Peru and Ayahuasca Diaries
August 12, Saturday — Setting Off
Istanbul Airport. I’m waiting for TK193 to Sao Paulo. The plane was supposed to depart at 13:35, but with a delay, the departure time is now 15:45. Originally, my plan was to fly from Istanbul to Sao Paulo in 13 hours and wait for about 10 and a half hours there. The delay happening while I’m still in Istanbul, my hometown will be deducted from this waiting time, so actually it’s in my favor. I’ll spend the night at Sao Paulo Airport. I haven’t arranged an airport hotel, but I surely can find somewhere to sleep at the airport. Then, I’ll reach Lima with a 5-hour flight. After that, I have a 1.5-hour journey from Lima to Pucallpa. I’ll leave Istanbul on a Saturday afternoon and be in the Center on Sunday evening.
I’ve left my cats and my house to my cousin. I’ve packed and prepared, and everything has gone well so far. I’ve said my goodbyes to everyone, from those who know where and why I’m going best, to those who have no clue about ayahuasca. I’ve accepted everyone’s lovely, encouraging, and loving messages with gratitude.
I’ve brought three short novels, one research, and an article on ayahuasca; it was researched and compiled by a theology professor in Turkey. I also have the music and the podcasts I’ve downloaded to my phone to listen to when there’s no internet. There’s a photography machine app (Luvian) I need to learn to use; it could be a lifesaver if I manage to learn and use it. Just in case I can’t handle the app, I’ve brought my Canon DSLR camera, which I haven’t used in years. I’ll spend my first week in the Amazon region of Pucallpa, where the current temperature is around 35 degrees. Rain can fall according to the season, and if it does, I’m sure it’ll be way beyond what we’re used to. Then, I’ll spend the next week in Cusco, where there’s snow in the mountains, and the nighttime temperature is around 1 degree this season. For this reason, my suitcase includes a selection of clothing that can survive in any weather condition; such as snow boots, a raincoat, a bikini, shorts, sandals, and a very thick sweatshirt. I have “Off” to repel the crazy Amazon mosquitoes, and “Stilex” to treat any mosquito damage. There will not be any electricity in the village where I’ll stay for the first week, so I won’t be able to charge my phone whenever I want. Thinking that I’ll have more difficulty if I completely lose time, I have a cheaply stylish KPop wristwatch that I bought online for 45 TL (Edit: It was already broken on my second day). I have my canyon shoes that I bought ten years ago for a Summit (*) trip, they’re worn out but extremely practical; half-open, half-closed, with non-slip soles, suitable for walking, swimming, and canyoneering. I also have plenty of power banks and chargers to recharge everything when there’s an opportunity. (Edit: I have all of these with me, but no thermos or a bottle of water. I didn’t take it because I had limited space and thought that I easily could find bottled water, but I couldn’t. You highly recommend you bring one.)
In addition to all these, there’s a version of me at the age of 52, someone who has been following her own self-development journey for the last decade. I carry a strong sense of accomplishment, a wealth of love in my heart, a dose of wisdom, and a surplus of curiosity.
(*) Summit: A personal development program led by Tony and Orit Wiseman.
