Nov 12, 2009 - las puertas siempre estan abiertas

The amount of weird connections Mom and I had with our fellow trekkers is amazing…first it was randomly being on the same trek as Jeff and Marra from San Diego. Sure enough, it turns out that Judy, the adoptive mom, does consulting work for the CDA school district and we had actually planned on visiting the orphanage ourselves! We made plans to meet up with Andrea and Chris later in the week to buy food and cook dinner for the 20 girls living in the orphanage in Anta, just 30 minutes outside of Cusco. ... The first few we asked refused to drive all the way to Anta, so we just hopped in the first one that agreed and when he quoted the price (50 soles) we didn’t think twice, we were just happy to be on our way finally. ... At the time we couldn´t figure out why he was so talkative and friendly, stopping in several places to help us find the orphanage and making sure we made it inside safely…but after we found out the ride should only have cost us 10 soles it made sense why he was in such a chipper mood.The amount of weird connections Mom and I had with our fellow trekkers is amazing…first it was randomly being on the same trek as Jeff and Marra from San Diego. Sure enough, it turns out that Judy, the adoptive mom, does consulting work for the CDA school district and we had actually planned on visiting the orphanage ourselves! We made plans to meet up with Andrea and Chris later in the week to buy food and cook dinner for the 20 girls living in the orphanage in Anta, just 30 minutes outside of Cusco. ... The first few we asked refused to drive all the way to Anta, so we just hopped in the first one that agreed and when he quoted the price (50 soles) we didn’t think twice, we were just happy to be on our way finally. ... At the time we couldn´t figure out why he was so talkative and friendly, stopping in several places to help us find the orphanage and making sure we made it inside safely…but after we found out the ride should only have cost us 10 soles it made sense why he was in such a chipper mood....

Nov 12, 2009 - cusco without altitude sickness

Hola! Buenas Tardes. Tomorrow brings more sightseeing at 500m lower than where we are now, so we should feel even more active, we start trekking on saturday eek! We both really love cusco, its vibrant, friendly and yet ancient and traditional. ... The buildings all have inner courtyards, in the colonial spanish style.Hola! Buenas Tardes. Tomorrow brings more sightseeing at 500m lower than where we are now, so we should feel even more active, we start trekking on saturday eek! We both really love cusco, its vibrant, friendly and yet ancient and traditional. ... The buildings all have inner courtyards, in the colonial spanish style....

Nov 11, 2009 - Peru: Cusco - Champs Meet

This past Friday we had the Cusco region Championship Swim Meet at the Wanchaq pool. ... Swim season is now over for us as we prepare to leave Cusco and explore the rest of Peru. ...

Nov 10, 2009 - ¡muy bien señores!

Knowing that you have to wake up at 430am to spend the next three nights hiking to Machu Picchu is somewhat detrimental to a peaceful nights sleep, we were both exhausted but thrilled on Friday morning when we hopped on the bus to Ollantaytambo and met the rest of the trekkers in our group. Our first day in Cusco I could barely climb one flight of stairs without passing out, and there we were sprinting up steep Inca Steps with no hesitation. ... Several in our group, including Mom, got sick just as we were boarding the train back to Cusco—we think the water supply on our last day or two might have been contaminated. ... I escaped the worst of it, but Mom is recovering in the hotel room today.Knowing that you have to wake up at 430am to spend the next three nights hiking to Machu Picchu is somewhat detrimental to a peaceful nights sleep, we were both exhausted but thrilled on Friday morning when we hopped on the bus to Ollantaytambo and met the rest of the trekkers in our group. Our first day in Cusco I could barely climb one flight of stairs without passing out, and there we were sprinting up steep Inca Steps with no hesitation. ... Several in our group, including Mom, got sick just as we were boarding the train back to Cusco—we think the water supply on our last day or two might have been contaminated. ... I escaped the worst of it, but Mom is recovering in the hotel room today....

Nov 5, 2009 - Cusco at last!

We arrived in Cusco with some major symptoms of altitude sickness. ... Both of us felt extremely tired, had headaches, and even a little bit of nausea.We arrived in Cusco with some major symptoms of altitude sickness. ... Both of us felt extremely tired, had headaches, and even a little bit of nausea....

Nov 4, 2009 - Finally arriving in Lima and meeting Mom

I was about to bail on the whole lot of them and hop on a flight to Lima, but the prices were outrageous so we got on ANOTHER bus to Chiclayo, figuring at least there were a few interesting markets and sights to see once there, also at least shops and cafes would be open by the time we arrived. ... No buses until 7pm to Lima, so we rested, ate, and regrouped at a small café for several hours. ... I got probably the best night of sleep on a bus so far on the trip going to Lima, probably because I was so exhausted at that point my body was simply shutting down. ... I said goodbye to the Irish and the Israelis and found my way to a centrally located hostal in Miraflores neighborhood in Lima. ...

Nov 3, 2009 - ...went on for days...

We were assured by many people along the way that a bus from Piura to Lima would be departing within several hours, but of course that was not at all the case. ... The next direct bus wasn´t until 8pm or something ridiculous.We were assured by many people along the way that a bus from Piura to Lima would be departing within several hours, but of course that was not at all the case. ... The next direct bus wasn´t until 8pm or something ridiculous....

Nov 2, 2009 - Peru: Cusco - Dia de los Muertos

We celebrated All Saints and All Souls days this weekend, which in Cusco is called "Dia de los Vivos" (Day of the Living) and "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). ... On Dia de los Muertos, we went to the cemetery to celebrate the dead, along with most of Cusco. ... We held a small service for our Aunt Marilyn, who recently died of lung cancer.We celebrated All Saints and All Souls days this weekend, which in Cusco is called "Dia de los Vivos" (Day of the Living) and "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). ... On Dia de los Muertos, we went to the cemetery to celebrate the dead, along with most of Cusco. ... We held a small service for our Aunt Marilyn, who recently died of lung cancer....

Oct 30, 2009 - Peru: Cusco - Swim Meet

We had the first round of the Cusco Regional swim championships on Friday. ... Both Cayman and Kendall did very well despite the lack of organization.We had the first round of the Cusco Regional swim championships on Friday. ... Both Cayman and Kendall did very well despite the lack of organization....

Oct 29, 2009 - Endlich im Dschungel! - Finally the jungle!

Als wir in Iquitos aus dem Flugzeug gestiegen sind, war es als ob wir gegen eine warme, feuchte Wand laufen wuerden und wir haben gemerkt, was es bedeuted im Amazonasbecken gelandet zu sein: Schier unertraegliche Hitze und 80% Luftfeuchtigkeitk, sprich konstantes, ekeliges Schwitzen :-) Wenn wir bisher Suedamerika recht modern fanden, haben wir uns hier zum ersten Mal ein bisschen wie in einem dritte Welt Land gefuehlt, denn in der groessten Stadt der Erde die nicht ueber den Landweg zu erreichen ist, sind die Menschen doch deutlich aermer als in vielen anderen Teilen des Kontinents. ... Dafuer konnten wir dann schoen den Preis runterhandeln und haben uns fuer umgerechnet 3€ in die 45 Minuten entfernte Stadt Iquitos chauffieren lassen. ... Heute morgen wurden wir von der Hitze aufgeweckt und haben den Tag im Zoo von Iquitos verbracht wo es jede Menge einheimische Tiere zu sehen gab, eben alles was im Regenwald so herum kreucht und fleucht: Puma, Jaguar, Affen, Piranhas, Vogelspinnen, rosa Delfine, Otter, Anacondas, Papageien etc. ... ----------------------------------- When we got out of the airplane in Iquitos, it seemed like walking against a hot, humid wall. ... That's when we realized that we really are in the middle of the jungle and that from now on, we have to accept unbearable heat, 80% humidity and the hardcore sweating that results from it :-) If we found South American quite modern so far, Iquitos proofed to us that we really are in a developping country: We had hardly set foot out of the airport and were already surrounded by masses of taxi drivers and luggage porters all offering their services to us. ...

Oct 27, 2009 - Lima

Wir waren nur zwei Tage in Lima an denen wir nicht viel gemacht haben, da wir die Schnauze von Suedamerikanischen Grossstaedten ein bisschen voll haben. ... Wir haben mit den Jugendlichen eine peruanische Suessigkeitenspezialitaet hergestellt die sie Anfang November auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt in Lima verkaufen werden. ... ----------------------------------- We only spent 2 days in Lima as we have gotten a bit sick of big south american cities. ...

Oct 21, 2009 - Peru: Cusco Baloncesto

Jason, Cayman and Kendall play basketball every Saturday at the Parque Zonal with the family that owns our apartment.Jason, Cayman and Kendall play basketball every Saturday at the Parque Zonal with the family that owns our apartment....