Goodbyes, Animals and Incas... all in a week!!!

What's up!!!??? Hello from the city of Cuzco (or Cusco... depends where you check it)... 3400 metres over the sea level... I can hardly move without struggling.

I left Loja just a week ago, and I have managed to go into my hectic travelling again. This time is a bit more difficult though... coz' I miss the boys/girls big time. I am always thinking where and how they are. It is incredible how close I feel to them, even thogh we spent only a couple of months together. I think I will come back as soon as I can... dunno if they need me... but I am sure I need them ;o)

After I left Loja, I spent the weekend in the border town of Macara with Pau... there is nothing going on over there appart from big cars sponsored by drugs traffic across the border. We thought it was "Fiestas" but when we got there it was basically dead.

From there I head finally (and sadly) on my own to the dreadful city of Lima, stopping over in Piura and crazy Paita (the town were Manuelita Saenz died... you should read "El General en su Laberinto" if you don´t know who she is yet!). It was a big surprise and very nice to meet Manolín there after two or three years we hadn't seen each other. I visit the Parque del Amor (Park of Love) and Barranquillo area... and got to appreciate a bit more this city... but not too much :oP

That was only a stop over in my way to Iquitos, i.e. the Peruvian Jungle (La Selva!!!). Oscar gave me the contact of a superlodge in the Yanayacu River. And one should always follow a friends advice... and I had the time of my life in the jungle. Played with monkeys, parrots, one tapir... saw lots of different birds, fished piranhas and swam in the same river where we fished them... cool!!! Ah... and we were really close to the Amazon Pink Dolphins (Known as the people of the water). But that is just a little part of it... night trips in canoe... morning trips in canoe... walks in the jungle... a very interesting chat about Chamans and Ayaguasca (next visit... ;oD). Three days is not enough... but it was all I could... If you ever plan a trip to the jungle contact Clever Sinarahua Tulumba or Timo, our superguide. You will not regret it!!!

Now I am in Cuzco (or Cusco :oP)... and have spent the day checking the sights around town. This is really tourist... but as mum said... you cannot come to Peru and not visit Cuzco (Cusco)... and she is damm right! As always! So tomorrow morning I am off to visit the Sacred Valley, and the day after Machu Pichu. I leave the Inka Trail for when I am old... and rich ;o).

After that... big bus trip back to sh*ty Lima... and flying off to Sao Paulo... Looking forward for Dri's Samba lessons ;o)... and spring time!!!

You all take care, ok¿? And don't let the Autumm put you down!!! You're stronger than him!

Un abrazo muy fuerte a todos!!!! David, no pude ir a Chile... los niños/as son la caña... imposible dejarlos para ir al pueblo de al lado... como para irme dos paises más allá ;o) Si algún dia los conoces lo comprenderas... y tú también te quedaras!!! jejeje!

Cuidenseme mucho mucho... ok¿?

Ciao ciao!!!!


Heiwa X

The end is near... tutututuuuuutu

Hola a toitos! How're tricks?

I know this blog haven't been updated at all in the last few weeks... but you won't believe how hectic leaving/working in Loja with the kids can be (well... Sergio, Esther and Co have a clue, don't you?)!

It is hard... but as you can guess it is also very interesting and most of the times the job here can be described as amazing! Osku got here when I was kinda tired and running out of batteries, and he was like an energy burst! We did a couple of trips... one to Vilcabamba, where people is supposed to leave until the age of 125 and have sex at least until the are 100 years old... can you believe it? Well.. Osku and I did our bit to get the most amount of energy out of the place and climbed up the "Mandango" (not "Mandingo"). It is a shame we lost most of it in our way down... scary cliffs... trust me!

We also went to meet the so long waited Hermanito Ángel... the heart of the children project were I am staying here in Ecuador. We took all the kids for the day out thanks to Nat&Ben's sponsorship. They had an smazing day with three highlights: Roast chicken for lunch (yummy yummy), swimming pool (no words for how much they loved it!) and plain spotting while waiting for Hermanito Ángel in one of the most scary airports I've ever seen... the landing approach is breath taking!



The day after we had a welcome "café" with the Hermanito, were we could catch up, and Osku and I had the first chance of seing him in action. Awesome... he manages the older and the younger in an amazing way... and he is 81!!! All of them respect him, and he doesn't even rise his voice!!! So much to learn... and he has been like a lesson every single day since he got back. He is a really cool guy!

After that Osku and I decided that it was time to spend a couple of days by the sea. We stopped in hippy Montañita and ugly Manta... the weather wasn't too good, but when we were considering heading North to Canoa it turned even worse... so we decided to quit. Went back to Guayaquil to sort out some paper work... and come back to Loja... where all the teenagers were already waiting for us ;o)

Osku was planning to go... even before we went to the coast. But they guys here loved him so much he end up staying until the kids went back to school (and he would have stayed longer)... that was on Monday. It was my first day of school in more than 10 years... woke up early... quick breakfast... shower... check the lists... well... you know... all that shit... and funny to see all the teenagers in their uniforms (specilly when I have seen them cover in paint during the past 6 weeks... hehe). They all looked very sweet! and nervous... they got to school more than 45 mins in advance. I bet it will be the only day they are going to be on time! ;o)

Now life has gone into more rutine. I help out Ximena with the youngest kids, i.e. 3years old, in the mornings... and spend the afternoons and evenings doing homeworks of all kinds! But mainly English and Computing... I bet none of them is learning anything! :oP

But over all the new issue is that I am planning to head out myself... two months here was my commitment from the start... and I am going to follow it. I think I have given a bit (and taken a lot as it happens when working with young fellows), easy their contact with the former volunteers, and monitored the improvements in Hilda's left hand (she can grab things now... she is awesome!) :oD. My rucksack is calling me againg... and I will hit the road next week... with no clear plans yet... but I will let you know as soon as I know them... or after I have finished them ;o)

It is 1am here now... and the right time to go to bed (well the right time was a couple of hours ago... but this is my only time free... those of you who are daddys/mummys know what I am talking about!).

Hope you are all doing fine and happy back home after your holidays... I am close to (re-)start mine!!! hehe! Hugs and Kisses to all of you whereever you are!

Cuidenseme mucho! Que sepan que en estos dos meses he pensado mucho en vosotros y como atacarían cada una de las situaciones que me he encontrado. Sin que lo sepan muy bien... me han sido de una grandisima ayuda! Muchíiiisimas gracias!

Un beso muy fuerte para todas/os!!!!

Ciao ciao,


Heiwa XX