov.) the Venezuelan visas have been issued, & our (Australian) passports are
now with the Brazilians. In the event they don't get returned in time, we plan to travel to the Antarctic
using our British passports, & have the Australian ones (with the visas) sent to meet us when we disembark.
18 Nov 2009: D-9
(Sound of breath exhaling!) Yesterday we were thrown into a panic when Rik enquired about the progress of his British passport
application. No-one seemed to have any record of it! To all appearance, Australia Post has mislaid the application (almost
unheard-of, when they are sent registered.) The British High Commission noted that, if that was the case, it was far too late to
start a new application.
A little later, the misunderstanding (for such it was) was resolved. The application had arrived, and the British have it
well in hand. So (as Rik put it), it's now a race between the UK & Brazil!
23 Nov 2009: D-4
Further to the passport saga: the Brits now advise Rik's passport won't be ready in time.
However the Brazilians have come good: our visa'd Australian passports should be ready on Wednesday.
25 Nov 2009: D-2
Rik has picked up the visa-ed Australian passports. So we are now clear to go!
27 Nov 2009: D+0
Sydney
After an uneventful flight from Perth, we collected our bags at Sydney,
to find that one of the catches had burst on mine (which was jammed full,
at 18kg.) We were told the hotel was a 5 minute walk from the airport,
so we set off, in typical Sydney (hot, humid) weather. It was quickly apparent
that the wheels on my bag were no better than the locks: the bearings were
seized, & I was dragging, rather than rolling it. Soon we had to
cross a road of heavy traffic (with no crosswalk); Rik, who was behind,
called out that I was leaving a trail of clothing! Sure enough, the other
lock had burst also. So I quickly lashed it together, & we continued
to the hotel.
Once there, I examined that bag. It clearly wasn't fit to take on the trip,
with both locks & wheels faulty. So we took a taxi to a nearby
shopping centre, & bought a replacement.
On returning, we sorted out the Antarctic documentation, which Rik had
picked up from Peregrine along with our passports.
The hotel advertises that it offers breakfast, however the restaurant is
currently closed for rebuilding. So we must find something at the airport
tomorrow. The flight leaves at 1100 (Sydney time), so we plan to check in
3 hours before, & then eat.
- Ushuaia, world's end
- Antarctica
- Roraima
- South through Brazil
- A quick look at Bolivia
Acknowledgement
A special "thank you" to my wife Xum, for permission to make this trip! Xum felt that she lacked
the experience & stamina to do it herself, so I am to be her eyes in these places.
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