March
I like to wander the cobbled streets
A feast of colour and unusual meats
Strange; traveller is now my profession
It's refreshing to have so little in possession
No day is normal, no plan is set
I still haven't done the tourist thing yet
That will come, for now I'll wander
There is so much here to ponder
I've been volunteering at an after school care centre
The kids come charging as soon as I enter
They shout "tio, tio!" and jump for a hi five
Buzzing around like bees in a hive
Then back to football, while I prepare a lesson
I try to find English games for them to progress in
So far it's been basic, they're still learning Spanish
I'm keen to impart more before I vanish
April 10 is the Peruvian general election
From what I've been told there's quite the eclectic selection
One candidate is the daughter of a former Peruvian dictator
By the name of Alberto Fujimori - a real fabricator
Another is a 77 year old former World Bank economist
Who gave away beer at a rally - quite the plot twist
The political rallies are pumping, they fill the streets
I would vote for the one that gave me the most sweets
Attitudes towards women are fascinating here
It's not uncommon to see more than a stare
And yet chivalry and respect are equally as strong
Which I witnessed on the bus before long
It's like watching a game of musical chairs
Men will stand up as soon as an older woman appears
And offer their seat, no thought or fuss
Oh the wonders of a Peruvian bus
It's been a big 'ol week, time to chill
To watch Spanish movies and just be still
I'm chilling like a garden gnome
My length of travel has just hit home
I'm doing it, out there across the sea
No safety nets. Only me
That's the thrill, it's intoxicating
But thrill doesn't help with translating
Goodness I don't think I've ever eaten so many lentils
Not even back home with food from the parentals
Don't get me wrong - I was craving something healthy
As the level of sugar here is somewhat stealthy
The three of us there, from all parts of the globe
Around a table, eating too many lentils in Cusco
I'm so lucky to be over here, let's wring this out
Carpe diem, seize the trout
It was Good Friday so we thought it would be fitting
To hike up to Cristo Blanco, rather than just sitting
When the start of your walk is already higher than Mt. Cook
Sometimes it's better just not to look
So many stairs, so many wrong turns
So much hilarity with lungs starting to burn
But what a view, this place is now home
For the next while at least - plenty of time to roam
Today was all about football and meat
It's a combo that you would struggle to beat
We had a parilla - a traditional barbecue
The salted lamb was a real breakthrough
Then into the night we watched match after match
While listening to commentary that was difficult to catch
Then the Peru game came on - the intensity; immense
I certainly wasn't allowed to sit on the fence
'Semana Santa' has been happening this week
It's a famous religious festival, so I took a peak
It's a tribute to 'The Lord of the Earthquakes'
Which back in 1650 made the city shake
And levelled almost every building but one cathedral
Which was said to ward off the evil
It's a fascinating mix of Incan and Christian beliefs
Including a black Jesus and flower motifs
How quickly a night can go from chill to loco
I had just finished a salsa class when I bumped into an amigo
He said come to a hostel - we're getting some drinks
I said that sounds like a fantastic idea methinks
First there was Ping Pong, and shots for the winner
Then a Beer Pong tournament that made the wallet thinner
Then of course there was Twister, there's no better game (am I right?)
All in all a pretty standard Tuesday night
Cuy is Peru's favourite dish
I was after something different, and I got my wish
It's a hamster doing a superman pose
My affection for this place only grows
Catching the bus is quite the treat
A running start is needed from the street
Then drop the shoulder and plunge into the crowd
Here anything goes, anything's allowed
Exploring the city of Cusco I found my kind of gold
A lady serving the juiciest of juice for all to behold
It was a vitamin punch right to the face
The glass kept refilling at a frightening pace
Angels appeared from above squealing with delight
Somewhere Morgan Freeman was offering insight
A cacophony of colour burst from the glass
And to think I could have just walked on past
Let me describe Alba, the homestay's dog
She's got a sumptious mowhawk spikier than a hedgehog
And no other hair, like a giant barking rat
Not exactly enticing me to give her a pat
Our relationship is based on lots of noise
And yet she manages a scraggy but pleasant poise
Not sure how she'll react when I start coming home late
I think we might just become good mates
Finally I'm here! The Incan capital of Cusco
It's 3.4km up, nestled in an Andean plateau
The houses are jammed together in some haphazard broth
Many of the cars have vehemently dodged a WOF
In many ways the dominant species appears to be dog
Some of the roads have been carved by a log
It's quirky and busy and ancient and content
I'm think I'm going to really enjoy this segment
New country, new language, new culture, alone
I'm lucky it's so easy to pick up the phone
I can't wait to experience the real Peru
Cities can feel like a bit of a zoo
Trying to converse with the supermarket lady
Is like a having a chat with a bowl of gravy
That's all part of it as they would say
Lay on the gravy, I'm ready for the buffet
My taxi driver Jose has a manic grin
It's like he's playing GTA and the only way to win
Is to swerve closer and closer to other cars
And honk the horn at chicas at the bars
Now he's decided we're going too slow
I would disagree but I'm clearly not in the know
With a screech and a honk we finish the game
Jose's not happy - that level was tame
I'm flying back into yesterday
New Zealand, Argentina, then Peru to stay
I've left with so many more people to thank
I just bought a baguette that crippled the bank
Now I'm sitting here listening but not understanding
And laughing at some Argentinian branding
I can't quite believe that I've taken the leap
Now if only I could just get some sleep
Underwater chess, the thinking athlete's game
Move before you lose your breath, the opponent then does the same
The first game ever played was a epic spectacle
Unfortunately the crowd size wasn't as respectable
Later, dad and I had a yarn, gasbagged and chewed the fat
It was a time for gratefulness and having a meaningful chat
My family is home, I'll have to be a snail
I'll carry home on my back and return to tell the tale
Marco! Polo! The game was getting tense
Flailing limbs and bruised noses and cunning defence
The giant frame of Coops loomed ominously closer
Me, Sav, Abi and Dunstan a collective 'no Sir'
I dove deep, too deep, now I'm stuck under the giant weight
Of Coops, who realises he has me trapped, I am sharkbait
A hand shoots down, a whisker away, and now I see a gap
I escape! I'm free but spent, we all go take a nap
Timing has a real mind of its own
Like finding friends for life and then leaving home
A case of Murphy's law perhaps
Or maybe a plan that the universe maps
Friendship just might be the best thing of all
On par with the joy of kicking a ball
Actually, scratch that, football is king
No, scratch that again, friendship is the best thing