more airport drama!

So, God wants us to come home, but it may be a little more difficult than we thought. Ice storms and snow may keep us in Atlanta longer than expected! Pray we get on this flight!

Ill be keeping things updated here!

last post from Peru!

Well, I had a 8 paragraph novel wrapping up the last couple days of our trip but somehow I erased it! So, I will write my closing statement from Atlanta where it does not cost me so much to use the internet on my phone (I am taking donations from my dedicated readers to cover my phone bill btw). We acctually misread our tickets and thought we leaft tomorrow but thanks to my very smart wife she informed me a couple hours ago that we leaft tonight! Can't say I'm bummed about that, actually I couldn't be happier! I am ready to be home! It has been a trip of roses and thorns. Ill summarise in a few once I settle back in and sleep for about a week.

Have a ton of photos and stories to tell so check back in a few days yes? Love you all!

eat & sleep, repeat

Well the days are counting down, the end is near! Can't say that I'm bummed. I miss Lauren like crazy! This trip has taught me many things but mostly it has taught me that there is no human in this world that I would rather be around and that is my wife, my best friend, quite literally my other half. The English language does not have words that would express sufficiently my feelings for Lauren. She is to me what the sun is to the earth, what the moon is to the night sky. I now know what it means to truly miss someone. I have NEVER longed to be close to another person like I do now, I fall asleep with an ache in my heart, an emptiness I can hardly bear. I will not be away from her again like this, when she passes so will I. My heart goes out to all who have not found a love like this, Lauren inspires me to be a better person, she is the reason I get up in the morning and the reason I sleep sound at night.I trust her like no other, I would gladly give my life for her. She is my life, my love, my very best friend, if I had known I would feel like this I would have not gone on this trip. As great as it has been, it has not been worth being away from her. Perhaps I am a week man, but I don't care, Lauren IS my life, without her I am half. I realy did sleep the first 25 years of my life, when I met her I awoke. I am now motivated like never before to be a better human, to be the very best man that I can be, to earn the love she so unconditionally honors me with.

Lauren, I love you so much I literally hurt in your absence! I don't care what lables "they" put on it, I need you to be me. I miss you, I love you, I will never be away from you like this again, I would gladly live a life of squallor and pain, if only I could be with you, my love, my life, my wife.

Back in Lima!

Oh how time flys and yet stands still. Ill be in the states on the 28th. Late but home at last! I can already hear my cats purring and meowing at me like "where have you been! Lauren and I are going to spend a feW days in just to enjoy eachothers presents.

I will go to an internet cafe to post more info and pics of the trip. For now its off to bed! Good night eveyone!

more Cuzco love

So Cuzco is really cool, even nicer if we could see ruins but as every thing costs boat loads of loot, makes it hard for a broke ass like me. I think I would rather see these things with Lauren for the first time anyway.

This place does have a very mystical vibe to it! I think that being tuned to this experience would require many weeks of preparation! I think Lauren and I could do this preparation more evectivly. Daddy being a person who tends to analize everything would not be in the headspace I would want to be in in this space. Also, nothing against my dad but I like to get out and explore and with his leg being bad it drastically limits my ability to go out at a good hoof if you know what I meen! Regardlessn we have been having a blast! So wish I could post pics. I'm going to work at this again in Lima. It is such a pain to do anything when I hardly speak castilion! On the next trip with Lauren I will brush up!

Anyway, this has been an adventure I will not soon forget! Really, I don't even know how to put it in words!

Love you all!

No Machu Pichu for me

U think the first time I see this sacred land I would like to share it with my wife, it would also be more money than I can spare right now. I hopfully see some ruins today, daddy has the idea that we will be able to see them free dispite what everyone we have spoken to saying they all cost money! True to his form no? I am thinking well find something.

Well, I an finaly getting used to the thin air! The first day I was out of breath all the tume...

Well, Im typing on a keyboard with about 8 of the letters rubbed of so it is taking forever, Ill post more from a keyboard I can see...

Have fyn everyone!

Cuzco

Well first full day in Cuzco awesome! Will have lots to report when I have rested, this altitude is messing with ma and need to get good sleep! Full report tomorrow!

Lima airport

Well I am getting quite used to sitting in airports now. The chairs are so nice and hard! We got up at 3am to get to the airport in time to make our 6am flight to Cuzco, waited in line, got our boarding pass and went to the gate and sat, finaly they let us know our flight had been cancelled due to rain. Sweet! So they funnel us to pick our bags up from the baggage area and dont you know, we have to get back in line to get booked on a new flight. This would have been ok except that they had only one person working the counter in the specific line they instructed us to go to... and there was about 200 people waiting with huge carts of luggage. It was taking around 10 to 15 min per group/family. So I stood in this line for about an hour and a half before getting a new ticket to Cuzco. We are loosing half a day but oh well, what are you going to do right. Now what makes so much sense is that we (meening me) get to wait in another line to get the airport tax sticker back so we dont have to pay twice, then wait in another line to get to the room where you have to go to wait in another line at the security check point. I think I am growing fond of waiting in lines. I almost got in a really long line just for fun. I wondered what the person I finally got to talk to would say about my line waiting for no reason.

I am slowly loosing my mind, thats all it is. I guess it could be worse. Thing is Im not going to let it get me down, even if this new flight gets cancelled I will just have to do it all again, with a smile on my face. I feel so lucky to be able to fly in the first place. Some folks have to wait in line for hours just to get rice. So many upset people around me grumbling and moaning about how terrible it is to be SO inconvenienced! I would rather take the pilots word if its not safe to fly then so be it.

One nice thing is that when we were outside chillin a guy came up to us and offered a hostle in Cuzco for $15 a night! Sweet deal, airport transport and free breakfast too! I am pretty stoked to just get some sleep within the next 5 hours. I am loopy with fatigue. Standing in line for several hours has a way of bringing on the tired. Daddy is in the corner snoring! Again I say I wish I could fall asleep like that.

Well, I dont really have much to say. Not much has happened since my last post. I still miss Lauren like crazy, wish so bad she could have come on this trip.

the giant backpack

So, in my preparations for Peru I got this huge backpack with the frame and all, two super light sleeping bags, survival kits, head lamps, water purification tablets, a water bag, cumpas and you name it I got it from emergency blankets to vitamins! Well, it turns out Peru is quite an advanced country now! All I should have brought are my clothes and toothbrush. Oh well, "they" say you can never be too prepared and I would have to disagree! This giant heavy backpack has been the thorn in my side, lugging it around, making arrangements for people to watch it while I'm on variouse trips. The thing weighs about 45 pounds full. You could imagine that I have little desire to carry it around everywhere.

A few things I can suggest to people thinking of visiting Peru...

Do not pack very heavy unless you plan on staying in some fancy hotel with tight security. In the places we have stayed at we have had to carry all our valuables everywhere with us, this gets old very fast. Peru has all the things you could need under most situations for very cheap like bandages, batteries and shaving cream.

Never order your tickets to Cuzco, Pucallpa or anywhere in Peru on line period. When I resurched tickets to Cuzco on line the prices were from $400 to several thousand ahead of time, at the Lima airport the same tickets are around $100 round trip. Big savings.

If you pack light and dont mind sleeping in seedy hotels (by American standards) then dont book hotel rooms ahead of time, the place we are at here in Lima is S\40 a night (around $13).

Well, in a few hours I will be getting on a plane to Cuzco, I will be posting pretty regular so check it out. Love you all!

Cuzco in the morning

Well, I will be in Cuzco at 730am tomorrow. I'm pretty jazzed about that! I'm hoping that I can afford to do all the things I want to, mostly spend a day at machu pichu. If not, then I will the text time around. So far most places we have been are pretty inexpensive, but I hear Cuzco is pretty pricey unless your Peruano, and clearly I don't pass that test.

We have been pretty much just taking it easy these last two days, recovering from the jungle excursion.

Man, the markets are so darn cool here! I have yet to find a place I can connect my camera or card too so I can post more pics, daddys little computer I used to post the last ones with does not work now, well the keyboard quit working, you can imagine how thrilled he is about that. He isn't feeling to well either so perhaps he is a little grumpy. We are at the Webbers right now picking up my reducilously large back pack and then back to the hostel. I will probably go out walking by myself while he rests.

We have to be at the airport at 4am so I have a feeling this will be another brutal night. Seems to be a trend on this trip, most of our flights are at the crazy hours of the morning. Then the next day I am all zoned out from no sleep, lucky for the old man he can sleep anywhere. I should work on that skill but I don't have the feeling I will need it again soon after we return to the States.

Well, I have a few emails to send so I'm off.

I miss my sweet pea wife so much! This is now the longest we have EVER nerv apart! It is hard, but only 9 more days!

the "guest house" hostle

Qgat a cool cheap place this is, it is around the corner from the old Lima guest house. It reminds me a lot of the place. The rooms are concrete walls, painted. A big osolating fan. Flowers here and there, its pretty cool. Only 13 dollars a night! I had to sleep the first night on a bed cover over a very dirty sandy stained gross foam pad/bed. The pillows smelled of sweat and who knows what else. I didn't get much sleep at all, just kept me dirty clothes on and lay there grimacing at the smell and feeling of the bed. Daddys bed had sheets lucky guy! So I asked this morning if I could get sheets and pillowcases and maybe a new pillow and the guy working was all like "oh yes so sorry right away" and all that. Well we went out for a couple hours and came back and the bed was still gross so I went back and asked a lady, who I assume now is the owner as she just stood up and walked down the hall yelling and scolding the fellow who I had spoke to earlier who was upstairs somewhere. Oh well, was not trying to get him in trouble.

Another strange thing, we walked down by the beach to hang out and saw dump trucks just dumping trash directly into the ocean! No joke!

Well, now with me clean sheets, brand new pillow I am going to attept to take a nap. Have fun eveyone! Love you all!

sweetness!

Got up this am and went on an hour long peky-peky ride around the lake, saw the old center from the lake, la brisa is gone! Had a peaceful time. At the hotel now packing up to go out for the day then on to Lima! I will miss Yarina greatly and plan on returning with my sweet and wife! Love you all, post more later.

the zoo

Today I was shown the zoo by a few people we built a house next too here in Yarina. I don't know exactly how to describe it. Very sad. Many animals in cages to small for them, jaguars pacing back and forth growling quietly! Man it was hard, my guides did not share my sadness, I'm sure one of many social differences I don't understand. The animals did not look happy, that much was obviouse. Oh well, it was fun anyway, we "hung out" for about 4 hours, it was a head change to see this park/zoo!

Well my friends, I am still at a loss for words! I don't even know where to start. I'm not nearly articulate enough to do justice to my experiences thus far, and I have yet to go to Cuzco! It will help me when I post pictures of this journey, but until then suffice it to say my mind is blown, my perspective altered of how life is for me. I am so greatful for my life of ease and luxury. I am so fortunate to be here right now!

Hanging out with Peruanos is so fun! My new friends know how to live, the most gentle and happy people I have hung out with. I know this is a typical reaction to being somewhere so different but I want to live here some day! I still look up and think holy crap! I'm in Peru!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Shipibos, Andy and the Rotary Reunion

First off, I dont have spell check so by all means, laugh it up, I cant shpell neri well.

Shipibos are very interesting people. Like the worst sales people in the world they spot the two "gringos" walking along the road and ATTACK!!!

"Buy my beads, buy this pirana teeth necklace, buy this bag..." I say "no thank you" and that segways into "well buy this braclet, buy this spear"... "ok, no I dont want anything, I have everything I need"... "well then buy this bow and arrow or how about this rattle"... "no no seriously I dont want anything!!!" the women then give this nervous laugh, hahahaha. Weird.

We stopped and had turtle soup for breakfast this morning. I thought it was awfull, daddy ate it. Mr. Iron Stomach... it was not even hot. Daddy has a stomach ache now. It was a bit to strange for me, the "meat" was indeed little turtle legs with the scaly looking skin, a dark meat under said skin... er, no thankyou. I had one spoon full and `passed on the rest, I ate the grilled plantain. It was great!

As we are eating a very old Shipibo woman sat waiting patiently in the door of our eatery, she did not bother us as we were in conversation, and eating. Those things did not stop a number of other Shipibos from interupting our meal with the rattles and pushing an arm full of beaded necklaces in our faces. I am all about supporting these people but the intrusive sales techniques are not acceptable, in any culture. Anyway, when we were done eating we spent 15 soles on crap we did not need from the kind old lady who waited. I hope she goes and spreads the word. Harrasment is not a very effective sales program.

Yesturdau on my way back to the hotel I met a guy named Andy from Indiana. He had been traveking for 10 years around the world. He had been more places than I can even name. His stories were stimulating and short. Good for one with the attention span of a monkey... oh speaking of monkeys have I blogged about the monkey that lives at our hotel? No? Well another time. Lets just say he is CUTE!!!

I just got done with a very "feel good" session. Daddys old Rotary buddies invited us to a unveiling of a couple new programs at an orphanage here in Yarina. It was heart warming. The kids all got up and sang, recited poetry etc. A couple times I had a tear in my eye. It was touching at the same time as being a little overboard in my opinion. People like to do good thigs yes? The Rotary club here are doing great things, when Im back state side Ill post pics and video of the event!

I want to the crnter today, saw the houses I grew up in, the school, wood shop, commisary, cool room, hanger... on and on, we saw it all. It was a bit anticlimatic. I thought I would have this ruch of memories and experience but no, what I had was... "oh, this is great... why did we leave this?" Again, I will post pics and video when I am at a computer that allows it.

ORLANDOS!!! Best. Food. Ever. And the Senora and Mister Orlando remembered us well, they didnt play the Abba tape they used to alwase put on when we ate there, but still... incredible. They pulled pictures out of us back in 87 maybe? I have copys, Oll post them when... you know.

Tonight we are eating with our neogbors that never were from Yarina. Armando and his wife. They had us over for dinner 20 years ago and you would rhink time stood still since then. Everything is as if it never changed. I love Peruvians!

Well, I have so so so so so so so much to write about but I am finding that I dont like spending preciouse time at a hot steamy internet store writing when I should be out experiencing!

Love you all, please comment and let me know how you all are! I love te hear from yaz!

WOW MAN

Where to start?

The Malako Ecogico... our hotel-resort.

We are staying at this place that litterally sits on the lake Yarina. It has lots of animals. One monkey in peticular has taken to me quite. The rooms are great, air conditioning! It is so very jungley.

Today we went by the house daddy built 20 years ago in Yarina, the new owner let us in to walk around and look. It was pretty darn cool I have to say. Ill post pics from Lima when we are back. On our way out the neigbors stopped us. some old lady yells "Tomas" and runs over and invites us in to chat for about half an hour, it was cool. Then as we left another one invited us in to chat, we are returning to his place in a bit for dinner probably.

Still have not ate at Orlandos yet, I will eat there at least twice before we leave the jungle.

OK, Im going to go. A lot to do and sit at a computer is not one of those things.

Love everyone!!!

Pucallpa!

So I am sitting in this internet booth trying to type on a keyboard that for some reason they have jumbled a few of the keys, this is hard for me as I already have no typing skills so its taking me forever to do anything. Oh well, its about 50 cents per hour.

Man, I am in paradise! I keep on thinking "what am I doing in the USA?" when a kinder, more gentle people I have never known. People (well most people) are so beatiful. I dont have much to report, yesterday was just sleep, eat, sleep again, eat again than sleep all night. We were up about 36 hours doing the airport travel thing and I was getting downright cranky! I should never stay up so long eh?

Today we are going to Yarinacocha to look at our old home. I am giddy with exitment! I think we are also going to get a room at a little hotel that sits on the water over the river. Ill see if I can post pics when I get there.

I am off, the adventure continues.

Hey cool I just figured out how too post pics to the blog. The 3 food pics are a carne empanada, the cebiche I wrote about yesterday I had at the market, then a couple of tamales with some pastry treats. There is my dad and I on the roof of the SILTA house in Lima where we have been staying, and a 15 second exposure taken from the roof last night.

Wish I had more time to post a bunch more but I have to take a nap, getting up at 2am to get ready. I will not be able to post pics of Pucallpa till we get back to Lima as we are not taking the computer but I will be posting about my daily experiences from my phone.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Saturday night!

Last night we hung out with Paul and Becky Nystrom. It was so much fun! Talk about a walk down memory lane! We talked all about Yarina and the people we remember and even some I did not.

Tonight at 430am we fly on to Pucallpa! I am pretty freekin jazzed, eveyone please pray that we don't have any problems getting on the center! It will break my heart if I traveled thousands of miles to see the home and land I grew up on to be turned away at the gate. It will not happen I'm sure but I still worry.
Well, today we are just taking it easy and going to the big cathedral down town to check out the center of the Catholic empire in Peru!

We are about to have breakfast with the Webbers so I will post more later!

Siesta

Man, we got it all wrong in the USA. Between 1ish too 3ish is siesta time. The sun is hottest, air the stillest, and mid way through the day is the time to nap, re-charge and get ready for the evening.

Every day I think more about how much I want to move away from the United States.
Even the name of our country is a lie.

We went to a market today, very cool. Lots of raw meat, fish, cooked food (I had a cebiche that blew my mind!) clothes, shoes, luggage, pets, tailors, computer repair, books, cd's, dvd's, stereos, video games, fruits and veggies... I could go on for ever. Everything you could possibly need ever for the rest of your life short the fountain of youth was here at this market.

We are hooking up with Paul Nystrom around 3pm so Im going to take a nap and clean up some.

Morning in Lima

Wow, I got up at 7am and took a walk. It was amazing! The fog was touching my face and arms like the mists of Avalon. The streets were quite and I walked to the little local "Pandaria" and got a few pastries and 2 tamales. I am going to have a great day.

We are hooking up with Paul Nystrom today to hang out for a bit. It will be great to find out what has been going on with Yarina and get updated on everything ILV.

Well, to all my friends and family oversees, have a blessed and wonderful day!

Friday Night!

Wow, Lima is rockin on Friday nights. We went to Mira Flores again and met a white dude from Jersey who had been hanging out in Lima for 2 or 4 or maybe 5 months, it was hard to tell. The guy showed us where we could buy a Cuban cigar, that was cool but then he hung around and talked our friggin brains out for an hour and a half, maybe more. Check out daddy's blog at www.gringosperuanos.blogspot.com and he will write a better description of this colorful character.

So, I have learned that actually I cant use my cell phone to post blogs. Turns out it does cost quite a bit. Bummer. Well I can always use daddy's computer but it is dependent on a wireless connection. My posts from here on will probably be once a day while we're in Lima, and less once we hit the jungle. I am taking tons of pictures so once I can post some I will.

I hope everyone is doing well, love you all. Im going to bed.

Another day in Paradise!

inca kola!

I just want to say how great it is to drink inca kola that is made in Peru! So so so much better than the stuff from the U.S.

So far today has been pretty laid back, chillin for a bit in our apt then going out to raise hell, and by that I meen do what any self respecting adult would do... Go out to eat, perhaps have a beer or two and come home early for a good nights rest.

tickets

So we just got tickets to fly to pucallpa then cuzco! Sweet! I'm jazzed! We leave Monday for the jungle, then return to lima 5 days later, chill in lima for a couple days and fly to cuzco, returning to lima on the 24th. Oh man, I'm jazzed!

the bar

Holy cow, what a drag. So I go to this ACAP meet up at a bar in lima, well more like a multi million dollar lounge. I ordered a drink and woa? 18 soles? That's like 6 dollars! Needless to say I payed my tab and jumped in a cab to Mira Flores where I walked aimlessly for an hour listening to street music and eating street food. Highlight was the asada sandwich. Man I could have had 8 of them. Thin steak grilled and smothered with marinated onions, and topped with a very spicy salsa! Simple but amazing! I did get to walking in some back alleys and saw a gym where people where learning trapeze up on swings and ropes, very cool, wish I had not forgotten my camera. Oh well, I'm off to bed, I miss Lauren.

first day in lima

So today was a good day, we went to Mira Flores and hung out at the plaza for a few hours, it was great! I talked to daddy about his disregard for peoples personal space. I honestly think he is obliviose to the fact that it creeps people out when you get up in thier face/space and just smile and chat at them. Hell, I fell awkward when he does it, not to me as he is my dad and I don't mind being close to him (not ready to share a pillow with him but you know).

After the plaza we walked along the beach and watched some extream gliders, daddy whanted to take a ride and I wimped out! The whole fear of hights thing I guess. It does look like great fun!

We started the day going to an outside market, we had lambs head soup with stomach for breakfast, I took pics but still can't use this phone to post them. I will make a point to figure out how to do that.

People are nice here! Everywhere we go people are happy and nice! We are staying in an apartment that we rented from a guy daddy knows, David Barrett. It is amazing and is about 7 dollars a day for the two of us! Rad!

I am out right now looking for a market to buy food so we can use this kitchen. RIGHT now I'm at of all places a starbucks having an iced coffee. I'm embarrassed to say it but I needed a cup and it is close to where we are.

Well, ill be posting regularly now that I found out internet is very cheap for my phone in Peru and I can post the blog from it.

Be sure to comment to I can hear from you all. Love!

lima!

We made it! going to bed now! Write more tomorrow! to bed

AAAAH!

Me claustrophobic? Naw. I'm in the middle row, middle seat inbetween daddy and some other guy, at least my neighbors are not fat! It is going to be a LONG flight! Meh, ill survive! Shit.

Atlanta!

Ok, so now the last leg of the trip! We are about to get on the BIG plane! Next post from lima!

So Washington DC is lame. Well, ok so we rode the metro to downtown and walked around in the rain for a little bit, walked into the USDA building and got a cup of awful coffee. Daddy, in one of his prouder moments ate some scrambled egg off the counter by a breakfast buffet that looked like it had been sitting for 6 hours, now he feels ill! Really?

This time daddy gets the total frisk down from security, he didn't look pleased. (this is happening right now). No problems as it turns out. I think ill go outside and have a smoke. Ok, well they don't even sell matches at the airport, no problem, I've been known to shit fire.

Well, we are about to get on the plane to Atlanta, then a short lay over and off to Peru!

In the airport!

Well after getting frisked by the ever friendly TSA we are sitting in the waiting area for the first of three flights. It was hard saying goodbye to Lauren, the cats, ill miss them a lot! Daddy is in good spirits and I think we are about as ready as two wildmen can be. Have to think about what ill eat first in Peru, probably some kind of street food in lima, ill be sure to write all about it, with photos. Blogger was not letting me post pics last night so I'm hoping it will let me from Peru.

Well, out for now.

First Post

Hello, so this is the last few moments of the end of a 20 year stint of being Peru free. It does seem to be a long time but then, so is three weeks away from my beloved wife and three cats, Zeek, Kora and Mystic.

The journey begins, I will do my best to post pics and keep people up to date on my shenanigans.