SOUTH AMERICA OR BUST!!!!!

January 21 through February 28, 2001

Leaving the comforts of Europe and our Tyrolean chalet was a challenge for us all. We briefly considered skipping South America for traveling further in Europe, but thankfully reminded ourselves that we didn't begin this adventure in search of comfort and the familiar. On January 22nd we departed from Frankfurt for a 14-hour flight to Lima, Peru. You might think that, during this lengthy flight, our kids may have become a little restless. However, because they have seen very little TV or movies over the past 6 months, they were thrilled to sit quietly and catch up on the world we had left behind.

The minute we landed in Lima, we suggested the children use all the Spanish instruction they had learned since kindergarten!! They quickly realized classroom instruction is very different from being fully immersed in another country!! Their Spanish teacher, Ms. Calderon, would be proud!

Mary, Tom's sister, bravely joined our Peruvian expedition the evening we arrived in Lima. We love to have her with us; she always brings lots of laughter and plenty of special treats from home, e.g., Bertie Botts jellybeans from the Harry Potter books. The treats were used as special enticements during those occasional difficult moments!!

After meeting up with Mary, we flew to the beautiful city of Cuzco, 11,000+ feet high in the Andes Mountains. We were welcomed at the airport with hot coca tea (made from the local coca leaf) to help prevent altitude sickness. Luckily, it met with a warm reception from all of us and we quickly drank as much as our bodies would allow. We then drove to a hidden "gem" a few blocks off the main square of Cuzco, the Monestario Hotel. A few years back, the hotel was converted from an active monastery, yet still retains the mystique of its long religious history. We spent a few days in and around Cuzco, exploring the city and its many Incan ruins, seeing llamas, and visiting alpaca outlets. We would have bought a few sweaters but our suitcases were already at the "bursting point."

On our way to Machu Picchu, we drove over the mountains and down into the Urubamba River valley and arrived at a wonderful open-air market in the village of Pisac. The kids had a great time sorting through the many booths of local handicrafts, e.g., chess sets, beads, rocks and woodcarvings. This is where they began learning the technique of negotiation: always begin at no more than half the asking price. It was great fun watching from the sidelines! After some tough negotiation, we took a rest at a local bakery and enjoyed the freshly baked bread. We spent the night in the nearby town of Yucay in one of our favorite hotels, the Posada del Incas. It is a small hotel nestled along the base of the mountains, with a beautiful chapel surrounded by flowers in the courtyard. In the evening, local musicians played the fantastic music of the Andes on traditional string and wind instruments.

In the early morning, we boarded a train in the village of Ollantaytambo and took a ride through magnificent scenery along the roaring and swelling Urubamba River. We tried to sneak in a bit more schoolwork on the way, but the tracks were a bit bumpy. Thankfully, we all just relaxed and took in the natural beauty of the valley.

We arrived in Aguas Caliente, the village at the base of Machu Picchu, sent our bags to the hotel, and looked for the bus to take us up to the ruins. A highlight for the kids at MP was the "treacherous" drive up the mountain from Aguas Caliente to Machu Picchu. They counted 14 switchbacks on the road. (14 Switchbacks) The only way to journey up the mountain is by bus along this narrow, dirt road with little or no guardrails!!! While the kids thought it was so "cool," I would have preferred a good hike!! We spent a good part of the day exploring Machu Picchu and taking in the view of the valley below and the many mountains surrounding the city. It remains a mystery why such a unique site was only occupied for 100 years. We ended our day with a race down the mountain with some of the local kids from Aguas Caliente. We had a slight advantage; we were traveling by bus and they were on foot. We traveled the switchbacks while they took stairs straight down the mountain. At every turn they would be waiting for us, yelling "goodbye!" in multiple languages.

Find out more about our South America trip from the kids...