Project Peru 2016

Dear Friends,
My name is John Bolduc. I live in Northern Ontario Canada and I was born with spina bifida. This condition has left me without the ability to walk but not without the ability to live, to learn, and to love our beautiful world. As a young boy my favorite subjects in school were geography and history and later in university my passions were anthropology, sociology, and archeology. My studies seemed to always draw my attention to South America and focused on Peru, Ecuador and Chile. Peru is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. It has fascinated me and called to my adventurist spirit since I was a child. This is a calling I know I have always needed to answer. Not a day goes by when I don't think about Peru in some way, but I will need help to reach it.


I've had many challenges in my life to overcome. I have financial constraints and live within limited means. I've even had my wheelchair stolen in the past. I try to stay positive though no matter what and use meditation and prayer to help me stay grounded. My network of friends in Canada and on Facebook have also helped me tremendously. I am now reaching out to everyone through gofundme.com for the financial help I need to realize my dream to go to Peru. This trip is not a vacation. It's the culmination of years of research and networks I have built to bring awareness to environmental and social issues in addition to visiting this magical place. It is a once and a life time experience.

I would never be able to undertake such a physical and logistical adventure on my own. Destiny however has provided me with the perfect travel companion. I've been able to enlist an experienced world traveler and a close friend I have known for more than twenty years Darren George Chabot. Darren has agreed to accompany and assist me on this journey. He has spent the last fifteen years traveling the world and living in many exotic and sometimes rugged places including Cambodia, Laos, Australia, New Zealand, many places in Europe and is currently visiting remote areas of Northern Thailand. When I approached him with this project he knew right away how important it was to me and that we would make a perfect team.


The trip itself will by no means take me to five star resort hotels. The itinerary is designed so I can visit and stay at several places where I have managed to reach out to friends in my network and arrange a more community focused experience. I plan to keep costs low and give back to local communities as much as possible. The main expenses for the trip will go to transportation. Flights to and from Peru plus domestic flights needed to reach more remote locations is the greatest expense. There are also costs associated with accessing historical and heritage sites. Food and sensible accommodation is the only other major expense. Unfortunately the weaker Canadian dollar will also negatively impact buying power due to the need to convert funds initially to US dollars for use in Peru. Funds raised will be used for these most basic needs. I want to add value for everyone who donates and invests in me and I will be documenting the expedition with photos, videos and writings in order to share this beautiful experience.


The itinerary for the expedition is quite diverse and will include visiting various historical sites including: The Chan Chan Ruins in Trujillo, the largest adobe city in the ancient world and designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. The temples of the Sun and Moon, the largest adobe pyramid in Peru. Puno on Lake Titicaca, often called the highest navigable lake in the world. The Sacsayhuaman Ruins and of course a visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the World the magical ancient Inca civilization in the clouds Machu Picchu, declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 which I'm extremely passionate about and will most likely be the highlight of the trip.

More important than visiting these historical sites I also plan to bring awareness to how incredibly important the Amazon is to our world and its environmental significance. I have arranged visits into jungle territory of the Loreto Region and Iquitos. Also to work with self- sustaining communities in Tarapoto and Puerto Maldonado. These communities are in their early stages of development and need help and awareness. From here I will also visit towns and villages in the Cusco area including Pisac, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo. I hope to immerse myself in the local indigenous culture and give back in any way I can sharing this wonderful experience with as many people as possible.

This trip will coincide with my 50th Birthday in January 2016. I'm extremely thankful to have been alive for these last fifty years and every day is a gift. This expedition to Peru has been in my mind and heart for many years and it's now or never to be realized. It seems like many elements have been falling into place to make this a reality for me and many people have already reached out. The funding is the final and most difficult step and the duration of the trip will depend on if these goals are reached or not. The trip itinerary will ideally be for at least one month and I wish I had the means to finance it myself but I don't. It is difficult for me to ask for money but it's the only way to realize my dream and destiny. I want everyone who donates or is considering donating to know that you are giving me the one and only thing I need most in the world and even a small donation of $10 would buy a meal for myself or my hosts. I hope also to reach out to any environmental philanthropists who might notice this campaign and see the benefit of a person like myself making this journey and bringing exposure to Peru and the important role it plays to the health and well being of the entire planet. I want to thank everyone for even reading this let alone if you find it in your heart to donate. Thank you!

Sincerely,
John Bolduc