Machu Picchu

Sam and I arrived to wild rover around 8, there was a table quiz starting at 9, so we joined a team with an Irish couple from Dublin. We went on to win the quiz on a dice roll as the scores were tied. We won jäger bombs! We got up the next day and headed for a travel agents to hopefully book some sort of a trip to Machu Picchu. We ended up getting a great trip 4 days 3 nights on an Inca jungle trek. We were picked up the next day at 5.30 from the hostel, took a bus for about an hour and stopped for breakfast, another hour on the bus, we were high up Abra Malaga Mountain, we mountain biked for 3 hours to Huamanmarka, where we had lunch and jumped back into the bus for an hour to Santa Maria, where we went white water rafting, it was great fun, the rapids weren't super crazy but we were a boat full of beginners and myself and Sam did 90% of the paddling. We were then driven on a dirt road to the bottom  of a very steep mountain which we had to hike with all our bags for an hour to our Ecological Conde House, the walk was super steep and exhausting in the pitch black, Sam and I didn't think torches were essential. After breakfast around 8 Steven our local tour guide talked to us for an hour about local traditions and the importance of Machu Picchu. We then hiked for 7 hours stopping in a tiny mountain village for lunch. The reward at the end of the hike was a beer and 2 hours in the hot springs.  We had hiked to a small town called Santa Teresa, we went to the  local nightclub as a big group
                                        

The next morning we went zip lining, the zip lining ran across the valley so the views were incredible. The tour guides made me a flag pole out of a fallen tree and grass. We hiked along the train tracks for the last two hours and arrived at Machu Picchu town. To climb Machu Picchu we had to get up at 4am and again walk in the dark to que up to climb Machu Picchu. It took us just over an hour to hike to Machu Picchu where again we had to que but only for about 20 minutes. We got a tour around the grounds, went and saw an inca bridge and then climbed Montana mountain which took over an hour and was exhausting but the views were incredible, birds eye view of Machu Picchu. Absolutely exhausted we decided to get a bus back to the hostel. The trek was incredible, have some fantastic memories but unfortunately the go pro broke and ended up halfway down the mountain never to be found. I'm going to stay in cusco for a few weeks working in a hostel bar 'the wild rover' 

Going places

Friday, we went for Burritos around the corner from the hostel, then jumped in a taxi to Mira Flores. As we were walking around a guy started talking to us and telling us about the city, he wanted to take us to a colonial museum I think. We followed him into the town hall where he claimed he worked and was talking to everyone but he definitely didn't work there. He wanted us to get in a taxi with him but I'm not allowed get in cars with strangers so we politely refused,mourn new friend stormed off in a huff. There was a JFK park which was full of stray cats easily 50 cats hanging around the park, what better place to FaceTime home, missed another pizza party. Not sure why, but we decided it would be cool to get in the most beat up  taxi we could find back to the hostel.

We booked our Peru Hop bus at the hostel, which was a 6am start Saturday morning. Being the responsible young adults we are, we decided we would have a relatively easy one and go to bed early. That's not quite what happened, happy hour lasted 2 hours and the cocktails were nice, we decided not to go clubbing, we'd stay in the hostel bar so we'd manage to get up for our bus. In a stroke of pure geniusness we stayed up drinking all night. I walked onto the bus at 6am with two beers in my hand, unfortunately the not sleeping caught up with me and I fell asleep on the bus spilling my beer everywhere, all over people's bags. Not my best move. 4 hours on the bus and we got to Paracas and did a natural reserve tour some amazing scenery stayed in Paracas for three hours hopped back on the bus and headed for Huacachina.

 Huacachina is an oasis in the middle of the desert, really beautiful place. We got a dune buggy up the dunes and had the craziest driver, it was pretty much a 2 hour roller coaster. We got to snow/sand board down the 

dunes it was pretty cool not as fast as snow but I still managed to faceplant the sand, have it on the gopro for you guys. Got a full refund and an apology from spirit so all is good in the world again.

We went to an all you can eat and drink bbq, before hiking up a dune and having a Bonfire. Ten of us having a fire turned into 30 , from the bonfire we went to the club and didn't get to bed till 4.30. Thankfully we got a lie in this morning and checked out of the hostel at 12, drove 15 minutes to a vineyard where we got a tour and lots of samples, they were famous for their pisco which is 42% alcohol and not the nicest shot I've ever tasted. We then spent 30 hours on the bus stopping to let people off and twice to eat. It was the longest ride ever the dvd player was broken and everyone was sleeping. We got to the wild rover, Cusco at 6.30pm saw Kevin for an hour as he was off to do a 5 day jungle trek, we won the table quiz and got way to many free shots. We just booked a jungle trek up Machu Pichu for the next 4 days very excited for this. Walked around cusco and I got this kick ass jumper for 10$

Happy Birthday to the brother Paul, and best of luck with results tomorrow

First day

I won't lie my first day could have gone better, I was unable to check-in for my flight to Lima in Denver Colorado, due to the fact my flight home to Ireland was from Brazil, so the air hostess told me if I booked a flight I could cancel it the next day in Ft lauderdale for a full refund no problem at all he'd written it on my account. He gave out about spirit telling me how bad the airline was, he'd never fly with them. Upon arriving at fort lauderdale I was told I could not get a refund till I landed in Peru as they needed me to have a flight out in case I was deported. I was assured somebody would be in Lima to give me a refund, and again it was written into my account that I would get a full refund in Lima! Once I got to Lima, I rang the back offices but no one was there I tried the desks downstairs but no spirit desk was open as no flight was going out! My taxi man was waiting for me so it added to the pressure, my sleeping bag had ripped of my backpack.  It can't get any worse. . Jumped in the taxi and it was a pretty crazy ride, instead of using indicators they use horns , they don't believe in lining up in traffic. There was one car ahead of us so taxi man goes into the right turn only lane to attempt an overtake at the green light beebs his horn frantically only to be beeped back at and end up still behind him.  I get to the hostel and sam Is there to greet me he already knows everybody on the hostel. We had a few beers and were taken to the local night club - it was massive and nobody spoke  a word of English, me and sam had a great time anyway, easily biggest club of the summer. Slept grand but that was most likely the beer, woke up and two full days of travelling I was smelling pretty bad so jumped in the shower freezing cold and a micro fibre towel to dry myself - this is gonna take sone getting used to! To be fair I am still smiling, everybody in the hostel is friendly and chatty could definitely be worse I'm staying away from planes for a while and as Peter said before he left me in Denver  'that's the spirit' but I'll never fly with them again. Wifi isnt fantastic so pictures are on hold not that I have many of me shouting at spirit employees 

Camp

We worked camp Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and ended up working Thursday morning because we got rained out Monday morning. I've never seen anything like it before! The rain was sideways and the hockey goal was blown the lent of the pith.

Ignore my terrible commentary

Thursday afternoon we were taken downtown St Louis to see the Arch. Before watching our second cardinals game from the AT & T rooftop box where we got free food and drinks. Cards won 4-3 against rivals Kansas City.

Friday morning we got up said goodbye to Joe & St Louis. Drove 8.5 hours to Dallas with the truck and trailer. Dallas was very nice, possibly my favourite place so far. We went to bishops art district which was an antique square with very cool shops and art galleries. Had the scariest cab ride due to our driver almost killing a biker, getting us lost and driving up a one-way street. We visited the street JFK was shot on, and saw a cool replica of his car. The weather was insane, 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 37C . Adjusting to the heat was hard, just constantly sweating knowing we were spending the next week coaching in this. 

Great fun driving with the trailer

 

Dog in the art gallery

 

Chris in JFK's car

Two full days coaching in Fort Worth, felt bad for the kids, 14 hours running around in that heat! They had the coolest water Coolers, we called them cows because they had udders that you drank out of. Tuesday we drove 4 hours to Oklahoma City, two more days coaching but we got to eat at Kevin Durant's restaurant and see OKC Thunder's stadium which made Peter's trip. After camp Thursday we had to drive 9 hours to Denver, checked into the Hotel at 3am and got up for camp at 7.30. Finished camps on Saturday, said our goodbyes to Chris, Kelly and Hayley. 4 days to explore Denver before South America, maybe I should start learning Spanish.

Rocking the Ray Bans 

Goodbye lunch