The primary purpose of the trip was a water project in two villages on the Amazon River: building water filtration systems so the villagers could have clean water (previously they were just scooping it up out of the river). So we spent the first half of the trip on the Amazon (we stayed in this awesome Swiss Family Robinson-type lodge) working in the villages of Pucallpa and San Pedro de Manati. The water towers were actually almost done by the time we got there, so we did various other projects, including: taking family pictures, dental clinics (where I discovered dentistry is NOT for me), reading glasses clinics, playing games and sports with the kids, and painting the bathrooms they recently built. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done. I don't speak Spanish (although I learned some while I was there) but I still felt like I was able to connect with the people, especially the children, in a very special way. They were so grateful for every small thing we did. And I was impressed that even in such extreme poverty they are happy people. It was an experience I will never forget.
The second half of the trip allowed us to be tourists, so we got to explore the cities of Iquitos, Cusco and Lima--and most importantly visit Machu Picchu! Our Machu Picchu adventure was actually pretty funny. Rather than ride the bus up the mountain to the gate, a small group of us decided to hike to it. So at 4:30am in total darkness with no flashlight, having no idea what we're getting ourselves into, we started. We ended up hiking about 1500 feet straight up the mountainside (no switchbacks, literally straight up) using these ancient stone steps the Incas had built. We got there, got in line for a reservation to do another hike up Wayna Picchu (they limit how many people can do that hike) and then went in and explored the ruins. Then later that morning we hiked another 1000 feet up Wayna Picchu, explored, then took an "alternate route" coming back down the mountain which extended our hike by quite a bit....overall we estimated we hiked about 10-12 miles total that day. Needless to say, we were pooped! But it was absolutely worth it!
It would take pages and pages to describe all the wonderful things we saw and did there, so I'll stop now, but it was the best experience of my life.
Here is a glimpse of some of my experiences:
First stamp in my passport! There will be many more of these to come!
I LOVED the kids!
A Real Amazon Rainstorm! Awesome!
That's right, I'm holding a baby sloth!
We had a few tarantulas visit our room. Eek!
Machu Picchu. Breathtaking. Pictures don't do it justice. The mountain in back is Wayna Picchu that we hiked.
Climbing Around Machu Picchu
The best part of the trip
These are just some of a few hundred pictures :) For more you can see my Facebook album. I loved being a tourist, but my time in the Amazon is what has really stuck with me. I hope that in the future I can do more humanitarian trips to many more places because it truly changed my life, and hopefully I made a small difference in the lives of the people we met.
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