July 2009

Must-Do List

by Ekua on July 9, 2009 · 2 comments in general travel

There is nothing like travel planning to bring out the undesirable wishy-washy worrywart side of myself. Right after I wrote that I wasn’t nervous yet, the pre-trip jitters crept up on me. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed by how much there is to do and see in Peru and Bolivia and how I could fit it into four weeks. From what I’ve read, there will be a lot of local festivities while I am there, including both countries’ Independence Days. It sounds like there is a lot of potential for fun to be had, but it also makes me worried that transportation and lodging could get crowded.

In the past, I have been guilty of trying to do too much on my travels. I start to add on more and more thinking, “When will I ever get the chance to do this again?” Thinking that way can be good in small doses, but too much of those thoughts can easily to wear you out. Another reason for me to not get too hyped up is that attempting to stick to concrete plans while traveling independently in the “developing” world is likely to drive a person mad. The little information I could find on transportation in Bolivia says it requires a lot patience and flexibility.

So yesterday, I took a deep breath and tried to let go of some of my nervous energy. To organize my thoughts, I decided it would be helpful to come up with a “Must-Do List” of the essential places to visit:

  • Lima- I fly into Lima and want to spend at least a night to visit a friend, see Parque del Amor, eat great ceviche and wash it down with a Pisco Sour.
  • Cusco/Machu Picchu- Self explanatory!
  • Lake Titicaca- I will hopefully cross into Bolivia at the lake and then do a little exploration from the Bolivian side.
  • La Paz- Seems like a very interesting city and good base for getting to other parts of Bolivia. Who wants a llama fetus souvenir? I’m not making this stuff up!
  • The Amazon- I have always wanted to experience the Amazon but never imagined going to the Bolivian part of it.
  • Salar de Uyuni- Visiting the salt flat was the impetus for the entire trip!
  • Santa Cruz- I’m flying out of this city. Doesn’t look like there is much to do there, but it has an agreeable tropical climate and seems like good place to transition the modern world.

After coming up with the list, I printed out blank calendar pages and made up a loose schedule with a generous amount of time for transportation. It seems like I can do everything I want to do in the four weeks that I have, and I could probably make it to a couple other cities in Bolivia. Right now I’m working on making arrangements for Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. I want to get the first week set and then I will figure out the rest of my trip when I get there!

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One Step Forward

by Ekua on July 7, 2009 · 2 comments in general travel,solo travel

I will be visiting Peru and Bolivia later this month. As I’ve shared this news with people little by little, I’ve realized something– I’ve reached a point in my travels where people are not surprised that I’m taking off and not concerned with where I’m actually going, as long as they have an idea of the general direction. A few days ago I had a conversation with my sister that went a little something like this:

Sister: You didn’t tell me you were going to Chile!

Me: That’s because I’m not, I’m going to Peru and Bolivia.

Sister: Oh, cool! Have fun in Chile!

Okay, so that wasn’t the entire conversation and she was joking when she told me to have fun in Chile. But the general reaction from most people I’ve told so far (unless they have a particular interest in Peru or Bolivia) has been  pretty whatever-ish. Gone are the days of my travel announcements being met with surprise and/or enthusiastic encouragement. It’s sad to see that the excitement of taking my first intrepid travel steps is behind me, but it’s nice to move into a new personal era of travel.

I will be traveling solo for the first time. I’ve dabbled in solo travel before, but definitely not to this extent. Although I’ve toyed with the idea of booking a tour or trying to see if anyone can travel with me, there is something in the back of my mind encouraging me to go alone and challenge myself. I will book short tours when necessary and hopefully make it around by myself the rest of time. Nervousness hasn’t set in yet, it’s still a little too early. Right now I am at the point where I am excited to see what I have only seen in images come to life and to make the unknown known…

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