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Written by Keith Rhoades
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Tuesday, 02 November 2004 |
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I am one tired puppy tonight. Last night after i emailed...i got kind of in a funk. I made my tourist plans for the next few days and it was a bit expenisve. For example...machu pichu if you go by yourself cost $80 on the train and $20 admission..and even if you hike it you have to have a guide for $80. So between machu pichu and the flight over nazca those things krimped my budget...though on the other hand i have been under budget for food and lodging. so i had to do some self talk last night that this is a once in a lifetime experience, i work hard and deserve to treat myself to this. I got to my room..and it was a wonerful thunderstorm...but for the first time this trip i felt very lonely. This morning i woke up and the tour company picked me up at 8:30 this morning for a tour of the Inka Sacred Valley...it was a great group of people...a few american (who had all voted absentee like myself), a wonderful couple from Italy, from Australia, and some germans that got on my nerves but they broke off cuz they were bored. We visited 3 inka sites...words and i dont even think my pictures can do it justices. We visited pisac, ollantaytambo, and Chinchero...all were wonderful and i learned so much about the inka history and culture. The tour guide was great and we stopped for a wonderful peruvian lunch. The weather was delightfutl and the village of Chinchero means "birthplace of the rainbow" which is the Cuzco flag.....and as luck would have it there were rainbows while we were there. Though i thought i was going to die on a 2 hour hike at pisac....it was at 15,000 feet and our last stop was at 16,000 feet...the highest peak in the peruvian andes! I must say I am very happy, please and proud of myself for this undertaking. It was amazing to see the andean people and how they live and yet very sobering. And the scenery....wow...one cannot question there is a higher power! Tomorrow is mahcu pichu....so i have to get up at 4 am and it will be a 18 hour day!! its amazing what the body is capable of. i am going to eat now and wait for some election results. The group i was with today were all interesting to talk to about the election and everyone i have met on htis trip...has been anti bush...except for a few peruvians but i think they just say they like bush cuz i am an american!
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Last Updated ( Friday, 09 February 2007 )
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