Hey there caravaners,

It has been a little while since my last post. Things have finally begun to stabilize in Lima. I have 2 more weeks to the day here, before I will hop a red eye flight back to Philadelphia. That would put this journey at right around 4 months. Since I have basically been doing nothing but going in circles here in Lima, and struggling, far away from the plant medicines of the jungle it seems wise for me to return to the US to regroup. I had planned to do this anyways, just that I had hoped it would not be on such dire terms for leaving. At any rate, I am happy and content to go back. In the states I will have the opportunity to seriously save money and plan for my next trip to Peru. I intend to get my organization's website going proper, and when I return to Iquitos a year from now more or less I have some business opportunities that I can finally begin. I intend to make my apprenticeship of a very high priority, but of the highest, and this trip has taught me this, is to make sure I have long-term lodging. Even my own apartment or house looks promising due to the extrememly low costs down there. Once I know where I am going to be living, I am looking to open up either a backpacker´s Inn/hostel in Iquitos and offer excursions into the jungle and shamanic experiences, or a small retreat center directly in the jungle and offer the same things. The ultimate goal is to have the fully sustainable retreat center and community, the Wheel of L.I.F.E., but I believe learning the ropes in Iquitos before I take on that huge venture is a good idea. One of the positives during my Lima detour is I made friends with an Iquitos native who shares a similar vision. His father owns some jungle property an hour boat ride on the Amazon river from Iquitos. I also have been put into contact with a reputable Shaman in Iquitos by a facebook friend, actually the author of a book I read a while back, Plant Spirit Shamanism. This particular shaman has been known to take on long-term apprentices which, at this point, I am. I am beyond visiting the jungle for 2 week Ayahuasca retreats and now am ready to begin the years long work of becoming a true shaman and healer. We have begun email correspondence and perhaps he and I will form a teacher/apprentice relationship and who knows, maybe he will factor into the business ideas ;)

So in 2 weeks I will be back on US soil. I am glad that spring will be in full swing by then. The nights have begun to get chilly here in Lima. Keep an eye out for a wrap up of my trip that I will do before I return home. Be well.

Love and Light,
Joey