Leaving Puerto Cayo, we had a rough plan. We would drive to Quito and visit with another world schooling family for a few days while we regrouped and then head to Pereira in Colombia for our next Workaway. So that's what we did.

After a celebratory pizza and drink or two at Bamboo in Puerto Cayo, a beautiful sunset and a crazy caterpillar train ride, we set off bright and early to see what Quito had in store for us.

Day 1: Puerto Cayo, Ecuador to Quito, Ecuador

We enjoyed a leisurely drive to Quito, however encountered some difficulty with our vehicle. She decided that she was not liking any hills today and we took it very slowly, at some points not getting over 20km per hour. At our final destination we struggled with the hill to park our van but after a bit of a rest, she got us there in the end. We had the great pleasure of meeting up with Jessica, Will, Avalar and Largo from Goodie Goodie Gumdrop, fellow travellers and world schoolers.

Day 2: Quito, Ecuador

We left Emilia to get creative with Avalon while Matt, Matthew and I headed into Quito to see what we could find. Purchasing a couple of pairs of shoes were high on the list as Matthew's feet had grown since our last shop as was a haircut for Matt. We explored the old city and enjoyed a snack or two in the process.

Day 3: Quito, Ecuador

Did someone say bagels? We enjoyed an early breakfast of bagels (we had actually not eaten a bagel in over two years) and coffee and hung out with Jessica and Avalar to give Emilia and Avalar more time to work on their video. A beautiful day to sit and relax in the park.

Day 4: Quito, Ecuador to Pasto, Colombia

After some more bagels (how could we resist?), we visited the centre of the Earth and tried to make a smooth getaway from Quito. However it wasn't quite as simple as that. We made the executive decision to continue on with our journey despite the fact hills were a struggle. We made it to the border, waited approximately 5 hours to cross, got held up in traffic for an hour on the way to Pasto and finally collapsed in a heap at our hostel in the late evening. Better late than never, right?

Day 5: Pasto, Colombia to Popayan, Colombia

With a definite high soldier presence, we drove through the beautiful countryside of Colombia. Yes we broke down but we took it slow and steady so we did not do any long term damage to the van. She did us proud arriving in Popayan in the early afternoon. We enjoyed a lovely Mexican meal before retiring for the evening.

Day 6: Popayan, Colombia to Pereira, Colombia

Well what a day! The drive was beautiful, the scenery picturesque and we took it slow to give the van a rest. What we weren't prepared for however was the size of the hills in Pereira. It was easy to get in but not so easy to get out. The kindness of strangers really made itself known as strangers tried to help us out of the city to our end destination. While we didn't quite make it, some locals let us park our van in their driveway until we came up with a plan.

Day 7: Pereira, Colombia

We woke up to the beauty of the Colombia coffee district and took the time to settle into our new surroundings. For the next month we call Anukara home as we help owners Ivan and Angela and their two young boys, Manu and Gio, create their dream of an eco permaculture hostel and yoga retreat. And of course we will look to find a mechanic in the city and see if we can get the van repaired before we drive to La Pacha in mid-February.

We had the pleasure of meeting with Intiwawa on our last day in Arequipa and getting a tour of their non-profit organisation. And what great work they do!

Intiwawa is a dynamic organisation that fights poverty in the slums in Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru. Founded in Peru and Germany in 2007, today their network consists of multiple teams in Holland, France, England and Hong Kong. Their main focus is in a small settlement on the outskirts of Arequipa called San Isidro.

We dropped off our donations and got to meet some of the kids. Thanks to our amazing supporters, our GlobeDrop was larger than normal and our donations consisted of notepads and pens, cereal (both hot and cold), sewing needles and threads, toothpaste, toothbrushes, safety pins, soap, water paint and balls.

Intiwawa are always looking for volunteers and donations. You can visit their website at www.intiwawa.org. Alternatively, if you would like to participate in your own GlobeDrop, you can visit GlobeDrop's website at www.globedrop.org.

Any donation, no matter how big or small, is worthwhile.

Travel often - travel meaningfully!

Now that we are safely in Ecuador and thinking about all the wonderful things we want to explore here, it got me reminiscing about all the things we wanted to see in Peru before we left for our life changing trip.

Machu Picchu was always at the top of my bucket list and our whole family had the chance to see it. We got to explore Cusco, experience the culture, taste the delicious food and visit amazing places like Lake Titicaca and Nazca; however I can still recall the excitement before we left to go on our trip.

I remember counting down the days to our big adventure.

I remember doing Google searches with the kids to find pictures of parks in Peru so they could share in some of the excitement.

I remember looking at the pictures of the Nazca Lines, the historic city of Cusco and the Uros Islands, dreaming off what lie ahead in our future.

And the best part, all of this happened and much more besides.

But of course, it's not just me who generates a high level of anticipation before a big trip.

Chatting with Adonis from Always Wanderlust, he kindly shared his reasons for why he wants to visit Peru. And even more exciting, he is due to visit following his upcoming Argentina and Chile trip. You can join along in his adventures here.

I want to visit Peru because of rich history spanning thousands of years.  I’ve always been fascinated by the ancient Inca ruins, the mysteries surrounding them, and the people that built them.  There are some that are seemingly built by methods so advanced for its time that some consider the technology be extraterrestrial in origin!  The Nazca lines, for example, they appear to be designed to be seen in the sky and airplanes wouldn’t even exist for another thousand years.

Aside from the sights, there’s the Peruvian cuisine I want to indulge in.  I’m into spicy and heavy food.  I’ve tried dishes like Peruvian Rotisserie chicken and Ceviche in restaurants, but I want to try other dishes that you can only find in Peru. 

I also want to immerse in the culture.  Many Peruvians have direct ties to their ancestors, the Inca.  Seeing how they live and sharing experiences with them would make an awesome experience.

​Simone from The Aussie Flashpacker had the chance to visit Peru and like me, Machu Picchu was also at the top of her bucket list. Here are here personal reasons for wanting to visit Peru (you can check out her Facebook page for more exciting adventures). 

Hiking the Inca Trail and visiting Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. I have memories of gazing in awe at pictures of the magnificent ruins in the jungle in Peru from when I was a child. Studying Incan and Mayan art and architecture in my High School Art classes only intensified this dream.

Health and fitness became a huge part of my life in the year or two leading up to my South American trip and despite being at my fittest I had ever been, it was still incredibly tough hiking at altitude along the Inca Trail. This made the reward at the end once we reached Machu Picchu even sweeter because we truly felt we had earned the right to be there (through plenty of blood, sweat & tears)!

The three months in spent in South America were some of the favourites from my travels, with the highlight being our time in Peru. It is such a beautiful, unique country with a wonderful culture and the friendliest of people. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting.

Puerto Cayo is a relatively quiet fishing village bordering Machalilla National Park and at present, our current home: at least for the next 2 and a half months. We will be here working on two adjoining properties, helping them on various tasks in exchange for free accommodation. And so far we like what we see.

We are situated about 5kms outside of town so having the van is extremely handy. We are also very near to Puerto Lopez, Jipijapa, Montanita and of course, Manta and we look forward to exploring and seeing what is around.

We are however already huge fans of the vegetable truck which pulls up twice a week - fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese - yes please!

Our first Workaway assignment took us to the beachside resort of Los Suenos del Mar in Puerto Cayo, Ecuador. It was essentially a run-down resort that would have been at its best back in the 1940s. However with the pristine beach and the pool, we were all happy to relax by the sea and embrace the warm weather that we had been missing on our extended stay in Peru.

Our tasks were varied. Matt was doing construction work to build a new bar and I was responsible for general tidy up, sweeping and room cleaning. The kids were free to roam and enjoy their new surroundings.

Day 1: Peru to Ecuador (Arequipa to Chala)
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We set off early and were very excited when we spied the ocean. The kids were happy to camp at Puerto Inka once again. It was nice to fall asleep to the sound of the waves lapping right at our doorstep!

Day 2: Peru to Ecuador (Chala to Ica)
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We set off relatively early but were held up for 5 hours by a car race. On the way through, the kids picked up their souvenir bracelets in Nazca; we stopped for olives in Yauca and arrived in Ica on dusk.

Day 3: Peru to Ecuador (Ica to Huarmey)
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Stopped early on by a policeman wanting to take a bribe for incomplete paperwork - so what did we do? We made sure our paperwork was up to date in Chincha and bought some wine while we were there. Drove through Lima and stopped by another two policeman late in the evening near Huaco for a totally unrelated issue - $122 in bribes paid altogether at their request. Arrived in Huarmey about 11.30pm.

Day 4: Peru to Ecuador (Huarmey to Trujillo)
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A slightly later start today as we felt a bit tired from our late night of travel. While we did get stuck in the sand at one point, a kind stranger pulled us out preventing us from running behind schedule. We got our photo taken with a large turtle, went through many toll booths on the road and finally checked into our hostel in Trujillo in the early evening. Went for a late night wander around the Plaza de Armas after dinner.

Day 5: Peru to Ecuador (Trujillo)
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A work day for me but we managed to get to the Plaza de Armas, visit the toy museum, go out for coffee and hit the mall for a spot of window shopping. Tomorrow we are back on the road...

Day 6: Peru to Ecuador (Trujillo to Chiclayo)
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A shorter travel day today (approximately 200km) - we arrived at the hotel just after lunch so the kids could enjoy a swim in the pool.

Day 7: Peru to Ecuador (Chiclayo to Mancora)
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We did the dusty drive across the desert from Chiclayo to Mancora. No police fines or bribes; try as they might. We have definitely seen a variety of scenery on our cross-country trip. Ecuador is in our view...

Day 8: Peru to Ecuador (Mancora to La Cruz)
Today was not so much a driving day but a day to search for cheap accommodation for the next couple of days while we regrouped; we found it just past Zorritos in a little campground by the beach. The cost: $10 per night with free internet. The day started in Mancora by the beach and a surfing competition and ended up in La Cruz by the beach. A perfect day all in all!

Day 9: Peru to Ecuador (La Cruz to Tumbes)
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We drove to Tumbes in search of a grocery store or at least something resembling it. We found a small market which did the trick and picked up some supplies. A quiet day hanging out in the campground enjoying the sound of the waves ever constant in the background.

Day 10: Peru to Ecuador (La Cruz to Ecuador Border)
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We drove to the Ecuador border in the morning to familiarise ourselves with the departure process. Our exit date is set for Wednesday so two more days to hang out and relax. We picked up some more supplies in Tumbes to last us the next couple of days and enjoyed some time at the beach this afternoon. Saw some fellow travellers on the road who had made it all the way from Canada to Peru - our journey in reverse.

Day 11: Peru to Ecuador (La Cruz)
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A beautiful day at the campground by the beach. Matt has taken the kids to the beach to play while I do some work. These early campground mornings mean that come 10pm my brain wants to shut down and sleep.

Day 12: Peru to Ecuador (La Cruz, Peru to Guayaquil, Ecuador)
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Tonight we are reporting from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Yes, you heard me right! We crossed safe and sound and will be heading to Puerto Cayo tomorrow.

The food in Peru is good - very good in fact. From ceviche to lomo saltado - it is fresh and very plentiful. Coming to Arequipa from Cusco, we were intrigued by the specialties of the area that we hadn't encountered anywhere else. From queso helado, which deserved a special mention in its own right to the delicious picanterias scattered around the city - we were definitely in for a gourmet adventure.

Chupe de Camarones (front and centre of image): A decadent shrimp chowder.

Cuy: guinea pig - no other words needed!

Lomo saltado: a tasty mix of beef stir fried with onions, tomatoes and a variety of herbs and spices.

Causitas: generally made of mashed potato with a variety of fillings.

Queso helado: a type of Arequipenan ice cream.

Picarones: fried rings made from a pumpkin base served with a sweet molasses.

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse - it did. We broke down multiple times in Peru, ended up spending every single $ we had, couldn't find a place to live, had to have emergency dental treatment not once but twice, faced enormous fees to finally get our vehicle back on the road...and on top of it all we had to find the money for our exit fees which ran to over US$2,000. Sounds like a very bad plot for a movie, right? This happened to our family recently and we contemplated quitting our long term travel plans more than once. But the sad fact was that while we didn't have the money to stay, we didn't have the money to leave either. Stranded in Arequipa, Peru was pretty much the size of it. And as I write this, we are still here - in Arequipa that is - but hopefully not for much longer.

And boy did we learn a lot from this experience.

1. You learn who you can count on. I am not too proud to admit that things got pretty rough there for a while but it was the ones who stood by us while we slowly kept sinking deeper and deeper into the hole and enabled us to laugh about it and keep our focus that maintained our trust. It was the ones who reached out to us, even if it was just a message or words of comfort, that taught us the true value of friendship and family. Believe me, we couldn't have gotten through this period without all of those kind words and messages of support. 

​2. You can't travel long term if your heart is not in it. Our heart was in it, then not, then in it, then not - for a period of many months we stopped enjoying our travel yet couldn't seem to find any way out of it. We got disheartened, sad, mad and frustrated. Then we regrouped again and again - every time something happened we went through the cycle. Hopefully we have come out the stronger for it. We love to travel and hated losing our passion for travel to a set of bad circumstances.

3. You can always change your plans. Our original plan was to go to Bolivia - we had arrangements made with friends, volunteer positions set up and ready to go, free accommodation en route. We were ready - except we couldn't afford to leave. So after toing and froing we decided to cut 5 countries off the itinerary - that was 5 border issues we didn't have to deal with, 5 countries we didn't have to source accommodation for - immediately our hearts felt lighter. It was never about seeing as many countries as we could, it was always about being able to provide a wonderful educational experience for our family as a whole. So we turned around and focused on Ecuador.

4. You are stronger than you think. While at times we didn't feel very strong, in reality we were. We faced being penniless and homeless in a foreign country with two kids - and you know what - we survived. We worked and worked hard to better our unfortunate position - we tried to stay strong and quite often we failed. But you know what we stuck it out - we made it through sanity (just) intact!

5. You are more resourceful than you think. We got to our last cent many times during this situation. As the van sucked our savings dry we had no backup. As a freelance writer, the money flows sporadically and when clients are slow to pay then I can't afford to eat. My husband got a job, I started working for a local travel company - every little bit helped.

6. Amazing opportunities can open up. We made some amazing new friends in Arequipa and visited some wonderful sights. I got a delicious gig reviewing some of the local restaurants in Arequipa on behalf of Peru This Week. Emilia and I even got to enjoy a cooking class together. None of this would have happened if it weren't for the problems we faced. I am not saying I am glad they happened - but I am thankful for the opportunities that arose as a result. Every cloud does indeed have a silver lining.

7. Things will get better. Yes they will, it may take 6 or 7 or even 8 months or even longer but they will. We knew that deep down but we faced seemingly insurmountable problems that at times despite all reasoning there was no way around. While our problems have not fully sorted themselves out, we are moving forward. It is just at a much slower pace than we would've liked. 

8. No one has it all figured it. I am not one to put on a brave face when things go wrong but nor am I one to get down in the dumps or seriously depressed unless I have good cause to do so. No one person I know has a perfect life - everyone is faced with some kind of relationship issue, money problem, family drama, whatever it may be. The only way we got through it was by talking about it. No good comes of anything when you pretend things are rosy 24/7 and you never know that one person who may be listening might just be able to help.

9. Regret is wasted. So the mechanics we encountered along the way didn't really know what they were doing and took our money without properly servicing our vehicle. So we spent thousands of dollars on our vehicle which we have no way to recoup. So...so...so...what! We lived to tell the tale. We aren't focused on money per se - we are only focused on money at the moment so we have a way to leave the country and continue on our way to Ecuador. If we don't have the money at the border they won't let us leave. If we don't have money for gas we can't drive there. The rest will sort itself out.

10. There is no point in trying to control everything. We don't thankfully - but if we did our problems would've been a lot worse. We are go with the flow types naturally and usually things don't faze us. But of course when you have kids there has to be some sort of plan. We had no way of controlling this situation at all. I could earn more but I couldn't earn enough to make things better. Every day we stayed was costing us more in fines. We had to take a big leap of faith - one which we are still hanging onto as we speak.

11. Adventure is a lifestyle. So we got off track. So we cut 5 countries off of the program. Our experiences to date have not been too shabby. We are raising two wonderfully strong and independent children in a foreign country. We didn't even speak the language when we came (not that we can now mind you). But this foreignness is our version of normal - going to a supermarket in Peru does not seem weird to us. Our life is an adventure everyday and we choose to make the most of it.

12. A bad travel experience will not put you off travel. As much as we liked Arequipa, it was seriously sucking us dry, whichever way we turned. But you know what, we are excited to get back on the road and hang out in Ecuador for a couple of months. We feel like we have earned our own private beach retreat. Bring it on.

13. You can always help others. When things are low and you have no money you can still help others. We did not one, but two, GlobeDrops for non-profit organisations in need due to the support and kindness of others. Gratitude is a big part of what we do and we are truly grateful for every day we get to travel and live life on our own terms. So we do what we can and give what we can - even when we are experiencing massive problems of our own. There is always something you can do for others.

14. You learn to cherish the little things. Not that we really needed it - but we got a reminder like no other. We made do with the basics - we had our gas stove and that was all that we needed. Who needs a fridge or a microwave or a TV? We appreciate when we have hot water because sometimes we have no water. We appreciate when we have electricity because for mysterious reasons that can go off too. And we appreciate our ability to plug into wifi whenever we can - that is truly a lifeline to the rest of the world. We appreciated a roof over our head (sleeping in the van is not easy or comfortable) and we cherished our friends more than ever.

15. The world really is a beautiful place. Yes we were stranded and verging on the homeless. Rent was so much more than we had prepared for. Dental bills were overdue. But there was no better place to be than right where we were. The weather in Arequipa was gorgeous and sunny, the views of the nearby volcanoes were spectacular. And we had each other.

Mention Nazca and the Nazca Lines are generally the first things that spring to mind and with good reason. They are a massive series of geoglyphs located in the middle of the Nazca desert – miles from anywhere. These fascinating designs were believed to be created between 500BC and 500AD and resemble flowers, hummingbirds, trees, spiders, monkeys, fish and lizards.

Due to the dryness of the Nazca climate, these lines are immaculately preserved and some designs are still being unearthed today, with 24 new images discovered in 2015 alone.

You can opt to take a flight over the Nazca Lines to view the lines from above, which are your best vantage point, or you can climb the tower where you can see an image of the frog and a tree with ease. We opted for the latter choice and still enjoyed our visit immensely.

The Palpa Lines are not as well known as the ones closer to Nazca but they are as equally intriguing. You can see a number of the lines from the nearby carpark and you can also opt to climb the tower to see them from a greater height.

In all honesty I think I preferred these more - mainly because they were concentrated in one area and it was easier to see a selection of them in one place. Archaeologists believe that these are much older than the Nazca Lines, possibly by 1,000 years, and that they were created to please the gods  to help control the natural elements: earthquakes, floods and droughts.

If you choose to take the flight over the Nazca Lines then the plane will also fly over the nearby Palpa Lines giving you a bird's eye view of a selection of both the geoglyph fields.

Whichever way you choose to view them, there is no denying the creativity and the mysteriousness of the images. Definitely a highlight of our visit to Nazca. 

Walking around Santa Catalina, the city within a city, is an enjoyable experience and you can't help but appreciate the history as you wander within the grounds of what is still a working monastery.

The monastery only accepted women from upper class families and, at its height, the monastery housed 450 people (approximately 1/3 nuns and the rest servants). The dowry which was paid by the families for the women to enter the monastery was the equivalent of US$150,000 and they also had to bring a list of 25 other items including clothing, a statue, a painting and a lamp.

There are approximately 20 nuns living within the walls of the monastery today.