To Foreign Lands and Back Again

Buenas tardes!

So it's been nearly a month since I have written and soooooooo much has happened since I last blogged.

My most exciting and memorable adventure of late was an absolutely amazing trip to the montanas of Peru (my 4th time there). I am in loooooooove with the area - the fresh air, the green-covered mountains, the sun and clear blue sky days. Oohhhhhhh so much to love:). Oh, and best of all, was getting to meet up with both Vera and an old friend from my previous travels - Jose - who is from the area and works as a biking/trekking guide - who knows the area like (maybe even better than) the back of his hand. Traveling with these two was SUCH a treat:).

I arrived on Friday afternoon where I was met at the airport by Jose, and I was quickly jolted into the reality of the extreme altitude change (sea level to 10000+ feet) when we found ourselves hauling ourselves and our backpacks straight up a steep flight of stairs to the hostel Vera had reserved for the three of us. Vera left to hike 72 kms to Machu Pichu the Monday before and would be joining us upon her return from such a triumph later that night. And what a freakin' treat to be there when she came stumbling through the door at midnight exhausted, covered in 5 days of dirt, but with the biggest, proudest smile one could imagine!

The three of us spent the next two days exploring Cusco and nearby ruins before parting ways with Vera (she was heading onto Lake Titicaca which I had already been to on a previous trip, so we headed South to the ginormous, bustling city of Arequipa). I wont say much about that as I 1) hated the city - sure, it had its pretty parts, but I was dying for a tiny, middle-of-nowhere place; 2) was treated worse than I have ever been in my entire life by a waitress who blatantly ignored Jose and I while serving others (I have been fighting to accept it, but in that moment, I now truly believe the two of us were victims of racism); and 3) we spent most of the day engaging in what I am referring to as "turismo medico" as Jose got violently ill thanks to bad mayo and we spent the day getting to know the city via its many hospitales y clinicas y laboratorios. The fun had is truly indescribable.

But once we got over the attitude and the ill-chillness, we were back on a bus and off to the teeny tiny town of Chivay. And it was absolutely fab. A middle-of-nowhere town at the Southern tip of the deepest canyon in the world. We rented bikes and biked through even teenier, tinier towns at 3600 meters. (Ok, so Im bragging here, but I cant help myself - I climbed some pretty gnarly hills at this altitude without hopping off my bike while poor Jose (who lives at this altitude, mind you) had to hop off and walk various times. I may be small, but I am mighty!!...hehe) We soaked in thermal pools and ate fresh avocado and cheese sandwiches at the local market each morning. It was positively delightful.

But after three days of peace and tranquility, we were back aboard a bus for the 18 hour trip back to Cuzco. At one point on the return trip, I was convinced it was my time to pass to the afterlife as the bus died while trucking uphill. DIED. The bus driver pulled the emergency break and left us there while he went to see what might be done. He decided the best route was to take off the emergency break and try to get the bus to crank back up (the logic I still fail to understand). WELL, such an experiment involves leaving the bus to ROLL FREELY down a steep mountain road. Personally, I would have had us all get off. I mean, if the bus must roll to its ruin, at least save the lives of the 60 people aboard. Such was not the thinking of the driver, however. So we 60 poor people were left to roll back again and again and again (3 times - I counted as I put my head between my legs holding onto my seat - as if that would save me - telling myself that "if this was my time to go, so be it.") and FINALLY the bus cranked and just like the Little Engine That Could we "think we can(ned)" our way up the hill. As I noted at the beginning, my trip was fabulous; however, that does not mean to say that not so delightful things did not happen!

Upon returning to Cuzco, I spent my final day hiking around a lake and eating cake in another middle of nowhere town and then going out to dance until the wee hours of the night with the locals - such a relief to be able to START dancing at 10 pm (as opposed to 2 am here in Buenos Aires). And after a day of being completely alone in the middle of nowhere, I was swiftly whisked back into my current home city of 12 million people - talk about shell-shock!

Now it's back to BA, back to school, back to teaching English classes, and back to Rotary activities. Last Saturday, I visited a home for homeless children with psychiatric disorders where my club donates funds for various activities and will begin volunteering there soon. This week I have two presentations at two different clubs. So it's been busy busy busy.

And Im sooooo excited as my mom is coming to visit to celebrate her 60th birthday!! SHe gets in on Saturday and we will be celebrating at a folkloric show with 15 great friends of mine from some 5 different countries:)! Then the two of us will be off to Uruguay for a few days. Momma Barnes is becoming quite the world traveler! Hasta la proxima...

VIVA!