Once in a lifetime

I thought about it a lot and tried to describe it, but words don't seem to be enough. I don't think Machu Picchu can be described in words, it just cannot. I can say that it has magic, it gives power, it awakes feelings. The place made me feel truly happy, made me feel complete, like the perfect place in a perfect moment.
Surrounded by untouched nature and early morning clouds, finding my way up to an old spiritual sun gate, the first 2,5 hours of walk were the perfect way to start the day, after less than 5 hours of sleep. The hot sun in the chilly morning was finding its way out of the clouds, and slowly it started embracing us, all of us, the lucky ones walking on the ancient ruins. The way nature received us was perfect, the energy we gave back was priceless. We were linked and we most probably will continue to be linked...forever.
Anyways, the mix of feelings lasted around 5 hours while I was walking around the ruins, and another half hour in the bus, on my way back to Aguas Calientes. After that, it all became an amazing memory that brings back some of the feelings every time I see the pictures and remember how it was up there, in the sky, at 2800 m.
Once in a lifetime...

I'm a traveler not a tourist

So many month since I have not moved my figure to another country, since I did not spent hours breathing another culture's air. 4 month since I am home and I'm happy about it...but sad also. Sad because I feel the world is not mine anymore, it belongs to those who's turn came to make the bold step and discover it.
In the meanwhile, going back to the places I've been, the people I met, I realized that I am one of the lucky ones, cause I went there and enjoyed  the journey as a traveler, not a tourist.
Just to define the meanings, absolutely from my point of view, the traveler gets involved in the journey, while the tourist sees it somehow from outside. The traveler takes a bus and doesn't hire a car, goes by train or bike not by plane. The traveler eats the traditional food from the food stall on the sidewalk not from the restaurant, he learns a few words and impresses the locals, dresses like them and sings their songs, while the tourist prefers pasta and jeans wherever he goes. The traveler, by default, travels a lot inside the journey to discover more and more places, does not lay on the beach and plays golf all day. He looks at the inhabitants as if they are his brothers and sisters, not locals. He walks in nature and gets impressed by every living piece, even though he saw it before. The travelers feels the journey and makes friends with it, the tourist does it for a change. The traveler is there to learn, learn about himself, life, people; to get inspired, to relax and discover himself among the million others. The tourist is looking for a vacation to get out of his routine, to have fun, drink a lot and smoke a joint (not that it's bad and the traveler would not do that but in different circumstances and different implications :)
Me? I'm a traveler for sure, even though I ate french fries in Rio and McDonalds in Singapore, that was a lack of money :P But from all these places, from all their magic, their culture, I became what I am. They are guilty for me having these thoughts, they are responsible for my daily activities, for my reactions to the life around me, they are responsible for me dressing so colorful or wearing such a long hair. They make me smile and cry sometimes, them, the cultures, their traditions and religions. They make me want to walk a lot and spend time with old people. They make me have strong feelings and love my friends so much but not show them.
You? I suggest to you beautiful reader, be a traveler not a tourist, and your life will pay up.