Ayni in Peru with Carlos at Lucid Insight

This is our Peruvian colleague, Carlos Gibaja.  He organises all of our trips in Peru.  I first met him in 2008 when my sons came down to Peru individually to travel with me.  Normally when traveling on my own, I just see what the new day brings me and go with the flow, but I wanted to have more of a structure for my sons who were then 16 and 14.  A friend who had lived in Peru for half a year was in contact with Washi, Carlos’ younger brother and she put me in touch with him.  Washi organised the trips with my boys and one of our guides was Eddy, another of Carlos’ brothers.

Eddy took Roam and I up to the high mountain communities so we could join another group handing out school supplies.  It was a very moving day and there I met Carlos.  It was one of those immediate soul connections, like a remembering and we both wanted to speak longer but he had to tend to his group.  

When my older son Forrest came down to Peru I asked Washi to arrange for Carlos to be our guide.  But already inbetween trips, Eddy continued to hang out with us and I met Carlos again.  After the official trip with Forrest I asked Carlos to come to Lake Titicaca with us as our unofficial guide and it was there that Lucid Insight’s trips were born, thanks to Carlos’ suggestion.

He comes from an amazing background.  His beautiful mother Maria was left penniless with five boys.  Struggling to make ends meet, they would go out into the streets and sing for money from tourists.  One very caring woman rescued them from the streets and paid for their education.  Peru is kept alive with tourism and all five of the brothers have degrees in it but focus in slightly different areas.  

The beauty of their past is that they are the most down to earth people and have continued in the same vein creating charities that feed and provide for the less fortunate.  I personally know all of the brothers and introduce all my passengers to their wonderful mother who has a stand selling the best guide books at Ollantaytambo.

Carlos’ mission is to build kitchens and greenhouses for high mountain community schools where children have to walk three or more hours to school each way!  Some of these children would not have a hot meal in their tummies if it weren’t for the fresh food grown and prepared at the schools that Carlos works with.  

Ten percent of our trip costs go towards these projects and we take our passengers to visit one of the schools so they can see where their money is going.  It’s a very inspiring and emotional day out!   We would like to extend this into team building adventures for corporations who want to make a difference while experiencing some very needed re-connection with the beautiful Pachamama (Mother Earth).  

What I love about Carlos is that he (and all of his brothers) are very hands on, personally taking van loads of supplies up to flood victims, and dressing up like Santa Claus at Christmas for big ‘chocolatada’ (enriched hot chocolate) celebrations and gift giving.  They are constantly raising money for various projects, one of the more recent (and donating a lot of his personal money), was building a house for Teadora and her eight children to save her from an abusive landlord and alcoholic husband.  Not only that, but he does much of the physical labour himself.

Over the years he has introduced me to many wonderful shamans and together we have found the best working relationship and team.  His English improves every year and I so look forward to seeing him and trust him completely with our groups.  He is not only a fantastic organiser, but a beautiful, loving person and a dear close friend.  

His charity is www.paskay.org  We always joke that he knows everyone because everywhere we go he seems to have connections.  One day all the cars were being stopped by the police, but after a brief chat and handshakes with one of the policemen, (probably friends of someone’s cousin that Carlos helped), we were on our way.  

Carlos models brilliantly the true act of kindness and giving back.  The Peruvian philosophy Leisa and I at Lucid Insight try to live by is called AYNI, when what you give out comes back to you.  We are blessed to be working with Carlos.  

Please join us on our travels and meet the nicest Peruvian people you could ever hope to encounter.