These days, 6 is the magic number for days spent in Regina between trips.
I made it home from Malawi safe and sound, after almost two full days of travel. (I didn't bring my bananas and casava root with me!)
My body was fairly cooperative with the task of getting over jet lag... but it really resisted the tasks of unpacking my suitcases, doing laundry, and repacking for my New Brunswick trip. While these tasks occupied a significant portion of my 6 days, I still managed to fit in a few other activities: plan for my upcoming CSSE presentation in Fredericton; attend a couple of farewell teas and lunches for friends Kathleen & Sal who are moving to Brandon; meet Hyder for lunch to debrief our Malawi workshop; launch into my 3 workouts-a-day routine to start the process of chipping away at the excessive flight flab (excessive is meant to describe number of flights not amount of flab, so far that is); share stories and pictures of Peru with my friend Tammy who is off to hike the Inca Trail to Machupicchu this week; enjoy a RoughRider season planning night at Bushwakkers with Karen & Joe; etc. etc.
And now, I'm in New Brunswick, staying at the Riverside Resort Hotel on the St. John River. And the sun is out. And I'm relaxing with a glass of shiraz. And I'm thinking about the next 6 days... no, scratch that... the next 6 minutes.
It has been an action-packed few days! So much so that I really had to deliberate on the title and theme of this blog entry… I could have titled it:
Two Days in the Air to reflect the rather long journey of getting to Malawi. Thank goodness for the day room in a Heathrow airport hotel, where I managed to catch about 5 hours of sleep between two long-haul flights.
Dinner(s) with the President to describe my daily dining with our University of Regina president, Vianne Timmons, along with the chairperson of the U of R Board of Directors, Sue Barber. We’ve had many great dinners together… as well as conversations and laughs.
Safari Anyone? would be the tile chosen to make readers envious of our half-day trip to Lengwe National Park Game Reserve where we saw water buffalo, impalas, warthogs, baboons, and nyala antelopes.
Not at this Restaurant to lament the chicken & chip restaurant just two blocks from my hotel which completely collapsed today… it’s a sad story of poor building construction and inspections, resulting in several deaths and many injuries. I ate there on Saturday.
And Some Work Too! to remind readers (and myself!) that I am here to work, with today being an interesting and successful Day 1 of our Marketing, Access, Recruitment and Success Workshop.
Malawi: A Special Place to describe how it feels to be back in Malawi, seeing colleagues who I worked with during my last visit and/or as part of a study tour to Canada. I am made to feel very welcome here!
I guess I have itchy feet again after only six days back in Regina because tomorrow I'm off to Malawi (yes, for those astute readers, I did just add that destination to the list of sabbatical places). This time, I'm only away for about 10 days, but hopefully I will be able to add an entry or two to the blog from there.
This will be my second visit to Malawi. I'm looking forward to seeing and working with colleagues at the University of Malawi. This trip will be focused on following up on the Bridging Program (last year's visit) and co-facilitating a workshop on recruitment, access and success for programs at the Malawi Polytechnic.
So, what have I been up to with my big 6 days in Regina? Why, hanging out with Kiri, of course! Her host 'family' of Gracey, Karen & Joe treated her so well over at The Bay Retreat House and Groooming Centre that I'm not so sure she was all that thrilled to be home. (But I was!)
Live from Lima (as we gradually make our way home), it’s time for Kathy’s top 10 observations, based on a few key experiences during the last 4 weeks…
1. In Peru, pedestrians are valued as potential taxi customers; if this does not describe you, get out of the way.
2. Dusty and/or muddy Peruvian roads + white pants = bad packing choice.
3. Carne means meat; watch out for menus having no other qualifiers.
4. Breathing and digestion are affected by altitude. So is the temperature of my morning coffee. ‘Nuff said.
5. Double-decker, long distance night buses offer a unique tourist experience. Also ‘nuff said.
6. In spite of its name, toilet paper does not actually go into the toilet; it is not cool to forget this.
7. In terms of time, be clear on whether Peruvian or non-Peruvian is being used— neither one actually matches the clock but the latter one can often happen before you get there.
8. “No gracias” can be said at least 85 times while hanging out in the Plaza de Armas (but not more than 5 times to the same person).
9. There are more fiestas, siestas, parades, processions, and holidays (i.e. times when stores, schools & offices are closed) than one could ever imagine, or plan for.
10. Speaking Spanish with a maritime accent is bound to elicit even the most basic English skills of Peruvians.
10 hours on the bus to Puno, stopping en route for our guide to show us a few special places— a 17th century Jesuit church in Andahuaylillas, the Inca ruin of the Temple of Viracocha in Raqchi, a pause at La Raya (altitude 4313 m) to take a deep breath and gaze at the glacier that feeds the Amazon River, a brief detour into Pucara to visit a museum featuring pre-Inca monoliths,
and then arrival into Puno to catch a few glimpses of beautiful Lake Titicaca before sunset.
5 hours to explore Puno and its restaurants before grabbing about 6 hours sleep at Hostal Buho.
A 10-hour tour on Lake Titicaca, taking in two of its amazing islands: the floating islands of Uros and the island of Taquile. For me, the floating islands were reminiscent of those of Tonle Sap in Cambodia while Taquile had a feel and look of Santorini, Greece about it.
These Lake Titicaca islands are unique in their own ways, however, and I have stories to share from both places…
As we were leaving Taquile, and descending the 500 plus stone steps to our boat, I decided that the two small girls working one of the stairway shops could use a little business. Drawn to the snickers bar and the fact that I haven’t properly kept up my chocolate intake while in Peru, I inquired as to its cost. Holding up five fingers and whispering, “cinco soles” (almost as if she was unaware that such a price was more than 200% profit) was impossible to resist. No sooner had I handed over my payment and started back on my journey then the youngest of the two shopkeepers scurried past me (and about 40 other tourists making their way to their respective boats), descending about 100 steps to her next post, where she sold not chocolate but handmade Taquile souvenirs. When I reached her second line of business, she glanced up at me again with those warm, dark eyes. Before I knew it, I was handing over more soles for an authentic woven Taquile bracelet. A sly smile from Art and I knew I had been marked. I half expected her to scurry past me again, to a third shop where she would successfully sell me whatever it was she chose to. Instead, she remained at her station, agreeing to let me take a photo of her.
Arriving back at Puno’s dock, we had a further 5 hours of walking, eating, watching a few folk dances, and being jostled about at Puno’s excessively busy bus station.
7 hours on the night bus to Cusco, including a rather disconcerting jolt from sleep for a roadside
bus and passenger search for any contraband being smuggled from Bolivia.
Home in Cusco by 5:00 am Saturday morning. Just another “less than 48 hours” in Peru!
