Sunday, 26 May, 2013; 9:07 PM; the super-fancy hotel
First off, when I say "super-fancy," I don't mean the stereotypical super-swanky hotel. They don't have AC, hot water, washcloths, or phones in the rooms. There isn't phone service, period, and the electricity goes off at 9:30 every night.
So why do I call it super-fancy? Because it's super-cool! It's wood-built and run on alternative electricity - a lot of generators, sun (but not much), propane, and gas. There's electricity from 12:00 - 1:00 PM and 5:00 - 9:00 PM. At night, which falls at 5:30 (like, use-your-headlamp-you-can't-see-sh*t-it's-the-rainforest), you use candles, kerosene lamps, and flashlights. Much of it is open-air - we have no back wall in the room and mosquito nets over the beds. They have an open bar, too. I had my first proper bit of alcohol tonight at dinner. It was gross. It was Pisco - some grape-based liquor that with something like lime and maybe ginger, which made it burn as it went down. One lady in our group mentioned that, as a first drink, it was rather strong.
Anyway, the afternoon was long and interesting. I have to go to bed now, because my alarm goes off at 5:00 tomorrow.
I don't like mornings that start that early.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
"Do not go where the path may lead..." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (Entry 7, Day 2)
Sunday, 26 May, 2013; 1:39 PM; Rainforest Expedition Headquarters
Well, here we are, waiting for the bus to come to take us to the boat to take us to the three-hour ride to the hotel.
We landed here among the rainforest trees, which is perhaps the only time I've had a plane land in a place that has trees - an entire forest - within fifty feet of the landing pad.
Then we boarded the expedition bus, and drove about fifteen minutes until we got to the headquarters.
There are four domesticated animals (I'm pretty sure): a super-skinny black cat, a tabby (I think) that looks normal, a black dog that I didn't get a photo of, and a dog that looks like he's got something wrong with his skin (and his balls, but the condition looks the same).
That one's been asleep for the hour that we've been repacking and stuff - though it is kind of warm out (I'm pretty sure it's the worms making him tired, though).
Apparently, swimming can be a thing on the boat ride - I forgot my swimsuit, though, which is unfortunate. I asked if I could just go swimming in my unders, which my mother objected to immensely. Ah, well. (In my defense, they're camping unders, so they dry quickly).
Anyway, I got a photo of the black dog. I think he may have a bum leg, but that could just be the angle I saw it at.
*later, on the bus*
The setting here is really cool. It looks like what you would stereotypically think of in a safari film thing. There are trees growing here and there, around the border, but there are also enclosed (flushing!) bathrooms and worn-out water coolers and thatched roofs on open-air structures.
We're on the bus, with a snack, about to head out. Farewell.
Well, here we are, waiting for the bus to come to take us to the boat to take us to the three-hour ride to the hotel.
We landed here among the rainforest trees, which is perhaps the only time I've had a plane land in a place that has trees - an entire forest - within fifty feet of the landing pad.
Then we boarded the expedition bus, and drove about fifteen minutes until we got to the headquarters.
There are four domesticated animals (I'm pretty sure): a super-skinny black cat, a tabby (I think) that looks normal, a black dog that I didn't get a photo of, and a dog that looks like he's got something wrong with his skin (and his balls, but the condition looks the same).
Apparently, swimming can be a thing on the boat ride - I forgot my swimsuit, though, which is unfortunate. I asked if I could just go swimming in my unders, which my mother objected to immensely. Ah, well. (In my defense, they're camping unders, so they dry quickly).
Anyway, I got a photo of the black dog. I think he may have a bum leg, but that could just be the angle I saw it at.
*later, on the bus*
The setting here is really cool. It looks like what you would stereotypically think of in a safari film thing. There are trees growing here and there, around the border, but there are also enclosed (flushing!) bathrooms and worn-out water coolers and thatched roofs on open-air structures.
We're on the bus, with a snack, about to head out. Farewell.
"Do not go where the path may lead..." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (Entry 6, Day 2)
Sunday, 26 May, 2013; plane, Cusco; 11:12 AM
We've landed in Cusco. The estimate I made about Switzerland was off a bit - when we landed in Cusco, the mountains we saw were a lot softer than the Alps where we were, and a lot lower in relation to the city. It could just be that Cusco is built higher in the mountains than Adelboden was. Anyway, Cusco is way bigger than a resort town. It's seriously a relatively modern city stuck in the middle of an area where you do not expect a modern city to go. There were no real car-friendly roads (that we saw) around, and the most civilization we saw was some small clusters of houses spread few and far between. Compared to those, Cusco is sprawling. (Well, it's sprawling whether you make the comparison or not). Anyway, apparently it's only around 30 minutes to Puerto Maldonado from Cusco, so I'm going to head out now. Will write later.
p.s. Fun fact: Cusco flag and gay rights flag = basically the same thing.
We've landed in Cusco. The estimate I made about Switzerland was off a bit - when we landed in Cusco, the mountains we saw were a lot softer than the Alps where we were, and a lot lower in relation to the city. It could just be that Cusco is built higher in the mountains than Adelboden was. Anyway, Cusco is way bigger than a resort town. It's seriously a relatively modern city stuck in the middle of an area where you do not expect a modern city to go. There were no real car-friendly roads (that we saw) around, and the most civilization we saw was some small clusters of houses spread few and far between. Compared to those, Cusco is sprawling. (Well, it's sprawling whether you make the comparison or not). Anyway, apparently it's only around 30 minutes to Puerto Maldonado from Cusco, so I'm going to head out now. Will write later.
p.s. Fun fact: Cusco flag and gay rights flag = basically the same thing.
"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (Entry 5, Day 2)
Sunday, 26 May, 2013; plane to Cusco (before Puerto Maldonado); 10:06 AM
Today, breakfast was good. I never thought it would be possible to make sugar-free pineapple juice, but it is. I do not recommend it.
Then, after sprinting from the hotel to the airport, we were nearly late. Well, we were late for boarding, but not for departure. Anyway, something I noticed here is that security goes a lot faster here than it does in the US. Then, when we finally got to the plane, there was a big hold-up because we had been double-booked in the same seats as another group, because we were late, or something. Anyway, they're now in first class, and we're in our seats. We held the plane up by a lot (it's now 10:18 - we were supposed to leave at 9:55), but now we're about to take off.
We're doing a brief, few-minute layover in Cusco (we're on the same plane) before heading out to Puerto Maldonado. From there, we're going trekking in the Amazon (apparently it extends to Peru) before hiking Machu Picchu. I'm excited.
Now, we're flying above the clouds, and the andes were poking up in the distance like some epic Lord of the Rings shot - a flat plane of white cloud, punctuated in the middle distance. Now we're flying over them, and if there's one certain thing, it's that what I've seen of the Andes is more consistently jagged than what I've seen of the Alps.
There are some plateaus, but the slopes themselves are what can make you nervous - they're angular and steep and inadvisable to walk on, climb on, snowboard on, or in any way interact with if you at all value your life. There are some villages nestled into the valleys or the little mellowing-out places in the crevices. There are some paths along the ridges - not a lot, but some. Those that increase in altitude frequently zigzag up to the top - sometimes going back and forth once or twice, sometimes more.
Right, food is coming around, so I should stop. Will write later.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
"Adventure is worthwhile." (Amelia Earhart) (Entry 4, day 1)
Saturday, 25 May, 2013 10:02 PM, Lima time, Hotel
After much unnecessary confusion, we made it from the airport to the hotel in Lima. Unfortunately, I seem to have a losing streak with suitcase handles - my suitcase here seems to have a disconnect on one side of the button that pops up the rolling handle, so I can't roll it properly. The handle will go up, but only if I go into the bottom of my suitcase, take out all my clothes, and pop it up that way. Since I don't want to have to do that in the middle of the airport every time I have to go through security, I'm just going to make use of the 4-wheel drive on the suitcase instead.
After we got to the hotel, we saw Aunt Suze, and ate. now I'm kind of tired and I want to go to bed, so goodnight.
p.s. I'm very glad that I brought both Paksenarrion and Anansi Boys. I'm over halfway done with the latter, and I would've despised the lack of reading material.
Author's Note: if any of you are wondering what the quotes are in the title, I shall tell you. The journal I'm using (which was a gift from my former roommate), has quotes at the top of the page. These quotes are placed every five pages. I'm using those to mark how much I should write every day, and I'm posting the Quote of the Day in the title.
After much unnecessary confusion, we made it from the airport to the hotel in Lima. Unfortunately, I seem to have a losing streak with suitcase handles - my suitcase here seems to have a disconnect on one side of the button that pops up the rolling handle, so I can't roll it properly. The handle will go up, but only if I go into the bottom of my suitcase, take out all my clothes, and pop it up that way. Since I don't want to have to do that in the middle of the airport every time I have to go through security, I'm just going to make use of the 4-wheel drive on the suitcase instead.
After we got to the hotel, we saw Aunt Suze, and ate. now I'm kind of tired and I want to go to bed, so goodnight.
p.s. I'm very glad that I brought both Paksenarrion and Anansi Boys. I'm over halfway done with the latter, and I would've despised the lack of reading material.
Author's Note: if any of you are wondering what the quotes are in the title, I shall tell you. The journal I'm using (which was a gift from my former roommate), has quotes at the top of the page. These quotes are placed every five pages. I'm using those to mark how much I should write every day, and I'm posting the Quote of the Day in the title.
"Adventure is worthwhile." (Amelia Earhart) (Entry 3, day 1)
Saturday, May 25th, 2013; 2:42 local time; Panama airport
Right, the flight we just exited was extremely uneventful. The only thing that happened was that I was slightly dehydrated and eating plane food. As such, I didn't feel too brilliant for a little while, but I had some water and now I'm fine.
Once we left the plane, there was some mix-up about what time zone we were in. It all got sorted out when I pulled out my phone, but then it got messed up again. Then, it got sorted for real when we looked at a gate monitor and saw "hora local" ("local time"). In short, we have more time than my watch might suggest. My phone has sorted out its issues.
Once we got to the gate, we decided to find a bathroom, since we knew where to go for the gate. On the way back, I noticed that one of the monitors that says the departures said that flight to Lima was out of gate 20, which is not gate 33 (which is what our tickets said). After a bit of exploring, I explained this to my mother, and we went over to gate 20, which is, indeed, were we should be.
I hope we can actually depart. The weather in Panama? Rainy. It's not horribly wet, and no thunder/ lightning yet, but it's always a possibility.
Being in a Spanish-dominant country has triggered the memory of what little Spanish I recall. You estudia por tres años en cuatro años pasado. It's also triggering a bit of language confusion between Greek and Spanish (but not much because I had Spanish pounded into my head for a longer time at a more impressionable age than Greek).
I haven't taken any photos yet, because there's little that's interesting about airports. This particular one is more first-world geared, so it's the same sort of stuff you'd see in the US - even American ads, etc. (Does the US still have political influence here?)
I have also just determined that I am glad Mother made me photograph the immunization for Yellow Fever - I forgot to bring the piece of paper that says that I got it, but I have it on my phone. The photo, I mean.
Right, we'll probably be boarding sooner than the time when I can think of anything else to say. Will write tonight.
Right, the flight we just exited was extremely uneventful. The only thing that happened was that I was slightly dehydrated and eating plane food. As such, I didn't feel too brilliant for a little while, but I had some water and now I'm fine.
Once we left the plane, there was some mix-up about what time zone we were in. It all got sorted out when I pulled out my phone, but then it got messed up again. Then, it got sorted for real when we looked at a gate monitor and saw "hora local" ("local time"). In short, we have more time than my watch might suggest. My phone has sorted out its issues.
Once we got to the gate, we decided to find a bathroom, since we knew where to go for the gate. On the way back, I noticed that one of the monitors that says the departures said that flight to Lima was out of gate 20, which is not gate 33 (which is what our tickets said). After a bit of exploring, I explained this to my mother, and we went over to gate 20, which is, indeed, were we should be.
I hope we can actually depart. The weather in Panama? Rainy. It's not horribly wet, and no thunder/ lightning yet, but it's always a possibility.
Being in a Spanish-dominant country has triggered the memory of what little Spanish I recall. You estudia por tres años en cuatro años pasado. It's also triggering a bit of language confusion between Greek and Spanish (but not much because I had Spanish pounded into my head for a longer time at a more impressionable age than Greek).
I haven't taken any photos yet, because there's little that's interesting about airports. This particular one is more first-world geared, so it's the same sort of stuff you'd see in the US - even American ads, etc. (Does the US still have political influence here?)
I have also just determined that I am glad Mother made me photograph the immunization for Yellow Fever - I forgot to bring the piece of paper that says that I got it, but I have it on my phone. The photo, I mean.
Right, we'll probably be boarding sooner than the time when I can think of anything else to say. Will write tonight.
"Adventure is worthwhile." (Amelia Earhart) (Entry 2, day 1)
Saturday, May 25, 2013; 10:10 AM EST; plane to Panama
Right, so the plane hasn't actually left yet, but I'm writing anyway, because I do what I want.
Anyhoo, we got we got up at 6:30 and made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare (despite Dad's predictions that we would be horribly late. Okay, so he didn't predict THAT, exactly, but he was freaking out because we left the driveway at 7:40, not 7:30.)
Then we got through security, where I had to sign my passport (because I forgot when it was issued, since it was after Switzerland and that was the last time I actually needed to use my passport), and we made it to the gate quickly. I went to go get noms, because malaria meds need to be taken with food, and we hadn't eaten yet. I went to Dunkin Donuts and got a muffin. (Does it make me a bad person to go to a Donut shop for a muffin?) Also, for all of you RMC people who got coffee from the coffee place at the start of the year when they had Dunkin Donuts coffee - it's no the shop. Dunkin Donuts coffee is just kind of sucky.
*later*
The safety video just played. It was all the standard stuff - don't smoke, fasten your seatbelt, put on your life vest, and don't be an idiot. Also, something new: I don't think the life vests on the USA domestic flights have a little glowy thing that lights up when you inflate it.
Anyway, we're doing a layover in Panama before we're heading to Lima. We should arrive in Lima at around 7:00. There's no time change - we barely stay in the same time zone. There will probably be a change to an hour forward when we go to the Amazon. (We're going to the rainforest, too! I'm so excited!)
We're in the air now, so I'm going to peace out with the following quotes:
"we're sailing for adventure!" (Muppet Treasure Island)
"Up, up, and away, to the wild blue yonder." - Grandbud (my grandpa, a former airline pilot)
"I hafta pee." - me
Author's note: we actually lost an hour because of Daylight Saving's Time, but other than that, there was no time change.
Right, so the plane hasn't actually left yet, but I'm writing anyway, because I do what I want.
Anyhoo, we got we got up at 6:30 and made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare (despite Dad's predictions that we would be horribly late. Okay, so he didn't predict THAT, exactly, but he was freaking out because we left the driveway at 7:40, not 7:30.)
Then we got through security, where I had to sign my passport (because I forgot when it was issued, since it was after Switzerland and that was the last time I actually needed to use my passport), and we made it to the gate quickly. I went to go get noms, because malaria meds need to be taken with food, and we hadn't eaten yet. I went to Dunkin Donuts and got a muffin. (Does it make me a bad person to go to a Donut shop for a muffin?) Also, for all of you RMC people who got coffee from the coffee place at the start of the year when they had Dunkin Donuts coffee - it's no the shop. Dunkin Donuts coffee is just kind of sucky.
*later*
The safety video just played. It was all the standard stuff - don't smoke, fasten your seatbelt, put on your life vest, and don't be an idiot. Also, something new: I don't think the life vests on the USA domestic flights have a little glowy thing that lights up when you inflate it.
Anyway, we're doing a layover in Panama before we're heading to Lima. We should arrive in Lima at around 7:00. There's no time change - we barely stay in the same time zone. There will probably be a change to an hour forward when we go to the Amazon. (We're going to the rainforest, too! I'm so excited!)
We're in the air now, so I'm going to peace out with the following quotes:
"we're sailing for adventure!" (Muppet Treasure Island)
"Up, up, and away, to the wild blue yonder." - Grandbud (my grandpa, a former airline pilot)
"I hafta pee." - me
Author's note: we actually lost an hour because of Daylight Saving's Time, but other than that, there was no time change.
Friday, June 14, 2013
"Adventure is Worthwhile." (Amelia Earhart) (Entry 1, Day 0)
Friday, 24 May, 2013; 2:03 PM; The basement
Packing is one of the hardest parts of travel, I feel. I mean, I can't speak for logistics, because I haven't had to be a part of that yet, but I'm pretty sure that packing would take a close second to it.
Right now, I should be packing for Peru, but I'm not. I should have finished packing half an hour ago, but no matter. I can deal with that soon enough. I just kind of want to go forth and do stuff now - like, to Peru or Turkey, or wherever, but I can't. My mom is around now, and I can't do much off-topic. (off-topic meaning "not packing."). So I should probably do that. Actually, she wants me to email a professor about classes next semester. I don't want to do that just yet. I don't -
Never mind, I just did.
Now, to packing.
Packing is one of the hardest parts of travel, I feel. I mean, I can't speak for logistics, because I haven't had to be a part of that yet, but I'm pretty sure that packing would take a close second to it.
Right now, I should be packing for Peru, but I'm not. I should have finished packing half an hour ago, but no matter. I can deal with that soon enough. I just kind of want to go forth and do stuff now - like, to Peru or Turkey, or wherever, but I can't. My mom is around now, and I can't do much off-topic. (off-topic meaning "not packing."). So I should probably do that. Actually, she wants me to email a professor about classes next semester. I don't want to do that just yet. I don't -
Never mind, I just did.
Now, to packing.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
I'm back!
I got back from Peru last night at around 1:30. IT WAS ONE OF THE THE COOLEST THINGS I'VE EVER DONE, EVER. (and, while that normally sounds like an exaggeration, this is actually legit.) To keep up with the proper day lineup, I'll start posting the journal I wrote on Friday (I did an entry while I was supposed to be packing, even though we left on Saturday.)
I'll try to post some photos along with the entries, but I can't guarantee that - I'm having trouble finding the cord that connects my camera to my computer. I've done the initial search of where it's most likely located, so I'm now at the part where I start getting stressed out and text my former roommate and look absolutely everywhere.
But I'm not doing that quite yet. I still have time.
I'll post again on Friday.
I'll try to post some photos along with the entries, but I can't guarantee that - I'm having trouble finding the cord that connects my camera to my computer. I've done the initial search of where it's most likely located, so I'm now at the part where I start getting stressed out and text my former roommate and look absolutely everywhere.
But I'm not doing that quite yet. I still have time.
I'll post again on Friday.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Tomorrow...
I'm going off on another adventure! Huzzah!
I should be going to bed soon, because I have to wake up early, but I'm excited. (I'm not excited to wake up. I'm excited to go to Peru.)
This is partly because I'm going to be going to the Amazon as well as ancient Incan cities (I found this out today. My mother only specified 'the rainforest,' which could be any sort of lowland in South America). I'M SO EXCITED GAH.
That is all for now. I'm sorry I can't be more coherent.
I should be going to bed soon, because I have to wake up early, but I'm excited. (I'm not excited to wake up. I'm excited to go to Peru.)
This is partly because I'm going to be going to the Amazon as well as ancient Incan cities (I found this out today. My mother only specified 'the rainforest,' which could be any sort of lowland in South America). I'M SO EXCITED GAH.
That is all for now. I'm sorry I can't be more coherent.
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