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Hi guys,
Long time no see... Sorry the disappearance! I think in my last email i was in Banos, Ecuador, having a lot of fun river-rafting,
canyoning and mountain biking. I could not resist and ended up in the Galapagos Islands afterwards.
For those who dont know, the place is world famous for its incomparable fauna and flora (and for its prices also!!). It
was here that Charles Darwin confirmed his theory of evolution. I enjoyed myself but have to say that unless you are a biologist
or a nature fanatic, the variety and uniqueness of the species pass you by unnoticed (or uninterestingly! There are only
that many iguanas, tortoises and sea lions that one can see before getting bored or taking things for granted!). I went on
a 8 day trip through the islands (sleeping on the boat). 4 days would have been enough, though. There is another down point.
Having to be in a group, always in the company of a guide, dont allow you to feel the place properly nor enjoy the beauty
of nature fully. I liked better my time in Porto Ayora, the main town on the Santa Cruz island. I stayed there for 6 days
and did a scuba diving course. The highlight of the whole trip (hard work but a rewarding accomplishment feeling afterwards!
And i got a VERY cheap deal).
On the whole i would say that with the money i spent in 2 weeks here, i would've rather to travel for 2 months in South
America! Its far too expensive!
After Galapagos i made my way to Peru, where i still am. Unfortunately, it has been a great disappointment for me. Peru
was the main reason i came to South America. I had some work projects around Cusco and Iquitos and was intending to live here
for a while if everything went well. ON the contrary though, everything went wrong. I dont like the place at all. It is SO
touristy! One has to be always careful and suspicious. Everybody tries to rip you off all the time (from a bottle of mineral
water to hotels and restaurants). In one month travelling throughout the country, there was not a single time that i didnt
have to bargain or discuss about the prices and services.
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| Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Peru |
Not to mention the hassling of sellers everywhere you go. It must be the worse place i have ever been (worse than Egypt and
India!). A nightmare! The country does have beautiful places but how can you enjoy them through thousand tourists, blinding
photography flashes and irritating sellers?! Perhaps the fact that i have been travelling for almost 6 months contributes
for my lack of patience and tiredness, but even so...
Another rather disturbing thing here is the westernising of the indigenous people, mainly regarding to the catholic faith.
The natives overcrowding the churches, kneeling down to tacky images of Christ and the Virgin Mary somehow dont seem natural
to me. It feels quite sad actually. I know that the destruction of entire indigenous cultures for the European imperialism
is not a "privilege" of Peru but here it feels even more overwhelming. Perhaps because of the fact that even though
these communities still keep a strong cultural identity, they absorbed totally the catholic faith. Its the first time that
i experienced something like this. Usually you see either the total destruction of the people and their culture or the isolation
of the tribes as the only means of preservation of their culture and way of life.
My goodness, poor Peru. Sorry about the negative mood! I am indeed over stressed! There were not only bad things. One
of the highlights of my trip was Amantani Island, in the Lake Titicaca, where i had to check a children's institution (one
of my work possibilities). There are almost no tourists here, the majority dont go further the floating islands of Uros and
Taquile. And the people are so friendly (no hassle!). It was the 38th Anniversary of the town when i arrived. Party all day
long. Governor's speech, communities' music contests and football and volleyball championships (classic! Again, the western
influence, but here they are not corrupted by the uncontrolled tourism and the greediness that comes with it!). Sand-boarding
on the dunes of Ica, Flying over the Nasca lines in an one engine plane, paragliding over the Pacific Ocean in Lima and river-rafting
in the Sacred Urubamba in Cusco were memorable also! I found Colca Canyon, in Arequipa, amazingly beautiful and i need to
include in my list the 5 day Inca trail to Machu Picchu (again, extremely touristy but impressive all the same!). The adobe
city of Chan Chan in Trujillo and the Cordillera Blanca in Huaraz are worth the mention as well.
Tomorrow I am heading to Copacabana, in the Bolivian side of the Lake Titicaca. I will have to speed my pace up because
i have finally decided to catch my plane back to London on 02.05, from Rio de Janeiro. My next destination is Dharamasala,
India (known as Little Tibet, where the Dalai Lama lives). I may be there for a while since there is a possibility of work
with the local children and some other projects. I want also to travel a little more around India and Asia. There is New Zealand
and Mexico that i crave to visit also. There are some places i really want to
check before deciding what to with my life and settling down (will i ever?). Any suggestions, anybody?
Big kiss in your beautiful hearts,
Love and Peace, always,
Jackie
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