Lake Titicaca and the floating islands

Puno was our base for exploring Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,812 metres.  Puno is also known as the folklore capital of Peru from its wealth of art and culture, particularly dance.

Folk dancing, Puno

But for me, Puno will always be known as the place I ate guinea pig.

It was a really hard decision.  As a child I had guinea pigs as pets.  Bubble and Squeak, Vegemite, Peanut Butter, Sugar, Salt and Pepper.  Okay, yes they were named after items you eat but in our household guinea pigs were adored and played with not bred for consumption.

But I was in Peru to experience their culture and Peruvians eat guinea pigs so after much internal debate and putting it off for weeks I bit the bullet and the poor little guinea pig.

It was delivered whole, deep fried and splayed on the plate.  Teeth and claws still attached and visible.  One bite was all I needed to tick it off my list.  It had a slight fishy taste but only because I think the oil it had been fried in was used to cook seafood.  Other people have told me it tastes a little like pork.

Tasting guinea pig, Puno

About a half an hour boat ride from Puno on Lake Titicaca are the famous floating islands.  Man-made and remade over time by the Uros tribe from Totora reeds which are found in abundance in the lake.  Majority of the people no longer live on the islands, instead preferring the mainland so it felt like the floating islands were more like floating tourist markets.  Although very commercialised it was interesting to hear how the people used to live.

Lake Titicaca's floating islands

We then had to endure a two hour boat ride to Tequile Island for lunch.  I say endure as it was the slowest boat with a very old engine so it couldn't risk going anymore than a snails pace.  It may have taken just half an hour with a new engine.  The only interesting fact about Tequile Island is the men are the knitters unlike most other parts of Peru and the views of the lake from the main square are worth the trek up the hill to the town.  I wouldn't go out of your way to visit here though unless it is already part of your itinerary.

View of Lake Titicaca from Tequile Island's main square

A further painful boat ride from Tequile Island, we arrived at Armantani Island and our homestay for the night.  We weren't really sure what to expect but a group of the local community welcomed us with open arms at the dock where we were introduced to our host 'Mamas'.  They then opened their homes and lives to us, complete strangers.  Given that their native language is Quechua, they spoke little Spanish and we spoke even less so communicating was really hard and made our time there quite awkward.

The community filled our time with a couple of games of 'football' on a new field, most likely the benefits of their tourism industry, pulling weeds from potato patches and playing dress-ups in traditional costume and singing and dancing with a local band.

Football match on Armantani Island, Lake Titicaca

Traditional dress on Armantani Island, Lake Titicaca

We were most concerned about eating the local food on the island as we had heard stories of tourists getting sick.  'Mama' Ana preparing the food on the floor of our host kitchen didn't do anything to allay our concerns.  Although the conditions were pretty unhygienic we had no issues and were served a feast of 'truche' or fresh trout, corn and potato by our hosts.

Armantani Island, Lake Titicaca

It was always going to be hard to beat an experience like trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu so it was just unfortunate we visited Lake Titicaca while our recent high was on the wane and we were sore, tired and sleep deprived.

It wasn't one of the highlights of my overall trip or of Peru, however don't discount it if you love immersing yourself in the culture of other countries.  For me it felt just a little too pre-packaged for the tourist trade and lacked that authenticity which would have made it a little more memorable.

Trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Wow, what an experience!

Machu Picchu

If you ever have the chance to trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, please don't even hesitate a moment, just do it!

You will be challenged, you will sweat up a storm and it will leave you breathless but at sunrise on the fourth day it will also take your breath away.

It all started in a little town called Ollantaytambo, the picture perfect base to begin the trek.  And what better way to prepare ourselves than to do another trial trek to an old Inca storehouse nestled in the hills.  We couldn't help but stop at the top, not only to get our lungs back but also marvel at the view of the valley below and ponder what was to come.  It was made even more special by a visit by a local stray nicknamed Sandy.  Like a local guide, Sandy followed us up the hill, sat beside us while we breathed in the vista and then made sure we made it safely again to the bottom.

It was a really beautiful moment.

Ollantaytambo and surrounds, Peru

Day one we were ready, pumped even.

But it goes without saying that each one of us at some stage had that thought, wondering if we could do this.

It was by far the easiest of the days, an easy pace of about 11 kilometres stopping very regularly, almost frustratingly so. I think a lot of people in our group were almost disappointed by how easy it was but being warned by friends who had done the trek, I knew the worst was yet to come.

Day one of the Inca Trail

We were told that our porters could only take six kilograms per person of our belongings and the rest was up to us but were warned the heavier our personal backpacks the harder it would be, so we packed light. We were prepared with just one change of clothes and more importantly toilet paper and moist towelettes as there would be no showers. That's right you heard me, four days and no shower.  I highly recommend hiring a walking stick and an extra layer of bedding to sleep on other than what is provided, trust me.

Day one of the Inca Trail

Day two and the day I had been dreading, the 12 kilometre trek to Dead Woman's Pass.

It doesn't sound tough but when you are going up large steps for majority of it to an altitude of 4215 metres, it is. It was such an amazing feeling reaching the top though, knowing that the worst was over and we could now just stop and enjoy the views. The photos are limited because we were trying to conserve battery over four days but also because concentrating on breathing was priority.

Day two of the Inca Trail

I need to point out at this point that our porters are absolute legends and some of the fittest and strongest people I know.  While we were puffing and panting at every step, struggling with the little backpack we had, they were running past us carrying 25 kilograms each to set up for lunch and dinner and camping for the night.  You can't really appreciate it until you see it, but salute to the porters.  Our trek would not have been the same without them.

Day three, 16 kilometres and the longest day of them all.

It was even longer for Brad who woke up with a stomach bug.  Being sick at home with easy access to a toilet is hard enough let alone being in a different country and on a trek miles away from a hole in the ground. The toilet situation was one of the worst I have ever experienced in any country I have visited and to this day the smell still haunts me.  Yes as westerners we are not used to squatting but seriously, I have never seen so many people able to miss a hole in the ground.

Back to the trek.  It rained just about the whole day but apparently for the start of the wet season we were lucky with just one day.  This to me was even more challenging than the climb to Dead Woman's Pass.  The views which are apparently quite spectacular on a fine day were blanketed by fog so all there was to keep our minds busy for the nine hours or so was keeping the water out of our eyes and watching one waterlogged foot step in front of the other.

Day three of the Inca Trail

Saying that though, Inca ruins started to appear along the trek along with lucky breaks from the downpour, which reignited our desire to keep going.  A special cake prepared by the chefs was a nice little sweetener to end the day.

Day three of the Inca Trail

Day four, this was the day we had all been waiting for.

We started in the dark, trekking early enough to get to the Sungate to witness the full beauty of Machu Picchu in the early morning.  Only 500 people are allowed to trek the Inca Trail at any one time but on the final day it feels like a lot more with everyone trying to be the first to get a peak of the magnificent ruin.

The vista is truly spectacular and the closer you get as you trek down to it, the better it becomes.

The trek to the Sungate, day four

Once you are inside Machu Picchu, it's hard to comprehend its size and apparently some of it is still not yet uncovered.  It's a pretty amazing place and one that thousands of people choose to pop the question at each year.  A beautiful couple on our tour from Sweden are now engaged to be married because of its magical aura.

Machu Picchu

They allow 2000 people to visit the site of Machu Picchu a day so 1500 of those take the easier option and get the train and bus there.  If you do, just keep in mind that there are 500 dirty, smelly, tired, hobo trekkers who have just spent three and a bit long days getting to the site so maybe avoid pushing and shoving them if you can.

In hindsight, I believe the trek made the experience and the beauty at the end all the more spectacular and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Machu Picchu town

Peru.... from Lima to Cusco

If you take the advice from guide books at face value, Lima is not a very inviting city for tourists and is quite dangerous to wonder the streets.  We were pleasantly surprised that Lima has a whole lot to offer tourists and going with our guts, we felt really quite safe.  Granted we only had two nights there but we crammed as much as possible in with the time we had.

Lima, Peru

In those two days I received a random hug from a flower lady on the street, we watched model shoots down funky lane ways, we marvelled at the amazing architecture while hearing about it's rich history and we drank cervezas while the sun set over the ocean.

It doesn't sound too bad does it?

Lima, Peru

Don't miss the view from Love Park on the oceanfront at Miraflores and make sure you visit the Church and Convent of San Francisco with the main attraction being the catacombs.  The remaining bones are an eerie sight as you walk through the dingy maze beneath the church.  It's believed as many as 75,000 bodies were interred here.  The convent's Harry Potter style library is very cool too.

Travelling south from Lima, we tasted our first ever Pisco Sour in, yep, Pisco.  We got the tour of a winery and how Pisco used to be made using old school clay urns and foot stomping to crush the grapes.  Nowadays it's a little more boring being distilled in factories.  Pisco itself is an acquired taste and not one that really grew on me.

A Pisco distillery, Peru

Huacachina is where we motored over sand dunes in muscled-up dune buggies with a driver who thought he was in the dakar rally.  After losing our stomachs quite a few times sand dune bashing, we hit the slopes with our boards.  We weren't quite game enough to actually stand up but if the amount of sand I had in my pants by the end was a measure of how much fun we had, then we had a whole lot!

Sandboarding at Huacachina, Peru

While we didn't really want to part with over US$100 each for a flight over the Nasca Lines, if you are really into the mystery of the ancient geoglyphs in the Nasca Desert you should definitely consider it.  However there is a viewing platform where you can spot two designs at a glance which was enough to satisfy our curiosity.  The lines, believed created between 400-650 AD, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

We experienced our first night bus from Nasca to Araquipa which was surprisingly comfortable.  Peru's bus system is world class with attendants serving you food and drinks and reclining chairs that put the comfort level of flights to shame.

Sights of Paracus and Nasca, Peru

Araquipa is at 2380m above sea level and it was here we started to feel the altitude again.  It's a beautiful old city with Spanish colonial streets but it is here we also started to see the rich mix of its population with many indigenous groups from the Andes brightening the streets with their colourful materials and traditional dress.  We also started to learn some of the history of the Incas including human sacrifice of children to ward off volcano eruptions and deforming skulls to make them conehead-shaped for prestige.

Araquipa, Peru

Araquipa was also our base for a trip to Colca Canyon.

Sometimes I think the less you know about a place the more it blows your mind and Colca Canyon was certainly a highlight.  Getting there we reached a height of over 4900 metres, the highest of our journey and the most knocked around we felt.  We didn't do any physical activity at this level but it was amazing how tired it made you feel.

On the way to Colca Canyon, Peru

Chivay, settled in Colca Canyon is a little gem with a market place full of tradition but also with the locals capitilising on the bus loads of tourists that descend on this tiny town.  It's hard to say no to a photo with one holding a cute and cuddly baby alpaca for a coin or two.

Chivay, Colca Canyon

You will be awestruck by the view as you drive the scenic route to catch a condor or two in flight in the canyon.  This in particular was never on my bucket list but I was amazed at how excited we were to actually catch a glimpse.  I have since added it and ticked it off.  We also had a trial hike, 8 kilometres through the valley at altitude to test our abilities ahead of the Inca Trail.  It was breathless in the beginning but we did better than we thought.  The trek ended with a dip in some natural hot spring pools which made the effort worthwhile.

Condor spotting, Colca Canyon

Another night bus and we made it to Cusco at 3400 metres above sea level.  The countdown to the Inca Trail had finally begun and still feeling the affects of the altitude as well as dodgy street food we decided not do any of the optional activities like quad biking, white water rafting or horse riding although I have heard they are awesome.  Instead we rested up and prepared ourselves for the adventure of the Inca Trek to come visiting the Inca Museum to gain a bit more insight about the culture.

Cusco, Peru

Cusco itself is a beautiful old town and worth exploring on foot and the Choco Museum and its chocolate fondue is highly recommended for a great pit stop along the way.

Choco Museum, Cusco

Next stop, Inca Trek to Machu Picchu!

Galapagos Islands.... so much more than the wildlife

I can't remember exactly how old I was the very first time I saw David Attenborough bring the exotic and colourful animals of the Galapagos Islands into my lounge room, but I can remember that very moment when I knew I wanted to go there one day.



Galapagos Islands wildlife



I pinched myself everyday I was there, lucky enough to live a lifelong dream.  I am still pinching myself that I now have all these wonderful memories and amazing photos to show for it.

If you love wildlife and photography, this place is paradise.



Two male marine iguanas fighting over territory - Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz Island

 I could write a thousand words about our visit, but I have tried to keep the written part of this blog to a minimum and let the photographs tell the story. 

San Cristobal Island

In all we visited three islands, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela.  Each a choppy two hour boat ride apart and each with very different wildlife, landscape and towns.  I thought we would have to trek for hours to see the different types of wildlife but there is an abundance on each and without much hassle to find.

We flew from Quito, Ecuador to the island of San Cristobal but not before they gassed the cabin with bug spray and rummaged through our luggage for fruit and animal products to 'protect the environment' of the islands.  

I guess as Australians with one of the most stringent customs systems in the world to protect our most precious asset, we could understand this.

The first thing that greeted us at San Cristobal were the sea lions, blocking our paths as we walked along the shoreline of the marina where multi-million dollar yachts were moored.  I am not kidding when I say they were everywhere.  Shading themselves from the hot sun lazing on bench seats, underneath boardwalks, in garden beds and even inside children´s slippery slides. 

It´s almost like you also have to ask for permission to swim at their beach and you may even have to move on occasion if you are in their tanning spot as they nudge you away.  What an amazing place it is when the sea lions rule the town, even if the smell is a little on the pongy side.

The sunsets are pretty amazing too but you have to be quick, being on the equator the sun goes down very, very quickly!



Sunset on San Cristobal Island

 Santa Cruz is the most inhabited of the islands with souvenier shops galore.  It is also where the Charles Darwin breeding centre is.  Unfortunately the most famous of its residents, Lonesome George, died earlier this year but his body remains on ice most probably to be taxidermied and put on a display in a new exhibit.

At Tortuga Bay we saw hundreds of marine iguanas, some swimming in the ocean, others on the beach but most huddled in groups usually a harem of dull grey coloured females to one quite striking male.


Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz

The only blue-footed Booby we saw on Santa Cruz Island was happy to pose for the cameras.  It was just our luck that a giant turtle swam by behind him.  You start to realise why they ask you to not use your flash when photographing the animals, we became a pack of paparazzi at times.


Blue-footed Booby peering over a rock wall with the shadow of a turtle behind, Santa Cruz Island

 Snorkelling on Santa Cruz didn´t disappoint either, we saw turtles, starfish, and plenty of fish.  A marine iguana also nearly swam straight into us which got the heart racing for a moment!




Snorkelling, Santa Cruz Island




Other sights of Santa Cruz Island

 On Isabela Island we trekked 16 kilometres return to the volcano Sierra Negra, the second largest crater in the world.  The view was worth the climate we endured of misty rain to searing heat.  It was simply spectacular.



Sierra Negra, Isabela Island



It was on Isabela we also witnessed the beauty of giant tortoises in the wild.  As we drove to the highlands we started spotting them in the long grass.  A very surreal sight indeed.



Giant tortoises in the wild, Isabela Island



A quick boat ride from Isabela Island is Tintoreras Island.  Here we saw thousands of iguanas which were mainly juveniles.  We also saw penguins, sea lions, turtles, eagle rays and white tipped sharks sleeping in the shallows.



Tintoreras Island



I think I have also experienced one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Galapagos Islands on Isabela.  Brad and I escaped to a quaint little bar on the beach, enjoyed a couple of cervezas and watched the sun go down.  It was our last night reflecting on the week and one we will remember for a very long time.

Thinking about the Galapagos Islands in hindsight, I guess I never really thought past seeing the wildlife, so seeing bustling little towns that thrive on tourism was a bit of a surprise.  Construction works in the main streets to upgrade sewerage systems and new tourist accommodation being built was a definite sign this place is getting more and more popular by the minute.  One can only hope the delicate balancing act of protecting the environment and the lure of the tourism dollar continues into the future.



Quito, Ecuador... the middle of the world

 Quito, you had me at two beers.

The first thing you notice about Quito, Ecuador is the altitude.

At 2800 metres above sea level and nestled amongst and surrounded by the magnificent Andes, it is quite a unique place.

Altitude sickness affects everybody differently and not knowing how our bodies would react we decided to go with the travel doctor's advice and take diomox while there.  I don't think I could deal with the hangover symptoms everyday if we were prone to it.  It was just not worth the risk!  We felt a little  breathless at times and the tablets made us a little tingly and dizzy sporadically but overall we were fine.

What makes Quito, which means middle of the world, all the more special is that it is on the equator, which although they have the wet and dry seasons, it is practically the same temperatures year round.

About 45 minutes from the town itself is the actual equator, and although a massive monument stands to mark this significant location measured by the world's best scientists at the time, the advances of technology have proven it to be slightly off.

Old monument marking the equator

GPS now says the correct location is 300 metres from the statue and has become quite the tourist attraction on its own.   Here tourists are given examples as to the affects of north, south and middle of the equator like being able to balance an egg on a nail, water spinning clockwise and anti-clockwise, sobriety test walking along a line and a strength test which somehow meant you were much weaker on the actual equator.  In all a quirky day trip and a must while visiting this part of the world.

New equator discovered by GPS

Another great day trip from Quito, is the small town of Otavalo about two and a half hours drive through the Andes.  The drive itself is worth the trip passing snow-capped volcanoes, deep valleys and small towns.  The scenery was breathtaking, so much so we didn't really care if we had a destination.  Otavalo is known for its Indian (indigenous) markets where  you can haggle and get some awesome souveniers like llama and alpaca ponchos, blankets, scarves etc.  They are also big on their silver jewellery and hammocks.  Ecuador is also famous for roses, you can pick yourself up two dozen for a cool buck!

Otavalo

The old town of Quito is world heritage listed and a pretty cool area to just wonder around.  One of the most impressive buildings is the La Basillica which rivals any I've seen through Europe.  The coolest thing about it though are the gargoyles which are statues of the giant tortoises and iguanas found in the Galapagos Islands.  We were warned about pickpockets in this area so we didn't flash the cameras too much and we didn't see too many tourists doing the same either, actually it was hard to spot the tourists.

Quito old town

Bomberos Quito

Ecuador is so much cheaper than Chile, and the kind of prices you would expect coming to South America.  Its currency is also the US dollar which makes converting really easy.  Ordering a beer at a bar is about $1.70, a main meal at a restaurant is about $10 and walking out of a convenience store with 6 litres of water, two tallies, a packet of chips and some chocolate set us back $5.00.  By the way, all you need is two beers to feel pretty tipsy due  to the altitude so it could quite possbly be the cheapest place on earth to get drunk.

While we couldn't quite bring ourselves to eat guinea pig yet which is a delicacy here in Ecuador and eaten on special occasions, we are also visiting peru which it is also on the menu.  The fact they serve it with its head and feet still attached makes my stomach squirm.

Off the tourist track, we made a visit to a bombero estacion (fire station).  There we were fortunate enough to meet an english speaking fireman Alex who very kindly showed us around.  Brad discovered the  equipment used is almost the same back home and the heirarchy is very similar, the only difference being the main station is military and that they have dual functions with being paramedics.

 Oh and I have asked locals about Julian Assange, to which their response is always "If the President says it is okay, then its okay", so there you go!

Next stop, Galapagos Islands!

Sights around Quito, Ecuador

Santiago, Chile... how I love thee, let me count the ways

Santiago is a gem to discover.

Jaw dropping snow-capped peaks greet you as you decend from the air, beautiful green parks where lovers canoodle are scattered amongst the city's high-rises, impressive architecture rich in history look down on massive squares where locals gather to dance the afternoons away and artisans and tourists co-habitate in eclectic suburbs.

Once you get over the steep $95 reciprocity fee Australians have to pay to get into Chile, you´ll fall in lust with this city and a few days is more than enough time to experience the best sights Santiago has to offer.



Barrio Bellavista

We stayed at La Chimba Hostel in Barrio Bellavista.  The streets of this funky suburb are lined with colourful graffiti art which brightens your way during the day but it's at night that Bellavista really comes alive with bustling bars and restaurants.  There is something for everyone but we chose to walk past the nighspots blaring Gangnam Style, instead preferring a more authentic South American experience at a tango bar with latin dancing.  I highly recommend this suburb for fellow travellers.

Barrio Bellavista is also at the base of San Cristobal Hill which at 300 metres above the city offers sweeping 180 degree views of the skyline.  It is also where a 22 metre white statue of Virgin Mary stands offering those who need it a place to worship but mainly just another photo opportunity for tourists.  The furnicular was not running while we were there so we decided to stretch our legs by walking the steep route to the top.  It was quite a challenging half an hour walk and not for the unfit but the views were well worth it.  We found the afternoon was a better time of day as the smog had lifted a little, but don´t expect crystal clear views.

San Cristobal Hill

Another great spot worth visiting is Plaza de Armas, which gives you a little perspective of how old Santiago is.  The Plaza was designed in the 1500s but most of the impressive buildings including the Metropolitan Cathedral were built in the 1800s.  A must for history buffs but it is also a great place to just people watch, from buskers jostling marionettes to locals dancing.  It is even a popular meeting spot for the city´s stray dogs to sniff each other out.



The sights of Santiago

One of the most amusing experiences we had while in Santiago was in a coffee shop/bar. What we thought was going to be a quick caffeine fix ended up one of the unusual highlights of our stay. You can either choose to take a seat or stand at the bar and get served by the most voluptuous women you have ever seen wearing dresses barely covering their boobs and butts. I actually thought we had walked into a gentlemen's club and as the only blonde female in the joint I received my fair share of uncomfortable stares. Brad's eyes popped out of his head and suddenly found a new appreciation for the coffee houses here and is seriously thinking of opening a franchise back home.

With limited time in Santiago overall, we chose to do the hop on hop off bus tour of the city for about 19,000 Chilean Pesos each which is about $40. It's definitely worth doing as you will see so much more of the city than you normally would and get off at all the best sights the city has to offer.

As far as South America countries go, Santiago wasn´t ´cheap´ so expect western prices if you come for a visit but overall we had a great time and it was an excellent introduction to the continent.

 One thing is for sure, our limited Spanish is only just getting us by and the most common phrases used so far are hola (hello), adios/ciao (goodbye), buenos dias/tardes/noches (good morning/afternoon/evening), habla englais (do you speak English?), no intiende (I don´t understand).  We are picking words and phrases up quickly though so hopefully we´ll be quite the linquists when we get home!

Next stop, Ecuador.

Why Dry July?

Nine days. 

Nine. very. long. thirsty. days.

That’s how long I have endured not touching the so-called demon drink.

What’s worse is that I have 22 days to go.

That’s 528 hours which is 31,680 minutes or 1,900,800 seconds.  Not that I am counting or anything!

Abstinence has got me thinking though.  Why am I doing it?  This is a question echoed from just about every person that has offered me a drink over the last week and a half.

I am not an alcoholic or anything, although you could be forgiven for thinking so with the way I started this blog.  It is not my intention to make light of a serious problem that some people battle with on a daily basis or the fact that many young Australians continue to binge drink at very dangerous levels.

For me I guess it simply came down to seeing if I could go a whole month living life as normal without giving into temptation or peer pressure to drink alcohol.

If popular culture has taught us anything over the years, it’s that drinking is a favourite Aussie past time and something we do when just about any social occasion arises.

In the last week of June my partner posed the challenge and I accepted.  What then ensued were several drunken nights drinking the fridge and cupboards dry of every last alcoholic drop.

I think this was a little counterproductive and completely unnecessary but we had a whole lot of fun doing it!

Things were going well until the first hurdle, State of Origin Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium. 

Brad lasted three whole days.  Now I am on my own.

Indulging most nights in a glass or two of wine has become a habit over the years and also a useful stress reliever after work.

Even as I type, I am missing the familiar sight of a wine glass beside my screen and a niggling and curious feeling that something is missing from my life.

But apart from this, I have noticed something else that disturbs me a little.

Actually it concerns me a lot.

I have begun to decline invitations this month to social outings with friends particularly at night because, well, it’s easier.

I even declined a date night with Brad at a new tapas bar because I couldn’t drink wine.  Instead, telling him to book it in August.

What is happening to me? 

This is not the point of Dry July, for me anyway.  The purpose was to go on living life as normal, not change my whole life completely!

So given that I have 22 days to go, I can either snap out of it and pray the nearest bottle-o is still open or take the road less travelled and accept the next invitation to ‘drinks’ and begrudgingly be the designated driver.

I am still keen to see this through though just to say I did it but I feel the point of doing so is being lost on me by the day.

Reflecting on the 216 hours that have passed since my last sip I don’t see the harm in drinking in moderation.

Particularly if it means not turning into a hermit and getting my butt out the door to catch-up with friends.