On my way out!

       Okay, so I should've been blogging lots starting in May when I finished work.  Because I was supposed to be traveling.  Alas, I was robbed in broad daylight in my last week in Cusco after returning from a glorious trek to Choquequirao.  Passport, credit cards, cell phone, keys.  So needless to say, this put a bit of a damper in my travel plans.  I applied for a new passport as soon as was humanly possible, and they told me it would take about 2 weeks for my new passport to arrive to Cusco.  So I hunkered down and pledged to enjoy my extra time in Cusco.  Here are some highlights:

BIKING DOWN TO CHINCHAYPUQUIO

   Okay this really wasn't the best bike trip---- it was supposed to be really technical, and we were supposed to get double suspension bikes--- neither of which happened, and the ride was short, and downhill on a road the entire time.  But we still had fun.  And it took my mind off the robbery.  Though Alberto did charge us a ridiculous 60 soles, so I felt like I had gotten robbed twice in one week.  At least we were in good company.

Troll ridin'

Sam, Chandler and Corey as we take a break and get eaten alive by flies

The picanteria always makes for smiling faces... sampling the chicha fruitllada in Chinchaypuquio

We had a little time to kill before the bus to Cusco, so things got a little wet and wild at the local market

takin the town by storm



making friends!


QUILLABAMBA:

I didnt quite make it to the Amazon, but Quillabamba was a nice break from cold, dry Cuzco.  Fortunately one of my former Maximo colleagues, Jake,  returned to Cuzco for a couple of weeks and had some free time to head to the jungle.  We spent three days enjoying the sun, waterfalls, and being the only gringos in town.  The trip started off a little odd-  because there werent enough people to fill a whole car to go to Quillabamba, we rode in the front seat of separate taxis that were filled with baby chicks, pio pioing the whole ride.  When we got out for a break, covered in feathers, I found Jake with a chick in his hand, surely entertaining the driver with his antics.

Jake with his driving buddy


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Five hours with these chicks!

 

waterfalls at las siete tinajas

The pool!

view near the plaza de armas, Quillabamba

Hiking up the the waterfall in Mandor... a stealth mission, so I brought the water pistol

MORE CLIMBING IN CUZCO!

THE WALL climbing gym in Cuzco, where we went when it was raining or didnt have the energy to hike somewhere (this is Chandler, my climbibng guru)

This reach took a while to get!

sportin' the glitz



Last day of climbing in Cusco!



Corey rockin' Los Techos

QAMPA

OKAY so when my friends decided they were gonna leave me to go on a badass mountaineering trip one of my last weekend, I had to suck it up and adjust my budget in order to conquer the cumbre.  This was definitely in my top 5 for coolest things I have ever done.  We headed to Tinke, near Ausangate, early Saturday morning, hike a few hours to base camp, then got up at 4 AM to climb up to the summit of Qampa, using crampons and ice axes.  Awesome awesome awesome. 

With our guides at the cumbre, Alfredo (in the glitz) and Juder. 

A headstand in crampons may not have been a good idea...



We did it! Chandler, Jordan, me, Kate and Corey



A view on our walk to basecamp



almost there!


Okay so really, does it look like I suffered having to stay in Cuzco three extra weeks waiting for my passport?  Not so much.  I had a great time, and got to have some more quality time with the wonderful friends I made in Cusco.  Everything happens for a reason.... I got robbed, but when life throws you for a loop, aprovechar. Next post will be entitled DESPEDATION! Peace and love... missing my peeps in Cusco, but so excited to see everyone in Maine and Costa Rica!