http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ET-Write-Home/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from ET Write Home en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:02:51 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:02:51 +0000 ...hiked around Machu Picchu...crawled around in a mine in Bolivia...stood on the largest salt flat in the world...sat in the sun on a lovely Peruvian beach...stood on the Equator...hung out at the Panama CanalAnne and I were doing a lot of that last week not just because we were maybe running out of things to talk about after being together 24 hours a day for 31 days in a row but because http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/Iola/blog-354811.html Saturday we had a long layover in Panama City so we set out to explore the city the best we could in such a short amount of time. Since it was pretty expensive traveling tofrom the airport in a taxi we opted to do a city tour with a company that left from the airport. It just made the most sense with the amount of time we had and the amount of money we were willing to spend. Plus it was just http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Panama/Panama-City/blog-355189.html While bathing was not the theme of our trip nor even a daily event for Anne and me it is certainly what what does in Baos Ecuador. Baos which literally means baths is located about 3 hours outside of Quito and we headed there in a bus last Wed. night. As with all night arrivals we were most focused on getting to a hostel in a nonsketchy taxi when we arrived so it wasn't until Thursday http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Centre/blog-354779.html Greetings from EcuadorJust wanted to quickly write something as it might be the last chance I get to before we leave Ecuador for home on Saturday. Its hard to believe that this trip is almost over yet at the same time SO much has happened in the past month that it seems like we've been gone more than a month We were in Cuenca yesterday a BEAUTIFUL colonial city in the western part of Ecua http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/North/Quito/blog-352859.html Hey gangWe made it here to Ecuador and right now I'm loving that Ecuador loves Christmas. Decorations and lights are everywhere a nice change of pace from our last few days in Peru. In Peru's defense though it wasn't as close to Christmas a week ago so perhaps Ecuador's zest for the holiday has more to do with the dates we arrived. But whatever the reason is it is indeed beginning to lo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/South/Cuenca/blog-352498.html Well we're back in Lima Peru where we started. Thanks to Jason we've had a fun day of relaxing in the apartment of PCUSA missionaries Harry and Debbie Horne. It's been so nice to come and chat and relax and eat and do laundry and shower and use free internet....all the things we craved after spending so much time traveling especially these last few days as we've traveled a lot of distance http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Lima/Lima/Lima/blog-351007.html ...you will be eating bread butter and jam every morning instant coffee included. But come on....Nescafe...NO ES CAFE. ...you will be spending more than the alotted time in the bathroom because you're folding and hoarding wads of toliet paper....the words WHERE AM I fall out of your mouth all too often....you'll go on fluid restriction hours before boarding a night bus in Bolivia because http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Chuquisaca-Department/Sucre/blog-349636.html Last fall when I was living in Guadalajara I had the opportunity to see the most amazing photography exhibit. Titled Todos los das la noche Every day the night the exhibit by JeanClaude Wicky showed up close and personal the lives of the miners who live in Potos Bolivia and spend years of their lives under the ground. I first saw the exhibit on my own and then later on a field trip w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-349193.html Well we made it to Bolivia Saturday night neither one of us slept very well because 1 our mattresses were cheap foam or something and 2 we were nervous about all the things that could go wrong at our border crossing into Bolivia. In the end we had nothing to worry about. The guard hardly seemed interested in all the documents that we'd so carefully photocopied and prepared beforehand. H http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-348311.html OK I keep starting entries and then not being able to complete them either cause theres not enough time or because I was feeling sick and couldnt write complete sentences. I am better now though and Anne and I are here in Puno Peru which sits on beautiful Lake Titicaca. We arrived here yesterday by bus and were planning to head into Bolivia today but for many reasons were still here. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Puno/Puno/blog-347328.html Heres the link to some of my many pictures of our trip so farhttpwww.facebook.comalbum.phpaid2287804l972bbid16811355I wanted to blog about our Cuzco portion of the trip but Ive been kinda sick all day and Im not feeling so hot again. One could probably blame the corn I purchased yesterday when the train stopped however one just never knows where a little bug can come from. My http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Cusco/blog-347028.html How is it possible to feel nostalgia for a world I never knew That quote is one of my alltime favorites and by far my favorite one from the movie Motorcycle Diaries. I've often had that thought in mind while in Mexico exploring the remains of pyramids and civilizations from long ago wondering what life was like when the civilizations existed and were prosperous and even how their downfall http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Aguas-Calientes/blog-346386.html Greetings from Cuzco Today is day 4 here in Peru and it's been a whirlwind since our arrival on Thursday. We were expecting to be greeted at the airport by the hostel taxi driver Enrique but for whatever reason he stood us up so we spent some time wandering around figuring out what we were going to do. Which was fine especially because it made me wander past someone who looked super familia http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Cusco/blog-345578.html Hi friends You've just received an email informing you of how I've updated my blog. You may be thinking What blog or Why am I receiving this update or maybe you've thought nothing of it. But either way I just wanted to explain what it's all about. As most of you know since my days at language school in Cuernavaca over two years ago I've become accustomed to blogging about my bigger http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/Iola/blog-338067.html Hola from the border I made it here safely...and with no major problems at all. In fact traveling here was perfectly enjoyable...minus the 415am wakeup call I've been catching up with Dave and Sue Thomas since I arrived in Nogales and tonight we'll be joining Dr. Pazos my Mexican partner and his family across the border in Nogales Sonora for dinner. Yesterday Sue and I were able to me http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Nogales/blog-85487.html Hey everyone.....I've changed to a different blog site...one that's not a Travel site. The new address is....httplizontheborder.blogspot.com make note that it's http not www.Please bookmark it for easy reference. Also for those of you that were Subscribers to this one and received an email when I added an entry I've added your address to my new site. So you should be receiving e http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Nogales/blog-87496.html Greetings from Tucson And Yes I'm in Tucson...not Nogales right now. It's been a crazy couple days since I arrived here in Arizona on Tuesday. U.S. Coordinator at Compaeros en Misin Sue Thomas greeted me at Tucson International Airport and immediately we headed to lunch to meet my Young Adult Volunteer YAV Tucson site coordinator Brandon and another one of the other YAVs Maren. It w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Tucson/blog-86255.html The final weekhellipdun dun dun As mentioned briefly yesterday this week is jampacked with last minute activities and lessons to do and cakes to consume And Irsquom making the very unsubtle reference to cake mainly because I want to say that I ate THE BEST Tres Leches cake last Friday night at a restaurant called Casa Hidalgo. It was basically heaven in a bowl. The ONLY cake that I woul http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-82406.html A quick note to say that the long update from our weekend adventure to Puebla and Cholula is coming in the next day or two With this being my last week I'm starting to feel a little stress to see the Cuernavaca sights that I have yet to see....to eat as much as possible....to learn as much grammar as I can...and to say more Spanish words correctly try this one.....Parangaricutirimcuaro Yi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-82175.html Here are some more pictures of sights are Cuernavaca....Enjoy http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-80814.html