Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The end of the road


I am now near the end of my trip. So many dreams have come true in these 6 months, 32 days of snow boarding in whistler, volunteering at an animal refuge with monkeys, mountain biking the death road in Bolivia, Machu Pichu as well as many intense spiritual experiences in Peru. I am so grateful for all I have seen and done, but the most significant experiences have been in my Shamanic journeys. In my final month in Peru I have journed with plant medicines, experienced many ceremonies and been initiated in the powerful Munay-Ki rites of the Andean people, had several swaps with healing practitioners, massaged for donations to an incredible place in Cusco, experienced many healings with incredible shamans and learnt of many plant medicines through a herbal workshop. I am so grateful for my incredible teachers and so blessed to have some amazing new inspiring friends in my life. All these experiences have allowed me to grow into the person I only dreamed to be. While I am sad to be near the end of an incredible, empowering journey, I can not wait to live out my dreams back in Australia. Finally I will be able reach out to many teenagers through counselling and many other means. There are no limits, for what we believe to be true and achievable is possible. I have tested this many times, and it keeps ringing true to me. It is time to step out of our limiting thought patterns and into the light of a new age...

Thursday, March 27, 2014

South America

10/3/14
Lima wasn't very nice to me,I picked up a stomach bug probably from my first meal. It took 24 hours to slowly take over my body, then it had me in a vice for 24 hours, then the recovery was quite long. My body was exhausted, every step, even just reading seemed to suck the life out of me. Now I have been in Lima for 3 days and have barely left my hostel. Thankfully I am well enough to take my flight to Iquitos to head into the amazon. Right now I feel solo travelling in third world countries that don't speak English is not a good idea. I guess things can only get better from here...

Iquitos
My flight to Iquitos is delayed by more than 2 hours, meaning I don't arrive until 8pm at night. I arrive at the airport looking for my ride to the lodge I have organised, but there is no sign of anyone looking for me. So I step outside and am immediately swamped by taxi drivers, I almost feel like a celebraty, except for the fact they are trying to take my luggage, "I take you senyoreeta" they say. Of course they don't speak English. After 5 minutes of chaos a random taxi driver comes up to me "Karla"... YES, this must be the guy. So relieved, I jump on the 'moto-taxi' (a modified motorbike with seats) and off we set. Of course, he does not know a word of English. Suddenly we are off the main highway and heading down a muddy, bumpy track. While the taxi driver looks friendly, I couldn't help but think... Is this turning into one of those horror travel stories where I will be taken to a dark ally, robbed and left to die. After about 20 minutes of passing typical Peruvian homes on a dark, bumpy  road we eventually get to the waters edge. I am now starting to feel at ease, as I knew I had to take a boat to my lodge. Finally, a young Latino comes up to me, "can I take your bags miss". Ah, finally I can understand someone. We set off with only the moon lighting up the river. The stars are out and we are the only boat on the river. I feel bliss, and I feel the closest to home I have felt since I left Australia. With the warm breeze on my skin, and the small motor of the boat is the only noise. The small wooden boat twists and turns through the river, I am amazed at how the driver knows where to go with only the moonlight guiding the way. Finally we arrive, I am exhausted, exhilarated and relieved all at the same time. I fall asleep with only the sound of crickets, I am home...

11/3/14
Today is my rest day, as I spend most of the day dozing off in the hammock, the only thing is, that damn travellers diarrhoea is hitting me hard, and I finally give into the antibiotics. My friend Yugo arrives and we both smile at each other with that same look, the 'we are in our element' look. Blown away at how perfect the place is... the location, the price, the people.

12/3/14
I did not expect to do "tours" in the jungle, but when our Latino amigo, Gena explained the three tours they offer, I could not resist. so day one of the tours is full of surprises...
First up was the animal refuge, one of the options for volunteering in the amazon. Some rare red faced monkeys were roaming free, playing like little kids with facial expressions even more expressive then a person. Learnt some interesting facts about butterflies, then it was onto the other types of monkeys. The animals at this refuge were mostly found at airports where they were been smuggled as pets. The animals in the refuge were so varied, from pumas to anacondas, tiny monkeys the size of guinea pigs, parrots and other weird and wonderful jungle mammals. 

After the refuge it was onto a native jungle tribe. These words didn't really register, until we arrived. Greeted by a young man dressed in a traditional bark "skirt". We were taken to the chief who came across as being a kind, gentle kind of guy. We were introduced to the tribe and invited to dance with them. This was all so surreal as it was completely unexpected, a visual overload. One small little community all living under the same roof... Literally.

After a nice lunch on the boat it was onto the amazon river. It was here we saw the pink dolphins and to my amazement, we got the opportunity to swim in the amazon river, with the dolphins, parawanas,  anacondas and who knows what else. 

This day was a mental overload, blown away by every experience. I could not believe that only the day before I was struggling with a tummy bug. While my body was exhausted, it was still keeping up.



13/3/14
I was not prepared for this day. A full day of city hustle and bustle, but first, a side journey to get some coconuts. I mentioned on the boat that I wanted a coconut, so our energetic tour guide, Geno made it happen. A quick discussion with our taxi driver, in Spanish of course and we were off. We stopped at a house on his street and out came some fresh coconuts with a straw. All the locals in the street were looking at the two gringos, they had never seen such a sight. They all looked on from their homes with curious eyes. The family from the house were looking on smiling and joking in Spanish. As we could not understand them, we were blissfully in our own little coconut haven. I would have been happy for the day to finish there, but today was the tour of the city, so we were back onto the moto-taxi, city bound.

First up was some of the city's history, and the local attractions, then it was onto Peru's biggest markets, with thousands of stalls all crammed along the streets selling local produce from fish, to tropical fruit and jungle juice made up from all local fermented plants and fruit, sold as remedies. Then it was onto the floating houses, yep, literally floating houses. Full houses on floating logs lined the river, a whole community within itself. A smart way to avoid the floods, these houses were secured to long logs in the ground. I was mesmerized.

After lunch it was onto the animal tours. First up was the manatee refuge where I had my first introduction to these amazing unique creatures. Then reluctantly we were off to a zoo... While it was an ethical zoo, after spending time at the refuges I could not imagine unnecessarily caging animals, but they all seemed pretty happy and very cute indeed. From monkeys to otters, big cats and rodents, I did learn a thing or two. By this stage I was exhausted, feeling drained from the city chaos, we set off on our long journey home, one hour in the taxi and 30 minutes in the boat. 



14/3/14
A rewarding day with some great exercise, first up was a 2 hour hike into the amazon to the biggest tree in the area. This tree looked incredibly ancient, just as a movie would depict it. I have never seen a tree so large with almost it's own eco system. After 4 hours of sweating in the amazon it was time for another swim with the periwanas and anacondas. The afternoon was one of my favourite so far. Canoeing and fishing, Peruvian style. With the traditional wood carved canoe and tradition fishing rod consisting of a stick, line and hook.

We paddled off with the water as flat as glass, gliding along to the sounds of nature. We tried several amazing spots in amongst the trees, dangling our line in with a worm on the end, then my fishing luck proved itself again, as I was the only one who caught a fish. I was pretty impressed, as not even our local guide caught one! Of course I put him back as I could not stand watching him gasping for breath at my feet. 



16/3/14
Today was all about rest and rejuvenation, with no plans, a hammock and a eukelale, in the amazon rainforest, nothing could be more relaxing. By now we are really feeling at home. In the morning I decide I felt like coconuts. So we walked to the local village, and with one memorised Spanish phrase and some hand charades, we eventually got some coconuts picked fresh from a families backyard. With the dog in tow we got back to the lodge and again with some hand charades, got a resident amigo to open the coconuts. We spent the rest of the morning scooping out the tasty flesh with both dogs and cats coming to join us. I think this is officially when you are part of the family, it is when the animals accept you as family. Sitting in the hammock looking onto the amazon rainforest, eating a fresh       coconut with a great friend and all the animal family... Yeah, this is living...

16-19th March (these experiences are for a different blog... My spiritual blogs)

21/3/14
Today I am once again embracing the power and freedom of solo travel. When I left San Pedro lodge at 6am this morning my plan (which I had planed yesterday) of course changed course in an instant. I had booked my flights the day before to fly to La Paz, but this was too expensive, so I decided to fly to Juliaca in Peru near the boarder instead. At the Lima airport with internet for the first time in nearly 2 weeks, I was looking for accommodation. Like any good solo traveler I followed my instincts and decided to stay in Puno to see lake Titicaca. This day could not have gone any smoother. I asked for a window seat to fly from Lima, and was presently surprised to discover that that there was a stop over in Cuzco. The view from above was incredible to say the least.



Landing in Juliaca, my next mission was to find a bus to Puno. As soon as I stepped out of the airport I was greated by a keen bus driver stating he could take me to Puno. 15 sols I ask... Si, just like that I was on a one hour bus ride through beautiful green farmlands and mountains. Nearing Puno I saw small clumps of snow, so I knew it was going to be cold. Then over the mountain I got to lay eyes on the largest inland lake in the world... Lake Titicaca.

Puno
22/3/14
The next morning I woke with a splitting headache, dizzy and almost disorientated. I did not know what was going on with my body, how could I be so sick. After talking to another backpacker it came apparent that I was experiencing my first bit of altitude sickness, I guess we are at quite an elevation. From warm tropical jungle, to high altitude and dry cold air in one day, my body was quit disorientated. A stroll around this interesting city gave my body time to adjust to the new climate. I bought some funky traditional cloths, ready to set a new trend in Australia, then discovered the best cafe in town, by chance. The meal was delicious, and the atmosphere was very chilled with mostly women my age out for lunch, from Europeans to locals. This was a delightful experience.

23/3/14
Today was a jam packed day, it was time to check out this world famous lake. First stop was the floating reed islands. The people here were unique, not just because they live their life floating on a lake, but they had great humour and their colourful cloths and sparkling eyes radiated joy. The women here were strong, and the men domesticated, as they shared the roles equally in the community.


 I came to discover this was a common theme among all the communities on the islands. The next island was another visual extravaganza, with its vibrant blue sky, bringing out the deep blue of the water. Green terraces surrounded the island full of varying crops. Locals working hard with no means of transport all supplies and produce were carried from place to place. These people must have a lot of efficient red blood cells, because for me hiking up the hills felt like steep mountain ranges at this altitude, and I would consider myself generally fit, so this was a humbling experience. 

Our short, but exhausting hike up hill on a very empty stomach was rewarding with the best meal I have had in Peru yet, with the best view I have ever eaten to, only photos can do this experience justice.




24/3/14
On the bus, Bolivia bound. I am picking up the pace with a departure date now in sight. Today I am onto La Paz for some serious adventure, I am thinking, mountain biking and multi day trecks. Will see what happens...

Bolivia
25/3/14
Wow, what a roller coaster ride...
The bus ride from Puno to La Paz was the most scenic, random bus ride I have ever experienced... ever! From multiple views of lake Titicaca, to massive mountain ranges and windy roads, snow capped mountains, farmlands and alpacas and multiple towns in between. I feel I really did get to see two countries in one day. Due to the language barrier I never really knew what was going on. So, I did not know when we were at the boarder to have multiple processes of passport checks. I was a bit lost with the bus change over in Copacabana, and... well the unexpected boat ride along the way really threw me. While I found the whole experience quite exhilarating, I was exhausted by the time I got into La Paz, and due to internet difficulties I had no accommodation booked. The bus trip took twice as long as I had expected and I arrived in La Paz with only 1 hour of day light left.

The hostel I found myself in was so far from homely... It was kind of like a warehouse with 20 bed dorms and a very unfriendly person at the front desk. There was a cool underground bar and amazing roof top terrace overlooking the city, but I was so exhausted, physically and mentally that all I wanted to do was curl up and go to bed... and dream of home. So I ate lunch, which was now dinner, had a cold shower (welcome to Bolivia) and curled up into a bed with unwashed sheets and heavy blankets.

The next morning, while I was still mentally on a roller coaster ride, I had a good night sleep, and was not feeling the effects of the altitude as much. It took 4 hours to find a more suited hostel online as the internet kept cutting out, but this perseverance payed off, as I found myself in the best, most homely hostel I have found since landing in South America (apart from the amazing jungle lodge). This is home base, and this is where I will find many adventure tours, such as mountain biking, hiking and maybe even canyoning. Finally, another home away from home.

26/3/14
Quite possibly the best adventure yet! Today I mountain biked the famous "death road". Once a road where many vehicles literally dropped off the cliff face is now a mountain biking paradise. I literally spent the whole day speechless, as I could not put the experience into words. Even though it rained at the highest point, we did get amazing views when we got out of the thick cloud. Massive green mountain ranges, with multiple flowing waterfalls along the way, zooming down the death road, I felt sooo alive. We were in a small, fast group and dropped about 2000 meters in altitude in 2 hours! Only pictures can come close to explaining this adventure. 



27/3/14
Today is rest, relax, reflect day... So reflecting on Bolivia. This is an incredible city, nestled in a dry valley surrounded by towering mountains, at 3400 meters (almost 12000 feet) altitude, this city is like no other. The people seem unwelcoming of tourists, but the trick is to smile, say Hola (hello) and gracias (thank you) a lot, then you get a smile out of them. There are a few that are way too good at ripping tourists off, but I reckon I am getting pretty good at bartering, even if I don't leave them smiling (that is really only the food selling people).

Well, I have a lot of grand ideas of what I want to do here, but time to put thought into action...



30/3/14
Wooow, where to start...
Yesterday I did some more mountain biking, they make the "death road" sound extreme, but it was nothing compared to Chacaltaya. With a free and open mind I seem to be attracting abundance. I went with a small company to do the death road, and after talking to the boss got a sweet deal for this track. I got it at group price for a private "tour". The boss said he had a friend doing the track for training. So the next day I found myself 5200 meters above sea level, at the top of a rocky snow capped mountain on a downhill bike with one guide, the bus driver and a super experienced mountain biker, of course this was going to be an awesome day! To top things off there where blue sky's, so blue that you could see the city of La Paz and Lake Titicaca that was about 600km away. So we set off in the snow, freezing cold with "thin" air due to the altitude. We got about 60km of downhill terrain, the most varied terrain I have ever experienced on a bike. From snow capped mountains, to towering green hills, beautiful lakes and then at the base of these incredible mountains we were riding over fast flowing rivers in amongst the rainforest. Yeah, hard to top this day...



Today I am feeling lucky, not for how incredibly well this trip has gone so far, but for missing the bus strike and riots. So, the day after I took the bus out of Puno there was wide spread strikes, riots and blockades. Many travellers where either stuck at bus stations, or on buses in Cuzco, Puno and many other places within Peru. I heard some crazy stories from travellers today, can't believe my luck!

Anyway, there is a lot more adventuring to do in Bolivia, so stay tuned...

Coroico
2/4/14
Two days I will never forget... Today I really got to know the corruption of the country. Miners were protesting by blockading major roads out of La Paz. This meant I was unable to get to Coroico to volunteer, it also meant that the animal refuge and many other places were not getting critical supplies. So I was stuck in La Paz, or so I thought. The next day I was on standby... I got word that the blockade would lift between 8pm to midnight. This is when things got interesting... The owner of the refuge arranged a bus for all the volunteers, but the receptionist at our hostel did not get to the phone when they rang to arrange to pick us up. There is another guy staying at the same hostel as me, he is determined to get to his wife at the refuge. He rang the bus driver and got an address to meet the bus. All seemed pretty easy, we just needed to get a taxi to meet the bus... We got the taxi, but turns out the address was near the blockade. So we got dropped off at the start of the line of traffic. We walked with our backpacks for about 20 minutes hoping that the bus driver would wave us down, luckily he did, but he disappeared in the haze of exhaust fumes. Thankfully we managed to find the right vehicle and jumped in as the vehicle was rolling along with the traffic. I finally felt safe... or so I thought. The line came to a complete standstill, it was at this stage I knew that the road was blocked again, after sitting in darkness, not moving for 30 minutes all went quite. A bomb was set off just ahead of us. We were informed that the person with the dynamite was heading towards us, so at about 11pm we were forced to return to La Paz. Just to add to the chaos, I had lost my phone with my bank card. It had fallen out in the line of traffic, but thankfully the driver had picked it up and thankfully my new travel companion spoke Spanish, so I got my phone back. Another night in La Paz, but this time with two other volunteers in the same situation. I was happy to be safe, while I will never really know what happened that night, I assume that I was involved in a nasty publicity stunt. It was clearly a set up to get more attention form the government and public.

3/4/14
Today we finally made it through the blockade to La Senda Verde, my home for the next two weeks. The scenery along the way was spectacular, and I soon let go of all the tension of the past 24 hours.



20/4/14
My time at the animal refuge is difficult to put into words, but reflecting on the last two weeks...
I was on a rotational program to work with all the different animals. Women weren't allowed to work with the monkeys as females had been attacked in the past as we are seen as "weaker" then males. I soon came to see that this did not matter. From day one I had monkeys jumping on me anyway. 

I started with turtles, my favourite. Slow moving, easy going and easy to look after. By day two I was already passing on my knowledge of the turtle program to the next lot of volunteers. This involved cleaning, feeding, enrichment, and my favourite... walking the turtles. This involved putting the turtles in a patch of their favourite plants and watching them eat and wonder, while doing this we would have several monkeys come to sit in our lap, while also fighting off the Macaw birds. I loved the turtle program so much, that by my second week I had asked to be put on turtles permanently. This was no problem, as many people found turtles to be boring... Not me. By the time I left La Senda Verde I had "walked" nearly every turtle (with the help of others) which is more than 50, sent one to the vet, seen 2 new turtles enter the enclosure, fed a turtle with a broken jaw, patched up holes, carted many wheel barrows of sand and discovered two tortes eggs. I had also passed on some ideas for improvement onto the upcoming volunteers, while also been responsible for coordinating shifts with other animals. For instance, I would help feed one of the old spider monkeys, feed 3 nocturnal monkeys, watch 4 birds daily to help them integrate back into the "wild" and was also partially responsible for one very cute, fluffy monkey with an injured tail. 

There were times when I would feel fatigued and malnourished, with long days and limited food. I got the usual food poisoning and monkey bite, like all good volunteers. I would often feel tired and home sick, but my mood would be lifted every time I got to cuddle a monkey or see a happy turtle. By my final days I was helping coordinate several projects, while it was sometimes slightly chaotic, I felt a lot of accomplishment and satisfaction when showing new volunteers the workings of each project. It was so nice to see others take on the same interest and excitement I had when starting. On my last day I passed on my responsibilities, sad to be leaving, but happy to reflect on the work done as well as the dedication shown by all involved. All the animals at this refuge rely solely on volunteers. Volunteers just like me, with no knowledge of the animals, just a big heart and commitment to a worthy cause. 

Thankfully I got to spend almost 2 more days at the refuge due to transport issues. I fed bears, played with monkeys and took lots of photos, plus I got to hang out with my "family". I was so grateful to have more time with these incredible animals and incredible people.



22/4/14
Well, the last 24 hours have been a bit of a whirl wind, maybe that is why I had a headache. After an 8 hour bus trip from La Paz, I arrived in Puno at 4pm and while I was still on the bus, the bus coordinator guy comes and asks me in poor English... Puno or Arequipa? It was freaky, as if he was reading my mind, as I was trying to decide in my head if I would stay in Puno a night or head straight to Arequipa... 25 soles (less than $10) to arrive in Arequipa at 10pm, winner! The bus was to depart in 5 minutes, so just like that, I was on another bus heading to Arequipa. A place that I did not plan on visiting until I heard (1 week ago) that they had the deepest canyon in the world, couldn't miss that. It is so easy to make last minute plans when you have no plans!

Of course the bus arrived a lot later than expected, and as I was not expecting to even be in Arequipa this early I had no accommodation booked. I had luckily done a bit of research and had an address saved on my phone. So I went to a taxi driver that knew no English and pointed to the address. He seemed a bit lost... not a good start. Anyway, he got me to the address and luckily reception was still open and I got a bed. I have never been so relieved to have accommodation. 

The funny thing is, it turned out I had saved the wrong hostel on my phone. This place is very basic, so tomorrow I am lugging my gear down the road to the hostel that looks a lot better and I have heard good things about their Colca Canyon tours. Just to add to my series of unexpected events... I ran into some ex-volunteers of La Sande Verde today and had coffee with them, it was nice to have company for half a day.

Arequipa is a very surprising city, with incredible architecture. I went on a free city tour and came across some incredible work. I say, you don't need to spend all your money travelling to Paris for incredible architecture, the stuff here in Arequipa is equally impressive and the trip is easy 1/3 of the cost. 

Arequipa
26/4/14
I decided to spend one more day in Arequipa to soak up the warm sunshine. I am at the best hostel I have stayed in since since landing in South America. It has hammocks, a dog and much more. Personally, I love the dog the most. It is easy to make friends here and so I get to have company and an excuse to eat out. 

Yesterday I returned from my most epic mission yet, a two day hike into the deepest Canyon in the world, the Colca Canyon. This was tough, starting with a 3am pick-up from Arequipa. We stopped to see the amazing condors with their 3 metre wing span then it was onto the Canyon. We then had a 6 hour hike in the heat of the day before ending up at a place called the Oasis. It really was like an Oasis, as we made the final descent down to the bottom of the canyon. This place was like a desert, with mostly cacti growing, but the Oasis stood out with its green lawns and turquoise blue water. It was like heaven after a steep, hot hike. The next morning was the toughest of the journey. Again, we woke up before the sun. I remember looking up at the stars almost delirious with muscles aching and fatigue from lack of sleep, but it was all part of the experience. So we set off with nothing but head torches lighting the way. With an empty stomach and fatigued muscles we started the three hour steep uphill hike to ascend more than 1000 metres.

As I neared the top, I felt like my tired legs could not go another step, so I resorted to my 'mind can, body can' mantra to get me through. Eventually I did reach the top, I had conquered! With my struggle I realised I needed to get my fitness back ready to take on the inca trail in less than two weeks.

With new friendships and breakfast in our stomachs we made our way to the hot springs to soak away our pain and celebrate our triumph. This was a perfect way to end the Colca trip, with a cold running river and warm spas, it was heaven.



27/4/14
On the bus to Cusco, feeling pretty happy with myself. I arrived at the bus terminal, just that first step was a bit of a gamble not knowing Spanish with a non English speaking cab driver. Then I chose the nicest, non-tourist bus for more than half the price of all the "flash" buses and turned out to be the only gringo on a quiet comfy bus. Can't beat that! My timing could not be better. As long as there are no bus changes along the way it will be smooth sailing to Cusco...

30/4/14
As I write this I am in Cusco at 'the healing house', overlooking a cute little organic garden, and behind it is a beautiful view of the city and surrounding mountains... What a haven! This is my home for the next 10 days, surrounded by like minded people, with a range of therapies offered and yoga every day, I feel so blessed. This environment is making me turn inwards now. Free to express my spiritual insights and my feelings, I feel overwhelmed in such a new environment. I have much to learn here, but also much to give. Yesterday I gave free floor massages at the free clinic they offer to local Peruvians. Soon I hope to practise my Lomi Lomi massage that I learnt in Hawaii back in February. So I am now onto the next stage of my journey. The stage were I turn inwards to overcome my own limitations to rise and grow ready for my next stage in life... A stage were experience is everything. I have so much to learn before I enter into my career as a holistic counsellor. I must let go of my paramedic identity, and grow into a new skin. Time for some serious transformation!



14/5/14
I am back from my four day Inca trail expedition, so many amazing experiences to process. Each day we hiked almost sunrise to sunset, taking in the incredible landscapes and ruins. There were 20 of us in a group, but this was not a problem, for we had the freedom to do the trek at our own pace. I often found myself alone with my own company, in silence, hearing nothing but the sounds of nature.

Our group was varied, from dentists and doctors, to accounts and business men, spiritual gurus and shaman seekers, even a retired couple. Everyone got along, no one complained and no one had a negative word to say about the trek and organisation. Our guides were also incredible, with 2 jokers and the main guide passionate about the culture and extremely knowledgable. Then there was the porters and the chef. The food was restaurant quality and the porters were admirable. Always running ahead with their heavy load to set up our lunch and camp spot long before we arrived. 

I was amazed that I did not get sore, my body did not feel fatigued. Even with the first 2 nights been cold with little sleep, I felt energised. The only draw back I had was an unusual injury on my second night. I woke with sharp pain to my right ribs, making it very uncomfortable sleeping and difficult to breath, especially when feeling out of breath on the up hill hikes.

The final day came around quickly, we arrived at Machu Pichu in the morning. An incredible sight, made even more magical and meaningful by our 4 day expedition. I did not want to leave this place, I was in awe, but the time came to leave, it was the end of an epic, awe inspiring journey.



28/5/14

I am now near the end of my trip. So many dreams have come true in these 6 months, 32 days of snow boarding in whistler, volunteering at an animal refuge with monkeys, mountain biking the death road in Bolivia, Machu Pichu as well as many intense spiritual experiences in Peru. I am so grateful for all I have seen and done, but the most significant experiences have been in my Shamanic journeys. In my final month in Peru I have journed with plant medicines, experienced many ceremonies and been initiated in the powerful Munay-Ki rites of the Andean people, had several swaps with healing practitioners, massaged for donations to an incredible place in Cusco, experienced many healings with incredible shamans and learnt of many plant medicines through a herbal workshop. I am so grateful for my incredible teachers and so blessed to have some amazing new inspiring friends in my life. All these experiences have allowed me to grow into the person I only dreamed to be. While I am sad to be near the end of an incredible, empowering journey, I can not wait to live out my dreams back in Australia. Finally I will be able reach out to many teenagers through counselling and many other means. There are no limits, for what we believe to be true and achievable is possible. I have tested this many times, and it keeps ringing true to me. It is time to step out of our limiting thought patterns and into the light of a new age...






Saturday, February 22, 2014

Hawaii

18/2/14
Maui Island
Day 1
Soaked up the sunshine on the beach, then accidentally added an hour detour to my walk to the bus stop.

Day 2
Hired a moped and had so much fun driving on the wrong side of the road. Went to the nicest beach on the island and then ventured over to the nudist beach and discovered a drum circle, had a nice nap on the beach while listening to the sound of the drums and the ocean.

Day 3
Extended moped hire as I could not part with it... Went to do a nice scenic loop of the island got half way (40minuts round) and discovered the road was closed. This was a great challenge for me with a narrow road and windy roads, but not much traffic, loved it! Eventually got to the town I was aiming for to find it was just a tourist town, but found the best photo gallery I have ever seen, from Peter Lick and the friendly staff gave me some great info about his work.
Was lucky to find a section of the beach away from the resort goers, and in doing so found a local. He was a retired stunt man who has been in some major movies, a nice lonely, old guy living an extravagant lifestyle while also enjoying the local culture. We got chatting and he loved that I was from Australia, he shouted me lunch at a nice cafe on the beach and I got some insiders info. He had a dog that he was very attached to, so figured I could trust him.
One highlight of this whole trip was finally getting to experience the sunset in nature. Went to a hidden lookout some fellow backpackers had told me about, watched the whales and took a great variety of photos. When I got back to the hostel I felt the best I have felt since I left home.


Day 4
The hostel is really starting to feel like home now, it is set up like a house and the people are so friendly from all around the world. I do seem to attract the Danes though, made friends with three Danes and they invited me on a trip to see the sunrise from the top of the crater. I also made friends with a Latino who had a car and organised to do some surfing to get that one ticked off the list, so this was my biggest day yet.
One of the Danes is a very keen photographer, and insisted that we leave at 3.30 in the morning due to the 2 hour drive to get to the crater, so on four hours sleep I saw the sunrise and some great views. Then when I got back it was off to the beach, unfortunately by the time we got to the beach to waves were a little to ferocious for me, but I attempted it. I also learnt some Spanish, funny enough my new friend loved women, and found another girl on the beach while I was in the surf. We ended up having drinks together and this American, free living chick became my saviour the following day when the Latino was getting a bit too full on. He was not very easy to hang out with, a bit controlling and talked about himself non-stop.


Day 5
Went to the beach with the Latino to meet up with my new American friend, thankfully we managed get away from the egoistic, Latino and had a great afternoon on the beach sharing our common interests. Thankfully she had a car, so I managed to get home that night.
Another long day as I now needed to carry all my gear to the next hostel, a short hike, made longer by the extra weight I had accumulated with food and pamphlets. I went to this hostel mainly for the free tours and also for the nice outdoor area. When I got here I was immediately home sick for the other place, as I discovered this place was massive, a little run down and full of young party goers.

Day 6
Once again, I had luck on my side, I had not gotten a spot on the bus for the turtle tour, but waited around to see if a seat would be free, and sure enough, I got on last minute! This island is incredible, this time of year the whales come from Alaska to breed and have their calves, they have estimated about 1000 hump back whales to be in the waters at the moment, and most beaches you can hear them singing when you put your head underwater! It is incredible, I just wish I could hold my breath longer to hear more of their songs.
Now as for the turtles, they are round most reefs. I was lucky, cause I got to see lots of turtles, and you can swim so close you can touch them, I respected the local law and reframed from touching them. Turtles also make noises under water, they are kind of cute.
So started to make friends at my new hostel, played beach volley ball and had some cheap cocktails before heading "home". I always call home where I lay my head at night.


Day 7
I was lucky to get on the tour again, today it was whale watching. I was very happy that we actually went with the pacific whale foundation and all proceeds go to the foundation for whale protection and research. I saw lots of whales, one jumped very close to the boat, it was spectacular. It was here that I made friends with my favourite friend so far. We decided to rent a car the following day to go on a road trip. Tonight just so happened to be free beer night, so of course had to partake. It was here that the American college type atmosphere really came alive, and I got to play some American games (not all drinking games).

Day 8
 Probably my favourite day on the island, today I did a long trip around Maui with two awesome people, one from Germany and one from the Holland. We ventured in true backpacker style, saw some awesome waterfalls and bays and happily broke the rental agreement to see the best scenery on the island... Words do not do this day justice...

Day 9
Took advantage of one more day with a car, we got a group together and were best friends before we even got to our destination. We had Aussie (me), Holland, Germany and Sweeden and took the opportunities to learn from each other, the day ended up been quite educational. We ventured round a beautiful town and found some great local beverages during happy hour. It was another long day, but we wished it lasted longer as we did not want to part, AMAZING people, thank you, or as the Hawaiians say, mahalo...

Day 10
Moved back to Northshore hostel for the homely vibe, was very grateful to be dropped off this time. Today I did a hike into the famous Iao valley with my Dutch friend. This was very scenic with the towering larva carved mountains. Funny enough, we ran into the tour from the hostel and discovered a long, amazing hike that we would have missed otherwise. We also got a free ride back to save the 5km hike along the road home. Yet another awe inspiring day.


Day 11
Today was my final day, and I had to get and see those turtles again. Thankfully my Danish friends wanted to join me, so I got a ride to the place they call turtle town. The reef here is beautiful, and of course the turtles are always my highlight. I grew to love the turtles so much that I bought a necklace from a local with a turtle carving, the turtle is said to represent healing, and I really need it as my cold is still lingering stronger than ever. I have had the cold for nearly two months, I guess that is what happens when you don't know how to slow down.
There has just been so many opportunities to explore, and I don't regret any of it. Every day here I have grown, been amazed, and overwhelmed at the abundance of experiences. Every day I have met someone that I have learnt from, been inspired by nature and become even more philosophical. Every day I have experienced the true meaning of fun and freedom, and journeyed deeper to my core, as I let go of societal and personal restrictions...

Tomorrow I fly to Hawaii big island to start my Lomi Lomi massage course, and so another journey begins...


22/2/14
I took a dive, blind folded with what I planed in Hawaii... I had a Lomi Lomi massage course booked with someone I had never heard of and did not get referred to and got accommodation with someone I didn't even know, and funny enough landed myself on a tiny 9 seated air craft to fly me onto the big island, and took a taxi with someone who did not seem to know where he was going... But like always, I was going with my intuition and it payed off.
The accommodation was perfect and the massage course gave me all I was seeking on my travel to Hawaii. My teacher was very much a traditional Hawaiian, the massage was very authentic and on top of it all I learnt a great deal about the Hawaiian history, culture and philosophies. Not bad for a blind folded dive hey...

2/3/14
Oahu
I ended up on this island very unexpectedly... I had wished to stay on the big island for a number of weeks with so much to explore, however I soon realised that I was reacting to the sulfur in the air from the active volcano. This was not helping my lingering cough, and I am actually mildly allergic to sulfur. With all this in mind I decided to leave the island straight after my massage course, and the next cheapest island was Oahu.

I had been avoiding this tourist infested island, but I soon came to realise that the aloha spirit was very much alive. Everyone on this island was so happy, even the locals. I actually felt like I was back in Australia with the bustling Wakiki area reminding me of the Gold Coast.

While the hostel was not so flash, I was in a prime location. With the first 10 minutes of been on the iconic Waikiki beach I had already picked up a phone number from a good looking Canadian guy. This put a smile on my face, and even though I turned down the opportunity to have some drinks with him, I felt blissfully young and free, and yet exhausted at the same time from my busy day.

Of course, I had many adventures on this island, but to make it short, I will list my highlights...
Free activities... Learning hula, watching hula and live Hawaiian music and yoga.
The mountains... Wow, now wonder they filmed Jurassic park and Lost here
The beaches... Most stunning so far
Hiking... Once again, staying away from entry fees and tourists
Kayaking... Ahhh, the serenity been out at sea by myself with 360degrees of breath taking mountain and island scenery.
Snorkelling... Could not resist swimming with my turtle friends again, in an amazing bay formed by a sunken volcano
Hiring a car... Ahh the freedom to travel where ever, when ever I wanted
Escaping the touristy area for some quiet time in a cheap guest house nestled in-between the beach and the mountains.

And... I think that is most of it, the photos tell the story better than that though.


5/3/14

I now have the very expensive two day flight to Lima, Peru. That means 24 hours to learn Spanish! But first, gotta experience a real American city, with a 17 hour stop over in Los Angeles...

After a full day of exploring Oahu, with hikes, stunning views, and scenic drives I arrive at the airport with my hire car. The last 2 hours was the perfect goodbye from Hawaii, with a massive whale sitting close to a stunning lookout. The whale seemed to be waving me goodbye with its massive fin slapping the water. Then it was onto the notorious sandy beach. I soon discovered why it was called sandy beach as I walked out of the surf covered in sand. So I was able to take some of the beach with me on the plane. Then the most stunning sunset I have ever layed eyes on, and that is not an exaggeration. I wished I had time to take photos as I saw it set over the ocean and city, but I was already running late for my plane.

An overnight plane trip got me into Los Angeles at 4am in the morning, so red eyed and a little exhausted I somehow managed to find my way (for only $1) to the centre of Santa Monica. I had absolutely no knowledge of this famous city, but it just goes to show, that sometimes "winging it" can turn out for the best. Relying souly on directions from locals I navigated my way to the heart of Santa Monica, stumbled across some lovely farmers markets... In the middle of a main road and met up with a very good friend of mine (who I met on the plan from Brisbane to Vancouver). So maybe if I was more organised I would have been able to spend more than 2 hours with my Aussie friend, but I would say that my day still went splendidly well despite missing a whole nights sleep. Oh and I got 2 hours sleep on the beach with some homeless people, no kidding.

Then it was back onto the plane for a 13 hour expedition to Lima. This part of my trip was cruel and reminded me of how it felt coming off double night shifts with next to no sleep. I arrived into Lima in the middle of the day, it was stinking hot and I had a total of 2 hours sleep. By this stage I was almost delirious, now having missed 2 whole nights of sleep and traveled across multiple time zones. I was relieved to find my driver who took me to my hostel driving like a true South American, through typical South American traffic. 

It is now day 2 for me in Peru, time to learn Spanish and sort out my next adventures. Adios...


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Canada

28/12/13
After 20 hours in the air I arrive in Vancouver, from tropical Queensland to cold and bleak Vancouver. Already with 24 hours of travel I have been on a roller coaster. Funny things happen when you get into the fatigue state. Feeling like death on the plane with a headache and fatigue, I was beginning to regret my 2 months of late nights and early mornings and non stop adventure. That thought came into my head, that uncertainty a weary traveller feels. The "what the hell am I doling" thought. But you push through, knowing that this is part of your journey, your adventure, for there is no greater adventure in life, then those experienced overseas.  And so the constant search for more depth in life continues.

2/1/14
Well, were to start... The first week has been full of intense moments, I guess you have to expect that when travelling. I guess I will start with my time in Vancouver. The start of my trip has already been an incredible journey. In 24 hours I have already found an amazing travel buddy and friend. It all started with the flight from Brisbane, as I was lucky enough to sit next to her. From here we spent 3 days exploring Vancouver, living up the start of our incredible journey. It is amazing the like minded people who come into your life when you are following your dreams and  putting yourself out there.

I arrived in Whistler New Year's Eve, to spend it with my favourite travel buddy. While I had a great time as the clock ticked over, I got very sick, very quickly. Thankfully I had only had a few drinks, as I got a raging fever and chest infection  that made me bed ridden for the first couple of days of the new year. I am determined to get better though, it is now snowing, which means a good day of boarding tomorrow. Body, you better be ready, cause nothing can stop me from snow boarding in fresh snow. Feeling pretty unwell, but so determined to get out there.

4/1/14
Day 2 in the slopes and I was straight into the back country with some hard core boarders. These tree runs were not for the faint hearted, they were steep and unforgiving, but I love a challenge, and thankfully I made it out alive. With some epic crashes, one involving about three rolls, thankfully into powder snow, got stuck in some trees, and did an epic 360 getting my board caught in the snow and regaining my feet to continue on the run, all in one swift motion, don't even know how that happened.

Anyway, I proved myself worthy today, so I think I am officially initiated in with the full time boarders. Ready for anything now... While I love the adrenaline rush of the difficult back country, nothing beats the feeling of flying down a nicely groomed run flat chat, closest feeling to flying I reckon.



7/1/14
Being boarding for 5 days straight now, my legs are hurting and the snow is getting thinner. I am giving every run my all, every jump and mogil. By the end of the day every turn hurts my aching muscles, but every day I am ridding with boarders that know their stuff, I need to learn a lot every day. I need to get stronger, faster, and more confident, but for now I am only just keeping up with the guys. I am determined to get out there every day, I want to do the tricks, the switch foot, the terrain parks, the 360's and the epic jumps. I have 4 weeks left, time to get serious...

8/1/14

You take a fall, a hard hit, your fingers are so cold they hurt, your body so tired it burns and yet you push on, you push on to get better, faster, stronger. It is not for the success, it is chasing that feeling, of reaching your potential. The feeling of such great speeds you feel you are flying, such heights, you feel limitless, and great tricks, that even blow your own mind and expectations. This is what life is all about... No, it is not all about snowboarding, it is all about pushing your own limits, finding it with in yourself, your own greatness. It is not what you find when you compare yourself to others, but rather, that feeling of inner accomplishment and growth... Never let anyone shrink your own potential, because you are capable of great things...


14/1/14

Today was a bit of a wake up call of caution. I got an epic hit to the head after pushing myself that little bit harder on a jump. I guess you can't call it an accident when you push yourself to ride faster and jump higher. My snow boarding had been improving every day, but today I pushed my boundaries a little too much, but  I still have many more things I want to achieve on the slopes before I move on from this snow boarders paradise they call Whistler. I have now been riding 12 days straight, my muscles are sore, but my love for this strange sport is ever so strong. No knock will keep me down...

17/1/14
Snow boarding has become so much more than a fun sport... In my 17 days of boarding I have done many a tree runs and seen amazing scenery. From cliff face, to peak views. Some days I really do feel like I am on top of the world! Flying down a steep slope, literally feels like flying. Floating through fresh powder snow up to the waist and getting air on jumps, again... Feels like flying. Mastering a new trick, or landing an epic jump gives you satisfaction like no other. Discovering new terrain or hiking up a glacier to make some fresh tracks, snow boarding is an adventure like no other.



19/1/14
In the 2 months I have been travelling I have come to see one thing... Everything around you may be in constant state of change with adventure around every corner...but your internal battles remain the same. You can't travel to escape yourself, but you sure can travel to expand your understanding of this world we live in.

21/1/14
Every day amazes me here in the snow with new experiences and new achievements. I am Improving every day, regardless of the competition. I must share all my triumphs, for I am reaching a level of snow boarding I never dreamed of.
When I came to whistler I dreamed of boarding some back country and powder... I achieved that on my second day on the slopes...
Then I wanted to go to bigger jumps... I got so much time in the air and began landing nearly every jump... So then I wanted to land a 180... Mastered that today. Now I want to master the "big" jumps and before I leave I want to land a 360!

On top of the daily achievements I get some unexpected surprises... Boarding with guys that know their stuff that are fun to board with and can teach me more... Finding freshly groomed runs first thing in the morning, when I am by myself and get the whole run to myself making first tracks... Then today, going for a short easy day and end up boarding for nearly 8 hours, with some beers on top of the mountain watching the sunset! So today I not only got to make fresh tracks with a whole slope to myself... But I got to have beer on top of the world (or so it feels) with great company, and some new acquaintances and then get the whole mountain to ourself as we board down. Yeah, today was one of the best days!

Other highlights include... Boarding powder, finding new tree runs and right up there... Hiking to some untouched slopes with some awesome people, such fresh snow. Then later finding out that it was a high risk area for avalanches... Oops.

Unfortunately pushing your limits comes with consequences... The epic stacks can sometimes hurt. Almost getting whip lash with daily knocks to the head, getting winded on those face plants, landing on icy patches, not quite landing those big jumps... Yeah it hurts, but the rewards of reaching new heights and speeds is definitely worth it!





Road trip across Australia

29/11/13
Today I set off for an epic road trip across Australia with my brother. We packed bare essentials for our camping expedition, to keep the trip simple. With my swag, surf board, fishing rod and SLR camera packed in the ute it was bound to be a fun trip. We set off with only two destinations in mind, first stop would be near Canberra for my cousins engagement party, then Manjimup in southern WA to visit my sister.

1/12/13
Now with the engagement party over we had less than a week to make it 4000 kilometres across Australia. So our plan now was to cover as many kilometres as we could. As the sun was getting lower we looked out for camping spots that might be on the river bank. After living in far North Queensland for 2 years my first instincts are to beware of crocs, cassowary's and jellyfish. Having the freedom to camp and even swim near a river still seemed like a novelty. But that is exactly what we did, found a secluded river bank and lay out or swags. This was pure bliss to have the luxury of sleeping under the stars. Such an amazing feeling to wake up, look at the stars and have nature, nurture you back to sleep. Camping in nature around Australia seems to really heal the soul.


3/12/13
Feeling like we had made good ground so far, we decided to take a detour to the Flinders Rangers. I knew it was quite iconic to South Australia, so we set off to cover 500 kilometres, our shortest day yet. 

While there was stunning scenery on the way, the flinders seemed to be in quite a state of drought, and we were actually the only people in the whole place, well apart from one passing car. We arrived at 2pm in the blistering sun. Due to the Barron state of the place there was no running water, however we did have taps, so we were drenching ourselves with water bottles to avoid heat stroke. I thought I would take the opportunity to set up my hammock. After two beers I felt sufficiently drunk with my blood vessels dilated due to the heat, so I curled up in the hammock and used the inspiration to write and dream of future ventures. Today I wrote down my dreams of the future for the first time, it was 
quite exhilarating. 

Despite the heat, I felt the urge, as always to go adventuring. With no map, I relied on the few signs around. This was quite an amazing walk, with the expansive gorges as far as the eye could see, and rolling thunder with a storm brewing. I did get a little wet, but even with my camera in my bag, it was very much welcomed to cool me down.



5/12/13
Now in the middle of nowhere, 500 kilometres from the WA boarder at the end of the Nullabour we managed to stumble across a gem. A sheep property that offered a lovely outback camp ground. Once again, I woke with the sun, a little unsure of the time now that we were in WA. I went on a great adventure up the hills to see some amazing views, plenty of kangaroos up close and personal, and a few wild sheep. Morning really is my favourite, as I have the whole place to myself for at least an hour before everyone else begins to wake.



7/12/13
Now on the WA Coast line I finally get to see the sun set over the ocean. We find ourself in yallingup, as I get all my favourite things in one afternoon, a bush walk, ocean and photography on the cliff face as the sun sets. Now Yallingup might sound like an unusual name, but in south western Australia, it is unusual not to have a town ending in "up". They say that "up" in the indigenous language means meeting place, so there are a lot of meeting places over here. Tomorrow we finally arrive at my sisters place in, wait for it.... Manjimup.



14/12/13
Today I got to experience The Great Australian Bight. Such a visual extraviganzer, with its soaring cliff face and white sandy beaches. It was not possible to drive down to the beach due to the cliff face, but a bit of adventuring on foot got me down the rocky steep walls. Then it was a walk through some Barron bush lands, and finally the sand dunes. A photographers playground, I was in a frenzy. Never had I seen such a sight, with towering white sand dunes, blue ocean waters to the south and a towering cliff face to the north. I wanted to stay here a whole day, but the sun was nearly setting, and I had my sights set on  the wispy waves and sunset. So some quick photos on the dunes, and then a rush to the beach. I got there just in time, found the perfect spot and in my excitement  I left my bag with my lenses and shoes a little to close as the tide was coming in. After my blissful haze of photography and spiritual connection to the amazing earth we live on, I turned around to find my bag and shoes drenched. I was so high on all the excitement and natural beauty that I just smiled and carried on. This was by far, the most incredible adventure and even moment I have had yet in my short 24 years of living on this beautiful planet. 


16/12/13
After travelling over 3000 kilometers through out South Australia, covering the Flinders ranges, Eyre Peninsula, the Nallabour and Adelaide, I have come to see that it has three things going for it... Amazing salt lake, rugged ocean shore lines and 10 cents for recycling each of your bottles. Yeah, the whole of South Australia is very desolate and their beaches, while stunning to look at, are not good for swimming with no waves, shallow sand bars and a whole lot of seaweed. 



22/12/13
12000 kilometres, 5 capital cities, 5 states, a kilo of almonds and a whole lot of coffee, 23 days later, I arrive home safe and sound with my brother. Had 24 hours home to pack for 4 seasons, hiking, snow boarding in 4 completely different countries. Said hi to all my animals, booked the inca trail and accommodation for the first month in Canada and a whole stack of other things and it is now time to leave for Dorrigo to have Christmas with my family. Just another day in my year of freedom...


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Solo Road Trip'n


23/11/13

Phase three of my endless travel went very smoothly. This trip actually started with my level 4 Ka Huna massage course, but I will leave those experiences for my spiritual blogs. This Ka Huna massage is an ancient Hawaiian healing art, and heals deep to the soul. Man was I on an absolute high after this course, after spending the first couple of days integrating back into society in the bushlands of Imbil, it was time to set off on yet another road trip.

Coolum beach was the first stop, with surf board, mountain bike, swag and massage table packed, this was sure to be a great trip. I spent one night camping on the beach… in a tent, with Cailin. I was keen to get my board in the water again, but nervous looking at these monstrous waves, I can’t even use this board, how the hell am I meant to get out the back? So we have a drink to ease the nerves, then out we go. Wave after wave I get washed off my board, then finally I make it out there, exhausted! I soon realised that I was not quite ready for these waves as I still could not stand up on my 6.4 inch short board. So I played like a kid in the white water.

I was ever so lucky to have my parents staying at Coolum at the same time, so again, free accommodation, this time for two nights at a resort. I payed for my room and meals through massage, yep, mum and dad got a nice long Ka Huna massage as I got to try out my new moves. I could have stayed in this paradise for the whole week, but I had 1700 kilometres of road trip’n to do, oh yeah, and friends to visit. It seems weird to say this, but even though I have a whole year off work, I am just as busy as I always have been. With so much to fit in before leaving for Canada, I did not have a day to myself, no chill out day. I guess that is how I live my life though, in a constant state of change and adventuring.

Next stop was Blackwater to catch up with a very special friend from school. This day I spent nearly nine hours on the road, but I was still flying high from my massage retreat and relaxing beach time, so to my amazement I only needed one coffee. This is unheard of for me, as I have fallen asleep at the wheel a few times before, as I get driver fatigue pretty badly when I drive alone, but not this time! My head was full of dreams and thoughts of the future, I felt unstoppable.

I spent a few days in Blackwater, spreading the aloha spirit through massage to my two friends who were amazing hosts. Once again, so blessed to have free accommodation and cheap, healthy food.  Also, there may not be much in Blackwater, but they do have an amazing National Park. It was in this National Park that I found one of the best swimming holes I have experienced, and that is saying a lot after spending two years in tropical Far North Queensland.

Once again, I had a bit of a tight schedule, so after only two days in Blackwater it was time to head off again. Another nine hour drive, but this time to Kingaroy to see my paramedic friends whom I had worked with for the past year. These friends mean a lot to me, as they had become my family while in Kingaroy. The days spent with them brought me in touch with my emotional side, as I realised how all my travel had distanced me from those who I care about. I often get lonely in my travels, because as soon as I settle into a place, it is time to leave already. But this is my path in this world, there is too much to learn and experience to stay in the one place for too long.

So with a heavy heart, I left my Kingaroy family again and headed to the big smoke. Off to Brisbane to see my friends one last time, before I embark on my overseas travel. I always love visiting Brisbane, because it means massage swaps, dream sharing and inspiring, and mountain biking. Yeah, I have a pretty good life.