Lima and the Road to Cusco

Hola Everyone. It has been a while and there are many stories to share. First of all, Nicole and I have photos to share, I am just having a few problem loading them onto the site. Notwithstanding that info, they will be uploaded soon (In a few days) but I wanted to update everyone with our stories so far.

After a few uneventful flights, we finally arrived in Lima in the morning. The dry heat gave us a good taste of what we were in for, and we gazed at Lima unsure of the the adventure that lied ahead. The city itself is a vibrant mixture of Spanish and oueblo influence. As we approached our portion of the city Miraflores, we drove past the Pacific and realized how dry the city actually is. Unlike California, Lima is more of a desert than I ever imagined. Miraflores itself was an amazing town and filled with restaurants, museums. and stores to the hearts desire. After settling into our hostel, Nicole and I hit the town for a walk, which ended up being a small night on the town. We ended up eating some of the best ceviche know to man, and along our walk, we decided that instead of spending a few day in Lima, we would leave the next day for Cusco. With some poor Spanish, we managed to book a tour with a really cute agent named Claudia.

With our bags packed and a desire for excitement in our eyes, we book a 5 day hike to the infamous Maccu Picchu. We ´luckily´ booked a 22 hour bus ride to the city of Cusco. With the blistering heat and sweat on our brow, we boarded our double-decker first class bus. I do have to say that if you have to take a bus, this is the one to take. Two warm meals, some poorly dubbed fillms, and many turns later we finally got to our destination. It was a journey all on its own and we decided that, on our return journey, it might be better to just take the plane. And we did. The drive up to this city really demonstrated the variety of landscapes this country has...2...dry or lush. In the beggining is was crazy to see pure desert. Children sprawling in the middle of sand dunes, animals looking for just a drip of water. As we apprached the more northern region, the dryness subdues and we were left with amazing green landscapes, and waterfalls. You could see small soccer fields and many cows. They really love their meat here. We finally got off the bus, and headed to our hostel. OUr excitement was great because our 5 day hike was the next day. Or so we thought...

If You Ever Have the Chance...

How many times have you ever thought, "What am I doing with my life...why don't I just pick up and go." I have a feeling many people have felt this before, and I knew that if I ever had the chance, I would do something about it. So, with my recently purchased tickets (thank you sidestep.com), my backpack packed, and with enough shots to make a junkie jealous, I am on my way to a new adventure. Fate also has its own plans, and I will luckily be accompanied by my cousin, Nicole.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Alex (aka Captain Vacation). Travelling is my biggest passion in life, and when I am fortunate enough to see new parts of the world, I wake up every day and I can see the world as if I am seeing it for the very first time. I was bitten by the travel bug years ago, and for this particular symptom, the prescription is an adventure to Central and South America.

Itinerary: Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador (and possibly the Galapagos), Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Belize
Cost: TBD
Goal: "I'll find out when I get there"

For all you readers out there, I hope you will enjoy the posts to come. We will ask the important questions like, "Do you think this food is safe enought to eat?" and, "How do I tell these people I do not want to buy a timeshare." But seriously, there are many exciting people, adventures, foods, and stories to tell along this journey. I look forward to hearing all of your comments as well.

Until next time, what crazy thing would you do, "If you ever have the chance."