My first post
Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Day 12: Rainbow Mountain
Wednesday 2nd October
Throughout our trip we have says which are designated as ‘free days’. On our free days we don’t have any planned activities through our tour company. It allows us to take it as easy or as adventurous as we please.
When the topic of hiking up Rainbow Mountain came up a couple of days previously I had a lot of reservations… especially as I had not been able to finish Quarry Trail. My tour leader had told me that there are lots of horses at Rainbow Mountain, and you can pay some money to ride a horse most of the way if you prefer.
I resided myself to the fact that I would take a horse. I wanted to enjoy Rainbow Mountain but was worried about hiking to 5030 metres above sea level considering I had struggled at 3700 metres.
So on Wednesday 8 of us along with a local guide took an organised mini bus the three hour trip to Vinicunca AKA Rainbow Mountain.
Rainbow Mountain is a beautiful and naturally colourful mountainside in the High Andes in Peru.
Once we arrived we started heading along a relatively flat terrain. I thought to myself “okay, I’ll walk this part and then I’ll get a horse.” We continued walking and the terrain became rockier and on more of an incline. I once again thought, “I will walk this next section but once it gets steeper I’ll get a horse.”
It’s an 8km walk and I would say the first 40 minutes isn’t too difficult. The rest of the walk can become quite challenging – mostly from the increasing altitude..
I have to say I really enjoyed the walk. The landscape was beautiful and along with my walking boots and my growing determination I was coping fine.
That growing determination settled well with me and it wasn’t long before I decided that regardless of how steep it was, I was going to complete the hike and reach this 5000 metre elevation without a horse. I wanted it so much.
I would say it was around 4000 metres above sea level when the terrain was getting steeper a few of us were feeling altitude sickness symptoms. Nothing major, but enough to slow us down with breathlessness. One of the ladies on our hike had some coca leaves so we chewed a few of those. On we pushed upwards!
I started to find the incline and terrain a little tricky to navigate and my lovely local guide offered me one of her walking poles. Ahhh a walking pole! It doesn’t solve all your problems but wow it makes it easier to balance.
I remember the feeling as we hiked the last section to the main point of Rainbow Mountain. It was incredibly steep and I had to keep willing myself to just keep climbing. It didn’t matter what pace, but I just kept going. A lot of thoughts were going around my head – a lot of it was determination, but also the insecurities I hold about my ability to accomplish difficult challenges in my life. Despite all the insecurities at the front of my mind, the determination was stronger. I did see others get on horses to carry them for a while so I knew I could do that too, but I wanted to see what I could do.
So when I finally climbed up that final stretch and walked through the doorway of this rock wall I looked to my left and saw the famous view of Rainbow Mountain. The incredible and colourful scenery surrounding it was better than the pictures and I was a little overwhelmed. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little teary. I was so proud of myself for making it and persevering.
After a little break we went and took some pictures and just admired this beautiful natural landscape.
It has only recently been discovered due to it previously been covered by snow from the Ice Age.
So there’s the classic spot at Rainbow Mountain that you see in pictures but then if you look up, you’ll notice a ridiculously steep and rocky path to the very peak. Everyone in my group was going up – so I guess I was going to go as well.
This is the part that will take you to that peak of 5030 metres. I can say at this point it was already difficult to fill your lungs with enough oxygen, but what was a little higher at this point? It definitely was the most challenging section and I was grateful for my borrowed walking pole.
I knew I would make it to the top as my determination was high. Altitude had other plans though, and about 30 or so steps before the peak I had to stop. My head felt like it was going to explode and I was suddenly super dizzy. I knew it was the altitude but I couldn’t move. My head hadn’t felt like this before and I couldn’t navigate myself up a steep and rocky path feeling this way.
One man on our tour who was at the top, and my local guide who was coming up behind me each grabbed one of my arms and together they got me to the top. I don’t remember the first few minutes clearly up there but I remember my guide asking me how my head felt, I remember her putting the mixture of herbs and rubbing alcohol in her hands and putting it on my face telling me to breathe it in and out. I remember this from the Quarry Trail and it’s brilliant for opening up your airways. I was told told later that my guide was worried about my temperature and how cold I was, and one of the ladies on our hike had a spare jacket and this was put on me. Thank god she had that. I wasn’t that prepared. So after a few minutes I came around well enough to enjoy reaching the peak. Absolutely stunning!
We had all taken a little stone from the bottom of the mountain and was told that we would use it at the top. So I went to the mountain edge and placed this rock on a stack and made a wish to Pachamama. Pachamama is a goddess admired by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is also known as the Mother Earth.
We took some photos and decided it was getting colder and we should head down.
We’ve all heard stories about hikers, and how they can get caught on top of a mountain because of a snowstorm that blows in. Well, this happened to us. As we were heading down off the peak it because incredibly foggy and we could barely see a few metres in front of us. It had already been snowing a little on top of the mountain, but the snow that came now was powerful due to the strong wind, and the snowflakes were icy and felt like pins.
We made it back to that initial rock wall, and huddled next to it with the locals.
After about 20 minutes we all decided the snowstorm wasn’t stopping, so we headed down in the storm. Hiking 8km in a snowstorm – that was an adventure. We had to occasionally shake the snow off of us and continue on.
Despite the freezing and icy conditions, it definitely added to the experience and we were in good spirits. We had to laugh that at the end when we reached the bus the snow stopped and the sun came out.
Soaked and freezing, we piled onto the bus and headed the hour to the restaurant where we would be having lunch.
My altitude sickness hadn’t quite disappeared and my headache returned with a vengeance along with nausea. We finally made it to this beautiful little restaurant where we were given a delicious and wholesome lunch. I had pasta and a couple of hot chocolates. I felt much better and slept for the next part of the trip back to Cusco.
Despite my bout of altitude sickness I had the most incredible day seeing scenery that pictures can’t do justice to, pushing myself beyond what I thought I was capable of, and just living my best life on this day.
I hope that if you ever get the chance to visit Peru, you will make the journey over to Rainbow Mountain. It is well worth the hike!
Days 8-11: Incas, treks, mountains and Machu Picchu
Saturday 28th September
Day 8: Inca Quarry Trail
I remember first hearing about Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail several years ago. It stuck in my mind as this amazing (yet arduous) journey that you take and once you reach the top you see this beautiful vista and impressive ruins. I never really forgot about the idea of one day visiting Machu Picchu but I think there was also a part of me which doubted my ability to make the journey.
Earlier this year after I had made that massive decision to take a break from teaching in the UK to possibly follow a different path or to retrain in the UK, I decided I wanted to fulfil this long desired dream of mine.
I did SO much research: what countries would I go to as well as Peru?
What tour company would I go with?
What was involved in the trek?
Through my research I decided to go with Intrepid as I’ve travelled with them before and have had good experiences. Once this was decided, I realised there isn’t just one way to Machu Picchu – there is in fact three.
The Classic Inca Trail which I knew of is the 42km hike and lasts 4 days and 3 nights, it finishes when you walk through the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu.
The second option is the Inca Quarry Trail. This hike is 26km long and is 2 nights and 3 days. It finishes in the town of Ollantaytambo. You then catch a train and bus to reach Machu Picchu.
The third option is to not hike at all and to meet the Quarry Trail hikers on the third day to catch the train with them.
Permits for the Inca Trail sell out months in advance and therefore when I went to book, all the permits were taken. I decided that I would hike the Quarry Trail instead.
On the morning of the start of our Quarry Trail I woke up with a mix of anticipation, enthusiasm and also nerves. What was ahead of me? I couldn’t really know for sure.
We left early and drove to Choquequilla. This is a small ceremonial place where Incas worshipped the moon and the sun. It is set up high on the mountainside and you must use a lot of steep steps to reach it. To be honest I found it quite a difficult climb, I was still very much adjusting to the altitude. The uneven steps were pretty brutal too – but I did make it to the top! At the top was a cave. this place was dedicated to Pachamama (Mother Earth). There was an alter there with beautifully precise carved edges. Some people believe that this alter comes from before the time of the Incas – due to how exact the carvings are. We were also told that nobody knows for sure its real name – some locals call it naupa iglesia. In any case, it felt like a very special place and it was nice that we were the only people there. Unfortunately I didn’t get many pictures of this site.
After we had hiked our way back to the bus we drove to Rafq’a, the starting point of the trek. Here we met the horsemen who would carry our main luggage and supplies. We then got ourselves ready for the first part of the hike.
We walked uphill for about an hour and reached the rural community of Socma. We stopped at the little school there for a drink of water and a snack. I was already starting to feel a little fatigued but nothing major. After all, I had my walking pokes which I knew would help!
After our little break we carried on uphill. Today we would be climbing up 600 metres in elevation and so the majority of our walk was uphill.
I’m not sure what I found more difficult during the next hour or so… maybe it was half and half. I found the relentless uphill gradient and less oxygen a real challenge. It made walking much slower because my legs felt so heavy and i felt a bit lightheaded. As much as I tried to ignore this aspect though, the other part that was making my hike difficult was the uneven ground – I had to watch the ground so carefully, and a combination of eye strain and dizziness made me more exhausted than I can ever recall.
Whilst the hike was hard, I loved the views. My favourite part was the beautiful waterfall – Perolniyoc cascade.
We continued our uphill trek and the altitude started to make my head feel a bit strange. One of the guides had this natural liquid which had alcohol and many flowers and herbs. You pour a little into your hands, rub them together and then inhale and exhale the smell. It basically opens up your airways and helps you breathe better.
It’s like my head stopped being lightheaded and fuzzy, I could think a bit more clearly and could breathe a bit better. With this I was feeling good to continue.
I was the one at the back the whole way up to our campsite. I was told I was only 3 minutes behind the next person, so this made me feel a little better about my pace.
We had two guides on our trek and they told me how much harder the next day would be and that they weren’t sure I’d make it before dark. Quite a few hikers arrive in the dark but because of my vision this probably wasn’t doable. I began to second guess my decision.
On the Quarry Trail there is an emergency horse if someone is feeling exhausted, is injured, or is travelling far too slow. I never asked for the horse. I wanted to do it by foot!
During the next hour uphill, I was fighting a battle in my head which felt like it was tearing me in half. The first part of me was stubborn and determined that I would do this hike because I told myself I would, I told others that I would, I didn’t want to fail. I didn’t want it all to be for nothing.
The other part of me knew the guides were right, normally it wouldn’t be an issue to walk at a slower pace on the downhill section on the second day… but because of my eyesight they kept saying it might be not safe for me. I had to agree with them there.
As I hiked I could feel myself wanting to cry. I just kept thinking “I don’t want to fail.” I felt like I had something to prove. Now I look back, did I? Who did I have to prove something to? Why did finishing a trek mean I was successful?
I finally decided that my goal didn’t have to be to finish the trek. Why couldn’t my goal be that I simply tried, I gave it a go.
As a teacher I would tell my students that I didn’t expect them to be always right, they didn’t need to be, what I wanted from them was their effort. I wanted them to try new things and see what they could do. Baby steps and small goals. So I wondered, how come I could be so understanding with my students but not myself?
“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” Greg Anderson
About 10 minutes before I reached the campsite I had completely run out of energy – I felt absolutely deflated… the guide who had stayed at the back gave me this mixture which you rub on your hands and then put it to your face and inhale and exhale the smell. It really helps you breathe better at altitude for the short term. With my breathing in better condition at that altitude, I finished the last of the hike. By the time I reached the campsite I was only a few minutes behind the trekker in front of me.
Our campsite sat at 3,700 meters above sea level. We reached the campsite around lunchtime.
The porters and horsemen had arrived earlier and had set up our tents and the cooks were preparing our lunch in their kitchen tent.
After lunch, everyone took a break in their respective tents until around 4:30pm when we set off to explore the Q’orimarca archaeological site. This site wasn’t too far from our campsite and was amazing to see. This site served as a checkpoint to the Incas, and the view was amazing! You could see all the way down into the valley where we had come from.
Looking down into the valley and all of the trails that looked like small brown zig zag lines etched across the mountain made me stop and reflect. I may have decided to not hike the remainder of the trail, but look where I had come from that morning! If you had told me I’d hike all of that a year ago when my confidence was rock bottom I wouldn’t have believed you. I had hiked up 600 metres in elevation over 8km in a few hours. I had hiked the first part of the Quarry Trail and I needed to appreciate that this was my goal – I had tried, and this alone is okay. I knew that the next day the hikers would reach an altitude of 4,450 meters above sea level and I really wasn’t ready for that yet.
Once we had finished admiring the ruins and the views, we headed back to camp for dinner!
Wow! A three course meal up in the mountains! It was amazing to see what the cooks could produce in their little tent.
We finished the night with hot chocolate, popcorn and cards.
Sunday 29th September
Day 9: Back down to Ollantaytambo
The next morning at 5:30am we were woken by our guide. She woke us up and gave us a hot cup of coca tea. The porters came around shortly to put a bowl of hot water outside of our tents for us to wash our faces and get ready for the day.
We had breakfast at 6am and then were ready to go at 6:30am. After saying goodbye, everyone headed to the right to go uphill, and myself and one of the guides took a left to head back down the mountain that we’d hiked up the day before. Strangely enough the hike back down was so much easier. Maybe I was more accustomed to the altitude because I didn’t have anywhere near as much trouble breathing, I didn’t stop once the entire way back to the school in the village of Socma. The guide with me was surprised to say the least. Whilst going downhill is generally harder on everyone, I found it easier to go downhill because as I descended the amount of oxygen in the air became ever so slightly better.
Because I was unable to finish the trail, I had to use the emergency money all hikers are required to have on hand. Once the guide and I had arrived back to the school we waited for an hour and a half for the mini bus to pick us up. This had been organised by my tour leader who was back in Cusco when she had heard I was unable to finish the hike. This bus dropped me at the hotel we had stayed in at Ollantaytambo two nights before. I paid the bus driver 80 PEN and once I was checked into the hotel which my tour leader had also organised, the guide who had come with me down the mountain left. I made sure I tipped him well because he had been so understanding and kind to me during this time. I paid another 80 PEN for the hotel too.
For the rest of the day, I just relaxed and enjoyed the peace and quiet. There was a couple of cats at the hotel which also kept me company. I had a little wander around the hotel at the stalls but didn’t really go far.
Monday 30th September
Day 10: Off to Aguas Calientes
In the morning I went to have breakfast and was surprised when I realised I was the only one there! Needless to say I was very well taken care of and spoiled. I came to realise I was the only person staying at the hotel.
A couple of hours later I was waiting outside of the lobby for my tour leader. It was here I made a friend – well sort of. The daughter of the lady who owned the hotel had a little stall outside selling all kinds of clothes and handmade items. She didn’t speak English, and my Spanish runs out after I tell you colours, numbers and basic greetings and nouns I’m pretty well out. However you can achieve a lot by using body language and facial expressions and we had a great couple of hours with each other. She had a little baby boy who was 8 months old, and I definitely enjoyed spending time with him and making him smile.
I eventually got a message from my tour leader saying she was running late and if I could meet her in the main square – so I set off to do that.
We went to a restaurant and had a pineapple juice each and waited for the hikers from the Quarry Trail to arrive.
Once they arrived we spent some time catching up and then we headed for the train. The train took a couple of hours and had some beautiful views along the way to Aguas Calientes.
Aguas Calientes Is a lovely little town which I thought was quite unique! The unique part was that the train line runs straight through the middle of town. There are no cars and the only way out of the town is either the train or the bus up to Machu Picchu.
We checked into our hotel and headed out for some beers, Pisco sours and of course some card games. Everyone met together later to have dinner and an early night.
Tuesday 1st October
Day 11: Machu Picchu
We were up early on Tuesday because today was the day we would visit Machu Picchu! I was so excited! It was raining overnight so I was a little worried about the weather ruining the visit but stayed hopeful.
After breakfast and taking a very windy bus trip up to Machu Picchu we hiked up those big Inca steps for about 15 minutes to reach that famous and incredible vista.
I can’t explain how awesome it was to be there. I sat on a rock and watched as the mist moved slowly and gracefully along the mountains and in the valley. After a while the three girls from our group who hiked the Classic Inca Trail arrived – I had so much admiration for their efforts. They definitely worked hard for that view!
We went for a 2 hour hike around Machu Picchu and checked out the ruins and I am amazed at how they constructed all of this prior to simple things such as the wheel.
After a few hours we hopped back on the bus, the train and another bus which took us back to Cusco.
We were reunited with the rest of our luggage and after an early dinner it was time to chill out, play some cards and enjoy a good night sleep.
Days 6 and 7: Cusco and Sacred Valley / Ollantaytambo
Thursday 26th September and Friday the 27th September
Thursday 26th September
On Thursday morning we woke up to the wonderfully calming sounds of the jungle wildlife and the rain os it fell on the trees and our roof. We got ourselves packed and ready before heading to our final breakfast in the jungle. Once we finished our breakfast and paying our bar tab over the past few days we headed down to the motorised canoe at the river.
It took us about 2 hours to arrive back to the road where we then transferred to a bus which took us back into town. Once everyone has collected all of their belongings from the lodge office we stopped by a little local shop to pick up some lunch and some ice cream!
We headed to Puerto Maldonado airport and checked in for our flight to Cusco! We were flying with Latam airlines again, and this time it was an incredibly short flight – just 40 minutes!
We were warned about the change in altitude and it really did feel completely different from the Amazon jungle region. We went from a very humid 35 degrees and 183 metres above sea level to a drier 17 degrees and 3400 metres above sea level. The thing I noticed straight away besides the incredibly welcomed cooler and drier air was the fact that I felt like I couldn’t quite take a full breath. The oxygen is much thinner up in Cusco so we were briefed on this and encouraged to drink lots of coca tea as this helps.
Cris took us on a walk around Cusco to show us around. I have to say, Cusco is my favourite city I’ve visited in Peru so far. It’s what I imagined a city in Peru would be like – with some of its historical architecture as well as bright and colourful textiles on display by locals. This all stood with an incredible backdrop of the mountains in the distance.
The most exciting part of visiting this vast indoor market was the fruit tasting! Cris took us a stall where she had organised with the store holder to let us try a range of fruits that grow in Peru. Some fruits I have tried before but not others. I thought the most interesting one was a fruit resembling a passion fruit except that it was bigger, orange and much sweeter. It is called ‘granadilla’. In Peru it’s known for the positive effects on the digestive system. The granadilla is a great source of fibre, calcium and several essential vitamins. So basically, a pretty great snack! Cris said that the small children in Peru love this fruit in school and it made me think of the children I have taught in the past and I thought that they would’ve loved it too.
After the market we headed back to our hotel for our Inca and Quarry Trail briefings. This was where we heard a little description about each day and what is necessary to pack in your day bag and duffel bag. We were given a duffel bag each and told that we would be allowed to pack only 4kg of our belongings plus a sleeping bag which would weigh about 2kg.
Friday 27th September
After breakfast we brought our newly packed duffel bags down and put the remainder of our luggage in storage. We would be reunited with this luggage after 5 days when we would return to Cusco. We took a private bus and began to make our way to the beautiful Sacred Valley.
On our way out of Cusco we drove up and stopped at Pukamuqa mountain. Here on the mountain is a wonderful viewpoint of the city of Cusco. On top of the mountain there is a huge statue called ‘Cristo Blanco’ which is Spanish for ‘white Christ’.
We hopped back into the bus and drove for about 2 hours to the Sacred Valley. This is also known as Wilcamayo to the Incas. The Sacred Valley is an incredibly lush, fertile valley and we learnt that it has been the main agricultural land for growing food for the high Andes. The main crops grown here are corn, beans and potatoes.
The highlight of my day was when we visited a local community in the valley to learn about their local lifestyle. I have never had such a warm and genuine welcome by people I didn’t know. We drove up a windy and remote mountain area, and once we got out of the bus all we saw was a little girl poking her head around a stone doorway saying “Hola!”. As we walked up and through this doorway we were met by a whole line of women dressed in their traditional bright clothing. They were lining the path throwing flower petals on us and taking our hands in theirs and warmly welcoming up to their community in their language. The language spoken here is Quechuan, but they also know Spanish.
Once we had arrived, the ladies introduced themselves and our tour leader Cris translated this to us. We then used some basic Spanish we had learnt to introduce ourselves. This included our name, age and where we had come from. Once the introductions were done, the women dressed us in traditional clothing. It’s so different from what we were all used to, but the colours and designs are beautiful. I absolutely loved their bright and colourful clothing. I don’t think I could pull it off, but it was fun to wear it for a while.
We then walked up a hill behind their marketplace and sat in a circle to help them sort Lima beans. Not a hard task but then again many hands make light work, and I can only imagine this would be such a time consuming task without 10 extra people helping!
We were then treated to a traditional lunch cooked by the women. I think I have said this in previous blog posts, but I continue to be impressed by the flavours and array of food I have tried in Peru. I am yet to taste something here I do not like.
After lunch the ladies then showed us their textile work. They showed us how they handmade some of the items they sell. It takes them 4 hours a day each day for 2 weeks to make some items. The amount that they had on sale was also amazing considering the length of time each item takes.
After our goodbyes and thank yous, we hopped back onto our bus and continued driving.
As we drove, Cris pointed out that if you you see a stick with a scraggly red plastic bag or red piece of flag or hanging from a building up in the Andes in Peru, it means you’ve just found the local brewhouse. From here you can get a very popular alcoholic drink in South America called ‘Chicha’. It’s basically fermented corn. If you want the sweetened version you can have Chicha with strawberries too. It gives the drink a magenta colour and isn’t as bitter.
We stopped at one of these little places and had a tasting of Chicha – one with strawberries and one without. Cris explained the process and we were shown the different stages of making Chica. After trying both of the drinks again, I have to say I prefer the Chicha with strawberries.
After our Chicha tasting we went onto the verandah and played a classic game played in Peru for decades. This is called Green Juego de Sapo Board Game, also known as Toad in the Hole. Sapo is a Spanish word for Frog or Toad. Basically It is a coin toss game but it is pretty challenging! I got 800 points so I got through to the next round. However I didn’t win this time – I must keep practising!
We continued driving for about 20 minutes to Ollantaytambo. This little town was gorgeous and I really enjoyed looking around.
Ollantaytambo is the oldest, continuously populated town in Peru. We had a walk around and checked out the four parallel streets, has a walk through the market in the square and had some dinner at a local restaurant. We made sure to get back to our hotel at a decent time as we would be getting up quite early the next morning to set off on our hikes!
Days 4-5: Puerto Maldonado (Amazon Jungle)
Tuesday 24th to Wednesday 25th September
Tuesday morning began with our alarms ringing at 5:30am. We all met in the hotel lobby and took a bus to Lima airport where we would be taking a flight to Puerto Maldonado in the Amazon Jungle. The only way I can describe the check in hall at Lima was chaotic! I was so grateful to be with others during this flight because I think I would have become quite anxious trying to be in the right line.
Once we had all checked in and dropped our bags, we headed through security with instructions from our leader to be at the departure gate at 8;15am. The 9 of us found our way to a cafe and with our lack of Spanish managed to get ourselves a sandwich and a coffee. I didn’t finish the coffee – probably the first coffee I can remember that I didn’t enjoy. Anyway the half that I did have satisfied the necessary caffeine instalment. I did end up buying a juice and also water which went down a treat. We sat on the floor at our departure gate eating our breakfast as there were no seats available.
We were flying with Latam airlines which I found comfortable and we got us to our destination safely. I think we all slept during the 1.5 hour flight which was a good thing.
Once we landed at Puerto Maldonado airport, we disembarked the plane to be hit with a wall of heat! The heat and humidity was intense to say the least. It was 38 degrees but definitely felt much hotter! Queue red faces and sweating.
The airport in Puerto Maldonado was basically a big shed with a dividing wall for departures and arrivals. There were a couple of ceiling fans on attempting to move some air around the building.
We left the airport and took a mini bus 10 minutes down the road to the lodge office in town. Here was where everyone was given the opportunity to refill their water bottles with clean water from jugs. We were given duffel bags which we were told to pack 3 days and 2 nights worth of clothes plus our essentials. Big bags wouldn’t be able to come as we would be taking the bus out and then a motorised canoe for 2 hours out to our lodge in the jungle. I went to grab a duffel bag but my tour leader told me I didn’t have to repack as my bag was small enough to come! I was really happy about that. She had commented at the airport that I had packed the smallest and lightest bag out of the 9 of us. Our leader who packed lighter than me also could bring her bag.
Once everyone’s lighter bags were reloaded and tied down on top of the mini bus we headed off down a very bumpy and long trip out to the Amazon Jungle.
After about an hour of driving we ran out of road. How do you get to your lodge when the roads run out? Canoe of course!
We walked down to the water and hopped into a big motorised canoe. We were given our typical Amazonian jungle lunch. A rice dish wrapped in a leaf. It was really delicious! I think food must just taste better when wrapped in a giant leaf from the jungle.
We spent the next 2 hours powering along the river heading deeper and deeper into the Amazon Jungle.
The humidity was intense to say the least. After about an hour we weren’t talking anymore. We were looking at the views as we travelled along, sipping water and trying to retain as much energy as possible. Dehydration had well and truly set in.
Despite all this though one thought was playing through my mind – this experience, in that moment was so surreal. We were going so far away from roads, towns, cars, mobile reception and electricity. I had never been so isolated from the everyday world – and how unique and special that felt.
Our lodge was in the Madre de Dios area of the Amazon Jungle. Once we arrived, we walked up the many wooden steps up to where the lodge was. From here we were briefed on the lodge and what to expect. The only building to have electricity was the dining hall and this electricity would be on from 5-10pm where there would be ceiling lights and fans. Apart from these hours the property had no access to electricity. The water was unsafe to drink so there was a water filling station which consisted of 2 big jugs of water. You were free to refill your water bottle as you needed. If you had any snacks in your bag they needed to go into a special container in the main area as animals will find them otherwise. You would have a solar torch light in your room and this would be your source of light at night – but it would only work for a couple of hours so you needed to use it wisely. There’s no hot water so there’s only one tap in the shower – think of it as a refreshing wash!
Mosquito nets above each bed – use them!
We had the rest of the afternoon to take in our new surroundings, apply as much mosquito repellent as we could, try and adjust to the humidity, grab a drink from the bar and enjoy the sights and sounds of this beautiful location.
That evening Frank, our local guide, took us on a night walk to spot a range of animals. What a cool experience that was! We saw tarantulas, snakes, grasshoppers, scorpions, frogs, you name it!
The next morning we were up and having breakfast at 5.30am to leave by 6am for our 12km hike through the jungle. We had to leave super early because of the forecasted heat. It was set to be 38 degrees again and with the humidity who knows what it would feel like. We set off on our journey before the sun had risen over the horizon. What a great yet challenging walk. There were lots of underlying roots, uneven surfaces, sudden steps etc. If you know me, you’ll know I have a lot of motivation to try things, but often doubt how successful I’ll be when it comes to my vision. So you’ll know it means something when I say I’m proud of myself for completing this without falling once! Of course I had a few near trips. I think the 6km there were a bit easier for me because on the way back when the temperatures had skyrocketed and the sun was beating down through the trees; we were all frazzled. My water supply was getting quite low and all of us were suffering with really swollen fingers and hands from the heat. I did struggle to lift my feet or coordinate myself to avoid uneven surfaces because of how sluggish we were by this point. I always caught myself though with every near fall and I was pretty proud of myself.
On the 6km hike to the river we spotted macaws, bullet ants, fire ants, butterflies and my favourite – a sloth! We reached the river a couple of hours later and started rowing down the lake. We saw monkeys, more macaws and butterflies, fish etc. I really enjoyed this and it made the walk so worth it.
Once we arrived back at the lodge we all went for our refreshing showers, had a delicious lunch from our fantastic cooks and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. This included napping in the hammocks, watching the sunset by the river, drinking a pina colada and a baileys colada, and playing cards with each other.
For your our final night-time excursion, we ventured out in the dark in search of caimans on the Tambopata River. We all hopped into our motorised canoe and set off. We traveled for about 5 minutes till we were far away from the lodge and the only light was from the stars. The motor was turned off and we were told to not speak and to just listen for a few minutes. In the dark you really focus on your hearing and the sounds of the wildlife on the rover and on the land were rich and full of life. It was an amazing few minutes to just take stock of where we were and what was around us. Once the motor was back on we travelled down the river whilst the naturalist guide used a spotlight h to locate the caimans on the banks of the river. We spotted them about 3 different times!
We arrived back at the lodge in time for our dinner with its rich jungle flavours, and headed to bed.
Overall the Amazon jungle was such an incredible experience and exceeded my expectations. I was amazed by the richness of the wildlife and the natural beauty of this place. If you ever get the chance to visit the Amazon Jungle, I highly recommend it. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced!
Days 2-3: Lima Peru
Sunday 22nd -Monday 23rd September: Lima, Peru
I have emerged from my little cocoon of my hotel room!
After arriving Saturday night and falling asleep quicker than I probably ever have, I woke up the next morning feeling absolutely dreadful. Jet lagged and lethargic along with an awful headache and sore throat.
As a teacher of the last 4 years I’ve learnt to teach and work through an array of illnesses including laryngitis, bronchitis, chest infections you name it… but nonetheless I definitely wasn’t feeling well. I was obviously dehydrated and potentially a bit germy from the 24 hours of travel.
Determined to not be unwell through my trip, I set off to find a supermarket. After about a 15 minute walk I came to a store called ‘Wong’ which is a supermarket. I went around and bought the essentials. My mum is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to home remedies, and finding myself in a foreign country where there seemed to be no medicines on the shelves (you have to go to a pharmacy it seems), I found myself resorting to those home remedies embedded into me by mum. So there I was buying pineapple and apple cider vinegar. I bought other fruit as well, along with bread rolls and cheese, orange juice, and a massive bottle of water.
Ahh yes the water – I learnt my lesson the night before when I grabbed the glass on the sink and had some tap water… rookie error guys. Peruvian water is not safe to drink. The sulphuric smell coming from the tap when turned on should’ve clued me in, but I was so tired and didn’t think. Anyway, I worked it out in time and only had a few sips. I would have to wait till morning to get some clean water.
So I wasn’t out long on Sunday but I did try and observe and learn as much as I could whilst out on my little errand.
Here they are:
1. Roads are terrifying to cross! Zebra crosswalks are merely suggestions to cars to stop from what I can gather. And they don’t stop. So you either wait a very long time till you’re sure it’s safe or do as the locals do and hold your hand out to the car like “don’t even try it!” I haven’t worked out my preferred method yet.
2. Cars, buses, bikes etc all love to use their horn – I’ve never heard anything quite like it!
3. Hotels tend to have guards out the front. They open the gate for you to come and go, and always greet you with a smile. They check you’re meant to be there if they don’t know you.
4. The amount of people employed at the supermarket is something I’ve never seen before. There are so many! Either stocking shelves, being located to stand and assist anyone, and also no self check outs! What a novelty it was to have the lady scan my items and pass them to the man who happily took my fabric bags and packed my groceries for me. As well as this the guard at the door farewelled and thanked me.
The rest of the day was very uneventful, I just tried to rest, eat my pineapple, drink loads of water, and down as much apple cider vinegar as my throat could take.
Upon waking up this morning at 4am (hey there jet lag, old friend…) I realised my throat wasn’t as bad and my headache was basically gone! It’s continued to improve throughout the day and whilst my throat hurts a little, it’s very manageable. I downed some more vinegar before I left my hotel room just to be sure.
I came down to the lobby and saw the sheet that my group leader had put up on the noticeboard, I had 3 hours before we all would meet. So I checked out of my current room and asked the receptionist if I could put my backpack in storage. I then went for another walk, putting my developing skills of crossing roads in Lima to the test to reach a nice big cup of coffee. What better motivation, right?
At 2pm we had a welcome meeting with our tour leader and group. There are 9 of us in the group. There’s one girl from Australia, a husband and wife from India, 2 British guys, 2 New Zealand girls, 1 guy from Switzerland and then there’s me. So a good mix of people.
Our leader is named Cris. She is from Peru and is really experienced as a leader. She seems really nice and we all get along with her well.
Cris took us on a 45 minute walk to the coast within Miraflores (a district within Lima). They have some beautiful parks by the ocean. The beaches are mainly rocky but the surf is good for those who like to surf. It was nice to see the Pacific ocean again as I only ever see this when back home in Australia.
We finished our walking tour in the Love Park. A meeting point place for many couples and friends in Lima. There is a sculpture of a couple in the park which can obviously tell you that you’re in the Park.
Our leader left us there as she had to go and pick up our boarding passes for the flight the next day. So the 9 of us decided to go for dinner by one of the ocean restaurants. It was a nice chance to chat and get to know each other. I had a pasta dish with huancaína sauce. This is a Peruvian spicy cream sauce. It was so delicious! I also had to have a Pisco Sour as I am Peru!
We headed back to the hotel and made sure to have an early night as we were meeting at 6am the next morning to go to the airport.
We are on the bus now headed to Lima airport again. We are flying an hour and half today to Puerto Maldonado (the Amazon jungle!). We will be staying in a lodge deep in the jungle for a few nights. There will be no electricity and no hot showers. It is forecasted to be about 38 degrees there with really high humidity. Can’t say I’m excited about that part, but hey it’s all part of the experience!
So I look forward to updating you on our adventures in the Amazon in a few days time. In the meantime I will trying to spot some animals, enjoy the activities that we will partake in at the lodge, and spend my evenings by a kerosene lamp.
So until then, I hope this post has been interesting… I feel like I’ve waffled on a bit! Oops!
Take care and wish us luck on this next part of our journey!
Salud! (Cheers)
Day 1: Slough, England to Lima, Peru
Saturday 21st September 2019
So the day has finally arrived! My trip to South America!
In total I will be away from England for 35 days, and in that time I will be travelling to 5 different countries. These are: Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and finally Brazil.
I will be travelling with a tour company which I have used several times before – Intrepid Travel. I enjoy travelling with Intrepid because they use small group sizes, they go off the beaten track, they use public transport where possible so they support responsible travel.
I’ve learnt a lot travelling with them in the past about using public transport in different countries and I’ve since then been able to complete solo trips myself.
Anyway, back to today… I started this morning with a 3:15am alarm on my phone and was out of my hotel in Slough within the hour. My trip to Heathrow and flight to Madrid was pretty standard so not much to report on.
Arriving into Spain was where I required some problem solving stamina! Maybe it’s the sleep deprivation of an hour and a half sleep… but I got a little lost. I became pretty confused with terminals 4 and 4S… because even now, after finding my gate I cannot work out if terminal 4 and 4S are indeed different terminals… I was meant to be at S gates. Either way, I could not see any signage for either. Gates H, J and K were always signposted though!
Anyway I trusted my gut instinct and got on a train to terminal 4, went through security and passport control again. All of a sudden S gates were signposted everywhere and SO much bigger than necessary! I couldn’t help but laugh a little.
A few hours later I boarded my next flight which would take me from Madrid all the way over to Lima in Peru. This was set to be an 11.5 hour flight. I’ve never flown with Iberia airlines before but I was impressed with them. The food was good for plane food, entertainment, seats and even the blankets were all decent. The touch down was one of the smoothest I’ve had, and we were off the plane before our expected arrival time.
I spent the next 2 hours trying to actually leave the airport! This is where my vision played a role and I had to use one of the most useful tips when dealing with signage and my eyesight. If I were to show you my camera role from today most of it would be random photos of screens and signs where I’ve taken a photo to then zoom on that photo to read what it says. It’s helps me to be pretty independent. Immigration was the longest part of the 2 hours in Lima airport. A massive queue! However once it was my turn I showed my passport, my yellow fever vaccination certificate, got finger printed and had a no doubt ‘beautiful’ photograph taken of myself for their records. The chapped lips and hair pulled up in some sort of bun attempt are all part of the charm.
Finally getting let into the country and painstakingly awaiting my bag in hopes it made the change from British airways to Iberian airlines safely, I made my way out into the streets of Peru at night!
My backpack screams traveller, and being a solo female traveller the taxi drivers saw me coming. Thankfully I’d researched Lima airport and the safest way to get to where you are going. I had already bought the Lima airport shuttle bus ticket for $8 USD a week earlier. I had a map that I’d screenshot on my phone to show me where the buses left from. The scaling was definitely off, but I headed off the in the general direction dodging cars which don’t like to stop at zebra crossings!
I had to walk through the outdoor car park and a guy standing at a car claimed to be a taxi driver and tried to detour me from taking the bus. Nope – booked my ticket already. I found the little sign which had the shuttle bus and plonked myself and my bag down ready to wait right there for the next 45 minutes for the bus (they only come hourly).
I’m happy to report that I am on the bus now. From my screenshots I know that if I get off at the first stop (in one hour) it will be about 350 metres to my hotel. I personally cannot wait to get there. I’ve been travelling for 22 hours so far, and by the time I get to my hotel I imagine it will be over 23 hours.
But I’m here! I’m in South America! I made it safely and in one piece!
Shower and bed as soon as I get in are on the cards for sure!
Just the beginning 😊
Thanks for checking out my very first blogging website.
My name is Brooke. I’m a 27 year old Australian who has been living in the United Kingdom for the last 4 years.
Alongside teaching, crafting, and spending time with my loved ones, one of my greatest passions in life is travel. I’ve travelled to 31 countries so far in my life and count myself very blessed to have done so.
In just a few days time I’ll be off on another adventure- this time to South America! Something that I’ve wanted to do for many years but have never had the time, money or independence.
I was born with a rare eye condition called Aniridia. This rare condition leaves me with 6/60 vision – or more commonly known as ‘legally blind’. Having this condition has, and continues to cause different difficulties in my life but I want to live my best life regardless.
I’m grateful that I have my health despite my eyesight and that’s more than some people have, so whilst sometimes it’s easier to feel frustrated and sad about my limitations I try to look at the positives.
I like to push myself to achieve whatever my head desires. This could be anything from graduating university, becoming a teacher, moving to the other side of the world, travelling, or just living my best life.
Why blog?
- I want to document my travel adventures on more than just Facebook. I want to share them with those who are interested.
- Because it will help me focus my own ideas about where I’m at and where I’m going.
- For others who are on the path to living their best life despite any perceived set backs such as vision impairments or other disabilities.
- For anyone who wants to see travel or general life tips and hacks I’ve found useful just in general or for anyone who is legally blind/vision impaired.
- For anyone who wants to follow my journey as I continue to climb up and out of a slippery slope of anxiety and depression which has consumed my life over the last 12 months… and see how I have changed situations in my life to combat this.
- I’ll be covering anything from…
- Travel updates
- Life updates
- Tips and tricks for vision impairment children and adults
- Stories
I’d love to connect with those who are interested in reading my blog. Drop by and say hello! 😊
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to comment or send me a message.
Eye Believe Eye Can 