Peru!
The adventure began in late July in the bustling and cosmopolitan capital city of Lima, Peru. After a mad dash of chaos while departing the airport it became clear that this country was anything but calm and organized. Thankfully, a driver from our designated hostel was awaiting us with a welcoming, but typical sign with our names printed in large black letters. The flight was quite easy and once we arrived at our dingy but more than sufficient lodging for the night it was evident that we would not step back upon American soil for several months. New journey’s, vistas, strange and exotic foods and a language barrier beckoned. With a population of ten million people Lima was a far cry from the serene and pastoral images of the Peruvian Andes. Yet, the city was donned in thousands of red and white flags in preparation for July 28th’s Independence Day festivities. A celebratory buzz was lingering through the cities patchwork streets and the ever present wintery grey sky gave continuous false impressions of impending rain. Spending a few days in the city allowed for a integration in the culture of Peru and dictated the very basic level at which my Spanish was at. I recognized that there would be challenges, but while staying in various hostels it was also clear that travelers from across the globe were quite well versed in English. This was a blessing and a curse at the same time, as it allowed for more communication but hindered the more inherent and necessary process of learning Spanish. Having flown into Peru on a budget flight from Spirit airlines to save a good $400-500 compared to flying directly to Santiago, Chile, the idea was to use the first leg of the journey to be the vacation stage. Peru was much more economical while traveling on a backpackers budget. While it would be a little bit of a splurge to head towards the awe inspiring Macchu Pichu, it would rather absurd to be so close to the famed ruins and not make the journey.
The journey from Lima to a small city a night bus away called Ayacucho was the first chance to leave behind the sprawling metropolis and get a glimpse of the Andean countryside. Ayacucho’s claim in the guide books is the highlight of more than twenty churches which dot the hodge-podge, tuk-tuk infused streets. The countryside opened up and glimpses of the snowcapped cordillera excited the senses. It would be in Ayacucho, only having been in Peru for almost a week, that I eagerly ordered cuy: guinea pig. Surprisingly the little crispy guinea pig was quite tasty! The whole little guy tasted like the choice dark meet on Thanksgiving turkey. Don’t be afraid to try it if you get the chance, just don’t name it before you eat it.
From Ayacucho the typical route to Cusco generally means a return trip to Lima and then another 20 hour trip over less mountainous terrain. This didn’t make much sense, but after choosing the only bus line which will make the journey directly from Ayacucho to Cusco it became clear that it was not the tourist bus. Dirt roads and sketchy curves made the journey a little jarring, but in the long run it made more sense. Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, the name given to all the central squares of Peruvian cities and typically the tourist hub, was jam packed with agencies offering tours of all kinds and even a fair number of massage offers. While Macchu Picchu is a few hours journey from Cusco, the city has become the jumping off point and the cultural capital of Peru.With a plethora of options and offers catering to both wealthy foreigners and the average backpacker there was no shortage of choices to make. A trip called Inca Jungle Trek stood out as a four day journey by mountain bike, river raft, zipline, train and foot through the Sacred Valley. With an awesome group of fellow travelers from around the globe this trip was truly a melding of culture, adrenaline, vistas and it all ended with a sunrise hike to one of the most recognizable ruins. Cusco’s climate at 11,000 feet meant warm days and frigid nights, but the Urumbu Valley only a few thousand feet below was a unique high altitude rainforest of sorts. Lush vegetation and vibrant surroundings offered an opportunity to see a variety of foreign flora and fauna including wild orchids. At the camp of Cola de Mono, the only zipline company operating in the Sacred Valley, three large german shepherd pups await and eagerly greet the influx of adrenaline junkies.
Cola de Mono also offers camping areas which are highlighted by Kelty Tents! Check them out here http://canopyperu.com/ or if you’re ever near Santa Teresa. The ziplines afford stunning views of the canopy below and a 360 degree Superman view of the steep hillsides. That same night our group arrived the bustling town of Aguas Calientes or aptly referred to as Machu Picchu Pueblo and looked forward to climbing the original Inca steps by headlamp at 5 am the following morning. At the crack of dawn we donned only small packs and along with what seemed like hundreds of other pilgrims, made the nearly 1500 step uphill journey to the gates of Machu Picchu. As the early morning light crept down the lush mountains surrounding the sacred site the morning fog of the “cloud forest” revealed very little. While some were quite disappointed that the views of Huayna Picchu or Young Mountain, the peak seen in almost every photo of Machu Picchu, were obscured by a dense gray fog, the view was actually quite moody and spoke to the mysticism of this sacred place. As the morning continued the clouds cleared and around midday it was possible to truly understand why the site had been chosen by the Inca’s as a spiritual place.
