Hot Showers

Appreciate hot showers. After every trek, the one thing I really look forward to is a hot shower. The one thing that could let me have peace of mind and feel somewhat more human is a hot shower. Having a baby wipe shower never will count or replace a real shower, but while you are out in such conditions, baby wipes are your best friend.

I went on a 3 day tour through the Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert in Bolivia. This Bolivian desert is freezing. The fact that the desert is at roughtly 3,500 - 4,800 meters altitude and with wind...well, it meant very cold days and nights. Yes, the desert is amazing. Pure, white salt for miles. Then, green, red, and blue lagoons with flamingoes. Who knew flamingoes were in Bolivia? I didn´t, but they are quite pretty. The fact that there is vegetation and mountains at that altitude is pretty insane. There were also huge cacti (about 10 feet tall) which were planted by the Inca. The cacti still grow 1 cm per year.

From Bolivia, I went to Chile for a night and am currently in Buenos Aires.

I will give you all the fun details about Bolivia and what else I have been doing in Argentina, but, for now, just appreciate your hot shower.

Random, Weird Stuff

Thus far, these have been the random, weird experiences and what have yous.

1. For some reason, some South Americans I have met feel like they could relate to me claiming our shared history of Spanish colonization. I have been called cousin, sister, and all sorts of relative. Who knew that colonization could still connect people in such way?

2. Disney unites all. The favorite Disney movie has been a great debate shared across all countries.

3. My name will never be pronounced correctly by anyone without an American accent.

4. Whenever I tell someone I am from California or the States, they do not really believe me. Then, I tell them that my parents were born in the Philippines and I get a sudden look of understanding. It does get annoying though when people keep asking me questions just to figure out what my ethnicity is. For many, I am the first "Filipino" person they have met (in "" because technically I was not born in the Philippines). I could expand on this, but can be quite boring in the typed out version.

5. I have been called "gringo" once in my travels. I thought that term only referred to white people.

6. I showered with handwashing soap for 10 days. On the same token, I used the same pair of socks for 4 days while trekking. Don't worry guys. Since then, I have bought more pairs of socks.

7. I fell in shit and threw away one pair of pants. Details consist of me mistaking cow dung as a rock. My other pair of pants got a huge hole in the crotch. I threw that away also. Not worth salvaging. That left me with no pants. I then bought 2 pants and 1 of them already now has a hole in the crotch. Great.

8. For a short time period, I thought I had lice. Then, my head stopped itching.

9. Bugs in my drink does not bother me as much. I just remove them and continue to drink.

10. I find that I get really annoyed by the know-it-all, the apathetic, and the hippie traveler. I also get annoyed by other types, but those are the main ones that I really cannot stand for too long of a time period.

11. Smiling and laughing get you far in life.

Comments on Peru

I spent 3 weeks in Peru and unfortunately did not have as much local contact as desired. Most of the time I was on a tour and so was with more foreigners. Cool people, but I always love meeting the locals. Overall, figuring out stuff, booking tours, and seeing sights is way easier to figure out in Peru than in Colombia.

A. More people speak English in Peru than Colombia.
B. There are a ton of tourist agencies all over the city. Every hostel I stayed at even had a tourist desk to book everything for you at ease, but of course at a slightly higher price.
C. Probably one of my favorite things about Peru is that you can withdraw US cash. Now, this is a big plus because I can pay in US dollar and not really have to worry too much about the exchange. A lot of the time it would be easier and cheaper to pay in US. Loved it.
D. A lot more tourists in Peru = a shit town of white people all over. I must admit it did make it feel a bit safer because I would see other tourists. In Colombia, I would be confused at times because I would see no other tourists so I felt like I was going the wrong way.

Peru was a lot cheaper than Colombia. Menu of the day for the lunch menu would include soup, main course, and a drink from $0.50 to $2.25. I did try cuy (guinea pig) which is a local delicacy, but not my favorite item on the menu. Parts of it tasted like fish and the skin kind of like jerky.

Currently in La Paz, Bolivia. Will update you on Bolivian experiences.

Hello Moto

If you ever wondered where the hell did those obnoxious ringtones came from, well, they came from the Amazon. There are ambulance birds that sound like they ambulance, donkey birds that sound like donkeys, and so many other types. One of which can also imitate up to 30 sounds. One of the birds in particular literally sounds like the Hello Moto ringtone. It is bizarre.

If you ever wondered what an owl looks like in real life, well just imagine Mr. Belvedere in bird like form and there you go. It is also bizarre.

I went on a 6 day Manu Jungle tour in Peru and dropped off Machin Blanco aka Kelsey in the middle of the jungle on the 5th day. He will be posted there for the next month or so. It was a long, long, long, journey. Day 1 began at 5:00 am and reached camp at about 5:00pm. Did a bit of bird watching.

Days 2 & 3 were spent on the boat for about 10 hours. Lots of bird watching and napping. And being sprayed on by the river or the rain. Lovely. We were able to go to a high tower on the 2nd day and more animal stalking. On the 3rd day, we went to a clay lick where parrots, macaws, and all other sorts of wildlife gather. The birds go to the clay lick to lick calcium from the clay that they do not easily get from their regular diet. I think something that they eat in their regular diet can poison them so they need the calcium to balance their diet. Google it.

Day 4 was the big day and we roamed the jungle for jaguars, crocodiles, pumas, anacondas, birds, and all of that sort. Unfortunately, the jag, puma, and ana did not want to come to play, but in search of them is quite exciting! More time is definitely needed in the jungle. There is this one kind of monkey. I think the Wooly monkey that is quite territorial and if you come to close will defecate, throw things at you, and do all things possible to get you away. Quite funny. I think I was the only one in the group who wanted to get peed on by a monkey. yehahhahaha

Day 5 left Machin Blanco and was on the boat for 12 hours. We had to push it twice for a few minutes because the river was too low. There was a fiesta (I think for for the Black Virgin Mary, but don't quote me on that) in the town we stayed at and there was free booze! Each year the 96 families rotate to host the party.

Day 6 journeyed to the place where I volunteered for 4 days. There is a reforestation project where we planted native plants and chopped the bamboo. The place used to be a bamboo farm, but it has since been abandonded and those guys are multiplying like a mother. For those days I mainly hiked, hacked, and cleaned plants. I also had the most amount of leisure time ever to read. Very dangerous for me to walk around hiking with a machete. I did not feel safe for the person in front of me.

For me, the coolest part of the Amazon is the sounds. How quiet and alone one can really be and just to be able to literally listen to the night. To look up and see the Milky Way, Venus, or what have you. It is all pretty awesome just to be out there. In a certain part of the Amazon that does not allow logging or any sort of building, the world around you can either be quite scary, quite beautiful, or a certain mix of both. Each crack, each new sound brings wonder and awe of the possibilites. And also, possibily, a quick jump of the heart depending what that sound is.

Sock and Tie

If you ever meet anyone who just did a 4 or 5 day trek to Machu Picchu and they tell you that you have to do what sounds like "sock and tie," what they really mean is that you should do the 5 day Salkantay trek. Salkantay is the highest mountain in the Peruvian Andes and it means something like dangerous, wild, crazy mountain.


The highest point I climbed was about 4,400 meters. And I got some serious altitude sickness. Walk 2 steps, gasp, gasp, gasp. Hike up hill, more gasping. Feeling like vomiting. Having a headache. Guide hands me more coca leaves and assures me that this is all normal. Chewing coca leaves isn´t the most tastiest treat I have tasted, but it does work. It is so strange how the altitude can really mess with your mind and body. Losing appetite. Vomiting. Headache. All normal.

Made it to Machu Picchu on the 5th day and it is a serious rat race. Wake up at 3:30am. Get to the gate by 4:15am. Gate opens at 5:00am. Run. Run. Run. It is 400 meters to the top and you want to beat the buses. They only allow 400 people to Machu Picchu daily and we also wanted our 10:00 am stamp for Wayna Picchu. They only allow 200 people at 7:00am and 10:00am daily.

Everything was well worth it. And yes, I got more mosquito bites. I think by the time I head to the States my legs are going to be scarred with all these bites.



P.S. I am heading to the jungle tomorrow and won´t reach civilization again until 10 days from now.

Colombian Observations

Computer meltdown and this was supposed to be posted 6 days ago.


1. They love calling people or maybe me (yehahahha) Princesa.

2. Colombians are down right good people. This is in the general sense. Of course, every group has a bad crop, but everyone I have met has been so sweet. I spent a couple of nights in the Coffee Region in a small town called Salento. I stayed at Hostal La Casona de Lili. She and Sandra were such nice people. Everytime anyone would come in or out she would give us a big hug and welcome us home. It seriously felt like a home. Plus, her food is wickedly good. You know how in San Francisco people would tend to help you if you seem lost or anything, well, that's how it kind of is in Colombia, for the most part.

3. Colombians love to drink. There are street games where if you land a ring or something of that sort you get a shot!

4. My favorite street food would have to be empanadas. I love them. I can't get enough. That and churros.

5. Colombia is known for their fruit juices. Come here and get curuba juice. It is super sweet, but I have a sweet, major sweet tooth.

6. Colombian food typically comes with soup, juice, and a main course. Always order Menu del Dia (Speciality of the Day) because it is way cheaper. You can easily eat at a local restaurant for 5,000-7,000 Colombian pesos which is roughly $2.50-$4. Of course, if you are in the city or certain parts of a city, you could easily pay way more for food. In Bogotá, we lucked out and found a place for 2,500 Colombian pesos (about $1.50). What a steal! Couple nights I did splurge and ate for 28,000 Colombian pesos along with the booze which ended up being about 40,000 Colombian pesos ($22ish). Well worth it!

7. Colombia is a "do it yourself,""guide books suck," "ask around a lot" type of vacation. You get on a bus and you are more likely the only tourist on it. You walk around the city and maybe you spot a few other tourists up ahead and breathe a sigh of relief that the place you actually are at is a tourist spot. There are very few locations where the tourists run the city. Those are usually in very small towns. Of course, all the backpackers tend to stay in the same general region because that is what you hear about. You eventually see tourists, but more just once you are in the hostel or around that vicinity.

8. Do not be shy to talk to locals! From all the ones that I have talked to, they have all been very helpful and actually love tourists! They are happy that people are actually coming to visit Colombia.


*Just because I had an awesome time in Colombia does not mean that it is 100% safe every step you take. I am a very paranoid traveler (Lauren can attest to that). I do not like talking to strangers. I do not like drinking (to be absolutely drunk). I do not like walking around at night by myself. I guard my purse like it is my life. I check for my passport every so often. I rarely party. I am particular about who I actually talk to or go out with. I can spend a night inside reading a book. I am silent when I walk on the street. Unless, I am with a bunch of obvious looking foreigners or pack of locals, then I tend to speak up a bit. I am not that fun to travel with for the most part. I repeat, I am a very paranoid traveler.