Colombia, mi amor!

At this point I am well past Colombia but it is still a fresh and pleasant memory.  I survived the excessive bus ride from eastern Ecuador to the Colombian coastal town of Santa Marta.  Most thought it was a horrendous idea and experience, but in reality it was one of my favorite bus trips.  Amazing scenery, plenty of Spanish practice and most importantly, discovering the limits of what I can handle.  This didn’t come close the limit, so I have higher hopes for the upcoming overland travel around Africa.

Santa Marta is a humid, coastal city lesser known for its beaches and more for the breathtaking nature that surrounds it.  I raced here to meet up with a Portland friend and others.  I register at the hostel and head up to my dorm room, when I see a familiar face come down the stairs.  It takes us each a minute, but it is one of the guys I met  on the terrible bus ride stranded in a desert in Peru.  We meet again two countries and two months later.  Ahh the small, small world of backpackers!  The “gringo trail” through South America is well paved and you never know where you will meet someone again.  I was thrilled to see a familiar face even though I knew him the length of the bus trip and don’t remember his name.

I meet up with my Portland friends and we make a plan to head to the remote town of Minca for a day before they go WOOFing (Working On Organic Farms)- I think? We stay in a treehouse hostel on a hilltop overlooking the city of Santa Marta and explore a swimming hole, waterfalls and river in a refreshing downpour of rain.  Nostalgia of our rainy town in the states came with it.  We part ways and I head back to the city way too soon.  It was a necessary break from the noise, traffic, aggressive vendors and extreme heat.  I catch a shared taxi back on the crazy road.  Three Colombians and the gringo in a car that appears to be totally gutted aside from bench seats, a shifter and crowbar for an emergency brake.  The rain continues to pour and none of the windows stay up except for mine as we wind through the potholes, mud and other cars.  I can’t stop smiling the entire time.  Another sweaty day in Santa Marta and I am off to my next coastal town, Cartagena.

I was itching to get out of the heat but given numerous warnings that Cartagena was worse.  Sadly, they were not exaggerating.  I step of the bus and lose my breath in the sticky air.  I meet some of my new roommates and we head out to explore the town.  A big castle, some giant shoes and most memorably a dirty, somewhat dangerous market are the main sites.  I will do a lot to get some cheap, fresh vegetables even if it means walking through fish guts and yelling at a man following us like prey.  The day ends with a walk with some hostel friends to “the wall” surrounding the city for drinks and a view.  I’m on an impossible mission to get a tan so make the beach a daily stop.   It’s exhausting to do anything and takes some serious digging for energy to leave the partially air conditioned comfort of the hostel.  Great friends and memories, but I must see more of the country. 

Thirteen hours to the highly acclaimed city of Medellin.  I am greeted by a cooler nearly perfect temperature.  I successfully navigate the metro system with my big backpacks and avoid eye contact from annoyed people as I push my way through the crowds unconsciously hitting people with my pack on every slight turn.  My backpack is my worst enemy on travel days and sometimes my only friend in new places or long bus terminal waits.  I get excited every time I see that she has arrived at the next destination with a little more grease and grime from her adventure under the bus.

Medellin is different from any other South American city I have seen.  It’s clean, smooth running, law abiding and the people are so friendly and helpful.  The architecture and transportation resembles that of Europe more than South America.  Tucked in a valley, it is surrounded by green hills and most homes and buildings are constructed of red brick.  A tram ride (metrocable) up one of the hills gives us a beautiful view and chance to walk through a poorer but equally beautiful part of the city.  I meet up with two friends from Cartagena and their local hosts for some drinks at the famous El Poblado district.  I am invited to join in an adventure with them tomorrow, destination unknown.  I sign up immediately.  The next day I check out of the hostel, store my bags and notify them of my plan to return and catch a bus that night to a town in the east.  I return to my hostel over 48 hours later to shocked staff and friends inquiring as to where the hell I had been.  The unknown adventure just kept going and I was thrilled to be along for the ride.  Paragliding over Medellin was halted after rain, but we got some great views and a wild idea to head to Santa Fe, a small vacation town an hour or so away.  This turned into an overnight stay and an invite to ride horses in the mountains outside Medellin the next day.  We made that easy decision and spent a wonderful day in a remote picturesque home and ranch meeting more great local people.  Thanks to some great Colombian hosts and new friends, I am officially in love with Colombia!

I finally depart for Salento, located in the ZonaCafecito (coffee region).  Laura and Julie, my American friends and fellow adventurers from Cartagena and Medellin meet me the following day.  We meet up with a local man who tells us all about town and the region.  Our hike through Valle de Cocora the following day starts with a 30 minute ride standing on the back of a packed jeep to the trail head.  We cross numerous aged wooden walking bridges, through the forest and hills, a hummingbird sanctuary before reaching an opening of green lush farmland and palm trees peeking into the clouds.  Laura and I walk to a local coffee farm the following day where we are able to see the process, meet some of the farmers and try some coffee in a small coffee production.  My stomach decided it did not like coffee a few years ago and after putting up a serious fight, I finally gave in.  I have not touched it since, but from day two in Colombia I have been forcing my body into it and enjoy this great cup of black coffee.  Our local host joins us to the nearby city of Armenia for some live music by his friends and beers before Laura and I head out on our midnight bus ride to Bogota. 

My final day in Colombia has come.  Bogota is a big crazy city. I meet up with a local friend for some sightseeing which is great but overall, I don’t get that warm cozy feeling from the city or people.  I guess it’s better because leaving will be easier. I am excited about seeing Brazil, but also disappointed that I did not see nearly as much as I wanted to here.  I know I will return for the unseen, the seen that I must see again and all my great friends and the others I have yet to meet.  None the less, my departure is bittersweet.  Off to Brasil with a big space in my heart for Colombia.

Why I travel

I write this after endless hours staring out a bus window crossing the country of Colombia.  44 hours on three buses in 2 days, breakdowns, delays and a lot of patience testing.  Why do I do this?  Why do I give up so many comforts and almost everything I know to be at the mercy of others that I am struggling to understand.  The reasons why came to me so much easier than one reason why not.

I travel to discover the world around me.  I am one small droplet in the ocean of the world and my country is one small piece of this big separated puzzle.  There are plants, animals, fruits, mountains, deserts and so many more landscapes that I never imagined existed in my small corner of the planet.  Now, here they are challenging me to climb them, eat them, smell them and appreciate them in all their beauty.  I try my hardest to take it all in.

I travel to put my life in perspective.  I have it good, really good.  I was born to a middle class family in the United States.  I never questioned a good education, food on the table for every meal, a doctor when I was sick, a warm bed and everything I could want or need available to me.  This is a dream to so many and taken for granted by me for most of my life.  Its difficult to truly appreciate this until you meet the people who dont have it.  The child begging on the street corner who probably hasn't had a meal in days and sleeps on the ground in a dirt hut who's only dream is to go to school and have a chance at making something of his life.  The woman who sells produce in the hot sun for 10 hours a day to hopefully make enough money to bring food home to her children that night knowing that she will probably do this the rest of her life.  I see these situations and so many more walking down the streets in the countries I see.  Does it make me uncomfortable? Sad? Angry? Discouraged?  Yes, at times but in reality this is life.  Real, raw reality. This is life for these people and although I see it as much less than ideal, it is all they know.  They will spend their life struggling to obtain the unobtainable which in reality is what we are all doing whether that is in the dirt on the side of the road in a third world country or a high rise office in New York City.  Through travel, I have been privileged enough to get to see others living and truly appreciate all that I have and what little I really need which has nothing to do with money.

I travel to be forced out of my big comfort bubble and into this wild, crazy world.  When I leave my country and arrive in a new place, somewhere flying over some ocean, I am part of a self-induced inner stripping of all that I am used to.  When I step into a new country, I must be open to all that they have to offer me.  Culture, people, food, music, language and lifestyle are being offered up but I must be open and have a big space inside me to absorb it all.  Learning about a new way to prepare a meal, I cannot be thinking how it "should be done," and instead appreciating this different way that has worked so well for so long.  I did not leave my country to be the same person with the same thoughts and judgements in a new place.  I am here for their culture, history and way of living and my old ways will probably be waiting for me if I decide to accept them when I return home.

I travel to meet people. I am privileged enough to have amazing friends from all over the world.  Traveling friendships are usually very brief and much more genuine and raw.  You dont have much time together, but a day or two friendship can seem like years.  You explore new places together, or are lucky enough to learn a city through the eyes of a local.  You learn about people's countries, languages, family and visions on life.  People share ideas and thoughts, find commonalities and differences and learn more about the world.  Every destination has the potential for a lifetime friendship in 24 hours or less.  I have the deepest gratitude for the friends I have through travel thus far and look forward to so many more that I have yet to meet.

I travel to challenge myself.  How much discomfort can I handle?  How will I get to points A, B and C with a language barrier and no knowledge of the area.  Laying on the beach is wonderful, but its also easy.....too easy for me.  I justified my current beach visit after two days of bus travel.  The more difficult it is, the more it is appreciated.  That can apply to anything, but travel especially for me.  The more difficult and different the better.  With every obstacle I overcome, I am empowered to challenge myself to more.  This confidence permeates to every aspect of my life and brings with it new and exciting possibilities for the future.

I travel for all the reasons that I have yet to discover.  The more I travel, the more I grow and learn about myself.  I look forward to having the opportunity to embrace every new adventure to come with the most gratitude for the privilege of being welcomed to new and wonderful places and meeting equally wonderful people.

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." -St. Augustine

Pachemama, Escuela de Espanol y mas....

Banos is definitely a great place to do a lot or nothing in.  I choose the latter after a few adventure days. I go in waves of constant socialization to self-induced isolation.  I am loving my alone time and put very little effort, ok no effort into jumping in on drinking games and bar crawls with other gringos. I am killing time while I wait for my "friend" or friend of a friend who I may or may not have met from Portland who now lives in Quito.  He is itching to get out of the city for the weekend and I am fine with a few more days in this place.  Turns out he isn't a wierdo. I really wasn't concerned and had images of us skipping down the cobblestone streets singing Queen's "Your my Best Friend."  Well that basically sums it up, and Im re-motivated to explore some more.  I repeat the waterfall bike ride from a few days before with him and do the required visit to the thermal baths that the town is known for. 

One evening as we wander the town for food and supplies, we see a poster at a cultural center for something related to Pachamama - Quetchua for Mother Earth.  It appears to be free and as we watch the setup begin, decide we will come back and check it out for a bit.  We stoll into some dancers performing and three hours later we sneak out nearing the end of it all after witnessing and participating in a very thorough event. It was a sacrificial ceremony for Pachamama performed on large circles of rose petals and fruits and more food and alcohol in the massive rose covered center.  The ceremony participants all wore white and were staged at different points of the circles.  With the combination of my poor Spanish, scratchy microphone and a muffled voice, we didnt stand a chance to understand what was going on.  A local pan flute player next to us helped translate, in Spanish of course, so I was able to grasp being silent, breathing in deeply and feeling and listening to it in your heart.  Then the arm raising, hand holding and hugging slowly proceed followed by sharing of cheecha (a fermented maize drink) and grasping a handful of saw dust as clouds of Paulo Santo (a type of wood burned like incence) filled the air.  When it came time for everyone to line up and take their turn at the altar, a bit of panic set in.  At this point, all but the few gringos in white who were actively in the ceremony had left.  Everyone seemed to know what was going on except us.  We knelt down on the inner circle of petals and threw our sawdust in a smoldering fire, grabbed a grape and ate it, and then were told we had to sacrifice one as well.  We get up to leave and are unaware that we need to exit by circling around the altar and cluelessly stare as they attempt to direct us.  Whew, made it out of the circle but it didnt go so smoothly.  Oh gringos.  Good thing we stuck around for dancing, kind of like the train followed by men drinking and spitting unknown liquids in our faces.  We had some good laughs after we snuck out nearing midnight. I still have very little knowledge of what happened and why but overall a wonderful cultural experience that Im glad I was a part of.  Love you Pachamama!!

We roll into Quito in the afternoon and settle into his place, which happens to have an amazing view of some of the city and a volcano.  I have enrolled in Spanish school and will be attending it all week.  I'm not used to early mornings at all anymore and 6am comes way too soon...every day.  I take a local bus to Old Town where the school is located but not before climbing an steep hill and staircase of 253 steps, not that anyone is counting.  By day five, the pain of it eases but never really goes away.  School is in a historic part of the city and I enjoy wandering around before and after class.  I see protests (let me specify peaceful to the worriers) and parades, churches and big city squares.

The market is usually the highlight of my day.  The closest one is the Mercado Central in a big warehouse building two stories tall.  They have everything you can imagine including lots of meat even cow legs with hooves attached (aka vegetarian's nightmare), herbs, flowers, fresh juices, hot meals for cheap and of course lots of fruits and veggies.  I am in heaven with plenty of cheap produce and a kitchen to cook in every night.  I miss having a refrigerator and being able to create my own healthier meals instead of just eating whatever can be found cheap and meat free around random towns.

I meet some of his friends throughout the week and one offers to host a going away party.  Im not sure that five days somewhere constitutes a fiesta with people I just met, but who am I to argue?  It is a good reason to drink, cook and hang out with some great people in Quito.  A wonderful night is preceeded by a viscious hangover and good-bye to my latest "home." 

Onto Otavalo and inching closer to the Colombian border.  A cute little town known for its massive market.  I wander aimlessly through almost every street and find the produce market again, but this time I'm lacking a kitchen and sadly leave with a little bit of fruit as little red tomatoes, ripe avocados and all their veggie friends plead for me to take them.  Poor little guys. 

Tomorrow I will stop in a couple small towns nearby, retrieve my bags from Otavalo and try to get across the border.  I am clueless as to how this goes or where I will end up but Im just going as far as I can.  Two quick weeks in Colombia and hopefully onto Argentina. My days of lazy travel are limited and will be scarce. Here I go...

Hola Ecuador!

So hopped on a last minute bus from Peru to Ecuador.  A little nervous about the border crossing but it was a breeze.  A moment of panic when the English speaking border guy (who I continued to respond to in only Spanish) flipped through my passport and asked if I had a visa.  I did my research and didnt think it was needed. "Es necesario?!"  As long as Im out in 3 months, I'm all good. Whew! Back onto the cozy bus for some more sleep. I probably spent close to 14 hours sleeping on the 18 hour bus ride.  Don't mean to brag, but I am getting really, really good at sleeping on buses.  All the life skills I am aquiring on this trip....

We arrive in Guanquil around noon.  I have no place to stay, no idea where to go or even what the currency is in this new place.  I probably could have sacrificed an hour of sleep to do a little Lonely Planet research of this country.  Alternatively, I think it is a sign that I am getting really good at traveling.  Stress levels are at an all time low even if I have no money or a place to sleep at the moment.  I start talking to two guys who were on the bus with me as we wait for luggage.  They dont have a place either and we agree to team up on a taxi into town to find a place to stay.  An hour later I am wandering the streets with my new friends from Israel, we have a place to stay and turns out the currency is the US dollar.  It all worked out quite smoothly. Good karma or master traveler? Maybe a bit of both.  Well one night in this ugly, cement prison of a city and we are on our separate ways.  They are off to the Galapagos Islands.  I have nowhere near the funds for that amazing trip so catch a bus to the recommended beach town of Montanita. 

An Ecuadorian chats me up on the bus also headed to the beach.  She gives me some Ecuador history, recommendations on what to see and things to do and most importantly assures me a place to stay at her friends hostel because of course I have not booked a room anywhere.  She works on the Galapagos and is on a holiday inland.  We hop off the bus on the side of the road and are greeted by Cheebo, the happy and helpful hostal owner of my new home.  After a good meal and meeting some more friends, I am guided up 3 intense flights of stairs to my corner room (my own room!) with a balcony and hammocks that face the street.  Perfect! I sleep like a rock and wake up for a beach date with Elizabeth.

The next 4 or 5 days blur together as we wandered the small town, lay on the beach, eat the freshest seafood and catch almost all happy hours.  Montanita is packed with surfers, tourists and lots of Argentinians all looking for some fun, waves and sun.  By the time we leave, it feels like home.  We have our routines, our favorite bars and restaurants but the best is walking down the street and greeting new friends from all directions.  I could stay here for a long time, like many do.  The sun is much needed after cold Peru and more importantly it is a place that feels like 'home' which is a very loosely used term and harder to find when you only stay in a place for a couple days at a time.

Well we go out with a bang the night before departure.  Ladies night at a bar means free drinks until midnight.  Free drinks are great, free drinks on a travel budget are amazing and I dont take this lightly and I lap the bar like a profession athlete.  The next morning we race to catch our bus, lacking sleep and clean clothes. I cant resist one last bowl of ceviche - super fresh shrimp, fish, octopus, and clams 'cooked' in lots of lime juice.  Really not the best selection on a hungover stomach before boarding a rough bus ride.  Miraculously, I keep it together and arrive back in Guanquil's bus terminal.  Elizabeth is heading in another direction to visit her family.  I have a new travel partner who I met in Montanita.  We are going to Cuenca, a colonial town in the south.  Anna will be living there and enrolling in Spanish school and Im just stopping in for a few days.

We proceed to spend the next few days wandering around town and getting so lost that we finally hail a taxi to a point of reference.  Beautiful city and of course more great people from everywhere.  Laundry is in desperate need of being washed.  I have said "in the next town" for about five towns now.  We drop it off in the morning at a lavanderia before an all day adventure.  Everything needs washing and I wear the least dirty of my clothes.  We return around 6pm to find the place closed and the woman near the shop says it is closed for the day and tomorrow as it is Sunday.  All my clothes inaccessible for close to two days and I planned to leave tomorrow, shit.  I am able to get a phone number and beg the hostel receptionist to call.  I am still not confident in my spanish over the phone.  You can't gesture if needed and they dont automatically speak slower and easier when they see my blonde hair and pale skin.  A few phone calls later and over an hour waiting and freezing outside the place and I am in possession of my clothes again...much fresher and more appreciated now.

Departure day, I know I am leaving but dont know where to. Riobamba for a wild train ride or Banos for some nature and a bragged up tourist hot spot.  I decide on Banos at the bus stop and am on my way shortly after.  All day on the bus and arriving at a hostal lucky enough to grab a bed.  The next day my Australian roommate is checking out but first taking a bike ride to some villages and waterfalls.  Sounds like a lot of work, but she ensures me its downhill.  I fight my laziness to read and wander the city for the day and rent a bike with her.  Well, it definitely is not all downhill and hiking up and down the big hills and cliffs to numerous waterfalls is sweaty and exhausting but we made it.  26km biking and a good amount of hiking.  Nothing too intense but a little shocking on my mostly sedentary body.  The landscape here is absolutely beautiful. Green, rivers, volcanoes and lots more green.  We return exhausted, sunburned and very happy.  She is off to her next destination and I have new roommates-an American and Israeli.  We make plans to go white water rafting in the morning.

Any day I have to set an alarm is pain.  We manage to get out and meet our fellow rafters.  I get some good Spanish practice with an Ecuadorian from Cuenca.  The water is cold and rafting is great. No near death experiences like The Nile which is fine. Also no serious injuries or lost people and once again, absolutely beautiful landscapes. Another successful day!



I love those moments when you can step outside of the immediate time and place to really appreciate where you are and what you are experiencing right then and there.  Those moments seem to be happening to me a lot and I am doing my best to take it all in gratefully.

The south and my farewell to Peru

Well I have taken a big hiatus again, but here I begin another attempt.  Got an amazing deal on a bus ride to Puno. 20 soles (approx $7) for a 7-8 hour trip. Almost half the price of the other companies and I am thrilled.  First, I sit on a cement platform with all locals, some appear to be relocating permanently, others bringing the month's crop share with them.  The only gringa leaving one touristy town and going to another.  Then the bus chugs and screaches in, smoking and rusted. This looks nothing like the shiny bus in the picture they advertise.  Inside is even worse. Im not a germy person at all but I make all attempts to ensure my skin does not touch the multicolored stained seat. Breathing from my mouth helps me adjust to the smell as its clear this is a bus they no longer cleaned. I drop my only knife on the ground and count it as a loss.  A man stands up and begins to speak for the next 2 hours, takes a break and continues again.  He would be shut up in 1 minute on a bus in the states but no one seems to mind. I put on my ipod and zone him out.  We continue to stop at every small town we pass on any street corner where someone may want a lift.  I panic that my bag stored below will be gone at every stop and vow to not 'scum it' again with buses.  I arrive late to a dodgy looking hostel and endless knocking and doorbell rings finally awaken the receptionist. Its not so pleasant inside either but I am so happy to have a bed and my bags. I groggily book a boat ride for the morning.

Lake Titicaca- remember it from geography class but I think mostly because of the name that started a wave of giggles in a middle school crowd.  Turns out its a huge lake bordering Peru and Bolivia and its pretty damn amazing.  I meet Eduar and his friend on the boat and they liven things up with pictures every minute or two, beers in the morning and yelling "Venezuela" (their country) from the top of the boat.  We head out to the floating islands created by tying reeds together.  About 5 familes can live on one of these and they last about 30 years before a new one is made.  Their livelihood is fishing which they trade in surrounding towns.  A few hours on the islands and we head back to the ugly, cement pit of Puno.  Grab my bags and off to the bus station headed for Arequipa.

Arequipa is huge.  The bus drives endlessly on highways and streets before arriving in the station.  The taxi driver does the same.  I arrive at a hostel late again and find they are booked. Thats what I get for always risking it and not making a reservation.  An hour of looking and I find a place and bed.  My roommate and I head to the market in the morning and she gives me a tour of the town as she has been here awhile.  I head back to my first hostel of choice and check out info for tours on the well known Colca Canyon.  It is the second largest canyon in the world, next to another canyon in the south of Peru, yep no Grand Canyon.  I meet Sean and we sign up for a 3 day trek.  After a day of doing nothing, we are off for some hiking.  Physical activity is still lacking and this is something you can't really appreciate as much from a bus window.  Our hiking crew consists of the nations of Peru, New Zealand, England, Spain and the US(times 2).  We stop and see the gigantic condors flying through the canyon for an hour or so before they move on and we are forced to continue our mission. Sean and 5 ladies hike down the canyon, sweating and chatting.  Seeing where we came from and how far we descended is pretty amazing, but not as great as dipping our hot, blistered feet in the stream below.  We arrive at our bungalows, eat a good meal and share a bottle of Pisco and some card games.

The next day we can barely limp out of bed. Some yoga and an amazing breakfast and we hit the trail again.  Today we hike to the bottom of the canyon to "the oasis" which is a green and blue heaven in the dusty and dry canyon.  There are beds, food and pools waiting for us and motivation makes the hike go much easier.  An intense and neverending match of volleyball ensues at our camp as Peru vs. el mundo (the world). It is a popular game in Peru and we have some competition. Beer is at stake and we find all the energy we have left to defend the world!  No explanation as to how, but noone got beers.

We have been warned that day 3 is the rough one. Hiking at 5am straight up the canyon as we hope to avoid too much of the strong sun.  Thoughts of dying on the side of the canyon don't escape me as we sweat and struggle for breath up the hill.  The victory sit at the top was priceless and our crew is now a family. 

Back to Arequipa and planning out the next adventure.  Begona from Spain and I have decided to go to Ica and Huacahina for some sandboarding and relaxation at another little oasis.  In the endless sand dunes of this part of Peru, there is the little gem of Huacachina.  In the center is a huge pool of water surrounded by palm trees.  We venture out on a big dune buggy and our driver sets us up on various hills, we strap in our boards and go down.  The hills get longer and steeper but the sand prevents you from getting an excessive amount of speed, usually.  Well I'm pretty comfortable on the snowboard and hills and get a little cocky after a few runs.  Logically, I get as much speed as I can before attempting to carve around sharply.  Well the sand isn't quite as forgiving and I sharply cartwheel down the hill.  A little whiplash, minor head trauma, major embarassment but the worst part is being completely covered in sand.  It is covering every inch of my body, hair, ears, nose. Had to go fast, didn't I?  Well another good-bye and I am on my way back to Lima.

Oh Lima, didn't really miss you but here I am again.  I finally retreive my passport from the embassy with a beautiful Brazilian visa inside! Got to spend a day with Andy before he flew back to Denmark, said good-bye to my favorite Limonians (just made that one up and pretty sure its not the correct term, but my Lima friends non-the-less) and I am onto Trujillo. Two days on the coastal town of Trujillo and the beach of the nearby Huanchaco to visit some more great Peruvian friends that I made along the trip. 

Overall, I feel like I was able to see a lot of Peru. 6 weeks, easily over 100 hours of bus time logged, endless miles, so many new friends and adventures but I must be on my way. Ecuador and four other countries require my attention as well.  Viva la Peru!!!

Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu

The jungle was great and I loved northern Peru, but my friends await me in Lima.  I aboard a 32 hour bus ride back to the central coast.  Surprisingly not as bad as it sounds although it includes a return trip on the death ride.  I'm sore, I smell and I have been living off bread for a day and a half.  My Peruvian friend Grecia and her mother greet me at the bus station, and Grecia and I head to a bar to meet my other favorite Peruvians who I met while working on Mt. Hood.  A great introduction to the city and the week ahead.  I am on a mission to get a Brazilian visa so numerous visits to the embassy finally proves to be successful! I am officially welcome to enter Brazil!!

Grecia and I also visit the town of Baranca a few hours north of Lima for her cousins' wedding or matrimonia.  I was definitely the only gringa in attendance and understood almost nothing at the ceremony, but a great experience nontheless.  We race back to Lima for a friend's going away party as she will be attending school in Portland for the next few years. Buen viaje and see you soon!

Lima is big. Too big for my taste. I need a smaller city that I can freely walk in and not have to catch two or more busses to get anywhere.  Loved my time, but the constant chaos is stressful and I need out.  Onto Cusco, which is the town close to Machu Picchu.  I meet a Peruvian woman on the bus and we attempt conversation.  I am impressed with how much I am improving and the fact that some sort of conversation is even possible.  Altitude sickness has hit me for about the third time now.  Not unbearable, but not pleasant.  Marlena offers her family's home to me, but I have booked a hostel stay and am ready to meet some travelers.  After the bus ride, I accompany her at her home for some lunch and mate de coca tea (good for altitude sickness).  I meet her parents and siblings, and later her brother escorts me to my hostel.  A great welcome into the city.

Cusco is beautiful and swarming with tourists.  The gringo to Peruvian ratio is getting dangerously equal , or so it appears.  Regardless, a nice walkable city and I start meeting fellow travelers from allover with all different travel plans.  One night out dancing is shockingly fun and one of the few bar nights on my trip thus far.  I rarely drink or go out at night thus far.  Its not cheap, can be dangerous and I have little to no desire.  Maturity, laziness or intelligent?  Not sure, but Im ok with it:)

A few days later, I head to Machu Picchu with a crew of travelers.  We take a scenic 5 hour drive there and then walk for 2-3 hours along the railroad tracks to Aquas Calientes, the closest town to MP and unreachable by road.  Beautiful town and even more breathtaking landscape around us. Still in shock at where I am. Dinner and prep for the early morning ahead. 

We arrive at Machu Picchu and meet our guide at around 6:30am.  A couple hour guided tour gave some really great info and I finally learn a little about the Inkas!  After the tour, we are on our own to wander this massive place.  You see pictures, but really can't grasp how amazing it actually is.  I am so impressed with it all and spend the entire day wandering, studying spanish on the ruins and climbing nearby Wayna Picchu.  This is the mountain viewable in the background of the famous pictures.  Quite intimidating upon first sight.  It is straight up, but I trudge on.  Turns out to not be that bad and the view from the top is worth every steep step.  I meet a man from India at the top due to my camera malfunction.  He turns out to be a yoga teacher who travels the world and teaches groups and workshops specializing in high altitude yoga.  We exchange info and I may have found my next travel destination....India and the Himalayas!

A few more hours and I bid farewell to this amazing place. Back to Aquas Calientes for a few hours of wandering and catching a night train back to Cusco.  A great time in this town, but I must keep moving.  Next stop- Puno and Lake Titicaca!

Orlando and our trip to the jungle!

Well it has been weeks since, but it is still so fresh in my mind. Definitely the most amazing 2 days of my month in Peru thus far.  Andy was itching to get out of the cities and into the jungle. Dylan had heard of a man, Orlando, who took care of wild pigs and other endangered animals and was like a kid waiting for DisneyLand.  I was just along for the ride. Nature? sure. Jungle? sure.  We meet up with a friend of Orlando's to plan out the trip and discuss details.  13 river crossings, large cats and other crazy wild animals.  "Ummm, maybe I will sit this one out guys."  A few minutes of convincing and we are packing our bags for the early morning departure.

We get picked up by a 3-wheeled mototaxi earlier than I have been up in weeks.  A rough ride and a couple pushes later we make it to the trailhead and meet our guide Fernando.  He is a small Peruvian man with an empty looking backpack that couldnt be carrying more than an avocado and some fishing line.  Geared with tall rubber boots and a machete, I'm confident this guy knows his shit.  20 minutes in, we have crossed the river 4 or 5 times and I am pouring with sweat.  Not the most intense hike, but the humidity was not exaggerated.  I still have yet to see a bead of sweat on Fernando and it appears as though I have fallen in the river.  Onward we trek and our fearless guide holds my hand over each rock jumping river crossing.  Finally, the last river crossing and the smell of smoke ahead. There is life out here! 

Grass thatched roofs and a fence surround a small compound next to the riverbed.  We are greeted by a viscous looking monkey (mono en espanol) and the man we had heard so much about.  Orlando is middle aged, small statured and friendly.  He gives us the story on the place and we are introduced so the four monos hopping around.  They were all previously in captivity or very ill and all violent.  Some he has had for years and one for only a few days.  We warm up to a couple quickly and learn to stay clear of Pablo, the most aggressive and mean of the crew.  Luna is the wild pig that acts as the dog roaming and sniffing for food.  Two colorful birds (pajaros) watch quietly from their shaded cage.  Orlando is busy cooking lunch for the animals and pigs that we have yet to see as his english slowly turns to all spanish. For the first time, I am able to understand a good amount of what is being said to me in all spanish.  This guy is a miracle worker in so many ways!

Lunch time for the pigs! Usually very aggressive and dangerous animals, Orlando cautions to let him go first and keep a bit of a distance.  He calls them out by name, 17 in all with two baby chonchos as well.  We cross the river and watch them feast from there beloved master and lifesaver.  The jungle here has be so poached and large companies constantly threaten moving in to tap some of the amazing resources.  The pigs scrape every last grain of rice and head back into the trees.  Fernando guides us to the first waterfall, then to the top of that one for the second massive fall.  We wash the sweat and dirt and sit silently taking it all in.  I have seen my share of waterfalls and trees in Oregon, but this was incomparable. There was noone else around and we were privileged to have this place to call our own for that moment.  As Orlando always said, "La selva y los animales no son mios, son tuyos."  The jungle and the animals are not mine, the are all of yours.  It really put into perspective how humble and hospitable he was to us all. So willing to share what he spends his life doing.

We cook an amazing meal of ramen, rice, veggies and sauces.  Orlando always makes sure the animals are well fed before he has a bite of anything and goes so far as to sautee onions in their rice with seasonings, but no salt for Luna; "he does not like!"  Fernando goes home for the day, back on the trail we entered.  It took us about 2 sweaty hours at what I felt was a moderate to rapid pace.  It takes him about 45 minutes solo.  I picture him swinging through trees, sprinting over rocks and macheteing some plants for dinner along the way. Hours of talking with Orlando come to an end as we must leave before the night time animals come out to play.  We walk towards where we will sleep for the night, when O stops and warns to not cross this after dark for any reason.  Note taken.  We are led up to a nice cabin. Andy ties his hammock on the deck and I call a spot on the floor.  The bugs have eaten us for breakfast, lunch and dinner and are now greedily getting some dessert in before bedtime.  The sounds outside get exponentially louder by the minute. Bugs and creatures hunting, roaming or sleeping. Its terrifying and soothing.

We wake early, well 4am early for Dylan, and head back down to Orlando's place but not before being greeted by the pigs who grunted and growled at us for a seriously blood pumping few seconds.  Dylan had left earlier and experienced the same thing. Andy was in front of me and later said that he had one backpack strap off and was ready to run....aka run and leave me for the pigs to feast on. Well we slowly crept past and and made it "home" to Orlandos.  We are greeted by the monos who now cling and nestle to us.  I dont consider myself a serious animal lover, but I may have fallen for these guys.  I hop in the river and take a much needed ridiculously refreshing bath in the clear, cool water.  Pretty sure I could get used to doing this every day. I could learn spanish from Orlando and get my daily hugs from the monkeys.  Derailing my plans to stay a while floated around in my head but after another amazing meal, we pack our bags and head back on the trail.  I feel like I am leaving a fantasy land, untouched by the commericalism and greed that we are faced with every day.  Those monkeys and pigs dont care what clothes I wear and that river is not going to send me a water bill for the best bath ever.

That being said, Orlando is an amazing man doing amazing things and would love nothing more than to share the jungle and these animals with others and also help save more endangered animals.  If you would like to volunteer your time or donate money, I have contact info.  The website is currently being constructed but the blog is http://cereliasperu.blogspot.com/ Check it out!!

So yea, about that bus ride....

Well 10 days into my adventure and my first post attempt.  Internet is scarce and we have been on the move a lot. Arrived in Tarapoto, Peru this morning after an intense and terrifying 15 hour bus ride through a sleepless night. Paved roads come and go as the driver passes blindly through winding roads kind of like a cheap and very long theme park ride.  I heard about these crazy bus rides but really had no idea what I was in for. So now we are in the foothills of the Amazon. It is blazing hot but cars are few and drivers seem to obey traffic laws somewhat in comparison to the cities thus far.  Honking and yelling are not compulsory to being behind the wheel and being a pedestrian is a less extreme sport.

Currently, the travel crew is my good friend Dylan from the states and Andy, a Danish guy that joined us a few cities back.  We will all be heading in different directions soon as Andy will take a boat north into the jungle and Dylan and I will bus back to Lima where he will catch his flight home in a week.

I am still struggling to comprehend exactly what I have gotten myself into.  I casually shrugged off comments that I was crazy for doing this, but now realizing maybe they weren´t so crazy for saying this.  I have so much travel ahead of me so for now I will just take it one day at a time.

I started in Lima for a day before departing for Huaraz, an amazing city where we joined in on celebrating Peru´s independance with the locals.  Dylan got a treasured picture with alpacas and I tried ceviche and realized how poor my spanish really is.  A few days later we are off to the beach of Huanchaco, but not before a painfully memorable bus ride.  The route should take around 8-10 hours but we finally arrive 18 hours later after spending hours parked in the desert with all the other busses and travelers, un-airconditioned and barely ventilated, with no water or food as patience ran thin and smiles were scarce.  After finally arriving, we were able to decompress with some food and watching the sunset on the beach with some locals and plenty of rum.

One recovery day and we are back on the road to Chiclayo with an addition to the crew, Ricky who is one of our local rum drinking friends.  It is a lot less stressful having a Peruvian to guide us along and I must say I am enjoying having traveling partners.  We arrive in Chiclayo and race to the Mercado Modelo, by far the largest market I have ever seen.  You can get everything you may possibly want here and spend an entire day finding your way around.  We are also able to meet up with Molly, who has lived and worked in Chiclayo for three years and is originally from the states that we met in Huaraz.  It is always so nice to get the local feel of a place versus the lost tourist experience.  On the bus again, unaware of the mental instability of our driver and insane ride ahead!

All in all, amazing thus far.  I am in the groove of packing and unpacking regularly, showering much less frequently and attempting to find vegetarian food in a meat loving country. Hope to have some pictures to share soon, but until then please settle for this post as I sweat a few kilos off in an internet cafe to bring this to you!

And it begins again...

Almost two years since the last post and my last international trip.  I have been itching to get out since arriving and working towards the next "escape."  In reading the last entry, I was clearly exhausted and done with traveling.  I told myself that 4 months was too long and I wouldn't do it again.  Well aparently I forgot those strong feelings because I am back for much more, this time for 10 months abroad.

Four hours until I leave for Lima.  It still hasn't really hit me yet.  One thing that has is the massive weight of my pack...55 lbs and counting.  One wrong step and I am on the floor like a turtle on its shell flailing and embarrassed.  Yes, I know this from experience and one mishap is enough for me. 

Nothing too cool to share, just that this is once again the start of something great! My Peruvian friends Grecia and Ximena will be picking me up at the airport and I meet with another good friend tomorrow to head to the Amazon for some exploring.  Sounds like a good start......until we meet again!!