The Journey Home

My flight from Lima was scheduled at a very early 7:30am, meaning that I was up by 4 in the morning. After checking in, going through security, and being on our American Airlines flight, I was more than ready to return home. As the plane began to accelerate down the runway and pick up speed, it suddenly braked with a jerk, sending us all lurching forward as we came to a stop and producing a plume of smoke on our right side with a scent of burnt rubber. After taxing back to our gate, we learned that there was a problem with one of the engine's air filters, and would have to be fixed before we left.

All of us 200 or so passengers were herded into a waiting area for more than 3 hours until they fixed the problem and we were able to get on our way. By the time we made it to Miami, my connection to San Francisco had already left, despite my record time of 30 minutes making it through immigration and customs. I went to the American Airlines counter to see what they would do.

As I expected (and needed, as I have exhausted my funds) the airline provided me with a flight the next morning, a hotel room, and a food allowance. For that I was grateful, but did not particularly feel like a valued customer that they were concerned about inconveniencing. The food allowance was only $10 for dinner and $5 for breakfast. I didn't want to seem picky, so I didn't raise a fuss, although I would have preferred to eat something better than fast food after 3 months of traveling, 3 hours of waiting, 6 hours in a plane and spending the night alone in a strange city. (Plus, it was fast food instead of Mom's cooking waiting for me in California that night!)

Unfortunately, my slighted feelings were confirmed by a French tourist who I had talked to on my flight from Lima who was also delayed on his connection to Paris. From our conversation in the lobby of the hotel we were both put up in, I know that he at least received a voucher for dinner and lunch the next day, and that the value of his lunch voucher alone was $20.

Here, I will openly wonder what the basis of American Airlines' system for compensating inconvenienced travelers is. Some differences were clear, but I thought they would not matter: he was from France, I the U.S.; he was in his 50's, I am 24; he was Caucasian, I am African American. I won't be presumptuous enough as to make a guess as to the criterion by which American Airlines used to make their decision for different compensation levels, but I will get an answer from them.

That said, the same patience I needed throughout my time in South America (on buses, in stores, in hotels...) was still needed for the final legs of my journey home and is an important part of what I have gained through my travels over the last 3 months. Along with that, is an appreciation for the increased importance of families and relationships in South America, and the eagerness by which they demonstrated it. Also, I have more appreciation for the order, stability and trust that we have in American institutions, and a better understanding of how our superior wealth comforts all aspects of our daily lives. Of course, my use and comfort with the Spanish language (or castillano, if you will) is greater than it has ever been before, and I have had the privilege to visit some of the most spectacular cities and landscapes in the world in just a matter of months.

To me, it is an enigma as to why the cultures and economics of North and South America, the nations of the New World, are not more closely related and working together. However, after this fulfilling experience, I hope to find more ways of making that happen.

Lima, Peru

Having only a day and a half to spend in Lima, I mostly stuck to the Miraflores neighborhood near the beach, and explored it on foot. It was filled with Lima's middle class, with American-style malls, department stores and eateries dotting the area. However, the affluence the area did not quite match what I have seen in Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, or Santiago. Nonetheless, the rocky beach was beautiful, I waded in the warm water, and I cheated for the first time on my trip by eating at Pizza Hut.

On the second day, my friend Christian, who met me at the airport, recovered from a one-day sickness and I joined him and his girlfriend for the evening. Downtown Lima, where we ate dinner, is filled with large plazas and colonial architecture, but is far more spread apart than other downtowns. From there we visited a bohemian neighborhood next to the coast and enjoyed views of the water while we sat in a small plaza.

It seemed to be a fitting cap to my trip, spending time with Christian who I met in the first stop of my journey, Rio de Janeiro. Being able to see him, meeting up with my Argentinean friends in La Plata, and staying with a friend of a friend in Sao Paulo were definitely highlights of my trip. Anyone can go travel to see a new place, but it is hard to understand it without an introduction by a local.

A view of Miraflores, Lima, Peru.


A cathedral in downtown Lima at night.


Christian and I.


Christian, myself and his girlfriend at the end of my last night of the trip.

Leaving Cusco and the Andes

For nearly 3 weeks, I have lived in, and explored the world of South America's Andes highlands. While the regions of South America have a lot common, in many ways, the highlands of the Andes were a world apart from the places I had been. While Chile and Argentina had strong European and cosmopolitan influences, Bolivia and Peru have been more isolated and shaped by indigenous culture and peoples. While the southern cone of South America had modern roads, infrastructure and amenities, the Andean highlands were unmistakably third-world, with decent housing, sanitation and roads all being challenges to obtain.

That said, Cusco was the jewel of the highlands. While the city is definitely over "touristized," the diversity of culture of the people, the gorgeous colonial architecture, the church-lined plazas, cobblestone street, and natural setting easily overrode the negatives and made it a great place to rest up both before and after the Inca Trail.

The night after the trail, I slept for 13 hours in my comfortable Cusco room, and took it easy the entire day. In the evenings, I was able to meet up with many of my trailmates, Armelle and Gerard from France, Silvio, Constanza, Romina, and Patricia from Argentina.

Today I took a flight from Cusco to Lima, and was pleasantly greeted by my friend Christian, whom I met at the beginning of my trip in Rio. I was also welcomed by the beautifully warm weather and the familiar Pacific Ocean after 3 weeks of chilly, near-freezing temperatures. My trip feels like it is effectively over, since my flight home leaves Tuesday morning, but I still have all day Monday to get a feel for Lima, Peru's capital city.

The main cathedral of Cusco, on the central Plaza de Armas in the center of the city. The Peruvian flag waves in front.

Another view of the plaza.

Another cathedral on the Plaza de Armas.



A gated roadway in Cusco.

Another cathedral along a cobbled roadway and wall in the city.

A chance meeting outside the Inca Museum in Cusco with Duda, my friend from Sao Paulo who I last saw in January.

Another colonial street in the city.

Photos: Macchu Picchu

In the foggy morning, Macchu Picchu comes into view.


Macchu Picchu.


Looking downslope.


I have arrived.


The city to the left, and the Urubamba River valley to the right.


Looking back up to the Puerta del Sol.


The doorway to the city.


A view from inside.


Looking back uphill at the guardtower.


Another view from inside.


One of our guides, Ernesto speaking to our subgroup in English.


A temple usually used for llama sacrifices, and rarely, for human ones.


Temple of the Sun.


The "country" royal palace. The main royal residence was in Cusco.



The Macchu Picchu Orchid, which only grows in this area.


A grand courtyard between temples on the higher plateau of the city.


Another temple.


A special stone which marks the cardinal directions from within the city.





A carved rock, reflecting the mountain range right behind it. It was believed to be used as a map to demonstrate how to reach another settlement behind the nearest mountain.


An astrological stone used to mark summer and winter solstices.


Llamas in the central courtyard.


Temple of the Condor. The central stone on the ground represents its head, while two large stones behind it represent its wings.


Looking towards the farm terraces.


A crypt inside the city, with the steps representing part of Andean religious belief that is related to the form of the Andean Cross.


Looking back.








Eating lunch after our final day. From left to right, Constanza, Silvio, Gerald, Myself, Krishna, Vivek, Sami, Arhmelle, Romina and Patricia.


Our guide Ernesto and I, both glad to be finished!

Photos: The Inca Trail

Beginning the Inca Trail. From left to right, Flavia, Silvio, Isabella, Mary Angela, Constanza, Ahmelle, Patricia, Gerald, Krishna, Romina, Sami, Vivek, and me.



One of our guides, William, discussing Inca religion in some ruins on the first day.


The valley where we camped the first day.


Crossing the Urubamba River to begin the trail on the morning of the 2nd day.


A view of ruins placed at the confluence of the Urubamba River and a smaller mountain stream that leads into the mountains. We took a left and headed upward.



A bit of relief in the cold snow melt of the mountain stream after climbing for a couple of hours.


Everyone else relaxing as well.



The trail begins its steep ascent without relief until Dead Woman's Pass.


The landscape changes to forest.


Falling short of our goal, we camp on a small plateau still 3km from Dead Woman's Pass.


The view from the campsite looking the other way into the deep valley from which we came.


On the morning of the 3rd day, finally reaching Dead Woman's Pass.



Jubilation.



Our guides, Ernesto and William.



At the lowest point between the first two passes, the path rises again.


An unforgettable view from the bottom of the valley off to the right.


Looking back up at Dead Woman's Pass.


Inca ruins of a religious purpose between the two passes.



An Inca Tunnel after the second pass.



The trail continues...


...and continues...



A second tunnel.



In the midst of this long, 3rd day, it begins to rain.


Beautiful flowers I couldn't pass up.


Ruins on the other side of the 3rd pass. The path descended drastically from this point forward.


Mountains to the north of the trail, across the Urubamba river valley, which is far below the picture.


A gorgeous rainbow in the same mountains minutes later.


The morning of the 4th and final day.


The ruins of Puerta del Sol (Doorway of the Sun), from which it is possible to see Macchu Picchu...


...however, because of the ubiquitous clouds, we could not.