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!!

Farewell travels. Real world, here I come very nervously....

I have made the venture to Kampala, the chaotic capital city. Roads are horrific, traffic, or "the jam" is unbearable especially if you are unlucky enough to be stuck in a matatu(small taxi van) with 20 or more other people. The heat and pollution is suffocating. Riding a boda(motorbike) is the easiest transport but really cant shake the terrified feeling and morbid thoughts as we worm through traffic, around potholes, and inches from oncoming traffic. I remember taking a no destination boda ride the day before I left just for "one last ride." I have already counted down the number of rides I have to take before leaving and am thankful for every safe journey. I cannot wait to be in a car with a seat belt, on decent roads with other drivers who obey traffic laws, oh and me behind the drivers seat. I miss driving a lot. The freedom of going where you want, when you want, and not negotiating a price before.
I am bored and tired of travel. My desire to meet new people is minimal. My desire to drink and party is gone. My desire to do anything but sleep is almost gone too if not for the kids. I have been visiting them at school everyday. Tomorrow will be the last. Say my tearful goodbyes and know they will be smarter and taller but still as great the next time Im back. It does scare me not knowing when this will be but I know it will happen. This country and these kids have given me a life-changing experience once again and I will continue to return to show my gratitude.
Got a huge slap in the face by the ATM today. Then it told me to get back reality and get a job. Rude, maybe but right? Definitely. I have never been so broke and worried so little about money in the last four months. It has been nice and there was only a little dark cloud attempting to follow me as I jumped around the world. I have a thunderstorm waiting for me at home and not really looking forward to it. Good thing I packed an umbrella!
I really cant believe the adventure is over. It was amazing beyond words. There is no way to possibly describe this time in my life only that it is unforgettable. I dont regret a minute of it and am very happy with my good fortune and smooth traveling luck, for the most part. No major thefts(just double-checked that my purse is next to me!), serious injuries or illnesses(5 boda rides to go!), and most importantly, I finished. 14 countries in 4 months solo. Not a bad feat. Everyday was a new challenge of language, culture, and navigation. I managed. Most importantly, I have the confidence to go almost anywhere and do anything. My travel blog is put on hold for a bit of fundraising but I will be back. I am going to see as much of this world as I can. Until the next worldly adventure calls, let me live through yours!!

Sorry about the doubt Uganda..... I still love you:)

The kids have returned to school. Not waking up to screaming and yelling before the sun is up. Still not sure I like that since it isnt followed by good morning auntie and hugs. I will be visiting them at school tomorrow after not seeing them for almost a week. Three weeks with them felt like one. One week without them feels like 3. I have been staying at Bujagali Falls about 7 km out of Jinja. Right on the Nile, where they do the rafting. There was a huge freedom and relief when I was back to just me and my pack. The kids are greatly missed but I really never stop worrying about them. Just me. A bit lonely but not for long. Met some local safety kayakers who took me out on the river for a day. Nearly impossible. I must have attempted to roll a hundred times and was never totally successful. Still a great experience that I will be doing again. Since then, I have met many locals. I have my boda driver Steve, my rolex(food) guy Joel, bartenders Abraham and Richard, and Fatia who has a souvenier shop and of course the kayakers Robert and Steve who I meet up with every day. I have met only a few mzungu(white people) backpackers. Kinda over the Where you from? Where you been? Where you going? thing. I had some issues to deal with here that made me really question my love for the country. That has been worked through and after meeting some great local people, I have that urge to be a local too. I am just happy to feel that love for the country again. It is a beautiful place with beautiful people, inside and out. The kids bring me back here but the country gives me a new and life changing experience everytime.
There is a local non-profit that I randomly was told about while traveling in Europe. S.O.U.L. - Supporting Opportunities for Ugandans to Learn. The founder Brooke has set up classrooms outdoors. They have started so many programs, but all with the same goal. Overcome the obstacles that Ugandans face in getting an education and have all of these people volunteer or give back in some way. Amazing concept and really helping Ugandans help themselves and their country. The website is www.souluganda.com I will be going there this afternoon for some much needed playing and talking with kids.
Well off to Kampala tomorrow where I will remain until flying out next week. Oh Kampala, guaranteed to be even more packed and chaotic than last year. Just praying that the boda ride gets along with my 25 kilo pack...

*UGANDA*

I have made it! My final and most anticipated destination. The kids were not aware that I was coming which made the screams and hugs that much better. There are a few that I only remember from our visit to the slums and pictures. They are now clean, healthy, smiling, and loving school. The house is crazy. 16 children running, laughing, screaming, playing all day. There is never volume control. This is their home. No adults telling them to quiet down. I'm usually yelling with them. Activities vary day to day. They are so easily entertained and appreciate everything making my desire to give them more and do more with them that much stronger.

We visited the slums of Masese where they came from and where most have family and friends. Some enjoy it more than others. Most are happy to see their past and happy to leave it in the past. Some dont understand that we will leave and fear that they are returning to stay. The level of poverty is like nothing you would ever see in the states or most of the western world. Sure people are homeless, hungry, and sick all over the world. Its seeing the defeated, desperate look in small children's eyes that gets to me. They are suffering. They may not have food or a bath for days. A good education is a luxury that most will never see. People approach me from every direction. I have white skin. They have a problem and need money. Its hard to say no but its impossible to help them all. I just look back at the Peace for Paul kids and know that some good has been done. 16 kids, a video camera, digital camera, meeting family and friends of the children, so many requests for money, people grabbing, pulling, begging, and the dirty children that quietly grab my hand and walk with me. It was a lot, I couldn't take much more and thankfully the kids felt the same way. Possibly the most emotionally trying day I will have here at least from my experience last year. A life changing experience to say the least.

I am still adjusting to life in Uganda. Crowded packed vans, meant to hold 12 that can miraculously hold 20 or more. Each ride is a stop, go, people in and out anywhere along the road. Terrible roads. Passing dangerously. Conductors and drivers yelling out to prospective riders on the road. Electricity- a novelty. Don't expect it before noon but pray that it comes by night fall. We ate dinner in the dark two days ago. One small light for preparing food, eating, using the toilet, everyone getting to bed. I think I was the only one a little stressed about the situation. They just started singing songs in a big circle and made it an early night. "Its (electricity) finished today. Maybe tomorrow auntie." Running water is also quite a luxury that I didn't take advantage of two days ago. Yep, no shower, I cant even wash my dark dirty feet. I wore socks to bed so I wouldn't get my sheets dirty. No complaints, just adjustments. The minor reactions that come from the kids makes any stress disappear.

Got into my first argument with a Ugandan taxi driver. After a trip to a football field for the day, we took two separate taxis home. We were waiting on the road for the others to arrive. As they get out the boys are pleading with the man. He was not giving them all their balance owed. I stepped in and argued. He attempted to close the door on me 3 times but I didn't back down and eventually got the remaining money- 100 shillings or about 5 cents USD. Yep, all of that for 5 cents. Its principle dammit. Don't rip me off because I'm white and don't take money from kids.

Speaking of the kids, I have been gone for too long. They will worry about me and wait for my return to eat lunch. And I miss them. Things are just too quiet. And I haven't gotten a hug in a few hours now:)