~~~He who binds Himself to Joy
does the Winged Life destroy...
But he who kisses Joy as it flies
Lives in Eternity s Sunrise..
-William Blake
This morning i got out of bed and immediately went to the roof top terrace where i had a hydrotherapy treatment. This consisted of a hot steam bath (i had to sit on a bench inside an enclosed wooden box as my head protruded out of a hole in the top enabling me to breath while my body steamed away). This was followed by cold water poured all over me and repeated for 50 minutes. Certainly an effective way to wake up.
Now awake and thinking of what to write...im compelled to congratulate Banos for its excellent weekend night life. I think ive had more alcohol this weekend than i did the entirety of last year, and have developed a slight obsession for Mojito. To support this obsession a friend told me that its also very good for colds, what with all of those limes. Yey to Mojito.
I found a great club called Iguana, with a fire and little water feature outside which turned into my favorite place. Any where with fire is an instant appeal. There i was able to dance, something i have longed for and greatly enjoyed. Ive slept for about 3 hours each night, filling my nights instead with adventure and wonderings. Im loving walking the Latino streets in the early morning hours, when all seems softer, darker, less chaotic and with an ere of mystery. The night owls roam, exchanging smiles and curious glances. I found a quirky cafe open at 4:00pm where local men sat and ate rice and chicken, and stared at me when i approached. I found myself intimidated but highly amused. A Scottish guy i was with ordered some food and we hung out for a while, communicating our poco Espanol knowledge with the inquisitive persons around. I had a friendly chat with an Ecuadorian lad who tried his best at Inglis. We managed to make some sense. At the end of the night he took a while trying to ask me something... it started as "me....ummm...you?" and got refined to "me... kiss you?" Mark, an American hippy i was with, found it very entertaining and thought the boy was sweet in his attempts. Sweet maybe, but tempting not. Mark said "She is a free spirit, a Goddess. I will step in if i have to" I said "me gusta solo". Im getting used to these kind of interactions.
I watched an amazing film last night. Its called Paridiso Travel directed by Simon Brand and with the truly gorgeous Aldemar Correa. I highly recommended it. There is a restaurant here called Casa Hood which does free film screenings everyday at 4:30, which i have been taking good advantage of. They also do wonderful food and the best honey ginger lemon i have ever had (a REAL kick of ginger, not for the faint hearted. Well, actually its probably very good for that...)
Im feeling that travelling is a great way to look at oneself. Life constantly gives opportunity, but traveling is unique in that i find myself constantly coming into contact with new challenging situations, choices, opportunities, mirrors. Things are more intense and short lived, more changeable. The awareness of impermanence is constant, with changing faces, routines, environments in rapid ebb and flow. Travelling is like dancing with change. Being in new environments ensures that i am constantly alert, noticing surroundings with acute awareness. Things are fresh, my eyes open. Encounters with others helps me observe my relationship to the world. What are my tendencies and Patterns? What attracts me? Repels me? What subtle believe systems am i holding onto? Conditionings? What does all of this tell me about myself and the areas i need to develop, befriend, face?
The people we are in relationship with
are always a mirror, reflecting our own beliefs,
and simultaneously we are mirrors, reflecting their beliefs.
So... relationship is one of the most powerful tools for growth...
If we look honestly at our relationships,
we can see so much about how we have created them.
~ Shakti Gawain ~
I´m going pretty deep into this. I don´t like everything i see, I´m coming into contact with some little demons that have been eating my insides for a while. But I´m trying not to feed them self-perpetuating sinful foods anymore, rather rays of love and understanding...which enables them to evaporate. I´m reminded of a book called "Feeding your demons" which teaches an effective Tibetan technique to face the fears and that control and possess us. So much pain seems to come from ignorance, and fear of the unknown. Just being aware of this, i find, helps. And Socrates' guiding rule "Know Thyself" seems to be eternally significant.
x
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Banos
Hola!
I have now finished my Espanol lessons. I dont actually feel like i learnt that much (5 days isnt long, tis true), though i have got my head round the masculine and feminine, plural and singular differentiations, and learnt a few more words to add to my vocabulary. I will continue to self study and try to mingle with Spanish speaking persons as much as possible (una muy buena manera de aprender).
Yesterday I went on a trek with an Austrian guy who stayed in the room next to mine. We went to the national park (Caja) and walked for about six hours in the moor like lands. It was very beautiful, i kept noticing the diverse plant and minerals, the amazing red colored stones and velvet mahogany moss, the exotic plant life, the placid lakes full of fresh trout in a serene untouched environment. Very pleased i went...even though it rained for the last hour and i got back to Cuenca wet, cold, hungry and tired! All part of the experience hey.
In Cuenca the thing i most enjoyed was my morning trip to the market (or afternoon depending on when my Espanol class was). I discovered a traditional breakfast of sweet corn pancakes and many varieties of milky drinks. They also had a selection of white cheeses, including one without salt which was a little too bland on its own. I loved the endless amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables (note very good berries, papaya and avocado). There were three floors in the market. The middle one was devoted to fresh produce, the top was for for lunch (lots of cooked meals, soups, rice and vegetables, beans and fresh juices). The lower floor, appropriately positioned, for carne. They especially seem to like pig, the most popular meat around. Full pig bodies were on display everywhere i looked, heads peering at me from all angles. I liked the fact that they use all of the body parts, even the feet. No waste. They used the skin from the chicken tummy, which looked interesting, and they used lots of heart, brain and tounge. yum yum yum. All of it is fresh of course, no freezing of the meat.
I left Cuenca today. Two bus journeys later and I find myself in the beautiful tropical Banos. It feels like a very good place to be. My kinda place; full of weird and wonderful treatments (massage, chocolate facials, intestinal drainage, thermal and mud baths....you name it, they probably do it here!) Also a lot of sporty stuff like mountain climbing, jungle treks, water rafting, cycling, great walking routes and extreme sports. Its easy to rent a bike and go on a beautiful ride into the surrounding shrubs and beauties. I may do that tomorrow.
Im sooooo pleased to have access to a clean, warm shower here. I largely avoided the shower in Cuenca, which was right next to a toilet that was regularly blocked and gross. Im thinking of one person who i know who probably wouldnt have used the toilet for a whole week just to avoid entering it! (you probably know who you are). So, im Glad to be away from that! The place here is lively, has a roof top terrace, a cafe and access to a daily morning health bath...something i will need to check out. Im sharing a room with a woman from Switzerland and a man from Finland. Its cute, warm, welcoming. I may recover some energy here. Just being here somehow soothes me.
I think i may play guitar on the roof top terrace soon, ive made up a few new songs that would be good to practice.
May we all travel well,
Con Amor y cosas buenas,
x x x
I have now finished my Espanol lessons. I dont actually feel like i learnt that much (5 days isnt long, tis true), though i have got my head round the masculine and feminine, plural and singular differentiations, and learnt a few more words to add to my vocabulary. I will continue to self study and try to mingle with Spanish speaking persons as much as possible (una muy buena manera de aprender).
Yesterday I went on a trek with an Austrian guy who stayed in the room next to mine. We went to the national park (Caja) and walked for about six hours in the moor like lands. It was very beautiful, i kept noticing the diverse plant and minerals, the amazing red colored stones and velvet mahogany moss, the exotic plant life, the placid lakes full of fresh trout in a serene untouched environment. Very pleased i went...even though it rained for the last hour and i got back to Cuenca wet, cold, hungry and tired! All part of the experience hey.
In Cuenca the thing i most enjoyed was my morning trip to the market (or afternoon depending on when my Espanol class was). I discovered a traditional breakfast of sweet corn pancakes and many varieties of milky drinks. They also had a selection of white cheeses, including one without salt which was a little too bland on its own. I loved the endless amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables (note very good berries, papaya and avocado). There were three floors in the market. The middle one was devoted to fresh produce, the top was for for lunch (lots of cooked meals, soups, rice and vegetables, beans and fresh juices). The lower floor, appropriately positioned, for carne. They especially seem to like pig, the most popular meat around. Full pig bodies were on display everywhere i looked, heads peering at me from all angles. I liked the fact that they use all of the body parts, even the feet. No waste. They used the skin from the chicken tummy, which looked interesting, and they used lots of heart, brain and tounge. yum yum yum. All of it is fresh of course, no freezing of the meat.
I left Cuenca today. Two bus journeys later and I find myself in the beautiful tropical Banos. It feels like a very good place to be. My kinda place; full of weird and wonderful treatments (massage, chocolate facials, intestinal drainage, thermal and mud baths....you name it, they probably do it here!) Also a lot of sporty stuff like mountain climbing, jungle treks, water rafting, cycling, great walking routes and extreme sports. Its easy to rent a bike and go on a beautiful ride into the surrounding shrubs and beauties. I may do that tomorrow.
Im sooooo pleased to have access to a clean, warm shower here. I largely avoided the shower in Cuenca, which was right next to a toilet that was regularly blocked and gross. Im thinking of one person who i know who probably wouldnt have used the toilet for a whole week just to avoid entering it! (you probably know who you are). So, im Glad to be away from that! The place here is lively, has a roof top terrace, a cafe and access to a daily morning health bath...something i will need to check out. Im sharing a room with a woman from Switzerland and a man from Finland. Its cute, warm, welcoming. I may recover some energy here. Just being here somehow soothes me.
I think i may play guitar on the roof top terrace soon, ive made up a few new songs that would be good to practice.
May we all travel well,
Con Amor y cosas buenas,
x x x
Friday, February 18, 2011
A human being is part of the whole, called by us 'universe', a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison.
- nice one Einstein.
Today is the day of the full moon. It's also the day my long standing family home is being sold, a house with many memories and dreams, which i am grateful for and saying goodbye to now, not without some sadness. Seems like a full day. I plan to do a ritual tonight by the river...
I've been in a reflective space these last few days. Being 'alone' always invites me to look at myself through the space and silence, letting the answers rise to the surface as they often do when given opportunity.
Since my first week in Eco Truly i've been travelling around with familiar faces. I did some travel alone also, we were very much independant, but had similar passions and so ended up sharing a lot of time and adventure. We formed a tribe of strong woman, a small community of travellers. Now I'm alone again, having flung myself to another country and consequently have had feelings off alienation. It's all helping me realise the importance of Sanga, of brotherhood and sisterhood. I already knew this was important to me, but as I travel my passion for community only strengthens. Human beings grow one another, so much is learnt from relationship. Of course, we learn about our self through one another...a beautiful web we are. One aspect of travel i love is in the meeting of fellow souls, kindred spirits scattered all over the world. The realisation of connections everywhere.
When i look deeply enough into my sense of being alone, it reveals itself as illusion. I am reminded that i am part of something bigger, impossible to seperate. I remember a Yallom quote saying we are all alone together. Boats on the same ocean. I also feel it's possible to jump off the edge, into the ocean and swim with another, if only for a moment.
Here i'm having a few Spanish lessons which was my intention, and is giving me good focus. I'm also reading a good book by Ken Wilber called 'Grace and Grit' which touches and inspires deeply. Check it out. I've finished a huge mug of black coffee and am feeling more awake, and just met a nice man giving me my first proper English conversation since being here. He thought i was Belgium! Anyway, we are going out to Lunch and he said he can give me some pointers for navigating my way around Cuenca. Wonderful!
X
- nice one Einstein.
Today is the day of the full moon. It's also the day my long standing family home is being sold, a house with many memories and dreams, which i am grateful for and saying goodbye to now, not without some sadness. Seems like a full day. I plan to do a ritual tonight by the river...
I've been in a reflective space these last few days. Being 'alone' always invites me to look at myself through the space and silence, letting the answers rise to the surface as they often do when given opportunity.
Since my first week in Eco Truly i've been travelling around with familiar faces. I did some travel alone also, we were very much independant, but had similar passions and so ended up sharing a lot of time and adventure. We formed a tribe of strong woman, a small community of travellers. Now I'm alone again, having flung myself to another country and consequently have had feelings off alienation. It's all helping me realise the importance of Sanga, of brotherhood and sisterhood. I already knew this was important to me, but as I travel my passion for community only strengthens. Human beings grow one another, so much is learnt from relationship. Of course, we learn about our self through one another...a beautiful web we are. One aspect of travel i love is in the meeting of fellow souls, kindred spirits scattered all over the world. The realisation of connections everywhere.
When i look deeply enough into my sense of being alone, it reveals itself as illusion. I am reminded that i am part of something bigger, impossible to seperate. I remember a Yallom quote saying we are all alone together. Boats on the same ocean. I also feel it's possible to jump off the edge, into the ocean and swim with another, if only for a moment.
Here i'm having a few Spanish lessons which was my intention, and is giving me good focus. I'm also reading a good book by Ken Wilber called 'Grace and Grit' which touches and inspires deeply. Check it out. I've finished a huge mug of black coffee and am feeling more awake, and just met a nice man giving me my first proper English conversation since being here. He thought i was Belgium! Anyway, we are going out to Lunch and he said he can give me some pointers for navigating my way around Cuenca. Wonderful!
X
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Moving on can be difficult...
The beach town really sucks you in. Its seductive nature causes most people to stay longer than expected. One guy intended to stay three days and is here three years later! Its not suprising given the chilled ambience, the perpetualy hot climate, the sound of the ocean singing to you day and night, the friendly faces, the sweet music, the clear night skies and gorgeous fresh food. All delicious!
I fell somewhat in love with the travelling artists who sat on a wall beside the beach selling their talented produce. They shared a free spirited attitude; living in the moment, wanting to be happy not rich, smiling and laughing all day under the sun and radiating a consistent festival vibe. I went for lunch with some of them, and hung around on the wall joining in the plays of life, watching them dread and braid hair. Someone made me a beautiful sun had out of a local plant, nessasary para mi protección! I remember someones wise words: "A day without Laughter is a day without life".
The weekend here was beautifully wild. On friday I went to a Regea club, dancing and mingling into the early hours. I was aware of language barriers but had fun communicating with people regardless. An edge to the night was given when a man spoke with increasing passion into the mic (in Spanish so i did not understand). They got louder, louder, LOUDER and more aggressive until they violently kicked a big speaker of stage and jumped into the audience in a rage, kicking and screaming with vigour. He was removed by many men, and my heart thumped a little until i danced of the adrenaline. People said he was Loco!? A schizophrenic episode? No sé.
Ive had some really magical encounters with people, bringing up alot of wonder, insight and presence. Ive also enjoyed walking alone under the moon along the pier and gazing into the waves, bringing me to a trance state. Life is incredible; often i am in awe. One thing im finding really interesting is that life seems to be giving me what i ask for, always with an unexpected twist, but nevertheless my intentions are bought to life. So, "be carefull what you wish" for comes to mind. I am bringing as much mindfullness into now as possible!
I left yesterday to Tumbes, crossing the border to Ecador and making my way to Cuenca which is where i am now. It was a very long, at times uncomfortable, journey. On the first bus an older lady sat next to me on a broken seat that tilted up and caused her to spend 11 hours leaning upon me. Dam gravity. If it was cold i could have been grateful for the extra insulation, but alas it was SUPER hot.
On the bus i met a man who runs Ayawaska retreats and invited me along. I wont be heading to his neck of the woods though. I didnt mention before, but in Cusco i did do Ayawaska. The insights and experience was very personal, and I wont be detailing it here, but i would like to say to anyone intending to take this drug to be warey of who you do it with and to ensure you feel totally safe. I ended up alone with a Shamon (i expected to be in a group but i guess no one else booked up). It was in a stunning moon lodge and with all the authentic preperations and rituals I dreamed of. However, later on in the Trip the Shamon got way too personal. All is fine, i learnt from the experience and survived etc... but I do reccomend one ensures sex therapy is not on offer (unless thats what youre looking for in which case i reccomend someone for you lol).
Now im staying in a hostel called "Hostel Magico", which has an eerie haunted house feel to it and is full of plants and surreal art work. Im alone in a room with a double bed and no windows. Its cold and wet outside. My heart is still on the beach, with Amigos i left behind. Waves of change I try to flow with you gracefully, smiling at all the angels and all the demones in the fiesta of my mind.
Much love from a Mystical flower Princess (pet name given to me on the beach)
xxx :) xxx
I fell somewhat in love with the travelling artists who sat on a wall beside the beach selling their talented produce. They shared a free spirited attitude; living in the moment, wanting to be happy not rich, smiling and laughing all day under the sun and radiating a consistent festival vibe. I went for lunch with some of them, and hung around on the wall joining in the plays of life, watching them dread and braid hair. Someone made me a beautiful sun had out of a local plant, nessasary para mi protección! I remember someones wise words: "A day without Laughter is a day without life".
The weekend here was beautifully wild. On friday I went to a Regea club, dancing and mingling into the early hours. I was aware of language barriers but had fun communicating with people regardless. An edge to the night was given when a man spoke with increasing passion into the mic (in Spanish so i did not understand). They got louder, louder, LOUDER and more aggressive until they violently kicked a big speaker of stage and jumped into the audience in a rage, kicking and screaming with vigour. He was removed by many men, and my heart thumped a little until i danced of the adrenaline. People said he was Loco!? A schizophrenic episode? No sé.
Ive had some really magical encounters with people, bringing up alot of wonder, insight and presence. Ive also enjoyed walking alone under the moon along the pier and gazing into the waves, bringing me to a trance state. Life is incredible; often i am in awe. One thing im finding really interesting is that life seems to be giving me what i ask for, always with an unexpected twist, but nevertheless my intentions are bought to life. So, "be carefull what you wish" for comes to mind. I am bringing as much mindfullness into now as possible!
I left yesterday to Tumbes, crossing the border to Ecador and making my way to Cuenca which is where i am now. It was a very long, at times uncomfortable, journey. On the first bus an older lady sat next to me on a broken seat that tilted up and caused her to spend 11 hours leaning upon me. Dam gravity. If it was cold i could have been grateful for the extra insulation, but alas it was SUPER hot.
On the bus i met a man who runs Ayawaska retreats and invited me along. I wont be heading to his neck of the woods though. I didnt mention before, but in Cusco i did do Ayawaska. The insights and experience was very personal, and I wont be detailing it here, but i would like to say to anyone intending to take this drug to be warey of who you do it with and to ensure you feel totally safe. I ended up alone with a Shamon (i expected to be in a group but i guess no one else booked up). It was in a stunning moon lodge and with all the authentic preperations and rituals I dreamed of. However, later on in the Trip the Shamon got way too personal. All is fine, i learnt from the experience and survived etc... but I do reccomend one ensures sex therapy is not on offer (unless thats what youre looking for in which case i reccomend someone for you lol).
Now im staying in a hostel called "Hostel Magico", which has an eerie haunted house feel to it and is full of plants and surreal art work. Im alone in a room with a double bed and no windows. Its cold and wet outside. My heart is still on the beach, with Amigos i left behind. Waves of change I try to flow with you gracefully, smiling at all the angels and all the demones in the fiesta of my mind.
Much love from a Mystical flower Princess (pet name given to me on the beach)
xxx :) xxx
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sunny days
Long Lazy dayz under the blazing sun,
Melting minds melding into the beach momentum,
Inbetweeners dance inbetween,
Inbetween before and after, this a breather,
space to be free from conventions,
place to invent new ways,
these days
could take us anywhere...
What are you going to say YES to today?
Melting minds melding into the beach momentum,
Inbetweeners dance inbetween,
Inbetween before and after, this a breather,
space to be free from conventions,
place to invent new ways,
these days
could take us anywhere...
What are you going to say YES to today?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Beach baby
So, Hola Huanchaco. God dam your hot!
Took a 22 hour bus ride from Cusco to Lima, waited one hour in Lima, then took a 9 hour bus ride to Trujillo, followed by a short cab ride to Huanchaco. Huff Puff and here i am, 4 days later and fully immersed in the chilled beach vibe that is here.
Used to be a little fishing village, and now its been transformed into surf paradise. Its thriving with surfers, really. There are also some extremely talented local artists here. One man made me the most intricate and beautiful hair braid i have ever seen. I will better cut my hair of then unwrap it, when the time comes.
On my second night here I met a lovely Ozzie chick, in my dorm, who invited me to the roof to chill and get high with her and a few others. Under the stars, we got acquainted with one another. One guy, cute heart throb American type, said that he feels kinda heavy from being chilled. So, with some rush of energy, i encouraged everyone to go to the beach for a late night dip. A sweet frenzy of excited úp for it´ energy and we were on the dark shore running into the waves. Well, three of us braved it, three watched amusedly. It was exhilarating, and so much fun. For good health moon dips should be a regular feature of ones weekly life, i truly believe.
I have spent subsequent days strolling the beach, eating amazing amounts of mangoes (which i think has had a dramatic effect on biology of my body!), be-friending fruit ladies, dipping in the ocean, pebble picking, getting frustrated by language barriers but making valiant efforts to communicate (I WILL be studying Spanish in Ecuador!), exploring chocolate cafes and learning about the fiesta that awaits me. This weekend is forecast to be a fun one, infused with bonfires, music on the beach, food, circus acts, dancing and colors of many... so i decided to stay here a few more days. I will be camping as of tomorrow though, as the hostels full. It will be yet another experience. I like the idea of being closer to the earth and hearing with more ease the sound of the waves lull me to peace...
Took a 22 hour bus ride from Cusco to Lima, waited one hour in Lima, then took a 9 hour bus ride to Trujillo, followed by a short cab ride to Huanchaco. Huff Puff and here i am, 4 days later and fully immersed in the chilled beach vibe that is here.
Used to be a little fishing village, and now its been transformed into surf paradise. Its thriving with surfers, really. There are also some extremely talented local artists here. One man made me the most intricate and beautiful hair braid i have ever seen. I will better cut my hair of then unwrap it, when the time comes.
On my second night here I met a lovely Ozzie chick, in my dorm, who invited me to the roof to chill and get high with her and a few others. Under the stars, we got acquainted with one another. One guy, cute heart throb American type, said that he feels kinda heavy from being chilled. So, with some rush of energy, i encouraged everyone to go to the beach for a late night dip. A sweet frenzy of excited úp for it´ energy and we were on the dark shore running into the waves. Well, three of us braved it, three watched amusedly. It was exhilarating, and so much fun. For good health moon dips should be a regular feature of ones weekly life, i truly believe.
I have spent subsequent days strolling the beach, eating amazing amounts of mangoes (which i think has had a dramatic effect on biology of my body!), be-friending fruit ladies, dipping in the ocean, pebble picking, getting frustrated by language barriers but making valiant efforts to communicate (I WILL be studying Spanish in Ecuador!), exploring chocolate cafes and learning about the fiesta that awaits me. This weekend is forecast to be a fun one, infused with bonfires, music on the beach, food, circus acts, dancing and colors of many... so i decided to stay here a few more days. I will be camping as of tomorrow though, as the hostels full. It will be yet another experience. I like the idea of being closer to the earth and hearing with more ease the sound of the waves lull me to peace...
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Second installment
Hola,
Rains singing outside. Just as I started writing thunder began! Memories of dancing under thunderstorms spin in my mind...
And i'm digesting my first Tamale (warm tasty snack made from sweet corn flour, spices, raisons, sugar and wrapped in a sweet corn leave). Yum.
This week has been largely one of rest and recuperation. After an intense few days, i took to the mountains near Pisac to stay in a Yoga lodge and do some peaceful volunteer work. I wasn't planning on staying south this long, but its felt appropriate. Me and three beautiful woman arrived off an hour bus ride from Cusco to the remote yoga place, which turned out to be locked and empty. We sat and waited in the porch for hours, wondering, wondering. We were expected to be here; Jessie had sent emails to the coordinator who had responded. Was this just Latin American timing? Wondering, we relaxed and watched the land. The main lodge was a round mud structure with a thatched roof and a few smaller but similar structures surrounded. A nearby river roared and mountains nestled us in on either side. It was desolate, isolated and utterly peaceful. As cold winds started to blow the two sisters (Jessie and Ali) made a sweet image of snuggling under the porch in sleeping bags. I read and smiled. We had an encounter with a kindly next door neighbor who said we could stay at his if the owner hadn't got back by 8/9ish. It was 6 at this point.
To make use of time, and respond to hungry bellies, Katie and myself decided to walk into the closest town to stock up on food and move our limbs. After a while we realized the walk was longer than expected and the sun was going down quickly. In the distance we saw a black mammal freshly descended off the mountain. Hearts thumped and I recalled recent visions of Panthas. As we approached we each held a knife in our hand and kept to the opposite side of the road. Of course, it turned out to be a baby donkey more scared of us lol.
Shortly after the donkey encounter we were lucky to jump on a pick up bus and were dropped of by a selection of shops, replicating one anothers contents. There we purchased avocado, bread, peanuts and bananas. An acceptable dinner we thought, and pretty much all that was on offer. Getting back was interesting. We knew it was too long and dangerous to walk back alone, but there were no vehicles around. So we waited by the road with an intention to hitch...and a few minutes later a HUGE truck stopped and an elerly couple got out, having trouble with there back lights. This was our opportunity, and they obliged happily. Katie sat on my lap and we enjoyed a moon lit truck ride back 'home', hoping the owner would be back and our friends wouldn't have turned into icicles.
We got back to friends wrapped up in bed, and met a friendly 24yr old Spanish Virgo, Rama, who was looking after the place and not expecting us (the coordinator had left, spontaneously, without communicating to us!) So us four girls, Rama and a cute ugly dog, Samallie, have this beautiful place all to ourselves. Rama said there's not much to do, just cooking and cleaning-up after ourselves. We can treat the place as a haven, a place to retreat, relax, go into our spiritual practice. And so that's what we've been doing.
Ive made a few meals and a large vat of spiced hot chocolate. Its been nice getting into a kitchen again; not surprisingly I've taken on the "Mother/ cook" role, which feels very natural.
Yesterday was sunny and luscious, inviting me to dance and run around for hours in the valley. I felt the bliss of being in my body and letting the intellect settle like calm waters.
I'm really appreciating the importance of release and the many forms this can take (crying, dancing, moving, shaking, laughing etc...) In my life I keep coming back to the importance of being and coming into my body.
Now i feel ready to hit the road, have some fun and sun, mingle with new people, drink cocktails on the beach... so I'm in Cusco, booking a Bus to Lima and then up to Huanchao (a surfers hub full of beach huts, fresh fruit, warm waters and fish). It seems a long way away from the torrential rain blessing me now.
Rains singing outside. Just as I started writing thunder began! Memories of dancing under thunderstorms spin in my mind...
And i'm digesting my first Tamale (warm tasty snack made from sweet corn flour, spices, raisons, sugar and wrapped in a sweet corn leave). Yum.
This week has been largely one of rest and recuperation. After an intense few days, i took to the mountains near Pisac to stay in a Yoga lodge and do some peaceful volunteer work. I wasn't planning on staying south this long, but its felt appropriate. Me and three beautiful woman arrived off an hour bus ride from Cusco to the remote yoga place, which turned out to be locked and empty. We sat and waited in the porch for hours, wondering, wondering. We were expected to be here; Jessie had sent emails to the coordinator who had responded. Was this just Latin American timing? Wondering, we relaxed and watched the land. The main lodge was a round mud structure with a thatched roof and a few smaller but similar structures surrounded. A nearby river roared and mountains nestled us in on either side. It was desolate, isolated and utterly peaceful. As cold winds started to blow the two sisters (Jessie and Ali) made a sweet image of snuggling under the porch in sleeping bags. I read and smiled. We had an encounter with a kindly next door neighbor who said we could stay at his if the owner hadn't got back by 8/9ish. It was 6 at this point.
To make use of time, and respond to hungry bellies, Katie and myself decided to walk into the closest town to stock up on food and move our limbs. After a while we realized the walk was longer than expected and the sun was going down quickly. In the distance we saw a black mammal freshly descended off the mountain. Hearts thumped and I recalled recent visions of Panthas. As we approached we each held a knife in our hand and kept to the opposite side of the road. Of course, it turned out to be a baby donkey more scared of us lol.
Shortly after the donkey encounter we were lucky to jump on a pick up bus and were dropped of by a selection of shops, replicating one anothers contents. There we purchased avocado, bread, peanuts and bananas. An acceptable dinner we thought, and pretty much all that was on offer. Getting back was interesting. We knew it was too long and dangerous to walk back alone, but there were no vehicles around. So we waited by the road with an intention to hitch...and a few minutes later a HUGE truck stopped and an elerly couple got out, having trouble with there back lights. This was our opportunity, and they obliged happily. Katie sat on my lap and we enjoyed a moon lit truck ride back 'home', hoping the owner would be back and our friends wouldn't have turned into icicles.
We got back to friends wrapped up in bed, and met a friendly 24yr old Spanish Virgo, Rama, who was looking after the place and not expecting us (the coordinator had left, spontaneously, without communicating to us!) So us four girls, Rama and a cute ugly dog, Samallie, have this beautiful place all to ourselves. Rama said there's not much to do, just cooking and cleaning-up after ourselves. We can treat the place as a haven, a place to retreat, relax, go into our spiritual practice. And so that's what we've been doing.
Ive made a few meals and a large vat of spiced hot chocolate. Its been nice getting into a kitchen again; not surprisingly I've taken on the "Mother/ cook" role, which feels very natural.
Yesterday was sunny and luscious, inviting me to dance and run around for hours in the valley. I felt the bliss of being in my body and letting the intellect settle like calm waters.
I'm really appreciating the importance of release and the many forms this can take (crying, dancing, moving, shaking, laughing etc...) In my life I keep coming back to the importance of being and coming into my body.
Now i feel ready to hit the road, have some fun and sun, mingle with new people, drink cocktails on the beach... so I'm in Cusco, booking a Bus to Lima and then up to Huanchao (a surfers hub full of beach huts, fresh fruit, warm waters and fish). It seems a long way away from the torrential rain blessing me now.
Peru Advntures no>1
Here begins the logging of my journey within South America...
When i arrived into Lima airport myself and a Japanese man navigated our way to a taxi. The Taxi driver spoke only spanish, myself only English and the Japanese only Japansese. It was fun trying to communicate, decide on a cost and destination. A good reminder of the importance of language and the interesting ventures that await me.
I spent the first night in Lima at a hostel called Red Psycho Lama. I drank Chillcanos and sat on the roof terrace watching the city lights and feeling sparks of excitment and magick. Also got to know a nice young Irish couple...
From Lima I took two buses heading to an Eco Yoga Park. This was North of Lima (1.5 hours bus ride). It is a Krishna community, a place many people come to visit to gain insight into the lifestyle and look at the Biodynamic Farming, incredible sculptures, pictures and ´trulys´(Indian structures built out of sand and water, in long dome shapes designed to protect against earth quake energies). There i ate alot of vegetarian food, did alot of weeding, spent long afternoons lying on the beach and dipping toes in cool water. I met wonderful people and processed some of the emotions that were coming up for me alone in this new environment. There was alot of space to simply ´be´, so i had lots of reflective time. At points more than i wanted! But all really good experience. Seems like a long while ago now actually...
From Eco Truly i took a bus, with a few lovely woman, to Lima. There was no space in the back so we got to ride in the front with the driver, which was great fun. He gave us free local buiscuits and we looked out of the window at the epic ocean and sand mountains while breeze flushed our faces. Once in Lima I stayed alone in a hostel, with a dorm all to myself (so i took libery of the double bed!) Two french guys kindly made me lunch, and i had a nice chat with the hostel owner (we communicated mainly through body language due to language barriers! We did a very good job of it i think!)
The following day I met up with a friend who lives in Lima, Mabel. She gave me a tour around Magdelena. The following day she gave me the City centre tour, which was a little exhausting in the heat but really good fun and i got to see some incredible buildings. We ate out at a little vegetarian place linked to "Eco Truly" (little coincendence). That night she and her partner took me out on the town and i got pretty drunk on very little, and spent the night learning random spanish phrases and laughing. It was nice to ´go out´, having some fun was very nourishing.
At 3am this morning i arrived back into Cusco, after enduring a 4 day Inka Jungle Trek. It was so amazing, im still in shock.
On the first day we had a two hour bike ride down hill, amongst the epic mountains. It started to rain, fingers became kumb and rain in the eyes made it hard to see. A bunch of people got back onto the bus that was riding behind us... but i committed to the end. At one point we had to stop as there had been a land slide. A number of rocks from the cliff side to our right had fallen down, and continued to do so. I watched big rocks descend and contemplated how quickly one would die upon collision. Once the rocks seemed to stop falling, we made a run for it, riding over the rubble and hoping we wouldn't be hit! Risky! So un-English lol. Shortly after this encounter we came across a number of waterfalls which ran arcoss the road. We had to ride through them. One man had an accident doing this, spraining his arm and hurting his leg badly. He got picked up by a bus and rested. The first aid skills didnt seem that great though, i must say. It was all very very adventures, very very REAL!
The Next day the serious trekking began. I struggled abit with the altitude, and had what i feel would be accurately described as a short asthmatic fit. I chewed the coca leaves and continued up up up, body challenged but determined. The views were magnificent. We walked past banana and mango trees, alongside sacred rivers, past old ruins overgrown with vines and wildlife... we painted our faces in a local indigenous plant that, when rubbed with water, turns a deep red color. We formed our own modern Inka tribe! hehe. We followed a dirt track path at our own pace rather than staying close in a ´group´. Myself and a Chilean guy arrived at a cross roads we wondered WTF to do. The guide was well ahead of us. There were some people far behind us, but we choose to follow the road to the right... after a while we realized it was not feeling ´right´so we turned back on ourselves and bumped into some fellow lost trekkers. Together we decided on a direction (a little dirt path leading down into the jungle). An Argentinian guy kept stopping to ´communicate with the jungle´ for advice about where we should go (rather tongue and cheek), but miraculously we made it. Relief. We had even started to plan what to do if we were truly lost and the sun went down...it felt like the start of a Amazonian horror movie ! Once reunited with the rest of the group, we chilled out on hammocks and stopped for lunch deep in the heart of the jungle...with Italian food!? After food I had a strong apple bong and pipe (always up for intense experience am I), and began walking again. The day was epic. So much movement, climbing, walking, talking. I felt really social¡ble and did alot of mingling which felt really good. That night i even went out to a ´disco´in a dusty old town, had a foul cocktail and did some dancing to Enlish hip hop, and the occasional latin song thrown in for good measure!?? I really enjoyed watching 3 South AMerican dudes (on the trek with me) dance and ´play´....they were very mad and very cool, i really think they would make a successful circus act. They very funny, very confident, very free in there bodies. Made me smile alot.
The next day involved more adventure, more trekking, more more MORE. Each moment offered something new, exciting, i cant possibly describe it all. At the end of the day we stayed in a village below MachuPichu, and went to some thermal hot springs. Honestly i preferred the cold shower than bathing in a tub full of sweaty people lol, so I didnt stay for long. The view was great though.
We had a gorgeous meal in the evening: stuffed avocado. YUM. Fresh grilled trout from the river. This was a welcome change to the perpetual white bread and pasta we seemed to be living of previously (though there was a really nice sweetcorn soup on the first day...)
The night was long as we had to wait for our tour guide to come back with tickets for us to access Machupichu. Some recent policy change meant he needed to collect our passports and sort something out...which left us waiting up late, getting slightly apprehensive in the knowledge that we had to get up at 3 am the following morning to engage in a RAT RACE!!!
THE RAT RACE:
So heres the drill. I didnt know this before the trek began:
We all had tickets to Machupicchu, that was in the bag. However, there was also a possibility to climb the highest mountain, Waynapicchu, which promised perfect views of machupicchu and its own magickal experience. In order to go here, we needed to be in one of the first 400 people at the gate. At the bottom of the mountain there is a gate and bridge which opens at 5:00am. We had to walk there early in the morning, then que up in order to start the climb to machupicchu gate, where (if within first 400 people) we would gain a stamp allowing us entrance to Waynapicchu. The climb up the mountain involved around 2000 steps, when still half asleep, in the dark, on narrow cliff hugging stone stair cases shrouded in trees and wildlife. Oh My God. Doing this was SO intense. The pressure of climbing all those stairs within a certain time frame, the competitive feel in the air, the awesome sight of growing mountains as we climbed higher and higher, the slither of moon soothing my burning lungs and dizzy head. The occasional trickle of srping water giving my face a sweet treat, easing the heat. When i reached the top i was ecstatic, dripping in sweat,rosey face and happy heart. I was within the first 50 people to the gate, and climbed the stairs / mountain in 30 minutes (my guide said it would take up to 1.5 hours!) WOW! WOW! WOW!
Machupicchu was breath taking. The mountains had such a sacred presence. They commanded a meditative state of awareness, a deep respect, a love for the land. The ruins were awesome. I snucked away from the guide and wondered alone for a while, finding silent places to absorb the enery of this sacred pace.
Waynapicchu was another intense upward climb, with many rocks and narrow stair cases. My feet were actually in agony by this point. I had been ´growing´a few blisters for the last three days, one of which was huge, on my heel, and which popped and rubbed raw, making walking pretty difficult. The veins up to my anckle began to protrude and throb; scary. SO i decided to climb this mountain bare foot....SOY INKA i said to the passer-bys giving me funny looks. It felt much better than with shoes, and it was wodnerful to feel the earth under my soles. And, yes, tough at points. But the walk gave me so much energy, monkey energy. I felt so vital. At the top, big flying ants hovered around and views washed away the cobwebs in my mind. It was all utterly magick.
Now, back in Cusco. I am totally exhausted. I keep getting virtigo and other waves of intense sensation. Tomorrow I am meeting a local shaman to take some herbs.... today i think i will just relax. My body and mind are so tired, full of experience, of wanderings and flashbacks, absorbing what has just happened... and contemplating my plans for the future. I don't really have any! Heading North this week, towards Ecadour and Columbia. People keep asking me what im doing specifically, but i'm enjoying having no plans, living in the moment. I'm learning alot.
I miss people in England, I appreciate so much. Im excited about sharing with you all again.
Endless love to you all,
When i arrived into Lima airport myself and a Japanese man navigated our way to a taxi. The Taxi driver spoke only spanish, myself only English and the Japanese only Japansese. It was fun trying to communicate, decide on a cost and destination. A good reminder of the importance of language and the interesting ventures that await me.
I spent the first night in Lima at a hostel called Red Psycho Lama. I drank Chillcanos and sat on the roof terrace watching the city lights and feeling sparks of excitment and magick. Also got to know a nice young Irish couple...
From Lima I took two buses heading to an Eco Yoga Park. This was North of Lima (1.5 hours bus ride). It is a Krishna community, a place many people come to visit to gain insight into the lifestyle and look at the Biodynamic Farming, incredible sculptures, pictures and ´trulys´(Indian structures built out of sand and water, in long dome shapes designed to protect against earth quake energies). There i ate alot of vegetarian food, did alot of weeding, spent long afternoons lying on the beach and dipping toes in cool water. I met wonderful people and processed some of the emotions that were coming up for me alone in this new environment. There was alot of space to simply ´be´, so i had lots of reflective time. At points more than i wanted! But all really good experience. Seems like a long while ago now actually...
From Eco Truly i took a bus, with a few lovely woman, to Lima. There was no space in the back so we got to ride in the front with the driver, which was great fun. He gave us free local buiscuits and we looked out of the window at the epic ocean and sand mountains while breeze flushed our faces. Once in Lima I stayed alone in a hostel, with a dorm all to myself (so i took libery of the double bed!) Two french guys kindly made me lunch, and i had a nice chat with the hostel owner (we communicated mainly through body language due to language barriers! We did a very good job of it i think!)
The following day I met up with a friend who lives in Lima, Mabel. She gave me a tour around Magdelena. The following day she gave me the City centre tour, which was a little exhausting in the heat but really good fun and i got to see some incredible buildings. We ate out at a little vegetarian place linked to "Eco Truly" (little coincendence). That night she and her partner took me out on the town and i got pretty drunk on very little, and spent the night learning random spanish phrases and laughing. It was nice to ´go out´, having some fun was very nourishing.
At 3am this morning i arrived back into Cusco, after enduring a 4 day Inka Jungle Trek. It was so amazing, im still in shock.
On the first day we had a two hour bike ride down hill, amongst the epic mountains. It started to rain, fingers became kumb and rain in the eyes made it hard to see. A bunch of people got back onto the bus that was riding behind us... but i committed to the end. At one point we had to stop as there had been a land slide. A number of rocks from the cliff side to our right had fallen down, and continued to do so. I watched big rocks descend and contemplated how quickly one would die upon collision. Once the rocks seemed to stop falling, we made a run for it, riding over the rubble and hoping we wouldn't be hit! Risky! So un-English lol. Shortly after this encounter we came across a number of waterfalls which ran arcoss the road. We had to ride through them. One man had an accident doing this, spraining his arm and hurting his leg badly. He got picked up by a bus and rested. The first aid skills didnt seem that great though, i must say. It was all very very adventures, very very REAL!
The Next day the serious trekking began. I struggled abit with the altitude, and had what i feel would be accurately described as a short asthmatic fit. I chewed the coca leaves and continued up up up, body challenged but determined. The views were magnificent. We walked past banana and mango trees, alongside sacred rivers, past old ruins overgrown with vines and wildlife... we painted our faces in a local indigenous plant that, when rubbed with water, turns a deep red color. We formed our own modern Inka tribe! hehe. We followed a dirt track path at our own pace rather than staying close in a ´group´. Myself and a Chilean guy arrived at a cross roads we wondered WTF to do. The guide was well ahead of us. There were some people far behind us, but we choose to follow the road to the right... after a while we realized it was not feeling ´right´so we turned back on ourselves and bumped into some fellow lost trekkers. Together we decided on a direction (a little dirt path leading down into the jungle). An Argentinian guy kept stopping to ´communicate with the jungle´ for advice about where we should go (rather tongue and cheek), but miraculously we made it. Relief. We had even started to plan what to do if we were truly lost and the sun went down...it felt like the start of a Amazonian horror movie ! Once reunited with the rest of the group, we chilled out on hammocks and stopped for lunch deep in the heart of the jungle...with Italian food!? After food I had a strong apple bong and pipe (always up for intense experience am I), and began walking again. The day was epic. So much movement, climbing, walking, talking. I felt really social¡ble and did alot of mingling which felt really good. That night i even went out to a ´disco´in a dusty old town, had a foul cocktail and did some dancing to Enlish hip hop, and the occasional latin song thrown in for good measure!?? I really enjoyed watching 3 South AMerican dudes (on the trek with me) dance and ´play´....they were very mad and very cool, i really think they would make a successful circus act. They very funny, very confident, very free in there bodies. Made me smile alot.
The next day involved more adventure, more trekking, more more MORE. Each moment offered something new, exciting, i cant possibly describe it all. At the end of the day we stayed in a village below MachuPichu, and went to some thermal hot springs. Honestly i preferred the cold shower than bathing in a tub full of sweaty people lol, so I didnt stay for long. The view was great though.
We had a gorgeous meal in the evening: stuffed avocado. YUM. Fresh grilled trout from the river. This was a welcome change to the perpetual white bread and pasta we seemed to be living of previously (though there was a really nice sweetcorn soup on the first day...)
The night was long as we had to wait for our tour guide to come back with tickets for us to access Machupichu. Some recent policy change meant he needed to collect our passports and sort something out...which left us waiting up late, getting slightly apprehensive in the knowledge that we had to get up at 3 am the following morning to engage in a RAT RACE!!!
THE RAT RACE:
So heres the drill. I didnt know this before the trek began:
We all had tickets to Machupicchu, that was in the bag. However, there was also a possibility to climb the highest mountain, Waynapicchu, which promised perfect views of machupicchu and its own magickal experience. In order to go here, we needed to be in one of the first 400 people at the gate. At the bottom of the mountain there is a gate and bridge which opens at 5:00am. We had to walk there early in the morning, then que up in order to start the climb to machupicchu gate, where (if within first 400 people) we would gain a stamp allowing us entrance to Waynapicchu. The climb up the mountain involved around 2000 steps, when still half asleep, in the dark, on narrow cliff hugging stone stair cases shrouded in trees and wildlife. Oh My God. Doing this was SO intense. The pressure of climbing all those stairs within a certain time frame, the competitive feel in the air, the awesome sight of growing mountains as we climbed higher and higher, the slither of moon soothing my burning lungs and dizzy head. The occasional trickle of srping water giving my face a sweet treat, easing the heat. When i reached the top i was ecstatic, dripping in sweat,rosey face and happy heart. I was within the first 50 people to the gate, and climbed the stairs / mountain in 30 minutes (my guide said it would take up to 1.5 hours!) WOW! WOW! WOW!
Machupicchu was breath taking. The mountains had such a sacred presence. They commanded a meditative state of awareness, a deep respect, a love for the land. The ruins were awesome. I snucked away from the guide and wondered alone for a while, finding silent places to absorb the enery of this sacred pace.
Waynapicchu was another intense upward climb, with many rocks and narrow stair cases. My feet were actually in agony by this point. I had been ´growing´a few blisters for the last three days, one of which was huge, on my heel, and which popped and rubbed raw, making walking pretty difficult. The veins up to my anckle began to protrude and throb; scary. SO i decided to climb this mountain bare foot....SOY INKA i said to the passer-bys giving me funny looks. It felt much better than with shoes, and it was wodnerful to feel the earth under my soles. And, yes, tough at points. But the walk gave me so much energy, monkey energy. I felt so vital. At the top, big flying ants hovered around and views washed away the cobwebs in my mind. It was all utterly magick.
Now, back in Cusco. I am totally exhausted. I keep getting virtigo and other waves of intense sensation. Tomorrow I am meeting a local shaman to take some herbs.... today i think i will just relax. My body and mind are so tired, full of experience, of wanderings and flashbacks, absorbing what has just happened... and contemplating my plans for the future. I don't really have any! Heading North this week, towards Ecadour and Columbia. People keep asking me what im doing specifically, but i'm enjoying having no plans, living in the moment. I'm learning alot.
I miss people in England, I appreciate so much. Im excited about sharing with you all again.
Endless love to you all,
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