- flown over mountains while looking up at the peaks of the mountains next to me (the Andes are really big)
- realised people could eat cuy
- eaten cuy
- seen anyone eat an animal's head
- eaten liver with popcorn
- seen a hummingbird
- eaten a chicken killed that same day
- seen an animal killed for food (the chicken above, killed 'in my honour,' ie, trying to freak out the gringa :D )
- seen an animal butchered (more freaky than the actual killing)
- realised that chickens have 'pre-eggs' in them waiting to be laid
- realised that the 'pre-eggs' are edible
- seen fireflies
- seen an animal killed for sport
- (knowingly) eaten stomach (cow's)
- been without the internet AND my mobile at the same time
- not cared in the slightest about a lack of internet or mobile
- realised that the Inca (Inga to them) are still around
- met a real shaman
- met Pablo Escobar (the nice one)
- ridden a motorbike
- had flowers put in my hair as a greeting/blessing
- eaten rib soup for breakfast
- eaten tomate de arbol
- eaten an entire pineapple in one sitting
- been offered beer at 10am
- not been afraid of spiders
- been to a real Shrove Tuesday carnival (full details in a more coherent post to come)
- danced and played instruments in a carnival
- been the caporal (flag bearer) in a parade
- felt so proud of myself (see above)
- drunk so much chicha I thought I was going to explode (will explain why later)
- blown a real horn (not my own)
- been so cold then so hot in the same day (the weather is like that of Bogotá, but more extreme)
- seen an entire dismembered cow (you might be noticing a theme here, I'm very much a city girl)
- spent all morning in my pyjamas in public
- seen so many stars at night (well, I had, but only twice ever)
- spoken "inga-lish" (quechua, the Inga's language)
- eaten chontaduro (peeled and quartered with lots of salt)
- worked out how to make the woven beaded bracelets/necklaces/etc
- taken just under 2.5 G of photos in so few days
- eaten most of a papaya (with lime)
- been a guest of honour just for being foreign
- had to explain where the UK is
- expected to see a Manchester United shirt in an Inga village
- had such an in-depth conversation with someone about all kinds of knitting/sewing/etc in Spanish (gracias, Maria, Conchita y Nestor)
- flown on a plane with propellers
- heard mass being broadcast by loudspeaker to the whole village
- been in a village where I can walk from one end to the other in less than ten minutes (at a very leisurely tourist pace)
- eaten a coconut helado (the homemade ones in plastic drinking cups)
- eaten homemade arequipe
- had people want to have their photos taken with me just for being foreign
- still had my hand itching from stinging nettles (bloody ortiga) over a day later
- been given shamanic medicine (well, his mum's medicine, but that's got to be even more effective, right?)
- had so many exciting things to tell
- felt so in love with Colombia
I am a lot stronger than I was five days ago :D
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