Chapter 10 ~ 1 potato, 2 potato, 3000???

In which I will explain my first experience of traveling alone in a foreign country; the downs and the ups of my trip to Peru.


Did you know that there are over 3000 different types of potatoes in the world, and over half of them are found in Peru. If you are anything like me you can't name more than 5 different kinds without starting to say things like 'french fries, tater tots, or mashed'. This knowledge, of the different types of potatoes, is what I chose to research before traveling alone to Peru. I didn't think to research population, natural disasters, climate, crime rate, cuisine, or different activities for tourists; nor did I research what is needed when traveling alone such as necessities or what not to do. Instead I took this trip on as a sort of 'learn in the moment' type of trip. I knew I wanted to visit Machu Picchu, I knew the name of the city I was flying to and the name of the hostel I had a reservation at, I knew they spoke spanish, and I knew that they had a lot of potatoes. Other than that, I knew I was in for an adventure which is exactly what I got.

It all started on the night of October 13th, 2011. I had a bus ticket to Santiago and strict instructions from my host mother warning me not to take a taxi from the bus terminal to the airport because they would overcharge me and have been known to be a little dangerous for tourists in the past. I was all set with my hiking backpack and a fanny pack I borrowed from the family because I refused to buy one. My plane was planned to take off at 7 am on Friday and I was going to stay the entire night, Thursday, in the airport because there were no busses that could get me to the airport on time Friday morning. I said my goodbyes to the host family and as I was walking out of the house my host mother yelled after me, 'From this point onward, until when you return, enjoy everything!'. I set out, for the unknown, well not exactly the unknown, I really set out for the bus station. Then one and a half hours later, I was in Santiago, ready to find a bus to the airport. Except there was one little problem, the busses to the airport had stopped running a half hour before I arrived. Well that is just great, the only two rules that my host mother had given me were about to go straight down the drain. 1) Don't take a taxi, they overcharge and they can be dangerous for tourists. And 2) Enjoy everything. Well now I have to take a taxi to the airport, and if it's overcharging me with the potential of being dangerous, I'm certainly not enjoying it! But it turned out fine, I found a taxi, it didn't turn out to be dangerous, it was expensive, but I also found out later that a friend of mine had been charged more than I payed. Then I make to the airport and the real madness begins. It turns out that on said night of the 13th, Justin Bieber was flying in to Santiago for a show. The airport was full, and I mean FULL, of screaming teenage girls. It was a nice way to pass the time, but I've got to say that after an hour of screaming girls, it gets old; and when I was boarding my flight at 6 am the next morning, there were still screaming teenage girls and no Justin Bieber.

So now I've made it to Peru. My flight has landed and I just have to collect my backpack and find the person I'd reserved to pick me up and take me to my hostel. I collect my belongings, walk out the front door of the Cusco airport, and encounter hundreds of people. Some holding signs with names on them, others shouting 'taxi, taxi, you look like you need a taxi', and others that just looked like family members waiting to see their relatives. Amongst all of the shouting people, there was not one person with a sign that had my name on it. After I waited a few minutes, and had yelled at every single taxi driver, and told them all that I didn't want or need a taxi, I decided to go in the airport, find the information desk, and call my hostel. According to them, I had failed to reserve the airport transportation service (even though I still have the e-mail stating clearly that I did reserve it) and that I'd have to take a taxi to get there. Great, once again I'm about to break one of my mothers rules, and on top of that, I have to return outside to the taxi drivers that I had just been yelling at 5 minutes previously. Needless to say I found a nicer looking old man (more of a chance he wouldn't remember me), who brought me to my hostel at a decent price. Now first thing's first, I have to check in and then find a tour package of Machu Picchu, because I was told to wait until arriving in Peru to buy a tour due to the fact that they are everywhere and about half the price than the ones found online.  Check, and check. I purchased the 3 day, 2 night 'Inca Jungle Trek' which was set to depart at 7 am the next morning. At this point I had time to walk around the city, get to know the area, snap a few photographs, drink a beer and try some delicious Ravioli de Cuy (translation to come later).

Now this is the first time I've stayed in a hostel, and I'm sharing a room with 14 people, and a bathroom, which is coed, with no hot water, and for the entire hostel. It was a new experience and had I not been exhausted from the previous night in the airport, I might have actually enjoyed the party type atmosphere a little more than I did. But, having no sleep for the last couple nights, and having to wake up from another restless night at 6 am to take a cold shower, I had broken the other of my two rules; I was not enjoying it very much. But that was all in the past. It was nearing 7 and my tour guide was on his way to pick me up, along with 8 others not staying at the hostel, and I was determined to enjoy the upcoming tour.

Day 1: I am the first person to be picked up. The tour guide, Edson, walks with me up the street a couple blocks and we find two others coming on the tour, Ash from Australia and Sabrina from Italy. We begin talking right away with each other and continue walking with Edson. We come up to a van that has another girl sitting in it, Tina from California. (Her name isn't actually Tina, but I can't remember what it really is so we'll go with Tina) Now we start driving; Ash, Tina, Sabrina and myself talking and sharing stories of our travels. After a few minutes the van stops and 5 more people enter, all speaking in Portuguese. They seem to know each other and we have already kind of established our friendships so we appear to have formed 2 separate groups. We continue driving, its a three hour drive to the mountains and we only stop once for a break and some snacks. Once we reach the top of the mountain range we unload the mountain bikes, the helmets and pads, and we bike down the other side of the mountain.

Its about a 5 hour ride to the bottom, with views like I've never seen in my life. They literally take your breath away, especially when you get so caught up in them that you crash your bike into the mountain. No one was around and I had all my gear on, so the only damage done was a little chunk of my self esteem and a small sprain on my ankle. We make it to the bottom and its time for lunch, Peruvian food is amazing and cheap (not that it really matters because its all included in the tour anyway). After lunch we find out that Ash, Sabrina, and Tina are all taking the 4 day version of the tour and they will be leaving the group. That seems about right, I would make friends with the only three people in the group that are now separating; leaving me alone with 5 people all speaking in portuguese with each other. The six of us get back in the van, joined now by a new girl who doesn't speak english or spanish very well and absolutely no portuguese, her name is Melanie from Belgium. She was traveling alone and I think that was how she preferred it, she really kept to herself until she too split from our group on the 3rd day... but that to come later. We drive another couple of hours through the mountains to a small little village where we will be staying the night. There is a small hot springs, about a 15 minute walk down the mountain, and the 6 of us decide to check it out.
Now seems like a good time for introductions. There are three guys including myself, and four girls including Melanie. Sleeping arrangements are set up as the three guys in a room, two girls in another room, and the other two in a different room. On our walk to the hot springs, I decide I should find out more about my new group. It turns out that they are all from Brazil. The two guys live a little inland from Rio de Janeiro; their names are Guilherme and Tertuliano. The three girls are traveling together and live in Sao Paulo; their names are Milena, Silvia, and Maria. (Maria isn't really her name either, and I feel a little bad for not remembering it because she didn't leave after half a day). We all seem to get along really well. Tertuliano, Guilherme, and myself are the only ones that decide to go for a swim, and after a few hours, the three of us walk back up the mountain for dinner, beer in hand and one flashlight between the three of us, dodging mud, streams, and cars. After dinner we are told to meet back at the restaurant tomorrow at 830 for breakfast, after which we will continue on our way.

Day 2: We get up and get ready, take yet another cold shower (the Brazilians inform me they've never had to worry about cold showers in Brazil, to which I told them I didn't in the US, but in Chile every now and then it happens). Go to the restaurant, eat breakfast, load our backpacks into the van, and drive about half an hour to our next location. Time to zip line through the canyons. This was a slight additional cost on the overall tour price, but completely worth it! Milena and Silvia chose to do the hike instead, but everyone else was geared up and ready to go. Edson went with the two girls and told the rest of us that there would be a vehicle waiting for us as soon as we were finished to bring us to the next meeting point for lunch.

 It was 120 KM above the ground, there were 6 different lines zigzagging through the canyon, and the view from up there was inexplainable. (The photo is me after the first line, waiting to go on line number 2.) After we'd finished zip lining, we got in the vehicle and went on a death drive to the next meeting place. The mountain roads in Peru are in serious need of a safety inspector. On one side is the mountain, on the other, a cliff. There are no barriers, nothing to stop the inevitable death that would follow a fall from that height. And the drivers don't seem to notice or care because they are just speeding onward, wheels touching the road or not.
After lunch is a three hour hike, following the train tracks through some of the best jungly, mountainous, scenery that Peru has to offer. The end destination is Aguas Calientes, a small town that can only be described as suited for the gods. Built into the mountain, next to a river, and within walking distance to Machu Picchu. We have some free time before dinner here, so Tertuliano, Guilherme, and myself get ready, store our stuff in the room, and walk around the town for a while waiting for dinner. After we walked around for a little bit, we drank a bottle of wine (walking that much makes you thirsty), and then it was time for dinner. This time at dinner we were given a menu (up until then it was all pre-ordered food but still all delicious three course meals) and after dinner we were given our entrance tickets to Machu Picchu and were told that we would be waking up at 4 am to hike the hour or so up the stairs through the mountains to the entrance.

Day 3: Now as much as I'd like to describe Machu Picchu to everyone, there is nothing that I can say or show you to explain the feeling of actually being there. This section is going to be a few photos with some explanations, but that is all I really can offer for Machu Picchu, which may be somewhat anticlimactic and I am sorry for that, but hopefully the photos will give you just enough of a taste to make you want to visit.

The stairs seemed to continue forever, but the view was more than worth the hike. And for those who can't or don't want to take the stairs there is also a bus you can take for 28 dollars one way.

One of the first views from the top.

The start of the tour. After hiking the stairs to Machu Picchu, I had 1 hour to rest and learn about Machu Picchu before having to hike up more stairs (for about another hour) to Huyana Picchu.

This is the view of the ruins from Huyana Picchu. There was an additional fee to get into Huyana Picchu, and they only allow 400 people up, per day (200 at 7am and 200 at 10am) to keep it from getting to crowded. The stairs and some of the trails around the ruins are similar to the mountain roads, one wrong step and it could be your last!
I had to go up to Huyana Picchu alone at 7 while the rest of my group went up at 10, it wasn't so bad though; I met a nice lady from Peru, another lady from Scotland (who had just done the Inca Trail for four days) and a few gentlemen from Spain. After the morning we all met back up and Tertuliano, Guilherme and I went to Ponte Inca (a bridge) and the girls went a different direction to walk around more of the ruins.
After spending most of the day in Machu Picchu, we descended and met back up in the restaurant where we ate dinner the night before. The three of us shared a few beers and some pizza, and once the girls all arrived back we got our train tickets for the trip back to Cusco. The train ride is about an hour and a half long and ends in a town about an hour from Cusco. I encountered a few problems in this town because my name was not on the list with the rest of my group for the bus ride back. So after a little convincing and a lot of persistence, I was able to get a ride in one of the vans that had room. This was officially the end of the tour and the girls were all returning to Sao Paulo the next morning. We all said our goodbyes and then the three of us remaining started walking towards our hotels/hostels.
I knew that I wasn't going to be able to sleep in the first hostel I had stayed at, and after waking up at 4 in the morning and then hiking up two mountains and walking around all day, I needed to find somewhere more suitable for sleeping. I followed the guys back to their hotel to see if there was any rooms available for my remaining two nights in Cusco. There wasn't, but they did direct me to a great hostel that was only a little over a block away. I had my own room, my own bathroom with hot water, and cable TV all for about 15 dollars a night. It was just what I needed, the irony was that when I finally got a place with hot water, I was sunburned and unable to use it!

Day 4: For my final day in Cusco I had decided to spend the morning alone, walking around and finding a few souvenirs and maybe finding a nice little cafe for breakfast. The guys and I had made plans for later in the day so I had until about 11:30 to complete everything on my list. The morning was a success.

Everything you see in this picture was all for under 5 dollars. Like I said, Peruvian food is delicious and cheap!
In the afternoon I met back up with Tertuliano and Guilherme for a trip out to Tipon to try some real cuy at a cuyerilla. It was about a half hour taxi ride to the town and about a 5 minute wait for the cuy, along with some warm beer but I think it was worth it to say that I've tried it... (prepare yourself)

Yes, cuy is guinea pig. We decided that it wasn't awful, but it was a lot of work for little meat and chicken is easier and tastes better. Afterwards, the taxi driver offered to take us up to the ruins in the hills around Tipon and give us a free tour. We accepted and then returned to Cusco in the evening. For my last night we decided that we should visit some of the bars, try some of the local drinks, and party to celebrate being in Peru. We had a great time and the little hangover I had on the flight home at 7 the next morning was worth it!

In the end I've discovered a few things about traveling alone. It takes a certain type of person to be able to do it; they have to be somewhat smart, resourceful, outgoing, calm, and most importantly willing to try new things no matter what they are (a knowledge of the local language helps also). I think I can safely assume that I match all of those requirements and I passed the 'traveling solo' test with flying colors. I made some great friends who have invited me to Brazil (my next big trip I'm planning), learned some useful information for the next time I'm traveling alone (like don't bring a lot of stuff with you, only a small backpacks worth of clothes, and always bring toilet paper when traveling in South America), and have the best stories to tell from my adventures in Peru.

I realize that this is a bit long and I do want to thank you for reading it all the way through (and just know I cut a lot of information out to try to make it shorter, but left in the essentials). I hope everyone is finding themselves in good health and enjoying your fall/winter weather back in the US. Just know that I am nearing summer here and its been rather enjoyable. I leave for a trip to Southern Chile (the island of Chiloe) in 3 days and will no doubt have another great story to tell when I get back. Until that time...
No Vemo Pronto
S.R.

Chapter 9 ~ La Campana Part 2... Night of the Tarantula

In which I will attempt to explain the weekend spent at 'La Campana', the reasons behind my lies in a previous chapter, and what is going to be happening in my near future.


So I'm assuming you must be pretty baffled at this point. I mean you already read what happened at La Campana in Chapter 7, why would there be another chapter about it? Why would anyone want to read into further detail the disastrous effects of Mother Nature and the disappointing outcome of a camping trip. Well allow me to shed some light on this confusion and be the first to tell you that until three nights ago, I had never been to La Campana. Now before everyone accuses me of lying to them please allow me to explain. Apparently I had misinterpreted the entire weekend. When I thought we were going to La Campana, we were actually going to 'Roble'. I don't know where this mixup occurred in my mind; all I know for sure is that I believed so strongly that I was going to La Campana that I had even misread the scheduled outline of the class. So please switch everything discussing La Campana in Chapter 7 to El Roble. Now if you would like to know more information about Roble you will have to refer to the internet, or what I've stated in Chapter 7, because until about a week ago I had no idea what Roble was, let alone that I had even been there for two days. It didn't help that once I found out and explained the situation to my host mother, she didn't know where Roble was either. Now that I've cleared up my little misinterpretation, allow me to share with you the real Campana.

Friday - 8:30 pm: I just finished buying supplies for my Mountain Sports class. They told us today that we are going to be making pizza while camping (I don't know how either), so we need to make sure that we bring all the necessary supplies. I was supposed to meet up with some of my Chilean friends at 7:30 for a Wine Night that is taking place in Valpo, but I didn't get home from buying ingredients for pizza until just now. I still have to pack my hiking backpack because I have left everything for the last minute as usual (I tell myself I work best under pressure, but I hate being rushed; its a catch 22 I guess). I call my friends and tell them that tonight isn't going to work out for the wine night. I have to attempt to go to bed early because I have to leave in the morning by 6:30 at the latest to meet up with the rest of my class by 7. I eat a little something for dinner and begin to pack my camping gear. Sleeping bag, tent, pad to sleep on, clothes, cooking supplies, food, water, juice, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash... The backpack seems bottomless but that only comforts me a little bit, the more I put in it, the heavier it is and I still haven't been able to adjust the straps to fit me properly. I know my uncle and I did it before I left for Chile, but I've lost quite a bit of weight since then and it was empty when we did it. I know that when the class went to Roble, the professor, Rodrigo, took a picture of my backpack to use as an example of what an improperly fitted backpack looks like for future students. I am a little happy to know that I will stay apart of this class even after I return to the US, but a little annoyed about the manner of how I'll be remembered, especially seeing as Rodrigo tried to help adjust the backpack and couldn't figure it out either. I don't have time to think about that right now, its now 10 pm and I'm still not ready for camping. I'll have to raid the cupboards to find some eating utensils and a plate that can be used to cut vegetables on. I don't think Hilda will notice or even mind, its only for two days after all. Ok, I have found everything I need and the house is empty, time to get some much needed sleep (I haven't slept much in the last week; nerves about all the upcoming trips). I lay down, close my eyes, and am about to fall asleep when Hilda comes home. Ok, now that she's home I should go out and say goodnight, so I go to the kitchen. She is eating a whole chicken and seems to be in a good mood. I decide I am hungry and join her, who was I really kidding about trying to fall asleep before midnight. She explains that she has a few friends that are staying the night here and will be showing up at some point during the night. I guess I'm just not meant to sleep at all this week...

Saturday - 5:47 am: My alarm just went off (I can't set my alarm for normal times such as 15 passed the hour, 30 passed, or even 45 passed; its just another quirk I have). I am extremely tired and woke up a lot through the night, but I know if I go back to sleep I'll most likely miss the bus with my class. I get dressed for the day and get ready to leave. I'm a little nervous because I know I have to take a Micro to get to the meeting point, and even though I'm getting used to them a little more, it doesn't mean I'm comfortable with them and I'd still prefer about any other form of transportation. I walk the ten minutes to the bus stop and I wait. After four or five busses pass I think I see one that has the correct sign in its front window (I can never be sure, they go so fast and I can't read them unless they stop or at least slow down, not to mention its still dark so it just makes it that much harder). I flag the bus down and ask the bus driver if he is going to the place I need to go (1 Norte in between 1 and 2 Oriente) he tells me yes, takes my money and doesn't give me change. I'm confused and still really tired so I just ignore the fifty cents or so that he kept and sit down close to the front. I try to keep my eyes peeled but its dark and I'm tired. Finally, when I realize that the bus is not going where I need to go, and this bus driver clearly doesn't plan on telling me, I get off the bus and decide I can just walk from where I am. I make it to the meeting point in plenty of time (the professors had told us the night before that we can be up to 30 minutes late, gotta love Chilean time). We get on another bus towards Limache, then get on yet another bus towards La Campana. We arrive around 9:30 in the morning. Time to set up the tents and get everything ready. I know we aren't ascending the mountain today so I take my time. After everything is set up, we have a quick lecture on how to properly set up a tent, then we are off on a hike. We walk around the trails and learn about the different types of trees in the mountains, which we are told are going to appear on the final exam at the end of the semester. I doubt if I'm even going to remember what their names are tonight. We continue down the path, it is a beautiful day and the views are great, it feels great to be back in the mountains, and then it happens... TARANTULA!!! Ok that may be an overstatement, it is dead when we find it. Now I have to say, my fear of spiders may be lessening, I am brave enough to walk up to it, look at it, and watch as the professor picks it up and then 'plays' with it until finding a final resting place for it off the path. Just because my fear is lessening doesn't mean its gone though, and I can't help but wonder how many more are out there, that aren't dead, that are waiting for me walk by them so they can attack. We continue on a little further and find a few gold mines...

And even though they say not to enter, we enter a few, looking for bats and whatever else we can find. The only flashlight we have is the one on my cell phone, so we can see about as much as if I were holding a candle in the middle of a hurricane. Still its fun and something new. We don't find anything and get to the end of the trail, stop for a break and play a few team building games, and a few games that remind me of grade school. They are fun and a good way to pass the time. We return to camp and make our pizza, from scratch, using nothing but the pans we brought and the little propane cookers we have. It takes a while and the pizzas are small, but they still taste great! Now lunch is over and we have an hour or so for a little nap or some more games. Half the group chooses games and the others go off for some much needed sleep. I went with the games knowing I wouldn't really be able to sleep. After the break its time for some repelling. We walk up a different trail and the professors set everything up and we begin to repel. Its just as much fun as the first time we did it in Las Chilcas. The first time down is a little nerve racking, but after that its a great rush of adrenaline. After that its time for dinner, rice with veggies (I'm in a vegetarian group because I didn't mind only eating veggies a for a few nights). Then its time for a bonfire, some mind racking games, one of which I can't figure out, but I'll have the entire hike tomorrow to do it, and then bed. We have to be up a little before 6 am tomorrow for the big hike...

Sunday - 6:07 am: I feel exhausted. Sharing a small tent between three people in the mountains with no heat doesn't provide much comfort for sleep, especially because last night while I was gathering wood for the bonfire, I encountered my second tarantula. It was under a little crevice and looked like it was in the attack position, or maybe the defense position... either way it was enough to stop me from gathering more firewood and join the rest of the group. We all get up and begin preparing our breakfast. Its freezing outside but I know that in a few short hours I'll be hiking up a mountain in the sun, wishing I were still cold. We eat, wash our dishes, and brush our teeth just in time for the professors to tell us its time to start the hike. Its a little passed 7:15 and we begin on the main trail. We walk for about 15 minutes and then we stop at the entrance to a trail off of the one we are currently on; we are instructed to stretch...

I have never really stretch before a hike before and am a little confused but I do it anyway. The hike begins. It starts out at a little incline but I know its going to get much worse. We are told that the overall hike will take about 4-5 hours to the summit, and then another 3-4 hours to return. We try to play some games and sing some songs to pass the time, but we are running out of breath and wearing out fast. Then we come to our first stop and the view is enough to make anyone want to continue.

That is where we are headed. It still looks so far away. I drink a little water, eat a granola bar, and then continue on. The trail gets increasingly more challenging the further up we go, but hiking in a group keeps everyone motivated to continue. We stop at a few more places and then about two-thirds of the way up we encounter some campers, complete with horses and tents, and one of the horses and I have a stare off...

The views are increasingly better each time we stop, and they are more than enough to keep us going. The air is getting thinner the higher we go, and I have decided to relieve Freddo (one of the guys in my group) of the backpack. I regret it immediately because we have now encountered the hardest and most dangerous part of our hike. the trail is gone and its just small boulders and rocks/dirt from here on out and I have just added an extra 10 pounds to myself, which doesn't sound like a lot, but after hiking all day, not sleeping the night before, and when breathing is difficult, the backpack is a bad idea. Not five minutes after I take over the backpack we encounter this sign...

My morale is getting low, my energy is crumbling like the rocks falling down the mountain side, and the only things keeping me going now are my fellow classmates, the view, and the thought of being able to say I've climbed that mountain to the peak. Well, after all the sleeplessness, all the pain in my thighs, all the sweat and all the lightheadedness, we make it to the top; and I'm not joking when I say that it was more than worth it! Now pictures can't do the view justice, but here are a few to show the reward that followed the last few days...

You could see everything, from the Andes Mountains to the Ocean. It was even possible to see a mountain in Argentina.

Now the decent was pretty bad too. 3 hours of walking down hill, jumping from rock to rock; it was painful on the knees and feet, but I would do it all over again in a second. And as I sit here, typing this message, my entire body sore, I can't help but feel proud, knowing that I did something that not just anyone could do. I am happy to report that by the end of the hike, Cesar (one of the professors), never gave up on helping me figure out the one mind-trick game we had played the night before, and I have now figured them all out. So if any of you are in for a little riddle of a game, just let me know. I did not run into any more tarantulas on the journey and survived the one live tarantula I did run into. I feel sufficiently prepared for Machu Picchu, which I will be leaving for in 4 days. I am going alone, as I've said, and even though I am a little nervous, I know that after this last weekend I will be just fine in Peru. It should make for some great stories, if not anything else.

As always I want to thank all of you readers (I know this was a long entry, and written a little differently) and I hope you all find yourselves healthy and happy. I hope you all enjoy the pictures and rest assured I have hundreds more for when I get home. I want to especially thank everyone in my mountain sporting group who hiked with me this last weekend, you all pushed me and helped to make it to the end! Until the next time...
No Vemo Pronto
S.R.