The New Adventure Has Begun

Have you ever traveled to a new city and discovered something extremely fun, different, and/or interesting? That has essentially been my life for the last 3+ months! I feel a bit like it’s still an adventure/visit. So sometimes when I wander the streets of Amsterdam now, I occasionally pause just to look around and think, “I really live here.”

This ends up doing a couple of things for me:

1) Allows me to take in the experience at that moment, and

2) Begins to help me feel more at home.

Home

This word has taken on a whole new view for me. Having never lived outside Southern California (though traveled quite a bit), I still call it “home.” While many people can identify with never having moved from home, still many more have never felt like they had somewhere they could call home.

I feel extremely grateful and fortunate in the fact that I did grow up in a somewhat localized area, and I still would call it my home. However, in wanting very badly to belong to my new surroundings, I wonder when it’ll start to feel like home as well (or instead?).

To be fair, these first few months have been quite the whirlwind. I haven’t had a chance to make it feel like home because I’ve been so busy figuring out where I’m going, how to do it, when, and if I even need to. Fortunately, all of this painstaking work over the last 6 months has FINALLY resulted in me being an official resident of Amsterdam!

Excitement Meets Reality

The culmination of my residence after all of this work brings me now to this peak that my friend Susan DeVriend described as a “void of completion.” She encourages you to be present with the accomplishment before you run off to do the next item on your list.

This perspective helped me take a moment to really appreciate all of the work I’d put into getting this done and enjoy it. I really allowed myself to take a few days to celebrate with friends and family. While to some this may sound selfish, it was really just a chance for me to relax and re-gather my thoughts and goals for what comes next.

So I have my first accomplishment in my new ‘home’, and I must ask myself, “Now what?”

https://pixabay.com/photo-1767562/

Making strategic decisions in my next goal is key, in my opinion. Asking some difficult questions of myself is definitely a part of it, but I believe will make the experiences much more enjoyable – even the challenging ones (and there have definitely been a few of those already and I’m sure will be more to take on). Some things I plan on determining/evaluating begin with:

• What is most important to me?
• What is most important to my business?
• What are my core values?
• What is my 1-5 year plan?

All of these will contribute to the next decisions I make, and hopefully will help you in the journey you’re in or will be in as well. Either way, I’ll keep you in the loop and hope to hear about your adventures too!

Chapter 7 – Settling In

Many times in life, things don’t really go the way you’d hoped/planned. Other times, when you’ve seemingly made the right decision in your life at the right time, things actually turn out pretty great! Settling into my new home has been lovely.

All in all, the trip, organizing and actual unpacking has been very easy and straight forward. No real hiccups, no major backfires or blow-ups. Granted, there is and will always be something small missed, but nothing you can’t recover from. At least so far, the physical transition has been extremely smooth and I feel very, very fortunate for that.

Preparation Meets Opportunity

That being said, I know many things can go awry, not to mention things yet to come, regarding paperwork and government visas, fun stuff! The plan is to remain steadfast and methodical in my planning and ensure I have all of the pieces in place. And there is plenty that are  necessary to do (in order to be self-employed in the Netherlands) that are legally required of me. Which means a…lot…of…paperwork.

The good part about this means that all of my preparing, reading, learning, and studying has paid off so far because the items I needed and have remaining are falling into place, and I hope it continues to benefit my plan! Which really my biggest secret is my Google Calendar. Being semi-meticulous and thoughtful in my schedule allows me to allot for time needed for each item required.

Allowing a bit of a time buffer also helps. With most of these government tasks there will be several days in between applying/submitting paperwork and receiving confirmation. I’ve used these “down” times to prepare for what comes next and learn about any additional items I need.

Amsterdam Holland houses on Prinsengracht

Additional Items I Needed

Turns out, there is always something else you can or should do! These are a few of the items I found that I will, have and/or should look into (and is likely true for most countries I’d assume):

• Business Insurance – Smart route.
• Personal Health Insurance – Required in the Netherlands.
• Language – Study and learn it! Divulge yourself in the culture.
• Business connections.
• Personal connections – Vital for your sanity. Check out Facebook and Meetup groups.
• Local events – Get out and see the city.
• Tax professional – You’ll need one and there may be free services as well. Do your research.

These have, and will be, extremely useful to me and my future in this country and I have already learned so much from my new connections to help me in the process.

Final Pieces – Fingers Crossed

Now that I’ve received all of the items needed to complete my visa application, I’m finally just about ready to say, “OPEN FOR BUSINESS” officially! From now on my posts will return to the marketing blog for my company here where I hope you’ll find beneficial marketing info but please feel free to contact me if I can help in any way.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6 – The Physical Transition

Many of us dream of improving our lives in one way or another. My recent experiences have spotlighted my history, passions, loves, losses, and opportunities. Now that I’m out of my apartment and have gone through the mental transition, the physical transition begins. It’s kind of incredible how much you realize you have settled into your life when you’re trying to move it halfway around the world.

The packing part has kept me so busy, but I’ve forced myself to really feel what exactly it’s been like in these past blogs in order to allow myself to grow from it rather than just go through the motions. I do believe in living in the moment in general so it has helped a great deal in allowing me to see what I’m actually going through. In this process, it’s also shown me how to cope – not only with leaving my family and friends, but in giving away the material possessions I’ve come to know and love.

Acceptance

It almost feels like I haven’t had time to process what I’m doing, but I’m very lucky that it hasn’t been a question in my mind that this is what I wanted to do. I feel that if you truly want to do something that will make you happy, you’ll be able to move forward without much hesitation at all. Even if there is hesitation, try something different to help you make decisions if you’re not confident enough from past experiences.

Here are some things that have either helped me or inspired me to make decisions that I hope will help you too:

• Weigh pros and cons. Yes that thing you vowed never to do; it’ll actually help if you have the time.
• Nike says “Just Do It”. If you normally overthink things, just say the first thing that comes to mind and it’s probably your truth.
• Count down. Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Rule is a fantastic tool if you’re crippled with fear.
• Ask for advice. Just make sure you ask someone who has gone through what you’re deciding on, or is non-biased.

If at any point you feel you just want to do something different just because (and it won’t hurt anyone of course), then do that! My decision to move happened to be based upon most of these tactics actually but I had months to decide.

Discovery

One thing I’m also a proponent of is continuous learning. This move has provided me the opportunity to discover a lot about myself, but also international differences I never would have known otherwise like detailed crime stat comparisons and work visas abroad.

In previous posts, I’ve also mentioned that it’s been a discovery of what’s truly important to me. I’d like to elaborate on that now in the hopes of helping you too because I have experiences a number of tribulations in this area as well as moments where I knew exactly what I wanted.

Look Within First

I believe that a key to discovering that ever-sought after ‘happiness’ is right under our noses, we just can’t see it. We look around everywhere else to find it but we forget that we can look within first. I’ve definitely fallen victim of this seeking approval from others in the past as a means of achieving that feeling. Turns out, I found it in giving to others as much as possible.

What this means for you is that you have a place to start. Try giving something to someone else. Whether it’s a dollar, a toy, or your shoulder, it may shed light under your ‘nose’ that you have been circling around for years.

Open-Hearted

One thing is certain, allowing yourself to TRULY see yourself as the happy, deserving person you are – you must be open to it. No more, no less, just listen to your heart and head instead of other people and you’ll understand what you should do. If meditating is an option as well, I HIGHLY recommend it!

All in all, just trust yourself and you’ll ultimately choose what makes you happy.

Chapter 5 – The Finishing Touches

The last week in my apartment of 8 years is here! These last few days have been a mental toughness challenge. Issues with my apartment and personal life, and determining all of the little things – some of which have yet to be discovered – that still need to be done.

If you’ve ever been the type of person who felt you couldn’t or shouldn’t do something because of one reason or another (someone told you that, you’ve failed before, etc), I’m here to tell you that you CAN. I’ve been through my own share of experiences as we all have, and I’m beginning to truly realize we can choose the thoughts in our own mind that we allow to be the loudest.

Choosing Your Path

Whether you’re debating on going back to school or not, taking that new job, or moving across the world, I’ve chosen to take the path of resistance and want to encourage you to do the same. I’m actually thrilled for the lessons and growth that I’ve already experienced as well as those yet to come. I’ve always been the ‘choose my own path’ type, but I more often than not listen to others more than myself – typically out of inexperience and the desire to learn from those wiser than I.

The biggest challenge I have faced with this decision, however, is one you will or have likely experienced as well: in asking for that advice, they’ll tell you the opposite of what you truly want and deserve.

Some large trends these last few years has been one of “Do you” and self-love. Admittedly, I have been resistant to these as it sounds extremely self-centered in general and ends up being over the top in some people. That being said…if done with a good heart and good intentions, I do believe it can provide you and the people around you a lot of good.

Growing By Shrinking

The E-ternal IN-ternal struggle of good vs evil, right vs wrong, happy vs content. For many of us (myself included perhaps) it may take our entire lifetimes to figure out what we are truly put on this earth for. For others, they find their meaning in true happiness helping others or getting rich. Whatever it is, who are we to judge?

Personally, I have clearly been collecting things over the years that have stacked up to my closet’s ceiling in essence. Clearing this all out has been – as previously mentioned – extremely liberating. Shrinking my “things” owned and moving on to grow my experiences, languages, and whatever else I choose will be my new growth path.

My personal growth or path in life is going to be completely different than any of you or anyone in my life. There’s so much beauty in that and remembering that we can choose them and share these experiences with whomever we decide is an incredible thing. I’ve chosen to share this particular transition with the people who have meant the most to me these last 11 years since moving to San Diego and I’m incredibly grateful to each of them.

Ultimately I want you, as much as myself, to remember that there is no such thing as regret if you always make your decisions to be what is best for you.  Achieving those degrees, getting that perfect job, or starting your first charity can happen if you just go for it! Dedicate yourself to choosing to move forward instead of living in other people’s lives/advice/past.

Chapter 4 – Counting Down

You know that checklist you have for big decisions, trips and/or jobs? Mine is dwindling down seemingly very slowly. But now that the holidays are over and my 30 day notice to my apartment is officially submitted, the countdown to move day has begun!

Uprooting My San Diego Life

All of the normal things you have to do when you move are included in this checklist of course. The gas/electric bill cancellation, the post office, the address changes. What I didn’t realize are all of the other small things that I can’t transfer to Europe would really include! The physical life you built is uprooting and arrangements need to be made. These steps are officially starting so that I’m not overwhelmed come move day.

I’m extremely grateful to have had the extra 6 weeks more than I have in the past to prepare for a move – both mentally and physically with all of my stuff. It’s provided me time to evaluate options and make conscious decisions instead of desperate ones which always turn out better for me in the end.

Organizing

My personal style is often chaotic organization. In this case, it will mean piles with different purposes: a pile to sell or donate, a pile to store, etc. If you’ve EVER moved, you know that basically just means stuff everywhere instead of in their respective hiding places for the last several years. One pile of which made it into a box recently (as seen above)! First box packed, check, but now what?!

Evaluating what you truly need versus what you’ve kept around just to have is an experience in self-discovery each time I have to make this decision with all of the things I’ve collected over the years. Essentially, I need to determine how much I am willing to pay for this item to ship, or to buy new, or to not have anymore, period. This part of my organizing process is all mental of course, but it’s still organized chaos in there too…

Checklists are saviors

Now you may be saying, “wow that is super A-type” and/or “wow so dorky.” In either case, you’re likely correct! Regardless, these kinds of lists are invaluable to someone who is doing a million things in just a few weeks. Ask any project manager. One thing I do want to focus on, however, is that if I don’t get everything done, I’m going to go easy on myself and figure out a way to get everything done eventually.

My secret to punctuality success in the past: planning.

1. Prioritize. Determine which items will take you the longest and handle the most complicated first. This allows you to tackle the smaller things in between others getting you information required still.
2. Timing.  Understand or learn how long each task may or will take you. Evaluating your time needed will provide you insight to when you can get it done and then…
3. Plan it. Like, actually plan it. Put it in your calendar, make it part of your daily tasks and set a reminder with it.
4. Abide by it. If something took longer than expected, move the rest to the next day and get it done. In a ‘bite the bullet’ kind of way if you must, but the more you say “DONE!” the more you’ll be excited about getting the rest completed.

These are the main reasons I’m almost never late – to anything. I’ve planned out exactly how much time I need, provide a buffer of time as necessary, and back-track the timing of when I need to leave if it’s for an appointment.

Downfall of this…if I put it in my calendar at the wrong day or time….totally screwed. All in all though, this will be my plan of attack and it’s working so far so wish me luck!

Chapter 3 – Coping With Change

Is it really only one month since I came back from my most recent Amsterdam trip? Time flies, but it also stands still sometimes. It’s been an incredibly productive and informative 4-ish weeks in discovering myself, my apartment, and my life.

Moving Forward, Figuratively First

For starters, getting a grip on the fact that I won’t be living in San Diego anymore is a difficult one. While I’ve fallen madly in love with this city (because who doesn’t), I’ve also realized that it’s time to leave. Coming to terms with my life being ready for a new chapter is incredibly freeing and stressful all at once, and more.

Slowly but surely I’m realizing all of the things that I’ll no longer be able to see, have, or do once I leave. The little things you become accustomed to will be going away and that’s a challenging step to take forward, but SO worth it! I employ the ‘challenges help you grow’ (displayed in my professional marketing blog) mentality as much as possible so these small steps I’m taking to sell, donate, or transition my life have been an interesting and enlightening experience.

It’s a cathartic feeling going through all of the things you’ve collected over the past 10+ years and deciding if it’s worth your space to keep it or not. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not you need something but keep it “just in case” you needed it someday, we’re one in the same.

Allowing Myself To Let Go

The process of cleaning out 8+ years of living in my current apartment means cleaning out 8 years of junk! Not to mention the things I’ve kept since as far back as high school as memories. Those “just in case” items have now become my “never came” past and so, they must go, along with all of the memories that could have been. At the time of this article, that means using the OfferUp app to the best of my abilities along with every other ‘sell your junk’ site possible, combined with donations to Goodwill of course.

The comforts I’ve come to know and love, even without my acutely aware knowledge at the time, are likely also going away. While the Netherlands is not exactly (meaning by any stretch) a 2nd or 3rd world country, it still does not have all of the “luxuries” we know and find comfort in. The huge box stores that you can find ANYTHING in (unless you count IKEA), millions of dining out options at your nearly 24 hour disposal, and the US Amazon which I’ve come to learn does not ship out of the country – you have to use the local country/region’s amazon store and it’s less encompassing.

 Relief

All in all, it’s truly a sigh of relief being able to rid myself of all the physical clutter I’ve accumulated, as well as realizing what’s truly important. It’s allowing me to be able to experience more of life outside of my stuff I’ve grown so attached to. FREEDOM!

 

Chapter 2 – Letting Go

My Journey begins here.

Three Months To Go

To some, 3 months may seem like forever. To others, a blink of an eye. To me at the moment I returned from Amsterdam after having submitted my work permit paperwork, it was a little of both.

What I didn’t know at the time, was the day that I landed back in LAX, would be 3 months to the day that I’d be moving when I next returned! But more on that later…

Planning Ahead

Once I returned, I knew there was SO much to do; but where to start? I made a list of things that would need to be done just a couple of days prior, so I had an idea of the things that would need to be questions, cancelled, moved or otherwise but getting started was a whole other story.

There was a combination of, “OK there’s a million things to do but which should be first?” and, “I have plenty of time.” Most people I know are procrastinators but that’s definitely never been how I operate best. So knowing my strengths and weaknesses, I started evaluating the priorities because rushing is not my best strength. Not only priorities, though, but what could or couldn’t be done with this much lead time.

Too Excited Not To Start

I knew I couldn’t take everything with me when I moved. So literally the minute I got home and started to unpack, I began removing those clothes. You know the ones, those you haven’t worn in at least a year but have been keeping ‘just in case,’ those random shirts you never wear but ‘might someday’ or the pants you keep that you used to fit in.

So rather than wait until 30 days prior, I started throwing out clothes like a cartoon looking for something buried with things flying everywhere! As a woman who has accumulated things over the years, I had plenty to consider throwing out, giving away, or keeping. This was my first step to freedom of things, I think. (Though don’t get me wrong, I kept some of it!)

Purge, Purge, Purge

Have you ever felt that sense of freedom? Perhaps when you threw away your significant others’ dirty socks, or quit a job you despised? Every decision I made to rid myself of all of the stuff I’ve accumulated, ultimately culminated into a great joy and sense of relief. Even if you’re not moving, I recommend it annually!

This is especially amazing knowing that much of the clothes I had were still in excellent condition enough to donate. So far, and likely just about all of, the clothes donated in all were 6 bags I took to Goodwill. If you’ve read previous posts, you may know that I volunteered a lot the last few years. One of which was for a cat rescue agency here in San Diego, where I donated the remaining cat fostering items to. I encourage you to locate your favorite local shelter or breed rescue if you have items you’d like to donate!

Overall it’s been an extremely freeing and cathartic experience so far to really give to others and allow myself to grow personally by knowing these things are not going to make or break my future.

My Journey Begins

The Decision Is Made

Once the decision is made, there’s really no going back. Sure you can cancel the plan(s), re-purchase everything you gave away or sold, and quit that relationship or job you were heading to for this journey but….why would you want to?! Even though I’m in my early 30’s, I know that this is where my life should be going next.

When it comes to moving abroad, so many people have done it in their lifetime. I, however, was never one of them but have often dreamed of all of the traveling I wanted to do. I didn’t want to do the semester abroad in college because it was so much more expensive – loans are brutal. Growing up with just the basics meant only one trip in my childhood for the family that we had and I remember from when I was about 8.

Maybe that’s the trip that injected my travel bug. Maybe it was my grandparents who traveled and lived elsewhere in their lifetime and encouraged me to do the same. Whatever it was, I felt it beneficial to record my journey for whomever it may encourage, help, or inspire.

Spontaneity

….Is not my strong suit. I’m a planner (thank you Mom). I make sure things are prepared before I do much of anything, so deciding to move halfway around the world was a VERY long process. One of “pro vs con” lists, discussions with close friends, soul searching, and lots and lots of research. Not to mention the many discussions with the person who happens to be the biggest reason for this specific move and location.

These kinds of evaluations are imperative to me because of my personality especially, but also for the reassurance to myself and others when asked the questions I should have asked before making a big decision. Even little things like, oh I don’t know, where I’ll live.

At first I kind of had the notion that: I’ve moved from LA to San Diego before, what’s the difference?

Turns out, it’s a huge difference!

The Process Begins

Getting into the whole process of figuring out the steps was extremely involved. I want to thank Tendelle, the person who wrote the article: Dutch American Friendship Treaty: 10 Step Guide to Getting the Self Employment Permit in the Netherlands.

If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have had the slightest idea where to even start. From there, I did my own research and made phone calls to ensure that this was still the process from a year prior and it was! I have now begun to follow her steps and am on my way to moving confidently, safely, and legally.

I hope you join me on this journey of self-discovery, minimalism, and technical aspects of this process I may have never even thought about!

 

Relationships and Connection

In our lives we have so many people we meet. Do you ever stop to think of those you’ve met, got along with swimmingly, but never spoke to them again? I do, regularly, and wonder where our species is heading where there are so few connections people make because they’re too busy worrying about how much they make, or how they look, that we stop thinking and caring about other people. This goes on so often in work life, friendships, significant others’ relationships, that I’ve seen the disconnect happen in my own experience as well as others and it leaves this emptiness that doesn’t always need to be there.

A couple of years ago I started a plan based upon re-connecting with everyone on my social media (Facebook specifically because I’ve never added anyone I haven’t physically met before) by meeting up for coffee, volleyball, a drink, whatever, and ended up doing only a few instead of the hundreds I wanted to do. Why is it that we are so scared of real, deep connection and communication that we distance ourselves more often than make an effort, listen, or understand? I’m not sure where this fear is coming from for most of you, but for me it’s a fear of being disliked or shun for who I am. Maybe for you it’s fear of rejection, or fear of opening up about yourself, or maybe just about fear of knowing yourself on a deeper level.

We stay in such a state of complacency because of this when it comes to ourselves, our lives, our friends, our careers, our happiness; But when does it, or can it, come to a point for most of us where we decide it’s no longer worth it to fear so much? I’m sure there needs to be a breaking point for most of us that says “you have hit rock bottom” or something along those lines to want to make a change. For me, I tend to constantly/regularly be thinking about things I haven’t done and always wanted to, or need to do and keep procrastinating. This feeling for me lies within my desire to connect, one which I believe is an overall human need, especially during difficult times.

Lately I’ve been struggling with my career choices and options having been laid off a number of times. I feel that I need to go back to that goal of meeting up with those friends in my present, past and potential future. I’m going to go back to connecting with people and learning more about all of those I’ve encountered and made the choice to involve them in everything I post on social media. I also have a large chunk of people on there that do not live in my state let alone country, but thank goodness for Skype! So…what are you doing this week? 😉

My Machu Picchu Trip

So I’d been debating on whether or not to write about my trip, but due to my struggling memory as it is, as well as a personal request (dedicated to Raffi) , I want to try to remember as much detail as I possibly can, for as long as I can.

In learning I could tag along with a friend to visit somewhere incredible, new, and possessing an international treasure (AKA Wonder of the World), I couldn’t have been more excited! Especially when I decided to “brush up” on my Spanish. And by brush up, I mean re-learn…after only learning for two years in High school…

Pro Tip: Don’t try to pretend like you remember all of a language too quickly, you may *almost* say something like “pick me up” instead of “Can you take me in the cab too?” (Yes I almost said something to the effect of that but worse, but luckily realized it wasn’t right before I said it out loud.)

Anyway, arriving in Lima at midnight was definitely exhausting, getting through customs and to the hotel at 2 am was REALLY hard knowing we had to be up around 6. So what, totally worth it to make it to Cuzco, an incredible town!!

Photo: Mural in Cuzco (and a few of those in my tour group)

And thus begins the incredible food, i mean traveling, journey. But really, the food was INCREDIBLE!! Thank you to our awesome tour guide for taking us to some truly delicious restaurants throughout the entire trip (one in particular to be discussed further), teaching/reminding me of correct Spanish words, and truly being an amazing and kind person. Thank you also to those in my tour group who were incredible people I am lucky to have gotten to know.

At the risk of making this the longest blog post ever, I just want to mention that there is a twelve-sided, handmade stone in this town – quite the tourist attraction with people standing by it in native Incan garb to take pictures with.

We walked a huge part of this town and not only saw some incredibly kind people, amazing food markets, and art everywhere (including local peddlers), but the entire town is essentially built upon Incan ruins. From their museums to their churches to their government buildings, they embrace their history throughout.

I couldn’t tell you the name of each ruin we went to honestly, there were SOOO MANY during this trip. Most of them being protected and maintained in order for us all to marvel in its glory. The sheer magnitude of the stones themselves make you wonder how it was even possible to position them into the buildings they were believed to be. The remarkable depths and heights these people took to build their temples and homes were simply astonishing.

Our second day in Cuzco, we were off to the biking excursion! The first day was a lot of fun but it was almost all downhill. Riding through and around the Sacred Valley this day was like a combination of heaven, peace, and thrill. The valleys, green fields and happy people made it that much more enjoyable, despite any literal uphill battles I encountered trying to breathe at that altitude of around 9,000 feet…they aren’t kidding when they say altitude affects people differently each time! One of the highlights of this day for me was the oasis that G Adventures had helped to create in the middle of nowhere in this valley through the Planeterra foundation (www.planeterra.org) providing jobs for the locals and the most incredible food I think I’ve ever had! Truly fresh, perfect and fantastically put together. My favorite was the rocoto relleno, OMG so good 🙂 .

Photo: Sacred Valley biking day 1

I’ll leave little detail about day 2 as it was the worst possible day to bike the dirt/clay trails after a rain according to those tour guides…let’s just say clay + bike tires = stuck. However, we ended the trip at the salt mines. An incredibly massive area in the valley where they literally mine natural salt from the rains. The water itself tasted like liquid salt! Even bought some to take home.

Our next adventure was the infamous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! What can I say besides the fact that it was the single most empowering and breathtaking experience I’ve had to date. The accomplishment of a 4,200 meter/13,700 foot mountain and ME camping for 4 days was enough to feel like I can do so much more than I thought I could. I still couldn’t have done it without all of these amazing people’s help on the tour – the guide, the porters, and mostly and most importantly, the incredible group of people I did this with.

Photo above: Porters, chefs, tour group

Photo above: Dead Woman’s Pass peak, we made it!

I won’t bore you with the details in things like waking up at 3 AM to get to the Sun Gate, but just to say it was MORE than worth everything it took to do this trail. The accomplished feeling combined with the reward of Machu Picchu is so much more breathtaking than the altitude makes you take in ;). Not to mention the amazing sights and emotions along the way. The views from the top, the random animals living in the mountains, the native people, every detail incredible in their own special way.

After our adventure in the enormous and fascinating city, we took the train back (thank god, I was so tired!) to Ollantaytambo to clean and rest up. The funny part is, none of us had ideas of resting very long as we all decided to do a rock climb the next day up 400 meters and zip lining down! I couldn’t believe how directly straight up this cliff was and how high it was…my main photo was taken about 2/3 of the way up and it took SIX zip lines to get down. Also, look up images for sleeping pods in this city – they hang over this cliff about halfway to where we climbed up and you can see the view they have.

Now leaving this hidden gem, we’re off to Lake Titicaca and the city of Puno for our next adventure. Arriving in this cute town with its mild Bolivian influence was a change of pace. It’s a smaller town than Cuzco but gorgeous in its own right. Especially when you realize it’s based along this massive lake otherwise known as Puma rock. Being the highest elevation charted lake (I believe is the term they used), it was massive!

The next morning we started our day with a pedicab, or chulo, ride to the water to get on the boat. Riding through the Uros islands was a truly incredible experience. These are some man-made (by REEDS!) and some natural islands.

While sitting on one of these man-made islands *Shown above* (yes it only was as big as to the reeds), we learned about how they made this island they LIVE on, and their history. Each year, depending on the rains, etc, they have to rework the reeds to ensure it doesn’t sink! They were incredible people and very nice. Most of them primarily spoke Quechua, but also spoke a lot of Spanish. I tried my best with my broken Spanish but they helped us learn basic Quechua phrases too!

After kayaking 2 hours this day, exploring a couple of the islands – including a RESTAURANT on one of them which was really delicious – we were welcomed into the homes of families on one of these gorgeous islands!

Photo above: My view from outside the room they allowed us to sleep in.

Such an incredible group of people. Not only do they trust us to all stay with them, but they cook and feed us, tell us about their lives (in Spanish primarily which I was fortunate enough to speak a few words along with Paulo speaking a few more!), and allowing our group to play soccer (futbol) with them! Granted, I didn’t play as I not only don’t know how, but had flip flops on….not exactly soccer shoes. But, I got to watch the boys play with the locals and had a lovely time!

After an incredibly interesting evening learning about the life of a grandfather who was raised in the streets and has now become an incredibly generous and kind man, we were off to kayak another 2 hours to the next island and adventure.

With our major adventures complete, my next goal was to see as much of the Lima area (we stayed in the Miraflores area) as possible since I happened to book a Saturday night return flight instead of Fri as most people. I’m grateful every single day of this as I didn’t get a chance to see it when we arrived. It’s an amazing town that I only wish I could have stayed another day in as there were things I would have liked to do like a bike tour we couldn’t find haha.

We did, however, see CAT PARK! An entire park where someone (some people?) feed a myriad of stray cats. They were all adorable and friendly and it was a gorgeous day to hang out in a park and in the city. We wandered, had some fresh fruit smoothies, and checked out the surrounding area of our hotel which included a very nice/new mall on the cliff by the water. It was overlooking the ocean and was a very breathtaking sight. Not to mention the volleyball court i could see from the wall! I wanted to play, but it was only one court and appeared to be professionally set up. Plus I had no idea how to walk down the cliff without a car….very confusing roads to get there :/.

Every experience was an incredible and unique one I will cherish as long as I live and can’t wait to do another! With each moment came a new appreciation for the history and Peruvian culture. Whether in Cuzco, Ollantaytambo, Lake Titicaca, or Lima it was incredible every time. I’m a traveler to my core, in honor of my grandparents, and I’m incredibly grateful every day for the desire they gave me to see the world and experience all, as much as possible, that it has to offer.