Peru is like? Well..

A taxi picked up me and two of my travelling companions up from the ranch and we had to get to Peru, but first catch the bus. The ranch we stayed at was a while away from the bus station and on a slow dirt road, so in a careful rush we drove through. We finally got to the main road and to the station and could see the bus pulling out, but as if off the opening scene from an Indiana Jones movie our driver pulled up for that split second so the station attendant could point at the bus and we raced off, fourth gear, fifth gear similar to Hamilton tailing Massa but wanting to zoom past our driver honked and honked, swerving then finally streaming past to pull the bus over. I entered the bus, greeted by the drivers smirk and putting on my sombrero, definitely an Indiana Jones moment. Cue music and Welcome to Peru, land of the Inca’s, land of beauty and treasures.

We chose to enter the country from a less touristy border, fair enough, it took us a few days to get to any sizeable town but while making that trip, the sights along the way, and the people were so, I’m not sure, so something!  Towns huddled around green spaces, and even though it took us a few days to get ‘anywhere’ we did it in style, combi’s all the way with the locals!

The ruins at Kuelap

Peru is easily known for its vast tourist industry with everything from Inca ruins like Machu Picchu to some great surfs. There was a time however, when the Inca’s dominated this country, so it meant one heck of an advanced civilisation. Their methods so brilliant and questionable, like ‘how did they do that?’  So when the chance came to see a grand Inca site, rivalled by none other than Machu Picchu, we took it up. Kuelap. Northern Peru. Just like everything, it was pretty cool. If only because there weren’t many tourists?

Remembering that Peru is five times bigger than the UK, bus rides are long and a lot happened but eventually…

The view over Lima at sunset

I arrived in Lima and hadn’t been in a big city for a while, and it tends to be with places like Lima, you either love it or you hate it. It’s just another big city, but I liked it, I didn’t hate it, I liked it. I decided to see if any projects were going while I was in Lima and was lucky enough to find one volunteering with a charity for ‘disabled children’ called Peru Children’s Charity. Working with the charity was one of the best things I’ve done in a while, I got to be me. Do what I love to do. When I arrived, the Christmas nativity was fast approaching and they needed a hand, so I was able to help with the music, teach the music, take photographs and help with crafts.

The charity is based in northern Lima in one of the capitals poorest areas, unconnected with running water or a sewage system. Seeing the poverty in the area was astounding, the government had made various previous promises to help out but repeatedly failed. It was difficult to understand how a capital city could have such a wide social divide. The division is so wide that on the road leading to the centre, is a speed bump, seriously a speed bump, which separates the area that has running water and a sewage system, from the place that doesn’t. Terrible really, but it’s fair to mention the government have promised things will improve.

The street of the charity

Even with the circumstances, the children turned up every day, for therapy in what they needed (Speech, Physical etc). Everyday saw me greeted with a smile, I saw the amount of appreciation they have for every single person- abrazos (hugs)!

I had to keep my eyes really open, these weren’t disabled children, these were differently abled people, smiling, laughing and showing as much love and willingness to learn as any other person reading this is capable of. Every day the children would turn up and receive their therapy, whether it be physical or speech or whatever else, but after they would stay. It’s hard to believe that before the centre was opened three years ago, some of these people didn’t even have wheelchairs and had to go about on their backs.

The Godfathers

A few weeks passed and we somehow came to my last day, the day of the nativity play. Practise in check and it really did go well, baby Jesus, Mary, the three wise men. The festivities even included Minnie mouse! The culture around here says that the man who gives the most, however that may be, is the one who is the Godfather to the cause. I see that person as being  the founder but also the man who helped build the centre.


I was staying in Lima and commuted everyday two hours each way, and that wasn’t a problem, time is free but it’s also priceless, I was easily shocked with where I was but I enjoyed every minute & I learnt something every minute.  I’m amazed at how the few days I had planned, easily turned into a few weeks but I also appreciate the genuine smile that came at the end of it all.

I was always told to smile more!..

A bit of a treat, yesterday I went sand boarding and dune buggy-ing in the desert of Ica. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Especially because it was during sunset and when the last bit of light rolled from the different height of the dunes. TOP day. Now I’m in Nazca and going to Cusco in a bit, Cusco is where sits Machu Picchu! More to come, chau.

Me catching some sand in Peru's desert!