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I Just Want Water

One of the things that I like about South America is that you have a choice when you buy water of having it carbonated (with gas) or plain (without). Of course, when purchasing water you need to specify which way you want it.

Here in Peru it is not quite as simple as asking for just that however. To purchase a simple water there are various things that need to be specified. The size of the bottle, the brand, and other things too. Many people offer water refrigerated or at room temperature too, so this also needs to be accounted for.

In the end, buying a simple water becomes a request something like:

Can I have a water, without gas, in a small plastic bottle, not refrigerated, of the San Mateo brand.

That is a lot of talking, or a lot of questions, just for one water. Choices are good but this is becoming silly.

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Peru – Getting There

How I love to write stories that involve the reader in the emotions and events that pass by. This time there is too much to tell, and too little time to tell it. So here is a quick run down of our journey to Peru.

Bus to BA
It was four days of journeying. First an 18 hour bus ride from Puerto Madryn to Buenos Aires. A quick stop for lunch and we were at the airport waiting for our flight. Flying with Lloyd airlines of Bolivia, which is still in financial problems, we experienced a little of their problems ourselves.
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Peru – A Simple Life

Right now we are in a small town outside of the main city of Chiclayo. Times here are tough, and there is very little work for anybody. Most people are living on the poverty line or below. A walk through the streets reveal people with crippled hands or legs hobbling from one place to another, motorbike taxis lined up along the sides just waiting for somebody to pay the measly fare of one solis (30 cents USD), and vendors that all sell the same thing vying for your attention on the chance that you may buy something from them. In this land of hard times, every cent counts.
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Times that Change and Times that Don’t

Only five minutes ago I received a phone call from my airline telling me that my flight from Australia has been delayed. They have changed the time on me and now, instead of leaving early in the morning, it is scheduled to leave 9 hours later… in the evening.

This flight leaves from Sydney, so I needed a flight from Brisbane to get there. Fortunately, I booked early enough to get a flight from here on the same morning, that virtually was a connecting flight. It was perfect because my bags could all be booked onto my international flight from Brisbane and I only had to walk around with my cabin bags while in Sydney.

A call to the airline about my very early flight reveals that to arrive in Sydney at any reasonable time would cost me at least $300 more (on a flight that cost a total of $110), or I could pay an extra $100 and gain another 2.5 hours of sleep in the morning. Sleep did not seem that important to me, so my flight out of Brissy is still the red-eye special, requiring me to check-in at the airport by 5am.

With my first flight unchanged, my next flight greatly delayed, I now seem destined to wander the hallways of the Sydney International Airport with two massive bags, a guitar and a digeridoo plus my cabin bags, all trying to slip off each other as they are pushed along with some sort of trolley bearing wheels that always want to turn left.

I love flying, and I love being in the air, but sometimes, the waits in-between are tough stretches. Well, at least I will have some instruments with me, perhaps I could try my hand at busking.

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The Secret is Out – I’m In Australia

That is right. I am in Australia right now, after having flown the 18 hour trip from Buenos Aires to Sydney and then another short flight to get me to Brisbane.

So why am I over here? Although I was always planning on returning later this year, I came over earlier in secret to surprise my eldest brother John for his birthday party. The idea was to walk up to the door and totally surprise the guy.

To be sure that there was no leak whatsoever, I told virtually nobody about my journey. Everything went very smooth until the very last days when he somehow found out about our secret. But nobody knew that he knew until after the party, so we all had a good time anyway.

Now I am here for about six weeks before returning to my land of Argentina via a short stopover for a week in New Zealand. If you want to get hold of me, then details are on the contact page.

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The Return to Australia

After having said all of last year that I would return to my home country of Australia this year, I never expected that it would be so early in the year. When my dad approached me about the possibilities of coming back for my brother’s birthday, and the dates seemed to fit perfectly into the way my year was shaping out, there was no reason not to go.

So on the 2nd of May, I climbed aboard an Aerolineas Argentina jet and 18 hours later, with a stopover in Auckland, I was in Sydney airport. What mixed feelings that brought.

sydney airport
Waiting at the Sydney airport.

For one it was great to be back in the country where I was born, with so many things so very familiar. However on the other hand I was now far from my home of Argentina, and the people that I cared so much about.

The shocks of Australia after being away so long…

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Endurance Travel – A Break in Carmargo

Finding a Ticket Onward
Our bus finally arrives in Carmargo at 2pm. After climbing off, I look around to see if there is a bus to take me to Potosí. Just as I am looking, a bus pulls up behind us with a sign to Potosí. Thinking that it is about to leave because the driver is still aboard, I ask the driver where I can get a ticket. He climbs out and leads me to the ticket office.

Carmargo town
Carmargo is set at the foot of some massive mountains.

Within moments I have booked and paid for this bus to take me to Potosí. Behind me a line forms of other people who also want to continue their journey northward. I was happy to have my ticket, but the bus was not leaving until 8.30pm and I would have loved to have travelled there during the daylight hours. Worse is that I need to wait for six and a half hours before the second part of my journey begins.

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Endurance Travel – Making it to Carmargo

Leaving the City
Leaving the city entrance behind us we began our ascent up the first mountain. We had beaten the blockades and now had a free road ahead of us. Our climb soon gave us some spectacular views over the city and valley basin of Tarija below us. As usual these roads had a virtual precipice at the edge of them and our wheels often came precariously close, yet it seems to worry me less and less. There are still times when my heart skips a beat however.

breakfast stop
The bus stops in a small town for breakfast.

Before long we have entered into the clouds, and apart from an occasional break sufficient to see down into a local valley, there is nothing more than white that surrounds us. Looking forward through the windshield I wonder to myself how the driver can even see the road, but trust that he knows what he is doing and roll over to try and get some sleep after such an early start. A bout of the flu has left me feeling very drained and more tired than normal.

Over one hill and down the other side, up the next hill and back down again. Over another hill and ride along the ride for a while before descending yet again, twisting and turning as the road follows the contours of the hill. How many times we have climbed or descended I cannot count now, but as the hours wear on the only thing I know is that we are closer to our destination.

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YWAM Tarija – An Early Childhood Centre

Here I am in Tarija, staying at the YWAM base here. This base is not like many of the bases of YWAM in that it does not run courses or training. What it does however is something very important for the community. Run by one woman who is occasionally assisted by temporary helpers, this base provides a free educational service for poor families in the neighborhoods.

teaching in a group
Stephanie teaches the days of the week through a dance.

on the blackboard
Young girl working on the blackboard with chalk.

Many of the children that come to this centre have terrible stories about their family life. Others have lived in poverty and never been given the opportunity to experience the learning opportunities of the rich. Most families do not have electricity in their houses, few have water, and some eat from the garbage dump to survive. These are families in massive risk. A great number of them are “mistresses,” women on their own with one or more children to try and keep alive.

The goal of this centre is to provide these children with both the educational and relational experiences they need to be able to succeed in life. And it is doing a remarkable job too.

Mercedes working with the children
Mercedes works with the children both together and individually.

Stephanie working with a girl
Working one-on-one with the children.

Here are some photos of the children as they work away in the centre, learning and discovering things that they had never had the opportunity to do before. If you would like to help them out, then I am certain that Mercedes would be very pleased to have you along. Obviously, being in a Spanish country means that being able to speak Spanish would be an advantage, but is not essential. Contact me and I will pass on your request (translated if in English). I have had a lot of fun working with the children during my time here and I am sure you will find your time here rewarding.

young girl cannot speak
An older child that still cannot speak more than a few words.

Girl playing with plasticine
Young girl building hand skills in plasticine.

alphabet puzzle
A young boy works on getting his alphabet letters in the right place.

girl painting
A young girl working at the painting table.