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Here marks my official sign off from Cusco, Peru. It's not funny how sad our last week has been. Knowing me - there has been tears. Tears seeing the familiar faces of the club promoters, tears saying goodbye to our favourite street dogs (Robert and Boof), tears ordering our favorite food, tears leaving the awesome Peruvian mates at Hibridos bar and last to the gorgeous family I lived, my kids at school, and the Aussies in the group not continuing to Columbia.
oh god I'm gonna cry now.
It's strange how just three months has gotten me so attached. I guess it's been pretty intense. 20 Aussies day in day out, 20 kids 5 days a week, and about 10 disconnected but regular Peruvian lads that have become our nighttime family out on the town.
Our work at the school ended - the wall completed! Beautiful and solid and finished. Most of the credit can definitely be given to Cosmo and Hector the builders who have slight peruvian builds but super human strength. They taught me Quechua words for mud, water, and my favourite beautiful 'monaycha' as I lathered smooth mud on the sides of the wall. The kids, well yes. I'm in love. And yes I did cry saying goodbye. Yon, ikeya, jimmena, famy, thaylor, bryan, leonel, Joakim, Jefferson, Arron, shomara, Karla, gadriel, emmerson, ariz Donald, oh and more that I'm ashamed to say I can't remember or spell if I tried. But I've got to know them all somehow through fruit games and colours and art. On our last day at the school we got personal hugs from everyone in the school - every year group, every teacher and all parents who were there. We were also showered in gifts by our class catching the bus home with arms full of bracelets and flowers.
We had our last night at Hibridos bar - bringing them a thank you cactus for all the good times we've had with them. Ronnie, Edward, Norman and Fernando we owe many great nights to them. The pbly ones who pit up with and maybe slightly enjoyed our games, our music and our dance.
And then. I guess I should talk about Salkantay. This is the cheapest and hardest alternative trek to the Inca Trail. It was 5 days solid trekking. up to 4600m on the second day (of death ) that nearly killed me due to the altitude and ten hours of walking. But there was Clemens the German who lightened the mood considerably with his daily exclamations of "Damn Nature! Who IS you?" and general giggle-worthy comments that made us glad of the random extra in our Aussie group.
But although the trek was tiring and our body parts got more sore, tight and itchy-bite ridden - the views were incredible. A Giant snow capped mountain called Salkantay was surrounded by a halo cloud in the morning, general mountains and valleys and rivers unlike anything we get in Australia. Walked through a misty meadow down into the jungle with flowers, waterfalls and different coloured butterflies. We even got to bathe in hot springs on the third day - our first shower!
And then. When I really thought I'd never make it - we climbed to macchu picchu waking at 4am to get to the top for sunrise. It was death but getting there after all that walking - nothing could be more beautiful. the clouds hanging by the mountains seriously made me feel like we were on the floating mountains in Avatar. And macchu picchu - just as it is in the photos -was there before us. It was unreal and I dont really know how to explain it but I think it was definitely worth 4 days of pain to get there. I was so exhausted that I actually fell asleep on the top of the mountain as we waited to meet Pippi and Bella (fresh from Aus). The most bizarre experience waking up having no idea where I was, seeing misty mountains and an ancient city below me - I'll never forget it.
So there - cusco is finito. The placement is done and we don't actually have any obligations anymore. About ten or so of us are now off to Columbia! Where we will be unknowing stupid travelers again, not knowing anyone or anything and winging it a lot of the way.
It's been great - what more shenanigans can we possibly get up to?
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