Drew is an Enrolment Service Professional – when not on a front desk shift or helping his normal cohort of students, he does some local recruiting for the SRA team, and works closely with Aboriginal students and partners on campus. Drew says that working in ES has been a fantastic experience: “I know that I am very lucky to have colleagues around who are willing to listen to me talk about myself and my travel stories. When the opportunity to post in this blog came up, it was a dream come true.”
Where have your recent travels taken you to?
I spent three months travelling around Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, and I would have to say my highlights were in Lima and Machu Picchu. The Peruvian people were so friendly to me at every turn, and were always willing to let me struggle through the few Spanish phrases I had learned.
Unfortunately, I lost my phone while on my trip, so I only have about 20 photos in total from the three months. I resorted to asking tourists to take my photo, and then giving them my email address to send me the photo later.
What was your most memorable moment during your trip?
Machu Picchu was amazing. I was lucky enough to be there on a day when the sun was shining, but there had been torrential rains the day before, and a tourist was struck by lightning – word gets around quickly and tourists love to gossip. When you leave the town right next to Machu Picchu, you can either take a bus at 6am or do a ‘Grouse Grind’ type hike at 5:30 to beat the crowds. If you ever have the chance, it is worth being as early as possible because sunrise over the buildings when no one else is in the park is one of the most awe inspiring views in the world.
What was your favourite meal?
Unfortunately I never had a chance to try Cuy (cooked guinea pig) but apparently it is a delicacy. Instead I settled for ‘menu del dias’, which were always incredibly cheap combinations of rice, beans, and soups, and could be found in random hole in the wall restaurants
Lastly, what is some advice for future Machu Picchu travellers?
If you ever have the chance, it is worth being as early as possible to Machu Picchu because sunrise over the buildings when no one else is in the park is one of the most awe inspiring views in the world. There is a three day hike from Cusco that can be done, sometimes zip-lining and side trips are included, but the cheap and quick option is to take a Collectivo bus for really cheap and then hike in the last 10km.