It has been a very busy and exciting few weeks for us and so I have had very little time to update this blog, sorry for this =S My Mum has been reminding me to do it for everyone lol
PROJECTS
So the projects first. We are now coming to the end of the projects in Arequipa, finishing Thursday night onwards to our future travel plans so I guess I can sum them all up;
Casa Hogar de Nino Jesus- our original project here in Arequipa has been of a mixed review, the children are fab and brave for everything that they have been through, but the project has been a disappointment in the view that it is not what I had in mind for Peru. All we have done is clean and redesign the play room and watched the kids for an hour a day messing the room up, this is a far cry from the english and cooking teaching that was expected.
Nueve Esperanza- Lauras original project which Ben and I have been helping in. This is the opposite to the Jesus project in that the kids are watnign to learn, but they have so many chores and so much to do that they are unable to commit to the whole time of learning. Overall a good project but it could do with some work in the form of the administrative team.
The School- This was chosen for us by our hosts after we explained our unhappiness with the projects we have been placed. This is FAB!!! Who would ever have imagined that I, James Pearson/ Elliott, would have been able to stand in front of a 30 pupil class and teach!!! But the kids are amazing and they relish the work I give them, they ask questions until they are correct and are so well behaved that it puts our system into context. Overall my favourite project.
MMI- Medical Ministry Internation is a physiotherapist charity whereby trained and trainee physios come to disadvantage communities to donate their time and expertise to help people with issues. Using donations they provide simple equipment such as canes and walkers, to advanced wheelchairs and strollers to help ease the people with everyday woes. Such an inspiring project which we got involved with due to the fact that we lived with the physios, many of whom I hope will become very dear friends for years to come.
To provide a general outline of what we do on a daily basis, and how busy we are, see below;
7 to 12- MMI
12-14.30- School
14.30-16.00- Jesus
16.00-17.00- Esperanza
COLCA CANYON
The Colca Canyon is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, though not as wide, and is therefore the worlds deepest at 3000m! We departed at 6am on Saturday morning with the three of us and two physios, Beth and Christina, all ready for our immense trip to the Colca. Getting onto the bus we realised that perhaps it wasnt going to the most comfortable, Ben and I basically sat on top of each together with seats barely wide enough to support him, never mind me haha! But we settled into the ride and listened to the guide explain the history of the mountains and the environment (with a few corrections from me and Ben, thats the geographer in me- apparently the whole of south america was formed by a volcano =S) we then chewed Coca leaves- pre prepared cocaine leaves which apparently help altitude sickness, I can honestly say that I wont be doing that again, imagine chewing grass for 15 minutes!!!!!! I think it worked though as we got off the bus at a mountain 5000 m high and there was frankly no air at all up there, two steps would leave you breathless!
The journey down to the little town of Chivay was great, the views quite frankly amazing and the town tranquil. Dumping our bags in the hostel we went to a local natural hot spring to watch the sunset over the canyon in 37 degree waters....lovely jubbly! The next morning at FIVE AM!!!!! we got up to go to the Condor Pass, the condors have a wingspan of 3-5 m making them the largest flying birds in the world, but they fly only with the first thermal currents flowing through the canyon and hence we could see them only then, at 9am the first condors passed and for an hour Laura and I sat fascinated as these huge buirds soared over us and towards the pacific, again this was AMAZING and for that hour I can truthly be called a bird watcher =D
MACHU PICCHU
Now for many people, the perfect ending to the time in Peru is a visit to the historic city of Cusco and a tour to Machu Picchu, one of the modern seven wonders of the world. I can honestly say that for me, it was the most breathtaking, astonishing, amazing and fulfilling moments of my entire life. Beautiful and mysitifying it came into focus through the fog on the moutain as we approached until the whole of the city lay before us, people were so emotional at the sight of it. We arrived into Cusco after an 11 hour bus jouney and was greeted by the man we were staying with; Mr Ochoe who, I dont mean to sound rude, reminded me of Bathilda Bagshot in HP, with a sign that said Ben Goodlies he pointed at us, then at him, then led us to the car without uttering a word!!!!! But after a coffee and some breakfast we realised that he was lovely, as was his wife, daughter and granddaughter. Heading into town we hit the markets, buying too much as per usual but the prices are so good! Meaning to meet up with the physios as pre arranged, we realised that just saying "we are at the Midori" was not enough to find them as Cusco has 12!!!!!!! So on the Saturday we were unable to meet them, but on the Sunday at Machu Picchu we could as on Monday also.
Sunday morning began early again, getting up at 5am and with a taxi at 5.30am to take us to the bus terminal for an hour and a half journey to the train station, for a two hour journey to Agus Caliente, for a 30 minute bus to Machu Picchu =( harder work than it sounds lol! We had arranged a guide which was a good thing as there are so many mysteries surroundding Machu Picchu that just walking was not enough! I cant utter enough by word or pictures the immensity of the location, knowing it to be the best preserved Incan city in the world, 2400m above sea level with shear drops on all sides, and walking around the streets knowing that 1000 years ago there were incan builders, families, farmers, priests and sacrificial ceremonies all in the one area! The atmosphere was strong and wonderful, frankly the best place I have ever been!
The journey back was funny, the coach we were meant to take after the train had a burst tyre, 30 of us were meant to be on the coach, so they sent a tiny minibus which would normally fit 20 and squashed us in sitting on floors and stools, no seatbelts or anything, in a thunderstorm!!! That was fun haha!!!! I have made so many friends int he one trip it is unreal, being squashed in a tiny bus is noe way to get to know people!!!!
So on Friday we finish, we must say goodbye to Laura =( and Lilia and Jorge =( and the kids =( then its onwards to Bolivia for Ben and I. We beleive we are to travel Arequipa to Puno, Puno to Copacobana, Copacobana to La Paz, La Paz to Potosi, then onwards to Chile. The next update may be in a weeks time, see you soon =)
Hasta Luego
