I bid adieu from Peru

I´m less than an hour away from leaving for the airport. I have 19 hours of travel ahead of me, if everything goes as planned. Remember the 36 hours it took to get here? I do!

Peru has been an interesting trip. One with highs and lows, where the highs were much higher than the lows. I´m just going to get this out of the way, I´ve traveled a lot internationally and this has by far been the most difficult trip to plan. I never gained a sense of comfort because the planning was a bit difficult. Some people I spoke to along the way had to go through a tour agent because planning for Peru is difficult on your own. When traveling alone I need to feel a sense of trust and here I never got completely comfortable. Thailand was a much different place as far as a sense of welcome and trust. I don´t want to discourage any of you from traveling here, because it is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Just call me before you plan because I have a lot of things that can help you out.

By far the highest high for me was Machu Picchu. As I said in a previous blog, it is indescribeable. Words cannot express the beauty, majesty, mystery of the place. It is a marvel that will stay with me always. The Amazon was pretty cool too. I must say, spending time in the jungle with the bugs and animals was pretty darn cool. By the end, it was time to leave, but the experience was well worth the hassle of planning it. Another high point was Ollyantatambo and the mountain biking excursion. I may not be the most athletic one in the family, but I sure do have an adventurous side. The mountin biking hit the spot for me. Even falling off my bike was cool. Plus, Ollyantatambo was a really cool little town. The ruins that side just steps from town square speak volumes of the history of that town. Finally, Cuzco was a great city, for 4 days. The 5th night and additional day here were a bit much for me(with all the beggers, street sellers, etc.) but I loved it here. It is a great city nestled in the Andes. Walking the narrow streets, sitting on the steps leading up to the cathedral, watching people endlessly, eating great food(minus the guinea pig which made me a bit sick in hindsight) are all things that make traveling fulfilling for me. Traveling fills my spirit.

To end, I must mention the people. They are of course my favorite part of traveling. I thrive off meeting people, talking to people, sharing experiences with people, whether they know it or not. It could be a guy on the park bench next to me who I am sharing an experience with. We don´t know each other, but we are there together, taking in the scene, together. It´s quite an amazing experience. Then there is the guy on the bench who speaks to you in Spanish and although you tell him you don´t speak the language he continues to talk. You get about every 10th word he says and frankly have no idea what he is talking about, but you have just experienced something.

Then there are the people you meet along the way who you do share a common bond with. The family from Portland(Bill, Holly, Chris, and Drew), the couple from Colorado(Joe and Pat), the hostel owner in O-Town(KB), the guy from England who was on the plane with me(Matt), Erin, the girl I met at MP from Connecticut, and the couple from England who were in the Amazon with me(Adam and Nicola) all of these people have shared in my travel experience and made my time enjoyable. Although I try not to meet too many Americans along the way, those that I met this time were supurb.

Finally, it goes without saying, the children I have come across have will forever stay in my mind. Some of them I have pictures of, but most I simply have saved in my memory. I wonder what will happen to the little 3 year old who patiently sat next to me on the town steps waiting for his mother. Will he have the chance to get an education or will he end up selling post cards on the street. Speaking of, what happens to those children who are left selling paitings, finger puppets, post cards, and hats on the street when they should be in school? Where do they end up? Through all of my experiences I take one thing with me. Seeing the faces of smiling, laughing children around the world is the most fulfilling part of travel because laughter has no language barrier and is the most beautiful language of all. My spirit is full.

I bid adieu from Peru. Here´s hoping for seemless travel as I head home. Thank you for reading my blog and experiencing this trip with me. Certainly check my blog periodically. I tend to have crazy adventures in my American life too.

Adios!

Matt

7/9/08
Since writing that last post, I'm home. After a change of airlines and only 3.5 hours later than planned, I'm home. I didn't feel anything of the earthquake that some of you have commented on.