For all of you reading this from los Estados Unidos and thinking this exotic adventure is enviable, we feel a responsibility for a disclaimer. Peru sucks. Ollantaytambo is definitely a small exception to the rule but the pictures we’ve posted thus far over-emphasize the good and neglect to convey the whole picture.
For starters, yesterday marked our 10th day of cold showers in various hotels that all advertised 24-hour hot water. (Today, we actually have no water at all and have been told that we will be showing with water from a tank this evening.) While not the be all and end all of civilization, a hot shower can turn the day around especially in a third world country where dust is in the air, on the roads, on the sidewalks, on your food, in your eyes and nose… you get the idea. We haven’t figured out the reason that hot water cannot actually be supplied on a daily basis, but we are certain that it IS NOT – not once.
Secondly, there is no getting around it… the food available for us to eat here is horrible. Since the water is NOT potable for Americans, we are unable to consume any produce washed with tap water. Apples, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms – anything nutritious/healthy is more or less off limits even if you can find it on a menu. There is plenty of chicken and you can eat eggs until your heart’s content. Bland, chewy, fatty beef, guinea pig and bait fish are also favorites here but after taking a look around at the general population it’s clear that this diet isn’t exactly the healthiest in the world. Todd used to love ceviche but may never eat it again after Peru. A small side note: most restaurants close or stop serving the majority of their menu at 5pm.
Thirdly, (not necessarily finally) information in any form is mercurial at best. Prices, schedules, locations, distances, and availabilities are absolutely unobtainable online, in advance, remotely, or reliably.
So, while there are some bright spots (the beer is good, Pisco sours are nice, and there is some incredible scenery), we feel obliged to tell you that if we could do Peru all over again… we WOULDN’T.
For starters, yesterday marked our 10th day of cold showers in various hotels that all advertised 24-hour hot water. (Today, we actually have no water at all and have been told that we will be showing with water from a tank this evening.) While not the be all and end all of civilization, a hot shower can turn the day around especially in a third world country where dust is in the air, on the roads, on the sidewalks, on your food, in your eyes and nose… you get the idea. We haven’t figured out the reason that hot water cannot actually be supplied on a daily basis, but we are certain that it IS NOT – not once.
Secondly, there is no getting around it… the food available for us to eat here is horrible. Since the water is NOT potable for Americans, we are unable to consume any produce washed with tap water. Apples, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms – anything nutritious/healthy is more or less off limits even if you can find it on a menu. There is plenty of chicken and you can eat eggs until your heart’s content. Bland, chewy, fatty beef, guinea pig and bait fish are also favorites here but after taking a look around at the general population it’s clear that this diet isn’t exactly the healthiest in the world. Todd used to love ceviche but may never eat it again after Peru. A small side note: most restaurants close or stop serving the majority of their menu at 5pm.
Thirdly, (not necessarily finally) information in any form is mercurial at best. Prices, schedules, locations, distances, and availabilities are absolutely unobtainable online, in advance, remotely, or reliably.
So, while there are some bright spots (the beer is good, Pisco sours are nice, and there is some incredible scenery), we feel obliged to tell you that if we could do Peru all over again… we WOULDN’T.
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