Wrapup

It's been a quick whizz through the northern reaches of Chile, in between my mad time in Bolivia, and Peru Take Two. I didn't stay anywhere around here for longer than two days; and my whole time in Chile has been less than a week. But it was a good introduction to this very long country, and it was certainly a big, contrasting change from Peru and Bolivia. Anyway, I'll be back here in about six weeks' time; second time round to see Santiago and the Lake District, which I imagine will be very different to the deserts of the north.

What can I say? A mad country deserves a mad wrapup. Bolivia has been a hectic month of much adventure, much frustration, much laughter, and much excitement. In some ways, Bolivia has been very much what I expected it to be; but in most ways, it's been quite a lot more than I ever could have anticipated. It's a land where nothing works; and where anything that does work, works in a way that defies all logic. It's a land where everything is cheap; but where you're still getting ripped off at every turn. And it's a land where, if you can see the funny side of things, rather than just getting angry at them, you can have an absolute blast. I can see why everyone's heading to Bolivia these days.

I can't just call this entry "Peru: the wrapup", because I have definite plans to return to Peru (after seeing Bolivia and northern Chile), and to do the coast from south to north. It seems that two months in Peru simply wasn't enough for me — especially when I spent almost all of that time loitering around in Cusco. Anyway, my time in Peru (and in South America!) so far has been spectabulous; and I can't wait to get back here, and to see the rest of the country. Except next time, I'm not coming to Cusco — not falling for that one again — if I go back there, I might not ever leave!

For all of us, the trip to Pilcopata and to Manú was not quite what we expected. The jungle was great; seeing the communities there was great; and the food and accommodation was great. But the trip itinerary was not followed; the tour agency did not communicate very well when we asked what was going on; and (this really killed the trip for many of us) our main guide was 100% useless. I don't regret going on the trip. But it certainly could have been better.

It wasn't short. It wasn't cheap. And it was a big chunk eaten out of my travelling and exploration time in South America. But it was definitely worth it. In my four weeks at Amigos, and with the Polar Covarrubias family, I learned a lot of Spanish, I made some great friends, and I got a lot of love (and plenty of food, too!). Plus, during the whole thing I was in Cusco, where I could party at night, explore the area on weekends, get by pretty cheap, and stay fairly safe. All up, a great experience, and one that will surely benefit me in the rest of my travels.

The 5-day Salkantay hike, from Mollepata to Machu Picchu, is the biggest thing I've done so far on my world trip. It's also the biggest hike I've done so far in my life. All up, the hike was an overwhelming success. There were a few bumps and hurdles along the way; but in the end, they were nothing that spoiled the trip, and they were everything that made the trip, and that made the story of this part of my journey. After having finished the hike, I feel (unsurprisingly!) very tired, but also very satisfied.

Well, the first month of my world trip has come to a close, and what a month it's been! Mexico has been, for me, the start of a whole new phase of my life; and I know that from this point on, I'll never be the same again. This trip to Mexico has been my first time travelling alone; my first time dumped in the deep end with a foreign language; my first time I've gone a month straight without being sober; and my first time doing more other crazy things than I dare to even think about.

Also, putting me aside for a moment, Mexico itself has proven to be a much more beautiful and vibrant place than I ever imagined it to be. The friendly locals; the ever-present fellow travellers; the stunning natural scenery; the imposing ancient ruins; and the excellent infrastructure, have all blown me away. Mexico, my heart will be with you always.