What Happens in Mancora, Stays in Mancora!

Getting ready for a night out on the beach!

After Cuzco and a quick stop off in Lima, it was back to work in Talara. My Dad hung out with us for a little while longer before heading off on his jungle adventure. The rest of us headed to Mancora for the weekend, a small beach town about an hour and forty five minutes from Talara. And wow, can Mancora ever party! The clubs are lined up side by side on the beach and they all blast music in their open air dance floors. We met lots of people from all over the world, took pre-dawn dips in the ocean and partied like it was 1999. Mancora, I will be back for you!

Would You Like Fries With Your Guinea Pig?

Before...

I couldn't go to Cuzco and NOT try cuy, a traditional Andean dish, or, what we'd call GUINEA PIG! I had already tried alpaca steaks (it broke my heart a little to eat that- have you seen how freaking cute they are?!) but I couldn't leave without trying cuy too. When in Rome, right?! My Dad and I worked up our courage and ordered it from a decent restaurant in the plaza de armas. We were a little shocked and slightly disturbed when it was served to us in full form, with the teeth still firmly attached!





After


I have an aversion to eating meat as it is, but when it looks like what it is, it's even freakier! Once we took our pictures, the server returned to slice it up for us. It tasted kind of like chicken but there was barely any meat on it. It was probably equivalent to two tiny chicken wings. We were still starved afterwards and had to eat another dinner. Nonetheless, I can say I went to the Andes and tried cuy! But don't worry, your guinea pigs are safe around me. I think I'm done eating rodents for a little while!

Dreams Do Come True




The moment we had been waiting for!

Maybe the Sun Gate would have been more aptly named the “Cloud Gate” or the “Fog Gate” or the “Where the heck is Machu Picchu Gate” because we couldn’t see a thing! Although it wasn’t the beautiful first view we had been hoping for, the overwhelming feeling of success from having completed the trek washed away any disappointment we may have felt. Our first actual view of Machu Picchu was literally breathtaking. The Incas were truly extraordinary architects and I feel blessed to have seen this wonder of the world firsthand, especially during the centenary of its discovery. Despite being exhausted, my Dad and I summoned up whatever energy we had left to climb Wayna Picchu, which is the big mountain you see behind Machu Picchu. Although the climb was a bit dangerous, the views at the top of the mountain were definitely worth it. We hung off the edge to take pictures and I was terrified of falling off of the mountain. Being truly frightened is a new feeling for me as I am rarely genuinely terrified, so in some strange way, I found myself relishing in it.

As I walked that final leg of the Inca Trail from the campsite to Machu Picchu, the true Inca pilgrimage, I had an epiphany. I finally realized the point of it all. The reason for the discomfort, the back breaking challenges and the conditions that pushed me miles out of my comfort zone. I was on my own pilgrimage. It was as if this journey had opened up a whole new version of myself. As if I had been reborn into the same life but with a whole new perspective. I will never again take our North American comforts for granted: heat, clean water, lack of bugs, hot water, being able to understand and be understood, clean toilets, quality and hygiene standards, and lack of fleas and squat toilets to name a few. I’m learning to fully appreciate what I have (food for example, unlike the Andean children) and I know exactly what I want to do when I get back home to Canada. I realized I can survive without basic comforts (but I much prefer to have them!) and that I have a reservoir of strength and willpower that I never knew existed. The insight I’m gathering through my Peruvian journey is preparing me for the next phase of my life.



Living life on the edge!

 It’s an amazing feeling to be able to check something off your bucket list. I have been dreaming of hiking the Inca Trail for years, and I finally did it. The whole experience was incredibly challenging but it’s truly helped me to grow as a person. It makes me wonder though- can you grow within your comfort zone or do you have to push your limits and leave your comfort zone before growth is possible?

The Inca Trail amazed me and angered me; it frustrated and enlightened me. But I will never be the same again because of it.

The Eyebrow of the Jungle: Day Three of the Inca Trail



Winawayna (Forever Young)
Gorgeous Inca terraces on route to Machu Picchu



The third day was a welcome reprieve after the challenges of the previous day. It was tranquil and fascinating as we trekked for 5 hours through the “eyebrow of the jungle”. The bugs were huge and the flowers were gorgeous. With most of the trek now behind us, we felt quite jovial and accomplished. Not even hearing a low growl in the jungle while our guide was nowhere to be found could shatter our great moods. Having completed the hardest part of the journey, we were eagerly anticipating our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

I’m amazed by all of the hard work our porters do for us. They carry all of the camping equipment as well as everyone’s backpacks and run ahead to set up camp and cook our meals. I have no idea how they do it everyday, often finishing a 4 day trek and then running back to begin again with another group of trekkers. In comparison to their job, I don’t think anyone has a right to complain. They’re such tiny men who carry insanely heavy loads while wearing the least appropriate footwear, yet they consistently have smiles on their faces and extra energy to cheer us on. Every time we reach a campsite, they all break out in applause. It’s the sweetest thing!

On the third night, we camped at the edge of the jungle- literally! Our tent was set up at the edge of a cliff that drops straight off into the jungle. As in, if we stepped directly outside our tent instead of to the left or right, we’d tumble down thousands of feet into the Amazon!! I must say, the Inca Trail has afforded me some incredible camping opportunities that I may never experience again- the first night we woke up to the sight of gorgeous snow capped mountains; the second night we had a view of an Inca ruin and on the third night we got a taste of the jungle!



Our superstar porters and their
massive baggage



I was a little afraid that the jungle bugs would somehow find their way into our tent, but what I didn’t realize was that the most annoying bugs possible were already living inside of my rented sleeping bag: fleas! I spent almost the entire night itching and moving around my bag, unsure if I had the heebie jeebies or if there were indeed bugs in there. After barely sleeping, we were awakened at the ungodly hour of 3:30am in pitch darkness and rushed through breakfast. There was a frantic energy in the air as we quickly got ready and packed our bags. There were numerous campsites in the area, all chalk filled with groggy trekkers eager to see what they had spent the last 72 hours trekking towards. First, we had to beat the herds to the gate to secure a space under the canopy to shelter us from the rain until we could start hiking towards Machu Picchu at 5:30am. As it crept closer to 5:30, you could feel a surge of energy pass through the crowd of sleepy trekkers. As soon as the gate opened, it was like someone had shot off a starting gun and the race to Machu Picchu was on! Our guide ran up ahead (of course!) and I struggled to keep up with my heavy backpack. The path was narrower than it had been throughout the entire trek with dizzying drops. The weight of my pack could have easily thrown me over if I shifted too suddenly. My Dad came to my rescue and carried both of our backpacks as he had done on the first day. Not that I didn't know it before, but I realized I have the world’s best father who would help me even when he needs help himself. After what felt like the Amazing Race, we reached an insane set of stairs that you literally had to crawl up on your hands and knees. It really made me wonder what kind of super humans these Incas really were! At last, after a gruelling climb, we reached the most anticipated point of the trek: the Sun Gate.

What Goes Up Must Come Down: Day Two of the Inca Trail

Feeling victorious at having reached
Dead Woman's Pass- alive!

The first day of 2012 brought us the hardest physical challenge I have ever experienced. Following breakfast, the two couples that were with us turned around and headed back home. With both girls being sick, they didn’t want to take a risk going further into the trail where rescue helicopters would most likely be unable to enter. Our group instantly shrunk from six to two, becoming a private tour without the additional cost!

Had I known what was in store for me on day two, I may very well have headed back home with them! The entire day consisted of strenuous uphill and downhill trekking and was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever faced- mentally, physically and emotionally. The uphill trek was extremely difficult but I was in pretty good spirits. I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I reached our first milestone for the day- Dead Woman’s Pass, at a staggering 4200 m above sea level. It was amazing to have made it there, this massive peak that looked light years away when we started our trek that morning. What came next, though, was hell on earth.

What goes up must come down. Unfortunately for us, that meant hiking down steep, slippery rocks in a torrential downpour. I slipped a few times but thankfully always caught myself before plummeting to my death. The Go Girl, (ladies, check it out!), had been my faithful companion until now when it decided to malfunction, of course during the hardest part of my trek. By malfunction I mean dump cups of pee all over my dry pants. As people tried to invade my pee spot behind a bush. As the rain poured. As my Dad tried to hurry me up. As I sunk into the mud. This right here, ladies and gentlemen, was my breaking point. As I slipped around in the mud and tried to hide behind the bush, I took my disgustingly soaked pants off and left my windbreaker pants on. Ew. Cold, wet windbreaker on bare legs. Terrible feeling but it beat wet, cold, pee-afied pants any day. As tears filled my eyes, I cursed myself for choosing to do this. I paid money for this torture?! What kind of fool am I?! All I wanted to do was get the heck off the trail, but I obviously couldn’t. I was stuck there for better or worse. Deep in the Andes where a helicopter could take two days to reach you, if at all. Apparently a man had a heart attack on the trail and his dead body had to be carried out! Blegh!

Gradually, the sky began to darken and my Dad and I realized we really had to pick up the pace or risk having to navigate the trail in pitch darkness. The already creepy feeling of being alone in the Andes at night was amplified tenfold when we spotted an animal track that appeared to be from something large, heavy and potentially a member of the feline family. Where was our damn guide?! He was supposed to be the one to save us from giant trekker eating animals, but throughout the trail he had consistently left us to our own devices.

After hiking roughly 16 kms in 9 hours, we reached our campsite for the night. I can’t even describe to you how happy I was to finally get there. It was probably one of the happiest moments of my life, and I’m only partially exaggerating. It took everything I had in me to make it there. The highlight of my night was definitely using the squat toilets in the pitch darkness. There I was, trying to navigate the disgusting “stall” while holding a flashlight and trying to ration toilet paper while wrangling it out of my travel holster. Oh, and did I mention the door didn’t lock? And that it was the most horrendous smelling thing ever? Yeah, well no one can call me a princess anymore!!

Overall the second day was incredibly challenging. I was catapulted miles out of my comfort zone and I definitely pushed myself harder than I ever have in my life. Though I’m sure it’ll be one hell of a growing experience for me, I’m so glad that it’s over.