COLORADA!!!!!!!!!!!

Back home in Colorado, but first lets wrap up Latin America.

Lima, Peru

We'll start with the not so violent mugging. After about a 20 hour bus ride from Cusco my bus pulled into the Compton/South Side Chicago/Spanish Harlem New York of Lima. Not knowing this I went across the street to check my email for Fico's phone number. After I got the number I went around the corner down a side street to use a pay phone and call Fico. I called Fico and left a message that I was going to go find a hotel for the night seeing I couldn't get a hold of him. As I started walking back to the bus station a man grabbed my arm and started asking for Soles (the currency of peru), I tried to pretend I didn't hear what he said and keep walking, but that just caused him to grab harder and give a little yank. So I decided to use my six months of Hapkido training and.....politely hand over my wallet. I expected that he would be satisfied, but then his greedy friend showed up and took my small backpack off of my chest and tried to search through my large back pack (aparently he didn't want my plastic poncho). I realize now that I probably could have yelled for help, or attempted to get away. But when it comes to fight or flight, apparently I have neither. In the end they got away with about 50 dollars in Soles, my i-pod, my 2nd passport, and once again all of my spanish notes and notebooks.

After two hours at the police station filling out reports I finally made it to Fico's. I was robbed on Friday which meant I was stuck in Lima until monday when the embassy opened. Luckily Fico's house (or compound) is equipped with a pool and several servants. And it was located right across from the mall where I spent the weekend drinking Starbuck's coffee, eating TGIFridays, and watching the latest movies. By the end of the day monday I had my passport and Tuesday I grabbed a bus to Quito, Ecuador.

Quito, Ecuador

It was a 38 hour bus ride, but luckily I was sitting next to 2 nice Jehovah's Witnesses from Venezuela. Who took advantage of the time to explain to me the logistics behind how God created the Universe and because of this why all homosexuals will burn in hell. As you can imagine the time flew by.

Once in Quito I met up with my buddy Sean (who I met on the salt flat tour in Uyuni, Bolivia). He took me to the best Ceviche place in town for lunch, we went to the market to buy slightly belated christmas presents, then walked through the historical district, got a haircut, had dinner with his friends, and then we all went back to his house to watch Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (luckily they all speak english fluently, because I could hardly understand that movie in english let alone spanish). The next morning sean drove me to the airport and I caught my flight to guatemala.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Arrived in Guate at about noon. Tried haggling over shuttle buses to Antigua, but in the end I decided it wasn't worth it seeing I was only going to be in guatemala for 18 hours. Spent the day wandering through the historical district and the markets. Bought a few more presents for the family and a Machete that I had been wanting ever since Pieter and I's excursion in the Amazon. Next day at 4 am I jumped on my plane home.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!COLORADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got home Saturday night where my parents met me at the airport with the delicacy I had been missing most: PB&J (that's a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich for you foreigners). Sunday I was as American as possible and watched my five year old niece, Elizabeth, in her first Rodeo! Since then I haven't done much other than run errands to get ready for medical school and return to normal life. I head to the lake in Minnesota with the fam friday and then I have 5 more weeks to burn before orientation.

If anyone's got some good ideas on how to spend those precious days before school starts give me a call on my new cell phone: 720 280 4550.

You Know It,

Chris

Salkantay to Machu Picchu

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Day 1:

Woke up at 4 am in order to catch the bus from Cusco to the starting point of our trek in Mollapata. Unfortunately, I was the only one, including guides, on time. So instead of taking the bus our guide had to dish out some extra dough for taxis. But we finally made it to Mollapata and after our horseman Manuel loaded up the mules we were off.

The trek is called Salkantay because that is the name of the mountain that has the highest pass we have to climb over (4800 m or about 15000 ft). The first day was a pretty easy day, but we could see Salkantay in the distance which we knew we would have to tackle on day 2.
Or so we thought that was Salkantay. Then we turned the corner and saw the real Salkantay.

First nights prognosis: Coldest Night Ever! But I really can't complain seeing our guides forgot my Namibian Tentmate Tim's sleeping bag. Instead they gave him a blanket, which I'm pretty sure they stole off the back of one of the mules. Which might explain why we had one less mule the next morning.

Day 2:

Another 4 am wake up call with coca tea....which all but Malter from Germany politely declined in order to sleep a little bit longer. After a kilometer's gain in altitude the crew made it to the 4800 m pass. Tim and I were able to appreciate the view for an extra two hours while we waited as some of the group struggled to the top.

Then we descended the other side of the andes into the Cloud Forrest.

After lunch the clouds lifted and we were able to see the stunning tropical forest below.

...and 11 short hours of hiking later we had descended 2 kilometers of altitude to the second nights camp site. While the cooks were taking care of dinner Tim, one of the dutchmen whose name I cant pronounce let alone spell, and I took on the local kids in a soccer match. Tim tripped over a rock as he fell into the horse shit laden field. Then he went to head the ball only to find out that the ball was covered in the same horse feces. A good laugh for the locals.

Day 3:

We were allowed to sleep in until 7. Which gave the cook time to make the best breakfast yet: pancake, omelette, some type of oatmeal, and of course lots of bread and coffee. Then we headed out for a quick 3 to 4 hour hike through the andean forrest to La Playa.

After lunch in La Playa we headed to the hotsprings for an overdue bath.

After cleaning off in the hotspring spirits were high. (The 4 bottles of rum might have also had something to do with it).

Look out for this guy, He's real crazy!

Day 4:

4 hours of sleep later we took off on the last leg of the hike. It started off nice with a cable car across the river.

But after seeing "Stand by Me" a few too many times I wasn't so sure about crossing the bridge on the railroad tracks.

6 hours of hiking later (3 of which was on railroad ties) we made it to Agua Calientes which is the base town for Machu Picchu. Felt good to have a proper shower and sleep in a bed for the night.

Day 5:

Third time up at 4 am....or atleast we were. Problem was the guide was nowhere to be found. There had been some grumblings in the group over the last several days of the guides incompetence. But I had remained fairly positive until this blunder. When he finally showed up at 5:20 I grabbed my entrance ticket and started sprinting up the mountain to Machu Picchu. The climb normally takes an hour and a half, but I used my anger as motivation to get me to the top in just under 40 minutes.

Out of breath and exhausted, but I was able to sit at the top and watch the sun slowly rise over Machu Picchu.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins, caught the 3 o'clock train back to Cusco, and then danced at Mama Africa's until 6 in the morning.

The next day I hopped a bus for Lima where I am now. Was robbed again within twenty minutes of leaving the bus terminal, but that story will be for the next blog. I'm at the legendary Fico's house right now, and if I can get another (this will be the third) passport I should be back in the states a week from today.

See some of you soon,

Chris

The Corruption of Ingrid

Corrupting Ingrid....

The sweet innocent girl that I met last december in Nicaragua is no more. In order to celebrate our last week in Sucre we toasted with a shot of Absynth (Ill have you know that it was Ingrids idea). Not only does it taste like nail polish remover, but I definitely didnt have any hallucinations.

...so my spanish teacher had us try something more bolivian: creme de mint mixed with beer. Its like a Bolivian Saint Patricks day drink gone bad.

Potosi and the Mines of Cerro Rico

Ingrid and I said goodbye to Sucre and headed off to the mines of Potosi. Little did I know that our guide was going to give Ingrid her first eyeful of a half naked man. (still trying to figure out how the speedo is appropriate for the mines)

Next we all tried the 190 proof alcohol (95%) that the miners drink on Fridays before the weekends. Ingrid didnt seem to think it went down so smooth.
Next thing I know I look over and Ingrid is busy chewing on Coco leaves (same leaves that cocaine is made from). Give the girl one shot of Absynth and all the sudden she is a drug addict.

About to enter the mine. Also referred to as the "Devils Mouth".

Offering Coco leaves to the Devil of the Mine in order to protect us from a cave in or a poorly placed dynamite blast. And more importantly Im trying to cut down ingrids habit.

One of the boys who works in the mines. The average miner only has a lifespan between 35 and 45. Which means the oldest son is often made to work in the mines at age 14 or younger in order to support the family after the father has passed away.

Headed down into the third level of the mines.

Booze and drugs will affect anyones decision making process. Exemplified by Ingrid holding a stick of lit dynamite that is wrapped in a bag of Nitroglycerin in order to make the explosion stronger. (I guess I cant really talk seeing I was only 5 feet away taking the picture.)

3rd Time in La Paz

After exposing ourselves to Absynth, some green colored conconction, 95% rubbing alcohol, Coca leaves, toxic mine gases, dynamite explosions, and leaving the next day for the most dangerous road in the world....we thought it might be a good idea to have our futures read.It was very insightful. The Coca leaves indicated that my job, lovelife, health, happiness, etc... would all be: Fine. However, the tarot cards were a bit more specific for Ingrid. They indicated that her health, lovelife, job and happiness would all.... also be fine. All in all money well spent.

Next day I took off to mountain bike down the most dangerous road in the world. The road starts at 4800 meters and winds down a thin gravel road with a kilometers death drop to the side and ends at 1100 meters of altitude. But I had had my coco leaves read and I knew everything would be: Fine. What the coca leaves didnt indicate was that I would have the worst case of diarrhea Ive had yet and would be absolutely miserable for the whole trip. This is the only picture where I have some sort of smile on my face.

Copacabana, Lago Titicaca, and Isla del SolAfter corrupting ourselves with so many vices we decided to head to copacabana and the isla del sol in order to purify ourselves. I chose a priest who is a decendent of the Incas in order to purify my soul.

Ingrid, feeling truly amoral, decided to take the Incan route to purification through human sacrifice.
However, despite her best intentions the sacerdotes found out (to my surprise) that she wasnt a virgin and they refused to sacrifice her.

...apparently they also tipped off the Peruvian authorities (who have a very strict policy on abstinence) and we werent allowed to enter Peru.

Coroico

After our attempts at Purification, spiritual elevation, and entering peru had failed; we headed to Coroico to celebrate nature and the physical world. We spent our last three nights enjoying the tropical weather, pool, sauna, and a hooka with our last dinner.

Peru

But Ingrid has now returned to Nicaragua and I must walk alone. In Cuzco at the moment. I leave tomorrow for a five day hike to Machu Picchu.