We're at it again. This time I traded the everyday life of mom in Seattle for that of temporary adventuress in Peru. If I were truly a Global Goddess I would have donned leopard print undies for this transformation, but my needs are a little more prosaic.
Quickly realising that carrying my own supply of toilet paper for the baños was far more valuable than jungle motif lingerie in the travel arsenal, hurdle #1 was all taken care of.
Exchanging the weather of a lackluster Pacific Northwest so-called summer for the South American wintertime was also effortless; the temperatures, gray skies and drizzle in Lima were no real change at all. Biggest difference there was that the toilet water swirled down in the opposite direction. I mean, when there were flush toilets. Once again, you will now conclude from very little evidence that I am potty obsessed.
Quickly realising that carrying my own supply of toilet paper for the baños was far more valuable than jungle motif lingerie in the travel arsenal, hurdle #1 was all taken care of.
Exchanging the weather of a lackluster Pacific Northwest so-called summer for the South American wintertime was also effortless; the temperatures, gray skies and drizzle in Lima were no real change at all. Biggest difference there was that the toilet water swirled down in the opposite direction. I mean, when there were flush toilets. Once again, you will now conclude from very little evidence that I am potty obsessed.
We'll try not to think too much about that, hmmmm?
Finally, it took about 3 seconds to learn how to order a coffee en español ~'café con leche por favor.' I learn fast when there's good food involved and the coffee in Peru is exceptional.*
flowering coffee plant, Quillabamba Province
Once you have those three essentials in place; toilet, weather preparation, and food, the rest of travelling sort of falls into place. After all, all you really have to do is show up, keep your sense of humor, and for heaven's sake don't get dysentery or end up in jail.
And if you do, remember: it'll make one heck of a story someday.
*Begging forgiveness for this assertion but it must be said: Peruvian coffee is exceptional unless you act like a local and drink that instant coffee powder crap. I am told most of the real coffee is for export. Why anyone would drink that hideous parody of coffee instead is beyond me -and I know perfectly nice and reasonable people of sound mind and body who do.
Obviously I'm missing something. Know what? I'm OK with it.
I am aware that I haven't started at the beginning, not really, and I do promise to remedy that...next post.
