The You Code: What Your Habits Say About You by Judi James & James Moore
A very entertaining book that is perfect while waiting to board your flight or commuting in the train. Some information may raise your eyebrows or would make you chuckle of acceptance within. Just don't forget to catch yourself every now and then from laughing out loud in public.
Town of Copacabana to Lake Titicaca
Crossing the river from La Paz to Copacabana
Located along the southwestern corner of Bolivia sits the world's largest salt flat. One of the coldest place we've ever been in during our trip in South America. "Harto frio!"
We arrived in the town of Uyuni at 2AM and I remember stepping out of the bus, freezing. We only had four hours to sleep before our salt desert tour. We had the private tour pre-booked from Sucre the day before, in an agency we found in the city.
We heard that if we don't do this, we would be wasting one day waiting for an available 4x4 to rent. It consists of a driver / tour guide with his 4 Wheel Drive to take us within the 12,000 sq. kilometer salt desert. We only took the day trip because we were running out of days. It is usually a 3-day journey camping in the desert.
It's one of the most beautiful and unimaginable places on earth I've ever laid eyes on! It's so tranquil yet eerie to know that if one loses his way, lose petrol or make a mistake in the trail, people could die of starvation out there.
The trip seemed endless. Views of wide expanse of rock salt desert. There was one point where we couldn't see anything except white salt and blue sky.We had stop overs at a Salt Museum, Salt Factory, Isla del Pescado (Fish Island) and Volcan Tunupa.
The whole journey in this 'deserted' place is beyond words!
SUCRE Bolivia's most beautiful city. It was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991. Architecturally speaking, it's a city that Bolivia should be proud of. The whitewashed colonial buildings and naturally landscaped patios really surprised us. The charming courtyard restaurants and sleepy bistros during daytime reveal traces of how lively this city could get after hours.
LA PAZ
The "Dizzying" sky high capital of Bolivia with an altitude of 3660m .The first glimpse of the sprawling city from El Alto was breath taking.
We had a long walking tour of the city on our own. It started at Plaza San Francisco all the way to Plaza Murillo.
We also had a glimpse of Mercado Negro (Black Market) and Mercado de Hicheria (Witches' Market).
The traditional dances and colorful costumes were a show stopper. Tourists lined up to catch a glimpse of the festivity happening at the Plaza.
We ended the trip at Parque Nacional. We arrived during the early evening and had kebabs at a Turkish joint in the alleys of the city. We explored the city on foot the next day and left to catch a bus at the station to get to Uyuni that evening at 8:30PM.
Puno, the gateway to Lake Titicaca in Peru, also known as "the highest navigable lake in the world" was getting us closer to the border of Bolivia.
There are 2 ways to reach Machu Picchu: (1) One is by taking the Inca Trail, 4 days of trekking, hiking. crossing mountains and camping in the wilderness with a group of tourist and expert guides. Book in advance. When we checked 3 months before, it was already fully booked. or second option, (2)Take the Peru Rail from Ollantaytambo, the last town at the border of the remote Andes Mountains. It takes 1 and a half hour train ride through the rich and majestic mountain range without spotting any house or any civilization there. I was amazed at how completely lost it really is. By the way, we took the train. :-)
We arrived in Aguas Calientes the day before. It is the sole town at the foot of Machu Picchu that was specially created to cater to tourists. We bought the entrance tickets at the Tourist Office and bus ticket at the station that will take us up the mountain. We took the first bus trip of the day. This place has never lost its mystery. Up until today, it still causes oohs and ahhhs from any tourist as soon as they step foot at the entrance.Tips for travellers planning a trip here :
1. Don't forget to put calamine lotion. The mosquito bites here (even with the lotion) leave weird red patches that seem to evolve and grow each week leaving them itchy for a whole month. (My husband even took the day off from office because it was unbearable, he couldn't stop scratching).
2. Bring your passport with you. They have 'Machu Picchu' stamps at the gate which you could place in your passport.
3. Stay in Aguas Calientes the night before and take the first bus. Be there at the bus station 1 hour before the departure because there is a very long queue. The first bus leaves if I'm not mistaken at 5:30 AM so by 6:00 AM you'd be up there watching Machu Picchu's sunrise. This would be perfect for picture taking as there aren't many visitors yet and you have the place mostly to yourselves along with the first batch so you could enjoy the serenity of the place.
4. Note that the tourists from different tours seem to arrive and leave at the same time like flies. They all come rushing in around 10AM and the whole place is packed and would immediately disappear by 2PM. So spend the entire day.
5. For those with strong knees, queue for the Wayna Picchu climb. The gate is at the back. They only allow a limited number of climbers per day so if you're lucky and up for it, go and take the steps.6. Food is not allowed inside. Don't forget to eat something, preferably a good breakfast before going to the bus station. It would be great if you could sneak in some small biscuits and water in your backpack. Hehehe.
7. Take a lot of memory space for your camera and bring extra just in case. Make sure your camera is fully charged. It would be awful otherwise because the entrance ticket is incredibly expensive! 8. There's no toilet inside Machu Picchu. You'd have to walk all the way back to the entrance and bring 1.00 soles with you for the toilet fee. I suffered because of this. I forgot to get some money and I had to wait for Yohann to go down from Wayna Picchu so I could go to the toilet. I ended up waiting for 3 hours before I could go. Believe me, those were the longest hours.
Nevertheless, it was the cherry on top of our whole expedition that I will never ever forget.
XOXO,
Arni
After a 10 hour bus ride from Nazca to Arequipa via CIAL Bus Line, we arrived in Arequipa Bus Station around 10AM. We immediately booked tickets at the bus terminal heading for Puno.I am blessed with the ability to sleep peacefully anywhere after 1 minute of closing my eyes, so yes, I was able to have a nice slumber in the bus. This kind of gift comes in handy on trips like these. Arequipa is the second biggest city of Peru located in the southern region with streets filled with bankers, vendors, artists, students, nuns and tourists.
We found it more charming than Lima, with its irresistable cafes, stylish restaurants and buzzing nightlife. It's the perfect place to satisfy ones palate of spicy food and huge variety of cuisine. We had tasty salteňas and empanada for lunch and a Doner Kebab in the evening.
"Bus Trip for a Tour of the Caňon del Colca"
The bus picked us up at 8:30 AM at our backpackers to go to Colca Canyon. Majority of the passengers in the bus spoke Spanish and there were only 4 passengers who doesn't. Dad and I were two of them. The tour guide then tried it in English afterwards, but I could barely understand his gibberish translation. Since Yohann speaks Spanish fluently,he translated it in English for me and French to Dad.
From the fertile valley of Arequipa, our bus climbed the mountains with an average elevation of 4300m above sea level upwards. Past the beautiful volcanic view of El Misti and Chachani, we discovered the National Reserve for the Vicuňas. Moving on, we found Alpacas and Llamas.
"Altitude Sickness"
As we ascended through a bleak antiplano over a high point of 4800m , I started getting dizzy, with my head spinning, I didn’t know whether I would throw up or faint. I could hardly breathe and felt feverish. That was my first taste of Altitude Sickness. The locals say that the best cure is a cup of Mate de Coca (Coca Tea). We had a stopover for a cup of the famous herbal tea and it made me feel a little bit better. What made me forget about the sickness temporarily was the Peruvian Lunch Buffet at Chivay.
We have decided to stay with the Posada family in Yanque. It’s a local family offering cheap rooms to stay for the night. They offered us a trek to the mountains. I didn’t join them because my splitting headache has gone worse so I stayed in bed for an afternoon nap while I missed the hike.
Once I got better, during the late afternoon, we all went for a swim at the hot springs.
We suffered the cold that night. There was no heating and it was around 5 degrees Celsius. We were all freezing. We woke up at 5AM and had breakfast. We went to the plaza at 5:30AM for the folk show and the bus picked us up there at 6:30 AM for another tour to Macca Town, Colca Canyon, Mirador del Condor and short stops at scenic places before heading back to Arequipa.
Guess what: The above photos were taken by me in various locations in the Canyon Country despite the altitude sickness :)
Petra, one of the 7 wonders of the world, was the highlight of our trip in Jordan. I was astonished and impressed by the influence of Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman and Byzantinian Architecture evidently carved on the rocks. It seemed like a crash course that catapulted me back to History of Architecture class in college. (Darn, I should have paid more attention in class :-) Sir Banister Fletcher would have been handy at that time) It was a 3-hour hike under the scorching heat as we found temporary relief under the shade of huge mounds of ancient sculpted rocks. Memorable!
When I was four years old, I wasn't allowed to go out and play. Perhaps it was because living in a small apartment at the heart of the city with ten steps away from the bustling main street was not safe enough for me to be out in the open. I often looked out the window and watched the neighboring kids playing outdoor games feeling a tinge of envy as my clumsiness would often result to a gash on the knee or a small cut.
I found the comfort of playing alone in my bedroom. Tea sets, Barbie Dolls, and cut-out pictures from magazines led me to the world of make believe. The world in the eyes of a little girl are filled with possibilities and that was when I received the greatest book ever. A gift from my mother was a complete set of Childcraft books. Out of these 12 books came my favorite " PLACES to KNOW "(No. 12 Book).
Hours passed unnoticed as I marvelled the different must see places featured within this book. From the Eiffel Tower to Machu Picchu, I read it again and again from page to cover. Back in the small apartment, I dreamed to see the places and travel the world someday. I owe this book so much! This book opened my heart to the desire of travelling. From the tender age of four and more than twenty years later, I learned that the world has so much to offer. I have made a vow that I would see the places with dog ears in this book. I am blessed to have done so and will spend the rest of my life getting to know these places.
"When we truly care for ourselves it becomes possible to care more profoundly about other people." --Edith Le Shen
Guess what: This is an image I took during a trip in Salzburg, Austria in 2008.
At the end of a long day, I’d like to reward myself to an invigorating “me” time. I’m grateful that my hubby respects my habit of taking a fraction of the evening after work to engage in a feel good activity alone. It could be 30 minutes of yoga with a relaxing music, a long bubble bath while reading my favorite book, or a half hour massage at a spa a couple of blocks away from home. Sometimes it would mean lazily lounging around for an hour listening to soft music or pouring my emotions out with my brushes on canvass. There are days when it would mean cooking something straight out of a recipe book that we fancy or cuddling with our fat cat on the sofa.
During my hubby’s alone time, I’d find him reading the newspaper or watching TV. Other days he’s totally immersed in Play station bliss or opts going out for a long walk or a jog around the area.
Feeling energized, my hubby and I would catch up later in the evening. We would watch an episode of a TV series we fancy or share what happened throughout the day together before bed time. I strongly believe that in keeping this space of recharging and filling up our cups, we are able to give more. In taking care of ourselves, we are able to take care of the people we love, even better.
I am pleased by what I did. I found my passion in making lifeless spaces beautiful. Furniture makes me happy. Table lamps and cushions excite me. I escape from work related stress by surfing new designs of floor lamps and ottomans. I enjoy organizing things together and seeing my work transform in front of me. I'm still doubtful though, whether I should make a living out of this.
There are far too many out there. I am afraid to be a needle in a haystack screaming to be found. This job had been very elusive and the rejections for not having sufficient works in my portfolio after several attempts seemingly convinced me to stop my pursuit. I then turned my attention on making money in a career that I despise. Needless to say, I'm lost, hoping for a chance of being happy and fulfilled one day.
Baby steps. I woke up from a nightmare that I'm about to lose my job. I found my 6 month old blackberry irrecoverable. It was completely dead. Murdered by caramel sauce. Gone. Scarlett O Hara could kiss it goodbye and I can start planning the funeral arrangements for the IT Manager to bury it 6 feet under the ground. I was afraid that would cost me USD 500 deduction from my salary. "Think on the bright side,'' I urged myself. Silence. "WHAT!" My mind went blank. I can't think of anything good out of this. "Maybe it's another sign."
Sulking for a few hours and almost cancelling movie plans with friends to see New Moon. I decided at the last minute that I should go instead of giving in to depression. Lunch, a movie with friends, book shopping and a scintillating coffee conversation catching up with my Uncle I rarely see, I would say I was more optimistic than I would have been if I had stayed home and basked in sulk fest. I wasn't able to resist a little bit of gossip and a little whining about my lack of fulfillment. I hope to do better tomorrow. Baby steps.
It was easier than most days as we are currently on a one-week holiday. The morning went about smoothly until I indulged myself with a mid-day nap and woke up 5 hours later only to find a very very urgent message from my colleague for her nerve wrecking deadline. She panicked that I was not answering my phone, neither did I reply back so she went to the higher ups for advice. I replied to her 4 hours late and that was the time I broke the rule by screaming the F word out of sheer disappointment because I always respond immediately. I pulled myself together. A happy evening with friends and new acquaintances followed and by the end of the evening I found my blackberry floating in caramel sauce.
I found a contemplative spot in my soul listening to Yann Tiersen's Le Matin. The soothing caress of his music awakened a positivity similar to that of a little girl's. I was too preoccupied in desperate search of what I'm passionate about and too busy focused on what I detest in my daily undertakings that I failed to notice that in this tranquil moment, I am myself. With all its simplicity, I need not find anything. I could just be me. The calm resonates the wholeness in me and that is enough.
Guess what: I took the above image in La Tranche Sur Mer, La Vendee Region in France Dec 2007
I feel extraordinarily happy today. Maybe it is the weekend or the fact that I just played an inspiring song "Beautiful World (We're All Here) " after messing up a beef stew. I'm not a gifted one in the kitchen.
Being the eldest in the family back in my teens, I had to cook for my siblings. They had no choice but to eat whatever I prepare. Oh dear, I remember the chicken a la king I made after learning it in home economics class. I dumped two bars of butter in there. My three sisters and brother were enjoying their dishes and immediately right after the meal, they ran to the toilet.
I'm not sure why that memory popped into my head right now. Maybe it's the sorry beef stew waiting for me in the kitchen and missing my siblings at the same time.
I'm happy because I have a free day.
I intend to begin my search. I'm looking for the part of me that I lost along the way. The Firecracker, at least that's what an old acquaintance said. The energetic being that could light up a room with her presence unconsciously, emitting soothing courage and sparkling optimism. The little girl who can do anything, who believes anything is possible, the charming Cracker.
I don't like what I have become after two years of trying to fit in a world where the expectations are too high in the exchange of a more comfortable life. Tasks I hated the most that I needed to do consumed me with that continuous pounding pressure in my head to exert more. "Not good enough" constantly nagging in my head and in my sleep. I feel devoid of life like an empty shell.
I will attempt to at least send a flicker of light in this dark place. I need to find the Cracker. Yes, the energetic firecracker that could explode the room with laughter and exude limitless creativity.
I will find her.