and the journey continues....

As we prepared to leave to Vancouver,  Mark found a couple to rent his car while he was gone,  so we were able to take only one vehicle to Van. James was going to hitch a ride with us to Oliver, but soon left as the day got later and later and Mark found an old friend he wanted to spend some time with before he left. So James picked up his bags gave us all hugs and said good-bye. I was disappointed to not have him for part of the journey. And when we drove away the next day I really felt I missed him.

We stayed at Naramata beach for the evening as Mark cleared out his car for the new "owners", and I single handedly killed the battery in my van. It was a fabulous night on the beach, watching the stars, swinging on swings, and dodging the sprinklers in the park! We finally left for Vancouver and after one fabulous conversation, a nap, some great music, a snack, and one pee break, we arrived. First time there, so I was pretty excited. I finally got to meet Mark's friend who will be traveling Europe with him, the beautiful little pixie called Tyese. Sweet little spitfire bubble of energy. We didn't get to visit long, she went to the airport that afternoon and waited for an available seat. Her energy really stuck with me, and I hope we meet again.... 

We spent the rest of the day organizing the van, and finding Marc a plane ticket. Both a success. $317 one way flight to London! And Tyese's family was very hospitable for the next few nights, until Marc's departure.

The next day we spent some time at a wonderful cafe, called Brown Dog Cafe. had some breakfast and a chai tea latte. Walked around for a bit and headed to Wreck beach, where the welcoming sounds of drums echoed up the stairway through the trees. The beach is beautiful, it is so secluded from the rest of the city... You cannot hear or see the noisy street, and the laid back atmosphere of people without a care in the world, freely lounging without clothing on. Its comfortable and free. People playing music, dancing, hula hooping... little naked children running in the sand, people playing fetch with their dogs.... couples holding eachother tight.... not afraid to let the world see their love.... This is where I will spend my days "away" from the city.

After dropping Marc off at the airport, well… "dropping" him off, finding out the flight was delayed, meeting up with a old friend of his, eating supper, talking some fun airport pictures, waiting around, and losing a boarding pass, we finally went to his gate, to eventually board the plane. 

I stayed in the lot where I had parked that night and slept there for a few hours. I didn't know where I would be going after the airport and in the dark, first time driving around the city and the first time alone there. I decided to set my alarm to move my van early in the morning.  After a while I drove and found my way to a park. And slept a little more...

I was fortunate to get news that a good friend would be arriving in Vancouver that morning. It would be nice to hang out for a bit! We went to wreck beach and then later on drove to the YWCA where Sally would be staying the night before moving in to her new place. She let me stay with her there where I didn't rest so easy as I was receiving messages from Tyese that Marc was nowhere to be found after "arriving" in London. After learning that the flight had landed 3 hours ago, she panicked wondering why she hadn't heard from him. more hours passed, and still no word. She waited all night for him at the station where they were supposed to meet. I got messages every couple hours. Poor girl.. Good thing she had whiskey.. They found eachother the next day. Marc's story is a very interesting one wondering around London all night long…. Maybe he will let me blog about it ;)

Sally and I had great adventures around the city. As we pulled out from the YWCA I noticed a chair in a big dumpster in an ally and thought how cool would it be to take pictures of it in different locations. :D So naturally I turned around, pulled the van up beside the dumpster, climbed up on the roof, yanked the chair out, passed it down to Sally, and the fun begins. We took our first photo right the beside the blue dumpster. It was junky and dirty and great contrast with the reddish color chair.  We put it in the back of the van and drove downtown to water front station. parked and lugged it to the train tracks… then a next to a stone building, then to great back ally. I was a spectacle, walking through crowds of tourists with a chair over my shoulder. :) We then took it to a park and took pictures of it in the trees. We powered out and were getting hungry so we had to ditch the chair, because there is no room for it in the van with me sleeping there. We had intentions of taking it to the beach too but, the chair was gone the next day :(

Sally and I had more great days together, exploring the city and spending time at the beach. Playing drums and singing! the adventures of mr potato head, finding our way to Stanley park by bus and back again, a bus driver who clearly didn't want us on his bus.. (LOL) realizing the struggles of being a goose,  nearly being robbed by a raccoon! and seeing WALRUSES!! Or could they have been seals….?  and learning the difference between Howe and Howard.  Ahhhh.... good times, with good people :)

New life: A journey to the west

I decided it was time for a change. I found living in the busy city soul sucking and the atmosphere just wasn't right for me anymore. I decided to leave, and go where the road takes me. I left behind my cat, my job, my home, my friends and family, and photography for the most part. Packed up my van and headed west. My van is now my home. I brought very little with me, just enough to feed my soul while I'm gone. My camera, guitar, ukulele, drawing pencils, hula hoop, a few books, some clothes and essentials. some soap and my handmade jewelry hoping that I could sell to the hippies and make a few bucks :P

So, my journey begins. Travelling west down the trans-Canada always amazes me. You can watch the landscape change from farm lands, to forests, to hills, to mountains with rocky edges and waterfalls… and then somewhere the valley in between mountains start to widen and it becomes green and lush… and soon you are in the shuswaps. So green and fertile, beautiful lakes, welcoming cabins, fruit stands and always sunshine. And finally the Okanagan, desert-y and to me feels like summer all the time. Almost as if I stepped into a different country for a moment, landscapes like nothing else. And all of this within 9 hours of driving.

When I left Revelstoke the morning after I had stopped for the night, I saw a traveller holding out a sign for Nelson. I decided to stop and give him a ride. Not to Nelson, however, but he decided to go with me until Kelowna. The company was welcome. He was very pleasant, his name was Kjel. A social worker from Belgium, travelling around western Canada. He shared some of his music with me and was great company for the ride to Kelowna, where I dropped him off at the bridge. So long travelling friend. Its amazing, the people you meet… and why? And I wonder if our paths will cross again....

I got into Penticton and met up with Marc at the hostel, met a british friend he had acquired, named James. We all decided to find work together. We went out to an orchard we had an address for hoping to set up camp so we could start in the morning. Nobody was there, We called them and they told us there was no more work there. so we sat and made some phone calls to some other orchards in the area. Mark and I giggled to ourselves listening to James on the phone trying to get us a job. " 'ello sir! how are you t'day? We are three very enthusiastic cherry pickers, and we need to come and pick your cherries!"
Charming, but no dice. :)

We eventually found an orchard looking for workers, we followed a guy up to a place in Skaha and immediately went to work. Working in the trees, feeling the branches and the earth beneath my feet, the warm breeze… its heaven, and so grounding. The grounding that I've been needing. It does get tiring after a while in the heat, and hurts the fingers a bit. A few hours later a guy walked into the orchard with boss, he had such a calming disposition, sweet, shy smile.. I smiled his way and later went to introduce myself. His name is Anthony, from France. First time cherry picker. He stuck with us after that, Its so nice to find friends :)

Every morning we started early, at 6. Indian boss would come in and honk his horn, come knock on my window and make sure we were all up. Its perfect picking in the morning before the sun is to hot. I am not a very fast cherry picker, not like Anthony. Who picked 35 buckets on the day that I picked 24. Which was a lucky day for me because on other days it was 19, 15 and 14. Sonny called me lazy that day. The day I did 15, which was after the day I did 24. boo.

We set up camp for the night in the orchard. It was getting late and we had to wake up early. I prepared my van for a sleeping quarters, moving all my bags out of the way, as well as James' bag which I officially haul around now. I sat in the grass and watched as Anthony, set up his little camp stove and boiled a pot of water to prepare his supper. He crouched over the stove with a little head lamp shining down on his almost cooked meal. on the other side of me, Mark and James stood side by side against the car brushing their teeth. It was cute. I sat there and enjoyed the moment. I saw a beauty in it that Im sure no one will ever quite understand. We banded together that day and made a sort of home. And as the sun finally settled, and the soft breeze blew through and cooled us for the night, we said our goodnights and the boys took their sleeping bags into the orchard and I retreated into my van. I don't know if anyone else felt this way, but I felt a bit like a family.

Our bathroom at the orchard is amazing. Our wooden outhouse. The door doesn't even close, you can see right through the cracks in the wall. and there isn't even a hole in the ground. haha. Amazing. But still more comfortable then squatting in the bush.

The evenings, the four of us would drive down to the beach and lay in the shade, take a dip in the lake, have a nap, and eventually go get some food and go back to the orchard. James sat and played Mark's guitar while the other two were talking, and I caught him quietly singing a song about the orchard :)

My birthday was really amazing. I couldn't have asked for more. I am blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.... I really am. Half a day in the orchard, the rest relaxing on the beach. That evening we went to an Italian restaurant… so delicious. What a special day. Although each day so far has been more then special...

Five nights in Penticton. Sleeping first in a parking lot, then three beautiful nights in an orchard and the last on a dead end road, shared only by a family of quail and a couple deer. Today I carry on on my journey and continue west. to Vancouver. Mark will fly out to London in a few days, and I will explore the city a bit and meet up with a few friends.

Thats us.....

 

This is Andrew helping the boy get his wheelbarrow out of the cavass.

This is the farmlands near Torre Torre

 

This is the little boy I spotted on the hill who tipped his wheelbarrow and hurt his finger. This is just before Andrew went up to help him get unstuck and bring him the rest of the way down the hill. This is in the farmlands near Torre Torre.

 

 

This is group 1 at identity park (except for Karin) up in the kids tower. And... Jeff next to the sign that says.. that we are not allowed up in the kids tower... after climbing off the tower of course..

 

This is Isaac, standing next to his mom. They come to visit Lizette and Kimberly almost every day. Great soccar player!!

 

This is lizette and little Kimberly doing dishes in the morning. I admire the simplicity in there peoples lives here. Whether by choice or not... I admire it.

Day 5: Antojitos

After work we relaxed at the hotel and then met the group in the lobby to go for supper. We were going to go out to a pizzaria with live music. On our way there we stopped on front of the church in costitution park where we heard loud music and a saw a crowd of people. We wondered over and there dancing in the street lights was Micheal Jackson!! Well, a peruvian version anyways. He was the most fantastic impersonator anyone had seen. A fabulous dancer, just as good as MJ was himself. He had the outfit and even the facial expressions he had down. We stopped and watched for a bit and took a video, so when I get my hands on it, you all will get a chance to see it.

We walked three blocks to Antojitos and finally and 8 oclock we managed to sit down for dinner. Inside this place was a really nice atmosphere, pub like with wood floors and beams. Decorated with antiques such as lanterns and pots etc. We ordered a couple pizzas and soon after the band started. Most of the group got pisco sours, I however am still ify on the raw egg part of it... although it is delicious I think i will hold off for a while... the pizza was some of the best pizza I had ever tasted, others thought so too. Cristian came to meet us a while later (have I mentioned Cristian yet? Cute guy works for Arguidiandos as accountant and as our translator/chaperone) as well as Jessie (Yessie) and her sister ?Lizbeth? (I think its actually Elizabeth but is pronounced different in spanish) Jessie is our real translator, Cristian was our substitute). we all ate pizza and listened to music. after a while the place started to fill up and there was lots of dancing going on. We got up to danced and tried to salsa lol and had a ton of fun. Two peruvian men in suits smoking cigarettes asked to dance with lizbeth and I and I got smoke in face for the longest song ever.... :( Yes, they still smoke in the bars down here. I was tired so I went back to the hotel when we left. The others went to another bar with a group of people we met at Antojitos. Saturday night, there will be more dancing and pisco sours to come...

Day 4: Hugo and the pisco sours

The next day we went back to the work site and finished laying stones. It was pretty much the same day as the last. Afterwards again, we cleaned up, relaxed, and met up for dinner. this one was especially special :) A few days ago we met a man in the lobby named Hugo. He started chatting with Nicole and we found that he was fluent in english, and from a nearby village but was staying in Huancayo for a few days. Hugo is about 70 years old, well traveled, well educated, and about the friendliest person you'll ever meet. So we invited him for dinner with us to La Lenas. During dinner he bought us a round of Pisco sours. Pisco sour is a famous Peruvian drink. And a must have when visiting Peru. The drink is made using 3 ounce of pisco, which is a white brandy, lime juice, egg whites and bitters (whatever that is) and blended until frothy. Its really delicious and I intend on bringing home some pisco and learning how to make them. P.S. Pisco sour makes you really silly really fast :) We learned a lot about Hugo. He worked as an engineer but is now retired. The village where he lives are full of very intellectual people and half the town has been abandoned because when people finish school they travel and often dont come back. I guess thats what happens when the majority of the people are intellectuals and not many are working class. Hugo was never married, the woman he going to marry was killed in an accident when he was about 25. He claims he was never married because he had no time for marriage, but I think its because he was heartbroken. He has three sisters who lives in Lima. He said the one sister is crazy and he really admires her husband because he puts up with her. She showers many times a day and changes her clothes many times a day too. But apparently is borderline genious. The other sister has a really controlling husband, and the other is boring, she doesn't ever want to leave the house. After dinner we had so much energy from pisco sours that we decided to roam around and see the city and the markets at night. Hugo came with us to show us where to buy cheap phonecards because on the street sometimes they sell phoney ones. He also showed me where to buy postcards at the post office. And then we checked out a couple stores. He said young people give him so much energy and he felt so good hanging out with us. And that we had good vibes, he said. lol. He was also a big fan of the Beatles in his day :) I like that tid bit.

The next day while standing on the corner of the market with Jeff, Nicole, and Jamie, we ran into Hugo. He was going to get a phone card. So we all walked together. Its so nice to have a friend here and someone you can trust. He is wonderful to take shopping because he knows what is a good price to pay and can translate so well. And he is coming dancing with us Saturday night! Hugo really reminds me of my grampa, he looks like him when he smiles. He leaves for Lima on monday.. we will miss him he goes...

Day 3: working in Huancayo

We started worked early this morning after eating breakfast at the Coqui cafe. We got there and met a man named Augusto. He is assistant to the foreman, Alejandro. And brother in law. He showed us how to ix up cement and lay the stones on the walkway. I can get used to this!! It was really fun and very satisfying. It was similar to weeding a garden for me, very therapudic and can work on it all day :) The whole group ended up working on the walkway, Shay put some music on and away we went. On the property there is a little house lived in by a small family. They look after the place when no one is there. the woman is lizette and her little girl is Kimberly. not sure of the husbands name, we have not met him. But lizette and Kimberly are there every day. There is a tap that comes out of a pipe in the ground and Everyday Lizette and Kimberly come out to wash the dishes in a little wash basin. Afterwards she washes up the clothes. She sits on a little paint can and Kimberly plays nearby and gets into trouble. She is 15 months old. The place where I go and cool off is inthe stairwell of the school, and is right next to where Lizette does her washing. Kimberly wared up to Karin and I in no time. we love to take breaks from working to play with her. Sometime in the late morning Lizette has a visitor come by with a little boy named Isaac. They sit together all day while the kids play together. Isaac is about 2 1/2 I think. Karin and I played ball with the both of them. Isaac is sure a good little soccer player! He can kick that ball better then I can! Little Kimberly is still to little to kick so mom helps her. But she rolls the ball really good :)

At noon, Nancy brings us lunch and we eat in the admin building. She brings fresh buns, chicken, tomato, lettuce, avocado, rice, tea and inca cola. It is a little bit different everyday but mostly its that. we eat and relax out of the sun. about mid day the sun gets very hot. I dont think it feels any more hot then home but the truth is, if I were outside at home working all day in the direct sunlight It would be just as unbareable. I know that the sun is much stronger here so I did make sure to wear sunscreen. But at home, it seems I can be outside for a few days in a row without sunscreen and not even tan. Most people likely burn in one day out in the sun. So I thought if I wore sunscreen, by the end of three weeks I might have a nice tan. But it only took half a day to get a good tan, and a burn on the back of my neck and shoulders. Even with sunscreen on. So by day two I wore long sleeves and a hood.

We only work until 2 because the sun is so hot. So after work we have free time to roam around, shop, eat, sleep, do whatever we want. We meet at 6 or 7 for supper. The whole group decided to check out the artisan market that Karin and I stumbled upon the first day. Karin and I decided to go down some of the streets to explore a little further. There a lot of street vendors, some with food or candy or, whatever really. We walked by a little place and could smell something really delicous so i thought I would investigate. Right there in the doorway of this little shop was a stove top of some sort with a pan cooking up something wrapped in corn husks. They smelled so good!! I didnt know what they were but I knew they cost only one soles (less the 50 cents) cant hurt to try it for one soles. This sweet little old lady came out to wrap one on up for me. Once I walked away I opened it up and saw that is was the most delicious warm fresh piece of cornbread. I walked back to ask her what it was called and that it was "muy bien". She called it Humitas. which seems to be a version of the tamale.

That evening we went to eat in a place called Donatellos. Pizza and Pasta. I ate a veg pizza and it was delicious. I have to say, we a very well fed here. And are very very lucky. When going into a third world country you never know what you may get. But here we have a clean hotel room, great food and friendly people. I had a little bit of wine with supper.. and it didnt mix well with the altitude...

Day 1: Lima

I arrived at 11:50pm on sunday and was picked up by a man named Ronal and a driver. Ronal is the manager of the Casa Rodas hostel which I stayed at. He often helps out the DWC groups when they come to Peru. Very kind and charming... The Hostel was nice, very cold inside though!! its all tile floor and the windows are just glass on hinges, no frame, no screen. its kinda cool. In the morning i ate breakfast and took a cab to the bus station to meet the group. The buses were very nice big buses. which was very necessary because we had a 7 hour drive ahead of us... we winded up mountain roads and saw all sorts of villages... dwellings at the side of the road, women washing clothes in tubs outside, children playing, dogs, lots of dogs, stray and scavenging. Chickens, sheep, donkeys, pigs, cows, goats. Not a single llama!! Yet...

We all started to feel the altitude on the climb up the mountain. My face started to feel like I had a bad sunburn. I had not yet been in the sun at all. It was interesting. I started to have difficulty breathing but was overall okay.

We arrived in Huancayo at about 8pm and we met by the Arguedianos host partners, Violetta and Alejandro. Piled our luggage in the truck and walked to the Hotel. Checked in. Sleeeeep.

The altitude is funny. We are all huffing and puffing just to crawl into bed at night! heart racing, the whole works. Some have headaches and we all seem to be experiencing cold like symptoms, stuffy runny nose and sore throat. But coca tea is the key. And thankfully it is very available. In our hotle lobby for example, always hot coca tea ready to be drank. It is so helpful, tasty and addicting... go figure, haha. Not only is it good for altitude sickness but it is good for digestion.

Day 2: Huancayo
Today we slept in, went for breakfast at the Coqui Cafe next door to the hotel. Fresh made waffel and fresh juiced papaya! yum! Afterwards we were met by two lovely ladies, Fabiola, and Nancy who are part of the host partner group, Arguedianos. They took us in a cab around the city center and to the jobsite. I will talk more about the jobsite tomorrow. We went to a hat park... yes, a hat park.. Their were giant hats (used as umbrellas over the benches) in a beautiful park square with bidges and fountains. It was very unique... :) Afterward we walked around a mall, which, Im not going to lie, was really boring. I didn't come here to shop in a mall with fashions and prices the same as what I can find in Red Deer. Even though I get easily suckered in 'cause I do enjoy shopping... but I have to remind myself what things exactly I wanted to buy while in Peru... and it wasn't that. But it was helpful to learn were the supermarket was. And was, I admit, a good way to get used to the city.

Before dinner, we had some time to kill so Karin and I decided to take a little walk around city center. Got some great photos of the children chasing pigeons in the park as well as some beautiful photos of a colonial church. (will post later) We stumbled across a little artisan marketplace with beautiful andean crafts. Including of course, woven textiles and knitted sweaters. I bought my first ever alpaca sweater :) for 32 soles. Which is roughly about 15 buck cnd! Heck ya!
On the way back to the hotel I was takeing some photos of the sunset light against the church and a woman with a child stopped me and asked, foto? pointing to the child. I thought she may have been giving me a photo op for of course a small fee. (tourists tend to get that) Of course I said ok sure.. But then she handed me the baby!! and explained again, no, we want a photo of the baby with you!! For no money of course, and we both felt bad for thinking so.. So i got to hold this sweet wide eyed pudgy cheeked little peruvian baby :) Filled my heart with joy!!
We finished the day off With a good meal at a fine Restaurante! Tomorrow morning, off to the jobsite!

Destination: Peru

The flight was long and uncomfortable. But I did pass through American immigration without any hassle and my bags were checked all the way through, so there was no hassel there either.Two of my flights were like flying in a sardine can... minus the smell, thank God. But the flight from dallas to miami was nice. we got a substitute plane for some reason.. it was a 777. it was larger and more comfortable seats. we had our own tvs with movies and video games!! but my controler didn't work so I couldn't play tetris :( I sat beside an American Eagle airline captain who was returning home to west beach. And one point we got to talking.. He asked me if I was from Dallas and I said no, Im from Alberta. And he asked if Alberta was in BC. I said no.. Its beside BC... we're neighbors! and after a few seconds of silence ( and here's where I think i embarrassed him) he asked if Alberta was a province and I replied, "yes." He said "sorry I don't know all the Canadian provinces... you probably don't know all the states..." and I said, "actually I do.... and the capitals..." Sorry captain. Its not normal though.. most canadians probably don't, Im just a nerd. Its funny.. on all flights you sit next to someone for hours and you dont' say a word to eachother until you start to land... at least in my case. Each and everyone one of those people have a story. Maybe their journey has just begun or maybe it is finally over... On the first flight I sat next to a man from Guatamala. We chatted for a bit while descending and talk about where each of us were going. He mentioned how long his flight would be but said after, "It doesn't matter though.. cause I get to go to my home" and he looked so peaceful when he said "home". Isn't that such a nice feeling though? going home? Although Im so excited to be here, I still can't wait to get home...