A Wednesday Afternoon

Today, I left school early, walking to my bus at a faster rate than normal. Obviously walking to the bus stop faster does not mean that there will be a bus, or that one will arrive faster than usual. If anything, waiting time increases and you wonder if you had just missed one, or surely there must be one .....now? So I wait, and wait, checking the time, thinking it might rain, what have I forgotten, when a lady in her late forties wanders up to me. Well staggering would be a better description. She then touches my shoulders and kisses my check...yes these moments do happen to me. At first I thought oh no, but then inside something told me to just love her anyway. It was at that moment that I realise she was very very deaf, and had no speech at all. She signed various comments that i somehow managed to decipher thank you to Makaton signing during my supply moments. We also managed to have a conversation, I asked her where she was going, not sure what she actually replied, but I think home. She then thanked me for speaking to her, telling me that no one beautiful speaks to her.....It was at that moment that my heart broke, and every ounce of me fought to keep the tears back, despite my eyes welling over. I gave her a hug, and for a moment, the others at the bus must have thought....LOONY! I held her longer than I guess would be redeemed appropriate, but I could not let go. I watched her stagger down the street alone, with not much coordination or balance, and I thanked God for her sight. How sad to feel that you are not wanted, to feel that no one will want to look at you, to speak to you. How have become such a generation that allow people to think that is justified? So Wednesday became different, and somehow I am too.

What have I learnt!

Since being away I have learnt many things....but have noticed a rather alarming trend amongst the following...

1. have learnt how to use and credit my skype account
2. have begun to understand google mail and all it's features
3. Have learnt how to use a blog account
4. Have learnt how to upload photos
5. Have learnt how to use digital camera
6. And now have learnt how to use facebook...well almost

Am sure there are many more that run on this theme....wonder if it will look good on my c.v? Or sound good when asked in an interview...."What have you been doing over the last six months?" ... I wonder

Shopping in Singapore

Two big whims....

1. How am I supposed to save money when there are so many things to buy, buy, buy

and

2. How am I meant to lose lots of weight before returning home when the food is so good and so cheap!

Despite the two above mentioned complaints, I love it here. There is so much to do, see, and experience. Best of all I just get to barter till my heart is content, without much effort at all. Everything just tastes so nice, and I keep reminding myself that for now I should consider it a privilege as I am sure my diet back in London will consist of ....oats, popcorn and noodles! From Morrison's, or other similar priced supermarket.
I didn't expect to enjoy it as much here, and now am craving to find out more about it all. The buildings are just amazing...and did you know from east to west it is only 42km (about) crazy hey. Shopping malls everywhere, huge, wide, high shopping malls, with gardens, little rivers to cool off in and lots of shops, obviously. Everything is so clean and tidy and all precise. Have learnt alot about feng shui, and have realised why my life is such a disaster at times! Learnt about corners, structure, and always have two flowers in a vase....never one! And, for all the boys out there.....always close the toilet lid!
Have also managed to walk clockwise round worlds biggest fountain three times, clockwise...for all my wishes to come true!

A Normal Dorm Night

Thought I would write down the happenings of a good night in a dorm.....

• 11 pm Go to sleep
• 12:00 am Room mate walks in drunk, switches on light, looks in his bag and passes out on his bed. I get up and switch off light
• 2:30 am Next room mate comes in, drunk as well, opens blinds, closes window. Then opens blinds again, opens window. Unpacks backpack and then packs backpack. Finally goes to sleep, remembers to switch light off.
• 3 am Two American girls come home, yes, drunk, decide to make massive cheese sandwiches, wake up a couple of people, and I hear them being asked to be quiet, which causes a fit of giggles!
• 3:30 am Can't sleep now, am wide awake, take my duvet upstairs to big sofa with book and read
• 4:30 am Starting to feel sleepy and as I begin to drift off on comfie sofa, guy comes home and gets very very ill in toilet. Sounds are unbelievable. Few people wake up to see what is going on.
• 5 am Go back to my room to try and sleep
• 6 am My alarm goes off, time to get ready for a day of diving and swimming!

This is a good night! I can feel a need for sleeping tablets arising! Hostel though is lovely, one of the best so far in the land of Oz!

Wild life in the Rainforest

I finally made it to the rain forest, where it really does rain alot, especially in the early hours of the morning. Am living in a tent, and totally loving it! I have a mattress, sheets, and a light. What more could I ask for. There is nothing better than being inside when it pours down with rain. Or waking up in a hot hot tent, opening a window and feeling the cool air flow in and brush over you. Feel like I have finally found a home...yes it is a tent, despite the many criticisms and disagreeing looks I get, that a tent could never be home....but home it is, for a few days, when I return to backpackers sharing room delight!

Went to a natural national park today with Kangaroos, Koalas, Crocodiles and many many birds. Got to hold a Koala, slightly smelly, and heavy but so cute, felt like taking him home. Fed a few Kangaroos and their babes. Some were bigger than me! Really like the Curwley bird? Not sure about spelling. They stay together with their chick, until they have another chick and then.....they push the older one away, and he has to fend for himself. So yes have learnt a few interesting facts about birds. The Kookaburra was the first bird to learn how to eat a King Cane Toad and not be poisoned.....the facts are endless. Had some breakfast with parrots, magpie geese, and a variety of other birds, very entertaining. They sat on my shoulders, tried to nibble my food, and one even had some champagne. Obviously I still drank from the same cup, as not to waste...Named one Gus, short for Guts, as he attack any food or item he could. He even managed to take a pearl earring from someones ear! As I walked around, birds flew just a few centimeters above my head, and one seemed intent on aiming towards it. A saying of my dads floated into my head, being...."I think your bird needs some water" Where he would lick his finger and touch my forehead, symbolising my brain. This saying would usually come when I had a crazy idea, or just a very silly one. I thought how much my dad would love to be here, to decide which coloured bird was the perfect resemblance of my brain!

Today has really been one of my favourite days in Australia, the wildlife is amazing, I loved playing with the baby joeys and wallabies, watching them slowly creep onto my lap, positioning them self for a bit of food! The birds are just out of this world....Huge, colourful, and squawker loud. I am beginning to fear I might turn into a bird watcher!

What else could I do!

Well it is still pouring with rain! So what else is there to do but shop! Which really is not a good thing.... for me or my bank account. It is amazing how one can feel so overjoyed and on such a natural high with a little plastic bag hanging from ones hand! I have bought the prettiest dress ever, and can't wait to wear it. I even have shoes to match, the only problem, them being in a box in London......Will have to have a welcome home party now, any excuse to wear it. Did think it was the perfect dress for a wedding, engagement etc. But then realised that everyone I know is already that! But still love my dress and it has put me on a wonderful high. All I have to do is look in bag that is sitting beside me and get a warm glowing feeling all over me! Why girls enjoy shopping so much, and why there is so much joy in a newly bought item I will never know. But I love the feeling. So shop away, it really does solve any problem, if only for a while!

We do not remember days.....we remember moments

New Saying..

Sometimes you just have to get out from under your umbrella and get a little wet to get somewhere....

Castaway Cairns

Cairns is boiling, and by this I mean hot and sticky, hot and sticky. The fan goes all night, and I have the usual fear that it will fall off and on top of me! Have spent the first few days walking around and swimming in their big pool that is known as the Lagoon, trust me, it is just a big pool. The word Lagoon tends to create visual images that far match the reality. Would take photo, but still need to get a camera. Today it is just pouring down with rain, and even though I have been assured it will all stop, I doubt it very much. A day in the rain forests with pouring rain....not to sure about that one. I feel like I need to be doing something, and get a bit bored chatting to odd people and then not chatting. Why can't I just bring South America here! There is definitely a different type of traveller in Australia, than in other parts. I am not sure what the difference is yet, but should work it out soon. I am looking forward to going home, but then I realise that I really am not to sure where that is either, but should work that out too. Just to leave your toothbrush in one place, imagine! Our hostel is rather small, which is nice for a change. We get free meal vouchers and then go to a shed place, called appropriately the Woodshed....(which is made of tin not wood) hand in our voucher, get a ticket and then stand in front of a hatchet waiting for a plate of food. It does kind of remind you of a homeless situation, but then we are all homeless in some sense of the word. Move on to Port Douglas, with devine beaches, can't wait! If I am Castaway in Cairns...then what could I be in Port Douglas? Will sort that one out too!

Discovering Sydney

Have been catching trains, walking the steps of the Opera house, and even managed a ferry to the other side. Transport seems quite chilled and easy here. Still miss hearing destinations being shouted out, or being pushed onto a random bus by total stranger. City is cool, bit big and concrete for me, but cool. Julie and I went to Manly Beach, Palm Beach (Home and Away Beach) and Narrobeen. So lovely, big seas, big sands, and gorgeous sun! We made a few little stops in Castle Hill, and Windsor, very cute little shops, and I have had the strongest will power ever, that I did not know I possessed, not to buy, buy, buy! (Instead am saving for a new camera after careless loss) I have been so lucky with the weather, it really has been great, sunny and bright. Tomorrow it turns into winter, but then Cairns is waiting with a perfect 29 degrees, can't wait!

England in Sydney

Catching the train from the airport brought back so many memories of London, hearing places that are named the same, and seeing everyone dressed up in suits and high heels. Gosh why am I here. Trains departing to Liverpool, Hyde Park, Regents Park, Red hill......and the list goes on. Do like the double decker trains....so cool and spacey. It all looks slightly grey, and serious....definitely serious.

Beach Boredom!

Anything you can do I can do better,

I can jump higher than you!

Snotty Goodbyes

Why do we cry whenever we say goodbye!

By this I mean pouring snot into someones shoulder and then sobbing uncontrollable through that silly x-ray machine...no wonder they check your bags twice.

Family Surprise.

Well I have family in New Zealand as well! All gets a bit mad trying to keep track of everyone, and I know I am more than guilty. Met a cousin with three kids yesterday, and it really was lovely. They were all lovely. It always is a bit daunting meeting family, but I am so glad I did! I even felt sad saying goodbye. What is more amazing is that I seem to be finding more and more people I know or should know all over the world, I love that, I love that there is someone somewhere, and sometimes it is just the best surprise ever! I will hopefully put a photo of them here, but my computer skills tend to disappear on me now and again, and right now am having one of those moments!

I leave in two days, and already I am getting nerves in my tummy, just thinking of saying goodbye to Wends and this Divine place that has me now speaking in "sweet as" phrases. Also knowing that London is round the corner and all that that holds. Like, what will I do, where will I live, will I live, will I work....oh my goodness, it really is not worth thinking about when there are so many sunsets, sunrises and beaches to discover! (And steak pies to eat...that are so so so bad .....hopefully I won't look too much like a pie by the time I return!)

Rugby verses cats!

Now we all know that New Zealand Rugby players are quite big, but

have you seen the cats!

New Zealand

Only a few days left here, and I am totally in love with this place, which I suppose is normal. Have been swimming in freezing water, soaking in thermal baths and walking up many waterfalls, and not falling in. Am in Taupo at the moment, and everyone is thinking about sky diving..... Have been around the whole north island, and tomorrow am hopping on a bus back to Auckland.

New Zealand is the perfect family stop, calm beaches, easy roads, big big houses, with cute post boxes. I won't bore readers with a day by day run down. All I can say it is amazing, and if anyone is thinking of going they should! I have been so lucky with the weather, and am really starting to believe that my sun gifting is a real gift! Last week this whole area was horrible and rainy and cold. All we have had is sun, sun and more sun. Have met lots of really sweet people, and am beginning to hear myself think in a New Zealand accent! The worst was, when I replied....'sweet as' instead of saying thanks. Hostals have been okay, few better than others, and a few worse than others. Have joined a hop on, hop off bus, so it all seems to work, at least no map reading is involved!

Good sunrise hey!

Sort out my life

Every now and again, we tend to have these days, where life needs to be sorted. Well I do! One hundred, well maybe more, questions fill my head and there seem to be no answers. Arriving in New Zealand, somehow has brought them all to the front, the same questions, the same no answers.

I arrived at 3:45 into an airport that had a recording of birds singing, still wonder about that one Then was asked a million questions, about my intentions in New Zealand; who I knew there, where I was going....don't know yet...., my return ticket, and ended up getting a three month stamp anyway. Maybe it is a sign to stay longer...

Back with Wendy, feels like yesterday, giggling away, about nothing and thinking everything is just funny when it really is not. Driving her station wagon, which is quite a sight...and now I just want to stay here!

Planning to sort out my trips today, have checked my bank balance as that does become the deciding factor. What to do, there are so many choices and New Zealand is really amazing. Only problem is these indecisive decisions relate to the rest of my life, and I am beginning to realise that I really don't have the answers to any of them.

BUT..... I am excited about the next few weeks, seeing my old friends, doing new things and maybe, who knows, sorting out my life.

Bubbles...

Had a bubble moment......the best bubble moment ever!

hating it...to maybe....

Have been here for almost a week, and in that time, have met up with Richard who works for Bruce Peru, but obviously it is called Bruce Chile. Helped him work in a High Shool doing a drama workshop, and practising Greece, very entertaining. Went to a community centre for a meeting, and the rest of the week wondered in musuems and sky lifts. Am beginning to become accustombed to the city life, and the nutters that come along with it. We went for a drink in Bebiste on Tuesday evening, and after watching a group of boys tease an old druken man, who then decided to return with a skinny two metre long bamboo stick.....Boys had a field day, threw him on the ground and then starting kicking his head in. All right next to us. For those who know me well, will know that I can´t cope with fighting....got up and in the sweetest spanish I could manage without losing my cool, asked them to stop, by basically putting myself in the middle of it all. Richard, I think, thought I was an absolute nutter, but I would rather be the one losing my life than watch someone else lose his. So we waited for an ambulance, and then legged it before we were the next target of head kicking.

All happens here, not as carefree as good old Peru.

Facts about Santiago

• The Metro is great, fast, smooth with rubber wheels...not sure what that means....
• There is a disgusting massive cloud of smog over the city
• Feels like any big city, with people in suits and ties
• Classical music in the street
• Good good red wine
• And, it is soooo chilly in Chile!

All in all, it really is just a city, and being here has made me realise how much I don´t want the city life. Yet I am so not wanting to leave South America, gosh I can feel myself turning into an emotional girl again.

Santiago!

Well I though s for Santiago, will mean S for simple. But things never are in conny moments! Arrived at midnight, got a transvip, small van that takes a few people to their hostals, hotels or homes. All seemed so easy! Got to my hostal and it was shut, no one was opening any doors.....by now it is after one. Did think about sleeping at the airport, got back into the van, and driver drops off everyone else. Have now decided sleeping at the airport would be a good idea.....and waiting for the next morning. Driver, however thought otherwise. He was very concerned that I was not concerned about not having a place, and kept telling me I was far too calm. By now it was after two.....who has the energy to stress. Anyway, very sweet man that he was, continued to drive around, stopping at three hostals....each one was full. Why will nobody share their bed with me! The airport was definitely becoming a better option. Why did I think it would be any easier than this. Got to the last hostal......and yes a bed free in a mixed dorm. So I had to share with five very smelly boys....did hope there would be one girl....but no. Five smelly boys. Hostal ended up being great, hot hot water......free tea and coffee whenever, massive sofas and big t.v with movies all day, books, music, kitchen.....and great great people.
Was so wired up from the whole evening, had a boiling hot steaming shower, a cup of tea, and checked my mail....oh yes free internet..... Got to my bunk, and surprisingly passed out, till sunlight streamed into our room the next morning.

Tomorrow

I leave at some silly hour tomorrow morning and wonder what has happened to the last four months. Everyday has been amazing, some challenging, some painful, yet not one day have I regretted coming here despite some of you thinking I am absolutely mad. I went to the salt fields today, they were so well designed, walking home in the sun I felt such a strong emotion for this place. I look at the ladies with many babies, the market men, the people selling postcards or anything in the plaza and my heart breaks. Somehow Peru has become home, and I don´t know why. I try to think of what I have learnt about life, about me, and I don´t think I have learnt anything, yet I have enjoyed all my days. I loved working with my kids, that are still being very naughty I hear...need to go back and sort them out. How I would love to. But it is time to move. I have been such a mess this evening, trying to pack, which is becoming a nervous disaster. I tried to eat some chicken, instead cried, turned it into a take away and gave it to a man in the plaza who was in absolute heaven as it was still warm. That made me cry more! I have made so many lovely friends and I pray that they last beyond Peru. Inside I feel like a bundle of nerves that is about to fall apart, yet I know that I can´t, and I find that so hard, so hard to keep it all together. Just tonight, I wish someone else could pack my bags, someone else could sort out my life, that someone else could be stronger than me. I know that I will more than likely not see my kids again, or the people I have met here. The man from the market that gave me a necklace, the lady who chats like a bullet, the hostel owner that sings happy birthday, the taxi man that buys us oranges and bananas for our trip, making us realise we have paid far too much. The last four months have been so different, so welcoming, beyond what I expected. Tomorrow that ends, I leave, and despite working in Santiago for a week, I know that it won´t be the same. Tonight I will try to stay awake as long as I can, think about the memories that make me smile, the ones that make me laugh and I will also try to think about tomorrow and the friends I am about to see. Maybe tomorrow will be a good day, maybe it will make me smile, maybe all I will do is cry, but tomorrow is tomorrow, and I will think about it all tomorrow.

Just Realised...

I have just worked out why everyone is sleeping when I call....Britain has turned their clocks forward....so that means I am six hours behind. A big apology to all those who want to skype and I keep missing them....I finally know why!

The Jungle

Gorgeous, devine and very green, with many many mozzies that seem to like the idea of chowing ones feet. We stayed in this devine little place with a crazy cook that definitely made each moment worthwhile. After deciding he liked me, our food was the best ever. Fruit with yoghurt, pancakes, veggies, salad....each meal just got better and better. I managed to do some river rafting...did not need a knee for that...great fun. Would hate to be in grade five rapids, these were big enough, and feel like the river and I have a mutual understanding now.
Also, I went, not sure what to call it, but where you slide on a rope from one side to another, about 100metres high, very exciting! Did not need knee for that either. Had to cycle though from one village to another on a very gravel road. That was slightly tricky, and did hurt, but had dosed myself with painkillers beforehand and then largly afterwards, was high most of that day.
Saw a few different birds, insects, and water things, not very good with names of that kind of stuff...BUT I did see the most beautiful and biggest butterflies ever. The brighest blues and oranges, along with striking black or white that seemed to contrast their colours. They were everywhere, fluttering passed you, then coming back as if they were trying to tell you something you didn´t know. They really were beautiful, and each one was more amazing than the first. I kept thinking how beautiful they were, and then wondered if my awe of their beauty was returned. Do animals think we are great?
The road home was very similar to that of Santa Theresa. We had three major major landslides where we had to change buses, and then one part that meant alot of walking uphill in very mucky mud. My trainers now look like they belong to a boy! Then our combi had a flat tyre. Finally made it back to Cusco, sharing with a Canadian girl who was working in the Jungle. It really was a great few days with many funny moments, that I am sure I will edit into this blog, when I have the energy. This is one of the Landslides, the whole road has just vanished.

Useful?

For all those people that have given in to having ipods....a little hint!

If you use someone elses itunes computer, just press shift before plugging in your ipod and you won´t lose any stuff. Not sure why I am blogging this. (P.s don´t have ipod as it would either be stolen or lost in some natural element)

Machu Picchu

Despite all the falls, bruises, cuts and sore aches, being above the clouds is the most amazing experience ever! I got the early early bus up to Machu Picchu, while it was still dark, along with many others, that seemed very fit to walk! Felt like all giving them a slight talking to! At first the clouds seemed to hover above and I did think there would not be a sunrise at all to brag about. Slowly the clouds seemed to float downwards as the sun took over and gained its rightful place. Standing on one of the highest points, I watched the blocks of clouds turn into strings of light smoke that spiraled around the mountain and seemed to enter homes that used to be. The mountains brightened from dark to lush colours of green and cast their giant shadows on the other side. It really was the most beautiful thing to see. The clouds seemed to lower, and the city literally looked like it was floating on the clouds, suspended in a circle of majestic mountains. I walked (hobbled) for about four hours, around all the homes, storage places, fountains, and bathrooms. Each part felt so abanoned yet occupied. Going early in the morning did mean hardly any tourists, so often you are in places on your own. Found a llama sleeping in a house, lifting his neck, to see who had intruded, and then back to sleep. It was so peaceful that I found myself watching the llama for far too long. I really did not think I would be impressed after all the advents that have happened, yet once again, I was totally amazed, and intrigued over the life of the Incas. How on earth did they build such an amazing place so high up, with hardly any fancy tools. We debate over putting a nail in a wall in case wall falls down. (would have pics, but camera is still in rapids....somewhere)

Decided to take bus down, felt like a real failure for not being able to walk anymore, as bus was full of old people who seemed to think the same.....why is she not walking down! Went to the hot springs and paddled my feet in the water, not brave enough to go in and bear bruises to the world. I can´t believe I am here, I feel far away from normality yet very close to it. Not sure what that means yet.

Meant to be Simple

Wake up the next morning, early with massive appetite for Banana Pancakes! Today will be a breeze, all I have to do, is get combi from Santa Theresa to the Hydro Electric station and walk for two hours on track to Agua Calientes. No trains in the morning, so all good. Santa Theresa is one little street, combi waits in the middle, which can be seen from Hostal. Eat my pancake and am still in my own world from yesterday. Combi takes us, drops us off, we all start walking. I start off with a small group, but scenes are so beautiful, take lots of pics and get left behind, which doesn´t really matter. Train track, this part, is in the middle of Jungle scenery, so really beautiful. An hour passes, meet some girls coming back and they say I am halfway, really impressed with my pace, and think I will be there by 11am! Walk over waterfalls, get to this amazing big one, (standing about three meters above bottom, know this as I am 1.55 meters and it was double my height) decide to take picture. Think, gosh, if someone fell into that backwards they would be dead in an instance. Take the most gorgeous picture, decide to take another......yes, I fell in! Still not sure how. Luckily I managed to twist my body around and avoid massive rock with hand and knees, got swept up in rushing downward rapids and luckily caught hold of rock, felt my whole body being ripped around me and move in direction of river. Did think this was finally it! Somehow managed to pull myself back up onto the edge of waterfall, and then looked up and thinking, I was never going to get up this smooth green moss stuff. Waited for a moment, in pain, and somehow felt very calm. Saw a bunch of rocks I could climb up. (Plan B was to wait for someone to walk pass) Moved along side and then had to somehow cross over. Not easy, with very sore sore leg. Climbed up. and evaluated my aliments. Not good. Walking will definitely not be an hour. Strip on train track, luckily have sarong, which I can turn into skirt, and have above knee. Elbow is gushing blood and can barely move. But yet nothing seems broken. Start limping along. More upset about camera that is now in rushing rapids on the way to Cusco or somewhere! Have no food or water, as I was holding bottle in between legs and apple in hand. Walk for what seems like forever, resting here and there, thinking where the hell is everyone today, there is meant to be a combi every hour..... Finally sit down, see a couple with guide coming towards me....think I might just cry now, as pain is really painful. Couple end up both being doctors! I know! Guide gets out some stuff that kills bacteria, foams alot and stings like hell. Couple put on antibiotic cream, and all sorts, give me tablets. Guide asks where my friends are, to which I replied..."No tengo amigos hoy!" and started crying. Now I know that isn´t true, but at that moment I felt very alone, very sore, and really felt like I had no friends. They had been in the jungle for a few days. Tell them really not to wait. Make a stick for me, and give me some water. Girl rearranges my backpack, and tells me to hold stick in right hand. Checks knee joints and thinks it is okay, but looks like I might have fractured knee cap. Knee to swollen to tell. Guide tells me it is only twenty minutes, which means triple for me.... Tell them not to worry and to keep going. (where is Smiling Man now, could really make use of some hand holding) Somehow managed to get here. (1 hour became 4 hours) As I ended track, loads of people started power walking past me, where were they before! Find a great hostal for 15 soles, with a hot and cold tap. Hot tap is really hot. Don´t think I will be walking up mountain tomorrow, might have to chicken out and take bus. Will try walk down.

Saw doctor couple in the plaza, and both, alarmingly told me that I am very lucky to be alive, and have the injuries I do. If I had not caught hold of that rock, I would have been smashed up in the rapids by rocks that no one can see. They did not want to say it before, but thought it the rest of the way. There you go, nothing is really simple, even when I think it will be. I am the first to fall down... that people know of.... but now hear that two men died in the same place two years ago. They only found their bodies ten days later.

Not sure what to make of day, not sure if I should just stay inside and wait for this all to pass!

Once again, don´t be put off by this route, it is really safe and amazing, and beautiful!

I am more upset about my cannon camera, it really was the best thing, I was so happy to finally have a digital camera, it had the most loveliest pictures on, that meant so much to me. I would have put picture of injuries and waterfall on blog, but now that won´t happen. Maybe if I write to cannon and explain my story they would sponsor me one....as a get well present.....what do you think.

P.s. This blog really does not give justice to pain I am in! Think this trip is teaching me all about the choices you have and don´t have. Sometimes, whether you like it or not, you just have to get on with it! (Especially when there are no Virgin Helicopters or Smiling Men in sight to rescue you!)

Who needs Disney Land when you can go by bus

This is the schedule...Cuzco to Santa Maria(5/6 hours) Santa Maria to Santa Theresa (2 Hrs) EASY Hey! These are the facts, below is the reality! I know this is a long blog, but to shorten it would be an injustice.
Bus leaves on time...all is going well. The first hour is sales hour. First selling sweets, then a man who droned on for what seemed like forever, selling ginseng tablets and hand cream! After an hour we stop, apparently the driver now has breakfast, so we must all get off and have breakfast too, lots of women outside bus selling corn and cheese for one sole...Driver finishes, we all get back on!
Second Stop, an hour later... driver pops head through rear of bus and shouts Quieren Bano, muy tranquil. Want the toilet...very calm...So Everyone one gets off. Men wee against slope of mountain, women wee on downhill side. Is this just an unspoken rule?
Third Stop...yes it goes on. We come to massive river that has broken through due to rain, and is now taking over major dip in road. Two buses in front of us. Each bus seems to come alive and almost takes on the personality of horse that is trying to be guided into something it really does not want to do! Somehow, half covered in water, bus makes it through. Our turn...close my eyes, and hold shoulders in upward position!
Despite all these stops, it is the most amazing bus journey, high up in the mountains, and then down again, only to repeat this up down pattern. At one stage we were driving through the clouds, and yet the plants, when close, were the most amazing colours of green that you have ever seen.
Fourth Stop... Stop at massive waterfall. You can´t over it or under it, so yes we go through massive, gushing waterfall. Which seemed to be normal for the rest of the journey. Not sure why, but was sitting on left side window, somehow whenever I looked down saw nothing, we were driving on each on mountain, now again I would watch a few rocks fall down. Thought they were meant to drive on the right side. Am told now, that they stay away from mountain slope, as mud slides are more dangerous. My stomach was in a constant knot, that ease at moments and others not. The scenes were truly the most amazing I have ever seen, despite me feeling that my life was the most vulnerable it has ever been. Just one little slip, and that would be the end.
Get to Santa Maria, most of the people by now know that is my stop and jump up to tell me. Made it, thank driver, beyond thanking, and think he is mad to do this journey every day.
Now this is where the simple plan all fades!
Start waiting for combi for Santa Theresa. Then after waiting half an hour, man next to me (with Limp) says it is best if we hitch a ride, as roads are too bad and there might not be a combi till the next morning. My desperation to get there makes me comply. So Limping Man and me walk down road, round corner, over bridge and wait on this concrete slab, joined by an old lady and another man, who had the loveliest smile. All want the same thing, a car to Santa Theresa.
Smiling Man stops cars, but none so far. Eventually, a truck like bus thing comes along. It is going halfway....up the hill again. Why does it have to be up and down mountains... This time road is not a road, but a mud path. Bus thing must be a front wheel drive, as each time we turn the corner, back just slides round. Sitting at left window again, have obviously not learnt that it is not the best place, watching wheel slip behind me, and keep thinking....this is truly it, my last moment of life. BUT no, as I am still here. Finally stop. Big commotion. The mud path as fallen away and there is only a road about 1 meter wide. Everyone gets out. Women chat, men get spades from back, and dig into mountain to create a wider road. This takes over an hour. We all walk across, two drivers pick sticks, to see who will be the one to drive across. He makes it miraculously! Finally we get to the final stop, which is only half way. Please note by now it is dark, and according to plan I was meant to be in Santa Theresa by three! Get off with Smiling Man, Limping Man, Lady with two children and an old man with a torch!
We all walk a little bit, am told it is only a "poco mas" little more. Should have know already then....(Peru and time distinction are not well coordinated) Limping Man can no longer carry on. So Smiling Man walks up to a big house, and asks if Limping Man can stay for the night. Now it is only Smiling Man and me left. Walking in the absolute dark, on a road that is falling away and full of waterfalls. Had to keep holding his hand as he guided me through dodgy parts. Then remember I have a torch! Walking for about an hour, and I question him on his little bit more theory and find out we have still two hours to walk. Am now nervous, because it is dark, do not know where I am, nothing in sight, except for Smiling Man who I have to put my faith into and hope it all works out. Keep looking at sky, which has the most beautiful starry scene, and it seems to calm me down.
Just when I think this will never end, a combi arrives, packed! Including Limping Man. Won´t let us in, I am about to lose my calm cool and beg on hands and knees when Smiling Man is already sitting on top and giving me his hand to pull me up. (There was a small group returning, and combi thought we were all together.) Feel combi moving, and have vision of Smiling man gone and me alone in the jungle with no direction! Strong hand grabs me and other group lift me up, and there we go! Smiling Man tells driver there are only two. All goes well for a while, think it is all fine, when we stop. Big waterfall, massive rapids. (Please Lord don´t make me walk anymore.) All get off. Driver and others jump knee and thigh deep into river, to see how strong the rapids are and where it is shallower. Other men chop down tree and make bridge for us to walk over. Combi somehow makes it over....combi on other side decides not to risk it, and turns around. Back on top. Finally, what seemed like a good hour of driving in all (which would mean another three hours walking) Smiling Man gets off, shows me his house and gives me a load of instructions about hostal and bus prices. Sad to seem him go, give him the biggest thank you hug. Am told there is now space downstairs, girls all shift up and fuss over me. Drive into town, mention I need a hostal, which sends whole combi into discussion.... (Which on is nicer...) Boy pops up from nowhere, and takes me to hostal which belongs to his dad. At the back of lovely restaurant that closes at eight. It is already nine, but man makes a big rice and vegetable dish for me. Am so glad to be somewhere safe, and warm, fall asleep listening to Banana Pancakes, wondering how I got here!

Despite it being the maddest day, I can truly say it was the best. There were so many times when my head was saying, what the hell are you doing, yet my heart had to trust, there was really no choice. Was told not to be nervous, as the people in the jungle are friendly and calm, I was more likely to die from a mud slide or dodgy mountain edge. Great! For those who want a cheaper version of going to Machu Picchu, don´t be put off. This was the most amazing route, with the loveliest people, the most devine sites you have ever seen. And there were no tourists! I would wait till the rain stopped next time!

i counted!!

There are 99 steep steps!

Lots of stuff in one!

Cusco is absolutely amazing, am in this great hostal, well great for views, but hundreds of stairs to get there. Okay I am exagerating...maybe only fifty. Will count them next time!

You try walk them with no air to breathe! There is so much to see and do, and buy. Me and goodies are such a bad combination. I love shopping, why does it give me so much absolute pleasure? Was greeted in the Plaza with ballons of every colour by Sharon and friends this morning.

Very odd to be away away for my birthday, and not to have chocolate cake as an early breakfast. Will have to have make up for this in New Zealand! Big parade this afternoon for Good Friday. Imagine having your birthday on Good Friday. A good day, it must be a sign for this year!

Am going to try and get to Machu picchu the dodgy but very cheap way. Got my bus ticket this morning, just driving to the bus terminal was an experience, felt like I was back in Peru.

Cusco centre is totally aimed at the tourists, and is the mecca for finding friends, having adventures and a good time, without any hard work. Bus should make entertaining reading, as it is a similar bus to last. It is a morning bus and they are fine. I think!

Then I am off to the Jungle....very excited, not about the spiders, but about everything else. Will be the smelliest and dirtiest girl around by the end, it´s great!

Grown ups in Heaven

While waiting for my dodgy (not the usual) night bus to Cusco on the 4th, someone try to yank my bag off me and holding onto my arm, in a not very nice manner. Which irritated me to no end. In my ideal world, men are meant to be gentlemen, opening doors, lending coats...you all get the idea. (yes I know these don´t really exist) Anyway, something inside me snapped and I gave a good knee up into his balls. Obviously man stopped trying to get my bag, and doubled in pain. Did think about elbowing his back, as seen in movies...but thought best to leave the scene....
Secondly, standing outside bus, there are 6 foreigners, including me. Tell them I have very very bad feeling about bus and don´t want to get on, almost start to cry. (think was due to bag scene) Driver thinks I am looney. Bus is fine he insists. Other foreigners all tell me it will be fine, we get on and sit down together. Driver then comes up and moves me the nicest, biggest seat in front. (He thinks I have become nervous wreck and doesn´t want any bad karma for dodgy bus ride, is what I understood in my poor spanish) We arrive in Cusco...amazing, think I must be getting mixed messages, and apologise for being silly and insecure and afraid of bus. Then last night, meet up with other foreigners from bus, they are staying in the same hostel. Am told that their cameras, monies, mp 3 players and other items...don´t remember, were all stolen on bus! Can you believe that! So my bad feeling was right! Have learnt today, that dodgy buses will often put small foreign groups together at the back, and gang around them. Increases chances of gaining goods. That could have been me. Yet again, my angel, dad and mom must be watching over me. One good thing for having a team of grown ups in Heaven!

Cusco here I come!

Can´t believe it is April already! Where have the months gone. Am looking forward to my bus ride. Will remember to take picture to show you amazing seat! Have had such a lovely time in Puno, beyond what I expected. To think I was not fussed whether I made it here or not. What an assumption. The lake was really amazing, and the islands and the ruins. I never ever thought a lake could be that big. How big could it be. What a surprise. Have been wowed over by the people, the scenery, the skills, and of course the chocolate cake. Great how one finds the best chocolate cake in town so quickly. I don´t think I am ready to leave, but sometimes one just has to leave. Even if you don´t want to. Have met random people along the way, shared rooms and even beds with a few, drank with a few, and learnt many new Spanish words! I can´t believe it´s my birthday soon, another year, I can hear the words of that song...and what have we done..... I look at my life and I look at others and see so many different things. I wish I knew the answers and what was right and what wasn´t. Sometimes I think life is very different to how I expected it to be. But then maybe everyone thinks that. I don´t know. I look at the world and see a gorgeous beautiful place that has so much to offer. I pray I never miss what there is, that I am never to busy to notice and never to tired to hear, even if it is in spanish!

Should be in Cuzco by the morning!

Floating Islands

The most amazing thing you have ever ever seen!
They start by planting a few reeds in a meter of soil, then that's it.....can you believe it. Cut up reeds, and spread them across in one direction and the next month repeat the process in another direction. Am so wowed over by the skills this country has.
If a family wants to move, they simply pick up their house and move to another island. Or cut the island. They have a school, a centre island, where there are shops and a phone.
They all work together, growing potatoes, having ducks, hens, rabbits, and swop items instead of using money. Great hey. Imagine. Maybe a haircut could pay for a months rent. Who would fall for that!

The ducks even have a little pond....

Broody days

Working with kids is not a good thing, have decided. Have become extremely broody, and look at every male as a producer of fatherhood! Not sure what is wrong with me, something has gone slightly loco!
But then, look at the pics, how could you not be. Just a shame, as I do meet lovely people, and they do talk to me, thinking I am listening to their wonderful tales, instead I am looking at their eyes, their build, hands and feet. It really is awful. If only they knew what I was really thinking. I don´t even like them. Not one little bit, it would help if I actually did like them. What is wrong with me! Help is needed big time to overcome broodiness. Gosh, what would I do with a kid! (loco means mad) (loca means gay - so I am told after using the later!)

Shoeman!

Heading to the mountains and altitude means......cold, which means.....boots! But from using them non stop in London the heels were worn through and with the rain, that isn´t worth thinking about. Yuk, wet feet! So I went on a search for a shoe man, and obviously found many. Quoted me a pound for new heels, and made me sit on a little plastic chair to wait, in my socks.
Out of nowhere appeared on child, then two, then three, then ten! All of different ages. Staring away, and asking for my name.
To make the staring process less painful I decided to teach them my Spanish songs. Sharon, who was with me did not know whether to laugh or join in. There we were, under the plastic bag roof, sitting on a chair, while the rain poured down, singing. Then a few moms appeared and started singing as well! Am sure my songs will become the latest trend in schools all over Peru. They all love the TAXI one. Will sing it one day for you all. But you might not appreciate that as much. Really like Hurauz, it definitely has a certain charm about it.

Back to basics.

Went horseriding today on a black frisky horse that would not stop making the most awful gas noises you have ever heard! Road through the country side and past some springs. It was amazing to see how everyone lives and how self sufficient they are. Looking at children that sit on the side of the road and play with pebbles, others with plastic bottles....and they seem so content. Corn being hung and dried in rows, or hanging from a washing line. People making their own mud bricks to extend their homes. Loads of cows, pigs and piglets, and of course my little chickens. I so do want chickens one day! I sometimes think we have missed the boat and need to go back to basics. Realise that pebbles and bottles, mud and corn are there for a reason. We almost need to learn how to live again. We then went to the hot springs, and had a bath, an actual bath in warm water. You have a little room to yourself and fill it up with water. I do miss having baths. It is amazing how tired a bath makes you feel. That must be the reason for me always wanting to go to bed before ten!

Practical Thinking

Am exhausted. Slept in the centre alone last night, (Sharon was sleeping out) and after a very late night was awoken by massive rattling from the kitchen. Someone was trying to get in, and I did think that my last living moment would be amoungst a pile of unwanted clothes! After much rattling, I heard movement towards my window and saw a shadow peering through, decided to lie very still and not make a sound. Did wish I had a knife under my pillow, but all knives had been sold the day before. Thought about reaching for my hairdressing scissors....but my clothes were all over the place, and the last thing I would be able to find in a stuffed backpack would be scissors. Have now placed scissors at the top of my backpack for quick stabbing if needed. Anyway, after about an hour of someone pacing backwards and forwards from the door to the window, they left. By then it was already 2:30am and there was no way I was going back to sleep. No way! I remember telling God that this was not the place for me to go and that no one would know, or even realise I was missing, but then thought about it and decided if it was meant to be then it was! Felt like coming straight home, but then realised I have no home, and it is too cold for a tent. So decided to get up, and brave the world. Leave on a bus for Lima tonight, and then many more to get to Bolivia. Am quite glad to be surrounded by many people, even if they do snore!

New Place

Have found great place for Chocolate Cake! Very happy, have decided that life is okay as long as you have chocolate cake. Can now understand why my mother was always baking one! More so, why we had it for breakfast. What a great way to start the day!

Days in Huaraz

I brought the sunshine with me! Have decided that when I wake up, so does the sun. Am very proud of my obvious gifting, which only lasts till lunch time and then it buckets down! Yesterday, Sharon and I spent the day packing, moving and sorting. The centre here is closing down, and everything had to be moved back to Trujillo. I am still amazed at how quick it went. Get up in the morning, call big moving truck, chuck things in boxes. Truck arrives, takes down beds, writes numbers on all objects and then leaves! All in a days notice!
Have been walking up a mountain, not so big this time, not sure I am able or brave enough. The later being far more relevant! This place is great though, for anyone who loves hiking, camping, trekking, rock climbing, ice climbing, snow boarding, rafting, horse riding....and the list goes on. Tomorrow we are going horse riding in this amazing, green, lush place called Maraca. Then in the evening we leave for Bolivia, two days on a bus...but a very nice one. Am getting earplugs to avoid any snores and screams.

Bus Journey

The bus is far beyond anyones imagination.....for Peru...the seats are devine, and sleeping on them is no prob! EXCEPT.... After a very sad goodbye to everyone, and my little world, I got onto a bus full of men. Only three women, excluding the hostess. The man sitting next to me was lovely and I knew his whole story before even leaving Trujillo. Watched a dodgy movie, had a bit of food, and then lights out. Yippee, best part, to sleep, and not be able to do anything else! I was just entering my little Conny dream, when the biggest, loudest snore you have ever heard came from behind me! Really the loudest....everyone kept turning round, someone muttered a few incomprehensible words in Spanish, and someone shook his chair....back to quiet. Bus settles, then a baby starts to scream, for an hour straight.....baby finally settles.....yes, snoring man starts again. Well the pattern really continued for about six hours. When I finally did fall asleep, man next to me, who is fast fast asleep, allows his arm to flop onto me, with dead weight and sound of it all, I woke up screaming and in turn woke up whole bus. All in all, bus ride was not the most peaceful. But something to talk about.

Leaving

Tonight I leave this little place! Can´t believe it really is happening, to think I might never see this place again or the people. I just cannot for now understand how and why.

Have managed to pack my bag, and somehow seems like less than when I came. (Have lost a few things on the way). Am looking forward to the moutains again and just chilling out in a few odd places. Hopefully I won´t be as affected by the altitude! Will wait and see.

Golden Locks

A moment of absolute madness, boredom and what I can only explain as a ´conny moment´! Yes it was a Sunday, and that obviously explains so much more. Everyone had a go at hacking away, absolutely loving their moment in a hairdressers world. Keep putting my hand behind my back while I wait to cross a road, and there isn´t any hair to play with anymore....But my new moto is....no regrets, they are a waste of time! Gosh the wisdom of sayings just seems to be flowing. I feel much better now that the old is away with the old! So moment of madness has worked for now.

Thank you for all your messages, I love reading them!

In Spanish!

Trying to sort out where to go and when is proving to be the hardest thing ever! And with my awful sense of direction and time scale it just is not worth thinking about. Some of you might find this kind of stress difficult to understand, but others who have had me lost and crying won´t! I keep picking up that guide book...but it all is far to much information. I did however manage to phone a bus company and ask for all the details in Spanish. The most amazing thing was....I understood most of it! Feel slight achievement of the spanish language! Hopefully I will be crossing a border of some sort, and hopefully I will get there before my visa runs out!

Swarming through

Went looking for children yesterday in the community where my school is. Nuevo Jerusalem, which is mainly sand dunes, and more sand dunes, with lots of dogs, fleas and other insects I don´t want to know about! We got to one house, and had to walk through a swarm of flies. Now I really don´t mean a little swarm, I mean thousands and thousands, and there was no other way but through it. Similar to the bear hunt story...we can´t go over it, we can´t go under it....oh no, we have to go through it! It definitely could have been a reality TV show moment of fear factors. The worse part was the horrible sound they made. ugh! just horrible. BUT I closed my mouth and my eyes, well kind of as I still had to see where I was going, and stopped breathing for a minute. Yes, I went through it. When there is no choice you just do it don´t you! Can feel another saying coming on. This must be the month of sayings.

My little world

Choice is change and change is choice....my new saying for the day!

I cannot believe that I leave in a week! I have become so settled being here, and know shop owners by name! My days usually start with a ballet class at the end of my road. Collecting fruit from the shop on the way home. Going to school most mornings, apart from the last week where we have been looking for children. Then a little nap in the afternoons before teaching English in the evenings.

Weekends are usually at the beach, or wandering around the Plaza de Armas, chatting to the most random of people, and occasionally buying food for the ones who are sleeping on the street. Sometimes watching a film at the local cinema, pot luck to whether it will be in Spanish or in English with Spanish sub titles.... On Sundays I go to a little corner shop to buy water, oreos and a phonecard, each week the same. Amazing how in the madness of it all, there are things that are so familiar.

I love the little coffee shop that has the best chocolate cake in town. The book shop that sells second magazines and books. The Internet cafe that now gives me 15 minutes extra on my time, and saves my stuff on their computers. The man on the corner who always stops a taxi for me and opens the door. The post office lady, that knows what I want before I ask. The friends I have made and see during the week for a bit of Spanglish in return. The church I go to, where most words are not know, but now end up staying for an hour chatting....

In just three months I have this world. This place that I call home for now, and in a week it will end. I have realised how lucky I am to have been part of this world. To discover the little shops, places and people that have affected me and helped me survive.

To live in a place is to discover, to visit a place is to see.

shoestring budget

I have finally learnt how to save lots and lots and lots of money! The other day I asked for the menu, and due to me not really being able to speak in Spanish, instead in Spanglish, which is English with a Spanish flare or vice verca. I got an option of three local dishes, including starters, main and a free juice! The real word for menu is La Carta, and that has the "to be prepared" food, which is also three times the price! So my mistake was great! Obviously you can get very ill from the "menu", as you have no idea to how long it has been standing there....but my shoestring budget is obviously protecting me from many aliments!
So I thought I would share my knowledge last night, and went to a great restaurant...asked for the "menu" and guess what! It worked! Kept feeling air on my legs, finally looked under the table expecting to see something.....Under the table was the biggest, fattest, whitest, fluffiest rabbit you have ever seen. Legs stretched out and having a great snooze! She (like to think of all lovely animals as girls .....) eventually moved under my chair, only to make herself comfie and go back to sleep. Have decided that instead of just having chickens and ducks in my tent garden, I now want rabbits as well! Am also contemplating the idea of having a cow, but must research and see how one pasteurises milk, and whether goats milk is healthier! Bless the person who lets me have a tent garden!

Why is a banana crooked and not straight?

A week of sorting, cleaning, planning and deciding who goes where and why. I feel like I am back in school, planning English lessons, school lessons and my life! Things sometimes don´t change. We have been looking for new children this week, children that are obviously not going to school, instead working in the streets, selling sweets or chewing gum. Each night there are the usual faces, and some I even know by name. They are aged between 4 and 8, sometimes with a baby sister or brother toddling beside them! These babes are usually only allowed to go home at 11pm (when the shops close) or until they have sold all. For some of us, this might seem mad, allowing a four year old to go on their own into a busy street and sell goods until 11. Can you imagine the uproar, if they were left for a minute!

Then there is also the old lady that always sits in the same place all day, but cannot be bother to get up, so wees or poos in a plastic bag beside her! Amazing the things you see. It´s sad how self respect goes so quickly. Sometimes I think the world is so cruel and that God is so unfair, I don´t understand why we all have such different lives, and I can´t comprehend why we do. Is it really just luck, fate, to where you are born, who you are born to, or is each birth planned as the perfect place for that person.

Above the Clouds in Hurauz!

Amazing, gorgeous place. Its starting point is 1000m in altitude, and higher than the highest point in England. Have never really been above sea level, and was amazed to fell the effects. Went to visit Sharon, who used to be in Trujillo. Bus driver was mad, and I did wonder if passing two trucks with logs, while seeing a large soda truck coming towards me was the last thing I would see. An hour before getting there I noticed thick fog or mist, and thought that all odd, but later learnt that we were driving through clouds. How amazing is that! The locals call it the "Forest of Clouds" Cool hey! So I was really above the clouds! Spent the day with Sharon at her new school, different to mine. Think I have begun to favour mine above all. Then went looking for a fleece, as it really was freezing, and I was really not mentally prepared for the difference in temperature. I still don’t understand how it can be winter in one place and summer in another, all in the some country. We even managed to walk up a very large, very very large mountain, the 15 peaks just don’t compare. It was beautiful, however, I did think I would not make it up alive. I would walk for five minutes and then have to rest, could hardly breath and my heart was pounding! Sharon was very gracious and patient. But I felt it a honour to be in such a beautiful place, seeing clouds at different levels, and having so much quiet around me that I could hear cows chewing grass from miles away! The sun at the top was so bright and strong, gorgeous views of snow capped mountains! (5000m) By the time we got home, my lungs were beyond sore, they just ached every time I dared to take more than a small breathe. Don’t think me and altitude do well...but now that I have been and am back, have been told all about this pastel that you can get and the altitude will not affect you....yes, always the way, a day to late. Was very sad to leave, and can’t wait to go back and try out horse riding in the mountains with no air.

Sand Boarding!

What an amazing, awesome day! Apart from having to walk up a sixty to eighty metre sand dune! Lucky for us, it was overcast and we even had a few drops of rain....that really just slowed us down. I even managed to stand up on my third go! Feel like I have burnt off millions of calories, which is great, as I am definitely consuming them in cakes and ice creams. Great great day, a beautiful place, in the middle of nowhere, just dunes, dunes and more dunes. I am still finding sand in the most oddest places though! Hopefully, will attached a photo to this one if I can work it out....a goal for another day! Did it!

I prayed that it would not happen....but

But it did! yes I got head lice! Horrible crawly, bloodsucking little creatures! No one could find them despite being convinced they were there. Well no one, until the cook had a turn! I felt like a monkey sitting in between her legs, while she scratch through my head and yanked them out. Popping the lice and pulling the eggs! The scratching and searching process took about two hours, and found some nasty lotion, that I slept with and am now lice free! Cook wanted to search again three days later.....but told her convincingly that there were definitely none left. (I hope) My children are crawling with them, if you stand above them, you can see them move....oh it is awful, I hate head lice! I feel like I have been a living host to all things possible this last month! At least I am aiding towards the survival of "gogos" in South America.
Oh yes, dog has had puppies, but not the dog I thought, she should be popping soon. They are so so cute, and tiny tiny. Ducklings have all been sold, and chicks keep following me around now, as I let them sit in my lap. Mother of animal land thinks I am nutty, and laughs when she sees three chicks walking behind me. Kids are all beginning to be kind to animals. A rare thing around here, and I am just loving fussing over them all. I am definitely having chickens when I come home!

On my own again!

Thursday 1 Feb 2007

Today we had a meeting for all the parents in our little hut, and I had 25 children to myself in a tiny space between the front patio and house, where all their washing hangs, with two spare tyres and few cube like containers to sit on. FOR TWO hours.... Now my Spanish is really not even slightly good. We do have a white board, and somehow I managed to get them to do stuff, work in their books, play a game and learn the greater than sign, which is a new concept. (Which they even understood) The mom of the house, was behind me washing her clothes, finding it all rather amusing. While all this was happening, the moms inside kept poking their heads out in disbelief that all were quiet. I think I had a Daniel in the Lions Den moment. Survived amazingly.

Cannot believe it is February!

Computer Travel Literate, really means...

Have decided to try and join the world of Bloggers....but that seems so much harder than what it is made out to be! Eventually, Steve did it for me, so I can really take no credit. However I did manage to delete it all on my first day...so yes, Steve did it again. To my credit, it was all in spanish and now that I have learnt how to convert it all to english, can see the "DELETE BLOG" button. Unfortuantely all my little stories are slightly out of order, but should be all go from now I hope!
Have moved into my own room, so exciting! Yet will feel odd to sleep all by myself, I really enjoyed sharing, even at thirty two, gosh I am a teenager trapped in an adults body!

Dido would like this!

A Million Angels Around
Huanchacho beach, with black and white sand mixed, freezing Atlantic water, great surf and the most amazing sunsets. Every sunset is beautiful, there is no doubt about it! Watching all the surfers wait till the sun had almost set before heading back was amazing. It feels like their are angels all around. Friends found it quite amusing and then later on the bus ride home decided my description was well suited!
Managed finally to get another digital camera, a second hand one without a charger or scart lead....we all know what that means. Hopefully will take a picture of next sunset and stick onto this blog, if I can work it out...

One Week in with minibeasts!

One Week in with minibeasts!
Monday 15th January 2006

I can{t believe only a week has gone, it feels like months and months ago, I still have bouts of missing everyone and my mini comforts but am getting used to a wired shower and fleas!
My first week has been very very entertaining....First of all I teach in the most dangerous part of Trujillo, everyone has a classroom, I have a hut with four black ducks, one pig and a chicken running around, and I must not forget the dozen of stray pavement specials that wonder in and out during the morning! (pavement special...is a dog or cat that is not a breed.) The floor is a sand dune, and my bus rarely comes, as not many go in that direction...the main title if you look quickly says slavery....but actually it is meant to read salavery...often the first a is not there. The others have 9 to 15 children and have a clean floor, cupboards and I won{t go on. I have 30! so much for a slight break of it all. But i love it. My children seem to be the best, maybe because there are so many. They really work hard and are so good. It{s amazing, they have nothing, live with hardly anything yet are really happy. and so good in a classroom! )these are supposed to be problem children in Peru terms...)My bus is held together with wooden boards and has the look of an old american school bus. It also has the thickest tyres you have ever seen to get over the sand dunes. Tends to topple more to one side now and again, but going as slowly as we do, I am sure we will only be slightly squashed should we actually fall over.
I have started taking a group of children for maths and writing...and art, and p.e. They are very gracious and even bring me my dictionary now if I don{t understand a word!

The bad news is I have been bitten everywhere, at first everyone thought they were fleas from my school, but no, they were creepie crawlies that were in my my cupboard and therefore in my clothes! So the only parts that have no bites are the uncovered bits...I was near tears as I saw myself become a resemblance of a chicken pox person! So our whole house has been fumigated and all my clothes have been washed in boiling water...what a mission. But no bites since, so am feeling slightly better.

Went to see the temple of the moon, amazing stuff, with a gay couple from the Lima branch, they were very entertaining. Am working as a tour guide tomorrow and getting paid for it! 20 dollars...great. They need someone who can speak english to take a bunch of americans from the port to the airport. Crazy hey. My conversation class in the evenings are great fun, they have learnt loads in one week, and are so eager to come, Everyday seems to be one more person...surely there is a limit.

Going to an aerobics class this afternoon, joing in with a different group, any spanish is good spanish I hope, plus all those ice creams and cakes need a bit of work.

Oh yes, am going sand boarding next weekend...how cool is that. Dunes that are 80 metres high! very excited.

Magic FM Alive and Well in Peru

I have become slightly attached to my bus ride home, especially when I have magic FM to listen to! They still speak in Spanish but the songs are those good old classics. I think the driver quite likes them, at least we have one thing in common! Nevertheless I know look forward to my journey home on a very old bus! Have noticed that the gear stick is made from a hose pipe and the seat belt a piece of string with black tape around it! I love my bus. It is the only time, where I just get to sit and stare out the window and contemplate life. No I really am not that deep, but it{s good just to be lost in my own thoughts now and again.

One Hundred Miles

I will walk One Hundred Miles... on a Sunday
Sara, a student from my english class, invited us all to spend a day with her, sightseeing.... We left home early sunday morning, walked for about 40 mins before catching a bus, then a combi and then a bakkie. 3hours later we were at the temple, Huaco El Broche. The place was deserted, and because of Sara, we could go into places that were not open to the public. Very Similar to Huaco del Luna y Sol. But still amazing to see. We then had to walk back along the path to catch a combi back into town. Sara convincing told us all it was a 30 minute walk.....One and a half hours later....in the midday sun, we arrived, burnt and heated out. We then got a lift from one of the local people, to the beach where there would be alot of combis leaving. We climbed on the back, and watch ourselves drive down the whole route we had just walked!!! To make it worse, the beach is a ten minute walk from the Temple....Unfortunately, I still have not figured out any of the logic. To question it, would just have made me cry. Had lunch for 3 soles, 50pence, and finally caught a sixteen seater back into town. When I say 16 seater, I mean 16 seats, but 32 people squashed inside. Very entertaining. Luckily I had the front seat with three others.

Paint on Mondays!

I hate Mondays, and anyone who knows me really well, will know the dread I feel. I have discovered that Mondays feel the same wherever you are. To make sure Monday would be a better day, of not being able to explain what I want to explain, or understand what I want to understand, I would make paint. Yes I made my own paint! It was so easy, and really cool. Had everyone painting pictures before I had finished making it. Not sure if these kiddies have any idea to what paint really is.... Monday morning we did the usual writing, counting, number games for about an hour and then I took out three bottles of coloured stuff. They all stared thinking I had brought them flavoured milk, and obviously were very eager to drink it. We spoke about the sea, the animals and all that classroom talk, and then I explained we were going to paint... Still had a look of vagueness. Poured my mixture into three separate bowls, and the look of confusion spread on their faces. (What is she doing, we don´t drink from bowls) Put my hands in and painted a few waves. Similar to the picture in my old bathroom, for those who have seen it. Their faces slowly lit up in the most amazing way, I just wanted to jump up and down, get them to take their shoes off and stand in the paint. Yet I somehow managed to maintain all that and spoke about using our fingers instead! They absolutely loved it, really loved it. Obviously two tried to taste it, and realised it was definitely not for drinking. Took some pictures, must attach them soon.So Monday ended up being a great day, which was a nice surprise, because I really do hate Mondays!

Three Weeks In

Three weeks, amazing, it feels like two days, yet a lifetime! Really enjoy it here now, even though the noise of taxi´s do get to me now and again, they are everywhere. I am totally in love with my odd little held together bus, who now plays a Spanish version of magic FM, with good golden oldies on. This week we got a flat tyre on the way, so wobbled along to the nearest house, where everyone had to stay on the bus, while it got hitched up, and tyre changed....yes odd, but true. Then on Thursday, which is market restock day, a lady got on the bus with eight boxes full of stuff. (Her boxes were the same size as a medium storage box) All I could think of were my seven little boxes stuck in the loft, and wondered whether a London bus would let me put them on...well I think we all know the answer to that one!

School is now going well, children are behaving and working very hard. I went to a new school, just for the day, yesterday, and they were totally out of control. The teacher could speak a lot of English, so we went through some ideas, as the word has gotten round, that the little hut school is streaks ahead. So that´s good hey! Made some play dough this week and the kids absolutely loved it! It was also a slight bribe to get them to finish their work. I would say a very broken spanish phrase, and when they finally click to what I am trying to say, will repeat it rapidly back to me with a si? at the end. The only prob is I keep saying si si, but what I am actually saying is "si, see".... So the South African "see" is definitely going to be carved in stone when I get back! Still have slight bouts of missing all, but have gotten over that now, not that I don´t think of you....but... I am having fun.

Was in town last night, and desperately needed a, any toilet of any shape or form. When a follower of blond girls appeared. Spoke good English and finally showed me a toilet in a gym...which meant I was now in debt to his kindness....which means, just to be spoken at in English and wait for the ...."I would like to see you again line...I think you a very nice person" He then bought me an ice cream, and it just made me giggle, when last has someone bought me a simple ice cream on the spur of the moment, and walked down the middle of town...Felt like I had gone back into my teenage years at the beach with soft serve ice cream. Gave him the usual story that I am getting married soon and the rest I am sure Ali you would know, so we said good bye under the lamp of the plaza and went our separate ways.... Yes it could all become a novel! (Am not really getting married soon, only way to make sure they don´t do the chat up thing) Don´t worry it is really safe here, and ice-cream moments are good!
There is a massive festival tonight, mainly dancing and everyone wears white, looking forward to it. This place always has something going on in the square! Till at least 2am in the morning if not longer.

Also finally have a camera again, second hand.,....with no battery or lead, so we all know how second hand. But good price, and managed to barter the guy down.
Also have started a blog, but need to make it look nice before sending it out. All these things do keep me rather busy, and tend to sometimes take an hour from my afternoon nap.It has become so hot over the last two weeks, and the humidity is massively high.
I have also been given the coordinator role over here, not sure about that one yet..was hoping to not be responsible for anything. Oh well, did try to get out of it.Thank you to those who have emailed back, I have enjoyed reading about life back home.
Oh yes, we also had two massive tremors this morning at six, the beds shook like mad....mad hey