I remember when I first started blogging. Anomination for an award seemed to be the ultimate blogging achievement. These days I get nominated quite often, but every nomination is special and has me walking around with a huge grin on my face, gazing at the screen with eyes full of overexcitement.
This time I was nominated by F from the Fence of Stars for the Sunshine Award and then, before I could do the post, Catalina from the emo wolverine writes nominated me too! Thank you guys, thank you so much for nominating me! You're both great bloggers. I don't know where I'd be without you.

I guess most of us know the rules, but in case someone is new to blogging, here they are:
(1). State 5 facts about yourself.
(2). Answer the 5 questions.
(3). Create 5 new questions and nominate some more bloggers for the award.

Since I was nominated twice I think I'm supposed to tell you ten facts. No problem, I've got lots of not really interesting stuff to tell.

1. I'm currently learning to cook - which is driving my Mom crazy. Apparently the result is edible, but the way I get there is more dangerous than the current situation in the Middle East.
2. When I'm hungry my stomach makes more noise than an airplane during take-off
3. I can touch my big toe with my third toe. People in school say it's creepy to see.
4. When I buy necklaces I always choose the one that doesn't fit in with the other necklaces on the stand, because it's different and doesn't fit in just like me.
5. In October 2012 I started knitting a Ravenclaw scarf. I finished it last week.
6. I absolutely love writing in red ink. It gives me a feeling of authority.
7. I never use mascara. Last time I did I almost poked my eye out.
8. My hair is so thick and heavy I can probably knock someone out with my ponytail.
9. My ultimate comfort food is my Mom's special meatball sandwich.
10. I once dreamed that the sun was a gigantic orange that wanted to eat the earth

Now on to F's questions. I've got to say these are interesting questions (I wouldn't have expected anything else from her).

1. What is your favorite mythical creature?
I'm a bit of a weirdo who has an interest in banshees and hamadryads.
Banshees are creepy women who announce the death of a person. They are said to make terrible screaming noises. I don't know why I like them, because my other favorite mythical creature is so gentle. Hamadryads are basically Greek tree spirits. They live and die with their trees. I'm currently writing a story about one who lives in an ancient oak that gets transported to and planted in Central Park. Culture clash and stuff coming up, you know the stuff.

2. If you had to change accents, which would you choose?
Aussie, mate. I already have a thick American accent which got me into a world of trouble in high school. American accents weren't 'proper' accents, I had to have a British accent. I refused. Instead I wanted to annoy them even more by changing my accent into the one they hate even more than an American accent: Australian.

3. What was the last good book you read?
A lot of people won't agree with me on this, but I'd say The House of Hades. It's right up my alley with all those bad jokes and puns. Okay, maybe it's not making me think about the problems in the world, maybe it doesn't offer me a new view on humanity, but it was a great read.

4. What's your favorite modern slang/phrase?
So as a Dutchy I know very little about English slang. I only know 'yolo' and that only reminds me of getting run over by cars in Rome... I don't know much about Dutch slang either. The only thing I know about that is that Dutch boys between the ages of 8 and 15 suddenly call eachtother 'kil', which is really stupid because it's pronounced exactly the same as 'keel', meaning 'throat'. So when you pass a group of those kids it's like they're all yelling THROAT at eachother (yes the caps were necessary). This is why I'm not a fan of slang.

5.What's a little-known fact you've just found out?
I don't want to confirm anything in case the Peruvian maffia comes to kill me for putting this on the internet but... but...
Maybe, just maybe, some archeologists in Peru found another abandoned Inka village in the jungle, smaller in size than Machu Picchu, but also awesome? Maybe?

Think we're done? Think again! I've also got Catalina's questions to answer :)

1. What's your favorite part of your favorite season?
My favorite season is winter. Every season has its good and bad things, but none of them is as awesome as winter. The best part is when snow colors the world white for the first time. I love that moment.

2.Describe one event that happened to you this summer which you will probably remember for the rest of your life.
You can find that here. I don't think I will ever forget the Inka Trail.

3. The worst book ever written- in your opinion?
I can't pinpoint a worst book ever, but Elixir, by Hilary Duff, is bad. And I don't mean the book as a whole, but the writing itself. Switching from past tense to present and back within one sentence? That's just bad writing. You've got to stick with the tense you chose - at least within one paragraph.

4. Natural tourist spots (eg beaches) vs man made tourist spots (eg amusement parks)- where would you rather go?
Natural, because there are always places in nature with no one else. Mankind doesn't like me and I don't like mankind, so I have to get out and go to a forest or something every now and then. People are judgmental, trees aren't. Okay, an acorn might fall on your head, but it won't leave an emotional scar like an insult can. Long story short: I like trees better than people, so natural tourist spots for me.

5. If you could invent something out of a science fiction novel or movie, what would you make?
It's not actual science fiction, but I once read a Donald Duck story in which there was a machine that instantly wrote down your thoughts. That would be nice. Most of the time when I'm writing my head does the entire paragraph in one go, but by the time my hand is half-way there, my head has forgotten how the paragraph should end...

So that's it for the Sunshine Award this time. I usually nominate people, but everyone I know has been nominated in the last week or so. Besides, college starts tomorrow and I'm way too nervous to come up with any questions. Sorry :(

After our Peru trip my Dad still had two more weeks of his vacation left. He grabbed our stuff, grabbed my Mom, grabbed me, threw it all in the car and drove to France. We went to the same campground as last year, but found out it had changed. Or maybe I should say that the crowd on the campground had changed. Last year we were surrounded by friendly Germans, funny Frenchmen and quiet but nice Dutch people. This year... let's just say it was quite different. In a way it was worth it. Never before have I seen such a weird crowd on a single campground. With a little pride I can now present you: Envy's Guide to European Campers in their Natural Habitat. It's even got illustrations!

The Screamers
Imagine you wake up in the middle of the night. You know it's cold and dark outside, but you have to pee right now or you sleeping bag will smell like pee for the rest of your vacation. So you make your way out of your tent, through the dark to the sanitary building.
All of a sudden you hear a giggle coming out of nowhere. After a few seconds of panicky thoughts about ghost stories, you hear a voice. Just a normal voice telling a story about a cat, a movie, doesn't matter what. First of all it's a relief - no ghosts around here - but then you realize not only you, but everyone on the campground can enjoy this delightful story.

Some people just don't understand that a tent is not a house. Everyone can hear them tell their story. Not only awkward for them, but also for the ones accidentaly listening. I don't know about you, but I don't want to know what a stranger did to their girlfriend last night, whether or not their mom walked in and how she did or did not react. I just don't want to know. But unless I walk around the campground with earplugs I will hear certain things I didn't want to know. These people aren't just talking, they're screaming. Screaming things I'd rather not know. I've heard everything this summer from a trip to India to the proper way to raise a chihuahua. And some details about some relationships that have scarred me for life...

The Grill Masters
They don't touch an oven in months. If possible, they avoid the kitchen for a whole year. In case of emergency it's in, raid the fridge and out again. But as soon as they jump out of their car onto the campground, they become self-proclaimed master chefs, the absolute masters of the grill, barbecue gods. They race to the supermarket to buy enough meat to feed the entire population of West Africa. Everything is thrown on the barbeque - and instantly incinerated.
These people are easy to find on the campground: just follow the smoke. Nine out of ten times you'll find a man standing behind the barbeque (if you can see him through the smoke), boasting about his great cooking skills. His wife won't complain about burned sausages, she's just glad she doesn't have to cook on her vacation. The kids won't complain either; after all Mommy has promised them they'll go to McDonald's tomorrow if they eat their ashy steaks. And so the man continues to throw meat into the roaring flames, making sure that everyone can see and smell that he is the absolute best cook on the campground.



The Fashionistas
When I go camping I don't really care what I'm wearing. You can see me walking to the toilets in brown sweat pants and a Batman sweater all day. I'm already walking around with toilet paper under my arm, how much worse can it get? Besides, everyone looks like that, nobody cares. Until the fashionistas arrive at the campground... Suddenly every day turns into a fashion show. Every piece of clothing you wear will be judged. And these girls, or guys in some rare cases, never take a break from being judgemental.
On my last camping trip I had the opportunity to observe two fashionistas from up close. I even counted the number of times they changed clothes: three to six times a day (putting on pj's before going to bed doesn't count in this observation). Their day revolves around clothes and judging others. They spend most of their day hanging out near the toilets, talking about how stupid everyone looks. They're almost as easy to spot as the people who think a campfire and a barbeque are the same thing. The girls are extremely thin and they all wear fashionable summer clothes - even when it's way too cold for dresses and short skirts. The guys have at least seven different caps or pairs of sunglasses. None of these people are wearing shoes fit for walking in a city, let alone on a campground. Worst of all: they're hypocrites. Judging people for wearing a Batman sweater? Rather not, but if you must, don't do it while you are wearing a Sesame Street sweater yourself. That's a tad hypocrite. My advise: if you're not one of them, stay away from them. Even if that means you have to walk an extra mile to the other sanitary building on the other end of the campground.

The Internet Addicts
These people don't need an explanation. You find them in high places - literally. I've seen them in trees, on top of RVs, on top of table tennis tables, just about everywhere. They will do anything for reception, spend huge parts of their day looking for it. But believe me, find yourself a pair of these and you won't need the internet for your entertainment.

Want to know more about crazy European camping life? Read all about camping on European soil here.

Q1) What are you wearing?
The ugliest pair of socks I own, jeans that don't fit anymore after I lost 5kilos on the Inka Trail and a crop top, even though it's way too cold for that. I think I should go get a sweater...

Q2) Ever been in love?
Oh yes, the early posts on this blog are a sad reminder of that.

Q3) Ever had a terrible breakup?
No, I never got into anything you got call a serious relationship, so no terrible break ups either.

Q4) How tall are you?
1.68m, so in the Netherlands I'm a shorty. In South America and Asia I'm a giant.

Q5) How much do you weigh?
I was 57 kilos when I stepped on a plane to see the Nasca lines. Two weeks later, after the Inka Trail and food poisoning, I couldn't wear my clothes without looking ridiculous, so I guess I was more like 52 kilos at that moment. I gained a little weight and now I'm around 54, which seems to be exactly right for me.

Q6) Any tattoos?
No. I've watched way too many Miami Ink episodes to get a tattoo. The pain...

Q7) Any earrings?
Not anymore. My ears react in a very nasty way.

Q8) OTP?
What? Did I miss something while I was on vacation? Let me Google it...
Ah, found it! One True Pairing. Sure, I knew that. Of course I knew, how dare you doubt me! As for an OTP, I'm gonna go for the Starkid version of Dramione.

Q9) Favorite shows?
Game of Thrones, Under the Dome, Wicked Tuna.

Q10) Favorite bands?
Train, fun. and The Script. I get possessive of 'my' bands, so whenever someone says they like one ot my bands, I'm like: 'Really, bet you didn't know that...' and then I'll go to all lengths to prove they're not as much of a fan as I am XD

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Q11) Something you miss?
My friends from junior year.

Q12) Favorite song?
At this moment it's Bulletproof Picasso, by Train (what a surprise must that be after question 10 XD)

Q13) When is your birthday?
July 17th

Q14)Zodiac sign?
Cancer

Q15) Quality you look for in a partner?
He must be able to make me laugh, but also make me think about stuff. I wouldn't be able to be in a relationship with someone who doesn't have a sense of humor and can't have a good discussion with me.

Q16) Favorite quote?
'How do you write "pineapple"?'
'Pine as in pine, apple as in apple.'
This was an actual conversation between me and one of my friends. It's not an inspirational quote, nor a quote of some famous person, but it never fails to make me laugh (though it's more of an inside joke).

Q17) Favorite actor?
Chris Evans. 

Q18) Favorite color?
Blue.

Q19) Loud musics or soft?
Both. Not at the same time, but I can easily listen to Radioactive, by Imagine Dragons, right after having listened to something soft as The Saltwater Room, by Owl City.

Q20) Where do you go when you're sad?
My mind flees to San Francisco or Adelaide, sometimes to happy memories of junior year. 

Q21) How long does it take you to shower?
Depends. About ten minutes if it's just a shower, about 40 minutes if I have to wash my hair. It takes ages to wash it.

Q22) How long does is take you to get ready in the morning?
Fifteen minutes, including turning the radio on and eating breakfast.

Q23) Ever been in a physical fight?
More or less. Not proud of it though.

Q24) Turn on?
Bad jokes and puns. I'm serious :)

Q25) Turn off?
Gaming addictions

Q26) The reason you joined Blogger?
Wordpress made me panick and I had to blog somewhere to clear my mind.

Q27) Fears?
Sharks, dogs, people laughing at me.

Q28) The last thing that made you cry?
The idea of my parents, my friends and my own mortality.

Q29) Last time you said you loved someone?
I told my Mom I was proud of her and that I loved her when we reached the end of the Inka Trail. Three years ago she had a hernia. We were afraid she'd never walk for more than half an hour, but this summer she walked the Inka Trail. I think that's a beautiful achievement for someone who couldn't walk down stairs a few years ago.

Q30) Meaning behind your Blogger name?
Okay, I never told this to anyone before, but my real name is Anne. My last name starts with a V. You know how they want to ensure a criminal's anonimity by showing only the first letter of his last name? Anne V. Sounded a lot like Envy to me. That way my Blogger name was born.

Q31) Last book you read?
The House of Hades, by Rick Riordan.

Q32) The book you're currently reading?
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke.

Q33) The last show you watched?
Wicked Tuna.

Q34) The last person you talked to?
My Mom. She's still talking to me now.

Q35) The relationship between you and the last person you texted?
Rosanne is a good friend to me. I've known her for 7 years. She's actually more an older sister than a friend for me.

Q36) Favorite food?
Anything with meat will do, I'm not picky.

Q37) Place you want to visit?
Did a post on that here.

Q38) Last place you were?
Gérardmer in France.

Q39) Do you have a crush?
On Percy Jackson, but he's kinda fictional and kinda taken too...

Q40) Last time you kissed someone?
Never. Never been kissed, forever alone, that's me.

Q41) Last time you were insulted?
Yesterday. I tried to open a can of soup. I did not succeed. My Dad's comment: 'Good thing you're not moving out yet, you'd starve within weeks.' Gee, thanks Dad.

Q42) Favorite flavor of sweet?
Banana.

Q43) What instruments do you play?
I don't want to brag, but I'm a pretty decent air saxophone player.

Q44) Favorite piece of jewelry?
I don't really wear jewelry, but I had this necklace with an ankh on it which I wore until it broke. I was so sad about it that E. fixed it with a shoelace.

Q45) Last sport you played?
Athletics of course.

Q46) Last song you sang?
Gangnam Style, which wasn't a succes, since I don't speak Korean -.-"

Q47) Favorite chat up?
I'm too shy for a chat up, but one time I was approached by a dude on a school dance and he said: 'I usually don't dance, but I'll make an exception for you.' Definitely a favorite :)

Q48) Have you ever used it?
If I ever feel like my confidence is high enough to cope with rejection and being laughed at, I'm definitely going to use it.

Q49) Last time you hung out with anyone?
Before I went to Peru, I went shopping with Rosanne.

Q50) Who should answer these questions next?
I think I'm going to let Karissa and Youngjoo answer all these questions. Have fun!

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From Envy's Make it Happen List
#6: See Machu Picchu
Status: Awesomeness achieved

When told to write a paper in 5th grade, most kids in my class chose their dog, cat or pet unicorn as a topic. Well, maybe not the pet unicorn, they weren't that awesome, but you get the idea. I, on the other hand, chose to be nerdy: I wrote about the Inca's. That way I learned about the forgotten city of Machu Picchu. Right on the spot, ten year old me decided that, no matter what it would take, I would be in Machu Picchu one day. Eight years later, I made my dream come true. But it was an ordeal to make it happen...

Day 1: When it still seemed fun
Alarm set to: 4.15 am
Distance walked: 12km
The Camino Inka, or Inka Trail, is a four day trek from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu. Forthy-three kilometers, all ancient Inka roads, past archeological sites, through subtropical forests, over mountain passes and through Andean valleys. Only 500 people per day are allowed on the trail, which sounds like a lot, but includes guides and porters. About one in three people on the trail is an actual tourist. It's a privilege to be on the trail.

We were picked up from the hotel at 5am, then brought by bus to the starting point near Ollantaytambo. At 7am my parents, our guide Bonnet and I crossed the start line and started our epic journey to Machu Picchu. It's quite a story to tell, but most of it is for later. The first day was all fun and games, especially compared to the days that followed. We walked only 12km that first day, with lots of breaks to take pictures. Bonnet told us about the vegetation, Inka history, local wildlife and just about everything else. She was a great guide.
I was happily walking wherever the road would take me. I jumped away for unexpected motorcycles, said buenos dias to the porters and had a great time. It got even better when we stopped for lunch. Our porters had already set up camp and the cook had made us a three course lunch. After lunch like that, I felt like I could do anything.

Just you average three course lunch with my goofy looking Dad

The last few kilometers of the day were the hardest. My legs were tired, I was tired, everyone was tired. The last kilometer to our camp for the night was uphill. Terrible. Somehow I made it. Without looking at the camp, I sat down on a rock and almost fell asleep.
Camp turned out to be a patch of land full of chickens, with a French toilet (aka a hole in the ground). After a long day of walking, it looked like heaven to me.

That night I didn't eat much at dinner and went to bed early. I didn't worry about it - after all I had walked 12k at an altitude we can't even imagine in the Netherlands. I went to sleep and, just like Bonnet had assured me, I slept like a baby.

Day 2: Never eat Chinese food in Peru
Alarm set to: 5am
Distance walked: 9km

Can you imagine doing this for a living?

In the middle of the night my stomach woke me up with some bad news. I had to throw up, but where? I slept in a miniscule tent with my parents. I knew I wouldn't be able to get out in time and the last thing I wanted to do was puke all over my Dad at 3 in the morning. Luckily my Mom woke up and quickly grabbed a plastic back from out of nowhere (Mom-magic at its best) in case I would let my dinner see the light of day, or in this case night, again. I was able to keep it in, but the tone was set for the day.
Bonnet was really worried about me and said that one of the porters could carry me if my situation got worse. I didn't want them to. The 'porter's law' states that a porter is forbidden to carry more than 20 kilos at any time. As you can imagine, I weigh a little more than 20 kilos...


Before we started walking, I had to use our beautiful bathroom facilities, which stank like hell. I already disliked using a hole in the ground as a toilet, but when my body decided everything had to get out, front and back, I hated it even more...
My Dad and Bonnet asked me if I wanted to go back, but I couldn't. I think I wouldn't have been able to live with the shame and guilt if I'd gone back. I insisted on doing the Inka Trail - and doing it all by myself, no porters carrying me.

My Mom and Dad stayed with me in the beginning, but my Dad became restless. We sent him ahead. After a while he came back to carry our packs. He did this for the rest of the trail. People who saw him started calling him Twopack, of simply 'the guy who walks the Inka Trail twice in one go'.

Though we only had to walk only 9kilometers, day 2 was already marked as the toughest day: we had to cross a mountain pass at an altitude of 4200 meters. I wasn't even halfway up when I felt like I couldn't keep going on like that. For the first time in my life I stuck a finger down my throat; it was the worst thing I've had to do to myself in my entire life. After throwing up like that I felt a little better, but also ashamed and dirty.
I didn't eat anything during our first break, I just couldn't. Carefully I sipped some overpriced Coca-Cola. An Irishman, who'd noticed me being miserable along the way, gave me some medicine against the nausea. I started thinking of him as Medicine Man. Without his help, I wouldn't have made it.

It was still a long way to the top, to the pass, but at least I started to feel a little better. My legs were sore and the stairs were steep, so I told myself to walk 100 paces before taking a break. That way I made it to the pass.
Going down was a lot easier. Bonnet kept telling us to take our time, and we did. Slowly but steadily my Mom and I made our way down to the camp. My Dad, who'd earned the respect of our porters by becoming Twopack, went ahead with the porters. I was still on the trail when he reached camp. I had 40 minutes to go and thought I couldn't take it anymore. At that moment one of our porters came back to ask if we wanted tea or sandwiches. He saw my condition and asked if he had to carry me. I wasnted to say yes so badly. I couldn't bear the thought of walking any more. My Mom held my hand and said I didn't need a porter to carry me, that i could do it all by myself. And so I did.
When I finally reached camp, teh porters gave me a big round of applause. I smiled warily, stumbled into my tent and slept for almost 12 hours.

Day 3: Thank God for Imodium
Alarm set to: 5.30am
Distance walked: 16km
I felt good when I woke up on the third day of the Inka Trail. After twelve hours of sleep, I was even able to eat a piece of pancake for breakfast. Then I had to run to the toilet again...
There was no question of being carried that day. I was determined to do it all by myself, walk every last centimeter on my own two feet. We had to climb 400 meters that day and I did it with two tiny pieces of pancake in my system - nothing else. I make it sound easy, but I was still going through hell. Diarrhea isn't much fun, especially when there are no toilets along the and the amount of toilet paper is limited. I'll spare you the details.

All day long, I had to count my steps to keep going. The numbers calmed me and distracted me from the distance I still had to go. I was exhausted and the climb toward the next mountain pass was even more exhausting. By counting the steps and estimating the height of the stairs I could calculate how much I had behind me and how much I still had to go. No bad for a girl who hated math.

At the pass was our first resting point for the day. It was beautiful to see what happened there. Every tourist helped each other out. Medicine Man gave me some Imodium for the diarrhea, while my Mom and I helped a kid from Birmingham back to his feet when he was suffering from altitude sickness. Some kind of wonderful bond made us all feel connected. 'We're all in the same shit, the least we can do is make it a little easier' is what we all thought.

The journey continued, mostly downhill now. Bonnet made me sniff pure alcohol when I started to feel nauseated again. Don't ask me how or why, but it helped instantly. And then, a little while later, when we were taking a small break, we suddenly saw not one, but two condors fly! Even Bonnet was amazed. In the previous two years on the Camino Inka, she'd seen only two condors - and now there were two at once! From that moment on I started enjoying the Inka Trail again. I started hour long conversations with Bonnet about everything that came to mind. I was stunned by the beauty of the Andes. I was tired beyond measure, but it was all worth it when i reached lunch camp, where the porters greeted me with applause again. I was even able to eat some luch. And okay, I admit it, I took a shortcut to our final camp. But in my defense: I was still suffering from food poisoning.

Day 4: Machu Picchu
Alarm set to: 3.30am
Distance walked: 6km
That morning I woke up when a Belgian tourist yelled: 'Allez, on your marks, set and go!'. I have no idea how he could be so awake and cheery, since it was only 3.30am.
After a small breakfast, we went to 'the gate'. the gate is just a fence that marks the start of the final stage of the Inka Trail. It opens at 5.30am, when the night is almost over and the sun is about to rise. So even though we were in line in front of the gate at 4am, we had to wait 90 minutes until it opened. I got impatient, but Bonnet told me it was for my own safety. The Inka Trail is a dangerous route to walk in the dark. As recent as January, a tourist died when she fell of the path. Suddenly I didn't mind waiting.

At 5.30 everyone went crazy. People started running, racing eachother and, more important, the sun. Everyone wanted to be at the Sun Gate at sunrise, to see the sun take a peek over the mountains and bathe Machu Picchu in its early morning light.
I took my time. I was also racing the sun, but I thought my safety more important. Besides, the headlight I was wearing didn't illuminate my path the way it was supposed to; I had to stalk others with better headlights to see where I was going. Not that a better headlight automatically meant a steadier progress. I've seen people with spotlights on their head fall over rocks the size of my upper body... But light or no light, the view on the last part of the trail was amazing. I can't even begin to describe it. Some things you've got to see for yourself.

Finally there!

Then, just before sunrise, I had to climb a staircase on all fours, incredibly steep, stubled a minute or so along the path and stopped. Just stopped and took in the view. Machu Picchu. Finally I saw the forgotten city.
We rushed down the last 2km to the actual city, after seeing the sun rise over Machu Picchu. I can't remember ever being as happy as I was when I walked between the houses, storage rooms and temples. After a tough trek with barely any food in my stomach, I could barely believe I'd made it. I remember saying that I was the only one who could make the things on my Make it Happen List actually happen. This was one of them. The trouble I had to go through to achieve my goal was unbelievable. But the reward was worth it. As we took the bus back to Agua Calientes, I shot one last glance at Machu Picchu. My whole body filled with pride, euforia and, for the first time in years, love for myself. I went through hell and back for it, but I never gave up and succeeded. And that was what 'Make it Happen' is all about.

Greetings from Macu Picchu!

You can almost feel the awkwardness in this pic

Ever since I was a little kid, I've wanted to go to Peru. Ever since my Dad was a little kid, he's wanted to go to Peru. My Mom kinda got dragged to Peru when we packed our bags and left for South America. It was a trip full of ups and downs, full of 'ooh's and 'aah's, but also of the occasional 'oh crap' and 'ah fuck'. In my three amazing weeks in Peru, I

• ate an alpaca
• drank a frog
• wrote a Belgian-Dutch dictionary
• got food poisoning from pigs in a blanket that called themselves eggrolls
• almost won a music quiz from a musician
• talked about Emperor Kuzco with Peruvians from Cusco
• raced the sun and chased the ocean
• went sandboarding
• stalked condors with my camera
• took the worst selfie in the history of selfies, with my Dad
• tried eating guinea pig and hated it
• chewed coca leaves
• walked, crawled and barely survived the Inka Trail
• got stuck in a traffic jam on the Panamericana Highway
• took over 550 pictures
• became an expert at using Frech toilets, aka holes in the ground
• danced to Gangam Style in a bus full of people
• became friends with a Belgian girl who could do an amazing imitation of a baby lama

I've got tons of stories to tell, lots of pictures to show. But right now I'm in France, secretly stealing Wi-Fi from restaurants and coffeeshops. When I get home I'm going to bombard you with Peru posts.
And to everyone who commented on my previous posts: thank you :D you deserve a big piece of digital cake! I love you for commenting and as soon as I get access to a desktop (I hate blogging on my smartphone) I'm going to answer each and every comment!

The day you stop dreaming is the day all wonder will leave your life. So I keep dreaming of the wonderful cities I want to visit. It's a great big world out there, with just so much to see, but these five cities are right up in my top 5

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