Dream Year 3.0: Lost for love in Latin America

The more I travel the more I am sure that my home is on the road. And I am pretty sure that this road goes through Latin America, its untouched forests, misty mountains, infinite deserts, crystal white beaches, oversized cities, forgotten villages and amazing, warm and beautiful people.

http://www.dreamyear.no/2014/04/lost-for-love-in-latin-america.html

When I was a child I had a dream. Simple, small and easy to fulfill one. I was dreaming about a visit one day to a hidden city up in the Peruvian mountains, covered with mist and forgotten for centuries. Was reading about its history, legends, society and building techniques, however time passed and the dream stayed hidden in my head, lost in everyday life, covered with layers of day-to-day problems and challenges. I put it on the shelf with dozens of other dreams, waiting to be retaken when the proper time comes.

This year when I was staying in Mexico I decided that the time had came. For a week I was looking for connections and finally I found the perfect one. Flight from Mexico City to Lima and then from Santiago de Chile to Easter Island and back to Mexico City in business class! First time ever in business class! Could be a better way to realize your dreams? ;)

In Peru I visited my friends that I haven’t seen for a couple of years. They showed me some great places in capital, helped with buying tickets to Cuzco and to Machu Picchu with the best price ever. :) We have tried some amazing food, especially Ceviche and we saved some lives of guinea pigs. One day we decided to visit the building of Parliament and when we were there, guess what… the first time ever in my life I felt earthquake. 6.1 Magnitude Earthquake – nice one as for the earthquake virgin. ;) I was thinking there is some kind of tunnel that goes under the building of Parliament and some cars are simply passing under our feet, but my thoughts have quickly changed when I looked above my head and noticed huge crystal chandelier shaking just 2 meters above. I should have been terrified by this fact but instead I was so happy! When we left building with some MPs I was almost jumping from happiness that I could finally feel an earthquake (am I really a normal?)

I took a bus to Cuzco to slowly getting used to the height. From sea level to 3000 m in one day and then to start the trip I was dreaming about - to walk all the way up through the ancient passage, to see Machu Picchu on my own eyes. 9-12 kg backpacks on our backs, crappy hat bought 5 minutes before journey has started, water surplus for the whole day, some snacks, group picture by the entrance and we were ready to start tough and amazing 3-days hike. Local porters were carrying up to 44 pounds on her backs, sometimes running up the hill to make sure they will be ready for our arrival with tents set and meal prepared.

Sometimes when you are travelling you meet nice people on your way, sometimes not that nice, but this time the team we had was absolutely amazing! Polish-Finnish-British-Argentinian-French mix called Banana team (don’t ask;)). Helping each other during a hike, never-ending talks, common meals and mornings with the view on the sunrise on the edge of the cliffs with a cup of coca tea in the hand. Coca leaves were essential during my whole stay in Peru and then Bolivia. Without them probably simply I would not manage it well. During a hike you pass over 4000m pick and then slowly go down the hill ending the 3rd day seeing Machu Picchu from above, hidden within the clouds. On the way you can see abandon Inca cities, forests and meadows, lakes and rivers and feel like you are really discovering the forgotten World. The last day of your trip you wake up at 3am and start a trek when the Sun rises. Whole trip you are waiting for that moment, to start walking early to get to Machu Picchu before the crowds. We started a walk when in the middle of trek my stomach start to play a game against me. I have to admit it was one of the quickest walks I have ever had! ;)

I won’t write much about Machu Picchu except that it is one of those places definitely worth visiting in your life. Place simply priceless.

After Machu Picchu I went to Puno to see Lake Titicaca and a place where few years ago I was planning to go for studies with my ex-girlfriend. But life is unpredictable and few years later I managed to come here alone and continued my journey further to Bolivia. I crossed a border and went to La Paz - oversized city settled on the hills. I didn’t know that there is a time change between Peru and Bolivia so I ended up being late for a trip to the mountains to do the Death Road. Luckily the whole team waited for me a little and 2 hours later I was already with all gear on the top of the mountain starting our ride down the hill on the most dangerous road in the World as they are saying. Personally I think that any ride on the bicycle in Colombia is much more dangerous, especially for guys. All the time there are so many beautiful girls walking on the streets that you risk your life cycling, basically every 100 m! In Bogota I come within an inch of death several times almost crushing into cars because some amazing, beautiful girl was passing somewhere the road. Yeap, girls are much more dangerous for guys than any natural disaster! I know what I am saying ;)

In Potosi I visited some silver mines and was talking with some miners. The way they are working is beyond any imagination. Not only they are using the same tools and methods they did hundreds years ago but simply working on altitude of 4000m, plus underground is just unbearable. One of the toughest job I have ever seen and for such a little money. It is definitely not easy to be born and live in Bolivia, the poorest South American country.

From Potosi I got to Uyuni. The next day I was going to do the trip to Salar so still I had the whole afternoon to walk around the city. Uyuni is a small town in the middle of desert and not much to do. Frankly speaking absolutely nothing to do! So I decided to walk around and see how people are living. I got to the outskirts when realized that 2 huge dogs were going into my direction! I started to move back towards the center when one of them caught my ankle with his teeth! I was scared to death in that moment but tried to calm them down. Luckily there was some local guy that shouted on them and they ran away. It was definitely not what I was expecting to encounter in Uyuni.

Next day we started a 3-days tour to Salar. This time no one was waiting for me but instead we were waiting for 1-2 hours for one girl. Karma hit back? :) Salar de Uyuni is definitely one of the most spectacular places, the Natural Wonder of the World. Enormous salt lake with a little layer of water on it (if you are lucky), deserts situated at 5000m, plains with colorful rock formations and lagoons with flocks of flamingos. This place definitely should be on you bucket list. Finishing your tour you can cross border with Chile and continue trip by bus to San Pedro de Atacama. Border crossing is in the middle of desert (as pretty much everything there) and it is a place where you can find an abandoned bus. Perfect ‘Into The Wild’ spot, isn’t it?

Chile was one of the biggest surprises. This is one of those places you enter and you feel like at home. At least for me. There is something deeply catching, tempting, magical and warm in this country. If I could choose a place to live, Chile would be definitely on the top of the list. Why? Well maybe first of all there are Chilean girls, but it is a country which has got absolutely everything you need. One of the longest coastlines in the World, the driest desert with snakes and lamas in the North and mountains covered with snow on the South and penguins by the bays. It is Easter time so worth mentioning is Easter Island in the middle of Pacific with unique culture, architecture and landscapes.

I fell in love so much in South America that just after my return to Mexico I booked tickets to another country. Colombia. And again I was not disappointed. Moreover it is one of the best countries to visit nowadays. Not dangerous at all as people are saying, not many tourists, reasonable prices, stunning women, pure nature and historical architecture. In Cartagena I was spending my time looking for sights from the movie: Love in the time of cholera, in Medellin I met my old friends and was getting to know new female friends ;) in Bogota as mentioned before I was risking my life riding a bicycle and walking alone in the middle of night through the squares and small streets. Sometimes I am wondering why I feel in Latin America as it is my home. ‘Walk where your heart leads and you will reach where you truly belong.’ Apoorve Dubey