to the temple of the moon and back: machu picchu, huayna picchu and la gran caverna

The view of Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu.

"Is this it?" I asked rhetorically although I never meant for anyone to hear what I said.

"Well, let's hope it's not," said the guy in front of me, whom I didn't know but I had been 'adopted' in their group since we left Huayna Picchu.

Going to the temple of the moon wasn't actually part of the plan. I was at an office in Aguas Calientes considering which type of entrance ticket to Machu Picchu I should buy. Hiking up to Huayna Picchu, that big mountain that serves as the backdrop of those classic Machu Picchu photos, was highly recommended. I've never heard of Machu Picchu Mountain and was curious about it. And the ticket that only allows access to the main ruins was definitely cheaper. The guy behind the counter answered me in an annoyed tone when I asked him if it was possible to visit both Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain. He gave me a gruff no. In the end, I chose the ticket with Huayna Picchu and was told to be there before seven in the morning.

Machu Picchu in the early morning.

So there I was the next day, marveling at the view of Machu Picchu from the other side, where not everyone choose to go. I was rendered breathless by the beauty in front of me but mostly by the tough journey. It wasn't that easy to get there. It takes about an hour to reach the top of Huayna Picchu. The trail was a very steep, vertigo-inducing climb up hundreds of steps. Thankfully, they installed cables and railings to help the visitors climb and also for safety.

I hate that I don't recall how I made my way to the top of the mountain. Or maybe it was my brain's way of making me forget that terrifying ordeal. My memory would jump from taking photos of Machu Picchu from a viewpoint just at the foot of the ruins at the top of Huayna Picchu to that guy who told me that I had to either crawl beneath or climb over a huge rock. Then I was eating biscuits and drinking coke while seated at the backside because the best spot was already taken. Although only a maximum of 200 people are allowed at one time, the area was too small that it seemed very crowded.

Huayna Picchu

Technically speaking, eating is not allowed inside Machu Picchu. But I was so hungry because I haven't eaten anything that day so I broke the rule. I left the hostel in Aguas Calientes at about half past four at dawn. Instead of taking the bus, I chose to walk up to Machu Picchu in order to save a few dollars. I didn't expect it but there was about a hundred other people lining up for the walk. Again, it was a steep, one-hour climb to the entrance. But being there very early has a reward of seeing the place bathed with mist, giving it a magical feel. After taking a few shots, I rushed to the other side and joined the queue for the first group to Huayna Picchu. By the time I got to the top, I have already climbed more than 700m and it was just eight in the morning. And I wasn't prepared.

Moments later, I stood up from where I was munching, not sure what direction I wanted to take. At the checkpoint for Huayna Picchu, I snapped a photo of this poster showing other ruins that can be visited. Gran Caverna sounded interesting although it was located at the far side of the mountain. I followed the trail going to Gran Caverna and came across some people who were going back. I wasn't really keen on going. I was merely looking around.

I kept on walking a little more and saw this group of two guys and a girl. They were probably as undecided where to go as I was that time. The first thing she asked me was if I speak English. Uh-huh. And then if I knew where the trail was leading. It told her it said Gran Caverna and I had no idea what it was. I showed her the photo of the poster, even though the only information printed in it was the elevation and average walking time. Gran Caverna was even 200m lower than Machu Picchu itself. She asked if I was going. I just looked at her and smiled.

La Gran Caverna. No intiendo por que esto se llama gran. 

It has been an hour since we started the descent. The trail was steep but it was mostly steps carved on the slope. My knees were already aching and there wasn't even a  nice view to compensate for the pain. We were traversing a forest. At one point, the steps vanished and we had to climb down a long wooden ladder. I opted to go last and received an applause once I got down. It was THAT difficult, I guess. We continued walking until we reached a structure which could pass as a ruin, with plants clinging to or growing in it. Two teenage-looking boys were taking turns in taking pictures of each other on that spot. I got confused. That's what was waiting for us after all the difficulties we had to go through? And that was when I found myself asking that question: Is this it?

A few steps more and we saw an older couple sitting just outside a 'cave'. So that was really it. I entered, but only to sit and rest. The Temple of the Moon people are talking about, I inferred, was inside the Gran Caverna. Or maybe it was the same thing? It is little visited and there's very scant information about it. And the cave actually doesn't live up to its name. Grand.

Narrow trail and sheer drop. What more could you ask for?

We left after resting and shooting a few photos. Since we were descending most of the time to the cave, we had to go up on the way back. And it was also very steep. My knees started to hurt again and I told the girl that she could go ahead of me if she wanted to. She was so nice and chose to wait for me. Further ahead, the trail opened to the side of the mountain, giving us a grand view of Rio Urubamba. The trail was narrow with sheer drop to the valley floor but good thing was that there was railings. When we rejoined the main trail, we came across the second group of people who were going to the top of Huayna Picchu.

I never get to know those three who were the reason why I got to reach that part of the mountain, where I wouldn't go alone. But we shared some hair-raising adventure. We surely weren't impressed with Gran Caverna. But as always, it's not about the destination. And it gave me a story to tell. And if someone would ask me if I would recommend it, I'll tell him to just go and have some adventure.

nasca lines

Like most people who visit Nasca, I was only there to see the lines. And basically did nothing else. Other travelers completely skip it, which is a shame, I think. And though seeing the Nasca Lines for the second time around isn't something that I dream of, it was another experience I'm glad I had.

Here's a little bit of history first. The geoglyphs in the Peruvian coastal desert were created by the Nasca culture between 200B.C. and 500A.D. They were built by removing the reddish surface gravels and sand to reveal the lighter layer below giving a strong contrast to its surrounding. The development of this geoglyph-building cultures even started with the Chavin in 500B.C and the Paracas and the geoglyphs were not only created on the desert but also on Andean foothils. But the great majority of these geoglyphs were built by the Nasca culture.

Straight lines stretching for several kilometers.

To see the Nasca geoglyphs, one has to fly over the desert. That was how they were discovered in the early 1920s anyway. Price of tour-operated flights from the Maria Reiche Airport varies between 70-100USD. I paid 85USD which included transport to and from my hotel in the city. The flights, which are only done in the morning, last just for 30 minutes but waiting for my turn took more than an hour. The airport operates like a real passenger airport collecting terminal fee, having baggage and security checks before proceeding to the departure area and passport check. The lady who checked my bag was surprised to see Ngyaw inside my bag, and found him/it cute.

The geoglyphs has two types; the representational figures and the kilometer-long straight lines. Straight lines is kind of redundant but I just have to emphasize that they are really straight. Viewing it from above will make one think how people from that time were able to build these lines, stretching to several hundred meters to kilometers and keep them straight. Some of these lines criss-cross forming geometrical patterns.

12 figures are showcased during the flight. Thanks to the arid environment, they have survived even after thousands of years. Most of these figures are animal representations including a whale, dog, parrot, spider, condor and monkey. The humming bird is the most preserved of all the figures and can easily be spotted. The heron bird is the longest, measuring 300 meters though it was already fading. The tree and the hands, which has a total of nine fingers, are the figures the can be seen from an observation deck along the highway. The astronaut with its big bulging eyes etched along the slope of a hill seem to be waving at us and commanding attention.

The astronaut.

Archeologists believe that the Nasca people made these lines and figures by using only simple tools and surveying equipment. But there is still no concrete explanation as to what these geoglyphs are for. It was first believed that they serve astronomical purposes, with the lines pointing to the spot where celestial bodies are during solstices. More recent studies argue that they are related to rituals for water and fertility. But the most bizarre is from the believers of ancient astronauts, which I would also like to believe. They say that the straight lines are landing strips of an ancient airfield used by extraterrestrials. And that the figures were made by the Nasca people for the ET's mistaken as gods.

The figures are scattered on the desert and to see all of them, our 6-seater plane had to make several turns, making the flight really uncomfortable. But more dizzying was the maneuvers it had to make so that the persons seating on both sides of the planes could see the figures. I missed the spider because I had to close my eyes for a short while to fight the nausea. The 30-minute flight seemed to take forever. And after seeing the astronaut, all I wanted was for the pilot to turn the plane back and land. The co-pilot/tour guide, noticing the look on my face, gave me some liquid to smell but it only worsened what I was feeling. (I wish I had white flower with me that time.) All four of us passengers got dizzy but thank god, no one threw up.

After landing, a thought occurred to me. I knew what the figures are for. They were for us! Some people from thousands of years ago realized that in the future, people will have the capability of flight. And being clever, they knew that weird figures that have no clear purpose will attract people's attention, even those from as far as the other side of the world. And the Nasca people will be laughing really hard from where they are seeing these travelers who, despite knowing beforehand that the flight is nausea-inducing, will still board that aircraft just to see their masterpiece.

The hummingbird.

Just a note. The two other passengers with me received some certificate from their tour operator. Guess taking that flight, and surviving it clean, was really something to brag about, eh. And thanks to them for the candy that calmed my gut.

i saw a penguin in islas ballestas

Islas Ballestas is a cluster of islands about 20km off the coast of Paracas in Peru. Dubbed as the Peruvian Galapagos, the concentration of wildlife in these islands is just overwhelming. It is also known as the poor-man's Galapagos because for just a small fraction of the cost to get to the latter, one will see literally thousands of birds perched on the islands or flying above, a colony of sea lions and penguins. (I paid 107 Soles for a combined trip with Paracas Reserve from Ica and for the entrance fees.)

The boat tour to the islands took approximately two hours. There were about 40 people in the boat and our guide spoke Spanish, French and English. He explained everything in those three languages and probably only two people needed the English translation. Ehem. All throughout the trip, we were wearing uncomfortable over-sized life vests. Er, better safe than sorry.

The Candelabra of the Paracas culture.

Before heading to the islands, we first saw the Candelabra which is a geoglyph etched on a slope of a hill in the desert. It was so called because of its shape although most believe that it is in the image of the weapon held by Viracocha, a South American god. Similar to the Nasca lines, the people of the Paracas culture made this by removing the surface materials and digging up to two feet deep. It's rather amazing how it was able to withstand the elements for more than two thousand years and still be clearly seen from afar.

Guano (the white stuff) covered Balleestas Islands and sea stacks.

Islas Ballestas is a sight to behold with its impressive sea stacks and sea arches that were slowly formed by the crashing of the waves on the islands' cliffs. The smell though was something one wouldn't look forward to. The whole island is practically covered with guano produced by the seabirds inhabiting it including cormorants, pelicans and boobies. People are not allowed to step on the island except for those who mine the guano that has accumulated on it. There are some structures built on the island which are used every after several years when it's time to collect the guano.

Structure for mining guano. And a sea arch.

When we got close to the island, a group of birds flew above us and I saw stuff dropping on the water. Good thing the birds didn't aim for us. The smell was bearable, but please, not that stuff on my hair. Our guide introduced the animals we saw as we went around and explained that these creatures flock the island because of the abundance of anchovies in the surrounding waters. He also added that they (the people) don't eat the anchovies, only the animals do. Hey, I kind of like anchovies...

Peruvian pelican.

Peruvian booby. Monogamous bird, accompanying the mate it chooses for the rest of its life.

I found one species of bird in the island very peculiar and interesting. The zarcillo or Inca tern has a very distinct color and plummage. Their red-orange beaks and feet made it easy for me to identify them. The zarcillo also tend to live in a very large community. And by large, I mean really large.

The black patch on the left of the island is a community of zarcillo.

A group of zarcillo.

The island is also home to Humboldt penguins, named after the water current they swim in and which breed in the coast of Peru and Chile. One of the reasons why I signed up for a tour to Islas Ballestas was to see a penguin. Unfortunately, there weren't much of them that time. In fact, I only saw one and I would have missed it if the guy behind me didn't shout 'pinguino!'

Hey penguin, where are your buddies?

But what made this trip more worth it was seeing sea lions. I was busy taking pictures of pelicans when our guide told us to pay attention to our left. And there they were, five lazy brown bodies propped on rocks, basking in the sun. They didn't seem to mind that we were very close to them and just went on with what they were doing, which was basically nothing except for scratching their necks once in a while.

At first we only saw a few of them in separate groups, some of them swimming. And then I heard this eerie sound that seemed to come from someone who was being choked to death, grasping for air, begging for help. It was an agonizing sound and it became louder and louder until I saw this large group of sea lions on a beach; adults and babies. The sound they were making, which was a call of the mothers to theirs pups, was deafening.

Sea lions.

The sight of these hundreds of creatures amazed me and moved me in a way I couldn't express. Perhaps it was because I didn't have much expectations when I stepped on the boat to the island. Or the fact that it was my first time to see these creatures and they overwhelmed my senses with their sheer number. If I wanted to, I could have seen them in an amusement park in another place, doing tricks to entertain people. But I'd rather see them there in the wild, doing what they wanted to do, freely roaming the waters and fending for themselves.

Hundreds of sea lions on a beach in the island. The adults are orange-brown while the pups are black.

accommodations: peru

Happy Up Here Guesthouse - Lima

I don't remember the exact reason why I chose this place. Probably, it was the cheapest single room with private bath that I could find. For 20USD, I got a spacious room (albeit dark and old) and breakfast of bread, butter, jam and coffee. I was the only guest that time so I received a very personal service from Ana, the owner. She made sure I had everything I needed for the night before she left. She let me had my breakfast late because I wanted to sleep in, check-out much later because my bus didn't leave until 4pm and called a taxi to take me to the bus station.

The guesthouse is located in a residential area in San Borja but very near bus stations such as Cruz del Sur, Excluciva, among others.


Hospedaje Turistico Recoleta - Cusco

Again, I booked this accommodation before getting to Cusco and the price is 20USD. When the taxi driver told me that we were already in front of the guesthouse, I was confused because I couldn't see where the entrance is. It turns out that I had to ring a bell (which is the case in many guesthouses) before someone opens the door for me. It is a little walk from the Plaza de Armas but at least the streets are not going up.

What I liked about Recoleta is that they serve a hearty breakfast (relatively); two pieces of bread, butter, jam, coffee, egg and banana. But what I really hated is the noise. The floor is wooden so I could hear all the footsteps. My room was beside the dining area so people chatting in the early morning disturbed my sleep. The acoustics was so bad that I could even hear the sound of a bag being zipped open. They are also a little strict because washing of clothes in the toilet was not allowed (it's difficult to dry them anyway, but still) and shower time must be limited. Staff is average. They let me leave my bag when I left for Aguas Calientes.

I learned here that there are no complimentary drinking water in the accommodations at least in Peru and Bolivia. (When I was in Vietnam, all the places I stayed in offered free refills of safe drinking water.)

Hallway of Recoleta.

Hospedaje los Caminantes - Aguas Calientes

I expected everything to be expensive in Aguas Calientes so I consider Los Caminantes as the best value accommodation I had in Peru. I paid 30 Soles for a private room and bath with plenty of hot water. There was no breakfast included but it didn't matter since I left at the crack of dawn to hike up Machu Picchu anyway. WiFi was only available in the lobby.

Los Caminantes is along the train tracks but still relatively quiet. The room I got was facing the river so I had a beautiful view from my window.

View from my room.

??? - Ollantaytambo

I was too exhausted to even bother get the name of this hostel. It's the nearest hostel from the train station (right side of the road if heading to the station). For 25 Soles, I got a room with a private bath. The room was clean enough for my standard and surprisingly, there was also hot shower. The hostel is along a river but the sound of the rushing water was overpowered by the annoying noise from the television the night I was there.

The receiving area has lots of tables and chairs so I assumed it was also a restaurant, but it wasn't. The nearby restaurants were still close at 9am so I had to walk a few hundred meters to get breakfast.


La Posada del Virrey - Arequipa

Posada means inn, so do I call this place an inn? Anyway, I showed up here at night without prior booking. Thanks to the low season, I was able to get a private room, but a shared bath for 25 Soles. Breakfast was not included but they have two kitchens. The place itself looked old. And it was difficult to climb up the very narrow stairs. The rooftop terrace was a lovely touch and there is a nice view of the city at night when the buildings are all lit up.

The shared bathroom was clean. There was plenty of hot water but only from the faucet, not the shower. On my second night, an earthquake rocked Arequipa and for a moment I was scared that the building might collapse.

I booked my one-day tour of the Colca Canyon with them. Staff didn't speak English but I was touched when she walked me outside, hailed a cab for me to the bus station and made sure that the driver charged me the right amount.


Nasca Lodge - Nasca

At a price of only 12USD, they even offer a free pick-up service. Now that's value for money. But I made a mistake in my e-mail and instead of typing 8pm, I put 8am as the time of my departure from Arequipa. When I get there, Maribel, the friendly lady in the lodge who by the way speaks good English was still apologetic that she was not able to send someone to pick me up at the bus station.

The building looked new. My room was big, and I mean really big. I had a small cable television. WiFi was fast but there were times when I lost connection in my room. Breakfast for 6 Soles consist of three pieces of bread, butter, jam, egg, ham, coffee and juice.

I booked a flight over Nasca in the hotel the morning I arrived. And in the afternoon Maribel provided me with a city map and gave suggestions on what to do in town. Since I was undecided on whether I should go to Ica or Paracas the next day, she gave me info on how to get to both towns and possible place to stay.


Hotel Posada del Sol - Ica

I headed to Ica from Nasca eventually. I was lucky that the bus station was just a walking distance to the city center so I can just walk around and look for a room. The first three guesthouses I went to didn't have WiFi so I ended up in Posada del Sol. The price was a little steep considering the area and the season. And the room I was given was in the fifth floor. Elevators are unheard of in budget accommodations.

The staff didn't speak English and wasn't really nice when I checked in. But when I got back the next day from a tour, he suddenly became friendly and tried to engage me in a conversation, in Spanish.


Belen Annex - Lima

As usual, the lack of WiFi in my first choice of accommodation led me to this hostel. During the last days of my travel, a means to communicate with friends became a necessity to me.

The hostel is in a large colonial building on the Plaza San Martin. I was hesitant to enter at first because I couldn't fathom how a budget (45 Soles isn't exactly cheap but I was in Lima) accommodation will exist in such a place. But the charm of the building didn't reflect in my room. Figures. The age showed, and my television didn't work (not that it mattered). And although my room was facing the plaza, I had no windows.

The staff who welcomed me took forever to fill out the guestbook before he gave me my keys. On my first night, the television in its huge lobby was turned on all night so I had difficulty to get some sleep. Fortunately, someone was in his right mind to turn it off the next day.

The gold/yellow door is the entrance to Belen Annex.

reflections from traveling halfway around the globe

Reflection of a snow-capped mountain on Lake Honda. One of the many lakes we visited on the SW Bolivia tour.

A week ago, I came back from traveling solo in Peru and Bolivia for a month and a half. I started toying with the idea of going to South America a year ago when I realized that I will be able to save enough money from my previous job. But when my contract ended, I was vacillating and only decided to push through with the idea six days before I left Manila.

Yes, I was scared that I will regret traveling by the time I get there. I was afraid that something bad might happen to me on the road; or that I will end up getting lost because I don't speak Spanish; or all my cash and cards will be stolen; or that I will never make friends with anyone because of my introversion. And the list of my concerns doesn't end.

However, the idea of traveling kept bugging me. I kept telling myself that if I don't do this now, I might not get another chance (which I proved to be somehow wrong). I had the money, the time (because I was, and still, unemployed) and all I needed was guts and some doze of craziness. So one morning, I found myself buying a  round-trip ticket to Lima. And by that time, there was no turning back.

As I left for the airport, I was still thinking if I was doing the right thing. My anxiety was proven when I faced some problems in Hong Kong. My backpack's hip belt was damaged. I almost cried because of it and was considering to just go back to Manila. Worse, there were many issues to be addressed before I could check-in for my flight to Lima. (Thank you KLM for your discriminating check-in protocols.)

But the good thing is that I was able to gather some strength and not let these little bumps prevent me from going on. It was just the beginning because later on the trip, I had to overcome more bumps. In La Paz, I had to walk up and down a street several times for at least half an hour to find my hotel. My bag was heavy, I haven't had enough sleep from the overnight bus, the altitude makes breathing a toil, I badly needed to pee. And when I finally found my hotel, the staff coldly shooed me away saying (in Spanish because he doesn't speak any English) that he has no vacant room. These things may not seem really serious but they could easily demoralize a weary traveler.

In terms of accommodation, I have my reservations (in both its meanings). I don't want to share a room. I don't want to share a bathroom. And as much as possible, I booked my room in advance to make sure that I get what I wanted. But there are times when we have to sacrifice for our priority.

It was late at night when I reached Ollantaytambo from Aguas Calientes. I didn't have a prior booking because everything in the booking websites were expensive. Call me crazy but by that time, my mind was set that a few dollars was more important than resting my body from several hours of walking up and down Machu Picchu.

Or we just have to accept that getting out of our comfort zone is inevitable when traveling. When I joined the four-day Southwest Bolivia tour, I knew beforehand that the accommodation will be very basic. I knew that I will be sharing the room with whomever I was in the trip with. But I didn't know that there will be no shower for the first three days. Or that there were no toilets along the road. Only baños naturales, señorita.

You're lucky if there are toilets. If none, go pee anywhere.

Toilets or none, traveling in a faraway place has proven that many of my fears are baseless. I was afraid of thieves but the only one I can blame for the stuff I lost is myself (like the forgotten t-shirt in the toilet in a train station). I have this fear that tour organizers always tell you lies but then I enjoyed all the tours I joined. Reading other people's blogs about the horrors of overnight buses made me think twice about taking it. I was in six overnight buses and several daytime trips. Everything went smoothly. The only thing that annoyed me was the occasional vendors selling stuffs from fake silver jewelry to natural medicines in the shorter-distance buses preventing me from getting some much-needed sleep.

When I told a friend that I shared a room with three men for three nights, she was shocked and worried for my safety. Because we never know what people are capable of. But that morbid thought never crossed my mind. I just thought, "Oh, cool. This is new." Our worries are developed from our perception of what we don't know or haven't experienced yet. But once we get subjected to these unknowns, we realize that the world isn't as bad as we think it is; that most of the time people are there to help you, not to take advantage of you; stray dogs won't bite you without apparent reason; and that you are just too paranoid.

At the salt hotel. One of the rooms I shared with two Englishmen and a retired Canadian.

Too paranoid that you make a day-to-day itinerary. A month before I left, I made research and listed the attractions that I must see, the activities I wanted to do, the number of days I will have to spend in a certain place, the bus to take, possible tour agencies and how much everything will cost. In a way it was a good thing because I didn't want to be clueless when I step on a place I am not familiar with. But then, unexpected things come up that will ruin your detailed itinerary. Or sometimes, you just feel like doing something else.

My trip was supposed to be a journey to Machu Picchu. But on my first night in Peru, I decided that I will go to Cusco the next day. I was a little fatalistic and my rationale was that if anything happened to me, at least I have already crossed out in my list the main reason why I was in South America.

Nope, I won't say that after seeing Machu Picchu I could already die. I want to live longer so that I could travel more.

I like the I'll-figure-it-out-when-I-get-there attitude I developed later on the trip. As I noted earlier, I prefer having my room booked before I get to a place. But wanting to save a few dollars more, I ditched Hostelbookers, referred to my LP guidebook for cheaper options or just walk around the city to find an acceptable place. Most of the time the cheaper ones didn't have a website, nor an e-mail address indicated. And that's when another type of adventure begins. Of course for seasoned travelers, this is nothing but a routine. But in my case, finding a hostel in a foreign place becomes a sense of accomplishment.
 
Convenience was also one of the factors why I didn't follow my itinerary. Since there was no direct bus from Cusco to Copacabana, I headed straight to La Paz instead. And I spent much more time in La Paz than I planned to because I got sick (I had TD) and I was still sick (I had bad colds and I didn't want to climb a mountain with a sometimes clogged-sometimes runny nose). I also extended my stay in Sucre mainly because I was foolish enough to wait for something to happen. But little did I know that all these delays and crazy decisions will lead me to the one thing that gave my trip a different meaning.

Here's the thing. I don't believe that all things happen for a reason. I don't believe that you meet people for a reason. It's just plain crazy to give meanings to everything. You meet people because you're on the road. And it just so happens that they were taking the same road. And so with all the people (travelers and locals) I met, I didn't expect to have any strong connections with them. Add to that the fact that I am introverted. I would have been happy if I did but that would've been unlikely. But there was one who got really close, and who really got into me.

To make the long story short, the feeling wasn't mutual. We got along just fine but I felt that for him, I was only one of the hundreds who are just passersby. As my friend puts it, traveling is like a mini-lifetime. You get to a place you know nothing about. You don't know anybody at first. And then you meet people, you have fun, make friends, maybe get your heart broken, too. But eventually, you have to say goodbye. And the passerby, which is me, while bidding goodbye was trying to hold back the tears I wish he could see and that would make him want me to stay.

Did I regret any part of this trip? Nope. Though I admit there were times I wish I was home eating sinigang rather than a bland grilled meat. I'll have my heart broken many times. I'll sacrifice enough sleep and skip shower. I'll wear the same clothes for days on end. Heck, I'll even spend the wee hours of a really cold morning in a plaza listening to bizarre stories of a guy (that is probably high in whatever) if it means traveling all over again. And yes, going on this trip turns out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.