Perusing - Part 2 - Going native

Part dos to my perusing in Peru

After coming down from Machu Picchu, I set out my trip to Puno, Lake Titicaca specifically.  Tired yes... But my excitement level was beyond comprehension. Why? Because I got to stay on an island with a local family.  I'm sure tons of people have done this, as this travel package only costs around $135 U.S. Dollars.  The idea, however, just seems so F-ing cool.  F-ing cool, that an amateur travelist, like myself, was able to stay with a local family.  This is something that I only thought people like Anthony Bourdain do! Le freaking cool.  I'll let the pictures tell the story as I did in the previous blog.

Enroute to awesomeness, or Uros

Uros

Uros

Lunch

My wonderful friend, Catalina with a Uros-ette

For the little people... I joke.  I joke.  

The room where I stayed.

Hello Chicken friend

Lunch cooked by my family, and yes it revolves around sides of potatoes

My Mammi on Amantaní

My papi on Amantaní

Night life on the island and looking for my Peruvian mate

Ummm, sheep?

Yes, I'm just that happy... Please excuse the double chin.

Altogether, I stopped by 4 islands:

• Uros
• Amantaní
• Taquile
• Isla del Sol

Each island has their unique culture; each island was awesome.  However, Amantani has a hold on my heart like these fuzzy sheeps (above).  My Amantani host family are the most amazing and gracious people.  We didn't speak each other's language, but we bonded over fire, warmth, sign language and potatoes.

Perusing - Part 1 - To Machu Picchu

Hi kids,

I feel the need, the necessity, the desire to blog about my experience in Peru before I embark on my next trip to Africa. *Whoo, I do a little dance.*   As per Peru, I will just let the pictures speaks for themselves:

Stepping off the Airport in Cusco, I was greeted with Ana Neuyel

I started my trip with biking down from the highest peak, Abra de Malaga Pass(4,350 Meters above sea level) 

Some Bicycling mishaps within our group

Heading out to Level 3 Rapids Rafting (yes, I know not how to swim very well)

Worth the hike

Passing abandoned town

Drinking with some crazy folks

I was Inka-ed

Fuck, yes, it was indeed that cool

...

I wish I had more content to say. Maybe, I'll edit later.  But in all honesty, I can write a novel about how I felt making my way up to Machu Picchu.  Yes, there were tears.  We will hold out for that, maybe in my next entry.

Time Travel: Changing the past

Question: What would you change/do if you are able to time travel and be your 19 years old self? It'll be like the movie, "Big," except you'll be your current-self in your 19-years-old-self's body.

Why 19? It just seems logical age to pick.  It's the blossoming start of our adult hood.  Anyway, I digressed.  What would I change knowing all that I know today? Truthfully, I would want to change many things.  I would have loved to get straight A's in school knowing what I know now.  I would have loved to make money in the different ways I know now.  I would have talked myself out of all the things that I feared.  I would have stopped myself from meeting people who have hurt me.  I would have love...  Oh the list can be endless.

But then, will changing all that alter the state of mind of the current self that traveled to my past self by doing so?  Or would have changing the past have even changed anything as I wouldn't have valued all the lessons I have learn through the "bad" experiences of the past.  Or would I have treasure and be grateful for all the alterations as I will have everything handed to me on a silver platter?

This would be a very good Hollywood script.  *In trailer voice* "Would she have changed her past if she had the chance?" Oh heck yeah... I would.

Someone invent a time travel mechanism! FAST!

In the mean time, I will chant: "Today is the tomorrow [I] worried about yesterday." - Proverbs.

Damn it, on second thoughts, I will try to be all wise and knowing.   Okay folks, all the things that I did wrong, I did learned from them.  Like, never let a 6th grader bully you thinking you're any less because you have Asian almond-shaped eyes.  Like, never drink on an empty stomach.  Or like, if you like someone, don't let moments go by without expressing your interest.  I can't alter my past, but perhaps I can alter my future. Yeah, seems like the most plausible option at this point.

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Please disregard the GIF-action.  I was 19 years old:

Happy Singleton's Day!!

I dragged my feet this morning as it is the day that is dreaded by all singletons.  The realization that holy shit, it has been a good 3 years being Valentine-less is semi-daunting.  I followed dragging my feet at home with dragging my feet to work.

Dragging feet came to the office... Wait for it, wait for it, with chocolates placed on dragging feet's desk.  Pink hearts flying left and right.   I feel an immediate jolt of love.  My roommate/co-worker increased that jolt, by gifting me some lovely Valentine's day bath salt.  Sugars and love galore expressed furthermore in ways of chocolate confections, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate cupcakes and chocolate candies. Yes despite that all these gifts did come from co-workers and friends, and yes, I don't have a Valentines', but as cupid as my witness, people love me.  Dragging my feet no more.

Text of love between my roommate and I

If one just sit back and be grateful for all the love that is received by those around us, we aren't so alone after all.  Today is a day well spent in love, even if that isn't with our significant other.   So text or call your mom, dad, neighbor, dog, cat, etc.  Tell them how much you love them! How much you appreciate them.

See your boss...RUN!

7:20 AM - I saw my boss, who lives across the hall from me, getting into his car to leave for work.  I myself, however, have just woken up from my plight of an awesome night roasting between the marshmallows (or pillows if you will).  Description of my mental state aside, I was out walking my dog.

First thing that entered my freshly woken mind is, "dodge your boss.  Maybe if you run so fast, he won't notice you."  There you have me, holding onto my dog's leash, bolting around the corner.  I sprinted with all my might, then it is as if the gods of comedic effect took flight and launched me into the pavement and onto a busy street.  The next thought that followed was, "shit, I hope he didn't see that... MOVE!!!" And again with all my might, I scooted with bloody knuckles and knees around the corner.  Did he see it? I have no idea.

Imagine your boss living across the hall from you.  He'll see you when  you're hungover.  He'll sees you when you're going out on the weekends.  He'll see you if you're bringing a guy home (never happens).  If you're unwell, you can't never dramatize the event over the phone, why? Because he'll know!!! Just for the record, these are all hypothetical situations.

But at the same time, there are benefits, like when I requested for vacations, and he did not reply to my email... By golly I chased him down!  Or like, when he started dating a co-worker, also close friend of mine, I know what he is up to, so in the event that I need to conjure up any blackmailing methods, I have amazing materials.  Muwhahaha.  *tapping fingers elegantly together*.

Fat Tuesday!

Fat Tuesday!

So I'm sitting here typing this blog with one hand.  And on the other hand, I'm downing a Jack in the Box: Steak and Egg burrito... And a side of Jalapenos Poppers.

As far as tomorrow goes, it's another day.  And it happens to just be lent, thereby I will do what devout Catholics does best, I'll fast.  JK.

To make myself less pig-like.  I will also confess, or brag rather, that I have been doing the Insanity workout.    Due to the extremity, my body just wants what it wants, and I'm give it want it wants.  Tomorrow, I'll give it what it needs.  A little tender loving care.

Manana...

In the mean time:

Oink Oink...

Live It Up, Drink It Down

"Nothing lasts forever, so live it up, drink it down, avoid the b.s, take chances and never regret because at one point it was what you wanted." -- Unknown

In 2011, I went through a horrible breakup, one which included vandalizing (done by other party - not on my end) and suing (still not on my end).  That was my first relationship (ever), so due to the nature of such trauma, I became a bit self-destructive.  I began to live it up.  Partying endlessly - there were times where I probably only slept like 5 hours in 72 hours weekend.  To get out my angst, I ran close to 6-8 miles a day.  I took chances, and I said yes to so many things I would never have even thought to do in this life time - I will forgo listing my 'yes's', so use your imagination.  

Fortunately or unfortunately, I returned to a state coined by psychology scholars as hedonic adaptation, all it means is that as humans we have the " tendency [...] to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes."  Today, I no longer do things to the extreme as my body naturally gave out after eight months of exhaustion of trying to live it up.

Guinea Pig chowing in Peru

The year that was 2011, however, transcends the degree of openness in myself and opens the flood gate that is now Anna-ism.  That year, I began my traveling and have not stopped ever since.  I began drinking... uh...and uh have minimized to once or twice a month, and possibly a beer here and there (prior to my current self, I thought drinking was dumb - drugged induced behavior).   I began to eat food of all sorts, such guinea pigs and donkeys, to name a few.  I even swam (I couldn't swim for the longest time - I drowned and blacked out as a kid).   I ran several races, when at one point in my life, I thought running 5 miles is impossible.

Running Running as Fast as I can... 

Point being, I turned a lemon (the breakup) into lemon tartlets.  At the breakup point, I probably did not see it, and was just trying to consume myself with forgetting and making myself better.  But by going out, I was able to socialize and be among people who supplied myself with positive energy.  By eating all sorts of different foods, my mind became more open.  By traveling, my confidence in my abilities grew even stronger.  By exercising, the endorphins boosted my happiness allowing me to socialize, which in turn boosted myself to a whole other level of happiness.  

Through all this, I've learned to detached from things, people, places, etc.  When those options are no longer is viable in my life, I learned to let them go with all the courage and dignity in the world.

In introspective times like these, I reflect and am ever so grateful for having been able to live it up, drink it down, avoid the b.s.es, and take chances and never regret. 

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picture 1*:  No Animals Were Harmed... Until it was fried and roasted.