7th wheel!

A man named Jever arrived a couple minutes late to pick me up (along with other tourists) to Colca Canyon.
This 2 day/1 night tour group consists of an elder German couple, two elder Russian New Yorker women (who are friends), a single Peruvian woman, two Peruvian couples, a couple from the UK...and me...and my camera.

Initially, everyone keeps to themselves as there are some language barriers. Everyone is friendly, but no one is going out of their comfort zones to try and get to know one another. I notice one of the Peruvian couples as they are very romantic with one another. Always touching and kissing. I observe the others in this group and I realize that all the couples are romantic with their Loved ones. The two Peruvian couples though, they looked like what Love should look like.
I checked for wedding rings to see what the situation is, but in either case...neither of the couples are married.







I thought my mind has already escaped thinking of my own relationship back home, but it seems that this is a re-occuring theme; I am surrounded by couples. All different kinds. Old, young, new...

Our first stop as a group is made at a local store to pick up some Coca leaves and other Coca leaf products. This promises to help with altitude sickness as we are going to reach nearly 5,000 meters high in the next couple of hours. It was on our third stop when I started to feel light headed. I took in 6 leaves and chewed on them trying to think of only good thoughts. My breath was short and rapid so i changed my pace to be slower than i normally would go.

I quickly was drawn to Nancy, the solo Peruvian woman traveller. She seems outgoing and quirky. We agreed that we would take photos for each as we have nobody else with us to do this.

After a buffet lunch with the group I wandered around the small town of Chivay. I strolled cautiously as i am not comfortable here yet. Too many people are taking notice of me and this makes me feel a bit like a target. I´m wandering around by myself and I´m wearing a skirt...I shoulda known better.

At 4pm, we were picked up by our guide to take us to the natural hot springs. We spend two hours here. I befriend Alexandria, the Russian New Yorker. Her friend Sletvana isn´t feeling well due to altitude sickness and has decided to stay in her hotel. Nancy didn´t want to go in the water so she stayed in the museum.
Alexandria and her friend live in Brooklyn. She tells me that the reason she is here in Peru is because as she gets older, she will not be able to do such adventures. She is seizing the moment and I admire her courage.

At 7pm we are scheduled to go to a restaurant for dinner which also displays traditional folkloric Peruvian dancing and music. Nancy didn´t go...Alexandria decided to stay at the hotel with her friend...and the German couple were both feeling ill so they didn´t attend as well. During dinner, I looked around the group and I noticed one thing. I´m ther 7th wheel on this triple date. FML.

During dinner, I decided to break a few shells and asked more questions to find out about these couples. Here are their stories...

Pedro y Fiorella
Pedro is an engineer and Fiorella is a nurse. They´ve been together for 6 years and wears his promise ring. Only in the last 8 months, they´ve been seperated because of work. Pedro now works in Arequipa while Fiorella has stayed in Lima. ¨Isn´t it hard?¨, I asked her. ¨Too hard¨, she replied.
Pedro looked at Fiorella and says, it´s time to go to the next level. I mention that technology is a great thing and helps couples feel closer than they are, but I also mention that it´s definately not the same. ¨...of course not¨, Pedro says.

Cesar y his Girlfriend (her name slips my mind)
This Peruvian couple is possibly the more Lovey Dovey of all the couples. They are always touching, snuggling, or kissing. They have been together for 4 years and only in the last 2 months they´ve been apart. This is also due to work. She works in Cusco, and he works in Chiclayo (near Ecuador). ¨Isn´t it hard¨, I said to her. ¨It´s still really hard¨, she responded. I didn´t want to break it to her, but it doesn´t get any easier as I´ve learned from Fiorella.

Andy y Samantha
These two are from the UK. They´ve been travelling together for the last 11 months and have had no choice but to be together, no matter what the situation. They´ve got 5 weeks left on this tour and she mentions that she is not excited for it to end. Not quite as public with their displays of affection, i catch them sneak kisses and hugs every so often.

As I´ve mentioned, there´s been a re-occuring theme with this trip; I have been surrounded by couples in Love. No distance, no crazy circumstance, nothing...seems to break them.

So what makes it work?
...I didn´t get to ask them that.

This will have to be something each person will have to figure out themselves with their Loved one.