The directions we got to our first Workaway volunteering job in Peru were as follows:
“From Nazca, find the local van that goes toward Challa, tell the driver to drop you at kilometer 601, walk downhill for 30 minutes, knock on the brown door and ask for Alvaro.”
For non-Spanish speakers in a large, strange country, this seemed somewhat vague and daunting.
PART I:
Trivia Question: (pick which answer is true)
The Nasca Lines…
A. were created by aliens.
B. are an astrological calendar.
C. are sites of worship.
It’s what I imagined the inside of a solitary confinement prison cell would look and feel like. Dark and damp with no hot water, towels, toilet seat, or even toilet paper. We sat facing each other on the edge of the hostal’s twin beds- it was our 7th day in Peru and our 7 month wedding anniversary. Continue reading Feliz Siete, Siete!! (Happy 7, 7!)
Since we did no route planning prior to arriving in Peru, after three days in Lima we had a big decision to make: north or south? We ultimately chose to head down the coast, hitting up as many small towns as possible and eventually looping up to Cusco. Turns out this is a bit of a gringo trail, but for good reason as there are some really pretty places amidst all the tourist nonsense and plentiful “desayuno Americano” options.
Yesterday we hit what we are calling our 7/7 mark: 7 days in South America and 7 months married. In case you were worried, we’re still very fond of each other after both milestones, although after enduring some illness together in small quarters, in the words of Kristy: “well, the mystery is gone”.
Continue reading Parque de Los Gatos, and other Lima Reflections
Now I know no one feels sorry for us as we leave on our great adventure, but it is tough to leave. 6 months can be a lengthy period of time and I’m not fond of goodbyes.
My sense of adventure has taken me from Wisconsin to Minnesota, all over Europe, to my new home in California, and now South America. I’m no stranger to goodbyes but that doesn’t make them any easier. Especially, since Marea and I are leaving during the biggest family and friends celebrations of them all- Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Luckily, we’re spoiled enough to have it all.
Continue reading Fakesgiving, Navidad – No Verdad, and Goodbye For Now
When you’re planning a long trip, one of the first irrational things you decide is that none of your current wardrobe could possibly be suitable for your new life of adventure. There’s some truth to that – when living out of a backpack you want clothes that are lighter and less keen to cling to your sweat and smells than your usual cotton numbers. But it still feels wrong to spend so much time obsessing about travel fashion choices when your standards of general appearance and cleanliness are inevitably going to deteriorate after the first four days.
The Traveling Blues 