Finale

Family and friends -

Hello again! Last week of 5 here in Cuzco Peru.

Week 3 was spent battling a cold in the sunny Northern shores of Peru. More surf in sunny Máncora, then our first ruins tour in Trujillo: Moche sun, moon, and rainbow temples, as well as ancient Moche mud cities. We took a brief escape to the Peruvian highlands in the beautiful countryside of Cajamarca until the Peruvian teacher protests ended. They had blocked the road to our next stop in the world's second highest mountain range in Huaraz Peru.

Week 4 we acclimated in Huaraz (3052m) before heading on a 4d Santa Cruz trek through the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Huascarán National Park through Punta Unión Pass (4750m).

Along the last hundred or so meters up, the guides described Linda's altitude induced teetering in terms cervezas. I was no hero, I left her behind - slow and steady, like a condor - as our guide advised. Pictures of her 4 cerveza teetering, cocoa leaf cheek filled, red faced ascent to come!

Now, we're in Cuzco. Last bits. We've had good luck meeting up with friends: a local Peruvian guide, 2 public health nurses, and doppelganger travel buddies we've ran into randomly in 5 different cities (imagine a taller version of me and a redhead).

So, after 4 cities in Ecuador, 6 in Peru, and countless hours in a bus (I will count them), it all comes to a close here. Best to end with Machu Picchu, newly elected to the New 7 Wonders of the World and then home Sunday, July 29th.

Best,
Jackie