Man and Fish

6/15/15

   
           I have been told I like to romanticize many things. For example, I like to think most human beings are good people; that the world is getting better; and that places I want to go are pretty awesome. Of course, when you build up expectations, disappointments are bound to happen. When I first arrived in New York City, people who were showing me around expected me to be in awe and shock. Unfortunately, it is also a city, and since I grew up I cities, it was a lot less spectacular that I thought. But with time, i knew a little more about NYC and really liked places such as Broadway, Flushing, and even Queens. 
The third day in Amazon was a lot more relaxed: we only start our first tour at 9am. I think since most people take short tours, the companies and guides try to pack a lot in the first 2 days. Our remaining group met for breakfast, and I was a little surprised to learn that everyone else would be leaving this afternoon: leaving me the only person in the group for 2 more days! (I originally thought I’d be alone with the guide for only for a day…) I was a little worried about being the last man standing, since I was already a little tired of the heat, and more importantly, of being bitten everywhere by mosquito. (I mean, I already put deet on and still got bitten…how? Why?!) I had lived in Singapore and been to the jungle in Thailand, but the heat and humidity still get me.
We all got into other boat and was driven to a river for the first activity: piraña fishing. We were all given sticks, hooks and baits. The art of piraña fishing is: drop the bait, hit the water with fishing pole (create disturbance), wait for a bite and the. pull up quickly. The small pirañas nibble on the bait, while the big ones snatch the meat away. It is quite an experience to fish for a creature with fearsome reputation. It took the group at least 20 minutes before someone hooked the first one. We were also told that there are 3 types of pirañas in the water, and the red variety is the most ferocious, and is also the type we see in the movies. I think I was the last in the group to hook one (I did also catch a very small catfish), and the Japanese lady actually caught three. In the end, we had about 7, and were told they would be served for lunch (which we actually did, though only as a treat. The main course was catfish).
After lunch, I nodded goodbye to everyone and saw that a huge groups of 18 people had arrived (but mostly families with small children). My guide told me to get ready a hike, so I did. We took a small boat (with him at the helm and another operating the motor, leaving me in the middle), and was rained upon mercilessly. I was soaked, and had to move my phone to inside the life vest. It was only when we started walking that I realized: we were walking along a village with electricity, running water, storm drain,etc. I was quite amused by this, and was quite distracted when my guide, Eduardo, pointed out plants and tracks to me. We saw papaya, banana, yuca, and many others that I could not remember. He explained the uses, properties and even let me tried some fruits he picked up from the ground. When he reached the village, he brought me to the bar and that was when I found out: he grew up in the village and was trying to visit some families. We sat in the local bar with him talking to

his uncle while I tried to understand the Spanish. It was an interesting way to spend the afternoon.
When I got back, I had to take a shower and was then instantly attacked by Mosquito. So far, I love the amazing diversity, the scenery, the people and the culture; but I really hate getting bitten and the unending heat and humidity. As with all places I have visited, the Amazon has a great deal of pluses and some negatives. I really love visiting this place, but doubt I will be willing to settle down here. I mean, I am always excited to connect with Mother Earth. But I really don’t think she has connected with me yet (unless the rain counts and mosquitoes are taking my blood sacrifice). I still have one day and 1/2 in the jungle: I am hoping something will change my mind like that of NYC.
(Ouch. I think I just got bitten again. Time for my malaria pills!)

Man and Vision

6/14/15

   
                       I have pretty bad eyesight (well, that’s almost like saying Bill Gates is a rich man, if you get my drift.) I have long given up on doing quite a number of water sports since I cannot see without my glasses. I have also learned my lessons that when people ask if you can see something, especially on a birdwatching/hiking/animal seeing trip, it is so much easier to say yes. If not, the helpful person will always try to point the animal/object out and we will both waster 15 minutes while getting increasingly frustrate with each other. In those instances, a simple white lie is the best policy.

The night went by pretty peacefully in the forest with lots of sounds. I am not sure if they were insects, birds, animals or yet to be discovered species, but it made an excellent lullaby (well, until you hear things moving below your raised cabin…). We set off at 6am for bird watching. It was still relatively dark, and I could not made out 50% of the birds the guide was trying to point out. I just said yes, made the usual “ohh” and “ahh” (wow, that came out dirty). I love the early morning on the river: it was not too hot not humid, and there were sounds and noises everywhere. I never felt as alive or as a part of the forest in any other setting. For the past month, I have hiked mountains, bike downhill, see salt flats and visited many cities. The scenery still never fails to amaze me. It is always quiet, peaceful in the mountains. The salt flat is just..silent with wind howling. But jungles are full of life everywhere (and one just bit me on the arm actually). I am always in awe of how many living creatures there are, and how diverse the species can be.
In the afternoon, we visited a tribe. They pano yes our faces, danced with us, allowed us to use their blow darts and pet their pet sloth. While it might have been a little touristy, it was a lot of fun. I was finally guilt tripped into buying something from them in the end. Also, as one guy in our groups said: no bra! Although as always, people without a bra are usually those you least likely want to see without a bra. (Please feel free to prove me wrong!) The second part involved a lot of sitting in a canoe while the guides rowed the boat. They brought us to a house that is supposed to be a museum for sugar cane production tools and medicinal herbs: nicely names as the agricultural museums. As usual, we were sold bottles of local medicine (always with alcohol content- since they use alcohol to soak the herb/bark/wood). We then had a view of a pretty great sunset, and then with our guides being too tired, they managed to get a motorboat, and have them drag us back.
Back in my cabin without electricity, it is still super hot and humid, and I am still constantly attacked by Mosquitos. But with my nice skill of pretending to see things other people managed to see but I cannot, I am at least spare the fate of being asked again and again :”you see that bird/animal/insect? No? It is to your right….”
(Although I would gladly trade that for Mosquitos to stop biting me. I think I am their newest buffet course in the jungle. Ah diversity!)

Man and Mosquito

6/13/15

   
                      I am not a big fan of tropical weather. When I was living in Singapore, the heat and humidity was just something I could never get used to. I remember taking 2 showers a day, trying to stay dry but soaking my clothes whenever I step outside (I mean sweat!). At the same time, mosquito loves me. I will always be the first one to get bitten and probably be bitten the most number of times. I think there is a correlation between perspiration and attracting Mosquitoes. To escape, I finally moved to Seattle, where there is few mosquito (thus far- who know what will happen with climate change), and the weather is much colder.
To get to Iquitos, I woke up at 3:30am to catch the 6:20am flight from Lima airport. The airport is surprisingly far away from Miraflores, hence costed me a lot of soles. Interestingly, the airport is not connected directly to the highway, which caused quite a traffic mess at the airport entrance. I checked in (way early- I blame the stupid hotel receptionist who insisted I have to be there 2 hours before departure time…) , passed through security (good to know there is also a liquid limit here), and waited for my flight. The rest was pretty standard procedure: boarded, sat next to a baby watching iPad, listened to some Spanish children songs along the way, had a free sandwich and muffin, landed at Iquitos international airport (?!). 

Iquitos is an interesting place. The largest city unreachable by roads, one can only fly in, or take the local boats used for transporting goods. It is the capital of Loreto, province of Maynas, and near the Peruvian Amazon. It is the main river port, and close to confluence of Napo and Amazon River. The city is filled with Motorbikes and motorbikes rickshaw (moto taxi). We were told it is popular due to the weather- too hot to sit in a car. They also have wooden buses for public transportation, with windows that one pull up during the rain. I joined a 4 other tourists and waited at a hotel lobby to start our tour.

We boarded a “ferry” and met out tour guide. Apparently. I am the only one doing a full 5 days tour. The others all had 3-4 days tour. As we drove along the river for the one hour boat ride to base camp, out guide explained a little about the Amazon River in Peru. The Amazon has a whirlpool effect here, which stirs up sediments and make the eager look muddy. The Amazon River runs through Columbia, Peru, Brazil. It is about 7000 km, starting in Arequipa for Peru, runs through the Andes and end up here near Iquitos.

We arrived at our lodge, with no electricity and Internet. (I was told by other tourists there is a better one with pool, wifi and electricity. But it was sold out, not under renovation as they told me…). We were given some orientation on meal times, activities times and then off for our first tour: the river. I must say, nothing much happened except I could not stop perspiring. The second tour was of the animal sanctuary: with parrots, anaconda, monkeys, sloth, etc roaming in a shelter and we were allowed to touch and take photos with all the animals. They also explained some local plant medicines and alcohol. It was relatively similar to the tour I had in Thailand- except the Thai actually soak insects (scorpions, centipedes, etc. ) in their alcohol.The third tour involved watching sunset and dolphins: again pretty similar to Thailand. 

I got back to the lodge and found myself under constant attack by the Mosquitos. They were relentless and I was constantly reminded why I moved to a colder climate. I guess it is true what they say about your past: it does always come back to haunt you. In my case, it is thousands of old memories coming for my blood. I mean, I am really excited to finally visit the famous Amazon, but I really want to save my blood for more people who need it more…

Walking tour and Free dinner

6/12/15

   
               (I am heading to Iquitos for a 5 days 4 nights Amazin jungle tour. There will be no internet at the lodge I am staying in, so I will not be posting for 5 days. Well, there was a lodge with wifi, but it is under renovation.)

I know we say a lot of things about fate and random coincidence, but sometimes planning ahead works out pretty well too. I was in the middle of Bolivia when an old friend (that is, I have known him for a long time) of mine told me he might be coming to South America. The original plan was to hike Machu Picchu together, but in the end with all the schedule conflicts and changes, we agreed to meet up in Lima. 

I managed to check into Ibis hotel and waited up for HuanJie. He finally arrived after midnight and we caught up a little before my exhausion took over. One of the most interesting fact I discovered: he planned less than I did, and was happily unaware it is now winter in Sputh America. He came armed with a jacket only, which impressed me a great deal. 

I woke up and had the most scrumptious breakfast: eggs, toast, ham, etc. Thanks to HuanJie, I was able to partake in the continental breakfast buffet, which reminded me the good life I used to have in U.S. It was fun to stuff my face with delicious food, and try to save money by skipping lunch. (Ah, the wonders of trying to stretch budget.) After breakfast, we decided to walk around the city- mainly looking for Plaza de Armas. As we were walking past Kennedy park, we noticed a huge group of people gathering, all speaking English. Deducing a walking tour was about to start, we just happily blended in with the rest of the tourists.

I have done quite a few walking tours by now, and it is interesting to see how differently they are ran. Some try hard to be interactive, others follow a script, and some are a happy mixture of both. Today’s tour was closer to a scripted tour. We boarded a bus to plaza de armas, and the guide told us about the history and architecture. For example, he said that the Spaniards used inca robes against one another, and created civil conflicts to allow minimum Spanish casualties. There were also a lot of explanation on how to tell if a sweater is made from baby alpaca wool (not itchy, flexible, retains body temperature, etc.). I have to say, while I like the tour, our guide was not very good at it. It also did not help that the group was way too big for a good tour: I think we had more than 30 people in one group. Nonetheless, it was a good experience and we ends with a pisco tasting.

I came back to the hotel to pack and move my giant backpack to storage whe HuanJie went to take a look at the mall. Eventually, we met back at the hotel and went for dinner at a seafood restaurant: Alfresco seafood. The food was excellent, and HuanJie even paid for the entire dinner. I am truly grateful for his hospitality and friendship. 

It is amazing how he and I managed to meet up in Lima, Peru of all places. It has been quite a while since we have met, and it was really great to see a familiar face in a long trip. I am also thankful our schedules worked themselves out so we could meet up, albeit just for a day. Sometimes, with a little work, you can meet old friends in a new world.

(Well, and free dinner always make me grateful. It’s free!!)

Mall and Capital

6/11/15

   
    
       
I am a city person. I was born in a mega city, raised in another mega city, and then worked in many places in U.S. For some reason, I feel really at home in a big city. I can navigate the streets, know to pretend I am tough, and can always find a good restroom in a mall (hey, that is a very important skill, especially in South America). I love the nature, but I am also a fan of humans living in cities.

Before I start on Lima, I have to mention I also visited a place call the San Jose mansion in Chicha. It is a mansion built in the 16th century, that has been converted into a hotel. Rebuilt after an earthquake,it retained the facades and the church, square, fountain of the original design. While the location is remote, it holds impressive history of the local area. According to our guide, the Spaniards imported a lot of African slaves from Angola (locals did not like working for the Spaniards). The slaves were made to walk from the port to the house and worked in planatations, mines and in the house. When slavery was abolished in 1874, instead of being a good citizen and follow the order; the owner of the house decided to build a 10km tunnel from the port to the house. In order to prevent slaves from escaping, he also turned the tunnels into a maze, with segments of low overheads, steps, varying width and depth to confuse the slaves. There were also rooms for punishment: whipping, hanging, etc. in the tunnel. Now, visitors can wander through some of the tunnels and feel the ambience. The walls are blackened by candles, and you can see rocks and tie bars that were used to chain the slaves. It was a errie feeling, and make a little worse when you realize the family never lost this place: they somehow manages to hold onto it until now. That means the owners were never made to face up to their actions.

I arrived Lima late at night and went to sleep immediately. Waking up, I arranged my tour of the Amazon, got bus tickets to Mencora, and spent the morning running errands. In the afternoon, I walked around the city of Lima. As everyone has mentioned, Lima is a huge city, and like all cities of the world nowadays, feel very similar. There are the usual shops, museums, bars. I felt almost back in Untied States when I visited Larcomar: a giant shopping mall set in the cliff facing the ocean (yes, Lima is a beach town after all). I see the usual stores such as Banana Republic, Chilli’s, and even a Pinkberry! (I guess everyone like a good froyo?)

I had the famous cerviche for dinner. In retrospect, I should just order it as an appetizer and not a meal. The amount of acid is currently not sitting that well in my stomach. I am also waiting for a good friend whom I have not seen in quite a while to arrive- to his hotel room. He is allowing me to bunk with him in a 3 stars hotel- the most luxurious lodging I have stayed in this far.

Being back in a city (and a very big one at that), I am still convinced human being should concentrate and live in cities, while maintaining the other parts as natural reserves. An author once said (no, I can’t quite remember whom), we are akin to cancerous cells living on a host- the earth. In that case, we all have a duty to minimize damage and stay contained. Too much growth can kill the host, and we will all perish with it. A pretty grim analogy, but I always find people reapond better to dire circumstances. As with the abolishing of slavery, I think we will make the right choices and decision andale the world a better place. It was only a few hundreds years ago that some thought of other races as non-human being, and treated them like animals. We all know now all races are equal, and we were all from Africa (come on, you wanna argue with genetics?). One day, I hope we will realize not only are all races equal, but all creatures and life forms have a right to exist on this earth and beyond.

(Imagine: 1000 slaves for one household! Thankfully someone invents machines to replace humans. I am waiting for the day when machines will finally overtake human and start the dooms day machine- skynet. Terminator!!)

Island and Pool

6/10/15

   
      
         I have been fortunate to see many wild lives in my trips (and I am sure some will mention I eat a lot of weird things on my trips too…). I am not a huge fan of zoos, since I prefer to see animals in their natural habitat. Well, as “natural” as it gets with humans trampling around anyway. In the past few months, I have been spoiled by some of the most amazing landscapes: deserts, mountains, canyons, lakes, salt flats, etc. of course, there are animals around those areas too, but you are constantly more mesmerized by the landscape and scenery (at least I was. I do have a short attention span after all. Where were we?). 

I woke up at 6am again today for no reason. My tour to Ballestas Island only starts at 7:30am, but I could not fall back to sleep. In the end, I took advantage of the pool right outside my room and did a quick swim before heading off for the tour. (No one mentioned how cold the pool water was, or how long it takes to dry my swim trunks- I forgot I am no longer in very dry climate now…) 

We waited at the pier for another 40 mins before they allowed us to board the speed boats. It was interesting to see how many tourists there were in the small beach town of Paracas. There were easily more than 100 tourists taking the tour on a Wednesday morning. It was a really nice day: sunny but not too humid. I have to apologize in advance: I did not really research on Ballestas Island, so I knew very little about it. All I know is: the islands are around the Paracas district,composed largely of rock formations, and is an important sanctuary for blue-footed booty(heh), penguins, starfishes, sea lions and many other marine animals. oh, and there is a mysterious geoglypj known as El Candelabro that no one quite knows what it actually is. These lines are craves into rocks, similar to that of Nazca lines but much deeper. 

We had a great time at the tour, taking lots of photos of cute penguins, sealions and anything that was cute and photo worthy. The tour was excellent, with the dual soundtrack of English and Spanish. It was such a transition from Bolivia, where majority of tours were conducted solely in Spanish and I had to guess the meaning 75% of the time (the other 25%? I was falling asleep). It was fun to get really close to the Penguins and see them diving off cliffs. It was interesting to see so many birds and other animals living in close proximity. You can see crabs on the rocks, and thousands of birds around the same area. As expected, the sight of all these creatures made me hungry for some good sushi. Thankfully, with the presence of so many birds, the smell of bird poo was overpowering, even in open ocean. My appetite for almost live seafood went away quickly.

Back on land, I went for a quick run in an expensive looking beach front resort (filled with giant swimming pools, white pool chairs, and some very red tourists). Getting envious of the luxury lifestyle, I sat by my hostel’s pool to cool down and enjoyed the sun. It was nice, peaceful and relaxing, especially with a bar selling cold beers.  I caught up on my reading about future locations, tried to study Spanish, and went for a few quick dips in the pool. It was probably the most luxurious portion of my trip so far, in terms of time spent relaxing.

I bidded farewell to a new couple I met in Cuzco, and on the bus: Lucas and Jess. ( They have already been to Ecuador, and will be returning to England soon. Safe journeys!) I am now going to Lima to meet an old friend. I was actually all excited until he told me my mistake: he will only arrive on Thursday night. I had made the rookie traveler’s mistake of forgetting dates. Of course, being an independent traveler means I can do whatever I want (within budget that is), so I will just get into Lima and plan for my next portion of the trip. 

As I mentioned. I am a big advocate for saving habitats. While humans have a right to survive, we also have a duty to preserve the world so everything else can survive. A barren earth would not be the best habitat after all. Also, I guess there are lots of advantages to living in a biodiverse environment. I am sure the crabs on Ballestas Islabd are pretty grateful there are so many fishes for the birds. If not, they will be bird sushi any minute.

(Also, imagine living so close to all your friends and family. No Lon distance communication=no messing up appointment dates….)

Sand and Sun

6/9/15  

   
   

    
     For some weird reason, I like speed. (No, not the drug. That was from the 80s?) Not only do I like to do things as gas as possible, I also like to do things that we my adrenaline going. Skydiving, rolled coasters, climbing, jumping into lakes, I like them all. I am not quite sure what that means psychologically, but I feel more alive and aware of myself after these activities. 

I woke up at my room at Huacachina around 6:30am for unknown reason. It was the weirdest feeling: I finally have a nice quiet environment conducive for sleeping, but my mind was telling me to hike the dunes for sunrise. After some internally debate, I have into the tourist side and walked around the oasis of Huacachina. Huacachina is a small town in the Ica province, famous for its natural lake in the middle of the desert. In the recent years, it is more famous for sandboarding and dine buggy. 

I walked around the oasis in the early morning , and was disappointed that it was really cloudy. Walking around the lake, I learned about this a legend of a mermaid living in the lake, and occasionally seduce locals into the lake. Well, looking at the green colored water. I am quite sure no sane mermaid wants to live here by choice. I walked up the sand dune to take photos of the oasis. It was a lot tougher hiking up sad dunes: it is usually one step forward and 1/2 step back due to loose sand.

Back to the hostel after breakfast, I say by the pool in cloudy weather and read a book. By noon, the sun came to say hello, but I had to check out and go for a quick pisco winery tour. It was an interesting tour about how wine /pisco is produced in Peru. They actually add pisco to the wine, which makes the wine really sweet. Pisco here, on the other hand, tasted a lot like burning alcohol…

At 4pm, we all got ready for our dune buggy and sandboarding no tour. We had a few discussion on what best to wear (well, I think fashion went out of the window for all backpackers), and I finally wore my swim trunks and tshirt. The buggy ride was in one word: fun. We raced up and down dunes, doing big drops and give climbs that occasionally feel like a roller coaster ride. I could fell my stolach rolling from the gravity and centripedal forces. It was awesome, exciting, and well-worth every penny. We then went onto sandboarding. For a snowboarder, I must say: we had some really bad boards and required a lot of wax for every ride. The bindings were so bad that my foot comes out everytkme I tried to turn. I think I did not fall too badly, but also badly wished I had my actual board with me so I can get down the dunes at full speed.

After boarding, we raced to see the sunset, and our guide told us to run barefooted up a dune. With warm sand below our feet, we watched the sunset, and after, enjoyed another pretty sick ride (well, you could get sick from the ride too…), took photos of oasis, and finally went back to the hostel.

After trying in vain to get all the sand off me (or at least contained. Sand is literally everywhere: underwear, ears, eyes, hair. It is in every crevices and folds.), I boarded the bus to Paracas, a beach time and my finally stop before Lima.

Sitting in my nice hostel with 2 pools, I wonder why I have a need for adrenaline. Maybe life was too boring? I need some constant reminder of being alive? Or it is just another attention seeking technique? I am not quite sure, but I know I like the feeling of being reminded I am alive and doing something exciting. Maybe it is not that I need the adrenaline: but the need to connect my feeling with my body to make sense of the world. In a world that is moving so fast, maybe a jostle of adrenaline is needed for me to get in touch with myself. (Notice I said in touch. Not touch.)

(Or maybe I am just attention seeking. Isn’t that why I am writing this blog in the first place? So people can read about me?!)

Thoughts and Muses

6/8/15

   
       
     (Ah, I am back at the land of bad wifi. Apparently connection is quite bad at Huacachina, so there will be no photos. I am hoping this actually posts too!)

Going on a long trip takes time and money. (My poor bank account!) There are many who think of it as a journey of self-discovery and finding (or even funding) life purposes. I guess that is relatively true: if you are giving up everything to travel for an extended period of time, you must feel a certain level of dissatisfaction with what’s happening around you. I am sure some do it because they have the never ending wanderlust, but travel can also be draining (well, bank account for one) in terms of spirit and health. 

I woke up early for my 5:30am (pickup time) bus to Huacachina- an oasis famous for sand boarding and dune bugging. I am a punctual person, so imagine my surprise when they started knocking on my door at 5:15am, saying the bus was there. O think it is the first time in Latin America that a bus was early. I rushed through packing, using the bathroom (well, it is a 13 hours bus ride after all), and ran onto the bus.

At 8:30am, we stopped at a food store and was told that was our only food stop of the day- hence I ate a full plate of fried rice (strangely, also served with pasta) for breakfast. It say uncomfortably in my stomach while I sat on the bus for the next 10 hours. One thing no one told me about Peru: it has some amazing coastlines. With great undeveloped beaches and small beach towns along the way. If I  not going up to Ecuador, I would have loved to slowly move up the coast and be a beach bum for a while. Unfortunately, that thought process then kicked me off on wondering about my life purpose. If you know me (maybe?), you would have heard my musing about not just being an engineer for a while now. Nothing wrong with being an engineer, but I always found myself wanting to be more. I like helping others, making new connections, inventing & updating processes, travel, and of course, writing this silly blog. What can I do that uses my skills as both an engineer and a MBA grad?

Then I noticed why the Peru highway has such great views: there is a lack of guardrail and barriers along the highway, the lanes are pretty narrow, lots of blind spots or corners, sight distances issues, and no traffic signs. This means the trucks and buses are always dangerously close to the edges of cliffs; and the drivers are aggressively passing each other (even forcing oncoming traffic onto the shoulder). I am not sure which is better: great scenery or life safety? Noticing most motorcycle drivers do not wear helmets, I think it also explains why there are so many crosses along the highway.

We finally made a stop at the famous Nazca lines. These lines are rumored to be made by the Nazcas around 400BC. I was amazed the lines are relatively shallow, and not etched in the ground as I thought. Our guide explained that the lines are preserved since there is no rain in the area, and the temperature difference between the air and ground actually created a barrier from wind. Hence. Dirt and stone on the ground actually stay still, allowing the Nazca lines to be preserved until today. No one really knows what the lines mean, and the most common theory is that they act as a calendar. 

After that, it was directly to Hiacachina. As I am sitting in the hostel lobby typing this, I can’t help but wonder: what is my life purpose, and will it be as lasting as the Nazca lines? But then again, I am really not looking to be remembered. I just want to do things that are meaningful to me, and hopefully improve lives along the way. What can I do, how can I do that, and when? I guess I will keep musing about it. Hopefully, I will solve it unlike the mystery of Nazca lines.

(Maybe I can use this blog to motivate people, inspire them, and use it as a social media marketing tool?!)

(Meh.)

Old friend and New bus

6/7/15

   

  

    
        
 Being an solo traveler, I tend to fluctuate between wanting to make new friends or pretending to be a loner. There are days when I long for a decent conversation; and times when I really want to ignore everyone and do my own things. (Well, actually being Asian helps, since people won’t automatically assume you speak English. And you already read how fellow Asian tourists avoid talking to unfamiliar Asian face.) I am not sure of other single travelers feel the same, or I am just an oddball. But I did discover one very important thing: I will make effort to have a conversation, even when I don’t feel like it, if I like that person. That may sound superficial, but also simple: I like people who can carry a conversation, have independent thoughts, know themselves, and have traits I admire or like. Sounds a little stringent and judge mental, but I usually end up liking most people I met. (Unless I were really hungry. Then I dislike most people and things.) 

Since I am leaving Arequipa early tomorrow morning (what’s with all these 5am buses?!), I have a few simple tasks today: to visit a viewpoint, go for a run, eat some local cuisine for dinner, pack my bags and sleep early. (I was up till 3am last night because of the disco downstairs…) I had the breakfast in the hostel, took my time with a nice shower, lingered around my bed for another 2 hours before finally setting off to a cafe with awesome salads for lunch. 

As I was sitting in the cafe (capriccio), I suddenly received what’s app message from Sherin, whom I met in Buneo Aires when I started my trip. She was taking her time traveling in Chile and Bolivia, so it was a complete surprise when we realized we are both in Arequipa and within walking distance to each other. She joined me for a coffee (while I stuffed my face with salad), and we caught up on what we were doing, where we will be going, and the common friends we have met. It was such an unexpected pleasure to meet a fellow likeminded traveler, in a nice quiet little city. We talked for almost 2 hours (I think. I was quite busy eating and drinking coffee with dulce de leche.) Great as it was, we had to eventually part ways to run out respective errands: I have to go to the Morador de Yanahuara, while she had to try to find a tent. We promised to keep in touch and try to meet up for coffee in Columbia- where we both heard has some supremely good coffee.

I walked over to the Yanahuara viewpoint and took quite a few photos of the city with the volcanos as background. The viewpoint is actually a park, with quite a few stands selling souvenirs, food, snacks, etc. While the view was excellent, it was also fun to notice that there were not many tourists. Along the way back, I came across a picanteria- a local restaurant that sells great Peruvian cuisine. Unfortunately, it was also 3:30pm, and I really could not handle another full meal.

The rest of the day went by quickly. I went for a run, settled my hostel bill, and am now sitting in a cafe writing his blog entry. This boring day was made pretty special with the unplanned meeting with Sherin. I know I am not the most friendly person, so it is always a pleasure to meet people I met before, who still wants to talk to me. I am hoping I will run into her again in Columbia, and also be able to run into more friendly faces along the way. Sometimes, it is good to be reminded the travel circuit can be a small one, even though the distance we are cover ing is vast. 

(Yes yes, I can write sentimental posts once in a while. All I need to do is imagine lots of smiling babies on beds of roses, in a lovely cottage by the stream that gurgle quietly. Along with some hobbits, elves, centaurs, wizards, witches, etc.)

Canyon and Hiking

6/5/15 – 6/6/15 

  
   

    
                             (Yes, I am being lazy and combining the posts. It makes more sense since they were continuous- well, except for the 7 hours sleep in between.)

When I was doing the tour in Salar de Uyuni, my group made a very profound statement: it never matters what you are doing and how great the sceneries is; it is the travel group that makes the difference. If you like your group, the experience will be amazing. If you have a group that you don’t quite like, the experience suffers, even with great hikes, activities or views. I guess I have been quite fortunate so far (and I usually get along fine with almost everyone…just saying!). I liked everyone on the Salar de Uyuni tour, made some new friends on the buses (well, if they speak to me again, that is). For the Colca Canyon tour, I am again very fortunate to have great hiking mates. Then why this intro? Well, it was on the second day that I ran into some problems. (Ok, to be fair, it is simply annoyance. I am after all on a long trip. I am constantly meeting new people, doing exciting things, learning new culture, and generally having a life most people dream of. So it is just small personal issue.)

One thing about hostels: you never know all the details u tol you stay there. I booked the Le Foger hostel in Arequipa because it has a great rating and is a 2 stars hostel. Everything was great until Thursday night: the hostel is on top of a disco. I had a diffuse time sleeping with all the nice mucus pounding through the floor. At 3:30am, I checked out, and was picked up to do the 2 days 1 night hike in Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world. With a depth of over 3,000 meters (welcome to metric units!), it is almost twice as deep as the Grand Canyon of United States, and the third most visited attraction in Peru. We drove about 6 hours to the canyon (with a quick breakfast stop) and headed straight to see the Andean Condor. I met my tour mates: Jo, Ellie, Tom, Stephen and Chris. We all watched the majestic condors flew over the canyon, pretty much mesmerized. (Well, mostly. I also had to use bathroom in the open air. Hope the condors did not see that.)

After that, we all piled into the car (joined by another hiker Rudy) and drove to our hiking start point. We would hike 7 hours mostly downhill the first day, rest for the night and then climb up for 3 hours back to the top the next morning. After some explaining from our guide and applying generous amount of sun tan lotions, we started off: only to realize our guide did not follow us but told us to stop before the bridge across the river. Thinking he would catch up, we started slowly. Evetually,we all just headed down on our own. It was feat to be hiking again, especially since I did not hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I went down a little faster than expected, mostly because I wanted to pee but the trail was too open and there were way too many hikers chasing me down. 

Crossing the river, (and our guide caught up on us), we finally ate lunch at a remote village (although I do see street lights and televisions around). Our guide explained some cultural difference between the tribes and about Condors, but I think we were too tired after the hike (and digestion) to pay much attention. Our guide offered a shorter route after lunch, which we took. It was another 2 hours to our dinner and cabin spot for the night in an oasis. The scenery was breathtaking. It was without a doubt one of the more scenic hikes I have done. While the Grand Canyon shows a lot more color variation in rocks as you move down, the Colca Canyon has more vegetation and animals. It is also a lot less crowded, and with more local residents who still live in the surrounding villages. 

We spent the night dipping in the pool, playing card games, having dinner, watching stars and then finally going to bed – at 8pm. We all woke up around 4:15am for out ascend out of the Canyon (except Rudy who opted for a mule ride). The climb up was a lot of fun, with our guide playing an eclectic mix of music – from Miley Cirus to the Queens. It was a welcome relief when we finally got out of the Canyon around 7:30am.

After breakfast of eggs and bread, we spent some time relaxing in the town square under the sun. Evetually, we were joined by a second group. The 13 of us (and 2 guides and a driver) all took the minivan, and started out second day of tour: view points, hot spring, and llama/alpaca reserve.

Things started a little off when the last 2 people (a couple) joined us and asked if they can sit together. There were obviously 2 seats (not together) left. I was at the window with an empty seat beside me, but a girl at the end. There was also an empty seat the the very back. Realizing no one else was going to move, I moved to the back. No big deal, except it was word I had to climb over the girl at the end seat, who refused to give up her seat because she has some “car issue”. 

Things were ok for the most part, until the group of three next to me started making comments about seeing too many “canyon”, wanted to stay on the car, was too cold, etc. while I understand hiking early morning was not everyone’s ideal activity, we did all sign up knowing what we were getting into. (And let me stand on my soapbox for a while: I am ok with people saying they have seen similar things and choose not to sign up for a tour. But if you already signed up, then you know what is coming. So quit whining! There people who would love to have all these opportunities. I had to wait for a long time for this trip, saving pennies and counting budget. I want to see everything on the tour they sold me on and more, not less.)

I must also admit: our hide was actively trying to cut the tour short so we/they can get back to Arequipa earlier. He threw out the suggestion of not doing the hot spring. While some of is raised our hands when asked if we wanted to go, several people started saying while they wouldn’t mind being there, they would rather go back earlier. Then the word “democratic” and “vote”came out and we ended up bypassing the hot spring (an hour duration), for a church and a view point (30 mins). I wasn’t the happiest, but I figure since I was at a hot spring at Machu Picchu, I can save 15 soles this time. I also know the guide was manipulating the situation to his advantage, which was starting to annoy me.

At lunch, we were offered a buffet. I opted to eat in the local restaurant, and so asked about how much time I had. The reply was 45 mins: at which I asked why my one hour lunch was cut down by 15 mins. The reply: because we did not need as much time for the buffet. Seeing that I was irritated, the guide kept telling me I could have an hour, and I just walked off. 

After a pretty grea lunch with some locals who was clearly amused at one Asian guy in the local restaurant having the daily special, we started off for the highest point in the canyon for some phototaking. I think everyone was back in the car within 5 minutes- because it was too cold (at elevation 4900meters). We went by the llama and alpaca reserve, but no one wanted to get out of the car. In the end, we just drove back to Arequipa.

I had dinner at a local restaurant, with a river shrimp stew, a fruit salad and a coffee. It was great to finish the day with some good food and some time to reflect about the tour. I think I got annoyed too easily, and should have spoke up and just gone to the hot spring – afterall, I brought my trunks and slippers just for that. However, I also realized how fortunate I have been so far. Most people I toured with have a deep love for traveling and new experiences. They constantly try to do as much as possible, with very little complaints. From my Salar de Uyuni tour groups to the 3 U.S. friends to the English guy, Scottish couple, and many many others I have met on the way, everyone know what they were getting into, and enjoy the tours to the greatest extend possible. Of course, we all have our rest day of chilling out and doing nothing, or watching games on TV or chilling at a cafe; but I think we all know when we pay for a tour, we want to experience as much as possible, and at least as much as advertised. It was a strange experience to be in a group who just wanted to end the tour early so they can rest. I guess for me, while I love to chill out, I want my money’s worth when doing tours. Afterall, I am spending my savings to see sights and sceneries I have been dreaming of for 10 years.

(As I said, all that are small small issues compare to the landscape, local food and cultures. I am in constant awe of the scenery: the diversity, the vibrant colors and the way of life. Also, I am sure majority of the travelers are awesome people. Maybe I am just getting old and cynically the age. Soon you will see me waving a stick and yelling at all the kids to get off my lawn. Wait…I have no lawn…or house…)