So much has happened the last few days, I feel like life has shifted permanently.
Traveling is fun, adventurous and a great school of learning. However, it does not come without its dangers...
Let me start with the bad and the ugly.
Just two days ago, two of my friends were walking back from Temple of la Luna - one of the major archeological sites a few hundred metres outside of Cusco. As they were returning, they were attacked from behind by five Peruvians, and tackled to the ground.
Both of them were strangled - to such an extend that they lost consciousness. They were told `You are going to die`. The severity of the attack led them to believe as much. Infact, when Nick stopped breathing Johanna was convinced he had. Shortly after, she lost consciousness.
When they came to, they saw they had been robbed of everything, including cameras, wallets, credit cards and phones.
The ordeal happened at 2 o`clock in the afternoon - on an open green path that leads down towards the city. The main road was visible from where they were, so close, but yet too far. The predators obviously watched them from some vantage point and pounced on them when there was no-one else around.
The incident was obviously extremely traumatizing, especially when you are told that death is imminent. What makes it worse, is that both these people had experienced snatch and grab during their trip to Bolivia week before last. Nick had to buy his second camera after it was stolen in San Pedro market in Cusco, Johanna on the other hand, had all her valuables stolen in a market place in La Paz, Bolivia. When she collapsed in despair in the middle of the plaza, realising her stolen passports meant a lengthy stay in Bolivia, some woman took pity on her and threw her passports back at her.
Peru is a fantastic place, but crime is a reality and you have to be on your guard. The strangling incident is not something that happens every day. Infact the police officers interrogated my two friends for hours, because it was (quote unquote) `one of the most serious and violent incidents of crime in a long time`.
My mom and I were planning to walk to Christo Blanco (white Christ) that very afternoon, but my mom was still feeling a bit strange because of the altitude adjustment, so we left it. We could very well have experienced exactly the same trauma.
I still feel that I am Divinely guided and protected. The same day they broke into the apartment I was staying in in San Blas, some weeks ago, I happened to have been away for the weekend. I could very well have been in my room at the time of the break-in. Again, in broad daylight.
Something else happened yesterday which has sent my travel plans into a tail-spin. When I tried to draw money, I got the heart-stopping message `Insufficient Funds`. With a few days to go until I meet up with my friends in Iquitos, to embark on our Columbia travels, this feeling is something akin to despair.
Luckily my mom was still here yesterday and was able to loan me some money, after I established that I did, infact, only have $160 left in my account. Somehow, I thought my travel savings would last me longer. The reality of of my money well running dry hit hard.
Feeling a bit lost and desperate, as I don`t exactly feel ready to go back to SA yet - still too much to do and see. Will try to find a volunteering spot in Iquitos.
I do feel that the fund depletion, is a way of the Universe telling me quite explicitly that Columbia is not to be, for whatever reason. So that also gives the Bolivia plans a boot, which I was hoping would materialize at a later stage.
Perhaps I do, after all, have more work to do in the jungle. A thought which is strangely exciting and terrifying at the same time.
Let`s see how everything unfolds in the next few days. On Monday I will be realizing a life-long dream of doing the Inca Trail trek up to Machu Picchu. The experience will be magical, everyone I have spoken to says as much.
Yesterday my mom and I spent a few frustrating hours trying to get her money back for the additional return ticket she had to buy from Cusco to Buenos Aires, all because she missed one leg of her flight, on her way in. This set her back an additional $650 and we desperately tried to get some sort of letter from LAN yesterday, so that she can try to claim something back in SA - as part of her travel insurance.
But LAN were of no help, and after explaining numerous times, they still failed to understand what it is we required. A letter. LAN is an absolute rip-off. Their tickets are totally overpriced and if you miss one leg of your flight, you have to purchase the ENTIRE ticket again. So if you ever come to South America, be forewarned. LAN is NOT the way forward.
The rest of the day was spent sorting out my passport at the immigration office. I realised my 60 day visa is coming to a rapid close, and the only way to get an additional 60 would be to cross the border. And I neither have the time nor cash to do that. So I was told that for every additional day spent in Peru I would have to pay $1. Another 30 days would thus equate to $30, which is cheaper than having to buy a ticket to cross the border, accommodation and the like.
I was also not told upon entering the country, that the little white piece of paper you receive is absolutely essential to exit. It is a form that enables you to leave the country without having to pay excessive tax. So I managed to buy another one for $8, which is not bad. Was worried that I may get locked up in Peruvian jail, because a) My visa had expired and b) I`d disposed of that precious little paper.
All good again, taking each day as it comes. The trick is to NOT get despondent when the going gets tough, even when the money well dries up. Something else will come along, of that I`m sure. And as mentioned before EVERYTHING happens for a reason. This is no cliche. With traveling I have realised that the people you meet, weave in and out of your life for VERY specific reasons and bring great realisations to the fore.
This is a fact. Life somehow becomes crystal clear through these meetings of people and places.
Will write again a little later about the second leg of our trip in South Peru - which was magnificent! Just needed to moan a bit to get the happenings of the last few days out of my system.
With love and light from Cusco,
Janine
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