Dear Dad...

Dear Dad,

How are you?  Hope all is well on your side of the world.  

I am sure you already know, Uncle passed away last night.  Did you come to pick him up?  Were Grandpa and Grandma with you, along with Irene?

Saying goodbye is never easy, is it?  No matter how prepared you think you are?  No matter how much time you have to say goodbye to someone you love.

I still wonder, often, whether I will ever see you, Irene, Grandpa and Grandma again.  What really happens after people die?  Do you really go to Heaven (or Hell), do you come back to another life or do you become fish food?

Dad, you are so far away, are you happy? Are you really in a place with no pain, sadness or suffering?  Are you with the rest of the family? Can you really see me from where you are?  Can you really hear me when I sometimes talk to you?  It seems a bit silly really, but it makes missing you less painful, when I believe you can hear me.

I had a dream about Irene when I was traveling. I didn't remember she was dead in my dream, it was rather odd. In my dream, she had really grown, she had long, black and silky hair, she was really tall and slim, like a supermodel.  And she looked happy.  

Some Chinese believe that when you dream about dead people, it's really them trying to tell you something. I want to believe Irene was trying to tell me she was happy.  Is she happy?  Does she think about me, like the way I think of her? Does she miss me too, or are you not supposed to feel sadness in Heaven?

Every time when I experience death, it brings back all the memories. 

I can still see everything like it was yesterday.  I can still see your smile, your eyes...I can still hear your voice, your laughter. I can still see you by my side, teaching me how to ride a bicycle. I can still see you sitting next to me, teaching me how to do long divisions. I can still see you running around, playing football with us. I can still see you lying in that hospital bed, making me promise to finish school and to look after mum.

I didn't realize Dad, that you have been gone for almost 20 years.  

I never really got the chance to say goodbye to you, did I?  I was in England, and you were in Hong Kong.  But I was lucky enough to say goodbye to you on the phone and I am lucky enough to be loved by the rest of your family, the rest of OUR family.  There is a lot of love around me, and it's because you loved them so much when you were here.

Dad, after your death, I honor you by living life to the fullest. I may not be a millionaire or coolest looking girl in town.  But I am healthy and happy and I have a loving husband who loves me to bits.  I wouldn't doubt it if he loves me as much as you did.

I am sad that Uncle is gone, but I am also happy because he no longer has to suffer, and that I believe he is in a much better place.  I guess all of you will be playing mahjong every day!

Take care and say hi to everyone for me. Don't forget to come back into my dreams more, and bring the rest of the troops with you!

I miss you, Dad.

Love you always,
Jo

Memories Can´t Be Stolen

We took an overnight bus from Arequipa to Puno which was bloody freezing.  We had no idea how cold it would be and were lucky to keep our toes!!!  Then we crossed the Bolivian border and arrived at Copacabana.

We were going to head off to Isle del Sol but while we were waiting for our ferry to go to the island, we had our bag stolen.

Clearly, we were shocked and very upset.  Initially, I thought it was the items that got stolen (our really good camera, iPad which was a gift, iPod, lenses, everything) that had upset me.  However, soon I realized it had little to do with the material of what had been stolen.

It was the emotional attachment and the fact that someone had taken something from you...stolen.  All the gagdets can be replaced and as long as my hubby and I are safe, nothing else really matters.

I was more upset over the photos we had taken during this travel...not alot, about 1,400.  But it was the sweat and effort taken to get these photos...from diving to 30m with hammerhead sharks to trekking to an altitude of 4,750m.  It was the experience, the soul and heart we have put in.

It took me TWO nights to fully recover.  The first night, I got over the material stuff.  The second night, I finally came to terms with the fact that yes, our photos were stolen, what has happened has happened and I was never going to get it back.  But one thing these bastards could never take away, was our memories.

Memories can´t be stolen. 

They will always be in our hearts.  Moreover, I received tons of twitter DMs, facebook message/comments and emails from my family and friends regarding their concern.

I was more emotional when I read these messages than when our stuff got stolen. 

People in Japan have lost their homes, EVERYTHING, so many people starve each day, sick kids never get the chance to travel and see the world etc...and here I was...worrying about a camera and some photos.

I guess only when shit happens, then you realize what you really have.  Nothing really matters, as long as you have still got your partner, family and friends. 

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

¨Don´t let the bastards keep you down¨- by Rihanna

They have taken little stuff and 2 days of my life and I am not going to let them take anything else from me / us.

Screw the bastards, I still hope they get run over by a bus or something and I´m not afraid to admit to my evil thoughts. 

We bought a new baby (old version, small and simple) camera yesterday and have began taking photos like a beast today!!! 

Memories can´t be stolen...it will always be in our hearts.

Machu Picchu - The Lost City of the Incas

 

We flew into Cusco from Lima and did a day trip to the Sacred Valley before our 5-day trek to Machu Picchu.

On the first day, I underestimated what was waiting for me and I cursed through the 10-hour trek. I didn't take a single photo as I was just trying to make it to the camp in one piece!!! I finally calmed down when I started meeting other people from our group and I learnt to laugh again.

The second day, as expected, was a bitch! It was a constant uphill to 4,600m altitude. Again, I had no interest in the scenery until I reached the top alive. On my way back down, I realized I was surrounded by a beautiful scenery and I became stronger through the afternoon.

The third and fourth day were really easy, 5-hour trek each day. We ended the fourth day in Aguas Calientes where some of our group went to the hot spring which was pretty fun...and strange. Haha...everyone there probably hadn't had a bath for over 3 days but no one cared. It was a blast!

The fifth day was one of the most unforgettable days of my life. We got up at 4am and had to race up 2,500 steps (400m up) in order to get a pass to go to Wayna Picchu (there is a daily limit of only 200 people at 7am and 200 people at 10am).

It was harder than the previous 4-day treks and the 4,750m Santa Cruz trek because there was nothing other than darkness and 2 or 3 steps ahead of you. It was still dark and we had to trek with a head light. You know it's game over once you stop as there were tons of people behind you trying to get your spot.

I was really concerned with Rupert as he was really struggling. I, surprisingly, was getting stronger and stronger as we ascended. I still don't understand how I did it but I'm very proud of myself for achieving this.

I had tears in my eyes when we reached the top and were one of the first 200 to be there. I never thought I would make it and this had made me believe in myself more.

Machu Picchu was stunning. It's located in the middle of nowhere and its magnificent stonework and craftsmanship were just unreal. It was worth the all the hardwork, tears and sweat. No words or pictures can describe Machu Picchu. You have to be there to experience it. The Lost City of the Incas should lives up to it's title as the New Seven Wonders of the World.

To top such crazy day up, we went back in town only to realize our agency hadn't reserve Rup and my train ticket. No one know who to call to solve the problem and we were really stressed out!!! What made things worse was no one spoke English and no one gave a shit.

Thanks to my 3 angels - Menno, Tobias and Sven - who helped us translate, ran around from hostal to hostal and to the train station with their bloody backpacks! Somehow, we finally were able to get on a later train on the same night.

Thus, all in all, the 5-day trek to Machu Picchu was very adventurous, fun, challenging and rewarding. It was one of the most memorable experience of my life.

Huaraz, Peru - Trekking to 4,750m alttitude

The first day in Huaraz, we visited Chavin, a 3,000-year-old temple next to a small village. It's an impressive temple built from stone with a maze of tunnels, chambers and alleys that you can explore (really cool stuff).

We rested for a day before we embarked on our 4-day Santa Cruz trek in the mountain range of Cordilleras Blanca, which is the second highest mountain range after the Himalayas.

Every day, we woke up at 6am and would start trekking by 7am. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. I recently blogged about the hard work required for surfing, well it's nothing comparing to trekking to 4,750m altitude.

It's one of the best things I have ever done in my life.

I was worried about not being able to shower or wash my hair fo 4 days, but that was the last thing on my mind. The weather was so unpredictable that one moment, it's sunny, another it's pouring, then it's hot, then it's cold.

You could be trekking in your T-shirt during the day and you would be sleeping with your ski pants, thermos, beanie, gloves and fleeces at night.

Every step upward required so much strength and determination at such high altitude.

Breathing was one thing, hanging on to dear life was another. There were points when I thought I wasn't going to make it. But thanks to my husband who was my motivational angel and a great team of people we were trekking with, I finally made it.

And once you open your eyes and see what's around you rather than worrying about a shower, the coldness and wetness, fatigue or having a congested nose, it was all worth it.

The beautiful scenery of snow capped mountains, icy water falls, bright and colorful flowers, horses eating grass next to you, cows and donkeys strolling around, gorgeous valleys, river, lakes, trekking on peddles, stones, grass and mud, was just unbelievable.

We saw the Artesonraju which was said to be the Paramount Picture logo! Now that's amazing in itself.

I'm very proud of myself for doing this 4-day trek to 4,750m altitude. It's one of my biggest achievements in life and something I will share with my children.