Well, as I said, a recap is in order. And this is it. Before I go into real detail I want to sincerely thank everyone that contributed to making my trip possible. First, my family and friends for their unwavering support and understanding of my desire to go really far away. Second, all of the individuals that organized and led the different volunteer gigs I participated in. That means Dr. Emily Lemmon, Dr. Santiago Ron, Dr. Andrew Crawford, Kelsey Reider, Patrick Campbell, Roy Santa Cruz, Heidi van Hoof, Jefry Moncada, and Faidith Bracho Altamiranda. I also want to thank all of my many fellow volunteers for making each experience worthwhile. There are too many of you to list. Finally, thank you to the hostels, their owners, and all my fellow travelers for keeping me company on what otherwise would have been a very lonely 5 months.
BLAM! A map of the trip (below). I think it is always good to understand world geography, especially if you plan to travel, or have already done some traveling. For me, this map shows me that despite making a concerted effort to see as much of each country as possible, I still missed many places. A return to South America is unavoidable, and I hope to fill in some of those gaps, as well as the other countries. Anyway, I like making maps and looking at them. I hope you do too.
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| In case you did not already know, I started in Lima and finished in Bogotá |
Okay, now that I have that done I think I figured out a good way to wrap things up: some top 5 lists. To start it off, here is my list of top 5 pleasant surprises:
1. Capurganá - The pristine beaches, jungle, etc. and supreme solitude here were unmatched. Guide books hardly mention it, and if it stays that way this place will continue to be perfect.
2. Bogotá - Way more fun than dangerous. Our perception of Colombia as a whole is mostly wrong.
3. Machu Picchu - It lived up to what I thought would be over-hype. I went in expecting to be disappointed by the real thing. I was not.
4. Glass Frogs - They somehow managed to be a hundred times cooler than I could have ever imagined an animal being.
5. The People - Seriously, the people of all three countries are so friendly and interesting. The diversity of cultures I saw was amazing. I believe we have a lot to learn from their approach to daily life. I could say so much more here.
2. Bogotá - Way more fun than dangerous. Our perception of Colombia as a whole is mostly wrong.
3. Machu Picchu - It lived up to what I thought would be over-hype. I went in expecting to be disappointed by the real thing. I was not.
4. Glass Frogs - They somehow managed to be a hundred times cooler than I could have ever imagined an animal being.
5. The People - Seriously, the people of all three countries are so friendly and interesting. The diversity of cultures I saw was amazing. I believe we have a lot to learn from their approach to daily life. I could say so much more here.
My favorite, the top 5 foods:
1. Cronuts - These are not South American, but Cusco has them and they make me very happy.
2. Sweet Arepas - A semi-sweet version of a thick tortilla-like Colombian mainstay. All arepas are good, but I consumed the sweet ones like an addict in Bogotá.
3. Fried Plantains - After so many years of banana-hating these made me decide I like bananas and all their relatives. So good!
4. Tuna (Prickly Pear Cactus fruit, not fish) - Cheap, colorful, full of hard seeds, and a great snack in a dry place. They may have affected my digestion negatively... Whatever, they are delicious.
5. Anything with Maracuyá (Passion Fruit) - Natural juices, donut fillings, alpaca steak sauce, whatever you encounter that features some form of this fruit deserves a try!
1. Cronuts - These are not South American, but Cusco has them and they make me very happy.
2. Sweet Arepas - A semi-sweet version of a thick tortilla-like Colombian mainstay. All arepas are good, but I consumed the sweet ones like an addict in Bogotá.
3. Fried Plantains - After so many years of banana-hating these made me decide I like bananas and all their relatives. So good!
4. Tuna (Prickly Pear Cactus fruit, not fish) - Cheap, colorful, full of hard seeds, and a great snack in a dry place. They may have affected my digestion negatively... Whatever, they are delicious.
5. Anything with Maracuyá (Passion Fruit) - Natural juices, donut fillings, alpaca steak sauce, whatever you encounter that features some form of this fruit deserves a try!
And yes, my top 7 animals, because 5 was not enough:
1. Vizcacha - Rock monkeys, monk rockies, chinchillas, whatever you want to call them. I think of them as high elevation rabbit-squirrels.
2. All Glass Frogs - Their massive eyes, the transparent underside... They might be aliens.
3. Bushmaster - The longest viper species in the world, known as "shushupe" by many. This thing was absolutely ridiculous beyond description, and a lucky thing for me to see.
4. Toucans - You think you have seen one after watching a Froot Loops commercial. Turns out they are tough to find, and infinitely more impressive in the wild. I had to put a bird on this list.
5. Vicuña - These relatives of the llama and alpaca just glide across the most perilous cliff faces and make funny noises to top it off.
1. Vizcacha - Rock monkeys, monk rockies, chinchillas, whatever you want to call them. I think of them as high elevation rabbit-squirrels.
2. All Glass Frogs - Their massive eyes, the transparent underside... They might be aliens.
3. Bushmaster - The longest viper species in the world, known as "shushupe" by many. This thing was absolutely ridiculous beyond description, and a lucky thing for me to see.
4. Toucans - You think you have seen one after watching a Froot Loops commercial. Turns out they are tough to find, and infinitely more impressive in the wild. I had to put a bird on this list.
5. Vicuña - These relatives of the llama and alpaca just glide across the most perilous cliff faces and make funny noises to top it off.
6. Basilisks - Seeing lizards sprint across water was cool, and very deserving of an extra spot on my favorite animals list.
7. Monkeys - This trip was my first time seeing wild primates. From capuchins to howlers to spider monkeys, all were so clever and fun to watch high up in the trees.
Of course the animal list had 7 instead of 5. We all saw that one coming. To complete the top 5 lists, here are my top 5 tips for people interested in doing a similar trip in South America or elsewhere:
1. Make friends at hostels - The people you meet make your trip. This is especially important if you travel alone as I did. If an introvert like me can do this then so can you!
2. Be adventurous - Being in another country is all about seeing it for what it really is. Do things that are interesting and off the beaten path as much as you can. Gift shops and tours have their place, but finding the true essence of a place means breaking free of them. The times that I did this are my fondest memories.
3. Volunteer - Volunteer work was what brought me to South America in the first place. There are so many avenues you can take to get involved in something meaningful. The best part was that it kept me in one place long enough to really get to know where I was and who I was with.
4. EAT - Yes, you can save some money by cooking for yourself instead of going out to eat. But sometimes you must sacrifice a little cash and eat the food at the marketplace or the local restaurant. Food was a remarkably enjoyable aspect of my trip. I recommend trying everything at least once, maybe twice.
5. Learn the language - I am guilty of not studying Spanish enough during my trip. Sometimes I felt too busy to put time into it. I regret this, so learn from my mistake. The better you can communicate with locals the better your understanding of the community will be. Practice on your own time and then apply what you are learning with native speakers. Being in another country is your best chance for improving your foreign language skills!
So there you have it; some surprises, foods, animals, and advice. I hope those of you that have followed this blog have enjoyed reading what I had to say. I have had a great time writing. This blog provided me a place to share my experiences with many people without having to send tons of separate emails. That was nice. Additionally, my perfectionism forced me to put in a lot of time and thought into my writing, which I think was a valuable mental exercise. I am thankful to everyone that has read this blog, looked at the pictures, or given me feedback. For people that did not read my blog or were turned off by it, I completely understand and do not hold it against you. Sometimes I felt a little weird for talking about myself so damn much. I may or may not do a blog like this again in the future. Only time will tell. I can say for certain that the travel bug has caught on, and I have a feeling it will be a lifelong affliction! For now I am back in northern California, with a cell phone, constant internet, good beer, and warm showers once more. The readjustment is underway. Thanks again for reading!
Of course the animal list had 7 instead of 5. We all saw that one coming. To complete the top 5 lists, here are my top 5 tips for people interested in doing a similar trip in South America or elsewhere:
1. Make friends at hostels - The people you meet make your trip. This is especially important if you travel alone as I did. If an introvert like me can do this then so can you!
2. Be adventurous - Being in another country is all about seeing it for what it really is. Do things that are interesting and off the beaten path as much as you can. Gift shops and tours have their place, but finding the true essence of a place means breaking free of them. The times that I did this are my fondest memories.
3. Volunteer - Volunteer work was what brought me to South America in the first place. There are so many avenues you can take to get involved in something meaningful. The best part was that it kept me in one place long enough to really get to know where I was and who I was with.
4. EAT - Yes, you can save some money by cooking for yourself instead of going out to eat. But sometimes you must sacrifice a little cash and eat the food at the marketplace or the local restaurant. Food was a remarkably enjoyable aspect of my trip. I recommend trying everything at least once, maybe twice.
5. Learn the language - I am guilty of not studying Spanish enough during my trip. Sometimes I felt too busy to put time into it. I regret this, so learn from my mistake. The better you can communicate with locals the better your understanding of the community will be. Practice on your own time and then apply what you are learning with native speakers. Being in another country is your best chance for improving your foreign language skills!
So there you have it; some surprises, foods, animals, and advice. I hope those of you that have followed this blog have enjoyed reading what I had to say. I have had a great time writing. This blog provided me a place to share my experiences with many people without having to send tons of separate emails. That was nice. Additionally, my perfectionism forced me to put in a lot of time and thought into my writing, which I think was a valuable mental exercise. I am thankful to everyone that has read this blog, looked at the pictures, or given me feedback. For people that did not read my blog or were turned off by it, I completely understand and do not hold it against you. Sometimes I felt a little weird for talking about myself so damn much. I may or may not do a blog like this again in the future. Only time will tell. I can say for certain that the travel bug has caught on, and I have a feeling it will be a lifelong affliction! For now I am back in northern California, with a cell phone, constant internet, good beer, and warm showers once more. The readjustment is underway. Thanks again for reading!
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| Guinea Pigs, or cuy in Spanish |
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