2012年2月15日水曜日

In What Country Did The Incas Live?

in what country did the incas live?

"Solo" Ain't Lonely | Original Tales

When I was 7 I flew for my first time across the Atlantic Ocean – alone. When I was 20, I moved to Malaga, Spain for 1 year – alone. 3 years later I moved to Berlin, Germany – alone again, and since then I have travelled to many countries – all alone. The beauty of travelling alone is you never really are; you always meet people along the way, yet you can do what you want when you want. However, sometimes landing in a new country and being swarmed by touts can be daunting and even annoying. Taking the "scenic" route in a taxi to your hotel or trying to get to a hotel in your guide book that has apparently "burnt down"; tour guides who range from those that simply point and read plaques to those that exaggerate their language capabilities…all these things combined, can make travel strained and stressful.

But not everyone wants to travel in a group of strangers, nor have every minute of your day planned out for you. And waiting around for friends to commit can be frustrating. With this in mind, we have created our "solo" trips designed for 1-4 people. Picked up at the airport, pre-booked in hotels, transport pre-arranged and local quality guides to take you around. We will even provide you with a cell phone pre-programmed with local guide numbers for that extra safety…you can even drop us a text back in Canada to let us know how everything is going! To give you the best of both worlds, you can join small groups of like-minded travellers for certain activities like hiking the Inca Trail, touring Angkor Wat or going on safari.

Last fall Kileen Sprock went on a solo trip with us to Peru. Here's what she had to say:

"Welcome back from your adventure in Peru! Why do you choose Peru as the country you wanted to travel to? What were you main reasons for wanting to go there?"
"In November 2010 I was going to a friends wedding in Mexico. I had bought a national geographic magazine for the plane ride and the cover was about Sacred Places in the world. I flipped through the pages looking for inspiration and a place to go to rejuvenate my soul. When I saw the picture of Machu Picchu,I knew that is where I had to go. So I went".

"Did you find the thought of travelling by yourself to Peru a little daunting at first?"
"Actually, it was quite the opposite for me. I was so excited! The only thing I was worried about was safety in a foreign country".

"How was the planning and preparation experience for you? What helped you feel more confident before you went?"
"You guys [Original Trails] took care of all the planning for me! I did not have to think of anything other than packing my own personal items."

"What was your first impression of Peru, especially coming from Canada?"
"I was amazed with its beauty. When I left Lima, and went into smaller towns I was shocked at the state people lived in, however everyone was so happy and friendly! In Canada we have so much to be thankful for and yet so many people are miserable or stressed because they do not have enough money, cars, clothes, etc. More people should visit Peru, it is very humbling."

"The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was one of the main reasons for you going there. Did it live up to your expectations?"
"It surpassed my expectations. The Inca Trail was by far the highlight of the trip. The Andes are gorgeous, the air is so fresh and it is such a spiritual journey. I trained for the hike, but even still, it was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done in my life. The Kileen that started the Inca trail is not the same person that finished it. If you can finish the trail, you can do anything!"

The group after our 4-day hike


"What were the factors that took away the stress out of travelling solo?"
"Traveling solo did not, and still doesnt stress me out. Logistics and details stress me outJ. The fact that I did not have to think of any logistics at all was heaven! Every little detail was taken care of from airport pick-ups to transfers to briefings. This helped me focus on having fun!"

"You visited a local project during the tour that supports indigenous weaving and took a donations from a 14 year old boy here in Torontotell us more about that and your experience"

"It was nice to support a group of people who want to learn and value education. It was a blessing for me to take a friends sons laptop with me and donate it to people who really need it."

"Has your trip to Peru left you changed on some way? Do you feel or see things differently?"
"I have walked away from my trip a stronger, happier person. I have found my spirituality again, my love of nature and myself."

"What advice do you have for someone thinking about going to Peru as a solo traveler but are a little hesitant?"
"There is nothing to fear, you will be fine. You will realize you are a much stronger person than you thought you were."

Machu Picchu! Proud to be Canadian!

Kileen went to Peru 7-16th (10 Days) 2011 on a "Solo" trip arranged by Original Trails.

Aparna
originaltrails.com

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