Her name was Lola!

There is no other way to put is except that I am officially living my dream! There have already been some really high highs and low lows but I think that's what I was craving. Everything to the extreme. I was fortunate to be able to have 2 of my best friends with me to share my tumultuous start. From eating guinea pig to escaping bed bugs, from climbing mountains and chasing buses, there are no 2 other people I would have chosen to share the first moments of this adventure with. If funny how much more you can love someone after freezing your ass off with them, and snuggling! (winter at 4000 meteres is nothing to joke about, especially w/o heaters, thats why we have llamas)

I must be sentimental because only yesterday, Kristen flew home and the week before that, Tim. I can honestly say I believed I was the happiest person alive when Tim and I were dancing on the stage and across the dance floor, Kristen and Lynne were on the bar! Of course we saw them, how could we not, but waving and doing the white mans point was still necessary. All of this dancing is what seriously altered the contents of my backpack (someone else liked my purple jacket too). After some donations and replacement wool shopping (gotta have that baby Alpaca) I think I'm back on track. I just pray that warm weather is close.

Tim and I met up in Argentina to overlap the last month in his 10m legacy and the the first month of mine. Didnt recognize him at first with the beard. A week and half course was given on the art of the Argentine alfajore, beer, steak, wine and accent. I've begun a love affair with empenadas! Who new? The biggest challenge I had in Buenos Aires was my complete lack on sense of direction. Im blaming it on the southern hemisphere but really, never has my intuition led me so astray!

On to Bolivia where we did a 4 day jeep trek through the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat. 2 flat tires, a tamale made of llama, altitute sickness cured with mate de coca (coca tea leaves), lakes, villages, llamas, volcanoes, geysers, dulce de leche and beds made of salt later we arrived at the salt flats. Breathtaking white flatness until the earth met the sky. Crazy beautiful.

Tim and I also did a 3 day trek in the northern part of Bolivia, starting in the mountains and ending in the jungle. Being my first overnight hike, I didnt want Tim to know how nervous I really was but he was amazing and actually let me believe I was a bad-ass!

Picking up Kristen in Lima proved to be fairly difficult with buses delayed because of strikes around the country. Luckily we flew instead of hopping on a 20hr bus after getting off a 30hr bus. AND while on the plane a new obsession was born when they passed out Princessa chocolates. Damn I love was Nestle has done for Latin American chocolate! yum

Cusco was amazing with Inca ruins, 3 best friends (Lynne joined the mix living in Cusco as a guide), a great hostel overlooking the plaza and a nightlife we nearly died for (there is never such a thing as too much dancing, but wow!). It was no surprise we stayed for a week. Look at the pics of Machu Picchu (Kristen and I climbed Huaynu Picchu, the mountain in back) and the Inca town of Ollantatamba that I fell in love with. In Ollanta, there was a fermented corn drink called chicha de maiz, that if served was signaled by a broom covered in red cloth outside the restaurant or house. Of course we tried it and of course we were silly after all having shared what must have been a liter glass!

Tim flew home to move to SF, leaving Kristen and I up to our own devices and took off to Lake Titicaca. We did the 17km walk from Copacabana to Yampupata and then rowboat to Isla del Sol. Yeah, we might have started the walk a little late but it was a gorgeous one along the coast. We arrived in Yampupata ready to hire someone to row us to the island. The only person to step up was a 70+ yr old man who when asked, said it would take an hour to get there. An hour in, we were barely half way there and the sun was setting over the island. Also the wind was pretty strong and everytime he paused I thought it was due to a heart attack. I was sure we were going to crash into the rocks. I asked the man if I could help and with a huge smile, he said "si, si , si!" Holy crap! I know I used to row but this was really difficult, immediately blisters formed and my back was sore for a couple of days but the lake was gorgeous and we made it (barely) before dark. Thank god he let me take starboard though or we all would have died!

Back in Peru, Kristen and I went to Canyon del Colca to see the condors. After being in a bus full of French girl scouts (no, not as sexy as it sounds) who bought flutes of all things, we were so happy that we were actually able to see the condors! They were huge, the canyon insane, the photos wont do it justice.

IN Arequipa, we ate the best cebiche Ive ever had. We tried to replicate it in Lima but everything is a little worse in Lima. That is where I am now, planning my next course of action while Amanda lets me crash in her spare room. I guess that is one thing better here: really HOT showers! I was taken by Bolivia and it's fairly inexpensive so I think I'll head there next and take some spanish and cooking lessons. Ill send you a recipe Bruce!

To the 2 best travel partners:
Kristen-thanks for being stubbornly kick-ass even though you were so sick
Tim-thanks for being so wonderful and patient as I'm beginning this trip
Love you both

Love you all!