Something to make us think and re-think.. Who went knows that what you got on the news is just all garbage once again... It was a great afternoon where people made a stand and getting their voices heard about what REALLY brought this latest crisis upon us... and yet yesterday nothing REAL was decided at the G20 meeting... only another get stuffed meeting of the 'world' ?? 'leaders'?? Yet, the sun was out and as well as thousands of riot geared up 'law'?? inforcement officers who trapped the people for hours, pleople who only wanted to say just enough is enough in front of the biggest symbols of the 'system' in the City of London... People who give full solidarity to the family of the casualty resulted by heavy handling against the voice of a united collective shouting against greed and deceivement of institutions and corporations... Some photos and videos of the 1st April day in the sun in the City: copy the link in the URL space: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157616173788383/
Nepal, the little country between Tibet and India, has always held me with strong fascination for the highest mountain range in the world: the Himalayas! Needless to say, it has been in my list of countries to visit for a long time: main purpose –trekking around the many sherpa trails to see, breathe, live and almost touch the mighty 8,000mts mountains!!! And by trekking through some of the most remote areas, passing through villages so far away in the deepest valleys of Earth, I wanted to share the life and culture of Nepali and Tibetan people living in these harsh and arduous terrains and conditions.
Touched down in Kathmandu and said goodbye to my friend Mara leaving on a rafting expedition to the beast river Tamur,I spent a couple of days breathing in all the hassle and bustle craze (and the traffic fumes) of Kathmandu, organizing trekking permit, supplies and meeting other coming and going trekkers.First destination in the Himalayas was to go around the Annapurna range circuit and up to the Machchapucchare and Annapurna I Base Camp. From the message board in Kathmandu Guest House I hooked up with three other trekkers with the same destination in mind: Rogier from Amsterdam, John from Toronto and Mat from Hong Kong. Together we bussed it to Pokhara, packed small and started the trek: follow it by the photos on:
From the village of Besisahar where the dirt road ahead is terrain for 4x4 only for another few kms until Bulbhule and then it becomes a path only for donkeys, porters and trekkers!
With a beautiful side backdrop of the 8,160mts Manaslu mountain, the first part of the trail starts low at 840mts on sea level, going on through beautiful subtropical forests, rice field terraces rolling up and down valleys, passing through villages where the locals carry on their day-to-day life nice greeting all trekkers walking by…
women washing clothes, harvesting in the rice fields, breastfeeding babies, combing the long hair in the sun, men chopping firewood, fixing farming tools, manning the animals, children playing, skipping to school and asking us for school pens and …sweets…(!?!!!) Namaste!
Walking an average of 6 hours a day, the team of us 4 trekkers, no guide and no porters (obviously!), reached the village of Chamje at 1,430mts on day 2. Here we stopped at a lodge overlooking a gorgeous waterfall and chatting eith the other trekkers over a big pot of tea, we got Mark from Limerick to join our team as well as the ninja couple from Holland: Sylvia & Peter.
Over the next couple of days we walked through some lovely villages like Danakyu at 2,300mts all the way to Chame at 2,670mts and the crew of 7 Dal Bhat (unlimited!) –Nepali dinner of rice curry & dal soup– also got unlimited entertainment over these last few days of Deewali festival –matching our Halloween– although we surely got to bed well before 9pm, as we always did, just after dark and dinner stuffed!
Walking towards the 3,300mts of Upper Pisang, the landscape changed to mountainous forest and everything was painted of the colours of autumn. Just try to imagine this picture: reds & yellows & the evergreens all mixed in together against incredible blue skies, strong sunshine and the view of the mighty Annapurna II alongside our path….just amazing!!!
Up at the top of the trail we stopped in the little village of Upper Pisang where Annapurna II with its 7,555mts was staring at us.
Basking in the afternoon sunshine we contemplated its beauty for hours till sunset, visiting the old Buddhist Gompa and making friends with the locals.
Bright and early as always, the next day we gathered around the stove in the lodge dining hall, talking about the chill of the night, down to ten degrees. It was only going to get colder as we were going higher.
Next stop that day was going to be Manang. At 3,540mts this main village half way up the circuit is a must stop and rest day for all trekkers. At this altitude acclimatization becomes paramount and as we already had one casualty of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) in the team, we gladly all stopped in Manang for a day, a really nice spot after all, right at the feet of Ganggapurna (7,454mts) a really amazing mountain!
Best views of it are from the Praken Gompa, where we went to pay a visit to the Lama Tashi, got his 92 years old blessing and accomplished the recommended walk a further 300mts higher for acclimatization.
Then we got back down to prize ourselves with some treats from the Bragha bakery: brownies and apple pies to die for!!!
One week into the trek and unfortunately the group had to split up: some stayed in Manang to recover from AMS and some of us went ahead, feeling no AMS symptoms, pushing up another 500mts further on the trail, max recommended per day at that altitude.
At 4,000mts of Yak Kharka the landscape changed dramatically: passed the tree-line only small bushes, landslides and sheer rocky walls were covering the valley ahead. The next day we did one more push to Thorung Phedi and we got to 4,450mts, the last camp of two lodges where all trekkers stop overnight before going to the Thorung La Pass, up another 1,000mts.
Here most people get sick, feeling the altitude but holding on for the only aim to get over the pass, just one more day! AMS symptoms like drilling headaches, fast breathing, bloated stomach, and maybe worse, added to the sheer cold temperatures, the thin air and the tiredness get most people really weakened. But all of us got up the next morning around 5am, feeling OK-ish, we got a power breakfast, but light (porridge in fact, again!!!), we nodded at each other and then started to walk up to the pass as soon as daylight broke through the cloudy sky.
In our many layers, walking really slowly up the barren terrain surrounded by snow peaks and frozen rivers, we looked like men walking on the Moon. The walk to the pass was so surreal, coming in and out of the clouds rising up from the valley, the eyesight was fuzzy with the cold temperatures, the sunglasses steamed up with the heavy breathing, one step in front of the other and we made it up to the Thorung La pass!
With beautiful views of the Mustang region and the Gandaky Valley ahead, one of the deepest in the world, the scenery was just stunning!!! And to add to this mesmerizing view, rims and rims of prayer flags were flapping at the top in the strong freezing wind of the Himalayan breath. That's were I attached the flags, the flags taking each of your wishes, dearest friends & family, to be free on the top of the world! Really a memorable moment, we stretched it and enjoyed a cup of tea at 5,416mtsa high tea house and then started the steep and long descent all the way down to 3,800mts Muktinath.
The next couple of days we enjoyed the little villages of Kagbeni with the 7eleven and the Yak Donald burger place on the Jomson trail (the apple pie trail, so called for all the posh guest houses and western food).
We tried to take an alternative route down but only to Marpha were we stopped as the jeep road then was rather too dusty to go any further. So over an apple pie we decided w would get the jeep down, as it was available! The road connection has really ruined this side of the Circuit , yes more accessible for all tourists, but prices are a lot higher and it has lost that untouched beauty of remote mountain trails & villages.
Then like magic we bumped into the rest of the crew who stayed a day behind acclimatising before the pass. The team was reunited and we celebrated with some really foul apple brandy! The next day w got on the jeep down to Tadopani where we started trekking again and it felt great! Mission was not accomplished without reaching ABC.
So back in the lovely subtropical region we stopped a night in the charming Ghara were we tried the local marijuana plants pickle made by Laxshmi from huge grown plants and we had one of the best Dal Baht ever! After a great night sleep back at breathable altitude and bearable temperature, we walked to Ghorepani (2,800) enchanted by the Poon Hill idea. At 3,190mts this is a main tourist destination to come and see sunrise on the Himalayas, but as we came from higher view points, w found it rather overrated!
Anyhow, we carried on from there up & down endless steps and through deep valleys of rice field terraces and got to Chomrong, with the mighty 8,000mts Daulagiri and6,940mts and Nilgiri mountains along side us the whole way!
From forest to barren mountain terrain, the landscape changed fats ad the temperatures dropped fast and in 2 days we were up at ABC, Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130mts, just after the Macchapucchare Base Camp, at 3,700mts lower in the valley.
The incredible spectacle of the massif of Annapurna I (8,091mts)
flanked by the peak of Annapurna South (7.210mts)
and mirrored on the other side by the Macchapucchare (6997mts)… totally mesmerising!!
Try to imagine sunset & sunrise in these idyllic settings & even a sky full o stars and full moon rising…. Totally breath-taking!!!
Double and treble servings of Dal Baht for the team celebration that night at ABC as well as a double duvet on top of sleeping bags…!!! Dream mountains still in our eyes the next two days we walked all the way back to Naya Pul and got back to Pokhara were we got hot shower (finally!) and went for a big steak & a beer ( and even a full moon party in the rice fields!) to celebrate mission accomplished: a totally amazingtrek! Do it!!!
Back in London in Autumn, I got involved with Oguntê, the organisation for women leading the social economy and its fantastic founder and woman Servane Mouazan. Servane is truly an inspiring and inspired woman, running her own company which develops female social innovators through groundbreaking social leadership and entrepreneurial development programmes of mind-stretching and energizing coaching sessions, workshops and training courses.
Oguntê promotes women through a series of awards and networking platforms in the UK, overseas and on the virtual worlds. Offering access to the Global Tribal Network, counting 700 UK and global members, Oguntê enables networking leading to potential partnership and trading opportunities within the social entrepreneurs network.
Through job-shadowing Servane, following a social entrepreneur in her day to day planning and networking activities, I have gained a great insight on how a social enterprise operates, the values, the challenges and the impact by brainstorming and discussing sessions, planning current programmes, carrying out marketing and new business activities, researching new opportunities on online portals, participating to workshops and seminars, social innovation and entrepreneurship related events.
Working closely with The Hub Angel and King's Cross network, we run and participated to a variety of brainstorming and discussion sessions on various topics including: - 'Insights Lab' Oguntê workshop - Fink networking event with The New Economy - Social Innovation meet-ups - Gendersite 'Women and the built environment' exhibition, Queen Mary's University - My Bnk coaching meeting - 'Gender equality in the built environment' workshop for Gendersite.org at the Building Centre - 'Effective Networking' workshop at Forum3 Third Sector Fair, Islington Design Centre - 'uXplore Challenge' interview & video filming
I have been actively involved in the planning of the following programmes and activities as well as in researching online opportunities: • 1. Outplacement programme • 2. Follow-up questionnaire for Women Leadership course • 3. Online Network interface specs • 4. uXplore students' challenge • 5. Events Marketing & Networking portals • 6. Recruitment portals
The outplacement programmes are really important nowadays in an environement of increased folding risks for private companies, higher competition and consolidation in the public and non-profit sector, leading to big job cuts. Oguntê is looking to help people who are having to rethink their careers due to the current high risks of redundancy in several private sectors of the economy in the UK and world-wide. Gearing up to freelancing or starting up an own enterprise, offer the best prospects for personal future sustainability especially for women who are the most exposed to the risks of job cuts and often have to rely on precarious part-time or contractual employment. With Oguntê we have devised programmes which would provide tools and support to get into social entrepreneurship including providing access to a large network of social entrepreneurs and their related services and expertise. We worked on the specs to get this network networking more, starting from an online model of social networking interface which would enable ice-breaker activities as well as training and commercial opportunities.
Truly an incredible experience!!! I have enjoyed the excitement of working within such an involving network of thinkers and believers in social change and entrepreneurship: an amazing charge of positivity, drive and solidarity. Thanks Oguntê for the precious experience and thank you Servane for all the energy we shared together. For now, best of luck! And I am sure there will be plenty more opportunities to work together again in the future! http://ogunte.com/innovation/ http://ogunte.com/moodle/ http://www.globaltribal.co.uk/
This summer is well and truly gone, my friends, I know, but it is still very much in my heart. It's been very different from the last few ones in other continents. This time I was back in my hometown, back in my region in the Alps, the Aosta Valley. There at the feet of the Mount Blanc massif I thoroughly enjoyed being back with my family after a long time away. I helped looking after granny recovering from a fall at her old age, and we had many lovely days together just like we used to when I was living back in the valley. Here's a few photos of our happy days together: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157606930285589/
I stayed at home where I grew up and my mum loved having me as she's alone now that my brother moved out with his girlfriend a couple of years ago. It has been great being with mum again: we talked a lot, we laughed, we philosophized on life, love and the world, my favorite topics. I helped her with her English homework and she played mum, simply the best mum in the world: understanding, patient, strong, supportive, loving and caring. With my brother we went climbing up the mountain overlooking town, the 3,100mts high Becca di Nona! That was a great achievement for mum and a great day for all of us together: check out the fun photos! http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157606929277471/
Plenty other activities filled up my summer: teaching English to the kids at summer camps, at revision courses before re-sits, private tuitions, a bar jobs at nights, training at the outdoor cross-training areas, lots of cycling, and lots of coffees and ice-creams with granny! And a great surprise visit by my friend Ale from Rome, touring Europe... so great to see her and family now, after many years!!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157606926132438/
I even hooked up with my father after many years of not talking, it was time to stop the silence & make peace. No point holding on old grudges: life is too short! & then it was my birthday and my family and friends got me equipped with some trekking gear which I gladly received and went straight out to the mountains to test it! The kora of the 4,868mts Mount Blanc was on over the time of the Olympics in China and Les Lions de la Neige, organisation from France, were doing the walk around the sacred mountain symbolically around the Mount Blanc, in support of the cause of Tibet. With my friend Paolo we got tent and a couple of sandwiches and we trekked up to the Elizabeth refuge, joining the Kora if only for one night under a beautiful full moon! Check the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157606930928233/
And as I was in the mountains all summer, the opportunity came up to take part in a mountain safety awareness course with the Alpine guides, so we went to Punta Helbronner, on the Mount Blanc Glacier to practice rope security, nots, and the very difficult crevasse rescue methods... a very memorable day in very stunning settings, take a look at the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157606964399465/
goodbye to everybody and big hug to my best friend in town Mara (arrivederci to Kathmandu!!!) I got on that plane to London… life goes on! But I want to thank everyone in Aosta for all your friendship and support and for making my time this summer a lovely and precious one to remember back in the valley… till the next time!
Yes, that's right my friends. This is the very last tale from the South American trip ended with some magic travels to the very exotic Caribbean coast of Colombia. Taking you back to October 2006, I crossed over from Venezuela into Colombia and stopped in the first town of Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast. After meeting everyone of the very jolly Colombian people hanging around my hostel, I hooked up with some travel buddies and we joined in the trekking expedition in the low coastal jungle looking for the Lost City - la ciudad perdida. And sure as, we found it, but only after 6 solid days of trekking through the very humid but beautifully lush and green jungle, we were constantly by wading rivers, sweating buckets and occasional down poor of rain... but the whole area was just magic. We crossed several hidden villages of the Teyuna people, the local indigenous population still left living in the jungle. But they are not the only ones hiding away in the very thick jungle... several labs are thought to still be operating inside... we visited one 'supposedly' only there to show the tourists how the coca leaves are processed into paste to then get shipped out and turned into the precious world famous white powder... And so we looked and then decided: no thank you! The process involved so many chemicals, sulfuric acids and petrol and other lethal substances that's enough to put you off temptation for life! But in the middle of that beautiful jungle, with the clouds coming in and out dusk till dawn, it was like a lost paradise and I felt really good being lost in total silence and only jungle sounds for days! The crew of us 10 people was great, a very big mix of travelers from all over the world as well as local Colombians. After a week of swapping hammocks, card tricks, plasters, mosquito repellent and malaria tablets, even the odd rum bottle, we became really good friends! After the trek we all went to chill out at the amazing Tayrona National Park nearby... simply idyllic!!! A quick run around in Cartagena town and the Colombia experience was all over... I run out of time, I had to fly back and start working the winter season in the Alps on the ski slopes... So bye bye South America and thank you for all the adventures, for all the great people you got me to met and for all the great experiences you took me through! Till the next time.... Enjoy the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157600765230639/
Oh yes, here we go... into Los LLanos seasonally flooded pampa, hunting for anacondas! And if you've got NO FEAR of mosquitos, bugs, spiders, poisonous snakes and the mighty anaconda itself, then read on and dive into the tales of this trip... pure adrenaline adventure!!!
We set off on a 4x4 jeep, my friend Julie and and 6 other mad travellers and our guide, the world famous Tony Martin, the anaconda hunter in many National Geographics and wildlife documentaries. At the village in LLos LLanos we stayed with the families of Tony's men, who were going to help in our expedition.
On the shore of many little water streams we took off the first day and went on a canoe trip to discover all the watershores wildlife, with the thourough explanation of our guide Tony, telling us about the very fragile equilibrium of this special environment:
poisonous snakes, beautiful birds, pink river dolphins and millions of capibaras all around!!!
After a stormy evening spent singing along llaneros songs with Tony's guitar, we got swinging in our hammocks and finally collapsed after too much local firewater, although we blamed it on intoxication by the fumes of too much mosquito repellent.
The next day we set off horse-riding in the swamped terrain, still looking for anacondas, we found more wildlife and had fun on the galop around the muddy fields.
That night we got another precious lesson of life in the fields: we said goodbye to Fred the piglet, as we slashed its throat, hang it upside down, skinned it and roasted it on the fire... yummy it was, and that was food for us and the families there for the next two days!
After dinner we took a stroll in the night and Tony showed us some night hunting skills catching alive night birds by naked hand, just amazing!!!
The next morning we set off on another hunting expedition, this time on foot. Big wellies and long sticks, we went walking straight through the swamped fields. The most scarry thought was knowing that the anaconda could be popping out from the mud any moment and twist around us in seconds...
Still, encouraged by the men and the little hunter kid with us, we continued through, encountering a crocodile nest, some capibaras little rodents on the run and some of us toughies even took pictures with them... thrilling!!!
Then we heard Tony screaming <STOP!> Here we go, he's pointing down to the swamp in front of him, he found an anaconda. We all gathered close (-ish!) and he showed us occasional bumps in the mud, signs of the anaconda presence underneath... it looked metres long!!!
So there he went, with his men around, he grabbed the big snake by the tale and he started pulling it out of the mud... next move he'd got it, he grabbed its head and twisted its body around himself. At this point, Tony smiled victorious and he called us over. We just couldn't believe our eyes... there it was: the mighty anaconda!!!
With his men, we unwinded it along and we all grabbed a length of it for a group photo. Its body was firm and chuncky, its skin soft and it looked at us fearless through its piercing eyes... Tony showed us his mouth, teeth and then blew on its face, the anaconda shivered and tightened its muscles.
Some of us brave even got it around the shoulders for a photo, others couldn't bearly stand the sight of it...
The weather turned bad eventually and we left the anaconda back in the swamp mud to enjoy hunting time in the favourable rain!
Back at the village, we prepared some baits of fresh chicken meat and we went on the nearby river to fish for piranas!!! Hours of fun, I tell you, we just couldn't get enough of it.
After a couple of hours and a million trials, we realised how fast the piranas are and as we got the hang of the fishing technique, we started catching the first few, and re-used them to gain more bait... Yes, I know, piranas eat any meat, their own too!!!
By evening we had fished enough piranas for dinner for the all of us, so we went back to the village and we roasted them on the fire: yummy!!! Some of us even wanted to keep their vicious double line of teeth as souvenir, cool idea but they stunk too much! Well the memories and photos are the best souvenirs... take a look at the pictures here below and enjoy the adventures!!!
Back to September '06, my travels continued straight through the middle of the Amazon forest up North Brazil towards Santa Elena, entry point into Venezuela.
The stunning landscape of the Gran Savana dotted all around by the flat-top mountains just blew me away!!!
After a few days of soaking up the venezuelan vibe, I got on the next bus and reached to town of Ciudad Bolivar where the mighty Orinoco river gently flows throught towards its delta.
Only a day to skip the old Colonial style buildings around town on the beautiful shores of the river. Recovered my beauty sleep with an early night: no night sightseeing, it's just a bit too dangerous to walk the rough Venezuela streets after dark!
The next day I gathered all my patience and charm as I had to cash in the low daily allowance from several local banks to put together enough money for my next trip: Angel Fall! 250 dollars for a 3 day trip into the most secluded area of the interior Venezuela jungle. I flew in a tinny tiny 6 seater piper in the co-pilot seat chatting with the pilot through the headphones speaker. He explained the route as we flew over the amazing flat-top mountains where water tricled down from all sides... and then... there it was: the sheer drop of 1000mts waterfall, the world fanous Salto Angel !!! Mouth wide open, snapping a million pictures, I couldn't believe my eyes as we flew over it a couple of times... just incredible!!!
Then we landed at a little village of Canaima down in the plane nearby. There I got on an canoe type motor boat with a group of French and Dutch tourists who became my travel buddies for the next three days. We cruised on the stunning rivers, deep into the amazing green lush jungle through the high gorges of the flat-top mountains.
Almost at dusk we stopped at a campsite and slinged out the hammocks, then we prepared a tasty BBQ all together, sang and played cards and chatted till too tired. That night, tacked in my mosquito net and swinging in my hammock to the sounds of the jungle which never sleeps, the sweetest lullaby!
The next day we walked from camp through the lush jungle up to the drop point of waterfall, right at the feet of Angel Fall... mesmerizing!!! Looking up a 1000mts trying to see the drop point above us was making us very dizzy, so we jumped in the pools just below the fall to refresh and feel the powerful sprays of the waters dropping on us... really special!
After another night of BBQ, card games and fun altogether at the hammocks camp, the next day we returned by boat to Canaima village and went on a treck around all the other waterfalls around the jungle, not so high but equally stunning!
We walked through, around, along, below, behind and beyond the waterfalls and then jumped in the waters from scarry heights... really an unforgettable trip!
Back on the piper for one last goodbye to Angel Fall and we flew back to Ciudad Bolivar where I got on a coach going North, straight to the seaside village of Santa Fe, on the coast East of Caracas.
After chilling out for a few days on this fabulous beach spot, with a few otherbackpackers, we decided to cross over to the other side of Caracas, skipping this cahotic, polluted and really quite dangerous capital, to go to another fishing village and fabulous seaside spot: Choroni (Puerto Colombia).
Another few days on the beach and then I left the coast to go back in the jungle and join an expedition in the flooded pampa, South-West Venezuela, at the border with the Colombian jungle: Los LLanos hunting for anacondas. But hey... that is another adventure... for the next blog! Enjoy the photos:
Back on the boat for an amazing 5 day trip on the Amazon river, just incredible!
Mainly Colombian, Brazilian and Peruvian travel mates, women with kids reaching to other areas of the jungle to meet relatives and many men, tough and loud, all on the boat reaching various areas on work, mainly logging zones in the jungle... sadly! So the boat trip was their holiday time and they went on eating, drinking and partying hard on the top deck for the whole stretch of the trip...
Most of us on the decks below were chilling in the shade, sheltering from the strong sun, reading, playing with the kids and chatting with the locals...
And contemplating the mighty Amazon river... enormous power of calm and peace, but also rocking mad in stormy weather!
You should have seen the stunning sunset colours and from my hammock I could get a peep of the soft lullabying sunrises every morning... out of this world!
Then we disembarqued at the town on Manaus, right in the middle of the Amazon jungle. I imagine it being a mirage, but no, it's a real city, an oasis of concrete (!!!) in the massive extension of the Amazon jungle, a port on the mighty river and a main trading hub. Beautif old buildings and stunning architechture... a real blast from the past!
Here's another tale from the past... It was September '06 when i left the project in the slams of Lima and I bussed it up the North coast of Peru to the town of Trujillo were I went to visit the old pre-inca ruins of Chan Chan and the small beach resort of Huanchaco, at the time off season, otherwise surfers' paradise!
I loved the little fisherman village with the traditional totora boats and the Peruvian typical dogs with no hair, sacred for the inca empire and still considered holding healing powers due to their high body temperature!
Then it was time to get back into the mountains, back on the cordillera de los Andes. Trekking junkie... I know! There I went on a 4 day trek around the Cordillera Blanca, from Huaraz to Santa Cruz through century old indigenous villages, along 5000mts mountain passes, across the entire Huascaran valley with incredible views of the mighty Alpamayo pick and Huascaran range. Simply stunning!
Next stop up the north of Peru took me off the beaten track towards Amazonas. No more roads, waterways only, I went up the river into the jungle from the north-western town of Iquitos to the three-border crossing with Colombia Leticia into Brazil Santa Rosa,and then on the Amazon river starting there... but that's next blog! Stay connected!
Back on the South America travel diary, the itinerary took me further North into Peru. Crossed in from the Lake Titicaca border, I stopped over in the rural town of Puno with the amazing floating islands, then I got on another bus and stopped in Cuzco: prime Peruvian destination located at the heart of the old Inca civilization with the world famous Inca site of Machu Picchu, simply amazing! I visited this and most of the other famous sites during another trip I took to Peru some years before, so I happily skipped all of them this time around, escaped the herds of tourists and focused on the more important reasons for my stay in Cuzco. I went as a researcher, doing a follow-up study on my Masters dissertation where I analyzed the difficult and delicate subject of child labor, the government approach and internal legislation, the pressure the help of local and international NGOs, and the activity of local communities and civil society. There I was: two years after my masters I was finally in the country and I could verify the progress of the level of protection offered to minors in work in Peru. Specifically I analyzed two realities of child labor and visited two organizations which are supporting the cause of minors in work and helping the children at very practical level. Some very minimal improvements on the legislation had been implemented, and we celebrated at the CAITH project when I discovered a very recent law approved in August 2006 which requested families taking on under age girls for domestic labor, to stipulate work conditions, pay and school hours in writing down on a formal employment contract. RESULT!!! That was the first real step forward. Since in Peru kids are workingand it is not conceivable for a family not to have their children working some 4 to 6 hours of the day, at least that this work is legally agreed by a contract, whereby the kids are guaranteed to be allowed to go to school, and feel safer under some kind of protection against complete exploitation often edging the slavery status! So at the centre Yanapanakusun in Cuzco I finally met the very inspiring woman Signora Vittoria Savio, funder of the CAITH organization, and with the girls and a new born baby, we celebrated this first very important step forward towards legality and child protection. Check their website for more info: www.caith.org. Next, my research took me all the way to Lima, where I checked the progress of another children's organization called CEPROF, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they also geared up to a B&B for alternative tourism as a way of increasing exposure of child labor in Peru amongst Western tourists, as a way of fundraising for the centre and as a way of campaigning for the protection of their workers and children's rights within the local communities, with the government and ultimately with the global civil society. See their website for info: www.ceprof.org That amazing experience left me with a strong sense of optimism. Things may be moving slowly but they are moving and towards the better, which justifies fully all the hard efforts of those who really believe in change and dedicate their lives in the cause of protecting the more vulnerable, like kids involved in child labor in Peru. Positively re-energized by these findings, I totally enjoyed the stunning landscapes of Cuzco and the sacred valley of the kings, the chaos, pollution and roughness of Lima, the poverty and the desolation widespread around all the outskirt of the capital. Looking for a bit of an oasis to re-think and chill-out, I stopped over on the the desertic coast of Ica and Huacachina, a true oasis in the sand dunes. I went on a buggy ride on the dunes, then sand-boarding, watched amazing sunsets... I totally enjoyed the sand dunes! Take a look at the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolacarpediem/sets/72157600765241861/
Traveling and doing development work, been in Central America in '03/04, South America in '05/06. I spent last summer'07 in India, then worked in Thailand & Cambodia, traveled through Laos & Vietnam, dived Malaysia, just crossed Sumatra & touched down in Singapore & Australia on my way back to Europe where I am working this summer'08... I will be back in Indonesia this autumn to work on social innovation entrepreneurship in Java... keep B-logged in!
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