After finally escaping the custody of the Peruvian border patrol we were on our way for a five hour bus ride to Puno, Perú. Part of me wishes I had taken pictures of that which I had seen driving for those four hours but part of me is happy that the memory of that bus ride only lives within my mind. With my iPod whispering the soft tunes of Amos Lee and Damien Rice, I couldn't help but feel such complete peace with the world during those four hours. It was the first time, in a long time, that I was left with my thoughts... left to contemplate... left to reflect. I have learned a lot about myself during this South American journey and I can't wait to continue this amazing year.
When we arrived to Puno we knew our time was limited so we wasted no time and hopped on the first boat to Las Islas Flotantes (Floating Islands) which are home to the Uros Tribe who began constructing these manmade islands hundreds of years ago. These people had wished to protect themselves from invasions and the conflicts on the mainland so decided to make their own floating islands out of reed and start their own community which they could move whenever they needed to. There are 44 islands all together that are home to markets, living spaces, schools, etc. We also learned how to say hello "how are you" (Kami saraki) and "im doing well" (waliki) in their native language of Aymara. Having the opportunity to explore these incredible islands was completely last minute yet, perhaps, one of the highlights of the entire trip. They were unlike anything I have ever seen before and definitely the most remote location I have ever visited.
(My Favorite Shot of the Entire Trip... 2 Uros Girls on a Reed Boat)
After our boat ride back to Puno we ate at this delicious restaurant where we ate traditional Peruvian dishes like Lomo Saltado y Alpaca. Unfortunately we didn't spend too much time in Puno because we had to get on another overnight buscama back to Cuzco. In the middle of the night (12AM exactly) we all surprised Kevin with a piece of chocolate cake and sang Happy Birthday to him! What followed was a good 4 hours of trying to fall asleep in the fiery inferno that was the oven buscama we were traveling in. Note to travelers: buscamas are either 10 degrees below zero or 1000 degrees... layers are key.
We arrived in Cuzco at 3:45 in the morning where we were ripped off by a taxi driver who charged us about 10 times what the normal fee was but we had no other option. When we arrived at our hostel we were overjoyed to feel the beds which were more comfortable than any bed I have slept in in months. We all passed out right away because we had to wake up for a pre-trip debriefing with United Mice, the company with whom we would be completing the Inca Trail. We all had a relaxing day because we wanted to rest up for our 4 day adventure but enjoyed Kevin's birthday to the fullest! We all went out for lunch in Cuzco and then did some shopping. Let's just say that the loved ones in my life are getting spoiled this Chrismas... I just can't stop buying things for them! In honor of Kevin's big day we all went to mass (Yes, the Atheist went to church) which was a good time to be alone with my thoughts. Afterwards a few beers at a British pub and then dinner.
I will now skip to our day in Lima after the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu so I can devote a separate blog to that experience... After four days hiking the Inca Trail we all had one last dinner in Cuzco where we were all falling asleep at the table. It was a very early night for us but we knew we had a jam-packed day in Lima to look forward to. In the morning we ate breakfast and then headed to the airport where we ran into Rob and Emma (newlyweds from our Inca Trail Group). We landed in Lima midday and took a taxi to the heart of the city where we explored. Lima is a beautiful city, definitely not as beautiful as Cuzco but only because it reminded me more of a typical city in the states. We all ate one more typical Peruvian meal for lunch which consisted of the spiciest ceviche known to man and pollo saltado. Afterwards, we did a lot of relaxing in the park, shopping for more christmas presents, and then more relaxing outside of this beautiful church. There were hundreds of birds in the church courtyard and a woman selling feed so we bought a bag and enjoyed the beautiful weather. As Kevin put it, "there was no where else I would have rather been". That hour or so spent outside of the church made me realize that traveling is not always about sightseeing or museum tours... it is about feeling the energy of a city and simply relaxing.
I took a trip in 2007... a three week catamaran sailing voyage around the Leeward Islands with 12 other kids from around the world. When I got on the plane in St. Martin to return to the states I was sad not only to leave my friends, but, more so, because I was convinced that those three weeks spent living on a catamaran, sleeping under the stars on a hammock every night would encapsulate the best trip of my entire life. Scuba Diving every day, sailing, wake boarding... how could you beat it? While I was more than grateful for the experience I had believed that as a 16 year old I had already completed the greatest adventure that life had to offer me... it was not until this trip that I realized how much more was out there waiting...
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