Trisha's posts with tag: hiking
|  | When I first went to Peru in 1999, I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and never thought I would return. Then, I visited all the places I had read about Peru since I was 15 - Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Nazca Lines, jungle trip, etc... Well, Peru started my immense love and interest for South America and subsequently, I returned to Peru 2 more times.
In 1999, I visited Lima, Nazca, Arequipa, Cuzco and the Manu Biosphere Reserve. Unfortunately, the photos of 1999 were non-digital so they will not be showcased here.
In 2003, I made an impromptu decision to visit Peru again when I found myself at the northernmost end of Chile. Thoroughly unprepared, I headed north as instinct told me there were more to discover there. That trip brought me to more ruins and earlier cultures OTHER than the famous Incas around Trujillo, Chiclayo and Chachapoyas.
Then, as part of my South America 2005 trip, I tumbled down the length of Peru and visited more places steeped in history and culture like Chiclayo and Cajamarca and marvelled at the Andean mountains around Huaraz and scenery of Colca Canyon. Indeed, Peru is an enigma, a treasure, a cultural gem.
Special thanks to Percy, Dante, Emiko, their Mama, Fernando for hosting me, for sharing the history, culture and politics of Peru and their lives with me, to Danitza for the fun lessons of making glass jewellery, to Raquel for the great connection we share. |
| | Chile is truly wild nature! From the very very cold (Southern Patagonia), to the very very hot (central Chile and Argentina), to the very very cold again (the altiplano in northern Chile), I had to alternate between extreme temperature changes and high altitudes like a yo-yo throughout my stay in 2003.
There were many physical challenges that I did that I had thought them impossible to achieve. It made me aware how, if I set my mind to do certain things, they CAN be done. In 2003, after spending New Year's Day (nearly) at the end of the world in Punta Arenas, I headed to Puerto Natales and prepared for the hike to Torres del Paine Nationa Park. I survived the hike and later, the climb up Villarrica volcano. Just barely, but I survived.
I received a brief insight in the lives of the locals in the quaint Chiloe island. Later, I met a Vina del Mar family vacationing in Villarrica and formed a solid friendship with them ever since.
Up north, the natural sights around San Pedro de Atacama are purely out-of-the-world, almost like walking on another planet. Parque Nacional Lauca near Arica brought me from sea-level to around 4,800+m above sea level of the magical 'altiplano' in 1 day.
In 2005, I returned briefly to Chile, stopped at La Serena and went to an observatory to study the craters of the moon. I also revisited my wonderful Vina del Mar family there.
Special thanks to Jessica, Katya, Fabiola, Adriana, Sebastian, Enrique, Claudio and family, Alejandra for confusing me with their Chilean accent!
# - Photo credits: Pepe/Cristina from Spain |
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