The next stop on The Wirld tour was the fun-packed country of Peru. A huge country boasting many, many things to see, Peru is a must for all backpackers in South America. See how the lads got on below.

Mancora

“We hoped on the bus from Guayachil, Ecuador at about 10pm with our fingers crossed of having a successful border crossing. To our great surprise the whole things went swimmingly and it was by far the easiest crossing we made. God knows how but the bus even arrived early at our destination, Mancora, the following morning. Mancora is a small beach town in north Peru that is super popular amongst backpackers looking for relaxation, surfing or intense partying. We were heading for the latter. Arriving at 6am was not the best start, so we dumped the bags in the hostel and hit the beach to practice our barely existent Frisbee skills. From the moment we checked in, the next 5 days were spent either flaked on the beach or swimming in the pool. The hostel we stayed in, Loki, was by far the best hostel we have ever stayed in. After a day or two spent by the pool we were so tanned that we were often asked which part of the Caribbean we originated from. 

In Mancora we had the chance to meet a big bunch of Irish lads and partake in some of the activities organised by the hostel such as beer pong. Both Kev and Chris were doing excellently until the final when they were placed against two French lads who decided to take matters into their own hands and cheat their way to victory by using their hands against Beer Pong protocol. Not the first time that has happened though…We also entered the Olympic games tournament and did pretty much as well Ireland do at these events. We won gold, but tested positive for steroids an hour later. 

That said, there were two fields in which we did excel, and they were Heading the Ball and Karaoke. What started as a small game of heads in the pool became a spectacle for many of the hostel guests, with us reaching the fine figure of 38 headers without the ball dropping. That’s going straight on the CV. It even led to one Irish lad asking if we played League of Ireland.  That night, we entered the Karaoke contest and needless to say the rendition of I Want It That Way has gone down in Loki history as one of the best. 

After 5 days of pure fun, we decided it was time to get back to the real world and hopped on the 20 hour bus to Lima. As with all long distance bus journeys, the companies play movies throughout the trip. Well,if I see The feckin’ Impossible again, I will have to check into counselling once back in Ireland. I was an emotional wreck on the trip down to Lima after 5 days of craic.

Lima

We arrived in freezing Lima after midday and we could almost see our tans falling off. We headed straight to the hostel and checked in for some much needed rehab. They should have called the place The Priory.  We spent the whole playing many of the sports available within the hostel. It was like School Sports Day all over again! Once given the all clear from The Priory, we decided to check out the city and were given a lovely tour by some locals. While on the city tour we happened to come across the auditions for The Voice of Peru. Being consummate singing professionals we felt it our duty to enter. After being rejected by the staff due to the fact we were not residents of Peru, we decided to hold an impromptu audition outside the venue to show them what they missed. We are still waiting for the call back. 

While in Lima, we came across both an Irish owned charity called Help Them Hope, set up by John Whelan from Carlow and The Irish Chamber of Commerce Peru.  Luckily we got the chance to interview both entities. You can read about Help Them HOPE and the Irish Chamber of Commerce here. 

On our final day in Lima, we visited the city’s famous fountains and took in some of the Peruvian equivalent of McDonald’s: Bembos. As Colin Farrell said: “That is bleedin’ delish!”. With our rehab over, we decided to head for Ica, a tiny town about 4 hours away which is infamous for its sand buggying and sand surfing. So we grabbed the 6am bus the next day and headed south.

Ica

We arrived at Ica around 11am and were promptly ripped off by the taxi man taking us to our hotel. That said he did sign us up for the sand buggying and surfing that afternoon for a very decent price, so we can’t complain really. We pencilled in only one night for Ica as there is not a whole lot to do apart from the sand activities. Good job, we did that as there was níl aon craic in the hotel as we were the only guests. It was like The Priory holiday retreat. After a bit of grub we were collected by the taxi man and brought to the sand dunes just outside the town in a placed called “Huacachina”. We then hopped on a sand buggy, which looked a bit like a remote controlled car. The driver then proceeded to go mad around the dunes, nearly tipping over on a few occasions. Eddie Irvine got nothing on this! After about 30 minutes of driving we were dropped off to try sand boarding. Not the easiest of sports in the world but we gave it a good shot. Once we reached the steepest dunes we wisely decided to try it on our bellies. The results were not pleasant and Sudocream was called straight into action! We spent the next few hours back at the hotel trying to get sand out of every crevasse but to no avail. The following morning we killed some time by going shopping in the city centre and being the only gringos in town. After some bia we headed to the bus station and got an 18 hour bus for Cusco, where we would finally get to visit Machu Picchu. 

Cusco

We arrived in the picturesque city of Cusco around 12pm the next day and checked into the hostel sin problemas. The hostel had its own gym, so the time was nigh to get back into action. We only lasted about 15 minutes as the altitude was a killer. That afternoon, we went around the city to have a gander and were surprised to see that the city’s flag has a striking resemblance to that of gay pride. A word of note, I highly recommend you do not say this to any Cuscenos, unless you fancy a smack in the face. That evening we sampled some of the Cusco nightlife and threw out some very poor salsa moves.

The following day Chris and I headed off to volunteer with the My Small Help charity. You can read about the organisation here. Essentially we partook in the cookie program, which means helping the mother of a disabled child, Anita, bake cookies for the day and then sell them. The money raised ensures that Anita’s mother can be at home in the afternoon when Anita and her 2 sisters arrive home from school, as she needs constant care. We arrived at their school at 2pm and met the 3 girls, Elizabeth, Anita and Madgil, and their mother. The youngest, Madgil, who is only 9, was the Chief of Operations and soon took over the role of taxi negotiator and cookie monitor. We spent about 4 hours cooking and having some craic with the kids, teaching them a bit more about Ireland in the process. We even tried out our excellent artistic skills to show them some leprechauns.


As we were leaving we learned that the girls all loved One Direction and decided we would return after the Machu Picchu trek with some songs and videos from them. We headed back to the hostel and sold as many as possible, “2 for a euuurrraahhhh”. That evening, in preparation of our 3 day Machu Picchu trek we decided to partake in some additional karaoke. I think I read it in the Lonely Planet that it’s the most recommend preparation. Needless to say, “When you’re looking like that” went down extremely well.

Machu Picchu

We arose at 6am the next morning and took a bus from Cusco to a nearby mountain where we had a 4 hour bike cycle down. It was not the most strenuous of cycles as we barely had to pedal, but we were like 3 Stephen Roches taking the corners.   That was until, my pedal decided he was having no more of it and popped off as I was going 90 around a cliff. I freewheeled for as far as possible until gravity would no longer accept it and I had to sulk-walk for a bit before a replacement was found. That said, the views were spectacular. Afterwards we headed to Santa Teresa, a town which has some famous natural baths and spent a few hours soaking there, until our hands were that of an 80 year old man. We grabbed some dinner with the trek crew and went out for a few beverages. Not the greatest of calls, as we were up at 6am the next morning. 

A bit groggy, we made it up and partook in 3 hours of zip lining. To say we were a tad nervous before the first zip line would be an understatement. However it was pretty easy and in no time we were doing it upside down across the valley. We then had a 4 hour trek on a train line through the jungle. Well it was almost identical to Stand By Me, except we spotted no bodies on the journey. Once we arrived in Aguascalientes, which looked more like a gringo trap than anything else, we got some food and hit the leaba for an early night.

The alarm went off at 4am and the ascent to Machu Picchu began. 2 hours later and being soaked to the skin we arrived at the summit and joined fellow gringos who had got the bus up in the queue. As the sun rose and burned off the clouds we were quite astounded by the views around the whole area. Unreal! After having some stealth sambos that we snook into the park, we partook in our customary Irish dancing and had a bit of craic with the lamas on the cliff edge. After 8 hours of strolling around, it was time to head back down and we visited the local natural baths for a knacker shower. Just before our train we went for some dinner and were rightly ripped off by the local restaurant that charged 25% service charge. They must have seen the big thick heads on us coming. After a marathon trip back to Cusco, we arrived at the hostel at 2am and went straight to bed as we had a One Direction promise to keep in the morning!

Cusco

Arising at 9am, I spent the next 3 hours downloading anything One Direction related online. I’m not sure what the other hostel guests thought, but I had a few strange glances. We hopped in a taxi and headed to the girls’ house again and started the whole process of cookie making again, while a One Direction concert blared in the background. I’ve never seen so much excitement on the faces of kids in all my life! Once the cookies were made, we said our goodbyes and the girls gave us a number of presents including bracelets, posters and diaries. Lovely kids altogether! Once back in the hostel we decided the following day was the day to end our Peruvian adventure.  With that in mind we went to a local “P” party (you have to dress up as something beginning with P) and went as a Princess, Pikey and Potato Sack. A+ for effort.

While out the next morning to buy the tickets to Bolivia, we were walking down the street when I overheard a young girl of about 6, say to her sister, “What are they? I’ve never seen anyone like them before.”  To which her sister confidently replied, “Ah, son gringos Maria….GRINGOS”. Needless to say we felt like three black lads strolling through Connemara in the 1950’s.  After a few hours of killing time at the hostel, we went to the bus station and headed towards La Paz.

As always, a huge thank you to all the people who have made the last 3 weeks in Peru probably the best of our journey so far. In particular we would like to thank My Small Help for allowing us to partake in activities and also Loki Hostels for just existing. Peru is such an amazing country with friendly people, numerous activities, beautiful attractions and awesome parties! A must for everyone!

See you in Bolivia,

The Lads

While in Cusco, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to volunteer at a local charity called My Small Help. My Small Help (MSH) was set up by a group of friends in the UK and Nepal who believe strongly in upholding basic human rights for children. The philosophy of MSH is that if more and more people give their small help, every child will be able to have their basic rights. In its first three and a half years MSH has provided education sponsorship to over 60 children and has built facilities at a school in Nepal, which has affected the lives of hundreds of poor children.

Leander Hollings, founder of My Small Help, was living in Peru when devastating floods hit the Cusco region in January 2010. After an appeal for funds to help the flood victims MSH partnered with Peruvian organisations to help distribute emergency aid and developed a medium term plan to develop a sustainable business to help one of the identified communities get back on their feet. MSH became a Peruvian registered charity in March 2011 with a mission to help those living in poverty, or with a disability, access a brighter future primarily through providing access to education and skills training.

One of the projects that MSH runs in Cusco is the Cookies Program which we took part in over 2 days. The project helps the family of Anita, one of the disabled children that My Small Help supports. The project involves the production and sale of cookies, made by the mother of Anita. Volunteers also then have the job of selling the cookies to tourists in Cusco, and the money made then goes directly back to Anita´s family, allowing for further production of the cookies, as well as providing financial support for the family.

Due to Anita´s disability, her mother Elizabeth is required to work from home, as Anita needs almost constant care. The cookie project therefore gives the family the opportunity to boost their disposable income, without imposing on Anita´s need for care. Another imposing factor on the family is Anita´s high medical expenses. With no external help, the family has to make do with what they have, whilst constantly funding Anita´s expensive medical requirements.

In total we spent two days volunteering with the Cookies Program. We met Anita, her two sisters Elizabeth and Magdil and her mother at their school. We then went across to their house to begin the cooking process, helping speed up the process with our excellent cooking skills. We were absolutely blown away by the three children. They are some of the nicest and most polite children we have ever met and made us feel right at home each day we visited, making us posters, jewellery and food. Once the cookies were made and numerous One Direction songs were sang in the kitchen, it was time to hit the hostels to sell as many as possible. The cookies sold well which made the few days volunteering extra rewarding.

If you are interested in taking part in any of the numerous projects available in Peru with My Small Help, please check out www.mysmallhelp.org and drop them an email at: . A few hours of help goes a long way to improving the day to day life of the family and we would highly recommend it to all backpackers visiting Peru in the near future.

While in Lima, The Wirld came across an Irish run charity called Help Them HOPE. Help Them HOPE was created in 2009 by John Whelan, from Carlow, who saw the need for more opportunities for disadvantaged youth with disabilities throughout Peru. John’s awareness of this need across Peru began in 2006 when he was volunteering in Peru. Through John’s desire to work with, and support persons with disabilities, Help Them HOPE grew into a non-profit that would provide the needed resources, support, and programs these individuals need in order to achieve their educational, career and independent living goals.

The Wirld caught up with John and asked him a few more questions in relation to Help Them Hope and how the whole project came about.

Iain: Hi John. Firstly could you tell us a little bit about your background and why you decided to make the big move to Peru?

John: Sure. My name is John Whelan, from Carlow. I studied Business and Marketing at I.T Carlow and am the youngest of three sons. Growing up my parents were highly involved in community work back home, so that would be where it started. A number of years later, after spending a year in Oz, I travelled back home through Cambodia. After seeing the atrocities left behind from the Pol Plot regime I decided that the next time I went I wanted to do some charity work. 

I came to Peru for three weeks in January 2007 to volunteer. I absolutely loved it and stayed for three months. I returned again to Peru in December 2008 for three weeks and ended up staying for seven months! Finally I moved to Peru in 2009, got married and started Help Them HOPE. I left Ireland not because of the economy but for ‘true love’.

Iain: So where exactly did the idea of Help them Hope come from?

John: While I was volunteering at www.villalapazfoundation.org I saw a great need for the people I was helping. I saw the need of education, the need for opportunity and the need for young people with disabilities and illnesses to be more Independent.  From that I started Help Them HOPE.

Iain: Do you believe that the Irish sense of community had a lot to do with your decision to set up the charity?

John: Yes of course, from my family and from living in Carlow. 

Iain: Have you seen many similarities between the Peruvian people and Irish people in terms of their community spirit and great efforts towards charities?

John: No not really. One thing I miss here is the lack of the community in Lima. There is a great lack of trust among Limeaños.  In terms of giving, many communities in Lima do hold small fundraisers to help someone from their neighbourhood but in general their level of giving is very low. Many say it’s just not part of their culture.   

Iain: Back to Ireland, what do you miss most about home?

John: I’ve been travelling since 2001 so I’ve got over missing the small things but I miss: family, friends, the rolling green fields and of course the craic. 

Iain: Do you ever foresee yourself returning home one day?

John: Yes of course. Ireland is and always has been a great country.  To rule out returning would be just foolish. 

Iain: And finally, what’s next for Help them HOPE?

John: Well we are currently working on our Strategy 2014-2019. Some plans are to have the first Independent Living Centre in Peru, to create a leadership Institute for people with disabilities and to replicate our courses across Peru. So watch this space.

Iain: Great stuff and all the best for yourself and Help Them HOPE

You can find more information on Help Them HOPE on their website www.helpthemhope.org