Peru had been at the top of my bucket list for quite some time, so when I had finally arrived I was a little overwhelmed. I am VERY unhappy with America’s current political state, however, when I booked my trip to Peru I didn’t realize I would be there during inauguration time (I also hoped inauguration time would be more favorable for me as I booked before the 2016 election results).
I arrived in Cusco after a day delay on the flight, which put a damper on my already somewhat melancholy state of mind. I wanted to give myself enough time to adjust to the altitude as I heard it was common to get sick there. It’s no joke, the altitude sickness I experienced was REAL. Due to missing a day there because of the flight delay, I only had Friday- Monday there, and that was including doing Machu Picchu which is typically a two-day venture. Friday was January 20th, aka the day of the inauguration. I told myself I would not watch it or check social media that day (which would be somewhat easy considering my phone had overheated). I wanted to use Friday (inauguration day) to explore Cusco, try some local specialties, talk to the people, and just take everything all in. However, I woke up with a massive headache and was sick to my stomach. It felt like a hangover from a week of drinking in Vegas. I felt awful and I knew it was the altitude. I drank some coca tea and attempted to go out anyway, but even walking up a few flights of stairs in Plaza des Armes, I lost my breath so badly that I almost passed out. I knew I had to stay in the hostel and just take the day to chill, but I was not happy about it.
I thought I could use the day to get some writing done, but when I got back to the hostel, the inauguration was being played, and everyone was in the lobby watching, dumbfounded.
“I can’t believe they elected this clown,” said a girl from Germany.
“This is the end of the world as we know it.”
“Chicago was so upset the day after the election.”
Chicago? I asked this girl where she was from, and indeed, she was from Chicago. She was living in Peru temporarily to teach English. We discussed the horror our liberal cities experienced the day afterward (New York and Chicago, doesn’t get more liberal than that). I ended up watching the entire thing in her company, and despite my altitude sickness, we cracked a beer and shared it.
Once the inauguration was over, I was only thinking about how sad I would be that I was missing the Women’s March the following day. I thought, screw my altitude sickness, I’m creating my own march.
I went to a tour office right before closing time and booked a hike that left at 3am to go to Rainbow Mountain. I slept maybe five hours, woke up and didn’t feel too much better, but off I was to Vincunca.
In the van up there, I sat next to a girl, Rebecca, from DC who was equally horrified over the election. We discussed what a shitshow it was and she also expressed she was sad to be missing the Women’s March. I told her, let’s make this our march!
We arrived to Rainbow Mountain and at first we were fine, but oh man, this hike is not for the light-hearted. It is about a three-four hour excursion up, and you may feel like you’re cruising for the first 30-40% of it, but after that, it feels like you’re carrying a ton of bricks on your head and feet. It is extremely difficult (we were so high up that it was snowing!!).
Rebecca and I kept each other motivated. We both wanted to give up several times, but we said “We can’t! It’s our march!!”
After a strenuous long hike, we finally made it to the top (I have never felt such relief in my life). The mountains looked like someone had stuck their brush in every color of paint they could find and just stroked. The view was worth the strife (I wanted to give up SO many times). We took pictures of each other and agreed we needed a sign. I had my little travel journal on me so we made a sign that said “Women’s March: Rainbow Mountain, Peru.”
The walk down was almost equally as horrifying. My legs were physically incapable of working and I fell about twenty times (I may or may not have cried out of frustration), but at the end of the day I did it. And it was awesome.
