After spending four months travelling by myself I had a 3 week G Adventure tour planned, this was going to be really different for me because of the fact that I had been planning and organising things just as I liked them for so long that being part of a group again was going to be an effort. I considered it a break from planning and preparing for unknown situations in new surroundings and went with it.
Lima
Day one I arrived nervous of who would be on this tour with me for three weeks, I was very early so I could not get my room but the wifi was good in the lobby so I got to upload photos and speak to my mum about how my sister and day old nephew was doing.
I wandered around the city and found some lunch and headed back to get my room and sort my self out for the three weeks ahead. The meeting in the evening was informal, everyone was shy naturally but we introduced ourselves and found out a little more about the trip…our guide was Ruben and the group was:
Mary (Ireland)
Shoko (Japan)
Marlin and Hendrick (Norway)
Lisa and (Austria)
Rebecca and Fraiser (UK)
Paracas
We travelled by day to paracas by bus, the transfers were organised, we sat in the VIP in the bus station while the guide got our tickets…it was all very relaxing. One night stop over in this beach town very much focused on as an excursion hub for the Ballestas islands and trips to Pisco factory’s which is exactly what we did the following day.
On the way to nazca we stopped at an Oasis which really was a natural oasis around which a little town had developed the dunes that surrounded it were over whelming and a little unbelievable perfect mountains of sand.
Nazca
We got to our Nazca hotel in the evening, there was nothing really going on for the town aside from the fact it was a perfect jump off for the nasca lines.
There was nothing that could prepare me for the light aircraft experience that went hand in hand with viewing these historical wonders….let’s just say don’t eat anything for a good couple of hours before getting on board.
Arequipa
The town is Spanish classic layout quite regal with a convent the size of a small town that used to be the default destination for the second born girl of a 16th century Peruvian family. Spending two nights here we had the time to explore for a full day getting into the hang of the town and the friendly people.
Colca Canyon
So, a daytime bus ride and a super energetic new guide promising us Condor sightings, hot springs and the Colca canyon and I was exhausted with all the information we were being given by the time we arrived
Puno
A small town that mainly serves the tourists heading to Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Cuzco
Sacred valley and the Inca trail
After viewing some curiously well preserved mummified Incas we took a long bus ride to a small hill side settlement where the women were making llama wool and showed us the techniques for dying wool which date back hundreds of years in the Inca culture. More time in our mini van and we come to a small town from where we are to stay for a night before heading off to the 3 night 3 Day trek. The longest trek I had ever done, my first time camping – yes I had chosen the Inca trail as my introduction to camping!
Day 1
We wake early prep our selves with a good breakfast and set off – this is a well beaten track however we were foiled at the first hurdle with the bus getting stuck on the narrow narrow gravel road that all the buses take to get to the start.
We get past after about an hours delay – there is a holding area where you are introduced to the support team for your group; less introduced more thrown together while you watch them preparing to hoist your stuff up this epic mountain on your behalf – I suddenly realised I had the easy job here. Get myself from A -> B light day pack on back at a reasonable speed enjoying the view.
We handed over our tickets and started walking…
Day 2
Amazon jungle
One of my dreams has been to go to the Amazon jungle since the age of 13 and learning about it being the “lungs of the world”, I have always considered it special, fascinating and just a tad scary if I’m honest. The latter not being enough to keep me away – I was looking forward to this part of the tour.
Arriving at the wooden lodge from the river it was every bit as close to nature and rustic as you might imagine, the boat was functional but completely open sided so any water spray came in while we felt every ripple and wave of the river. This made for a bumpy and invigorating ride with the right proximity to the mode of transport for people of the Amazon. They did not need a tube.
Wooden lodges; they were comfortable and and spacious and slap bang in the mix of the forest, the sound of the tree rats was the prevailing background soundtrack. Along with all the other creatures that chimed into the continuous chorus of the Jungle.
The few days spent here were special, I was braver than I knew, more inquisitive than I give myself credit for – I went on the excursions I searched and found the tarantula and I will never forget these days.