Final day: Laguna Humantay

I have now managed to do almost everything I had set out to do in Peru. Unfortunately, there were still two remaining sites that I wanted to visit: (1) The Rainbow Mountains, or (2) Laguna Humantay. Unfortunately I only had one day remaining, and both attractions required a full day or driving and hiking so one would miss out. I eventually decided to go with option b, purely because I love water, or at least like the idea of looking at water.

Today was another early start. One of the few benefits of being jetlagged; not struggling with the alarm clock in the middle of the night. 5 am pick up from outside the tour company, near the main square. We start the drive out, it's a bumpy ride, the road is barely a road and we pass cyclists, donkeys and hikers along the dusty trail. So bumpy. Most people are sleeping or trying to sleep. I feel queasy from all the rocking and frequent jerking of the body. After a quick breakfast stop we reach our final destination at 10 am. My head is rattled, I feel hungover and slightly disorientated from the ride from Cusco. Man, that was bumpy!

There's 10-15 people in our Tour Group. Despite making the booking in English I have somehow managed to join a Spanish Tour Group, the instructor rifts off some Spanish. I assume he's explaining what to expect with the day's activities - The hike is absolutely gorgeous, sheer cliff faces, snow-capped mountains in the backdrop, llamas, donkeys trotting along the pass. I talk to some of the other people in the tour group, there's a couple from New York, another couple from Brazil and a family from Argentina.

The altitude makes walking and breathing difficult. Each step feels like an task and an achievement at the same time. Horses assist tired patrons up the pass. Aside for the odd couple holding hands, it is very much a solitary climb. Despite being surrounded by hundreds of tourists, each person is climbing this alone and it's not uncommon to see people stop along the way, catching breaths, drinking water and admiring the view. My climb to the top is supplemented with a wooden walking pole, podcasts and Spotify lists (specifically the new Kanye West and Pusha T). Two hours later, heavy legs and worked over lungs I reach the crescent. The crescent opens up to a drop that reveals a huge glacier hugged by two peaks, sitting on top of a huge lake. Laguna Humantay in all its glory - Absolutely breath taking (both figuratively, and literally).

  

Our tour group performs Pachamama, and we start the descent down. It's significantly easier going down. Everybody is covered in dust and we stop off for a late lunch. He jokes that we are eating Condor, but it tastes suspiciously like chicken. The ride back is long and we arrive back into Cusco at 7 pm. I look forward to having a hot shower and tucking into one last meal. My last night in Cusco. One last time walking around the main Plaza, upon recommendation I try my first Chifa meal; it's the first time I've found the food disappointing.

It has been 7 days since I've shaved, for most people that would warrant a fully-fledged beard, for me that means, a bit of fluff and some whiskers. It means I look like a Chinese Car salesman (the irony is, my dad was a car salesman albeit for a month). I stumble into a small local barbershop. The lady looks at my facial hair skeptically and agrees to purge the embarrassment off my face for 10 soles. In no other country would I pay somebody to give me a hot shave.

Each time I walk into Plaza de Armas, I'm momentarily taken aback. Each time I want to pull out my camera and try to capture the setting. And each time I just smile and take it in. I will never get sick of that view. What a magical, enchanting city. I already want to return.

Currently Reading: "Musashi"

Day 5: Moray/Maras

There is a certain peace and calm about traveling by yourself - Everything feels smooth and seamless, there's no agitation and things just happen, or they don't happen. Maybe I'll go for a wander, or maybe I'll sit on my bed and watch the world cup, or read, or take a nap. There's a sense of freedom and comfort knowing that you have space to do whatever you feel like. First night at the new accommodation, it's a hostel on the San Blas neighborhood. It's bare bones. The water from the shower lacks heat and pressure, there aren't enough power outlets, you can hear people walking upstairs, the breakfast is average, but there's a heater, the bed is firm and the room is comfortable.

I'm still coming to terms with yesterday's experience. I'm physically and mentally exhausted, but I'm not sleepy. I survived: No heart complications. No epiphany moment. I feel reset, re-purposed, without feeling driven. Still, I try to dissect and analyse the events that took place; what is my take away?

Today was the day I had set aside for errands and bucket list items. Clear work emails, find a laundromat, buy some souvenirs, withdraw some Peruvian Soles, acquire the services of a private driver and finally, decide what to do on my final day in Peru.

I message Machu Peru Travel, the team who had assisted with my Machu Picchu tour and they were kind enough to arrange a private driver for the day, for 140 Soles. Edgar arrived at the hostel at 10 am and 90 minutes later we were at the Moray Agricultural Terraces. 70 Soles for entry and 50 minutes walking around I was ready for lunch. I had a lunch reservation so Mil Centro which I had been looking forward to all trip. The 7 'moment' tasting menu was delightful. There is a section in the restaurant detailing all the ingredients and the local Andean produce. 625 Soles (200 USD) a real treat of a place. It's times like that I wish I were traveling with somebody else. I also had my first alcoholic drink on the trip at 3500 metres above sea level. Suffice to say, alcohol at altitude is something else.

Edgar was waiting for me in the car park - I had just spent 90 minutes having an exquisite lunch while he sat in the car with the windows rolled down waiting for me. The moment of guilt passed, as he stuck his head up and we were soon off to the next destination: Salinas de Maras

Final stop of the day was Chincero before returning to the hostel just before 7.

Dinner at Chicha, now that I'm no longer following any diet I tuck into some Peruvian specialties: Guinea Pig, Lomo Saltado and Pisco Sours. What an excellent day!

Day 3: Non-stop Puckering

Admittedly, the pre-ceremony diet has not been too much of a shock to the system. No red-meat, no pork, no fermented foods, no coffee, no chocolate.

9:20 am - I get a call from hotel front desk, "Hello Derek, there's somebody here to see you". I leave the warmth of my room and walk to the hotel reception. A young short man is standing in the reception. He looks like a thug, or like Andean muscle. He's holding a big plastic container. He smiles, "Derek?". The receptionist takes his ID and he follows me to my room. The World Cup is playing, Round of 16: Mexico vs Brazil.

He unscrews the plastic container and begins to fill up a plastic cup. "You have to drink 8 glasses of this water". I look at the cup, it's filled with murky gray water, I drink it down in one gulp, it's lightly salted; does not taste too bad. So begins the volcanic water cleanse. He pours another cup and places it on the table. I drink the second cup. We sit at the edge of the bed watching the football. I drink a third cup. My stomach is pretty full. He pours another cup and drink it down in two gulps. My stomach is bloated and I feel my body temperature start to drop, I pull on a fleece. He tells me to take my time we watch the game.

I force down part of the fifth cup, it's starting to get a little uncomfortable. My stomach beings to protest, I run into the bathroom and the evacuation begins. I re-emerge from the bathroom, he's still sitting there, a cursory smile and a glance back at the football, "You OK?". I put down the remainder of the fifth cup. I feel so cold, I turn the heater up. The next 20 minutes are essentially me running to the bathroom, and me emerging sheepishly from the bathroom, then me running back to the bathroom. This is awful.

I'm distressed, my body is expelling everything from the system. He doesn't seem too concerned. His eyes shifting between me and the TV. We casually talk about shitting and football. His English is limited, as is my Spanish. I eventually finish the sixth glass, I can't drink anymore. The second half has commenced and Brazil are up 1-0.  I run back into the bathroom, at this point, it's no longer solid. Liquid passing through me. I come out of the bathroom, defeated.

"OK, what colour is it?" he asks. "Clear. The same colour as the water going in" I reply. "Ok, that's enough. Wait one hour, then you can drink and eat, make sure you eat a lot, you need a lot of energy tomorrow". He packs up the equipment and I walk him out. I crawl back into bed. I feel my ass pucker. I run to the bathroom. This continues like a series on repeat. The World Cup continues in the background. Brazil are through to the Quarter Finals. I take a nap. Each time I feel a movement my ass puckers and my system goes into critical alert mode. An hour later, my stomach seems to have calmed down. What a stressful ordeal!

Lunch is a huge salad and a big smoothie. I walk around Plaza De Armas and find a walking tour for 30 Soles. Nico, the tour guide has two university degrees and is a professor and part time tour guide. He takes us through the Cusco Cathedral, Convent of Santa Domingo and Sacsayhuamán; loving this Cusco and the Peruvian countryside.

The evening consisted of the most relaxing two hour yin and meditation class, followed by a big dinner at Limo; Quinoa and Ceviche - This cuisine is out of this world!

Day 2: Machu Picchu

Wide awake at 3 am, not sure if this is jet lag or a function of going to bed at 7 pm. I lay in bed and read for an hour. I eventually pull myself out of bed, pack my bag, do some push ups, meditate, shower and eventually head up to the breakfast area. There's a handful of hotel patrons plodding about, still half asleep drinking coco-leave tea and fueling up on fruit. It comes to my attention that these people look very prepared: Wet weather trousers, hiking shoes, down jackets, sports sunglasses, Camelbaks and hiking poles. I look down at what I'm wearing: chinos, a t-shirt and sneakers. I wonder if we're doing the same thing?

At 5:20 am I'm greeted by my tour guide, Mario; he's also rugged up. We leave the hotel and join a 200 metre long queue. "The first bus up to Machu Picchu starts at 5:30. People start lining up at 4 am". We wait around 30 minutes for the bus. It's a 25 minute cliff-hugging, winding bus ride up the Hiram Bingham Highway.

We arrive in time for Sunrise and it's absolutely breathing taking. Up until now I have been reading about Machu Picchu and now I'm finally seeing everything! Mario, very knowledgeable about the Andean/Inca civilisation and a wizard with the photographs. We part ways at 10 am and I make my own way up to the Guard House and up to the Sun Gate. Spectacular. Machu Picchu, check.

I grab lunch back in the main town and catch the remainder of the Russia/Spain World Cup game. My train is at 3 pm to Poroy, Cusco. I check into the hotel in Cusco; I can already feel the altitude and the temperature change.

Currently reading: "Turn right at Machu Picchu"

First Stop: Aguas Calientes

"You're crazy, you will be flying for two days, just to spend a week in Peru" - was the reaction from most people after I told them I had decided to go to Peru for a week. For the record, it would be five days of annual leave, three days of flying/transiting, six days in Peru and 36 hours in Los Angeles. I couldn't think of a better way to spend ten days away from work.

Friday 29th - 12:55 pm: I board the flight in Hong Kong and start the 14 hour leg to LAX. Here. We. Go.

Friday 29th - 10:50 am: Arrive in LA, I didn't really sleep on the flight. Mental note, do not order the Oriental Vegetarian meal again. I check the clock, it's currently 4:50 am in Hong Kong, I've been awake for 21 hours. Is my timezone math even correct? I retrieve my luggage, grab a burrito and wait for my flight to Lima.

Friday 29th - 14:00 pm: I have been awake for 24 hours, I board the LATAM flight in LAX and start the 8 hour and 30 min flight to Lima. Drats. Middle seat, I finally dooze off.

Saturday 30th - 00:45 am: Arrive in Lima, retrieve my luggage and check into the connecting flight, charge my phone, waiting for the last leg.

Saturday 30th - 05:00 am: Board the flight to Cusco

Saturday 30th - 06:10 am: Cusco. I can't believe I'm here.

Touchdown! I retrieve my luggage (for the last time) and find myself exiting the arrival area only to be met by a sea of tour operators waving signs in my face.I scan the ocean of signs looking for my name. "Derek?" I see a Peruvian lady motion towards me. I wonder how she knows that it's me. Oh right, I'm the only Asian guy in the arrivals area.

We hop into a car and she gives me a run down of the next 48 hours. She leaves me with the driver and I start my adventure from Cusco, through to Urubamba, finally at Ollantaytambo. There's a lot of awkward Spanish/English conversation. Immediately I'm floored by the beauty of the country side, as we stop along the way for the odd commentary and photo opportunity. The driver bids farewell and I wait for the train to Aquas Calientes. Not being able to communicate with the driver makes you feel, this big. Next time I do this, I need to make sure I take a one month crash course in Spanish.

I think I've been sitting down for too long - my lower back hurts. Actually, now that I think about it, in the last 48 hours I've probably been sitting down for at least 45 of those hours. Meanwhile, the train ride is absolutely stunning, snow capped peaks, lush greenery, I am really growing found of trains. Choo Choo!

Saturday 30th - 5 pm: First destination. Aguas Calientes, I have an early dinner followed by a much needed massage.

Saturday 30th - 7 pm: I sleep. My hotel room has a Jacuzzi.

Pre-ceremony Prep

If you take pills, recreational drugs, or medications (including asthma inhalers or other non-oral medications) of any kind, please stop taking them at least 3 days before your Ayahuasca retreat starts. If you are on prescription medication (including over the counter medications like allergy pills, cold medication, pain relievers or fever reducers), anti-altitude sickness pills, or herbal supplements please advise us immediately of the names and doses so that we can determine if they are required to be stopped more than 3 days in advance. More details you can find in the dietary information sheet.

In addition to the different ceremonies we also provide a complementary medical volcanic water cleanse (detox), the day before your retreat starts, at your Cusco hostel/hotel normally in the morning at around 9:30 am. and you will be fasting from all food and liquids other than water and herbal teas until after your cleanse has completed. You may drink herbal teas and water up to the time of your cleanse to help with any hunger pangs but try not to drink too much as performing the cleanse on a stomach full of liquid can be uncomfortable and could lengthen the amount of time required for your cleanse.

The volcanic water is special from the local region of Cusco, and is sourced from volcanoes in the Andes. Aside from the health benefits renowned in the region, this cleanse has proven to be very effective for flushing out additional toxins prior to the ceremony. This in turn reduces the amount of usual purging required during an Ayahuasca ceremony, therefore giving everyone a more connected, focused ceremony.

- Healing Tree

Semester 2: Done

I have taken a different view to school this semester. I am less obsessed with trying to get excellent grades (sure that's always a bonus), but the stress and the extra amount of work is not conducive to work, school, life balance. Whenever I tell people I have post graduate exams, there almost always seems to be two responses, "Why are you doing that?" and "Do marks even matter in a Master's?". 

Both valid questions, but it's the second question that has allowed me to approach this semester with a different mindset. I'm here to learn, not to be a straight A student. This simple phrase has allowed me to be less fastidious with study and better with time management (although my final grades will be interesting). There's a sense of relief after the final exam, and suddenly, my calendar opens up. Going from having no spare time, to all the time in the world is an adjustment I still haven't gotten used to. Summer break.

Currently Reading: "The Subtle Knife"