Hello All!

Its been another big gab between posts (sorry!), but here is a travel update, this time from Peru.  Traveling is thrilling, but setting up a rhythm of writing is something I’m working on establishing.  Laying off the extraneous digital noise or stopping for a bit between adventures is a challenge, but one that I am working hard on.  Hopefully that means more blog posts soon!

Peru: What is it like?

Peru is such a different travel beast than I am used to, especially after by three months in Europe.  But I love it!  The people are amazing here, and the culture is so interesting.  They have a mixed history that is so fascinating to me, with ancient Inca culture melding with the Spanish in unique in wonderful ways.  The bright traditional textiles and the ornately decorated churches.  They bring a flair to European ways that I love (like the last supper painting in Iglesia Santo Domingo that has a cooked guinea pig in it!  Such a Peruvian thing.)

But this is also the poorest country I’ve been in, and that has definitely been a shock for me.  Coming from the US and traveling in other rich countries, I’ve not been exposed to much widespread poverty.  The income inequality here is getting better, but you can still see it in the streets of Lima and the small villages throughout the country.  But that Peruvians are such a great culture in spite of this, and they are as welcoming as any other country I’ve been to.

Traveling in Peru vs. Europe

For me, traveling in Peru has been very different than it was in Europe.  I’ve had to hop on buses to get to most places, instead of trains or planes.  But the buses are top notch and I’ve had a great time seeing the country from the bus.  My favorite is Peru Hop, which is designed for backpackers.  I’ve met quite a few great people and had some great experiences because of them.  4-Wheeling in Paracas, dune boarding in Huacachina, hiking the Colca Canyon area all things that I may not have gotten to without Peru Hop, so they have my seal of approval!  And I don’t recommend renting a car, because the drivers here are on another level.  I thought Rome was intense, but it has nothing on Peru.

Favorite experiences so far

Peru has been a rollercoaster.  From discovering my altitude sickness in Huaraz to riding around a natural oasis in a dune buggy, there have been the usually travel ups and downs.  Its only been three weeks and I’m nearly done in Peru so I want to list out my favorite experiences so far:

• -Walking tour in Lima.  I met some pretty awesome people on the English speaking walking tour in downtown Lima.  Its always nice to bond with other travelers when arriving in a new place.
• -Wandering around Huaraz.  Even though I didn’t go on any hikes due to my altitude sickness, this is still an amazing place to sit and marvel at the Andes mountains that surround you.
• -Cruz Del Sur bus from Huaraz to Lima.  I took a day bus and spend the first half of the trip enthralled with the mountains as we climbed over the tree line and then back down through foggy canyons towards to coast.
• -Roadside breakfast at a local spot South of Lima with my Peru Hop bus.
• -4-wheeling in Paracas National Reserve.
• -Boat tour of Ballestas Islands.  We saw Penguins!
• -Dune buggy and dune boarding in Huacachina.
• -Hiking the Colca Canyon.  This was an intense two day/one night hike that is not for the faint of heart.  26 kilometers in total, this was a brutal hike and I actually opted to take a mule the last 8 km out of the canyon on the second day.  Still, I don’t regret it for a second!
• -Exploring Puno and then a boat tour to the Uros floating islands.  So cool even though it is a tourist trap!
• -Cusco walking tour.  We wandered through the local market for over an hour while our guide explained the history of “Qosqo” and its people.
• -Machu Picchu!  Even with the mass of other tourists, it was amazing.  I even found a bit of peace when I wandered over to the Inka Bridge.  Just a magical place!

Peru is a wonderful.  I’ve been on the fence whether I love it here or not several times, but every time the people make me smile or a fellow traveler and I share stories, I fall in love with the country a little more.

-Kelly