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August 10, 2010
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Seattle to Lima via San Francisco

Lima, Peru

I am traveling to Peru with fellow Adventure Lifer, Ashley Bailey. We start our trip with our flight to San Francisco being delayed by an hour and a half. That's an hour and half more that we could have slept in. Bummer! We eventually board the plane and even make our connection in SFO. The icing on top of the cake: our bags make it with us.

We couldn't believe how great our flights on LAN Airlines were. Two square meals, free movies, free drinks AND great service. Maybe they should start a training program for US-based airlines.

We arrive in Lima late at night and are happy to see that the hotel is literally across the street from the Lima airport. We pass through customs, pick up our bags and walk the 20 feet to our home for the night: Ramada Costa del Sol. The hotel has been newly redesigned and everything feels clean and modern. We enjoy our welcome drink (Pisco Sour) at the bar and turn in the for the night.

August 11, 2010
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Exploring Lima

Lima, Peru

We actually get to sleep in late today and enjoy the early morning at the hotel. We were surprised by the breakfast: the omelet bar is fantastic. There was more variety than your typical continental breakfast = time to load up!

We spent the day at our office in Lima, meeting with our staff Gianina, Fabiola and Milagros. They took Ashley and I out to lunch at a fabulous restaurant on the ocean. We sampled several different types of ceviche and other Peruvian cuisine. Yum!

After lunch, we had a city tour of Lima. I could not believe the amount of traffic in this city!! It certainly makes Seattle look tame. It actually makes Rome seem tame as well.

The historical districts and Miraflores districts were very impressive, though I'm not sure it's worth braving the awful, awful, awful traffic! Sorry, Lima. We're off to Cusco!!

August 12, 2010
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On to Cusco

Cusco, Peru

Ashley and I awake at 6:45 AM for our flight to Cusco. I can't believe how packed the Lima airport is. Good thing we got there early! Fortunately, LAN Airlines impresses once again, and we move through the line quickly and efficiently. After checking in and going through security, we pay the domestic flight tax (20 soles) and move on to the gate.

We arrive in Cusco and are picked up by a driver who is holding a sign with our names on it. We takes us to the Taypikala Hotel, which is about a 5-10 minutes walk from the Plaza Del Armas. It's off the main street and quieter than other hotels on the main drag.

I'm surprised by how dry and deforested the country is. There really aren't any trees at all. We covered some pretty serious distance on the flight and the entire countryside between Lima and Cusco is denuded of trees, whether from aridity or human influence, I never found out.

We met the rest of our group for the walking tour of the city and headed out to Sacsayhuaman, a walled complex outside of Cusco. We spent the afternoon exploring various ruin complexes with our guide and group. I wish we had had more time in Cusco. I think I could have spent a week there.

After our tour, we freshened up and went out to dinner with Vidal, our guide. He took us to A Mi Manera, an intimate reservation-only restaurant downtown. The ambiance was perfect. I was glad we had another night in Cusco at the end of our trip, so that we could eat here again! Viva Cusco!

August 13, 2010
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Urubamba Whitewater Rafting

ollantaytambo, peru

We woke early again today to head to the Sacred Valley for whitewater rafting! The Urubamba River is the river that flows from Cusco through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. It eventually joins the Apurimac to become the Ucayali, one of the main headwaters of the Amazon.

I was surprised by how low the water was, but the guide explained that we were there at the height of summer and the river was much wilder during high water season. Makes sense to me! We hit some big rapids toward the end of our rafting excursion, but most of the water was pretty calm.

After getting off the water, we drove to Ollantaytambo. This tiny town was charming, with ruins lining the steep cliffs on either side of the valley. I wasn't expecting it to be so incredibly lovely. This was another place I wish that we could have spent more time in. Before dinner, Ashley and I explored the ruins on one of the hillsides and felt like explorers. We could see the jagged, snow covered peaks in the distance and wished we could hike them.

August 14, 2010
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Mountain Biking Malaga Pass

Quillabamba, Peru

Early in the morning, we load into the van and drive to Malaga Pass. We started our ride a few miles below the pass. The road is newly constructed and hasn't even been opened yet, so we have it to ourselves. It was freezing in the morning at 14,000 feet! Imagine that! As we continued to ride and lose elevation, it got warmer and we shed layer upon layer of clothing.

The first half of the ride was paved, but the second half was packed dirt, as the road was not yet finished down lower. It was exhilarating riding down this major pass and the views were amazing! Ashley and I had perma-grins plastered on our faces the whole time. When the road turned to dirt, we ended up getting super muddy as the road construction crews were throwing water on the packed dirt to keep the dust down. I can't decide if mud or dust would have been better, but eventually we just embraced the messiness and purposefully hit the mud puddles.

After the mountain biking, we drove to Quillabamba and camped along the river in a meadow. Some creature had obviously died nearby and the smell of rotting flesh was horrible. Today was Ashley's birthday and we celebrated with local Peruvian wine and a chocolate cake for breakfast. Thanks, Vidal!

August 15, 2010
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Hiking to Santa Teresa

We drove to Santa Maria and began our hike on a trail that the Incas had used to travel between the Amazon and Cusco. The trail followed one of the steepest hillsides I have ever seen. I couldn't believe that people could manage to build a trail on a mountain like this today, let alone several hundred years ago.

The trail ascended sharply for the first few miles and we certainly earned our lunch! After the climb, we broke for lunch at a woman's house. She gave us a shady place to sit and we bought all of her cold beverages. I have never been so happy to see Gatorade in my life. She had a handful of month-old puppies that ended up with half of my portion of rice. They looked sad and underfed and reminded me of the dogs I saw when I lived in Guatemala. I can't believe I didn't end up hiking out with one of them....

We continued hiking along this amazing trail. At one point, there was a viewpoint that showed all of what we had been hiking. Still, couldn't believe that there was a trail in a place like this. The Forest Service does NOT build trails like this in the states. Much too dangerous.

We started descending and ended up at the van where our driver/savior, Carlos, was waiting. We piled into the van, exhausted, and headed to Santa Teresa. The group camped at a small ecolodge outside of Santa Teresa, where we were able to relax and enjoy some more of the national beverage, the Pisco Sour.

August 16, 2010
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Onwards to Machu Picchu!

Machu Picchu Ruins, Peru

Normally, the Manco Multisport trip has an extra day of hiking today, but we were all tired and just wanted to get to Aguas Calientes. Vidal suggested that we skip the hiking trip to Patallacta and drive to the train station instead. We were quick to take him up on the offer.

The train left early in the morning, so we left Santa Teresa before dawn to make it to Hidroelectrica, the project/village that houses the train station and the hydroelectric station that provides power to most of Peru. Upon arriving at the train station, we were informed that the train departing in the morning was for local Peruvians only and there was NO WAY they were going to let foreigners on it. We argued, we offered insane amounts of money, we moaned and groaned, we almost threatened (not quite), but the train staff would not budge. So, what did we do? We walked the tracks! Vidal jumped on the train with all of our bags and said he would walk back and meet us when he got to Aguas Calientes.

We walked about 2 hours along the tracks to Aguas Calientes, which ended up being one of the best parts of the trip for me! The natural beauty of the area was incredible and we followed the Urubamba River all of the way. We could see Machu Picchu way above us on the cliffs. We pretended we were Indiana Jones or Hiram Bingham. With about a 1/4 mile left to go, we saw Vidal walking toward us. He had taken our bags and checked into our hotel rooms for us and had made it back in time to guide us to Aguas Calientes.

We took quick showers, ate lunch and boarded a bus for Machu Picchu. Almost two full days to explore! As Ashley and I rounded the hill and the ruins came into view, I had a profound moment of realizing where I was and how incredibly special this place was. I have traveled a lot of the world in my few years, but I have never felt like I did when first seeing Machu Picchu. It actually changed my life. I just wanted to sit down and watch it for hours.

After exploring the ruins on our own, we returned to Aguas Calientes. Our friend and traveling companion, Chris, took Ash and I out for a fantastic dinner at Indio Feliz. The food was Novo Andino and everything was delicious. I fell asleep that night realizing that I would have another day to watch the sleeping majesty of Machu Picchu.

August 17, 2010
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An Incredible Place

We meet Vidal and the group early to beat the crowds at the ruins. Some of our group have already gone up to hike Huayna Picchu. They had to get up at 3:30 AM to grab one of the limited number of passes. I really wanted to hike it, but the prospect of waking up that early certainly put a damper on that idea. I suspect that this will not be my last trip to Peru.

The day is spent exploring the ruins. Vidal takes us through all of the things that saw, but didn't understand, yesterday. After the excellent tour, Ashley, Chris and I hike to the Sun Gate on the Inca Trail. We sit and talk and just stare at Machu Picchu.

We descend to Aguas Calientes by bus and meet the group to take the train down to Cusco. I'm surprised by how slow the train goes, but suppose that is due to the damage that was sustained by last years' landslides and floods. The train follows the river for several hours before we depart in Ollantaytambo. Our van takes us back to Cusco. We get in fairly late and Ashley and I hurriedly rush to A Mi Manera for dinner. We order Alpaca and pisco sours and discuss the amazing things we have seen and done over the past several days. We wish we could spend several more days exploring Cusco, but we're off to Lake Titicaca tomorrow!

August 18, 2010
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Cusco to Puno

, Peru

We catch an early bus to Puno this morning. Ashley and I barely have enough time to grab some pastries at the hotel as we were betting on the transfer driver being late. Instead, he shows up early!

The bus to Puno is a luxury liner compared to the chicken buses of Guatemala (where I lived for several years). We have a guide and a hostess, who serves coffee and other drinks. We have several stops scheduled, so the bus ride doesn't seem so long. We visit a cathedral in the middle of nowhere, a road side stop at the top of a pass with llamas and alpacas and stop for an amazing buffet lunch.

We arrive in Puno around 4pm and check into the hotel. Puno is much drier and industrial than I had imagined, but the lake is stunning. We eat out at a restaurant suggested by the hotel staff. I am excited to order gnocchi (my favorite!), while one of our group dives in to his cuy (guinea pig). The cuy comes deep fried, head on, with a look of utter pain and devastation on its face. I love meat, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to see the look on the face of the animal I eat while I eat it.

Tomorrow, we're off to explore the Uros (floating) Islands of Lake Titicaca and go kayaking!

August 19, 2010
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Kayaking Lake Titicaca

, Peru

We're up early to meet our new guide, Alfredo. We travel by rickshaw from our hotel to the docks. What a great way to go! We board our very own boat and motor out to the Uros Islands. The indigenous population here lives on islands made out of reeds and they actually float! We learn all about their way of life. They take small groups of us into their homes and offer to dress us up in their traditional clothing. We all get dressed up and take a thousand pictures.

After Uros, we motor farther down the coast of Lake Titicaca to the peninsula of Capachica to Llachon, a small community of Aymara farmers. We gear up for our kayaking trip and enjoy the hot sun at 14,000 feet elevation. Ashley and I choose a double kayak and we start paddling down the peninsula. A few of us spot some contraption out in the water and go investigate: it's a fish farm, where lake trout are grown. So, this is how they get all the fish on the menus I've seen throughout Peru!! Being from Montana, I had almost thought they might be wild. Silly me!

After kayaking, we get back in the boat and travel to Ticonata Island. The eco-village here is quite amazing. There are only a handful of families that still live on the island, but they have developed a tourism project to host people on their island. We stay in replicas of the pre-Incan homes that were discovered here and enjoy a traditional dance and ceremony. The people are so warm and inviting. The sunset is beautiful here, though the wind is bitter cold. I'm glad I brought my hat and gloves with me!

August 20, 2010
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Ticonata to Amantani Island

, Peru

We wake up to blue sky again and take a short hike to the other side of the island, where there is a museum. Inside the museum ... mummies! Yes, mummies. While building the dock on Ticonata Island, a room of female mummies was found. They are very well preserved and have been moved to the museum to keep them that way. No one knows too much about them, but there are about 8 all together and they range in age from infants to adults. Why were they placed there? What was the purpose? It all seems very mysterious.

Afterward, we get ready to leave Ticonata Island and sail to Amantani Island. Unfortunately, there really isn't much wind today. Not like yesterday! There are 3 of us to each little wooden sailboat and 2 Aymara guides. They ended up rowing almost the entire time - 2-3 hours of straight rowing. Que horible! We say goodbye to our Aymara rowers when we reach Amantani Island.

At Amantani, we walk up to greet our host families. Ashley and I head off with the female head of the household and take a quick nap. It's been quite a trip already and I'm tired. After dinner, we hike to the top of the island, huffing and puffing from the altitude, to watch the sunset. We were the only travelers on Ticonata, but this is not the case with Amantani. There are bunches of other tourists on Amantani, all up at the top of the island to watch the sunset. After the sun sets, we go to a quick dancing festival similar to the one on Ticonata. It's cold on Amantani, but the family has plenty of blankets to keep us warm.

August 21, 2010
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Returning to Puno

, Peru

We have breakfast with our host family on Amantani and meet the group back at the dock to depart the island. We spend several hours motoring back to Puno and have the afternoon free to ourselves. I have my heart set on buying the traditional hat I wore on the Uros Islands, but I can't find them anywhere. Local markets, tourist markets, street vendors, nothing!

Chris, Ashley and I wander around Puno and find a HUGE local market. We buy every kind of street food we can find. Hey, it's the end of the trip and I haven't been sick once! Time to test my stomach yet again.

As this is our last night in Peru, we head out for a nice dinner and see if we can't find ourselves some trouble. We find some in the form of a karaoke bar and sing some really horrible American songs before turning in for the night.

August 22, 2010
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Heading Home - The Day of Rest

Lima, Peru

Ashley and I don't have to leave Puno until the afternoon, so we spend the morning catching up on our sleep. We have a red eye flight home and I hate to fly, so I assume that I won't sleep at all. It takes about an hour to get to the Juliaca airport from Puno and we look out the windows and silently prepare to leave Peru.

The flight from Juliaca to Lima is short and we suddenly find ourselves in the Lima airport with a delayed flight. I take out my sleeping bag and lay it out along the seats in the airport and take a serious siesta. Our flight won't depart until 2 am. I know I look silly in my sleeping bag in the airport, but I just don't care.

August 23, 2010
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Arriving Home

Seattle, WA

All of our flight plans have been changed, but everything works out in the end (seems like that's always the case). Ashley and I take different flights from San Francisco to Seattle, but we arrive at nearly the same time. Now we just have to drive from Seattle back to Missoula ....

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