80's NIKE ankle sneakers

I left Cusco finally, to see some more of Peru, and Ecuador. So on the road again… with my didgeridoo teacher, Alex, who decided to join me. First we headed for Lima for a few days with Alex´s family, and then onto the northern Peru beaches. Here I finally got rid of my cusco cough, and got healthy again in the sunshine and warm rain! Swam in the Pacific ocean and was imagining Australia on the other side. We then headed across the border to Equador, where I could close my eyes and swear I was in indo, just from the sounds and the smell. Finally arrived in Montanitas beach, which was warm, but being wet season, the town was all mud, and a heavy cloud stretched across the whole sky. At no point did I know where the sun was, but had a relaxing time there and some drama too. My didgeridoo man, with a few kangaroo´s short in the top paddock, tried to sneak his way into my heart… and my wallet. I always was aware about the possibility of him being a brichero (south American boys that hunt gringas (foreign girls) so they can have full belly´s, fun and travel for free).And having none of that, gave him the boot, and decided to go it solo again.

Feeling a lot better and free of drama, met some Spanish boys who thought I could surf… why does everyone always think australian´s can surf??... I accepted their request for me to teach them and so we had half a day in the surf where they looked to me for leadership. caught my first proper wave that day… didn't tell them that… and the big waves scared the shit out of me on the board!!Had a good time though.

So after a few days to myself in a beautiful hut by the beach, I headed to Riobamba. Determined to do something productive, I organised a mountain climb. Its expensive to get a good & experienced mountaineer guide, but I thought my first ice climb should be worth that. The first night we camped closer to Chimborazo (the highest peak in Equador)… froze my tits off and got no sleep for the 3am start. I had my doubts for spending so much money on one day, but at 4am when we drove over the hill that revealed mount Carihuairazo to me, I knew it was meant to be. With the full moon lighting up everything with a glow, the mountain was alive with energy. Hovering closely above it sat my favourite constellation, Orions belt, with the three stars perfectly in between the two peaks. We started the long hike through the shrub and passing alongside lagoons. We had our head torch´s on and the moon lit up the landscape around me…everything covered in a thin layer of ice. At sunrise we made our first steps on snow, and that crunch is surely the sound of bliss… is it not? We continued trekking through patches of snow, until we were surrounded by white… and at the base of the mountain looking up at our route to the summit. It looked really far and hard, but ended up being easier than I thought. Crampons on for the first time, ice ax in hand, prayers to Pachamama and we were off. We hiked the majority of the slope pretty quickly and came to the base of a steep wall of snow to the top. Feet walking sideways and going straight up, I was already aching all over, and then it got steeper. So facing the wall, I walked with the front of my feet, holding on to the ice ax etched into the wall with my right hand, and my left arm just hugging it. I had bursts of energy where I just seemed to run up, and then rests where I was just glued to the wall, breathing and relaxing. I did my final vertical rocky run to the top, and once there, just lied flat in the snow, ice ax still dug in, and holding on with both hands… soaking up the feeling of my first ice climb… and realizing why I´ve always wanted to climb. Had a moment on the top, tied a red scarf to a rock, and learnt how climbers go down! Now I used to think that you go down backwards, like you would on a ladder. But I soon found that its more like bungy jumping. Having trust in my feet, the crampons, the rope attaching me to my guide behind me and the mountain, I ran face first down the wall I just came from. It was so scary… and exhilarating! I was laughing the whole way, just from the adrenaline rush, and was disappointed to hit the smaller slopes. But my ankles ached from what I put them through… so the hike all the way back was a punish! I wish I could do that ice climb every day… I hope I have more opportunities to do the same in the future. So my first time… Mt Carihuairazo 5120m.

More importantly, and my best moment in south America so far… was when I got back to riobamba yesterday arvo. I crossed the street with a small old man who couldn´t see. Hand in hand, we crossed the street together at centipede speed, me being a tall blonde foreigner and him, a small small equadorian in his brimmed hat, baggy old suit, and 80´s nike ankle sneakers… Im not sure if its cause he couldn´t see me clearly or maybe he was just not prejudice, because he didn´t have judgement of me (that I´m used to as a gringa)… and on the other side his smile was so genuine & kind, I will never forget it. Mum thinks he was probably thinking ¨that's the tallest equadorian ive ever seen¨.

Through The Eyes Of My Inner Child

I've been back in cuzco for two weeks now and have settled back into my loki home. With my loft bedroom and a window that looks out to the stars... I've fallen in love again, and in more ways then one.

Last week I had one of the most amazing experiences. I took part in a humble spiritual ceremony in the mountains around saqusayhuaman (inca ruins). The shayman (spiritual healer) called Wyra, was a beautiful man with big bubbly cheeks and a smile that spread all over his face... and all over the world! We drank san pedro, a medicene used from times before the incas, and thought about our lives, our connection to Pachamama (mother earth), and each of us thought about what we wanted to ask for. I was there with two good friends, emma and osmany. But the experience as a whole was very personal. I asked for two things: to see the world through the eyes of my inner child, and for the protection of my family, friends and me. The first time I 'got it', I was walking up a steep hill, turned around to see the others, and all I saw was sparkling blue trees. At this point I thought I was hallucinating, but after a quick confirmation with em, the trees were naturally blue, cause they were eucalyptus! From then on, I saw the beauty in absolutely everything. My senses were heightened, and the touch, smell, sound, taste & sight of everything seemed rythmic & pure. The difference in perception is hard to describe, because the feeling stays with you, not just on the day. What I felt was something that I have always had in me, but it came to the surface, clear and uncensored. My favourite events of the day were: Emma processing & accepting a lot of intense feelings, and us sending love in the direction of someone she cares a lot about. The amazing rock I found, with endless shapes of faces, animals & landscapes and the how the lines of the rock matched the lines of my hands, perfectly. Discovering my nickname in Quechua, Wymie K,uychi... rainbow child. Being amuzed for hours with the colours of Wyra's hat and naming the tassle ChuFly. Walking hand-in-hand down the mountain with Osmany, and inventing the game tandem-mountain-walking. Making sure Emma was holding onto 'her piece of me' and our endless argument of who's visiting who.

Ultimately, I got to see the world through the eyes of my inner child... and that's something I will never loose. The change I feel in my heart is a cup full!... I have an unconditional acceptance of previous pain in my life, and the bad in the world around me, but also the fact that I can make a possitive change... By my family and friends knowing how I appreciate, love and learn from them, by my kindness, smiles & laughter with strangers, and by living my dream.

So, recharged, and ready to go, I meant to leave cuzco today. Until three days ago I discovered the didgeredoo. Its something that I've always wanted to learn, and now, here in Peru, the person teaching me is a peruvian dude, obsessed with Australian Aboriginal culture, and seems to know more about Australia then I do. He is a great teacher and I have a new found passion to learn... even though I'm musically retarded. I can do circular breathing slowly, make a kookaburra sound, and something that sounds like a donkey... step aside Xavier Rudd!! We have been playing overlooking the city, and also in the main plaza where the street kids swamp us.... intrigued with the deep smooth sound coming from this strange foreign object. My first didge isn't painted yet, but its wrapped in a purple peruvian blanket made by a cute old lady from the local market.... I now have my new travel companion...(The didge, not the lady)... :)

Sending you all a smile via butterfly-effect-mail......