Blessed by home comforts

• Published date: 09 October 2024
• Author: TIM NELSON
• Publication title: Wairarapa Midweek

The YouTube channel Yes Theory is, once again, the inspiration for my post. Two of the team recently visited La Rinconada, in Peru – the highest city in the world. The city is notoriously dangerous, for many reasons, including contaminated water, violence, and high altitude sickness. The city seems almost lawless – and the Yes Theory team were more anxious than usual about their visit

During the episode, one of the first people we encounter is a woman breaking rocks with a hammer, looking for minerals of value. At that time, she had acquired the equivalent of less than a dollar despite hours of hard work. Later, the team meets an English speaker who acts as a guide – and shares that there are only three hot showers for the entire population of the city.

Before watching the video, I had been out to dinner with my family, had just had a hot shower, and was eating chocolate while relaxing in front of the TV. These are small pleasures that I am truly grateful for – I have won the lottery of life by being born in New Zealand, despite what we sometimes think about the...