Wednesday, August 13, 2008

My Peruvian Dreams Have Turned To Poi

It has been my dream for the past several years (since seeing a History Channel special on Machu Picchu; I am a big fan of ruins) to go to Peru. And even before Machu Picchu, I'd dreamed of floating down the Amazon in an itty bitty boat looking for pink river dolphins. This dream formed in first-year Environmental Science class and while at that time I felt this experience had to happen in Brazil, I've since learned that Peru's Amazon is far more untouched than Brazil's and just as ecologically exciting. I got the silly idea I'd be able to afford this trip to Lima/Cusco/Machu Picchu/the Amazon between jobs (the job following this one, mind you, is still hypothetical at this point), and reluctantly came to the conclusion that while I could certainly spend all of my money and go to Peru, I'd come back broke and unemployed. Not wishing to default on loans but at the same time wishing to do a little between-job (there I go again) soul searching, I considered other places to which I might travel without depleting my entire savings account.

And the obvious answer was Kauai. The decision was basically made for me by the almost-unbelievable airfare (and I believe it only because I bought it) to Honolulu, combined with the chance to see an old friend who'll be visiting and my aunt and uncle who live there. So Peru is on hold for now, but I know it will happen.

This trip is a big step, as it more or less cements my unemployment plans. Yay, or oy? A little bit of both, I think.

Waimea Canyon, my Machu Picchu substitute

2 comments:

Pam said...

Brooktini, I'm really sorry that the Peru trip is on hold...I was really excited for you! Well, I still am. But I guess that's on hold, too. Maybe you'll be ready by the time I finish grad school...we could go together and celebrate? :-D

Brooke said...

Oh, we'll celebrate THAT all right, if not with Peru than with something!