Caught a ´collectiva´- a fancy name for a minibus taxi! - to Urubumba in the Sacred Valley to treat myself to a night at Willka Tíkka, a spiritual retreat run by Carol Cumes and her partner Mark Hennessey who I have corresponded with over the past couple of years. They are both originally from South Africa and Carol wrote the book ´Journey to Macchu Piccu´ which provides a wonderful background on life in the Andies and the Quechua people. She has also produced an award winning coffee table book called ´The Chakra garden´
which is about the garden she has created at the retreat and, it must be one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen, as is the garden itself. It is vibrant and yet so peaceful at the same time, with different areas dedicated to the seven chakras and their corresponding colours and special meditative spaces that have been so thoughtfully and lovingly laid out. I was the only guest there ( 2 large groups had left the day before) so I had the whole place to myself and got to spend some lovely time with Carol and Mark. An amazing place to just ´be´ and to reflect on all I have experienced in the time I have been away. Nice to also return to the Sacred valley and see how the rains that they have had while I was in Bolivia, has turned rhe lands green and washed everything clean. It has truly been a remarkable journey for me in so many ways and although I am so excited to start my homeward journey tomorrow and can´t wait to see my family and friends, I will definately leave a small part of myself here. Cusco is a very buzzy place and besides being hassled by the store owners trying to sell you their wares it is really a great place to spend some time.
When I got back to the city earlier today, I shopped up a storm even venturing into a bit of a dodgy area to find some of their hand woven fabrics which I have fallen in love with, at local and not tourist prices. Have had to buy another bag to carry it all home with me! So tomorrow its on to Lima where I will be staying with the SA Ambassador and his wife who are friends of Jen and Stew then to Beunos Aires for 2 nights then HOME!!!!
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