As most of you know Machu Picchu was really high on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Well now I am here in Peru and would almost be a sin not to go. But there’s also a budget aspect to it. The cheapest train ride I have found was for $142 from Cusco.
Heck no…
I would also want to inform you that my adventure day money comes from my personal account and is not used from the Adventures in Missions that I have fundraised. So there, living on $4 for food, $5 lodging and $2 transportation a day is really not going to get me far.
Being part Jewish I figured out a cheaper way of getting there, and being part Russian, nothing is going to stop me from getting there.
We took a van from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (a town close to Machu Picchu). A ride that was suppose to take 6 hours, took almost 9.
Why?
There was a strike.
Huge boulders in the middle of the road and thick tree branches. We had to stop every 15 minutes to pull them out of the road. Our driver took a detour – off roading on a curvy-off-the-edge cliff road on a van for at least five hours!!
This of course delayed our trip. Once we were dropped off at the stop, this meant there is was no more road but railroad. We began hiking on this railroad for 10k at dark, being eaten alive by vicious mosquitoes. At one point my friend flashed her headlamp off into the rainforest and made eye contact with two yellow eyes.
But we made it…eventually…
Seeing Machu Picchu was worth it. It was everything I had imaged it to be.
Getting back wasn’t.
It was worse than getting there.
We walked back 10k to meet with our van driver who had all of our names on his list, but not enough space in his van.
Great.
He split our group into two separate vans. I was in a van where I had to wait for three hours because the others were “lost.” The others were dropped off in a little town where they had to walk a mile While walking they found a lady on a the side of road taking a dump and somehow found another bus to get back to Cusco.
I was so frustrated at how logistically they couldn’t figure out how many seats they have in their van and how many names they’ve written on the list. It felt like we had been abandoned. It was as if they were saying, “We’ll leave you here in the middle of no where, but you have to got figure out how to get back.” What??
But that small voice kept whispering. “You’ll get back. I have you in the palms of My hand.”
It’s crazy how in the midst of the chaos, He spoke to me. Gave me peace when I ran out of it.
In my van I had people from all over the world New Zealand, Australia, Germany, France, and Canada. My team mate and I were able to share with all of them about the World Race, what we are doing, and who Christ is. With some, we have stayed in contact with, but I know His word was heard.
Having two adventure days off doesn’t necessarily mean my ministry is on pause. Ministry is everyday, 24/7, across the globe, right in your neighborhood, and in the comforts of your home. 
Oh and one piece of advice, save that $142 and get yourself a train ticket! 🙂
