 
## The Americas, North to South

## #1 in the series:

## Mom! There's a Lion in the Toilet!

## By Lisa Anderson
The Americas, North to South

#1 in the series:

Mom! There's a Lion in the Toilet

by Lisa Anderson

Copyright 2012 Lisa Anderson. All rights reserved.

Cover and maps by Katie Dooley Designs.

Smashwords Edition

eISBN: 9780988084803

Rating: General Audience

For additional titles by this author, visit http://www.6andersons1world.blogspot.com

#1: The Americas, North to South

#2: A Whirl Through Europe

#3: Gasp! The Middle East

#4: Southeast Asia for the Holidays

#5: Off to the Land of Oz

#6: Paused in Polynesia
Disclaimer: Though this story is based on actual places, people and events, in the interest of weaving a compelling tale and protecting the innocent, certain details may have been altered, changed or simply forgotten along the way. We apologize for any errors or omissions made. Let's chalk them up to personal interpretation, confusion or just plain mistakes. It was a long trip. We tried to catch all the mistakes, but, alas, we are but human. Please don't take any too seriously. If something is really quite alarming, or if you'd like to share your comments or review, we'd love to hear from you, our readers. Please contact us and we can make our amends in the next edition of the book. Bon voyage! Hope you enjoy the trip!

6andersons1world@gmail.com

### The Americas, North to South

### #1 in the series:

### Mom! There's a Lion in the Toilet!

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents

The Idea

The Bags are Packed

First Stop, the Edge of Canada

Dance, Dance, Wherever you may be

The Grand Adventure Begins

Derek at Port Alberni, Vancouver Island

Brief Stop: Hollywood USA

Derek at Hollywood, and Lima, Peru,

Waking up in Lima

Lima, According to Rick

Lima, Peru by Jaclyn

Barranco by the Sea

Up, Up to the Land of the Ancient Inca

The Sacred Valley

Derek at Pisac

Ahhhh Machu picchu....

Machu Pichu, by Jaclyn

Back to the Cusi Wasi

Up too high, and feeling low

Happily back at sea level

Back in Lima by Jaclyn

Peru, in South America

Punta Hermosa y Playa

Islas Ballistas, Peru's Island Reserve

Sandboarding at the Oasis, the whole story

Derek at Miraflores

A Final Pisco Sour

Coffee with Juan Valdez

Twenty years from now

you will be more disappointed

by the things that you didn't do

than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore.

Dream.

Discover.

Mark Twain, 1835 – 1910
For Dad,

for showing your children the world,

and inspiring us

to do the same.

##  The Idea

## Derek

My mom's a teacher.

Except she doesn't teach school anymore, not since just after I was born. She works with my dad in their own business, which does soil sampling for oil and gas companies. They take samples so that the government can be sure that they are keeping Alberta clean. Or, at least making some attempt to clean it up. We farm, too, but not nearly as much as we used to.

A couple of years ago we moved from our small-town farmhouse into the suburbs. Why? Well, the main reason was so that my older brother and I could have more options for high school, and of course, to play hockey. And so my sisters could be closer to their Irish dance studio, which was an hour and a half away.

My mom had complained that with all the driving, she felt like she was living in our Suburban. My dad found a quiet street with large lots, walking distance to the best schools, and picked out a house.

I like the city, and I am really glad we moved. My dad would still rather live at the farm, which means everyone is not always happy. But then again, what family is?

Each year at New Year's we have a family tradition. We make a resolution, like most people try to do, but it's more like a family goal. This year, ours was a big one.

"Kids," my Dad announced. "This year, our family is going on a trip around the world."

Really?

Now you have to understand that when my dad makes an announcement, he is not messing around. I guess we all better start packing.

## Lisa

My first reaction was that this must be some kind of mid-life crisis, a "just turned 40" thing, or another of the "big grand schemes" which would probably pass.

Then again, those ideas are the type that swirl around in Rick's head for a while, come out in conversation a few times, but are rarely shared with our kids or friends or family, at least until the trigger is pulled, so to speak. Maybe this one was for real?

"Sounds great! When do we leave?" I played along with the game, a smile on my face. I mean, who doesn't have the dream to travel the world?

"I was thinking November, before the snow flies. Same as the last time we went," Rick answered.

Obviously he had already thought this one through. I wondered how much time had passed before he decided to share his plan with us, rather than allowing me to digest the idea before throwing it out there to the kids. I really don't like promising things that we can't follow through with, and this idea didn't seem probable. At least, not yet.

"Last time?" I asked.

"Yeah. Last time we left in November, and were gone for five months. This time we should go for a whole year," Rick stated without hesitation. He looked at me hopefully.

"Um. Right. But last time, that was, what? 18 years ago? You know, our life B. C. 'Before Children.'

"What about school?"... And the boys' hockey? Dance? Work? Life? My mind was reeling. Was he serious?

I am truly gifted in that I am not a worrier. Unlike many of my fellow female persuasion, I am fairly content to go-with-the-flow, and I can normally come up with a plan of attack on little notice. Good thing, since my husband is a fly-by-the-seat kind of guy. Life is never dull in the Anderson household.

"You're a teacher. You can home school. Or I guess, 'World School', since we won't be home!" Rick smiled. He already had it all worked out.

A trip around the world?

Wow.

Maybe it can happen. I guess I can wait and see.

## Travis

What? No way!

"Okay, where will we go?" I was flabbergasted. I can use that word now, since I just got honors on my last couple of English tests.

"Well, I thought we could let everybody choose a spot, pick a country and plan that destination. That way, we all get to see and do the things we like, and we can all learn along the way," my dad explained.

"When?" I was in the middle of a really good season with the Midget Tier 1 hockey team, and didn't want to let my teammates down. And rugby season was coming up. Can't miss that.

"Next fall, before winter starts. After the crop comes off." Even though we now live in the city, at heart my dad is always a farmer.

No school? Sweet! My dad's idea of world schooling sounds pretty cool to me. There is way more to learn in the world by going there than there ever is sitting in a classroom reading books about it. I'd rather do the real thing any day.

"How about Peru? Machu Picchu? We can hike the Inca Trail." That was the top of my list of destinations.

"What's Atchoo Cheechoo?" asked Katie. Everybody laughed.

At six, my youngest sister is the cutest little mimic you can find. She seriously thinks she is 16, like me. With long blonde hair to her waist and big blue eyes, her teenage vocabulary sounds that much funnier.

"Machu Picchu, " I repeated. "It's a place in South America, the Lost City of the Incas. It's up high in the Andes Mountains, and you have to either take a train or hike for, like five days to get there. I read about it in National Geographic."

"Read? Are you sure you didn't just watch it on Discovery Channel?" Derek quipped. My younger brother always hacks on me. Since he's about six inches shorter than I am, and only half as ripped, I can let it slide.

"Yes! Finally someone wants to go to Peru with me," my Dad was excited.

He grabbed the atlas off the shelf and flipped to the map on the inside cover. A flat representation of the Earth was spread out across our kitchen table. He pointed to Peru.

"This, Katie, is Peru. Right here is Machu Picchu. And this," he added, "This is Canada, where we live. Where do you think you would like to go?"

She paused, her face thoughtful as she examined the swirls of blue and green.

"I want to ride on an elephant," she smiled. Katie just celebrated her birthday ten days ago, right before Christmas. This year for her birthday, she had asked my parents for an elephant ride. Where did she think we could find an elephant in the winter in Canada? The circus doesn't come until March. It didn't happen.

"Well, there are elephants in Africa and in Asia. How about Thailand? Maybe next year on your birthday, you could get your elephant ride," my Mom suggested.

"Thailand. Where is Thailand?" Katie looked again at the map. Dad found the long narrow country in Southeast Asia shaped like an elephant's head and pointed it out for us.

Thailand. Yeah.

Beaches, Muay Thai boxing, diving. Maybe I can even get my PADI Scuba certificate there. This trip is going to be sick!

## Jaclyn

If I could go anywhere in the world, where would I pick? That's easy.

Egypt. Land of the Pharaohs: Almighty Isis, Ramses, King Tut.

My grade six class was in the middle of our Ancient Civilizations study, and Egypt is the most fascinating time period of them all. We have been reading about the pyramids and the tombs full of mummies, each hidden in their golden sarcophagus.

If Katie wants an elephant, I would love a chance to ride on a camel.

"Jaclyn. You have been really quiet. Where would you pick of all the places in the world? Just close your eyes and point to the map," my dad suggested.

Really, Dad! I am almost twelve years old. As if I can't pick a place I'd like to go. I think it would be easier to find on the map if I could actually see it!

"Um, Dad, I know where I'd like to go. Right here." I pointed to the location on the south of the Mediterranean Sea.

"The Middle East?" my mom gasped.

"No, Egypt. I want to see the pyramids," I smiled.

"Great pick, JC. It's right next to Jordan, and Petra, another amazing place." Dad told us all about Petra, the hiding place of the Holy Grail. We watched that sequel of Indiana Jones together just last week.

My mom wasn't totally convinced. "Is it safe to take the kids to that part of the world right now?" she wondered aloud.

"Sure. No problem. I can make a few calls, and Hussan can help us set it up," answered my Dad, always the optimist. Hussan owns the restaurant in our hometown (and several other towns, too). He and his brothers have been Dad's friends for years. His family originated in Lebanon, in the same part of the world.

Wow. Egypt. I am seriously considering becoming an archeologist and it would be incredible to visit the tombs of the Ancient Egyptians. Maybe I can even go inside a real pyramid!

"Mom, Bailey's class is going to Egypt on a school trip this year at Spring Break. I am sure they wouldn't be taking a plane full of high school students there if there was any problem with security. I'm sure it's fine," Travis added, trying to soften Mom's reservations.

Thanks Travis, I thought. I really want to go to Ancient Egypt. Around the world... where else can we go? Imagine the amazing things we can do! I need to make a list!

## Rick

Give our children an ordinary childhood? Live a normal kind of life?

No, thank you.

You only get one chance, baby, and you better make the best of it. There is a lot more to this game than just making do, or being one of the cogs in the wheel. You have the choice to make things happen.

Create. Control. Be the engine. Don't just catch the ride.

I caught the travel bug pretty early on, I think. A couple trips to Hawaii on vacations as a kid and teenager, fly-in fishing in Northern Canada with my dad, all which led to the more adventurous travels.

In 1989, Lisa and I went to Belize in Central America with her family, where we sailed up the coast on Len's boat and did some diving on the Barrier Reef there. We were engaged that New Year's just as the clock struck twelve. That was on Ambergris Caye, before it became a popular tourist destination.

I guess I have always thought New Year's was a good time for big decisions.

After we were married a couple of years, we took a major trip to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia together. Lisa took a leave from her teaching position, and after harvest I put our cattle in a neighboring feedyard. As soon as the first snowflakes hit the ground, we got on the plane south. It was the best trip, and mostly because we had so much time together.

We both wanted kids, a big family, and felt we were ready when we returned home from our trip. But wouldn't it be fun to do this type of trip again as a family some day?

Yes, we agreed that we would. Some day.

Now it is "some day".

We have four amazing children, ages 16, 14, 12 and 6. This fall, they are in grades 11, 9, 7, and 1. Time just keeps ticking.

Another year and it will almost be too late. I mean, it's hard to pull Travis out of his senior year. Once he's graduated, he'll be off to college, working, possibly have a steady girlfriend, or off doing a trip on his own. Not long before traveling with Mom and Dad won't be "cool".

The cost, well, that depends on priorities, I guess. Lisa needs a new vehicle, the house needs a new roof, the company could use a couple new pieces of equipment, and wouldn't it be nice for the farm to have a new tractor or combine? Yes, to all the above. Or no, and we pause and spend time with the kids, and put the rest on hold.

Those are the normal everyday choices. The _ordinary_ way to live.

If I can give my family anything at all in this life, I want it to be _extraordinary_.

## Katie

"Grandma, Grandma, guess what?" I burst out as she picked up the phone.

"What is it, dear?" my Grandma replied.

I could hardly wait to tell her our great news. "We are going on a trip around the world!"

"Really, Katie? That's great." Grandma didn't sound that excited. There was a long pause.

"Is your mom there?"

"Mom! Grandma wants to talk to you!"

My mom shook her head and mouthed silently, Katie.

"I guess the cat's out of the bag," she mumbled, before saying hello to my grandma. She looked at me with that look she usually uses when I am in trouble.

What do you mean, Mom? We don't even have a cat.

## Bags Are Packed!

## Get Ready, Get Set and...GO!, November 5, 2010

It's really happening. We leave this Wednesday.

Somehow, over the last couple of weeks, I have turned the corner and allowed myself to believe this is actually happening. I have remained skeptical for the past several weeks, as the date drew nearer. The very idea of exiting our normal life for a five-month stretch seemed insurmountable. I couldn't allow myself to get excited, for fear of incredible disappointment should the dream not come true. I was a non-believer.

Now, it has truly come together. Ready or not, our first flight leaves in a few short days.

Don't get me wrong; we have been preparing for months. There have been new staff to train, and clients to contact at work. There have been schools to notify and teachers to interview. The boys didn't enroll in hockey this season, and the girls' dance teachers have recorded video lessons to practice. We have a college boarder to care for our home, and great neighbors watching over the farm. Our lovely nurse-next-door has given us our travel vaccines, and everyone is healthy to go. I have contacted the cell phone and cable companies, and the insurance company. I have pre-paid all the necessary home utilities to reduce recurring bills. The "to-do" list was really long, but finally, it is done.

Our last week has been filled visiting family and friends, and purchasing all the must take items we could think of. But really, with only a single bag each, we are going with the motto: What you don't have, you probably don't need, or you can probably buy. This trip will be a discovery of needs versus wants.

With our four kids, we have five months to visit all six continents, or at least have a tiny taste of each. Yes, it is a shorter trip than we had originally hoped, but we want to make the most of the time we have.

It is a winter avoidance journey, and I think if you happen to be Canadian (or live anywhere in the far northern hemisphere) you would no doubt appreciate what that means. We are leaving during our school's fall break, and plan to return at spring Break. All our destinations must be warm enough for flip-flops and shorts, since that is all we have packed along.

We have forewarned our children that this will be far from a Five-Star trip, but they most likely do not yet appreciate what that will mean. To travel for this long, there's a lower target daily budget involved, not only because of the obvious affordability, but also so that we get a truer understanding of the places we are visiting. We plan to experience the culture, not just as a tourist on some beach, somewhere. We want to meet other families and learn about the places, the history, and the nature of it all.

By discovering others, we will discover ourselves.

This story is our journal, written for dual purpose.

The first is self-preservation. I want to remember each place and our impressions as they occur, in order that one experience is not quickly overshadowed by the next... and in my aging, I seem to be remembering a lot less of the details lately.

The second is to share. Family and friends, cherished and new, these are the adventures of the Anderson's: Lisa and Rick, high school sweethearts at the height of our mid-life years, together with our four children, Travis, Derek, Jaclyn, and little Katie.

We are a farm family from small-town Alberta, and we are taking this opportunity to share the world with our kids, before they are all grown-up and gone... which is indeed happening all too soon.

Come along on our journey. If you could fit in my pocket, I'd take you along. Enjoy the world through our eyes, ears, and all the other senses, too.

Together we can live, laugh, and explore.

First Stop, the Edge of Canada, November 10, 2010

# WestJet - Edmonton to Vancouver, 1 hour

# Boys – Interisland ferry Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island

# Girls – Vancouver Westin Bayshore

Departure day.

The kids have had the past couple of days off school, and have been packing and re-packing, making sure that all is tucked in its place. With our last goodbyes, we woke early for our first flight, Edmonton to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Today is our twentieth wedding anniversary. It seems very fitting to be marking the date with the start of this epic adventure.

This past week, our dear friend Mike from Michigan made his biannual hunting trip up to our farm. His intentions are not really to hunt, but more to spot the many Mule and Whitetail bucks that cross our land along Beaverhill Creek. He finds refuge surrounded by Poplar forests, the familiar helping with memories lost due to a car accident that impacted his life a few years back. An easy guest, he enjoys the quiet country nights at our farmhouse with a bowl of homemade stew beside our wood-burning stove. The timing of this year's trip meant he was able to be our driver en route to the airport, and then return our truck safely in the farm shed once we were long gone.

With our backpacks stuffed and excitement high, we boarded our first of many airplanes and made the trip over the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean, the west coast of Canada. This stop had a specific purpose. Jaclyn was dancing in the Western Canadian Championships in Vancouver, a regional qualifying Irish dance competition. We simply couldn't miss it after all the hours and hours of practice she had already invested.

Jaclyn started dance when she turned 3, and began competing at the age of 7 with the Knock School of Irish Dance. This year she held a realistic chance to qualify for the North American Championships, and would be a step closer to reaching her dream of World Level competitions. We made the stop a necessary part of the flight path.

With the girls busy dancing, Rick and the boys rode the ferry across the Georgia Strait to Vancouver Island to see his Aunt Donna and Uncle Jack at Port Alberni. Rick's uncle is a legendary logger, who now spends his days working at the exhibits of the McLean Steam Sawmill, a Canadian National Heritage site. Auntie Donna is either line dancing or dragon boating, depending on the day. They are an inspirational couple of active great-grandparents, that's for sure. Together, they planned to squeeze in a walk in the old growth rainforests, and possibly shuck some fresh oysters and clams, as well.

"Have fun on the Island, and please pass a big hi to Donna and Jack from us," I told Rick before we kissed farewell at the airport, and loaded into two separate taxis.

"See you in a couple of days. Derek, your phone will still work until Friday. Text me whenever you can. We will plan to meet up again here at our hotel. Our flight to L.A. and Lima leaves on Saturday afternoon," I added. It felt weird to be dividing into two groups at this early stage of our adventure.

"Have you heard back from the bed and breakfast in Lima yet?" Rick asked.

"Still waiting for their reply. As soon as they confirm, I'll let Dad and Betty know. They don't arrive until a day or so after us." My parents would join us in Peru for the Machu Picchu part of the trip. Since neither of us will have phones, we have to have our meeting place determined before we leave. We will have our laptop computers, and email will be our only way to communicate once en route.

"Better book something for overnight in Los Angeles, too," Rick reminded me.

"Already under control, dear. Happy anniversary." I smiled at him and gave him an extra squeeze. "See you Friday afternoon."

"Knock 'em dead, JC!" Derek and Travis called to their sister as we pulled away.

Facebook post: Lisa to Laraine

November 10, 2010

Hi Mom,

We have arrived in Vancouver. Jaclyn got to practice as they were setting up the stage tonight. She is both very excited and very prepared for the competition tomorrow. I hope she does well. We will call you at home on Friday night. Our cell phones work until then, and after that it will only be Facebook or email. All is well.

You can follow us on our blog, which is up and running now. I will try to post every night.

Love, Lisa

## Dance, Dance, Where ever you may be, November 11-12, 2010

Competitive Irish dance.

If you have ever had the chance to be in the vicinity of this type of festival, you will surely remember the colorful dresses and curly wigs which are unique to the sport. Michael Flatley made "Riverdancing" popular on stages worldwide, but it's the official Irish Dance Feis Commission headquartered in Ireland that regulates the competitive side.

Competitors progress through in a complex series of levels and ages individually, with their dance schools creating unique steps to traditional Irish songs, for a chance to compete on the National and World stage. It's like the Olympic trials of dancing. Add a roomful of nervous teen and pre-teenage girls and boys, and their parents, and it can make for a very long, stressful day.

This year our region's Oireachtas (pronounced o-rawk-tas) was held at a beautiful hotel in downtown Vancouver, the Westin Bayshore. Dancers from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia gathered for the annual event. I booked us in for three nights. Since we arrived ahead of most of the dancers, Jaclyn was invited to dance on the stages as a test run, before they were closed to general practice. The pre-scouting opportunity gave her a chance to visualize and plan out her footwork on the huge space prior to judging. It went a long way to boost her confidence, and calm her nerves, as well.

After practice, we made our way back up to our room. The Bayshore is a lovely five star hotel, complete with the Westin's signature "Heavenly beds", and fluffy, white robes hanging behind the bathroom door.

"Appreciate these, girls. This is not what you will be seeing for the next five months." I laughed as I held up one of the robes. I was pretty sure the majority of hostels and boutique hotels on our list of possible accommodations would look nothing like a Westin.

The outdoor swimming pool was open, though it had no takers. Katie spotted it from our balcony, and was game for a dip. November in Vancouver is not as cool as Edmonton, though it still wasn't quite bathing suit weather.

"Can we go swimming?" she asked.

"Well, it is plus 15 and sunny. Mmm, okay, we can try," I answered. Normally I don't like outdoor pools unless it is over 25 Celsius, or 85 Fahrenheit, minimum.

We changed, and headed outside. It was certainly warmer than the ocean, and gave us a good reference point for all the future cool pools. As in "it's not as cold as the pool in Vancouver!" After a quick plunge, the girls ran squealing to join me in the hot tub.

There was a bit of a production on dance day. Jaclyn's pretty red and purple dress was purchased from an older championship dancer. Major alterations were something I'd wanted to avoid. We had to improvise. We sewed a corset into the bodice, to tighten the body without removing fabric or seams. With a bit of stuffing (a hotel towel!) and the help of another dance mom, we filled out the necessary shape. Finally, we tacked behind the cape to conceal the adjustments. The down side, well, there would be no coming out of the heavy velvet and satin dress until the end of the day. It may be a hot one! A sparkling headband set high on her curly chestnut wig and some borrowed eye make-up completed the look. We were NOT about to carry an eyelash curler and silver sparkles around the world for five months!

"You are beautiful, you know all your steps, and you're ready to shine," I told Jaclyn as we heard her competition called. "Don't forget to smile."

"Thanks, Mom," she said with a deep breath, on her way to wow the judges.

## The Grand Adventure Begins, November 13, 2010

What a successful trip to Vancouver!

Jaclyn danced her first two dances, one in hard shoe and one in soft, and received a Recall for the finals. She laced up her shoes once more, and qualified for the North American Championships, which are scheduled for the beginning of July 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee

Thank goodness we delayed the few extra days in Canada in order that she would have a chance to compete in this event. We are very proud of her. That sealed the plan: we would have to pack the dance shoes into her backpack. She would need to continue to practice regularly. No steps may be forgotten along our way.

Rick and the boys arrived at the Westin ballroom just in time to hear Jaclyn called to the stage to receive her Championship medal and qualification certificate. Jaclyn's dance friends and teachers were in attendance to cheer her on.

Travis moved up front and center with his video camera, capturing the moment. He was the un-official photographer on our trip. I suspect it helped that the senior dancers from Knock School of Irish dance were in their late teens, stunningly gorgeous young ladies, both inside and out. Travis was proud to lay claim to his little sister, and her success.

Later that evening, Rick and I got on the Internet and booked our departing flight from Peru to Barcelona, Spain via Columbia. We thought it might be a good idea to have the ongoing ticket prior to arrival, in case Peruvian immigration asked any questions, or in case of Internet access issues in Peru. We planned to book our trip only one leg ahead to be more flexible. So far, best for pricing, too.

"Jaclyn, we'll take a limo to the airport in honor of your success," Rick told a beaming Jaclyn. He hailed our ride to Vancouver International following breakfast the next morning. With six persons plus a backpack and carry-on each, we needed the extra space. It was also more economical than two separate cabs: a fancy "large family special".

We checked our main luggage straight through to Lima, Peru. In our carry-on, we each packed a change of clothes and a swimsuit for our 14-hour layover in Los Angeles, USA.

Derek at Port Albern, Vancouver Island

Day #4

We are leaving Canada behind.

I had a great time with Uncle Jack and Auntie Donna in Port Alberni. We drove around the city and went down to China Creek, which is a port on the Alberni inlet, used mostly for sports fishermen. If you follow the inlet out, you will hit Banfield. Port Alberni is one of the most westerly ports in Canada. They export tons of lumber.

Also, JC did great in her dance. She got 11th. She is going to Nationals! GOOD JOB JC! =)

Off to Peru now!

## Brief Stop: Hollywood, USA, November 14, 2010

# Air Canada (LAN partner) - Vancouver to Los Angeles 3 hours

# Accommodation – Hilton Embassy Suites Airport Hotel

# LAN Los Angeles – Lima, Peru 8 hours, plus 3 hour time change

On Expedia, I was able to book a family suite at a hotel near the airport, including a short shuttle bus ride and complimentary breakfast buffet. The kids enjoyed a dip in the pool, and then slept late enough for Rick and I to share a quiet coffee in the atrium before they woke. Breakfast was served in a beautiful garden in the center of the 12-story building, with glass elevators opening to a tropical water garden in the center. Certainly a waste of space, but it was architecturally highly appealing. At least two wedding parties took advantage of the backdrop, and their guests had celebrated well into the night.

We had time before our flight to Lima, and used the couple of hours to do a quick tour of Los Angeles, California. Rick negotiated a price with a station-wagon style cab parked at the side of the hotel.

"Can I help you, sir? A ride to the airport?" The taxi driver looked at the small pile of luggage the six of us had mounded next to the curb.

"Sure could. How much to get to the airport, in a really long, 'round-about way? We'd like to see a bit of the town," Rick explained. Rick believes that the best tours happen when you aren't in a rush, and let the driver lead the way. He knows his town, and is usually proud to show it off.

"You'd be in luck, sir. Not much traffic or business this time of day; I think I could give ya'll a real good tour. Hop right in, kids," the driver smiled a wide, toothy grin. His southern drawl was at odds with his Ethiopian heritage.

Los Angeles at 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday was surprisingly quiet and calm. The streets were empty of all but churchgoers and joggers. We cruised through the poorer neighborhoods in East L.A., along the starry sidewalks of the Walk of Fame, past the Chinese Theater and the Paramount Studios building.

Our driver snaked his way up the mountain lookout near the iconic Hollywood sign where we had to take the classic family photo. We were surprised to see horses there, on the very edge of the city of Los Angeles. Next trip, a pony ride from the stables through the Hollywood Hills would be a lot of fun! Following our short hike, we returned to the car, and thanked our driver for staying in the cool shade with our bags. Next, we circled across to Beverly Hills, with its high-end shops and glass towers, and back towards LAX.

The entire tour took just under two hours. Our happy driver and newfound friend charged us only slightly more than a "normal" taxi service for one person direct from the hotel to the airport.

"You keep this beautiful family safe on your travels around this world, my friend," Sandeep shook Rick's hand as we exited his cab. "Take good care."

His eyes told us he spoke from experience.

We checked into the airport in perfect time to continue our LAN Airlines flight to Peru. The first leg of our flight was with Air Canada, in partnership with the South American airline on its feeder flights through Los Angeles. We found a super deal by purchasing the tickets on a website called Vayama.com, but I was forced to book them as two separate trips, for three people each. Luckily, we ended up with the same flight plan, and we were flying together one way to South America for under $400 each, taxes included. I was learning a lot of tricks of Internet travel. Off to a great start budget-wise!

LAN is a wonderful airline. Children are given their own "welcome package" with coloring books and crayons, and special meals to their liking. Individual in-flight entertainment included a selection of hundreds of digitized movies, live television, interactive Spanish language and cooking lessons, and several travel documentaries, all free of charge. You could even play video games against passengers in another seat somewhere on the flight. There were laptop and iPod charging stations at every seat. Snacks, drinks and two hot meals, were served to all passengers on china plates – even real silverware! I didn't know of any airlines that maintained this level of service for its "economy" passengers, and would recommend LAN without reservation. The eight-hour flight to Lima quite literally flew by!

Derek in Hollywood, and Lima, Peru

Day #5

I woke up in Los Angeles this morning and our family decided we were going to burn off the day until our flight left at 12:20 p.m. It was about 6:30 a.m. when my brother said what was on everyone's mind, we wanted to explore L.A. and see the "Hollywood Sign." My parents thought it was a silly idea and it was about 2 hours to get to the sign. We asked a local and guess what? It was only 20 minutes away. That has got to be the first time Travis has ever said ANYTHING of a good idea or shown any sigh of intelligence (kidding, Trav! I hope he isn't reading this...)

We toured around Hollywood by taxi due to our limited timeframe. We got lots of pictures by the sign. It was a good start to a great day of flying.

We got to LAX and boarded LAN airlines. I didn't know what to expect from the flight because it was a South American airline. I hadn't ever heard of it. It was amazing, though. Free movies, free lunch, free dinner, free multi-player games, and a blanket and pillow provided. It was great because I was thinking it would be a really long and crappy flight, but it was great, quick and easy =) We landed in Peru at about midnight (Peru time) and had about a 45 minute drive thorough Lima to our hotel.

I like it here. I might just stay ;)

## Waking Up in Lima, November 15, 2010

# Accommodation: 3B Bed and Breakfast, Barranco, Peru

Before I opened my eyes, I could hear horns blaring, engines revving and the clink of morning dishes. We have lucked out at a gem of a B & B in the suburb of Barranco, on the Peruvian coast bordering the more expensive Miraflores. The hotel is new, with polished wooden floors, and private sparkling-clean washrooms, and showers with 24-hour hot water – apparently a rare commodity in this part of the world.

Breakfast was "made-at-request" eggs and toast, strong coffee, tropical fruits, and fresh squeezed orange juice. My stomach growled.

What were our first impressions of Peru? They treat large families with children with obvious preference. Katie had special kid-friendly meals; grilled cheese, her favorite. We were fast-tracked through the customs Air crew-only line. Several people smiled, and nodded when we walked past, almost congratulatory. We did not match the standard "backpacker" or "travel group member" mold. We felt welcomed for pressing those boundaries. I think we seemed more like them, more like family.

We'd arrived late, and the 3B sent a van to fetch us from the airport. What a sight! Roughly 300 potential drivers, shouting loudly in Spanish, English and Span-glish, with placards waving madly above their heads. There we stood, searching hopefully for a single card bearing the name of Rick, possibly Richard, or even Anderson. We challenged each other to the Jorge Chavez International Airport version of "I Spy."

Once located and loaded, our van weaved through the dark city streets, which remained surprisingly crowded for the middle of the night. We experienced our first glimpse of a vibrant city in South America, with its low, flat-roofed houses and cement apartment blocks, laundry flapping dry from rebar structures on most rooftops. People gathered on corners, packs of dogs ran freely across the asphalt streets, and flashing red lights appeared at nearly every intersection, all of which our driver mostly ignored. Each corner revealed something new and exotic. We could hardly wait to explore!

Following a short reconnaissance mission up our street this morning, Rick was hesitant to venture forth completely solo with our sleepy Katie in tow. We opted instead to take the friendly concierge's recommendation of a driver and an English-speaking guide to share the highlights of Peru's capital city of Lima today.

Enter Julio, a young dentistry student who had spent the last couple of summers in Chicago, Boston, and New York City, hanging with friends and learning American English. He had an amazing grasp of his home country's culture and history. Julio had the added bonus of knowing precisely the kind of things which would most interest our teenage boys, and where to locate family friendly restaurants, too.

We were met at our immaculate and safe 3B (did I mention how important this was to me at this early stage of the trip?). Our van, one of the rare ones we had seen without dents, navigated us smoothly to Lima's Central Square. Poor Julio, he'd had little notice of our day's adventure, and he'd ended up running the last half a mile in circles as he and the driver negotiated the meeting location. It was complicated by road closures and a bit of miscommunication. He was very out of breath and very sweaty when he finally located us on the street corner by the correct bakery, out of a choice of many.

"Good day to you," Julio greeted us as we exited our van onto the city streets. Following short introductions, he shared his proposal of the day's tour. I was glad he had obviously given some thought into the make-up of our group, and not just given us the "Lima-in-a-Can" tour version.

"First, we must see the Center Square. It was recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Do you like old buildings?"

Our boys looked at him blankly. "Not really," Derek confessed.

"Me neither," Julio smiled at him. "But the Changing of the Guard is pretty cool. It is about to start. While we are waiting, you also might like to know that all that gold paint over there, that is real gold."

I was pleased that Julio had now piqued our four children's interest in old buildings. We knew this would be a good day.

The architecture of central Lima was influenced by Spain, as I had expected, but also France and Italy. It was very opulent in style: plated 24k gold and inlaid marble tiling. Then, around the corner, there existed the antithesis of poverty in shantytowns. Really, it was a startling contrast.

The Changing of the Royal Peruvian Guard reminded me of the British Palace ritual, crossed with Spanish-style marching. It was likely based on the European style ceremony, but it had a unique spin: the ceremony itself guarded by Policia in full militia riot gear. All four kids were quite fascinated.

"Now for some bones," Julio told them, and led us off without further explanation. Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, our kids chased him up the narrow streets. Rick and I trailed closely behind.

We weaved the couple of city blocks over cobblestones and through alleys to the Iglesia de San Francisco, where we paid the small admission for entry and guided tour. Julio spoke with the ticket-taker and was allowed to pass with a smile. He's a charmer. We waited with a few other tourists on independent tours, mostly European or South American nationals. The English language tour would begin shortly, at which time we would descend into the bowels beneath the church: the Catacombs.

Over 70,000 corpses are said to be the source of the attraction. Several thousand bones sorted into bins of body parts: skulls, ribs and femurs, some lined up in a circular flower pattern, very gruesome and entrancingly morbid at the same time. The ceilings were low, the lights dim, complete with cobwebs and dusty air, it was extremely creepy. The kids absolutely LOVED it.

We returned to the warmth of the day at street level, and sought out a tiny street café for refreshments. This was our first taste of Peruvian cervesa and Inca Kola, a fluorescent yellow soft drink that seems to be a cross between cream soda, cotton candy, and bubble gum.

After a couple of sips of bottled water, Katie needed to use the restroom facilities. I asked Julio where they might be. He fired off some rapid Spanish with the shopkeeper.

"There is a toilet here, but don't expect the Radisson," he warned us, as we rounded the corner towards the back of the café.

I was forced to hover Katie over the grimy porcelain and its missing seat. It looked like the area had been last cleaned, well, maybe never. I leaned against the wall, my back affording her a bit of privacy since there was no door.

"Mom, can you get me some paper, please?" she asked when she'd finished.

"Um, there isn't any. Sorry, dear. Next time we'll make sure to bring our own." Next practical lesson in cross-cultural experiences checked off the list.

"Better?" Rick asked her on our return.

"I guess so," she answered with a half smile. We'd been worried about her response to everything so different from home, but she was following our lead. We all had to learn to take everything new in stride.

"I know where you will like to go next," Julio told us back at the table. "You have heard of the Spanish Inquisition, right? It was not only in Spain. It was here in South America, in Peru, too."

Lima's Spanish Inquisition Museum (Museo de Inquisicion y Congreso Peru) depicted a very violent time in Peru's historical past. The conquering Spanish had employed inquisition torture techniques to "convince" the native people that theirs was the one true God, and that the Spanish rule was not to be challenged. The historical events and methods were illustrated in three-dimensional wax museum sculpture, complete with red paint for blood and a screaming soundtrack playing in the background... the boys were captivated.

We met a large group of uniformed teenage students who were visiting the museum as part of a school field trip. While the screams and blood held the interest of the Peruvian boys in the group, the school girls seemed decidedly more interested in the two Canadian boys at the attraction. Jaclyn was annoyed with their giggling, and that they kept taking our picture.

Spanish as a language was not coming that easily, even with my French teaching background. I found myself wishing I had a better command of the language, or had stuck longer with those language lessons with our friend from Columbia. When Derek and I managed to blow out the power at the 3B not once but TWICE in the span of about 15 minutes, I sincerely wished I was able to apologize more fluently.

"Don't worry Madame. It was only our building, and the next one. Not the whole block," they told me graciously with a smile. "But, please, we ask you, do not use that appliance again."

I couldn't in any event, as the international power surge protector that caused our outage problem had started smoking, half-melted, and had nearly started on fire. Darn tourists!

For dinner, we took it easy on our stomachs and opted for a more familiar dinner of "safer" chicken nuggets and fries. On the list of the kids' goals: McDonalds on every continent. South America, complete.

"When are Grandpa and Grandma coming?" Katie asked as we tucked her in for the night.

"They'll be here when you wake up in the morning," I answered. She nodded and watched Dora on the Spanish language television before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

As night fell, Rick and Jaclyn decided to record a few thoughts of our first destination for themselves:

## Lima, According to Rick

Seven million people and they are all heading to the same spot using the same street, in smashed up cars.

Julio, our local guide, told us the story of the first Spaniard coming over. The Inca people thought he was their God because he was blonde with blue eyes, like the color of the sky. He rode a horse and was perceived as mythical half man and half beast. The Inca gave him gifts and did not resist his rule, and well, were deceived, executed or enslaved, and the rest is history. It certainly makes you wonder how advanced these people would be today if only the ship had not landed, or if their reaction would have been different.

Julio told another story of how Peru got its name. The tale goes like this: a member of that first visiting group of Spaniards asked a local fisherman what they called this land. Due to the language barrier, the fisherman thought he was asking his own name. I guess Peru didn't know he would become so famous.

It would sure be nice to speak Spanish. I wish we had dedicated some time to learning the language, but it does seem that the people respect that we are at least trying.

We ate a late lunch at a local Peruvian fast food outlet, and Julio ordered up his own family's usual buffet for us: Steak, pork, sausage, chicken, beef heart, sausage and... well, not sure what this one might translate as, well, lady-parts ( exact words? "you know, the place where the chicken has her egg sac") The sizzling meat came heaped on a mini barbeque with a pile of wood coals burning under it. We ate it up, all but a few of the gristly weirdest tasting pieces. All in all, the day was great, the city is BUSY, and the people are very friendly in Lima.

Lima, Peru, by Jaclyn

We hired a great local guide, Julio, to explore the city of Lima. Started out with a homemade breakfast at our amazing B&B, and then ventured out for the tour of Lima.

I got to see The Passing of the Guard at the 'White House' that had a very English style to it. We walked around in the Lima Square, where I saw all the street vendors. The catacombs and the wax museum were kind of creepy. Then we were off to a mini-mall black market area, located in the backstreet alleys not far from the central square.

I'll just say that I'm glad I had left my iPod back at the hotel, as it was packed with people everywhere! There was everything you could imagine for sale, from the newest DVDs to Lacoste shirts and shoes, knock-off sunglasses and GAP hoodies. I had the first taste of Inca Kola at a little hole-in-the-wall store/restaurant. I'm not exactly sure what kind of chemicals turn it neon yellow, but I hope it isn't that bad for me, because I'm hooked on the stuff!

Driving had me very spooked. We were in an undented taxi van, rare considering the way Peruvians drive! Cars were all over the road. No signal lights. No lanes (though the lines were painted there). A red light just means that there are cars coming from the other direction. Did I mention all the little funny horns as well? It's very hectic all around. When crossing the road, you have fear of getting hit by the big, old, slinky busses that have ten to a seat with people practically hanging out of the windows.

I wish I could better understand and speak Spanish, as half an audio-course on the airplane wasn't all that helpful. Ordering from a menu is hard, but I'm lucky that I know a bit of French because some things are quite similar. Although the language is a barrier, most Peruvians are kind hearted and have respected that we were trying our best to speak their language.

Overall, I am enjoying the experience of Lima. It is loud and busy, but it's really fascinating to be immersed into the culture and ways of South America. Staying here really makes me appreciate back home. Every day, I have a large, warm shelter, 24-hour hot water, and a clean toilet that always comes with toilet paper and a seat. I'm definitely learning not to take things for granted anymore!

## Barranco, by the Sea, November 16, 2010

Today, the crash of Inca Kola set in. It has WAY too much sugar and caffeine for Katie; we must find something else for her to drink. Dad and Betty joined us in the night via Toronto aboard Air Canada. They didn't experience the same excellence in service we'd enjoyed on LAN.

Back in Barranco, Elizabeth, our lovely 3B hostess, gave us easy directions a few blocks up to the banco where we might withdraw some local currency to fund our next excursions. From the sea to the sky and the land of the Inca people, Cusco is perched high in the Andes. The bank had a very long line, and Rick and Dad had to not-so-patiently wait for well over an hour. Rick made sure he exchanged enough of our American cash to have made the long process worth its while.

Betty and I took the kids over to a sunny patio café on a cobblestone pedestrian street just up the road. We sampled the incredible edibles of fusion cuisine. My layered ceviche parfait was so pretty I had to take a photo. The restaurant only served the one choice, and it was delicious. They also served cold drinks, and on such a pleasant spring day, that was just the ticket while we waited for the two men to rejoin our group.

Barranco is an artsy upscale area of Lima, on the cliffs adjacent to the sea, well south of the dense population of the main port area. Surfers and hang gliders can be seen all along the shores. There are plenty of restaurants and shops to attract the emerging tourism industry. With the attraction of Machu Picchu drawing more and more international travelers, Lima is the starting off point as the capital city of Peru, and the airport hub for overseas flights. Barranco is one of the neighborhoods poised to capitalize.

From the restaurant we made our way to the Barranco central square, where local vendors offered handmade alpaca and llama sweaters. There were many hand-carved items, some depicting a certain male body part fashioned into objects such as the handle of a drinking stein. This was high amusement to our teenage sons.

"Can I get one of those, Mom?" Derek requested, pointing to an exceptionally gigantic phallic drinking mug. The boys snickered together as they surveyed the table of wares.

"Don't you have one already, Derek?" Jaclyn answered, laughing loudly. Her comment earned her a headlock from her eldest brother.

"How will you explain that to customs officials at all the airports you will be clearing through around the world, Derek?" Grandma Betty asked.

"A work of art," Derek answered with a mischievous grin.

That particular purchase was vetoed by Mom.

They did all make a bargain on Peruvian knitted hats. Travis and Katie each chose a woven sweater in black and brown. Derek found a t-shirt featuring the Inca Kola logo. He's completely hooked on the stuff. Jaclyn decided to wait for her next souvenir from tomorrow's destination: the Sacred Valley and the Lost City of Machu Picchu.

## Up, Up to the Land of the Ancient Inca, November 17, 2010

# StarPeru, Lima to Cusco 60 minutes

# Accommodation - Cusi Wasi Boutique hotel, family rooms in Cusco

This morning we packed up and flew on the local airline StarPeru to Cusco, a city with a population of 10,000 in the Andes Mountains. It is located so high it made all of us light-headed. Altitude sickness was a real issue here. It is over 10,000 feet in a mountaintop valley that has been inhabited for roughly 2500 years.

The Museo Inka near the central square of Cusco was fascinating. The many exhibits displayed pottery and textiles from various indigenous groups and cultures from the area. Also featured were the more child-appealing jewelry, weapons, golden statues, dioramas and mummified bodies. Katie was morbidly attracted to the child-size displays. The Ice Maiden, a mummified young girl of about Katie's age, was recently discovered frozen in a receding glacier high on a remote mountaintop, and claimed her attention for quite some time. She'll no doubt love our coming trip to Egypt.

As we made our way from room to room in the museum, our party dropped like flies. In our defense, we did have close to the worst tour guide in the world, and his droning voice was enough to drive half of our group in search of a stone bench in the central courtyard. Travis and I were the only ones to make it through all the exhibits.

Poor Betty, between the lack of air, heat and altitude weakness, she nearly fainted in the middle of the Inca army room. Derek was able to lead her the rest of the way out of the building toward fresh air. He was happy to escape our tour, which I had insisted had its educational benefits.

Travis is fascinated by museums and outlasts his more scholastic siblings in search of unique artifacts. He remembers a lot of the bizarre facts, which just goes to show how much interest in the material goes towards material retention in learning. Like many other people, he learns more through first-hand experience.

The city of Cusco is quite the tourist scene. We found we were being constantly approached to buy this, that, and this other thing, too. We chose an outdoor patio café for supper, and while at first it was amusing to hold the baby llama, play with animal finger puppets, and admire velvet canvas art, after a while it was a little too much. With the constant interruptions, we were barely able to eat our meal.

We ordered pizza off the pictorial menu, and Rick happened to be in the restaurant returning from the washroom (with Katie, of course) when our waiter tripped on his way to our table. Not knowing that Rick was watching, the waiter scrambled to scrape up the overturned pizza off the floor and pat it back together, clearly thinking he'd serve it anyway. It wasn't until he saw my husband's horrified expression that he returned to the kitchen to confess his mistake.

We would have had to wait another twenty or thirty minutes for the replacement, but the harassment outside was enough for us all. We managed with one less pizza and instead added some quick snacks from the street vendors on the way back to the hotel. I never did sort out if they took the dropped pizza off our bill or not, as the discussion lost in translation.

"Can I have a corn on the cob, _por favor_?" Jaclyn asked the young man at the food cart.

" _Dos mas, por favor_ ," added Travis, standing behind her.

"And some roasted corn nuts, _quarto, por favor,"_ Rick added. "Who is game to try one of these? Um... excuse me, what do you call these ones?" Rick pointed to the roasted offerings at the end of the food cart.

" _Cuy,_ " the young man replied. "They are very good. All the _ninos_ like them the best."

He gestured behind him to the three boys on the steps, each nibbling happily on a guinea-pig-on-a-stick.

"Uh, I think I had enough pizza, yeah, full," answered Travis, declining. He wasn't willing to go that far on the cultural journey today, with an upset stomach just settling in.

"No, _gracias_ ," he added, not wishing to offend.

Derek and I skipped the crowded cab ride and made our way back up the steep streets, weaving in the general direction on our map. We were pleased we ended up in exactly the right place without getting lost even once. It was a little unnerving to be out on the streets, without knowing the language or perhaps which streets to avoid. We did make it back safely, and we arrived only slightly later than the "scenic tour" the balance of our family enjoyed in their dented, rusty, and seemingly lost taxi.

Our rooms at the Cusi Wasi were lovely. A very non-descript building from the outside, the boutique hotel had a lovely inner courtyard surrounded by five stories of rooms. It could house maybe 140 guests, but there were only twenty or so currently in residence. The rooftop level was used mostly for drying hotel linens, but we climbed up at sunset to appreciate a lovely view. From there, you could see the entire city in the valley of the surrounding near-vertical mountain slopes, lined with homes only a Billy goat could possibly reach!

As in Lima, the traffic was crazy. Cars cruised down the hills in neutral, and pedestrians scrambled at the bottom to cross when nothing was headed their way. Working brakes on the many aging vehicles were certainly not guaranteed. Judging by the number of dents on every vehicle, collisions must happen all the time. And though those universal red octagon signs most likely mean STOP here too, no one paid much notice.

Between the honking, the harassing vendors, the flashing lights, and the rush of people, we were looking forward to our next few days, when we would leave the bustling city behind.

## The Sacred Valley, November 18, 2010

Early after breakfast, we were met at our hotel by Cusco native Ricardo and his personal, newer-model van. It was able to comfortably seat our not-so-small family group plus our guide. One very big advantage to a group such as ours was buying power. Rather than pay for seats on a tour bus and following other large groups from place to place, we were able to book private tours at prices that would be less than our per person rate, times eight.

We knew from our Lonely Planet guidebook generally where we wanted to go. Our hotel recommended an excellent guide to fill in the blanks.

Vincent was an older gentleman with a university degree in cultural history, but he also had a good broader knowledge of agriculture, and his local community. He was very friendly and responsive to the needs of a family with grandparents, parents, three teens and one school-aged girl, who needed to visit the bathroom more often than ever imagined.

Honestly, I felt like we would be seeing the world one " _John_ " at a time!

The culture of the ancient Inca people has always fascinated me. Today, our whole group was left in awe of their advanced knowledge and skill. The day's highlight was actually a side trip we'd convinced Vincent to add: up to the top of an ancient volcano to the area of Moray. Here, the Inca people constructed what amounted to an agricultural research station in a dormant cinder cone of rich, volcanic soil. They had terraced concentric rings each roughly 30 feet wide and lined with granite walls constructed of interlocking stones. A floating rock staircase permitted access between each terrace.

"Race you!" Derek yelled over his shoulder, I'm not sure to whom. And then he rand and ran and ran.

Travis hummed the Rocky Theme Song over his video camera as he recorded his brother's speedy descent.

At this altitude, I was having enough trouble just breathing, let alone thinking of running up numerous flights of stairs. Derek was obviously built of sterner stuff. We laughed as he reached the bottom, and then lay spread-eagle, way down in the center of the bottom ring, arms and legs spread out, like a tiny starfish, staring straight up at the sky, and at us.

He waved. We waved back. Then he stood and started running back up.

Recent research has revealed that each concentric ring is its own micro-climate, with temperatures in two-degree steps between each ring. This allowed for plant propagation in different climate zones. The Inca are thought to have developed seed stock here for over 3000 varieties of potatoes alone, as well as corn, wheat, oats, and foodstuffs like squash and yams. With these seeds, they could trade food stock for growth over the entire continent of South America, and keep their people healthy and strong. It is such a shame that with the arrival of the European settlers, much of this knowledge and technology was lost.

Katie's favorite stop during the day was the alpaca farm. We beat the other tourist buses to the stop, and were able to spend quite a bit of time in the pens with the llamas and alpacas while the animals were still hungry. Without much effort, the native beasts were coaxed to pick our offered bundles of hay right from our hands. Later, over lunch in the neighboring town of Pisac, we listened to pan flutes while dining on the buffet, ironically offering alpaca stew.

My dad was curious to see what Katie might make of her lunch.

"Katie, what did you think of dinner today?" Grandpa asked her as we finished up our plates.

"Ooh, I love llamas. They are so fuzzy, and tasty, too!" she answered, without batting an eye.

The hiking for the day was a prelude to our main event. The site of Ollantaytambo is one of the remaining Inca cities, and includes classic examples of astronomy and calendar making. With the focus closely on agriculture, it is not surprising that the community needed to track the summer and winter solstice, and it became such a central part of their religion.

Derek had some fun attempting to move stone slabs using brute force, as research shows that the Inca did not use wheels to drag the granite from the quarry to the mountain tops in construction of their alters and homes. They obviously had a very strong work crew at their disposal.

When we left, we all wished to learn more about this fascinating culture.

Derek at Pisac

Day #13

Today was so much fun! We visited old Incan archeological ruins at two very different sites.

First was Pisac, which is in the Sacred Valley. We learned more history about the Inca tribes and how they told the time of the year by judging the position of the sun. They had their own calendars, and they tracked the solstice, mostly for agriculture.

The second place was Moray. Its elevation is over 3500m. It was a treacherous drive up the road with a million switchbacks on a road as narrow as a car, with a 400m steep drop on both sides. It was a very scary drive. Mom hid her head, unable to look.

When we got there, we discovered we were on top of an extinct volcano, with several cinder cones below us. It wasn't hard for me to breathe, so I ran down a very steep, stepped shortcut in about a minute, and it was about a 100 m drop in elevation into a dormant volcano cinder cone. It felt like I ran about a kilometer or two. It wasn't tiring. It just made me really thirsty. My brother took video of me running the Inca trails.

On our way to Moray, we stopped by a llama and alpaca farm. We got to go in the pens with the beasts and hand feed them fresh-cut alfalfa. We also got to pet them. Lucky me, I got sneezed on by a llama. Llamas are very tall, but I didn't see one come up behind me because I was feeding a different one. I had a llama shower, local style. Then at lunch, we had llama stew.

It was a great day of hiking and a very educational day about the ancient Incan civilization, and the modern Quechua people.

## AHHHH MACHU PICCHU..., November 20, 2010

One of the new wonders of the world, and what a wonder it is!

We used our tickets to board the tourist bus in Aguas Calientes. After a half hour of switchbacks on a narrow road up an incredibly steep mountainside, we arrived at the foot of a misty city, perched high in the clouds. It is estimated to date to the 1400's, yet it remained hidden until 90 or so years ago. This archeological find was made famous by a Yale professor Brigham Young, and it truly unveils the height of the dynasty of the Inca Empire. It is nothing short of awesome.

Yesterday was a difficult health day for at least half of our group of eight. Travis had been suffering with a head and chest cold, complicated by altitude sickness from a couple of days at 12,000 ft. above sea level. Derek and Jaclyn were eating Advil to ward off headaches, and we all had spontaneous nosebleeds, off and on. Rick has had a racing pulse and trouble sleeping. We rested well upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, the little town at the end of the rail line that is the starting point for the Inca trail.

Katie was the healthiest of the bunch of us, and she was literally running up the hills and stairs. She was forced to wait for the rest of us at the top. Derek was never far behind her, and the two of them were climbing to new heights. They climbed way ahead of the rest of us, high up to pet the llamas that tend naturally to the landscaping.

When our party first arrived at the lookout area, the clouds were low over the mountain. It felt like we had been climbing into the mists, like Jack and the Beanstalk. We paused for photos, the iconic backdrop behind us. As if on cue, the clouds lifted, revealing blue sky, the green of the hills, and Machu Picchu, with its grey stone walls and engineered arches of crumbling buildings. It was a feeling of new discovery. We were struck silent, absorbing the tangible spirit.

At the top of Machu Picchu, Jaclyn was inspired to dance. She found an area on a terrace where the llamas had cut the grass close, removed her hiking boots, and she twirled and leapt like she had in Vancouver, on light Irish feet. She followed it up with a version of a Treble Reel that she had choreographed herself, while Derek played her music softly on her iPod.

A small crowd had assembled, and they gave her a loud cheer at the end. We rounded the corner and met a friendly college-aged student, who was backpacking across South America with her boyfriend.

"Excuse me, but was that you who was dancing on the terrace below?" she asked Jaclyn in a very distinct Irish lilt.

Jaclyn nodded her head, shyly.

"Well, I cannot believe it! I am from Ireland me'self, and I haven't danced a jig since I was a young'un like this wee lass, here," she gestured toward Katie.

"Would you's do me a favor? Do you both Irish dance? I would love to join you's in a reel, if I could?"

Together, Jaclyn and Katie and this young lady from Ireland danced a reel in the shadow of Machu Picchu, united in the wonder of the view and the joy of the dance.

"Imagine that, dancing a reel at the top of Machu Picchu." All three girls wore huge smiles, their faces flushed from the oxygen-starved air. Canada, Ireland, and Peru, dancing together at the top of the lost world.

We continued our tour of the site. Katie and Derek climbed the thousands of stairs as fast as any pair of llamas could run. They were the first to reach the sacred stone, rumored to either be an ancient sundial, a sacrificial alter, or a mythical, power-channeling amulet. We held our hands hovering over the rectangular granite, hoping to attract good omens for the remainder of our trip.

Travis had heard a funny story about that sacred stone on one of his documentary shows.

"A few years ago, Pepsi did a commercial up here, something about the Power of Pepsi, or maybe the Pepsi Secret? Anyway, while they were filming, one of their cameras fell over and landed on the stone, chipping away a corner of the carved boulder. The Peruvian government was less than impressed, and fined them millions of dollars – probably enough to fund the upkeep of this place for quite some time."

"Seriously?" Derek answered. "They chipped the sacred rock? If that isn't bad luck, I don't know what is!"

"Too bad they didn't use some of the funds to build a washroom up here. Katie has to go again," I mused. At this rate we could title our trip "bathrooms around the world" courtesy of our little Kate. I had never before noticed how often a six year old has to visit a latrine.

"I'll take her!" Derek offered, and the two of them ran off down the mountain to the entrance gate below. Thank goodness for big brothers, especially those with the "extreme climber" talent.

Derek was able to Skype back to his teacher and his grade nine social studies class at Clover Bar when we arrived back in Aguas Calientes. They spoke for roughly an hour about the culture of Peru, and the history of the Inca civilization in South America, from the point of view of someone who was visiting the site first-hand. His learning was shared with his classmates at home. I overheard a lot of his conversation, and the amount of information he had learned in our visit was truly impressive. Using technology, his class benefitted from the first-hand experience as well.

We have also been very impressed by the cell phone coverage, and the access to technology here, even on the peaks and valleys of the Andes. Our driver was able to charge my iPhone with his car charger for me when it ran dead during our daytrip. His phone was "unlocked", giving him the choice of networks at a fraction of what we would pay in Canada.

On two separate occasions we spotted a lady, dressed in traditional Quechua clothing, stop her weaving with the twisted yarn held taut between her toes, to either answer her phone or send a quick text message. There was perfect cell coverage even in the tunnels on the rail lines, and on the steepest mountain heights. It was bizarre that in a country where clean water is a challenge, there are few issues with communication networks.

Jaclyn spent some time this evening, writing back to her classmates.

Machu Picchu, by Jaclyn

After a long, winding train ride from Cusco, we arrived last night in Aguas Calientes, a walking town known locally as "Machu Picchu Town." This morning, we rode on the short bus needed for those tight switchbacks up the mountain, up to the mystical Machu Picchu.

As soon as we arrived, the low laying fog began to lift. It was like a cloth pulled by a magician, suddenly revealing the peaks of the surrounding mountains and the masterpiece that gave Machu Picchu its status as one of the World's Greatest Wonders. It is incredible that the Incas were able to build such an amazing place on the top of a mountain, all made of stone, in the middle of nowhere. It was beautiful and the different places there were truly magical. I could feel the spiritual energy in the sacred and forbidden-to-touch rock.

When we got back, we decided to go to the hot springs. Aguas Calientes means _hot water_ in Spanish, and there are natural springs at the top of the steep hill. We thought after a long day of hiking they would be relaxing, but we soon discovered that they were in need of a bit of a remodel. We were able to re-sell our tickets to another group of tourists. We did go for a walk in the shallows of the Urubamba River, and we could feel the springs in the currents, mixing hot and cold.

All in all, it was an amazing tour of one of the new Wonders of the World. An unforgettable experience, and I'm glad to share it with my friends. Check out my pictures on Facebook!

Miss you all!

Email from 6andersons to Woodbridge Farms

November 21, 2010

Hi to all my grade one friends at Woodbridge! Right now I am in Cuzco, a city high up in the Andes Mountains in Peru, South America.

Yesterday I took a train and then hiked to Machu Picchu. I liked all the steps and the terraces. We saw old Inca houses and the Temple of the Sun. We also saw llamas and alpacas, and I got to feed them.

Peru is very noisy. The cars drive fast and honk their horns all the time. The people are very friendly and they speak Spanish. I bought three finger puppets from a girl who was seven years old, a condor (bird), a burro (donkey) and an alpaca. It is very warm here, and it never snows. In fact, the people here have never seen snow before at all.

They have different kind of money here called "sol" and there are three sol for one Canadian dollar. A Sprite pop costs 2 sol, and a chocolate bar is 4 sol. A plate of spaghetti is 5 sol.

At the market, I bought the DVD movie "Emperor's New Groove". It is an animated movie about the Andes and the Inca people. Have you ever seen that show? That is where I am.

I have sent some pictures for you, and have sent a postcard but it may take a long time to get to you from here. I am very far away.

I will write again next week! I miss you. Adios!

Love, Katie

## Back to the Cusi Wasi, November 21, 2010

The magic of Machu Picchu was still settling in, and it was difficult not to find the next week's plans a little anti-climatic.

We had wonderful weather. The guidebooks wrote November is springtime, and the temperature would range from 8 to 18 degrees Celsius. We enjoyed over 25 degrees with a strong sun, which lent some color to our pale Canadian faces. The evenings cooled off, but just enough to make sleeping comfortable. Amazingly, we had no rain, even at the sites where we were warned it rains most afternoons and evenings.

We met several people who braved the four-day hike, and now Derek has the bug to return and complete the same feat in the future. Of our group, he and Katie seem to be the most likely ones to do it, too, health-wise. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.

With the amount of climbing involved in simply visiting the sites, let alone hiking to get to them, we were glad we chose the "easy" path with the bus/van/train combos. We have met a number of people who have injured themselves (not surprisingly) or who were suffering quite severely from altitude sickness, an illness we had previously not taken seriously. One lady I sat beside on our plane ride to Cusco told me that a member of their group was extremely ill, to the point of doctor intervention, hyperbaric chambers and a medi-vac trip back to sea level.

Jaclyn became quite ill. It seemed to be a version of the flu bug Travis had, with the added complication of upset stomach. Our lunch stop on the way back to Cusco was punctuated by a quick departure. Jaclyn lost what little she did manage to eat, right on the door stoop of the family restaurant. The Quechua grandma who had been rocking in her chair nearest the entrance quietly rose and fetched a bucket of water. She cleared away the evidence before any of the other guests were overly bothered... I suspect it may have happened before! When we got back to our hotel at the Cusi Wasi, we loaded her up with the Peruvian recipe of blue Gatorade, and she rested with hope of a quick recovery.

With our health in mind, our immediate travel plans were set to change. Dad and Betty would split from us, and continue along the original itinerary. In the morning, they would board a bus to Lake Titicaca, a 12-hour drive on winding roads up to an altitude of 13,000 feet above sea level. It is the world's highest navigable lake, and though worthy of a visit, we are not feeling well at 10,000 ft. Going further up does not seem like the best course of action for our crew. Neither did a full day bus ride with a noxious girl.

Traveling with kids requires being flexible enough to take an alternate route.

## Up Too High and Feeling Low, November 22, 2010

Last night was awful. Jaclyn was still running a fever off and on, and she continued vomiting until well into the night. Our poor girl slept curled up near the toilet, and it was all she could do to keep fluids down. Rick also fell ill, but in an even more disturbing way. Every time he would doze off to sleep, he would quit breathing.

Obviously duly alarmed, we contacted Rick's brother-in-law back home, who graciously does double-duty as our family physician. He confirmed that apnea is a reported side effect of altitude sickness. Okay, that was the final straw. The local remedy of coca tea was not helping. The only true, and best, treatment was simple: Go down.

After a night spent sitting upright to avoid sleep altogether, we both were exhausted. We needed to cancel twelve flights and re-book six new ones – striking off both our Lake Titicaca excursion as well as our trip to the rainforest. This health reality check made us less willing to risk the remote potential of yellow fever or even malaria from mosquito bites.

We did not want this trip to become our very last one, ever.

StarPeru offered us excellent customer service. At their downtown Cusco office, we re-scheduled to depart Cusco on the following morning's earliest flight to Lima. They promised to credit us the remaining fares, though it had to be processed at their central offices and would take a couple of weeks. We were more than pleased, as we had purchased flights without the optional cancellation insurance, which in retrospect would have been wise. I would recommend StarPeru Airlines highly as they treated us more than fairly.

Tucked back into the Cusi Wasi for another 24 hours, we had one more night to spend, eyes wide open, consciously breathing. The headaches and nosebleeds resumed for Travis, Katie and me. Rick was really not well, at all.

Midday, we had to find something easy to eat. We managed to make our way downtown in one of the panel-beaten mini-taxicabs, all six of us jammed in with the driver, like clowns in a beat-up Smart Car.

By Lonely Planet guidebook recommendation, we located a little ex-pat managed restaurant that served 24-hour home-style breakfast. We joined the pack of other altitude-suffering visitors, and ordered up steaming bowls of oatmeal, pancakes with Canadian maple syrup, and heaping plates of noodles and butter, all promising to be very gentle on our unsettled stomachs.

Early the next morning, we bid farewell to the lofty town of Cusco. We were on our way back down to sea level, with high hopes of returning good health.

## Happily Back at Sea Level, November 24, 2010

# StarPeru Cusco – Lima 1 hour

# Accommodation - 3B Bed and Breakfast, Barranco

The short hopper flight to Lima indeed delivered our doctor's promise. We felt better within hours of arriving, and appetites returned for everyone. Rick is crediting his Viking roots for this preference of the sea. The rest of our voyage will most likely be within sight of a beach, Amen!

Today we saw yet another side of Peru. We were off to the upscale suburb of Miraflores with its towering glass JW Marriott, the swankiest hotel in Lima.

On our way inside, we were greeted by a screaming crowd of teenage girls, anxiously waiting for the appearance of the rock band "Tokio Hotel". Cannot say we'd ever heard of them, but a quick Google search revealed that the popular German Boy Band was playing in Lima that night to a sold out crowd on their publicized World Tour. They were staying at the Marriott, and were due to appear any minute.

The timely arrival of our two young Western-looking boys resulted in several camera flashes and shrieks from the zealous crowd. Again Jaclyn was annoyed with the attention her brothers attracted. Travis and Derek played it, puffing up a bit and flirting with the cheering girls. They nodded and waved, smiling and creating a bigger buzz... Oh, the life of a teenage pop star!

Across from the hotel is the Larcomar Mall. It is built into the sea cliff, with an incredible view of the Pacific surf crashing below. The mall is very upscale, all mirrors and chrome, and caters to the emerging wealthy class with popular American and European shops of Lacoste and Roxy, Starbucks and Oakley. We made our way past the neon bowling alley and penny arcade to the Cineplex where we purchased six tickets to the matinee showing of the latest, just-released Harry Potter movie. We chose the English show, the original voices with Spanish subtitles, rather than the more popular Spanish dubbed version.

The culture shock of South America was temporarily suspended as we enjoyed our familiar American meal and the British show. It returned quickly as we left the building. Two teenage moms approached us, each holding an infant, both begging for money. They gestured that they needed to feed their children. After a bit of self-deliberation, I gave them each a few bills.

"Why did you give that girl money, Mom? She didn't sell you anything," Jaclyn asked on our walk back to Barranco.

"That's a hard question, JC. In honesty, I don't think tourists, or anyone, should support the action of begging. It sends the wrong message, because it is demeaning for them, and contributes to a negative environment. If looking sad, dirty and needy is rewarded by a big purse, then people in need are not encouraged to make positive changes in their life."

"But if that's the way you feel, why did you give those girls some money?" she countered.

"There's the dilemma. They looked like they could really use the hand up," I answered. I wished I had a better answer, both for her and for them.

Along the street we walked past rusty, dented cars parked alongside shiny Porsches and BMW's, and then a colorful mini-bus barreled past us with about 60 people crammed inside. New, glass buildings towered over piles of rebar and rubble. Satellite dishes and antennas stood above the thick cables of power lines. Jugglers and window washers jumped into the streets when the white-gloved policeman blew his whistle for the traffic to stop. The contrast was mind numbing.

When we returned to the 3B, I shared a rich cup of strong Peruvian coffee with a Mom and adult daughter couple from California. They had returned this morning from Ollantaytambo, where they had been working on an environmental mission project at a school. In an effort to deal with the thousands of plastic water bottles the tourism industry was generating, their project was reusing the bottles to construct small greenhouse shelters for vegetable gardens.

That type of ecotourism attempts to reduce the footprints of the rest of us.

Back in Lima, by Jaclyn

Gratefully, we arrived back in Lima two days ago. Cuzco was fun and the views amazing, but the altitude was making us sick. Travis got it first, a bad flu that kept him awake and looking for toothpaste (of all things!) at four in the morning. Then mom was sick in the night. I had a very bad stomachache and a pounding head. Dad also had troubles breathing properly from the altitude, and couldn't fall asleep. We all got something, except Katie and Derek. We are back at sea level now and everyone's feeling better.

Yesterday we went to the Larcomar mall that is built into the side of a cliff! They had a Tony Roma's above, and a big movie theatre in the center. We went and saw Harry Potter 7 with Spanish subtitles.

Down the marble staircases at the entrance, there was a giant replica of Hogwart's castle, with a walk-through cave leading to the entrance of the dubbed show. It was probably the most memorable movie experience yet!!! The food that you got there was amazing and SOOOO cheap! They had big tubs of popcorn for 6 sols (about two dollars); giant pops the size of paint cans for 3 sols each ($1.50 about) and all kinds of candies and chocolate bars...YUM!

We went to the beach and played in the water for a bit. The water is mostly clean, but the beach is all sharp rocks and pieces of broken glass. Where there's sand, the water is pretty gross. We first went to the rocky beach and stuck our feet in the cool Pacific, then walked up to the sand and chased the waves there.

I miss my friends and extended family back home! I'm wishing you were all with me, but I'm having an incredible time. And I know right now you're all enjoying math so much!

Email from AcesWild to 6andersons

November 24, 2010

We are back in Puno from the lake tour. Had a very good trip. The bus ride through the Altiplano area was great. We are flying back to Cusco tomorrow morning. Where are you???

Dad

Email from 6andersons to AcesWild

November 24, 2010

Hi Dad,

We have made it back to Lima and the 3B. We managed to change our flights and get reimbursed on two of them. StarPeru was more than fair.

Good thing we made the call. Jaclyn was still sick once we arrived here, but she is now able to sleep and her appetite has returned. Derek is feeling better, too, his stomach issues have stopped. The worst off was Rick. He had developed very scary sleep apnea by the second night and he was not breathing more than two breaths in a row... freaked me right out. He chose to spend the second night completely awake rather than chance not waking at all. His pulse has returned to normal and he feels like a weight has been lifted off his chest. He is still resting up. I don't see Mount Everest in our future.

We spent today around Miraflores, and took the kids to the Harry Potter movie. Tomorrow will probably be the Gold Museum and then we have booked a day trip to Isles Ballistas and the sand dunes near Ica for Friday. We are passing the jungle trip, so will not see you again, but are very glad you enjoyed Titicaca. Have a super time at the Amazon!

I will cancel your night here in Lima for Sunday if you were able to extend your time there. Just let me know.

Talk Soon!

Love Lisa and the gang

## Peru, South America, November 25, 2010

Peru is a country on the west coast of South America, bordering Ecuador, Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile to the south. Coastal yet arid on the west, reaching high to the mountain plateaus of the Andes, which at 12,000 feet are twice as high as the Canadian Rockies. They dip sharply into the Amazon basin, where the tributaries lead to the great jungles beyond. A contract of ancient agricultural technologies, proud Inca heritage, New World colonialism, military political regime, third world poverty and American globalization. It is an amazing place.

The diversity of seed crops here is astounding. With over 3000 varieties of potatoes alone, not to mention the "birthplace" of corn, this is not a place for monoculture. The food of the future, eaten by astronauts on the Space Station due to its high protein content, is quinoa (pronounce KIN-wa). It is an ancient grain, recently "rediscovered" and has been cultivated for centuries in small plots in Peru.

Tropical fruits like banana, mango, avocado, papaya are traded from one region to another, in exchange for chichi (purple corn beer), Pisco (grape brandy) or coffee, served thick like espresso. Every meat basic to the North American diet is available, as well as a few others: alpaca, cuy (guinea pig served roasted on a stick like a corn dog), and seafood by the barrel, served in haute presentation uncooked as ceviche, or baked, boiled or fried. The food is different, yet excellent. It is truly not as traditional as one might think.

Politically, Peru is currently viewed as democratic and relatively stable. There's a new mayor in Lima, and it's the first time a woman has been elected to that office, or any office of such a level in this country. More spending on infrastructure and social programs is lifting the level of the lowest citizens. There is a basic trust in the economy, which not so long ago experienced a period of super-inflation until the "Nuevo Sol" replaced the previous currency. Investment is beginning. Security and hope for the future seems evident in the young people like our Lima guide, Julio.

We hope this stable phase continues, and that the terror and civil unrest of the 1980's shall never return.

Email from Woodbridge Farms to 6andersons

November 25, 2010

Hi Katie,

We miss you a lot. This week we started learning about our five senses in Science. The five senses are touching, hearing, seeing, smelling, and tasting. We had popcorn to start the unit.

We can't believe how cold it is here. We have had indoor recess for three days. Last week, we had our "50 days to go" celebration. We wish you were here.

Thanks for the update. Talk with you soon.

Adios Amigos,

Love Ms. Wells-Taylor and 1W

## Punta Hermosa y Playa, November 25, 2010

A day at the beach was in order. We briefly entertained a trip to the Gold Museum or the markets downtown, but with the sun shining and a light warm breeze, we picked the more restful option.

Elizabeth, 3B Hostel hostess extraordinaire, called Maria, the incredibly competent driver with the spotless eight-passenger van that had been our hotel and airport shuttle to and from the 3B, three times earlier. Maria, bless her heart, dodged around and over the cement and pylon barricades to offer us door-front service in spite of the fact that the road was closed and under construction. We knew from the start we would have a great day.

We asked Maria to take us to her favorite beach south of Barranco, where the locals might go to enjoy the seashore. It was late spring, a weekday, and the schools were not yet dismissed for summer holidays. Off for the hour-long drive over toll roads to the seaside community of Hermosa, Maria led us to a perfect, quiet place to play in the waves, sand and surf.

We watched the fishermen cast their lines from the rocks along the quiet bay. Their bounty would no doubt become the "Fresh Today" item on the menu of our seaside cafe. While we waited, the restaurant host brought out bowls of roasted corn, lightly salted, and fresh sliced avocado on a plate. Katie ordered yet another order of calamari. We were afraid after eating it straight from the sea, it would no longer be her favorite choice on our return home. Our land-locked, freshly-frozen variety can hardly compare.

The cold cervesa and Inca Cola hit the spot nicely. We encouraged Katie to stick with the bottled water. While we were up in Cusco, we'd shared a mug of the local purple corn beer known as chicha, which is deep violet and frothy. It comically stained our teeth and lips bright like Barney, the boys' favorite show as toddlers. After a couple sips, we all agreed it was likely an acquired taste.

Everyone we met was delightfully welcoming, friendly, and willing to try their best English to learn where we are from and how long we are staying. Touring with children breaks many social barriers. Other families approached us easily, with smiles of interest. The kids used as much Spanish as they could, and they were able to order items off the menus with a smattering of _por favor_ , _gracias_ , _ola_ , and _donde esta_? Their honest attempts brought smiles and easy conversation, peppered with mime and laughter.

We watched the surfers play in the waves, and admired the million dollar view. We were all happy to be seaside on the coast of Peru.

Email from AcesWild to 6andersons

Thursday November 25, 2010

Hello 6 Andersons.

Hope all are healthy and happy.

We are back in Cuzco safe and sound. It is nice to get back to the lower altitude and warmer temperatures – all is relative. We leave manyana for Puerto Maldonado and will stay at the Corto Maltes until November 30. We fly back to Lima on StarPeru on the 30th (a day later than planned) and want to book the 3B for about three nights. No more one night stays – we are getting tired of moving every day. I would like to find a nice quiet place to stay for about two weeks.

Dad

Email from 6andersons to Aceswild

Thursday November 25, 2010

Hi Dad,

I will let the 3B know your arrival info and they will email you your confirmation.

Today we went south of the city to a great beach spot that you would love. It's a small resort town that is just waking up for the summer season.

The town is called Punta Hermosa and it is not far from Lima. There is a bay where the water is cleaner and much quieter. The manager, Javier, came down to speak to us on the beach. He offered rooms for either the weekend or long-term stay. It was the only wooden hotel next to the main bay, easy to find. There were a few other hotel options to choose from, all oceanfront, as well.

Tomorrow, we have arranged a private van to take us to Islas Ballistas and the Huacachina Oasis sand dunes near Ica for dune buggies and sand boarding. The weather has been nice and sunny. We have to be up at 6 a.m. to spend the day on the tour. We'll keep our eye for you for hotels along the way to Ica as well.

Lisa

## Islas Ballistas, Peru's Island reserve, November 26, 2010

Never heard of Islas Ballistas? Well, you are not alone, because neither had we. When reading our guidebook of Peru, the list of "Top 10 Sights" included a day trip to the area of Paracas, where land has been designated as a nature reserve and bird sanctuary. Though they had sustained considerable damage in an earthquake a few years ago, there were some hotels catering to overseas guests, and an hourly boat tour out to the islands of Ballistas.

When Charles Darwin studied the isolated bird and sea life on the Galapagos Islands, his theories of evolution and "Survival of the Fittest" were based on species unique to this area. The Galapagos Islands are north of Peru, off the coast of Ecuador, and due to their Darwinian fame, they are very expensive as a travel destination. The quotes I'd received were roughly $10,000 for five days... and that was the "budget" class. Another barrier that eliminated them from our itinerary was that few options were family friendly, with many tours limiting minimum guest age to 12 or even 16. Obviously, not a great stop for our extended family tour.

As a shorter and more economical alternative, we went for the so-called poor man's Galapagos, which sounded perfect. A short day trip south of Lima, and a brief taste of the wildlife unique to this area. Truly, three hours of bird poop sounded ample for this crew.

After an early start again with Maria and Julio, our awesome guide from our first day in Lima, we headed south by dawn for a VERY eventful day. After arranging our tickets on our 30-man motorboat, we were led out to sea by a knowledgeable English bilingual guide, for the relatively low cost of 60 soles each, or around $20 CAD. The waters were calm, and the boat trip to the islands was very enjoyable on the warm, sunny day. We saw colonies of sea lions, local penguins, and maybe 200,000 nesting cormorants and other birdlife. And yes, holy guano Batman, that island does STINK!

The refuge is basically an old volcanic island, where the ocean's power eroded caves and arches into the rock. The remnants of the abandoned "bird-poop-harvest" industry remain visible. Though no longer actively mined, this resource was very valuable as a fertilizer for a couple of hundred years, more valuable at the time than even gold. The riches led to the "guano wars" with Spain and neighboring Chile. At a comparative cost of $75/kg it was the mainstay of the Peruvian economy in the 1700-1800's. Not bad for an island made of crap.

We enjoyed a seaside lunch on the pier of Paracas, serenaded by the music of pan flutes and seagulls.

## Sandboading in the Oasis, the whole story

The second part of our day was more of an adrenalin rush. A half hour south, we passed through the city of Ica to the natural sand dune formations, the towering mountains of sand and the oasis of Huacachina. With four-point harnesses clicked in place, we climbed up to the top of the dune in our nine-passenger "buggy" (you have to say "boo-gay" to get the true effect).

The boys were up front beside the driver and had an exhilarating ride, sailing over the dunes, sand flying everywhere and the sun streaming down. Up on the next dune, we paused on the edge as our guide considered the potential angle for surfing. Away we went, sailing over the dune again.

Once our guide found the perfect slope, we hauled out the sand boards. A brief lesson on technique followed, and it looked pretty simple.

"You go, feet on the board, or you go, lie down," explained our guide in fragmented English. End of lesson.

Those were the basics: go down the hill like a snowboard with your feet strapped in, carving edges side to side. Derek took that approach, making it look pretty easy. The rest of us (including Travis with his injured knee) opted instead for the toboggan style: lie down on your tummy and hold the straps, point down and go!

What a hoot!

WEEEEE!

Down the hill we rode, no problems, including Maria, Julio, and even Katie, all on her own. Back we went, aboard the BOOGAY and sailing over to the next dune, the second one was even higher. Due to the steeper slope, we climbed on foot up the crest before heading down. Sand is certainly harder to climb than snow, and much warmer (in fact, hot!), and sticky, too.

Walking created a static charge, enough that our hair was standing on end. The three of us girls had fully charged halos!

Playfully, Jaclyn touched Derek on the neck when he was not looking.

ZAPPPPP!

"Owww!" he cried. And that started a rambunctious static zap war.

The view at the top revealed a very steep slope with a sand basin below. There were tracks from a group who had probably done this earlier today.

"I think I will stay here," Maria declined. One trip down had filled her "everything" with enough sand for the day.

Katie hesitated, clearly concerned that it was a very long way to the bottom.

"Katie, you can stay with me. Let's watch your mama together," Maria offered.

"Are you sure, Katie? We could go down together, with you on my back?" I encouraged her, so she would not feel left out.

"No. I'll stay."

Katie reached for Maria's hand with a friendly smile.

Derek went first, carving away.

Then Travis slid on his stomach, hollering his excitement.

Jaclyn followed, then Rick. Julio hesitated, but was not to be out-done by the Canadian teens. I could see our group, just specks at the bottom; it was a long way down.

Mmm, I was next. Courage up, and here I go, now or never.

I started out okay. I really didn't want to go that fast, since getting sand in my contact lenses is blinding. There were no goggles, or helmets. Then I made the mistake of dragging my feet in an effort to increase traction.

My toes caught about half way down the 70-degree grade, and once I had turned sideways, I held onto the sand board tightly and then went into a full barrel roll, tumbling too many times to count. I came to a very sandy stop about half way down, or up, from the view of the crowd below.

Feeling dazed, I put on a brave smile and waved, then realized my vision was clouded due to the considerable cut on the peak of my forehead, right above my hairline. Head wounds really bleed.

I was pretty woozy, and my head was pounding. I could see Derek already running up the hill, and didn't want to totally freak him out, so I pulled my white cotton shirt over my head and did my best to contain the damage. I could hear the "boo-gay" zigzagging its way down to me, and the driver/guide was pretty upset, yelling over the roar of the engine.

Next thing I remember was Rick dousing my extremely sandy head with water from our water bottles, then loudly preventing our driver from doing the same, using the water from the buggy's radiator supply. After witnessing water quality issues in Peru over the last ten days, we already knew that the effect of that water could be potentially worse than the injury itself.

Unfortunately, the bleeding was not stopping, sorry boys and girls, our adventure trip was abruptly paused.

We carefully reboarded our buggy, and more cautiously headed down to the oasis headquarters for assessment. I was in good hands. Julio had just finished his surgical round of dentistry at the Lima hospital, and Rick is very calm and analytical in emergency situations. I didn't seem to have a concussion, but certainly needed stitches to close the gash. The board edge had cut deep, and I'm really not sure why I didn't just let it go... I think the "tuck" reaction tightened my fingers on the straps without further thought.

"Mom, you should have let go," Travis scolded me. "You should have let go of the board, and it wouldn't have bonked you on the head".

"Yep. Should'a," I answered. My head hurt.

"Nearest hospital?" Rick inquired at the base of the buggy adventure camp.

Back to Ica.

Maria weaved our van through the ghastly traffic. It was now rush hour in Ica. Not that it matters overly much, since there always seems to be more cars than road in this country. We located the clinic where our sand-boarding guide had directed us, and Julio escorted me directly into the office, in spite of the other patients obviously waiting their turns in the chairs in the lobby. I guess paying tourists get first dibs.

With the injury examined by the medical team, the negotiating began, and the musical Spanish voices escalated in volume. I was beyond being able to concentrate on translation.

" _Vamonos!"_ yelled Julio as he yanked on my arm, with Rick staring open-jawed in the middle of six nurses and doctors in the small clinic room.

Really? Leave? Why? I was pretty sure I was still leaking into the ball of my once-white T-shirt. Even the extra towel Rick added at the oasis first aid station was soaked through.

Julio didn't explain until we were back out in the parking lot with the kids, parked on the busy street in front of the clinic. He was incensed.

"They are over-charging! It is ridiculous! They cannot do that, it is not right! Just because you are tourists, they think they can charge whatever they like. They think you are rich!"

He rattled off some numbers quickly in Spanish, then converted it for us.

"That's $65 dollars US per stitch! They rip us off! They will not do that. I told them to go to hell!" Julio ranted.

Uh, okay. But my head was still bleeding. Principle or not, I needed medical help. My head was pounding. Rick looked at me again.

"Okay. It's okay. We can pay, Julio. I just might need to find another ATM, machino del banco," he attempted in brutal Spanish. "It's all right. We don't really have a lot of options. Lisa needs stitches. Her cut is not going to heal without them."

"Thank you, Rick," I thought silently. Budget yes, but medical treatment is a necessity. This is relatively minor, and we had insurance for emergencies. We could claim it back later.

"No," Julio was firm. "I will be right back."

We waited on the side of the street, under the hot Ica sun.

The traffic paused its normal frantic pattern, and a crowd of somber people dressed in dark clothes approached. A funeral procession marched by, piquing the interest of our spectating children. You just never know what you might see next when immersed in another culture.

"What's in the box they are holding?" asked Katie innocently. "Why are all those people singing?"

Oh, the irony. This was truly beyond bizarre.

Travis pulled out the video camera. I was in no mood to discipline him. Rick eyed me nervously, re-checking my pupils to see if I was showing signs of concussion, and examining to see if the bleeding had stopped. Maria drummed on the steering wheel. The honking in the streets continued.

Soon, Julio was back with his arms full. Somehow he managed to amass a supply of all the materials needed to treat my wound: surgical gloves, liquid freezing, a needle or two, silk, and a bucket of fresh water to wash the wound once more. There was a lot of sand in the wound.

"I can do this," Julio explained.

Rick considered. This for a man who has years of experience on a farm, delivering hundreds of calves, inoculating thousands of steers and heifers, and performing countless post-mortem autopsies during our feedlot years. He assisted in the birth of all four of our children, actually delivering Jaclyn himself before the intern doctor showed up. Rick can do stitches, and Julio probably can, too.

So that was my surgical team. For Julio, fresh out of the dental lab, sewing stitches in the crown of my head should not pose that big of a problem. And Rick, his assistant, made sure the scar wouldn't be too apparent. At least I prayed he was more concerned with cosmetics on my head than for the average cow.

It took twelve stitches to close it up, inside and out. The liquid freezing Julio snagged in the clinic certainly did the trick, as I never felt a thing. Rick asked the cost of the supplies, but the answer was pretty vague. Rick passed him a Peruvian bill that he hoped would cover it, but Julio refused to take it. Later, Rick confessed that he suspected the supplies might have been "free."

The entire operation took less than an hour, and Maria led us back to the oasis with plenty of daylight. The boys were hoping they could find our guide and claim our one remaining sand board trip down the dunes. Unfortunately, our buggy had another group out, and there wouldn't be enough time to conclude our suspended trip. I felt bad for their interrupted fun, but it was obviously not without reason. I needed medical attention, and we couldn't have left them at the dunes on their own, in case they ended up the same way!

With our remaining time at the oasis, we chose to walk around the lakeshore and then hire two punts to paddle out to the middle. It was decidedly more sedate than sand boarding. I was grateful. The freezing medication was wearing off. Katie and Jaclyn took turns paddling our boat with Rick, and I rode like Queen Sheba at the bow. I'd borrowed Rick's hat to keep the dressings hidden. Derek and Travis joined Maria and Julio in the other punt and we chased each other around the tiny lake.

Maria somehow managed some spare time to get my bloodstained shirt nearly as close to white as it had been. A quiet lady with a wide grin (in spite of her missing front tooth), she took charge of the situation at hand, without grief.

"I think she may have some experience removing blood from clothes," Rick mused. I didn't doubt it.

We returned to Ica for supper, stopping at the fine family establishment on the main drag called Rorky's. The first time out with Julio in Lima was Norky's for the "meat-a-tarian" meal, and this time we had its knock-off competitor, offering much the same menu. We each ordered our own meal rather than the family platter, and everyone was happy with quantity as well as taste. Julio ran around the corner and miraculously returned with some penicillin and painkillers in hand. There are definite benefits of having a medical student for a tour guide; he was our guardian angel today.

The kids were at ease in spite of the emotions of the day. Katie had great fun in the "play place" with a young Peruvian girl roughly her age. She peppered Katie with questions and commands, all in Spanish of course.

"Si," Katie responded with a smile. She had no idea what was asked. She just happily agreed, and followed the girl up and down the slides and through the ball pits.

"She's my friend," Katie told me later. Friendship has no boundaries. Another great life lesson learned.

It was a long ride back to our 3B in Lima on a day we will never forget.

Email from 6andersons to Aceswild

Saturday November 27, 2010

Paracas is a MUST SEE.

The two-hour boat excursion across the bay to the Islas Ballistas was awesome. Sea lions, penguins, boobies, over 200,000 cormorants nesting on one huge volcanic rock, with cave and arch formations, well worth the 50 Sol trip out. Though hit by an earthquake in 2007, the tourist facilities are rebuilt and beautiful, lots of restaurants and spots to stay. You can visit from there to the nearby park reserve, and the sand dunes and desert oasis, Nazca Lines and Ica, a city where you can get whatever you need (including medical attention, if required).

Read our blog for a comical story involving stitches (don't worry, everyone is now fine) Didn't Betty say traveling with the Anderson's was always entertaining? The saga continues.

To get there, we hired Maria, our minivan driver extraordinaire, and Julio as our guide (and resident medic) but you can reach it more economically with 2 persons by bus. HIGHLY recommended. ;)

Hope the jungle finds you well. Today we are resting. Off to Spain on Monday.

Caio! Love,

Lisa and all

Derek at Miraflores

Day #18

Yesterday, we got up nice and early at 5:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. at home) to catch a tour boat that was touring some islands by boat off to coast of Paracas. We heard the islands were inhabited by sea lions so we wanted to see some for ourselves. When we got to the islands, there were probably 250,000 birds flying around and sitting on the rocks! It smelt very strongly of guano (bird crap, used for fertilizer).

While we were looking, our tour guide pointed out penguins! I'd never seen penguins in the wild before today, and I thought they only lived on the South Pole, certainly not this close to the Equator. There were also lots of sea lions, and nobody was disappointed. I plugged my nose.

After all that commotion, we drove for about half an hour to the sand dunes. We jumped in a nine-seater dune buggy: six for my family, the driver up front next to Travis and me, and then our driver, Maria and our awesome tour guide that we met on the first day in Lima, Julio. I wasn't sure how high or how many dunes there were going to be, but when we got up past the first dune, there was sand for as far as you could see. It was so cool and so much fun. We got to a high dune and our driver let us out and gave us boards that looked like snowboards but smaller and they didn't have bindings, just Velcro. I was the only one who successfully made it down snowboard style, no one else tried.

It was all going good until Mom was going down and she fell and gashed open her head. Julio, being the doctor he is, thought the clinic wanted too much money. He just went in and got the medical things he needed and stitched her up himself. He has studied four years in dentistry so I was confident he could do the job.

Today we decided to not do any big activities, seeing as how we are all tired from our adventures yesterday, and it's our second last day in Peru. We decided just to shop around back at the Larcomar mall and went to the chain restaurant "T.G.I. Friday's" for lunch for a meal similar to home. It was almost the exact same menu we have. I almost forgot I was in Peru. It was great to eat a bacon cheeseburger again :).

After lunch, my dad and brother stayed to watch the Mixed Martial Arts UFC fight on TSN, and the rest of us (Mom, JC, Katie and I) went looking around the mall. We went in and out of stores, but I didn't buy anything except some flip flops. I got really bored, really fast, because shopping with three girls wasn't fair. They didn't want to look at guy things, and I didn't want to shop for girl things.

I went to check on Dad and Travis and came at exactly the right time. The Hawaiian BJ Penn KO'd his opponent, so it was a good day because he's my favorite MMA fighter. It was a good day spent in Miraflores.

## A Final Pisco Sour, November 28, 2010

What a whirlwind of a visit to Peru. We had time to reflect on what our previous thoughts were to the realities we have experienced in this country. Not expected was the "Americanization", or I suppose a better term would be "globalization", we'd witnessed. Global restaurants including McDonald's, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Domino's and T.G.I. Friday's reached perhaps every corner of our planet.

Technologies such as cell phones and Facebook have been embraced in the same way as home. They are perhaps even more accessible, with less expensive service and better coverage than Canada. While political instability, super inflation and a civil war remain in recent memory, the people seem confident in their current system. They are building and investing in themselves and their country. The history of Peru is rich, and the future appears very positive.

Our last day was spent with a walk under Barranco's romantic Bridge of Sighs and along the paved path to the shoreline under the cliffs. We grabbed lunch at a pier-perched restaurant that had a fortune-telling monkey on a chain, entertaining each passer-by. You don't see that everyday! We leaned over the railing as the crabs scrambled across the rocks. Red-footed Boobies' danced on their spindly legs but a short pinch away.

The waves were smaller today, so the beginning surfers were out practicing new skills as they prepared for summer. The water in the city is brown and foamy, and it smelt like a good incentive to stay on your board! A colorful, layered Pisco sour for me, one last ice-cold Cusquena for Rick, and four fluorescent Inca Colas, one last time, we raised our glasses to our final day in Peru.

Tomorrow, we board an overnight flight to Europe via Bogota, Columbia.

## Coffee with Juan Valdez, November 29, 2010

# Avianca Airlines, Lima to Bogota, Columbia, 3 hours

# Avianca Airlines, Bogota to Barcelona, Spain, overnight, 10 hours

We flew over the jungle with clear skies below. From our climb above the arid plateaus of the Andes, we traced the path of melting snow, twisting to drop and wind into rivers, slowly widening and stretching to form the largest river basin in the world. This breathing blanket of green is the mystical place known as the Amazon. Rick entertained Katie with her journal, drawing the jungle creatures as they stalked their prey, right beneath us.

As we neared our destination, the wild space changed and revealed signs of human intervention. Paddocks of cattle and horses appeared with more frequency. Soon, we spotted the dots of homes on plantations, and then the orderly rows of Columbia's thriving greenhouse industry. Millions of glass walls caught the sunlight and threw it back to us, blinding our eyes with their flash. Several passengers closed their blinds; I found my sunglasses and admired the dazzling kaleidoscope out my window.

An amazing 85% of tropical flowers exported to Canada and the United States are grown here in Columbia. As much as we would have loved a tour through the farming areas, we decided not to risk the security issues by leaving the airport without prior arrangements. Our layover was tight, and we did not want to chance missing our onward flight. We were content to settle for the sample taste of culture offered inside the Bogota airport.

Katie in the lead, we followed her ladybug roller bag past the standard shops, with the usual offering of snacks and cold drinks. Often in a capital city, there will be a store with souvenirs that depict the stereotypical image of the country, and Bogota was no exception. Katie broke into a run toward the life-size, stuffed burro at the entrance to the National Store. A wall mural of Juan Valdez, _moustachioed_ in his iconic blanket and sombrero hat, decorated the back wall of the shallow kiosk. I had a flashback to the successful advertising campaign for coffee grown in the hills of this exotic land.

A friendly Columbian lady wearing traditional white blouse and woven skirt smiled at her approach.

" _Beunos dias, senorita_ ," she welcomed our youngest. "Would you like to get up onto our donkey?"

Katie nodded. It was a nice diversion from the lineups and boredom of our long travel day. She grabbed the burro by his fuzzy ears, accepted the boost onto the blanketed saddle, and began to ride the donkey off to the land of make-believe.

"What a beautiful young daughter, oh, but you are lucky, you have two beautiful daughters," the practiced saleslady added, noticing Jaclyn beside me.

Jaclyn smiled at her, glad to have been acknowledged. For the past two weeks, little blonde Katie had been attracting the lion's share of attention.

"May I offer you a cup of our fresh brewed, estate picked, Columbian coffee?" the costumed lady continued in her musical voice.

" _Si, gracias_ ," I gratefully accepted the fragrant, steamy cup. We had been up at the crack of dawn, and would be flying through the night. The delicious aroma and rich, full-bodied taste was as good as Juan Valdez had promised.

The other half of our family continued ahead in search of food, to fill the bottomless pits they call their stomachs. The normal appetite has returned, and they are typical teenage boys.

" _Numero uno, por favor_ ," Derek ordered his lunch from the pictorial menu board, a couple of burritos with fries and Cokes, for a bargain price of 184,000. That's Pesos, thankfully. It was somewhat shocking to see a UNICEF donation box jammed with colorful 50,000 currency notes. So many zeros. Columbia is obviously victim to recent super-inflation.

"I think I'll get some nachos and cheese. Katie, want to share?" Jaclyn had enough "mystery meat" for a while, and her stomach had only just returned to comfort.

" _Si, por favor_ ," Katie answered, using her best Spanish for her big sister. They walked to the order board hand in hand.

Rick secured a vacant table, surrounded by about a hundred _footbal_ fanatics, all cheering madly when the soccer ball neared the net on the two flat-screen televisions suspended on the walls. Jaclyn's tray almost flew from her hands when the patrons suddenly jumped from their chairs, screaming in response to the call of GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! Their team had obviously just scored. We tried to follow the action, but truthfully, we don't share the passion. Our Canadian roots make us hockey fans. Maybe that will change after months away from ice, but I doubt it.

In a visible effort to address drug concerns in Columbia, airport security has been increased to levels beyond even American post 9/11 standards. Though we had remained in the "secure" area, we suffered three metal detector scanners, a physical luggage search, German Shepherd sniff dogs with their noses at our waists, and then full body pat-downs. The agents, male and female, wore flack jackets over military uniforms, an automated machine gun slung across their chests. I held my breath hoping the boys remembered our lectures about how airports were no place to joke around; these _Policia_ meant business. The ordeal took well over an hour.

Once cleared, we were directed to a small waiting area, where we were scheduled to sit an hour prior to take off. There were more passengers than chairs, and many families were forced to the floor. The plane was then delayed for reasons unknown, extending our discomfort for an extra hour or so, until just before 9 p.m.

Finally, we boarded our plane. It had ample legroom, wide padded seats, and similar extra comforts to the LAN flight from Los Angeles. I wish North American flights provided South American service. Tucked in cozy blankets, pillows, compression socks and eye blinds, we chased the sunrise and arrived in Europe at noon, Barcelona time.

Email from AcesWild to 6andersons

Tuesday November 30

Ola,

We are back from the rain forest in good shape, with a bag full of stinky jungle rags and a few termites hitchhiking in my daypack. Great place to see birds, plants and trees, and tons of insects. The 3B has ant bait sprinkled all around our room. Time to plan our next two weeks. How do we get into your blog?

Dad
Ready to board your next flight?

A Whirl Around Europe
Part 2: Mom! There's a Lion in the Toilet

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www.6andersons1world.blogspot.com
