Camping , Pichilemu, etc.

I am currently in the beachside town of Pichilemu... which actually seems a lot like Santa Cruz. It is an adorable little town with lots of wood houses. This morning I walked to La Puntilla and admired the ocean- it is so beautiful here and I didn´t realize how much I had missed the ocean.

Yesterday was a very interesting day. I woke up at 5:30am to catch an early bus here from Santiago. I arrived in half the time I had expected, and nothing was really open yet when I got here (Chileans are not necessarily early risers). So I walked all around town with my backpack on, then headed to the beach to check out the breaks. It didn´t look that great, honestly. I noticed a gringo getting out of the water so I decided to get the scoop from him. He said it wasn´t that great, the tide was too high. He also recommended a hostel and a place to rent boards. I walked to the hostel , which I had already been to, and it was still closed. I tried calling the phone number on the sign. No answer. Okay, time for coffee. I had to ask 3 different people how to find a cappuchino (in Chile, if it´s not cappuchino, then it´s instant coffee- or as Marie and Francisco call it- NOEScafé). I settled in to a sidewalk table where I could see the sea, and read for an hour or so. Finally, after the 3rd phone call to the hostel, somebody answered. Turns out it was Carlos, one of the owners, and the gringo I spoke to had already stopped by to see if I had checked in. I had about a million and 1 questions for Carlos, from "is there hot water" (¿hay agua caliente?) to "when is the best time to surf" (¿a qué hora es la mejor de surfear?) He was very patient with me and answered all of my questions.

As soon as I put my stuff down I met the only other 2 people that are staying here (this weekend is Easter, so currently it´s the calm before the storm). Aynora is Spanish and just arrived, and her boyfriend Oli is German and a very experienced surfer. Oli and I went to Punta Lobos at about 5pm, which is 6km south of Pichilemu. The waves were 10ft, which was crazy. For some reason, however, I was not scared. There is no explanation for it. We had to get in paddling between some rocks, and there was a lot of duckdiving involved. The water was also pretty cold, and I had brain freeze for the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the current was so strong, I was immediately dragged away from the point and to the beach. I know this sounds horribly dangerous, but the good thing is that the current took me to the sandy beach, not toward the rocks. Before I was completely whisked away to the sand, I attempted to catch a couple waves. My board was too small, however- it's a tricky thing, knowing what size board one needs for specific conditions. That being said, I didn't ride one wave, because I got out and saw that if I tried again, the same thing would happen, and I wasn't sure if I was even ready for 10 ft. waves. So mom, you would be really proud because I didn't do anything I wasn't completely sure I could handle, and didn't feel the need to do anything rash.

So today I am going to stick to the point that is walking distance from the hostel, rent a bigger board, and stick to the smaller waves on the inside. Oli and Aynora invited me for another session in Punta Lobos, but she is just learning (on the whitewater by the beach of course), and he's quite above my level, so I felt I would wait until I could surf with someone closer to my ability level. I believe Carlos, the owner, and I will go this afternoon when the tide drops again.

Last weekend I went to Baños Morales in Cajón del Maipo with a group of 6 other people- Anja and Darren from the UK (who also joined us in the Elqui Valley), Kevin and Britt from Huntington Beach, and Margaret and her brother Sasha from Canada. We left early Saturday morning and set up camp in a lovely campground right by a river. We had wanted to camp inside the national park, but the authorities refused us. After having lunch and setting up our tents, we took a short (and cold and windy) walk to find some fossils just outside of town. It was pretty cool, you could see imprints of shells in broken rocks, indicating that the whole area was once under water. We also went to visit some thermal baths...they were NOT hot- huge disappointment. Margaret and I still attempted to go in, but it was painful. I was very sad, as you all know how much I love soaking in hot water.

That night we had a delicious spaghetti dinner and warm fire, as well as some quality Chilean boxed wine. Darren and I were the last awake, and in our semi-drunken state decided it would be a good idea to sleep outside. It was a beautiful night, the sky was clear and the moon was almost full. I was totally into it. It was definitely cold, and I didn't have the best sleep ever, but thanks to my down jacket I did just fine. Darren apparently gave up after an hour or so, and went to cuddle up with Anja in their tent. Psshhh! ;)

The next day was a full hiking day. We entered the park around 9:45 and hiked all the way to the glacier, which took about 4 hours, including a lunch break. The hike was incredibly beautiful. Basically we were in a hanging valley surrounded by mountains, a river, and a lake, as well as gorgeous green grasses. At one point I tried to feed some grazing horses my apple core, but I don't think they trusted me...nor had they ever had an apple before, obviously, or they would have come right over. One of them really wanted it, and came really close to eating it out of my hand, but couldn't bring himself to trust me I guess.

When we reached the glacier I was excited to drink some really cold water directly from the source- I think that was the cleanest, most refreshing water I have ever tasted! Alas, we couldn't dwell at the glacier or the lake, because we had to catch the 1 bus a week that goes into Santiago. It was a cramped bus ride, and I was so excited to get off when we arrived, that I left my water bottle on the bus :( Super bummed because I had been doing so well with holding onto it. Sorry Becca.

So before last weekend, I really just chilled at Marie and Francisco's apartment. BTW, for those of you who don't know- Marie and Francisco are a couple that Becca met while living in Santiago a few years ago. They are AMAZING people. I have been staying with them for almost 2 weeks and they have been so kind, hospitable, and patient with me (since I couldn't afford to stay in a hostel). Francisco- a chilean who has been educating me on his ridiculously slang-filled language- is an incredibly talented musician, in a band called Los Sicarios del Ritmo (essentially it means the hitmen of rhythm). His main instrument is the bass guitar, but he can pretty much play any instrument. The other night he played one of my favorite songs, "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters on his guitar, and I nearly cried it was so beautiful. I'm serious- don't laugh, it was beautiful. Marie is from Milwaukee but has been living in Santiago for about 3 years. She is outgoing, witty, hilarious, and speaks perfect chilean spanish. I have had some really special moments with this couple, and they inspire me so much because they love each other so much and act like newlyweds, although they have been married for over 2 years.

Santiago is a really great city, as far as cities go. I have been doing well at traversing the city, using the extensive bus and metro system. I have to say, I LOVE taking the metro, maybe because it's something I've never experienced extensively, but it's so freakin convenient! The only complicated element is during rush hour, when you're basically packed in there like the front row at a Tool concert. Other than that, it's very self-explanatory, and there are maps everywhere, which I also love. I have only gone out dancing a couple times, mainly because it's stupidly expensive. Basically, in Chile everything is the same price in the states, except produce and set lunches. Needless to say, I have been cooking at home a LOT. Speaking of which, I am going to go make lunch now, my stomach is grumbling.

Thank you all for tuning in, if you go to my Facebook page and click on photos of Marie, you'll see pics from the camping trip last weekend. Ciao, pescado, a poto pelado!!!

Okay so I have to catch up really quick because we are having a "leaving party" for Jess tonight!
Some of these pictures are from the beach in Mollendo (southern Peru), where Jess, Ramon and I finalized our trip together in Peru, although Ramon did go north and do some surfing!

Last weekend we spent 4 days in the Elqui Valley (7 hours north of Santiago), which looks much like wine country because it is where grapes for Pisco are grown and distilled into liquor. It was so beautiful! I met some of Jess's friends from England that she had previously met in Santiago, and we had a wonderful bike ride around Pisco Elqui. We also visited a Pisco distillery called Los Nichos. Apparently the man who began the distillery made a deal with the devil in order to initiate Pisco production. The place had a very cool, creepy vibe. We camped every night in the Elqui Valley- for the first time since Machu Picchu, and the first time in my new tent! It was such a blast to explore towns in this way- biking and camping!

Our last night in the Elqui Valley, Jess and I stayed in a tiny town called Cochiguaz. There are no buses to get there so we did as the locals do and hitchhiked. There we found a huge campsite right on the Rio Magico, although it was nearly empty. It felt like we were in the beginning of a horror movie- 2 young girls exploring an empty campsite. However, it was gorgeous and peaceful, and we even had a resident dog friend that tried to get into our tent in the middle of the night. And the nice thing about an empty campsite is that we never had to pay because the staff was scarce. That night was certainly strange, though, since it was pitch black and eerily silent. Jess and I decided to walk to the "plaza" and drink our wine, then enjoy a local beer in the only restaurant in town where all 20 of the locals were enjoying poker night.

Jess and I arrived in Santiago 2 days ago and I actually really like the city. And it's awesome because I have already a group of friends, a card for riding the metro, and a cell phone! Last night we went out on the town, and I am already making travel plans with my new friends. On top of all this, I have a wealth of free places to stay, so saving money will be much easier. Good thing because prices here are almost as high as in the states- makes budgeting a little more difficult than in the states!

Next week I am hoping to go to Pichilemu to do some surfing, and then the weekend after I am off on another camping trip with new friends from Canada and the UK. Also I am in the process of contacting WWOOF farms to get that ball rolling.... so many exciting things to plan!

I have to say that I miss home so much, maybe more than on any other trip. It makes me so happy to receive messages on Facebook, and emails with updates on all you folks in the States. Maybe I can manage to get some postcards out soon!!! Love and hugs to all!!!

Chile!

Llego en Chile

At last I am checking in! I have experienced a lot since Cusco, and I wish I could be posting images right now, but alas, I have some sad news....

On the bus ride from Cusco to Puno (on Lake Titicaca), my camera was stolen. It was a shitty situation, and I was partly responsible for not watching my bag closer. I am super bummed, obviously, about the photos more than the camera. I reported it to the bus company but there really wasn't anything they could do. Jess has been letting me take a lot of pics with her camera, and I will be posting some of those pics soon.

Lake Titicaca was incredible- from the floating islands (constructed by the people out of reeds), to the wonderfully quiet of Amantani, where we stayed with a family and attended a dance dressed in traditional garb. The altitude was still very high, and we did quite a bit of hiking in the area- so we were exhausted!

After the lake, the 3 of us headed to Arequipa which ended up being not at all what we thought it would be. It wasn't charming at all, and we decided to head to the coast instead of doing even more hiking at a canyon that was 3 hours away. Off to Mollendo we went, where we spent 2 days relaxing on the beach and enjoying our hostel's rooftop lookout.

Upon return to Arequipa, Ramon said goodbye to Jess and I :( He went north to do some surfing in Puerto Chicama, and Jess and I headed south into Chile. After about 3 days of buses (with a short respite in Arica, a beach town), we at last landed in Vicuña, Chile (Elqui Valley), in Pisco making country. Pisco is a liquor made from grapes, and the infamous drink, the Pisco Sour, was invented in either Peru or Chile... depending on whether you talk to a Peruvian or a Chilean.

We camped last night and it was beautiful- finally my tent got some use! We also met up with a couple from England that Jess had made friends with in Santiago de Chile. Today we are heading to Pisco Elqui for a distillery tour, and more camping! We should be next a river soon, so swimming is also in our near future! Yay!

I miss you, my friends and family, more every day! Hugs and kisses!!!!

Cuzco y mas

At last we have completed our trek to Machu Picchu after months of planning! It was the most difficult (and longest at 4 days) hike I have ever done! The second day we climbed about 1,000 feet and it was about 6 hours of hiking straight uphill. Jess and I were the first of our group (aside form the porters of course) to arrive at camp- Ramon arrived about an hour later. I am going to put up a few pictures from the journey, which was ridiculously beautiful. We kept repeating that we couldn't believe how amazing the scenery was. The only downside was that we really didn't have enough time in Machu Picchu on the last day. I definitely want to go back and just chill on the lawn capturing the energy.

When we returned to Cuzco after the trek, our hostel in San Blas had no water- which is apparently a frequent problem in this neighborhood. This was especially shitty since we hdan't showered in 4 days, except for baby wipe showers. Yesterday we switched hostels, however, and took loooong, hot showers. Amazing.

Cuzco is an awesome city, full of hippies from around the world. There are plenty of great places to eat, and even more places to go out and listen to live music. Our first night here (before the trek), we saw a small band that consisted of a singer/guitarist/accordian player, a clarinet player, and a stand-up bass player. They played a sort of jazz fusion type music with heavy french influence. Hard to describe but it was incredible! Our second day here consisted completely of preparation for the trek- buying last minute necessities and packing our backpacks as lightly as possible.

We had a great group on the trek; us, 2 other Americans (of asian descent), 2 Brazilians, 4 Argentinians, and 2 Austrians who were around 60 years old and rather high maintenance. We had a blast even though we were constantly sore and exhausted. Now I am battling the repercussions- feeling still pretty weak and tired.

Tonight we are taking an overnight bus to Puno- the starting point for Lake Titicaca. We are hoping to do a homestay on a floating island, as well as one of the other islands. Traveling with Ramon and Jess has been awesome- we have been cooperating very well and been keeping up good communication for our needs. por suerte!

Until next time, besitos y abrazos fuertes!

Salgo de La Punta

I know I have been promising photos and they still aren´t here, so sorry!

Anyhew, since Puerto Chicama I have been laying low here in La punta and Miraflores. I got a really nice tan, and burned a little- that was exciting!

On Sunday (I think), Luis Alberto (Bibi´s cousin) invited me to go jetskiing with him and his friend Farid, although Luis Alberto never got on the thing because, he claims, he is of the land only ("de la tierra solamente"). Farid and I, however, had a great time. At one point I got the jetski ("moto del agua) up to 50 mph- whoo hoo! Later that evening I met up with the daughter of one of my mom's book club friends, Leah. She, Luis Alberto and I went to a super fancy restaurant in Barranco, where I tried octopus ("pulpo") and scallops. Now, I am not a big fan of seafood, especially not shellfish, but these were "espectácular!" The restaurant is called Amor Amar and was recommended to me by a fellow foodie that read about it in the states.

The next day, Leah and I went on a shopping mission to find some nice lotion in Miraflores. We shopped for hours, I was exhausted, and we never found any... weird since all the women here always smell really good. Then I got home to La Punta and found some in a little store that I pass by literally every day. I scored some presents for my host family too- new flip-flops for Vaughn since his had holes in them, and a doll called "niño de la espina" for Pochi, which consists of Jesus as a tot, sitting down and crying because there is a splinter in his bleeding foot. Ahhh, Catholicism. Although Pochi is not inherently Catholic, she does go to church on Sundays and adores the baby Jesus.

Yesterday was definitely an exciting day! I´m sure you all heard about the giant earthquake in Japan, and the ensuing tsunami. Well that tsunami was also headed to the west coast of the Americas. Where I am staying, La Punta, we are surrounded by water. I mean, I can stand on one of the main streets and see water both the left and right of me, about 2 blocks away in each direction. That being said, I gladly evacuated with Pochi. Around 5pm we left La Punta for higher ground in Bella, at her parents house. Vaughn decided to stay home and "guard the apartment", which Pochi had the foresight to predict- having been through 2 hurricanes and an earthquake with him. She and I spent the evening hanging with 17-year-old Stefanya, who's family has known and worked with Pochi's family for years. Her father Miguel Ángel is our regular "taxista", and her mother does in-home care for Pochi's mom. Additionally, I was able to watch TV in english for the first time in almost a month.

Waking up today I felt refreshed, and Pochi and I headed to the market in Callao to pick up a couple dresses of mine. One I had requested be made after Bibi inspired me to do so with her dress projects, and the other was a strapless one I brought in to put straps on. When we arrived, we proceeded to watch the seamstress search her shop high and low, as well as track down another client, to try to find the dress I brought in. This was about the 4th or 5th time that Pochi and I had been to see her about dresses, and we were pretty over it. I thought I had lost the dress forever. Pochi advised the seamstress that if the dress was in fact gone, she would have to make me a new one- in less than 5 hours. We returned around 4pm and alas, a woman had returned it who had taken it home on accident. Whew! and the dress is like new, with beautiful straps that will allow me to dance without fear of flashing an entire club.

Tonight, Ramon arrives! Finally! We have both been so excited! And he has had an insanely stressful last few weeks. He had to finish finals early to get here in time for Machu Picchu, as well as move to LA, plus prepare for the trip! ¡Ay, Díos mío! Luckily for him, I have booked us an amazingly luxurious hotel for tomorrow night, and have beautified in preparation for his arrival... well, I got my nails done and shaved my legs- for me that´s a big deal!

On Monday we leave for Cuzco, and begin our trek for Machu Picchu on Wednesday. The next time I write I will most likely be exhausted from the journey. Until then, much love to my peeps! Say hello to California spring for me! Muchos besitos!!!

Olas largas

Returned yesterday from Puerto Chicama where I rode the longest left wave ever! The only sad part is that they were only about waist high. However it was very beautiful and I know I would like to go back when there is a swell, to experience near mile long waves! Eric was a really fun travel partner and he was very appreciative of my translating skills.

Today I spent the day with my Peruvian family and we went to Barranco, a really beautiful neighborhood in Lima. I forgot to take blog-friendly photos in Chicama, so I will post some from today. Tomorrow we are going to a BBQ at a friend´s house, and hopefully go out in Barranco!

BTW, I am writing down recipes for Peruvian dishes, yay! Today I had Tacú Tacú con Pescado, which is a beans and rice dish with fish... photos to come! MMMMMMMMM!