Ticquetes, Boletos, Pasajes, Ingresos (Machu Picchu, Peru)

I admit, I don´t like to plan ahead when I travel. At home, I am forced to with my work and often with my friends. Lately though, because I have to be in Colombia by June 28th, I have had to plan what I am doing in th next couple of months so that I can see what I want to see. Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the world, is on that list. Albeit, I was very tempted to cross off the list, just because I have been so anti-tourist lately and it seemed like such a hassle.

Some random friends I met in Cusco.

So yesterday I decided that I wanted to go today, so I finally started researching on how to get there, costs, etc. Who knew it was such a process, some tourists plan it months in advance, me, less than 24 hours. And of course, I tried to plan it all out on a Sunday, Mother´s Day in fact, when most shops and restaurants are closed in Latin America. So I found one travel agency, and also spoke to my hostel´s travel agency. The external agency quoted me $170 to go in one day and the hostel quoted me $190 for the same thing. Both told me that it was a rapid trip, whereas most people will go for 2 days, 1 night. In the end, I went back to the external agency and after much discussion and bargaining I finally agreed to take her offer, but then found out they don´t accept credit cards, but they pulled a deal for me and charged me an extra $10 to pay by credit.  Then... like 3 hours later at 6pm, I get a call from the agency telling me to come back with my passport and that´s when they went to go purchase my train tickets. Turns out that we were too late to get the cheaper tickets and so they then asked me, in a very roundabout manner, to pay more or to not take a bus that is part of the trip and walk instead. I said I´d walk and save myself some money, although if I were in Canada, if I could have expressed myself in english, I am sure I could have swindled it around that I didn´t have to do anything more, but get what I originally paid for.  But, the lady was really nice, she spoke really clear spanish for me, and it was mother´s day, so I agreed.

So the original plan was this...
5 - 5:30am the travel agent would pick me up from the hostel
6:00am take a bus to this town 2 hours away
8:45am board a train to the town which sisters with Machu Picchu
11:00am take a bus (or walk) up to the entrance of Machu Picchu
6:30pm take bus, train, bus back towards Cusco, arrive at 11pm (ish)

So the first thing that changed was that the 6:30pm return train was fully booked, so the next one available was at 9:30pm.  (That´s why I´m here right now... killing time, waiting for my train). I won´t get home till about 2am now.

My travel agent didn´t come and pick me up until 6am on the dot, I was up at 4:50am and got ready. By 5:55 I was laying in bed with my eyes closed, almost hoping that she wouldn´t show up because everything seemed like such a hassle at this point.  Once she finally arrived, we had to wait outside in the cold for 30 minutes for the bus to arrive and she didn´t really know what was going on. I was then introduced to another man who told me how I would get my entrance ticket to Machu Picchu, by a man holding a white flag named Pedro waiting for me at the train station.  Well, once I arrived, there was no ticket waiting for me, and my travel agent was calling my cell phone asking if everything was okay, etc. In the end, I got my ticket that they paid for me, and I had to purchase my own bus ride up, as previously agreed on.  Then we finally met our official tour guide and waited around for awhile as all the group got together and assembled ourselves. As this all happened, loads and loads of tourists kept rushing through the entrance gate, all in the same boat, all looking for their guides, putting on sun screen, putting on bug spray, and adjusting their camera settings.

 
As we finally started the tour, the guide pulls me aside, and kept calling me Stream by the way, as that is what was written on his piece of paper, and tells me his going to bring me to another guide because that tour will be in English. He didn´t even ask if I spoke spanish and just assumed. So we rush through the crowds of people as we left the original group behind waiting. We then PASS through the prime point where you get the best view of Machu Picchu! We keep walking and walking... and finally get to the English guide and his 25 person group, I get pass on like a sheep... er I mean tourist, and that´s that. I then express that I´m late to my original guide, but he doesn´t seem to care, he runs away and the english guide tells me that he´s 15 minutes into the tour. At this point, I was so frustrated that I was tempted to just ditch the whole tour, turn around and get my infamous shot in front of the view. It seems that every backpacker I´ve met who´s been through Peru has this exact same photo in the exact same shot, and I wanted one of my very own!  Anyway, I stick with the tour, huffing and puffing for a bit.  Eventually, I ease into things and settle down, listen to some of the interesting historical and scientific facts about the Incas and the ruins.

Once the tour was done, 2 hours later, I had time to kill. So I went back through the entrance and started over, back to that primal spot. I got various other tourists to take my picture, knowing that at least one of them would know how to use my camera and get a good shot. In the end, I got one. I´m satisfied.  I then found a nice quiet spot on the grass, with the ruins as my backdrop, plugged in my ipod, and finally ate two energy bars that I had packed away in my backpack since early that morning. One thing that the whole travel agency didn´t add in the itinerary was time for lunch! I´d hardly eaten anything since I´d been awake at 5am.  Anyway, at this point, most of the tourists had left, probably to catch their early trains and I felt at peace. My music was relaxing. The sun was heavenly. The grass was welcoming. The view was majestic. My thoughts were indepth and filled with gratitude. 

So, all in all, everything was worth it.  Let´s just hope I get back to Cusco alright...

Murphy's Law (Hauncachina, Peru)

I have been wearing the same underwear a third time now, before that I was wearing another a pair for three days in a row. I went this morning to go buy a bus ticket to leave this place later today, but due to some protests along the highway I was told I couldn't leave today. So I decided to hand wash my underwear, finally. Then, as I was walking by one of the travel agencies, just to strike up conversation with the cute Peruvian guy working there, I asked if there were still no available departures. It turns out, one bus is leaving tonight, and I was able to buy the last ticket, right beside the on board washroom!

So now, I've just done a late checkout, which is better than paying full price. But I've had to pack up all my clothes, including my wet underwear! Ugh... So once I arrive in Cuzco, about 24 hours from now, I still won't have clean underwear!!

PS - I haven't brushed my teeth today. I lost my toothbrush and haven't gotten around to buying a new one. Right... Off to the store I go...

My last night in Huancachina - we had a blast!

For This (Huacachina, Peru)

A lot of goodbyes yesterday, my final day in what began to feel like my own city, Lima. I just received this skype message from my pal Jair... it's things like this that makes goodbyes so bittersweet.

"algun dia nos volveremos a ver amigo! y saldremos a discotgecas! la pasaremos bien y veremos pelicuas subtituladas y me ayudarasa con el ingles !"

Semester Abroad (Lima, Peru)

Another temporary goodbye tonight to my two friends Mike and Alicia.  I will hopefully see them in less than two weeks when I finally leave Lima and go to Cusco. I have had the pleasure of spending close to two weeks with them here in Lima, shooting the shit, exploring the city, playing drinking games, partying and going out to the clubs. 

They're here (including Prachi as well who's staying for 4 more days) as students from various universities from the United States. Each of them are involved in various projects involving social issues within Peru. Mike is a sociology undergrad major, studying the gay community here in Peru, trying to analyze issues they have around equal rights and social stratification. We have had a lot of great conversations around this topic and I have been able to connect him to a couple local guys that I have met who have a lot of things to say about this topic. I feel like I am back home in my job making connections in the field. Alicia is studying nurses that act as counsellors in prisons. And Prachi is studying issues within the mines of Peru.

Ahhh... to be a student again would be amazing. I love sitting around with them as they talk about their issues, their research, their professors, their ideas and thoughts about certain topics, and their fun student lifestyle.  At the same time, it is nice to bounce around my own ideas and my own experiences of what I know as a social worker.  I've said it before, but hanging out with people of different ages, different experiences and backgrounds is always so interesting.  I'm glad to have met them. 

I wish I had this awesome opportunity when I was their age (Mike just celebrated his 21st birthday last weekend here in Lima!). To have your mind opened to a different culture and country. They tell me about all these interviews they are performing with all these various people, some VIPs, some just your regular ol' person, and I am in awe of how well they go about it with such confidence. 

I guess I am not that far removed from what they are doing, I am just doing it in a different context. I love my life at times.

My Music, My Harmony (Lima, Peru)

I'm still in Lima. I would like to say that I am not bored here anymore and not feeling in limbo. Thanks for those of you that have approached me with ideas and slaps in my face to try and wake me up. I think I've gotten over the hump and am adjusting to "life" here, however short of a time that may be. I love having friends that live here and hanging out with them at various times of the week. Even my daytime hours are filling up. Sometimes I wonder what I do all day... haha... a bit of this and that, but with good company.

I think Lima will be the last place I'll settle into for a while, after this I will start to 'backpack' again, get back on the path of the gringos, but not for another two weeks. Leticia is trying to find a short volunteer gig here in Lima, and also has a doctor's appointment on May 10th, so I will stay in Lima with her. The other day we went into a busy/popular hostel (a Lonely Planet pick, no doubt) and it was crawling with backpackers. I had to get out of there as soon as possible, I just don't see myself in them right now.

As with everything I always try to put myself in the shoes of the refugees and immigrants that I serve in Canada and the theory that I preach in my cultural diversity workshops. There are people that try to cope with their resettlement and integration process by sticking with people of their own kind, their own language... but it often takes them a little longer to integrate. Then there are those that reject their background, their customs, their own kind or the people from their homeland. I guess I am more on the latter end of the spectrum these days, but not too far stretched. I'm glad I didn't leave Lima earlier, although I was definitley considering it. As we often tell immigrants, get over the hump and you'll find your groove, your harmony.

Anyway... I write this post because I just updated my Iphone on Itunes to the latest version. But since I am on my new netbook, I don't have all my music and photo files that were on my iphone... so now my iphone has bascially been wiped clean! Boo!! My first thought was that I have lost a little part of myself. I am sure many of us can relate to this. I've written of this before. Luckily, but somewhat of a hassle, I have an old itouch with me, that I brought with me just for this purpose. At least my iphone hasn't been stolen and I still have a backup. But now I have to carry around two ipods around with me. And I suppose with my new laptop I can download some NEW music! Wow, what a concept. I can listen to new stuff other than what I hear in the clubs here.

Bed Time (Lima, Peru)

I have been so anti social that there's a guy in my dorm room that has been sharing the same room for like two weeks. His bed is less than 3 meters away from mine, and never once have we introduced ourselves! Haha. We do say "Hola" every now and again. I wonder if he thinks I don't speak any Spanish or if he thinks I'm just a hermit. I do know his name, only because I've heard it said it before. And my spunky friend Jair and now former employee here told me he's a sports journalist from Argentina. Cool. Too bad I don't have any interest in sports whatsoever, unless it's a tv or movie drama! Like Friday Night Lights!! Love it!!

Jair also told me I'm like a hermit in the hostel and asked me why and I tried to explain my sentiments in Spanish (see last blog). Well, I guess people have noticed, I thought I would just go under the radar. Perhaps not.

Anyway, there's a new guest in our room, they both have the same accent so I'm guessing the new guy is also from Argentina. Anyway, it's 2:11am and they're chatting away with the light on, while they sit up in bed. I'm sitting here on my iPod, earplugs in, pretending not to be bothered by anything. But now I want to sleep...

Holy shit! They must've read my mind. Lights off!! Good night y'all.

Limbo in Lima (Lima, Peru)

Well, here I go again, in this phase of limbo that I dislike. Once again I feel like I should be doing something else, like I should be settling down.  While backpacking, many people have a constant friend to go around with, or if not, they have a constant agenda to follow. They have purpose in other words. 

Myself? I am kind of just drifting along, wondering what I will do next, who I will hang out with next, who I will actually take the time to get to know. As I said the other day, I have made some local friends that live here in Lima, and as well I have some friends here that I know from traveling. My friend Steph and I hung out last night, it was great to see her again. The problem is, she is staying at a different hostel than myself, but we will hang again tonight and then she is off to her next destination in a couple of days.  And for my local peeps, they all have their lives here... jobs, school, friends, family, etc.  For them, to hang out with little old me once or twice a week is normal. For me, I am such a right here, right now, live in the moment kind of intense guy, so I am always ready to go, ready for some action, some adventure, or even just ready to go for a simple coffee and shoot the shit. 

So, where does this leave me? Take some classes in Lima, nope. Tried that, it failed and the others are way over my budget. Move on? Perhaps, but I am expected to meet up with Leticia in 10 days here.  I could leave and come back, but go where? Some other tourist town and look at some churches and take pictures of colonial buildings? No thanks.  Go home to Canada? Nope, my friends from Canada are meeting up with me in Colombia in July. (Which I am very excited about by the way!!)  Find some volunteer work? Perhaps, but... but what? 

It is interesting because I want to find something stable, but I dont really want to lose my free time either, but its the extended periods of free time that haunts me! I often say don´t get stuck in the waiting place, how do I know when I am stuck in it?