Regis Broke Free

My brother asked me, "Is Regis coming along to Southeast Asia with you?"

Regis, anticipating the climb up Roraima, Venezuela.

Alas, I cannot escape the hard truth any longer. I've been putting it out of my mind. 

I am faced with the profound question Nelly Furtado once asked: "Why do all good things come to an end?".

Triumphant at the Summit

Regis has broken free once and for all.

Regis at Angel Falls (Venezuela), the highest waterfall in the world!

As I have said before, he has always been a free spirit. He enjoyed life on the road, and he met a lot of people and saw things many monkeys will only dream of seeing.

Day 2 of the Inca Trail, hitting the highest altitude of the trek.

He was with me as I set off on my own last December, trekked the Inca Trail, and witnessed Machu Picchu.

Going where few monkeys have gone before!

 For every journey, he was there.

Sightseeing in Cusco

At the summit of Pacha Mama, Lake Titticaca

We had our differences, I once or twice I feared that something would come between us for good. But we stuck together through the cold and damp of Peru, and the sweltering humidity of Venezeula.

Marveling over Moray

Swooning over Salineras

I even gave him a traditional Peruvian woolly hat. Because monkeys don't like to be cold.

Overlooking the lake city of Guatape, Colombia. My last photo of Regis. 

 I still have the hat. He left it behind. Just like me.

Reaching Tayrona National Park in Colombia was a turning point for us. I didn't realize it at the time. We had been on the road for a while, both tuckered out. I planned to get some serious R&R while chilling at this remote, tropical paradise. 

Perhaps this was why I failed to notice the change in him. I was too busy with my own plans and feelings. But looking back, it makes sense.

When I think of Tayrona, it is really just the ideal location for a monkey. As a National Park, it is very safe. The white sandy beach and turquoise waters are surrounded by thick jungle, filled with other monkeys. I saw a few of them...maybe it was then, while I was distracted, that he slipped away.

I know he was there when we arrived, and I remember thinking "Tomorrow I will take a photo of Regis on the beach", and brought him along on a hike through the Jungle. Unfortunately, then my camera broke, and I tucked him away in my daypack. Perhaps he saw his rellies frolicking in the treetops, and considered the warm breeze and swinging hammocks that were abundant in that wonderful place. Perhaps then he thought of how we were headed for the snow-capped mountains of Quito, and then, ultimately, the far North: Canada. 

Perhaps he weighed his options, and decided he would like to stay. 

I never saw him again. 

On my last day, as I packed my things, he was nowhere to be found. Nothing else was missing from my pack. I searched frantically through the entire beach site, even enlisting the help of a sympathetic friend. But Regis was gone. 

Eventually I had to face the facts, pack my things, and hike back without him. It felt a bit callous that he never even said goodbye, but I understand. After all, I also felt like I could stay in Tayrona forever. Its that kind of place. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and at least I know he is happy, enjoying the sort of lifestyle that suits monkeys best. 

It will be a bit lonely not to have him along as I travel SE Asia, but the blog will live on bearing the name of this inspiring free spirit. 

Goodbye Regis. Roam free. 

First Days in Cusco

Getting ready for my next adventure has me reminiscing about my first days in Cusco last December.

I'm trying to remember what it was like, how I felt, and the things that seemed so strange at first, before I slowly grew accustomed to life in South America. I'm mentally preparing to go through that awkward stage again once I reach Bangkok.

I remember it was very cold when I arrived. There was no central heat in house, which was not uncommon. I would bundle up in my newly-purchased alapaca sweater and wrap myself in my blankets while I typed away on my tablet or studied my Spanish lessons. It didn't help that I couldn't figure out how to get a hot shower for the first week, so I would come out shaking like a leaf and stay shivering for a very long time! (note to newbies: to get hot water out of those electric showerheads, only use the very smallest level of water pressure possible. Also, try not to get electrocuted)

Regis in front of the Catholic cathedral in Plaza de Armas, 

I loved my homestay hosts from the very first. They were an adorable older couple that just loved to have young travelers stay with them. They patiently helped us along with our Spanish, advised us on how much was a reasonable price for taxis, instructed us which buses to take, and fed us delicious food!!! They were a huge highlight of my stay in Cusco, and I highly recommend living with locals while traveling, at least for a portion of the time. I lived in a part of the city I probably would never have seen otherwise, and experienced the day-to-day Cusco from a local perspective. 

L-R: me, my homestay "parents", and my Dutch housemate 

Speedy Gonzales was the little terrier pup that belonged to my hosts. Since they were empty-nesters, Speedy became their fur baby and he was spoiled, but so much fun! It felt very homey and reassuring to have a pet around. He was always happy to see me when I got home :)

I arrived in Cusco at an awkward time, right before New Years. The regular classtimes at my Spanish school were interrupted due to the holidays which delayed the ideal scenario of slipping into a regular routine, and in addition to that there were not many students enrolled. I ended up in individual classes for the first while because no one else was at the beginner level with me. This was nice because it meant I was basically being tutored, but it was also overwhelming.
To have to adjust to a new home, culture, language, and social situation was exhausting and stressful! I had no friends, no family, and nothing familiar at all to turn to. 

When New Years came around, I felt lonely and isolated. I was incredibly relieved when E., a young Peruvian employee at the Spanish school, invited me to join her and her friends for the celebration.

E. and I joining the festivities in Plaza de Armas at New Years

I had only spoken to her over email before I arrived, and a couple times at the school, but I really liked her because she was so friendly and outgoing. Her English is fantastic as well, so I finally had someone to talk to! She ended up not joining her other friends for the night, so we just hung out and talked the night away, danced around the plaza at midnight amidst fireworks and drunken revelry, and then chilled at a local pub and listened to some fantastic live music until the wee hours!
Having a friend made a huge difference to me, and things started to look up.

At the beginning, everything is new and difficult. I took this photo from a cafe off Plaza de Armas, while exploring the city alone and ordering a meal in Spanish for the first time. I was so nervous about the most basic phrases, but with practice it became easier. Navigating transit and city streets by myself was stressful at first as well, but eventually I learned my way around (I made lots of mistakes, and it wasn't the end of the world!), and it felt awesome to be able to show newbies how to get around and where to go. 

I loved randomly experiencing something unexpected. Sometimes it was festivals and dancing in the streets. Sometimes it was a conversation with a local lady. Sometimes it was trying a new food I had never seen before. Every day was something new and exciting. 

I know that my first weeks traveling will be difficult and full of uncomfortable adjustments. A part of me dreads that and wishes I could skip it all together, but the truth is that those first days are when the impressions are the strongest and there is so much potential to see things so clearly...things that fade and become normal over time. I want to try to do better at capturing those moments this time. Hopefully it won't take me 10 months to get around to sharing them with you :) 

The Other Island

Over here on the west coast of BC (ok, I'm located in the Interior, but I can dream) we affectionately refer to Vancouver Island as simply "The Island", because we all know which little patch of paradise we are talking about. 

On the East coast they have their own Island...Prince Edward Island. 

This picture-perfect speck on the map is just as idyllic and serene as a rabid fan of Anne of Green Gables could hope for. 

We spent one glorious day on good ol' PEI, driving past farm pastures and fields with quaint farmhouses, lighthouses, and glens, and arriving in Charlottetown around noon.

We wasted no time in tasting the "World's Best Ice Cream" at Cow's...I can't remember exactly what flavor I had, but it was probably something with peanut butter and chocolate! It was definitely delicious, but I think it might be a little hyped...or maybe I'm just a little bitter about how pricey it was! Either way, at least I can say I have tasted the World's Best Ice Cream! 

Charlottetown is a really pretty harbour town, and the people there are phenomenally friendly! Like for real. They were super helpful, and would just strike up conversations with us, asking us where we were from, and recommending things to see and do. 

Photo credit: Katharina Zacharias

We also visited the Anne of Green Gables store located downtown, but unfortunately did not have time to drive to visit the actual Anne house, which was a big disappointment for me. I told myself that it was just an excuse to visit sweet little PEI again someday. 

For dinner Steve located this little gem: Water St. Fish & Chips: best fish n' chips in town! AND they even serve GF fish and chips so I could partake! It was very exciting. And the tartar sauce was virtually unlimited, as they gave us a huge squeeze bottle of the stuff. It was excellent! 

Because of the let-down surrounding the Anne of Green Gables House, I was allowed to make one undeniable request, and all I asked was to see the red sands of PEI.

A significant amount of iron in the clay-like sand gives it the rusty red hue, and the mineral rich soil is also the reason that PEI is perfect for farming. 

It was beautiful! We arrived around sunset, and the colors were vivid. It was such a cool experience to dig my toes into the sand I had only read about in the beloved Anne books.
I may or may not have taken some home in a plastic shopping bag, and it may or may not now be displayed in a decorative jar in my bedroom.

Regis was also a fan, but being a real slave driver, he didn't let us dawdle too long. There was a schedule to keep! We finished off the day by crossing the Confederation bridge, which was pretty cool too. It cost about $50, and took about 10 minutes of driving straight ahead to get to the mainland. Not particularly scenic, but kind of amazing! 

We spent the night in a little town outside Moncton, but since I've already covered the interesting part of New Brunswick, my next post will bring us to Nova Scotia! 

New Brunswick & the Bay of Fundy!

I seem to be recounting the tale of our roadtrip in geographical, rather than chronological, order.
But who cares?

After Quebec comes New Brunswick.

It was raining! Surprise!

The big item on the "To-See In New B" was the Bay of Fundy, which I'd actually never heard of until earlier that summer when Karissa randomly received some Canadian facts on her phone in celebration of Canada Day. Little did I know that The Bay of Fundy is one of the "Marine Wonders of the World" and it is known to have the highest tides in the world! Right here in Canada!

This is me looking extremely happy that we actually made it!

Our ambitions to visit the Bay were a little haphazardly planned (ie: I was planning it, not the wonderfully organized Katharina!). I have to say, though, the New Brunswick tourism websites were not helpful in discovering exactly where to go to witness this natural wonder. We thought that we could see the "flowerpot rocks" in St. John NB, so we left early in the morning to drive South for several hours, only to discover at the tourism office that we had literally been an hour away from the national park where we started! That was frustrating!

I had to twist a few arms to get everyone back in the car for another long drive back up to Hopewell Cape, which is where you can see the really cool Flowerpot Rocks! (I just saved you hours of research and a failed drive to St. John. You're welcome). On the plus side, our arrival time coincided with the low tide, so we got some spectacular views of the formations and the beach. 

At it's highest, the tide comes up to 53 feet. Here you can see just how far the beach stretches when the tide is out! It's incredible!

It was a long day with lots of driving (really beautiful, scenic driving though- probably my best day behind the wheel), but the Bay of Fundy was totally worth it. I even got a sweet student discount on my pass! Hooray for the ISIC! Walking on the beach and exploring the endless rock formations was really, really, cool and I would go back again for sure. 

Another really awesome part of the day was randomly running into two friends from treeplanting last year! We had no idea they were in the province, and we were only at the bay for probably 2 hours...the timing just worked out perfectly...what a crazy coincidence! 

Overall, Hopewell Cape was super interesting and beautiful, and if you go to New Brunswick you need to check this place out! Its supposed to be fun to rent a kayak and explore the Rocks during high tide as well...maybe something to do next time around :)

Love the photobomb, Kat! 

Ontario: Kind of a Big Deal

Good ol' Ontario..."central Canada", home of Canadian Parliament, and unfortunately, the NHL hockey team known as the Toronto Maple Leafs. It thinks its such a frickin big deal. 

Regis checkin' out Parliament

Ok, so it is kind of a big deal. I mean, the first ever Tim Hortons was built in Hamilton ON, which is now being renovated into a Tim Hortons Museum. I kid you not. 

 It also has large models of Canadian currency scattered across the province. Its like they want us to think they're rollin in it or something.

Just outside Toronto is Canada's Wonderland Theme Park...its like Disneyland without anything Disney-related. And its the biggest theme park in Canada. And its in Ontario. Big. Deal. 

My first rollercoaster ever, the "Leviathan", begins with a 600 foot drop!

Toronto even has its own mini version of Times Square, with the slightly less catchy title of Yonge-Dundas Square. And the CN Tower is totally like an Empire State Building wannabe. Sort of. Ok, they both are just really touristy and way over-priced if you want to go to the top.

If squint and tilt your head you can totally see the CN tower. 

 And one more thing that makes Ontario sort of a big deal? Niagara Falls.

 

It is 100% as cool as its cracked up to be.

 The mist is insane.

Maid in the mist.

Maid of the Mist.

Monkey in the mist. 

The town is like a mini Canadian version of Las Vegas, but the Falls are truly epic. I guess that makes Ontario sort of ok.