Colombia is insanely beautiful!!! After weeks and weeks in the desert, I am finally seeing green! I took my first Colombian bus ride yesterday and am amazed with the difference between the dusty plains of Peru, to the rich farmlands of Colombia. I really felt like I was in Europe...maybe a tropical Europe. The rolling green hills are patchworked with farms and little villas. The landscape is dotted with palm trees and sugarcane fields. The road was cut right through the dense forests and steep cliffs. There were waterfalls cascading down the hills as our bus sped by. I am in awe of my surroundings!
After a long day in Lima, my friend and I hopped on a plane in the middle of the night destined for Bogota. We arrived at 4am and took the first taxi possible to a pretty dismal hostel somewhere in the middle of...I don't know where...somewhere in the city not next to anything. Of course, the guy didn't have our reservation right and we thought we were going to be forced to sleep on the sofas until he showed us to a private room and offered us a discounted price. We took it, but only because we were extremely tired and Bogota is not a city to be strolling around in the dark looking for somewhere new to stay. We quickly woke up and darted out of there as soon as possible in the morning.
As for Bogota, it is a HUGE city. It's incredibly green, full of parks and surrounded by mountains. The problem is, and I knew this before getting there, is that it's extremely dangerous. You're not likely to be physically harmed, but theft is a big problem. It is not safe to walk alone at night. You have to beware of shady cab drivers. You should never visit an ATM in the dark. Pretty much everyone I talked to had been robbed at some point or another. It's great to hear all of these warnings and be aware of what you should and should not do, but it definitely doesn't make you feel welcome in a new city, or a new country for that matter. Don't worry all, I made it out of Bogota safe and with all of my possessions.
It's kind of sad that it has this bad reputation, because besides that, it is an extremely livable city. The architecture is beautiful and the people seem friendly. I found a hostel in the old city, in Candelaria and stayed there. Luckily, the girl I traveled up here with has lived here before and new plenty of people around. Pretty much everyone in my hostel was living there as far as I could tell. They just come to Bogota and decide not to leave. Although I'm not really sure what they do every day, other than hit up the many fiestas that happen every night of the week.
I was in luck on Saturday night, as this big party that occurs the last Sunday of every month was going on. It just a club with a huge backyard and hundreds of people hanging out and dancing. My stomach was upset (travelers tummy was back again but thankfully gone at this point) so it was hard to get into it, but I did eventually and had a crazy night out for my first night in Colombia. I met loads of people and attempted bad spanish. I came home in the wee hours of the morning and wasted the entire next day relaxing after a long night.
I'm not really a big city person, at least not in South America, so I only stuck it out in Bogota for three days. I did a bit of touring to the main plaza and then to this church up on top of a mountain not far from my hostel. I had dinner with my friend and just generally hung out on my last day. I was pretty ready to leave by the time I woke up yesterday morning.
My goal at this point is to get to the beach asap. I haven't seen beach since Turkey, or not any that I've wanted to swim in, so I'm ready. So I took my first Colombian bus ride yesterday to San Gil, six hours north of Bogota. I had no idea what I was doing when I got to the bus station, but again my luck worked out. I chose a bus company (there are hundreds, all screaming at you trying to get your business) that had comfty seats that recline almost all the way and plenty of room for you to stretch out. As for getting the ticket, Colombia is crazy with prices. Basically, you go up to the attendant and ask for a ticket. You have to be sure to ask for the discount, or else you're charged sometimes close to double the price. I asked for the discount, although I'm not sure why I, or anyone for that matter, got it. Really, it's just one of these crazy South American deals...if you're too stupid to say something about it, they charge you more. I don't get it...but oh well...my ticket was way cheaper than the price I'd seen quoted online the day before.
The bus ride up here was so beautiful! None of the shantytowns of Peru. Some of the places I saw were villas straight out of Italy. We drove through green mountains and gorgeous canyons. The roads were smooth as we passed farms and small towns. There were a lot of police checkpoints and it was kind of random to see a lone officer with a large gun every 10 miles or so, but I guess that makes me feel a little safer. I met an older Colombian guy on the bus and we had a nice conversation using my horrible spanish. These people love their country and after this bus ride, I can see why.
I arrived in San Gil a little after five yesterday and am already planning on staying longer than I thought. It's a small town with hills steeper than San Francisco's. It's the adventure sport capital of this region. I checked into possible the smallest dorm room I've ever seen (literally, I think it's 8X8, with two sets of bunk beds) and met my three new roommates...the first time I've been with all guys (smelly! Thank god there's a window). Immediately they gave me the run-down of everything I can do here...rappelling down waterfalls, swimming under them, paragliding, white water rafting, etc. It's pretty awesome. All I need to do is walk across the street to a different hostel and put my name on the board under the activity I want for the next day. I had initially signed up to rappell down this waterfall, but then realized I can swim under it for free, so cancelled that reservation and will take a relaxing dip in the water instead today. All of these activities, although cheap, can add up moneywise, so I'm going to let myself do one thing...paragliding or rafting. I'll make the decision later, I've got nothing but time.
The other great thing about this town is Andre, the spanish teacher across the road from my hostel. I was introduced to him within 15 minutes of being here and immediately signed up for a lesson. I just got done with a two hour private class on the past tense in spanish and it was pretty good. I've been looking for a good teacher with a flexible schedule. You basically just walk in, tell him what and when you want to learn, and there you go. For $7/hour, I'm in. I think I'll take another session tomorrow.
So I'm getting closer to the coast, but think I'm going to stay here for a few days more. The original plan was to take off tomorrow and get to Santa Marta on Friday, but I'm thinking that the 13 hour bus ride can wait for now. There's plenty to do and see in San Gil. It's safe for me to walk around alone and go out to dinner at night. It's also hot all day and all night here, just like I like it. I'll eventually make it to the beach, but for now, I'm happy where I'm at.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Adios Peru!!!
Colombia, here I come! Tonight I am leaving this country that I have learned to love over the last month. I have completed the Gringo Trail of southern Peru. I've made some great friends, eaten way too much good food (whoever said being vegetarian in South America would be hard is crazy), drank some local wines and Pisco and just generally lived it up in the last four weeks. My feet are now clean of sand and grit (for the first time in what feels like ages), my laundry is at the cleaners and I have slept in my last Peruvian hostel. What a good run it has been.
I got to Lima last night, after three days of hard labor while volunteering in Pisco. Just after writing my last blog, I made the smart decision to look up Pisco Sin Fronteras on the internet...why I didn't do that before I got to Pisco is beyond me...and figured out what exactly needed to be done to find all of the volunteers. It was quite easy actually. I got up early the next morning, hopped in a tuk tuk (it's an experience to be had on the bumpy streets of Peru) and made it to the house just before their morning breakfast meeting.
The organization is fabulous, and what they do for the community means so much to its people. It was founded two years ago by Burners Without Borders, a non-profit run by all of those Burning Man followers out in California. Burners worked on it for twelve months and then handed over the reigns to form Pisco Sin Fronteras, which has now been up and running for almost a year now. They work in Pisco and the surrounding villages to improve the living conditions of their inhabitants. They have close ties with businesses and politicians in the community that allows them to take on projects as they are needed. It is mostly building houses and laying cement, while doing some fundraising and building the infrastructure to use energy more efficiently. In the three days I was there people were being dispatched daily to about nine different projects.
The first thing I noticed as I arrived for breakfast is that they have developed a family in these two houses that they live in on the outskirts of Pisco. They have beds for the workers and provide breakfast and dinner everyday. They arrange futbol games and barbeques and other team building activities that keep people together as they do hard, and sometimes frustrating, work everyday. Some people had been there for months, and others for just days. It didn't matter, as long as you were there to help.
They had bed space for me, so on the first morning, I volunteered for my project and then ran to my hostel to pack my belongings. My first project was a Miracle Project, a two room bamboo house being built for a family with six children (five of which will be sharing one of the rooms, the sixth will be living elsewhere). These homes are incredible. As far as I can tell, they don't buy property, just find a space amoung the shantytowns that are all over the area and build on it. Most structures are built with the local palm reeds and plastic, and as they save what little money the have, they improve on it. This particular family had nothing, hence it is the Miracle Project. It was paid for by the fundraising of PSF and the house was designed by volunteer architects that happened to be working there at the time. The house was almost complete by the time I got there. I helped with the finishing touches by filling the gaps in the bamboo with a glue and sawdust mixture. It was the first day of hard work I've done in a long time, and it was incredibly satisfying!
My second and third days with the company were spent working in a village just across the Panamericana helping a family that needed us to pour cement floors so that their kids weren't running around in the dirt any longer. We started each morning by loading up Juan's truck with wheel barrels and other gear...and then ourselves, yes we rode 30 minutes in the back of this work truck like a load of livestock. Gringos in a truck! It was like a parade with all of the looks we got. I have lots of pictures...it was quite hilarious! In the time I had, we got two of the rooms done and part of the backyard. It was long days of mixing cement by hand (the mixer died the first day) and moving sand holes from the backyard to the front yard. Babysitting was another job as the two cutest little kids, Omar and Melody, kept running across the wet cement causing us to have to fix their footprints. It was difficult, but everyone seemed happy with the job we were doing and the days went by very fast.
I had to leave the project all too quickly. I could've stayed for months and would like to find somewhere else in the world that I could do this with. I met some amazing people and had such a great time bonding with them. My last night there, I was lucky enough to see their Wednesday night BBQ and sing-a-long. It was a great way to spend my last evening with these phenominal people.
So yesterday, I helped with the morning dishes and chopped some vegetables for dinner before hopping on a bus to Lima. Two of the girls were heading up here as well, so we all checked into the same hostel and went out to a nice dinner in Miraflores last night. The girl I met in Puno has just arrived and I'll be going to Bogota with her this evening. And to top it all off, someone I met in Arequipa will be getting to Lima in a few hours and I need to have drinks with him before I take off. Peru has been fantastic for meeting people. Everywhere I go I run into people that I've seen somewhere else in the country. In South America, travelers seem to buddy up a bit more than they did in Europe. It's a wonderful circle of friends that you get to enjoy as you travel around and see more of the sites. I have no doubt that I will find the same happiness in Colombia.
I got to Lima last night, after three days of hard labor while volunteering in Pisco. Just after writing my last blog, I made the smart decision to look up Pisco Sin Fronteras on the internet...why I didn't do that before I got to Pisco is beyond me...and figured out what exactly needed to be done to find all of the volunteers. It was quite easy actually. I got up early the next morning, hopped in a tuk tuk (it's an experience to be had on the bumpy streets of Peru) and made it to the house just before their morning breakfast meeting.
The organization is fabulous, and what they do for the community means so much to its people. It was founded two years ago by Burners Without Borders, a non-profit run by all of those Burning Man followers out in California. Burners worked on it for twelve months and then handed over the reigns to form Pisco Sin Fronteras, which has now been up and running for almost a year now. They work in Pisco and the surrounding villages to improve the living conditions of their inhabitants. They have close ties with businesses and politicians in the community that allows them to take on projects as they are needed. It is mostly building houses and laying cement, while doing some fundraising and building the infrastructure to use energy more efficiently. In the three days I was there people were being dispatched daily to about nine different projects.
The first thing I noticed as I arrived for breakfast is that they have developed a family in these two houses that they live in on the outskirts of Pisco. They have beds for the workers and provide breakfast and dinner everyday. They arrange futbol games and barbeques and other team building activities that keep people together as they do hard, and sometimes frustrating, work everyday. Some people had been there for months, and others for just days. It didn't matter, as long as you were there to help.
They had bed space for me, so on the first morning, I volunteered for my project and then ran to my hostel to pack my belongings. My first project was a Miracle Project, a two room bamboo house being built for a family with six children (five of which will be sharing one of the rooms, the sixth will be living elsewhere). These homes are incredible. As far as I can tell, they don't buy property, just find a space amoung the shantytowns that are all over the area and build on it. Most structures are built with the local palm reeds and plastic, and as they save what little money the have, they improve on it. This particular family had nothing, hence it is the Miracle Project. It was paid for by the fundraising of PSF and the house was designed by volunteer architects that happened to be working there at the time. The house was almost complete by the time I got there. I helped with the finishing touches by filling the gaps in the bamboo with a glue and sawdust mixture. It was the first day of hard work I've done in a long time, and it was incredibly satisfying!
My second and third days with the company were spent working in a village just across the Panamericana helping a family that needed us to pour cement floors so that their kids weren't running around in the dirt any longer. We started each morning by loading up Juan's truck with wheel barrels and other gear...and then ourselves, yes we rode 30 minutes in the back of this work truck like a load of livestock. Gringos in a truck! It was like a parade with all of the looks we got. I have lots of pictures...it was quite hilarious! In the time I had, we got two of the rooms done and part of the backyard. It was long days of mixing cement by hand (the mixer died the first day) and moving sand holes from the backyard to the front yard. Babysitting was another job as the two cutest little kids, Omar and Melody, kept running across the wet cement causing us to have to fix their footprints. It was difficult, but everyone seemed happy with the job we were doing and the days went by very fast.
I had to leave the project all too quickly. I could've stayed for months and would like to find somewhere else in the world that I could do this with. I met some amazing people and had such a great time bonding with them. My last night there, I was lucky enough to see their Wednesday night BBQ and sing-a-long. It was a great way to spend my last evening with these phenominal people.
So yesterday, I helped with the morning dishes and chopped some vegetables for dinner before hopping on a bus to Lima. Two of the girls were heading up here as well, so we all checked into the same hostel and went out to a nice dinner in Miraflores last night. The girl I met in Puno has just arrived and I'll be going to Bogota with her this evening. And to top it all off, someone I met in Arequipa will be getting to Lima in a few hours and I need to have drinks with him before I take off. Peru has been fantastic for meeting people. Everywhere I go I run into people that I've seen somewhere else in the country. In South America, travelers seem to buddy up a bit more than they did in Europe. It's a wonderful circle of friends that you get to enjoy as you travel around and see more of the sites. I have no doubt that I will find the same happiness in Colombia.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wild Wild West
I woke up this morning in an Oasis in the desert and now I have found myself in a city in shambles. The last few days have shown me the crazy contrast of life in South America. To go from Arequipa, a beautiful little city with landscaped plazas and gorgeous vistas, to the Oasis at Huacachina, my idea of the South American Sahara, to Pisco, a town destroyed by an earthquake two years ago and trying to rebuild what it once was.
My last few hours in Arequipa were spectacular. I met up again with my canyon guide and he took me to a district just outside of the city called Sacacha. It was a quaint little neighborhood with a huge tower that overlooks the city and the mountains that surround it. We got there just at sunset to see El Misti at it's best. The sunsets in South America are a pretty incredible second best for me, the first being in Turkey. It was the perfect goodbye to a city that I loved exploring.
The overnight bus to Ica was phenominal. Better than any bus ride I've taken, as I was able to sleep the entire way. I got a semi-cama seat on the top floor meaning my seatback laid almost all the way down and there was plenty of leg room to stretch out. I must have been asleep within ten minutes of boarding and didn't wake up until we arrived at our destination the following morning. The perfect way to travel.
I arrived in Ica and caught a $1 cab to the oasis at Huacachina and saw the enormous mountains of sand that were once deep under the ocean. Huacachina was meant to be a resort for Peru's elite, but somehow became a weekend getaway for Peruvians and a necessary stopover for international backpackers looking for dune buggy adventures. The town, if you can call it that, is just a lagoon surrounded by huge palm trees and hotels and hostels galore. There is really nothing else there, except for the sand, of course.
I checked in to the Casa del Arena (house of sand) hostel and was immediately pleased to see a nice, clean pool for me to relax next to. In the midday heat, I took a dip while I waited for the desert floor to cool down a bit in the afternoon. I hiked for a half hour up one of the mountains and saw the surrounding citys from the top...and then had my first, and only, attempt at sandboarding back down. It's a lot like snowboarding, but impossible to carve, so you just end up flying straight down the mountain hoping to stay upright. I have to admit, I wasn't that bad. I only ended up going down once, as the sun was setting and I forgot my headlamp, but I made it down with only falling once into the soft sand. Makes me think that I might want to try snowboarding when I actually get to see winter a year or so from now.
I've said over and over that one of the best things about travel is the people that you meet and the things that you learn from them. After leaving Arequipa, I got thrown into the mix and now realize that not all people speak english. In fact, I really haven't encountered anyone that speaks english in the last four days. I had this happen when I lived in Spain years ago, and I was so happy to have it again...meeting someone that doesn't speak your language, and you don't speak theirs, and neither of you speak spanish very well, so you're forced to form a bond based on mediocre language skills and charades. That's basically what I did during my entire stay at the oasis, and it was an incredible learning experience. The practice has definitely come in handy now that I have moved on to a new location.
So in my three days in Huacachina, I had a lot of sun, pool, sand and wineries. Yes, there are wineries in the desert. One of the french guys and I took a wine tour my second day there and enjoyed the vinos and piscos. Pisco is like a grape brandy that is only made in this region of Peru. Very strong, and very high alcohol content. It pretty much tastes like tequila...and burns just as bad going down. Needless to say, after three bodegas, I was ready to be done. I opted for the wineries rather than dune buggies, and although it wasn't much compared to my favorite Californian wines, I'm glad I had the chance to test them out.
I was supposed to leave the oasis yesterday afternoon, I had my bags packed and everything, but somehow moving just didn't seem like the best option, so I stuck it out there one more night. This morning I awoke bright and early, had some breakfast and said some goodbyes, and then hopped on the bus to Pisco, just an hour and a half north of Ica. I arrived before noon to find what's left of this town after the earthquake in 2007. The only thing I could think of in my cab ride from the bus station is that I have somehow arrived in the Wild West. Most of the roads are dirt and there is a dust cloud everywhere you look. A lot of the buildings are half destroyed and there is debris everywhere. I can hear chickens clucking as I type this and there are ferral dogs in the streets. I really can't believe the contrast with the last few places I have been.
It's not all bad though. My hostel is nice and the people seem incredibly friendly. I took a walk over to the Plaza del Armas and you can see the progess they have made at trying to rebuild their city. There are a couple of streets where the brick has been re-laid and there is a nice little market with loads of Sunday strollers just enjoying the nice day with their ice creams. It's just a town that got hit really hard, and there are people that refuse to give up on it.
I've been hearing throughout my trip here that there is a company called Pisco Sin Fronteras that allows people to volunteer here on all sorts of projects. I haven't looked too hard for it at this point since it is Sunday and I know they are closed. Apparently tomorrow morning I can get up early and take a cab over and help out if I please. I've heard stories of people coming here and volunteering for months because they loved it so much. I hope that I can find that same passion for it and make the best of my last few days in Peru.
My last few hours in Arequipa were spectacular. I met up again with my canyon guide and he took me to a district just outside of the city called Sacacha. It was a quaint little neighborhood with a huge tower that overlooks the city and the mountains that surround it. We got there just at sunset to see El Misti at it's best. The sunsets in South America are a pretty incredible second best for me, the first being in Turkey. It was the perfect goodbye to a city that I loved exploring.
The overnight bus to Ica was phenominal. Better than any bus ride I've taken, as I was able to sleep the entire way. I got a semi-cama seat on the top floor meaning my seatback laid almost all the way down and there was plenty of leg room to stretch out. I must have been asleep within ten minutes of boarding and didn't wake up until we arrived at our destination the following morning. The perfect way to travel.
I arrived in Ica and caught a $1 cab to the oasis at Huacachina and saw the enormous mountains of sand that were once deep under the ocean. Huacachina was meant to be a resort for Peru's elite, but somehow became a weekend getaway for Peruvians and a necessary stopover for international backpackers looking for dune buggy adventures. The town, if you can call it that, is just a lagoon surrounded by huge palm trees and hotels and hostels galore. There is really nothing else there, except for the sand, of course.
I checked in to the Casa del Arena (house of sand) hostel and was immediately pleased to see a nice, clean pool for me to relax next to. In the midday heat, I took a dip while I waited for the desert floor to cool down a bit in the afternoon. I hiked for a half hour up one of the mountains and saw the surrounding citys from the top...and then had my first, and only, attempt at sandboarding back down. It's a lot like snowboarding, but impossible to carve, so you just end up flying straight down the mountain hoping to stay upright. I have to admit, I wasn't that bad. I only ended up going down once, as the sun was setting and I forgot my headlamp, but I made it down with only falling once into the soft sand. Makes me think that I might want to try snowboarding when I actually get to see winter a year or so from now.
I've said over and over that one of the best things about travel is the people that you meet and the things that you learn from them. After leaving Arequipa, I got thrown into the mix and now realize that not all people speak english. In fact, I really haven't encountered anyone that speaks english in the last four days. I had this happen when I lived in Spain years ago, and I was so happy to have it again...meeting someone that doesn't speak your language, and you don't speak theirs, and neither of you speak spanish very well, so you're forced to form a bond based on mediocre language skills and charades. That's basically what I did during my entire stay at the oasis, and it was an incredible learning experience. The practice has definitely come in handy now that I have moved on to a new location.
So in my three days in Huacachina, I had a lot of sun, pool, sand and wineries. Yes, there are wineries in the desert. One of the french guys and I took a wine tour my second day there and enjoyed the vinos and piscos. Pisco is like a grape brandy that is only made in this region of Peru. Very strong, and very high alcohol content. It pretty much tastes like tequila...and burns just as bad going down. Needless to say, after three bodegas, I was ready to be done. I opted for the wineries rather than dune buggies, and although it wasn't much compared to my favorite Californian wines, I'm glad I had the chance to test them out.
I was supposed to leave the oasis yesterday afternoon, I had my bags packed and everything, but somehow moving just didn't seem like the best option, so I stuck it out there one more night. This morning I awoke bright and early, had some breakfast and said some goodbyes, and then hopped on the bus to Pisco, just an hour and a half north of Ica. I arrived before noon to find what's left of this town after the earthquake in 2007. The only thing I could think of in my cab ride from the bus station is that I have somehow arrived in the Wild West. Most of the roads are dirt and there is a dust cloud everywhere you look. A lot of the buildings are half destroyed and there is debris everywhere. I can hear chickens clucking as I type this and there are ferral dogs in the streets. I really can't believe the contrast with the last few places I have been.
It's not all bad though. My hostel is nice and the people seem incredibly friendly. I took a walk over to the Plaza del Armas and you can see the progess they have made at trying to rebuild their city. There are a couple of streets where the brick has been re-laid and there is a nice little market with loads of Sunday strollers just enjoying the nice day with their ice creams. It's just a town that got hit really hard, and there are people that refuse to give up on it.
I've been hearing throughout my trip here that there is a company called Pisco Sin Fronteras that allows people to volunteer here on all sorts of projects. I haven't looked too hard for it at this point since it is Sunday and I know they are closed. Apparently tomorrow morning I can get up early and take a cab over and help out if I please. I've heard stories of people coming here and volunteering for months because they loved it so much. I hope that I can find that same passion for it and make the best of my last few days in Peru.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Flight of the Condors
When I was in Arizona last spring, I was pretty bummed that I didn't get to see the Grand Canyon. The past few days in the Cañon del Colca northeast of Arequipa has finally satisfied my needs. At 3191 meters deep, Colca is one of the world's deepest canyons. With majestic condors flying above and the fast flowing river below, the 22km trek in, out and around was breathtaking.
The trip set off to a rocky start. As with everyone heading into the canyon, the guides are supposed to come to the hostels and pick you up around 2:30am so you can be at the Cruz del Condor to catch glimpses of the condors flying in the morning. Just as I laid my head down at 10pm for a few hours of sleep, my guide came to the door to inform me that he would be back in two hours to pick me up for the 1am bus instead. This was frustrating to say the least. So at 12:30, I woke up and got my ride to the bus station, not to take the nice tourist bus, but the local collectivo over the insanely bumpy roads into the canyon. The condition of the roads, as well as the bus, prohibited me from further sleep during the four hour ride, not exactly ideal when you know you've got a five hour hike to your next bed.
We were the first to arrive at the Cruz del Condor at 5am and the sunrise over the canyon was glorious, it made the agony of no sleep somewhat bearable. Cruz del Condor (cross of the condor) is the viewpoint for all of us tourists see these incredible birds as they hunt for their morning meals. We were there for about four hours and watched as the tourist buses dropped off hundreds of people from all over the globe. I think we saw about five birds while sitting there with our tea, but all from a distance. It was nothing compared to what we would see over the coming days on our hike through the canyon.
My group was made up of me, three Australians, a girl from Switzerland and our guide, Juan Carlos. The Aussies, as always, were fantastic and made the hike for me. You're always worried when going on these tours exactly who will make up your group and if you will get along with them...it's kind of important when you have to spend days on end in the middle of nowhere with someone. The experience just isn't the same when you're stuck with people you don't like (i.e. crotchety old women on the boat in Turkey). I lucked out yet again, and came out of this trip with three new friends to visit on my world tour.
After the Cruz del Condor, we took another terrifying bus ride (I officially think Peruvian buses have topped planes in my book of scariest things ever) to Cabanaconde to begin our hike to our first destination inside the canyon. The hike lasted five hours, across the cliffs, and down the steep hills to the Rio Majes (river). Like I said, I never made it to the Grand Canyon, but if it's anything like the towering peaks and vast plains that make up Colca, I need to keep it on my list. We arrived at our first hostel in the late afternoon sun and found a rustic compound made up of bamboo bungalows and sprawling gardens overlooking the river. Our feet were sore from the long decent and we were fithly from the dust kicked up in our path, so we jumped into the seemlingly subzero river to numb our aches and clean up a bit. We had lunch at 5pm, followed by a nap and then dinner with a starlight soak in the hot springs for dessert. After no sleep and a long day, we called it a night by 9pm.
The next day began our uphill practice as we walked to the garden oasis deep in the canyon. We walked up a mountain to take in the most beautiful views of rocky landscapes around us. The hike took us across a plain where two condors decided to grace us with their presence. These birds start low and use the hot air from the bottom of the canyon to lift themselves up into the sky. We caught them as they were below us and watched as they glided peacefully across the land and to their homes in the caves above. It was spectacular! Without the throngs of people making noise and snapping pictures, we were really able to appreciate how incredible the condors really are.
We arrived at the Oasis before noon on the second day and couldn't have been happier to jump in the chilly pool within minutes. The Oasis is another compound full of greenery that offsets the dusty landscape surrounding it. Walking past the waterfall at the entrance and seeing the lush bushes and huge palm trees on the lawns, I felt like I was stepping into a five star resort. More bamboo huts and and dirt floors stopped my dreaming quickly, but was fine with me...when there is a pool, I could really care less where I have to sleep. We spent the afternoon reading and napping and took it upon ourselves to polish off a bottle of rum before hitting the hay early in the evening.
As we were hiking on the second day, our guide pointed out our path up the hillside for the third day. We all saw it, and knew what we were in for, so we beat the sun up on our last day to make the final push of 1.4 vertical kilometers (I think it's more like 5km with all of the switchbacks) back into Cabanaconde. It took me 2.5 hours to reach the top with an incredible sense of accomplishment. The hike up really wasn't all that bad...I think my muscles are back. I've learned the secret to hiking uphill...slow and steady. It's not a race and I don't know why I didn't get it before, but Peruvian hiking has ingrained that slow and steady rhythm into my head.
We arrived in Cabanaconde, had breakfast at a cool little reggae bar and then got on the actual tourist bus to take us home. We stopped at another hot spring to soak our sore legs and filled our stomachs with an amazing buffet before heading back to Arequipa in the evening. The bus ride was still bumpy, even in a good bus, but we were all more than happy to be chilling out for a few hours on the trip.
So I got back two nights ago and have hung out with the Australians numerous times before they took their bus to Bolivia last night. We went out on the town with our guide on Monday night. We ate pizza, watched Peruvian karaoke and danced the night away at one of the tourist bars. Even with our aching muscles, we all had a blast. Yesterday afternoon, we met up and cruised the local market before having dinner overlooking the plaza in the evening. I was sad to see them go, as always, but know I will see them again when I make it to their side of the world next year.
As for today, I am checking out of the hostel that I have considered my home for over a week. I need recollect my belongings that have exploded all over a corner of my room and get on the overnight bus up to Ica. I think the ride is about 12 hours. Something I'm not really looking forward to, but it's time to move on. I've decided to skip Nazca altogether. No one has given me any good feedback on it anyway. Ica is supposedly an oasis in the middle of sandunes, and it sounds like it's worth a try for a couple of days. I'll get some sandboarding in and lay by the pool as I make my way closer to Lima for my flight to Colombia next week.
The trip set off to a rocky start. As with everyone heading into the canyon, the guides are supposed to come to the hostels and pick you up around 2:30am so you can be at the Cruz del Condor to catch glimpses of the condors flying in the morning. Just as I laid my head down at 10pm for a few hours of sleep, my guide came to the door to inform me that he would be back in two hours to pick me up for the 1am bus instead. This was frustrating to say the least. So at 12:30, I woke up and got my ride to the bus station, not to take the nice tourist bus, but the local collectivo over the insanely bumpy roads into the canyon. The condition of the roads, as well as the bus, prohibited me from further sleep during the four hour ride, not exactly ideal when you know you've got a five hour hike to your next bed.
We were the first to arrive at the Cruz del Condor at 5am and the sunrise over the canyon was glorious, it made the agony of no sleep somewhat bearable. Cruz del Condor (cross of the condor) is the viewpoint for all of us tourists see these incredible birds as they hunt for their morning meals. We were there for about four hours and watched as the tourist buses dropped off hundreds of people from all over the globe. I think we saw about five birds while sitting there with our tea, but all from a distance. It was nothing compared to what we would see over the coming days on our hike through the canyon.
My group was made up of me, three Australians, a girl from Switzerland and our guide, Juan Carlos. The Aussies, as always, were fantastic and made the hike for me. You're always worried when going on these tours exactly who will make up your group and if you will get along with them...it's kind of important when you have to spend days on end in the middle of nowhere with someone. The experience just isn't the same when you're stuck with people you don't like (i.e. crotchety old women on the boat in Turkey). I lucked out yet again, and came out of this trip with three new friends to visit on my world tour.
After the Cruz del Condor, we took another terrifying bus ride (I officially think Peruvian buses have topped planes in my book of scariest things ever) to Cabanaconde to begin our hike to our first destination inside the canyon. The hike lasted five hours, across the cliffs, and down the steep hills to the Rio Majes (river). Like I said, I never made it to the Grand Canyon, but if it's anything like the towering peaks and vast plains that make up Colca, I need to keep it on my list. We arrived at our first hostel in the late afternoon sun and found a rustic compound made up of bamboo bungalows and sprawling gardens overlooking the river. Our feet were sore from the long decent and we were fithly from the dust kicked up in our path, so we jumped into the seemlingly subzero river to numb our aches and clean up a bit. We had lunch at 5pm, followed by a nap and then dinner with a starlight soak in the hot springs for dessert. After no sleep and a long day, we called it a night by 9pm.
The next day began our uphill practice as we walked to the garden oasis deep in the canyon. We walked up a mountain to take in the most beautiful views of rocky landscapes around us. The hike took us across a plain where two condors decided to grace us with their presence. These birds start low and use the hot air from the bottom of the canyon to lift themselves up into the sky. We caught them as they were below us and watched as they glided peacefully across the land and to their homes in the caves above. It was spectacular! Without the throngs of people making noise and snapping pictures, we were really able to appreciate how incredible the condors really are.
We arrived at the Oasis before noon on the second day and couldn't have been happier to jump in the chilly pool within minutes. The Oasis is another compound full of greenery that offsets the dusty landscape surrounding it. Walking past the waterfall at the entrance and seeing the lush bushes and huge palm trees on the lawns, I felt like I was stepping into a five star resort. More bamboo huts and and dirt floors stopped my dreaming quickly, but was fine with me...when there is a pool, I could really care less where I have to sleep. We spent the afternoon reading and napping and took it upon ourselves to polish off a bottle of rum before hitting the hay early in the evening.
As we were hiking on the second day, our guide pointed out our path up the hillside for the third day. We all saw it, and knew what we were in for, so we beat the sun up on our last day to make the final push of 1.4 vertical kilometers (I think it's more like 5km with all of the switchbacks) back into Cabanaconde. It took me 2.5 hours to reach the top with an incredible sense of accomplishment. The hike up really wasn't all that bad...I think my muscles are back. I've learned the secret to hiking uphill...slow and steady. It's not a race and I don't know why I didn't get it before, but Peruvian hiking has ingrained that slow and steady rhythm into my head.
We arrived in Cabanaconde, had breakfast at a cool little reggae bar and then got on the actual tourist bus to take us home. We stopped at another hot spring to soak our sore legs and filled our stomachs with an amazing buffet before heading back to Arequipa in the evening. The bus ride was still bumpy, even in a good bus, but we were all more than happy to be chilling out for a few hours on the trip.
So I got back two nights ago and have hung out with the Australians numerous times before they took their bus to Bolivia last night. We went out on the town with our guide on Monday night. We ate pizza, watched Peruvian karaoke and danced the night away at one of the tourist bars. Even with our aching muscles, we all had a blast. Yesterday afternoon, we met up and cruised the local market before having dinner overlooking the plaza in the evening. I was sad to see them go, as always, but know I will see them again when I make it to their side of the world next year.
As for today, I am checking out of the hostel that I have considered my home for over a week. I need recollect my belongings that have exploded all over a corner of my room and get on the overnight bus up to Ica. I think the ride is about 12 hours. Something I'm not really looking forward to, but it's time to move on. I've decided to skip Nazca altogether. No one has given me any good feedback on it anyway. Ica is supposedly an oasis in the middle of sandunes, and it sounds like it's worth a try for a couple of days. I'll get some sandboarding in and lay by the pool as I make my way closer to Lima for my flight to Colombia next week.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Pleasantly Bored
I finally feel like I am on vacation. It only took two months to adjust. Europe was crazy, like running around in circles trying to see as much as possible in the six weeks I had. Now, I have stepped back and have slowed to the South American way of travel. The last few days have been spent resting in hammocks and strolling through plazas, drinking cervezas and doing pretty much whatever I feel like at any particular moment.
Puno was tough for me. I felt like I was getting beaten down with each new step I tried to make. I hit those phases a couple of times in Europe as well, where you just don't feel like things are going your way. You don't meet people like you want to, you don't necesarily feel social, you're just generally uncomfortable in the place where you are...and that was Lake Titicaca for me.
After my soiree at the Bolivian border, I went back to the lake to see what I could do next. I ended up getting a bed at the hostel after a late night cancellation, so that was good at least. I booked the tour of the floating reed islands for the next day. For anyone reading this that ever wants to go, I say skip it...unless it's a stopover to avoid a long bus ride to La Paz. The lake is incredibly polluted and the smell is not so nice. I took a half hour boat ride to the reed islands to see some of the locals and it felt like I was in a zoo. They showed us how the islands are made, which is actually kind of cool. They're just islands made of reeds. As the ones on the bottom deteriorate, they place new ones on top. These islands are actually floating, as they have to anchor them down to keep from sailing off to Bolivia. The people on them sleep in reed huts and basically live off of the tourists that visit. They tried to dress us in their traditional garb (I politely refused), sell us things and then sang us Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the language of each person on the tour. I know that they would not survive without the money they receive from tourists, but it was just really uncomfortable and made me feel kind of bad. I was pretty happy when we were back on the boat to the mainland.
After the tour, I quickly went to the bus station to see when the next bus to Arequipa was. I was in luck, as there was one leaving in a couple of hours. I made haste back to the hostel, packed my bags, and said goodbye to Puno....but not before buying the one of those alpaca ponchos I've been eyeing. I have no idea when I'll wear it...but it's soft and blue...and was all of $10, so what the hell, I'm glad I have it.
I had my first experience with Cruz del Sur, the fancy bus company that runs through Peru. It was more expensive, but to get movies and food....I'll take it! The seats lay almost flat and are soft and spacious. To top it all off, my bus was close to empty, so I got to spread out and sleep for a while on the six hour trek to canyon country.
I got to Arequipa and have checked into my third Point Hostel. There are a bunch of chain hostels in South America, the Point being one of them. You get these wristbands that just scream 'gringa' as you walk the streets, but they get you a free drink at the next hostel you stay in...bonus! The hostel is great, comfortable beds, clean, hot showers, a decent kitchen and hammocks in the backyard...luxurious by backpacking standards. I've been very cozy here all week.
This town I'm in is awesome! I do not feel like I'm in South America at all. More like Arizona. There is a beautiful, landscaped plaza, stucco houses, actual stop lights and street crossings and fantastic restaurants and bars everywhere. My first day, I met a couple of girls with similar travel plans (I think they're on the flight just before me to Colombia...and also taking a boat to Central America...their research has been incredibly helpful) and we walked around and checked everything out. I went to this 500 year old covent that was just opened to the public in the 60's. I was fantastic; a city within a city. Once the nuns joined the convent, they were never allowed to leave, so they built this complex over three acres full of rooms and kitchens and gardens and chapels. It was all gorgeously decorated in this deep red and bright blue and built out of rock from the snow capped volcano that towers over the city, El Misti. We spent a couple of hours in there wandering the streets and getting lost in the houses. Apparently there are still nuns that live there...but of course, they're hidden away from the tourists...bummer!
Other than that, I can't say I've done much here. I have been pleasantly bored for the last three days. Each day I get up, drink my tea (yes, I am a tea drinker now...who knew it could be so good!) go out for a few hours, and then come back to relax and read a book. Yesterday I put an end to that as I booked a three day hike through Colca Canyon about three hours from here. My haggling skills are getting good and my Spanish even better as I got the guy down to less than $65 (all inclusive for three days) and let him explain the trek to me without using English. I leave at 3am tomorrow morning and can expect about four hours of hiking each day, glimpses of condors flying above, and hot springs to soak in at the end of it all. The biggest challenge is going to be getting three days worth of supplies into the tiny day pack that I bought in Cusco. That is my mission for today.
Puno was tough for me. I felt like I was getting beaten down with each new step I tried to make. I hit those phases a couple of times in Europe as well, where you just don't feel like things are going your way. You don't meet people like you want to, you don't necesarily feel social, you're just generally uncomfortable in the place where you are...and that was Lake Titicaca for me.
After my soiree at the Bolivian border, I went back to the lake to see what I could do next. I ended up getting a bed at the hostel after a late night cancellation, so that was good at least. I booked the tour of the floating reed islands for the next day. For anyone reading this that ever wants to go, I say skip it...unless it's a stopover to avoid a long bus ride to La Paz. The lake is incredibly polluted and the smell is not so nice. I took a half hour boat ride to the reed islands to see some of the locals and it felt like I was in a zoo. They showed us how the islands are made, which is actually kind of cool. They're just islands made of reeds. As the ones on the bottom deteriorate, they place new ones on top. These islands are actually floating, as they have to anchor them down to keep from sailing off to Bolivia. The people on them sleep in reed huts and basically live off of the tourists that visit. They tried to dress us in their traditional garb (I politely refused), sell us things and then sang us Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the language of each person on the tour. I know that they would not survive without the money they receive from tourists, but it was just really uncomfortable and made me feel kind of bad. I was pretty happy when we were back on the boat to the mainland.
After the tour, I quickly went to the bus station to see when the next bus to Arequipa was. I was in luck, as there was one leaving in a couple of hours. I made haste back to the hostel, packed my bags, and said goodbye to Puno....but not before buying the one of those alpaca ponchos I've been eyeing. I have no idea when I'll wear it...but it's soft and blue...and was all of $10, so what the hell, I'm glad I have it.
I had my first experience with Cruz del Sur, the fancy bus company that runs through Peru. It was more expensive, but to get movies and food....I'll take it! The seats lay almost flat and are soft and spacious. To top it all off, my bus was close to empty, so I got to spread out and sleep for a while on the six hour trek to canyon country.
I got to Arequipa and have checked into my third Point Hostel. There are a bunch of chain hostels in South America, the Point being one of them. You get these wristbands that just scream 'gringa' as you walk the streets, but they get you a free drink at the next hostel you stay in...bonus! The hostel is great, comfortable beds, clean, hot showers, a decent kitchen and hammocks in the backyard...luxurious by backpacking standards. I've been very cozy here all week.
This town I'm in is awesome! I do not feel like I'm in South America at all. More like Arizona. There is a beautiful, landscaped plaza, stucco houses, actual stop lights and street crossings and fantastic restaurants and bars everywhere. My first day, I met a couple of girls with similar travel plans (I think they're on the flight just before me to Colombia...and also taking a boat to Central America...their research has been incredibly helpful) and we walked around and checked everything out. I went to this 500 year old covent that was just opened to the public in the 60's. I was fantastic; a city within a city. Once the nuns joined the convent, they were never allowed to leave, so they built this complex over three acres full of rooms and kitchens and gardens and chapels. It was all gorgeously decorated in this deep red and bright blue and built out of rock from the snow capped volcano that towers over the city, El Misti. We spent a couple of hours in there wandering the streets and getting lost in the houses. Apparently there are still nuns that live there...but of course, they're hidden away from the tourists...bummer!
Other than that, I can't say I've done much here. I have been pleasantly bored for the last three days. Each day I get up, drink my tea (yes, I am a tea drinker now...who knew it could be so good!) go out for a few hours, and then come back to relax and read a book. Yesterday I put an end to that as I booked a three day hike through Colca Canyon about three hours from here. My haggling skills are getting good and my Spanish even better as I got the guy down to less than $65 (all inclusive for three days) and let him explain the trek to me without using English. I leave at 3am tomorrow morning and can expect about four hours of hiking each day, glimpses of condors flying above, and hot springs to soak in at the end of it all. The biggest challenge is going to be getting three days worth of supplies into the tiny day pack that I bought in Cusco. That is my mission for today.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Crossing Borders...or not
Having an American passport is not necessarily the best thing sometimes. As our government puts more and more restrictions on travelers from other countries, we get the same in return. As I've traveled through Europe and now South America, I've met people from everywhere and joined them on their different trips. I've come to meet people and not think about where they're from and whether or not they can cross borders with different regulations than me. I just assume I'm the same...and on this particular day, I assumed wrong.
I had heard from some Americans in Cusco that I would need to buy a Bolivian VISA if I planned on crossing the border. With this in mind, I still headed for Puno, on Lake Titicaca, with my heart set on the Bolivian jungle at Rurrenabaque. I traveled down to Puno on Saturday with my friend, Kitty. The bus ride wasn't half as bad as people had described, but I will admit that each time it stopped, I had this crazy anxiety thinking we were getting highjacked. Luckily we did not. Don't worry family and friends, it's not as bad as it sounds. There are certain bus companies you take, and certain ones that you don't. I am paying extra for secure buses down here. These are just horror stories that I've heard. I am fine and will continue to be...I promise.
The landscape on our way down was so dramatic! Just high altitude plains and tiny villages built with mud huts. It's incredible to think of the way I grew up and the way people live here. So different, yet the people here all seem quite content with the things that they have. All of the farms are planted by hand, there is no machinery to be seen. Most, if not all of the bricks were laid by the owners of each house. They live a life that has been built on their own. It's spectacular. And when I think about it, even their mud huts are more than I have at this point in my life...however, this was my choice.
Puno is a port town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. This lake sits above 3500 meters, one of the highest in the world. Kitty was only here for one night before leaving, so I met another girl in the hostel and wandered the streets with her yesterday. The town is apparently still growing brick by brick as people build new houses, but is still much bigger than I expected it to be. There is a huge contrast between each block. You'll walk past houses with dried mud fencing and debris filling the streets and the next minute you'll see a new, modern buildings that just seem out of place. The markets are bustling and the shopping is fabulous. I want to buy everything here. I've got my South American pajama/all day pants and tomorrow I'll be out for the perfect alpaca sweater. It's hard to resist in South America. Everything just looks so comfortable!
So yesterday, I was stressed with what to do next and how I was going to get there. I pondered my plans all day as I was nervous about crossing the border alone. Last night in the hostel, I met an awesome English couple that were heading my way. The girl had actually just bought a ticket to Colombia for November 21st, which was exactly the time that I wanted to go, so an hour after we met I booked a seat on her flight to Bogota. I am so excited!!! Her and I will meet in Lima before the flight and go up there together. She has been and knows what's up there, so I've got a really cool person to hang with for a few days while I figure out my Colombian plan. Everyone has said such great things about this country, I just have to go.
They were also heading to La Paz, Bolivia this morning, so I quickly booked a seat on that as well...without doing much research on US passports and what I would have to pay to get in. I just figured it would work itself out...and it didn't, of course.
I arrived at the border after two hours on the bus. I checked myself out of Peru and walked up the hill to the Bolivian border. I walked in and they quoted me the insane price of $135 USD just to get back on my bus. Now, I would've had this money on me, had the cab driver not picked us up from the hostel 10 minutes before the bus was to leave. There was an ATM in the bus station, and I planned on going, but since we were rushed, I didn't have time. I expected a price of $50 USD, and I had more than that and my new friends had a little they were willing to spot me if I needed it....but even combined, we didn't have that much.
I have to say, there were a bunch of people I had met previously on the bus and they were all so great. I probably could've made it in had I taken the money people offered me, but it was just too complex. Things that are supposed to happen just aren't that hard. I'm kind of glad I didn't have the money, as I don't need to be spending that much just to go into a country for one week. There was a moment when I almost had tears, but I quickly picked myself up and realized it was just another bump in the road. Luckily the bus driver told me I could take that same bus back to Puno at no cost...the only hiccup was that the bus wasn't until 1pm...at that point it was 10:30.
Another lesson in patience had me waiting for a few hours and it was actually quite good. I made friends with the shop owners and the policemen and got to practice my Spanish and learn about their lives. It was quite awesome. The time flew by as I read my book and spoke with the locals and soon enough it was 1pm and the bus was there. Another two hours later, I was back in Puno. Of course, with today's luck, the hostel is booked up tonight, but they say I can have a bed. I think I'm taking one of the worker's beds tonight, or I'm sleeping on a sofa. Either way, I have all of my things and I am with friends here. Positive attitude has kicked into gear.
So now I have a week more in Peru than I expected and have to figure out what to do with it. I'm going to need to do a tour of the lake, which I'll take care of tomorrow. Then I think I'll head up to Arequipa to see the Cañon de Colca, which supposedly rivals the Grand Canyon. I've heard of some volunteer opportunities closer to Lima and I'm still contemplating the Peruvian rainforest, but it's kind of far. Tomorrow is a new day and Peru is a huge country. I can live without Bolivia for now, I'll just have to save it for the next trip.
I had heard from some Americans in Cusco that I would need to buy a Bolivian VISA if I planned on crossing the border. With this in mind, I still headed for Puno, on Lake Titicaca, with my heart set on the Bolivian jungle at Rurrenabaque. I traveled down to Puno on Saturday with my friend, Kitty. The bus ride wasn't half as bad as people had described, but I will admit that each time it stopped, I had this crazy anxiety thinking we were getting highjacked. Luckily we did not. Don't worry family and friends, it's not as bad as it sounds. There are certain bus companies you take, and certain ones that you don't. I am paying extra for secure buses down here. These are just horror stories that I've heard. I am fine and will continue to be...I promise.
The landscape on our way down was so dramatic! Just high altitude plains and tiny villages built with mud huts. It's incredible to think of the way I grew up and the way people live here. So different, yet the people here all seem quite content with the things that they have. All of the farms are planted by hand, there is no machinery to be seen. Most, if not all of the bricks were laid by the owners of each house. They live a life that has been built on their own. It's spectacular. And when I think about it, even their mud huts are more than I have at this point in my life...however, this was my choice.
Puno is a port town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. This lake sits above 3500 meters, one of the highest in the world. Kitty was only here for one night before leaving, so I met another girl in the hostel and wandered the streets with her yesterday. The town is apparently still growing brick by brick as people build new houses, but is still much bigger than I expected it to be. There is a huge contrast between each block. You'll walk past houses with dried mud fencing and debris filling the streets and the next minute you'll see a new, modern buildings that just seem out of place. The markets are bustling and the shopping is fabulous. I want to buy everything here. I've got my South American pajama/all day pants and tomorrow I'll be out for the perfect alpaca sweater. It's hard to resist in South America. Everything just looks so comfortable!
So yesterday, I was stressed with what to do next and how I was going to get there. I pondered my plans all day as I was nervous about crossing the border alone. Last night in the hostel, I met an awesome English couple that were heading my way. The girl had actually just bought a ticket to Colombia for November 21st, which was exactly the time that I wanted to go, so an hour after we met I booked a seat on her flight to Bogota. I am so excited!!! Her and I will meet in Lima before the flight and go up there together. She has been and knows what's up there, so I've got a really cool person to hang with for a few days while I figure out my Colombian plan. Everyone has said such great things about this country, I just have to go.
They were also heading to La Paz, Bolivia this morning, so I quickly booked a seat on that as well...without doing much research on US passports and what I would have to pay to get in. I just figured it would work itself out...and it didn't, of course.
I arrived at the border after two hours on the bus. I checked myself out of Peru and walked up the hill to the Bolivian border. I walked in and they quoted me the insane price of $135 USD just to get back on my bus. Now, I would've had this money on me, had the cab driver not picked us up from the hostel 10 minutes before the bus was to leave. There was an ATM in the bus station, and I planned on going, but since we were rushed, I didn't have time. I expected a price of $50 USD, and I had more than that and my new friends had a little they were willing to spot me if I needed it....but even combined, we didn't have that much.
I have to say, there were a bunch of people I had met previously on the bus and they were all so great. I probably could've made it in had I taken the money people offered me, but it was just too complex. Things that are supposed to happen just aren't that hard. I'm kind of glad I didn't have the money, as I don't need to be spending that much just to go into a country for one week. There was a moment when I almost had tears, but I quickly picked myself up and realized it was just another bump in the road. Luckily the bus driver told me I could take that same bus back to Puno at no cost...the only hiccup was that the bus wasn't until 1pm...at that point it was 10:30.
Another lesson in patience had me waiting for a few hours and it was actually quite good. I made friends with the shop owners and the policemen and got to practice my Spanish and learn about their lives. It was quite awesome. The time flew by as I read my book and spoke with the locals and soon enough it was 1pm and the bus was there. Another two hours later, I was back in Puno. Of course, with today's luck, the hostel is booked up tonight, but they say I can have a bed. I think I'm taking one of the worker's beds tonight, or I'm sleeping on a sofa. Either way, I have all of my things and I am with friends here. Positive attitude has kicked into gear.
So now I have a week more in Peru than I expected and have to figure out what to do with it. I'm going to need to do a tour of the lake, which I'll take care of tomorrow. Then I think I'll head up to Arequipa to see the Cañon de Colca, which supposedly rivals the Grand Canyon. I've heard of some volunteer opportunities closer to Lima and I'm still contemplating the Peruvian rainforest, but it's kind of far. Tomorrow is a new day and Peru is a huge country. I can live without Bolivia for now, I'll just have to save it for the next trip.
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