Helix - Rock You (To Peru)

Looking back it's so clear to see the perfect path lined up just for you.
 If I'd never had the courage to get on an air plane and travel to visit a best friend, I'd never have had the inclination to book a trip to Maui with the family. If I'd never booked the trip to Maui, I'd never have known how easy it is to just do stuff instead of thinking about it. And I'd never have thrown all caution to the wind and booked a trip to Peru. By myself. To hike the Inca Trail. Me. The total chicken shit alone in a foreign country on a trip to hike a trail that I'd heard is basically all UP. ( Have I ever mentioned hiking is also one of those things I mostly think about? I am the only hiker in the family and at the time, I hardly ever got to hike! )
It's all there, behind me. Little stepping stones to a most magical experience. The true catalyst for my trip to Peru was not nearly as magical. Our local news-Global Edmonton-was playing a song out to the commercials and at this particular time they were playing Rock You by a little band known as Helix. Allow me:









Ha! Yes that Helix.




My husband piped up " That song is twenty eight years old!" which instantly made me feel old and I decided right then and there I wouldn't let another day slip by without doing something amazing in my life. If I lived to be 80, my life would be half over. I felt panic, a tightening in my chest. I'd better get busy! I had so much to do.


Lucky for me I'd discovered a travel company for women on line-Wild Women Expeditions-I had my eye on a trip going to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro but Jennifer of said company didn't have all the details finalised yet and I was getting distracted by a Peru trip the company was offering.




"Come to Peru" the pictures said. "Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and celebrate Solstice with us"  I booked the trip quick as a wink. And of course had second thoughts immediately afterwards for a year and a half, ha!


There were times when the anxiety about travelling alone was so great I felt ill. There were times when convenient excuses looked oh so tempting and I almost cancelled. Behind all of that, I knew I'd return a changed person , I knew I'd learn new things and grow in powerful ways and I knew I'd never forgive myself for not going. So I forced myself through each bout of panic and fear. "I will rock Peru" became my mantra-thanks Helix!- in an attempt to quell the panic simmering within.


I did research. I bought things for my trip. I trained for all the stairs and hills. I tried to learn Española, my ears finely tuning themselves to anything that sounded like spoken Spanish. I became a magnet for all things Peru and pestered my family like crazy with my obsession.


My anxiety finally lessened enough just in time for excitement and glee to set in. About one month before my departure! This is not to say I had conquered my nerves.
Por el contrario mi amigo! I was still scared as hell. It was just a softer, gentler fear. The kind of fear you can swat away with your hand when you need to.