I´m in Valparaiso, Chile right now. Had a fabulous day with the guys in Mendoza which began and ended with loads of champagne and red wine (we had momosas for breakfast, a champagne vineyard, a wine vineyard, and then went to a wine tasting event). Then, I pretty much spent the day on the bus to Santiago and then to Valparaiso (which felt horrible after all the champagne and wine from the day before). I met Seb there in the evening and we hung out and had dinner and drinks. Today was spent running from bank to bank. First, trying to get the money that we needed (to pay for the trip) in Pesos and then trying to convert them to Euros. It was quite a hassle, but we have a good chunk of the money sorted now. Hopefully, we´ll get the rest all finished up in the morning. As it turns out, we´re still 7 hours away from our meeting point and we´re supposed to be there tomorrow afternoon. I just can´t wait to be finished with all this admin in the middle of the ocean, sailing . . .

Had a nice couple of days in Cordoba with the guys. Took the overnight bus to Mendoza. And, now I'm going to hang with them for the day. Tomorrow it's off to Chile to meet Seb.

In Cordoba . . .

Well, the 9 and a half hour bus ride wasn´t bad. I met a guy from the hostel on the bus, so we chatted some. Then, they put on a decent movie. And, then it was 7 hours of broken, freezing cold, sleep. But, I made it to the hostel and saw the boys. Then, they went off mountain biking. So, I think I´ll have a bit of a snooze and wander and relax for the rest of the day.

Goodbye Buenos Aires . . .

Well, I'm finally leaving Buenos Aires, almost for good this time (have to come back to fly out). The last two days have been POURING. It would be very very cozy to sit inside and read a book, but unfortunatly, I have doing alot of last minute running. I got quite a bit accomplished. I saw a few friends, but not everyone I was hoping to. Such is life . . . There's just never enough time. It's been sad. I think about my friends who have left. And, anything I do or anywhere I go, I think about how it will probably be the last time I do or see it and I question whether I've gotten the most out of my time here. I know that's a bad attitude. I had a nice day with a couple friends, so I'm in good spirits right now.

They are letting me leave all my excess luggage at the hostel, which is fabulous. I was really looking forward to repacking and traveling light. However, I still managed to pack too much to carry. I don't know how I do it. I'm going to look for a bigger bag at the bus station. Well, my bus is off in less than 2 hours. I'm going to meet the boys in Cordoba. And, then Seb and I will meet in Chile on Thursday.

Well, here's to another overnight bus ride . . .

Back in Bs As!!!

Hola! After 5 weeks, four countries, and over 100 hours on buses, I finally made it back to Buenos Aires with a purse full of mixed change and considerably more luggage than I left with. The bus from Mendoza was nice except that it was really really hot over night and there was no water anywhere in sight. Besides that though, the seats were nice, no one sat next to me, they played a good movie (in English), served a nice dinner, and there was TP in the toilet. So, all in all, it wasn't terrible.

I was really nervous about seeing what I was returning to in Bs As . . . I really wasn't sure that my things would still be as I left them in my room since I hadn't yet paid my rent for the month. I was also afraid that it would be too sad here since so many of my friends have now gone.

I had mixed feelings coming into the city. I expected everything to be so farmiliar and some of it was, but I also had this overwhelming sense that I hadn't seen nearly all there is to see of Bs As. I arrived at 830 a.m. and took a cab to my residencia. I actually forgot the address, so I had to tell the driver to drop me at the street corner.

Luckily, all my things were just as I left them. I really wasn't sure what to do. I could stay for a few days and pay for a full month at the residencia, or I could leave and just stay at a hostel for a few days. As it turns out, Joey, a SAS friend, was just arriving in Bs As with his friends at the same time that I was. So, he called my cell phone about half an hour after I got to the residencia and arranged to come by to see me and drop their things at mine (which was in limbo) until they decided what to do. So, I just went ahead and started packing my things. I had this imaginary idea that I might be able to ship my things home so I didn't have to bother storing them. HAHAHA. I can't believe how much stuff I have. I don't feel like I've bought a ton, but somehow, I've accumulated a shitload of stuff.

By the time the boys arrived, I had most of my things packed up. We went and checked out the hostel right on my corner. It was surprisingly nice, so we took a room for the five of us and moved my things and theirs from my place. I was trying to be really under the wire because it was grey whether I should pay for the month of June or not, so I was trying to be quick and get out of there before anyone noticed.

I had a great day/night with the guys. They are all really chill and lots of fun. We started at 3 by heading to a bar to watch the Argentina/Sweden game. I knew that I was going to like these guys when they ordered a three part shot (with Tequilla) for all five of us right off the bat. Way to get things started!!! After the game, we headed back to the hostel to get changed and showered for dinner. Then, we headed to Las Canitas. My friend Lisa came out to meet us. And, we had a really nice steak dinner with three bottles of wine between us. Then, we headed to Jackie Os for some pool and more drinks. Lisa and I were reminicing over all the good times we'd spent there and it occurred to us that it will probably be the last time that either of us ever go there. So sad . . . I guess I really thought I was living here. I've become very comfortable thinking that my Bs As really is my city. Lots of shots and Long Islands later, we headed to Plaza Serano for a final drink. Then, we walked back to the hostel where we got a little roudy for a little while, Lisa puked, and we all eventually passed out.

The next morning, Brandon went out and bought stuff to make for breakfast. So we had some nice sausage, eggs, pastries, and orange juice. We didn't have glasses or plates (not sure why since the hostel had them), so we just had platters of food and gallons of juice and just dug in with 5 seperate forks. It was really fun and satisfying. Another bad start to my diet. Every night after I've stuffed myself with food and drinks I say, "tomorrow I'm going on a diet." It never quite happens.

Anyways, the guys have just left. I wish they would have stayed in Bs As for a few days so I could have shown them around. But, they are off to Rosaria and then I'm going to meet up with them in Cordoba in a few days. It's going to be hard to drag myself away from this hostel. I REALLY like it here. The room itself is nothing special (although it is warm, clean, and comfortable). But, the common areas and the atmosphere are fabulous. The main common room is right out of Starbucks. It's very clean, stylish, and comfortable with tables, chairs, couches, bean bag chairs, a big tv, new computers, and a nice (fully stocked) bar. There is even wireless (which is enough to keep me here forever). There is also another nice living room. The bathrooms, while not in the room, are individual, private rooms with warm water. And, there is a nice, large, rooftop area. The breakfast too is really nice - orange juice, milk, tea, bread, butter, jam, and cereal. It's definitely much better than the average hostel. The atmosphere too is really good. It's full and lively, but in a nice, sophisticated, comfortable way. And, I like that it's right down the street from the residencia. With all the changes, it's nice to be in a farmiliar neighborhood.

Anyways, I have alot of arrangements to make and people to say goodbye to while I'm in town. So, I'm going to get started today . . .

Back to Buenos Aires . . .

Well, it´s been a nice couple of days relaxing in Mendoza. I´m heading out on an overnight bus for Buenos Aires tonight. I´ll arrive tomorrow morning. Coincidentally, one of my SAS friends and his friends will arrive in BA around the same time by plane. So, I´m excited for that!!! But, I´m quite nervous about returning to BA as I´ve been gone such a long time and so much will be different than when I left. So many friends have gone . . . Anyways, the next time you hear from me, I should be there.

Back in Argentina . . .

Well I finally made it back to Argentina. After a 14 hour bus trip yesterday, I finally arrived in Mendoza (never thought I´d be back here). Back to warm showers. Nice hostels. Friendly people. The vos form of Spanish. Cleanliness. Ham. Nice Restaurants. McDonalds. Good service. Cell phone reception. It´s good to be back.

Just going to relax for a day or so and then make the final leg back to Bs As. I´m really nervous about going back. I have alot to do in a couple of days to prepare for my big sailing adventure!

Spent yesterday at the hospital with Seb. Turns out that he had Bronchitas. The doctor loaded him with meds and fed him through a tube (since he wasn´t able to eat anything). It was quite interesting spending hours upon hours in a Chilean hospital. We were definitely the only tourists there. This one man (who was waiting for his wife) took pitty on me and kept sending his little daughter over with food and drinks for me. It was so kind.

So, today . . . we went to see a man about a boat. That is, we went to see a captain about possibly joining his sailing school. I saw the ad for the trip in San Pedro, then again in Cusco. In Cusco we contacted the Captain for more information about the trip. Here is the text of the email we received:

Hello, Thank you for your mail and enquiries. The DISCOVERY SAILING ACADEMY is a privately owned School Ship,we follow a very comprehensive International syllabus of the English speaking world for our sail training program. Please find below further relevant details. OUR GOALS are to help you learn how to manage a ship, healthy living, respect for others and self discipline on the high seas. These challenges will be balanced with a relaxed atmosphere of watching and filming whales, dolphins, turtles and oceanic birds. Sundowners and music will soothe the soul and sore muscles at the end of each sailing day. The camaraderie of the sea! OUR VOYAGES take us to Galapagos and Easter Island, Robinson Crusoe, Pitcairn, Tahiti, the Marquesas, Hawaii, Canada and Alaska, returning to Cape Horn via Mexico and Costa Rica. And there is always plenty of time to explore each destination. FOR EACH JOURNEY we like to bring together a group of people who have never done any offshore sailing before. They will relish the challenge of trying one of the very first means of transport to reach destinations of historical, ecological and physical interest while learning how to sail at a professional level. DISCOVERY SAILING ACADEMY is a civilian run school vessel which follows the old routes used by clippers and whaling ships from Alaska to Cape Horn. By the end of each journey of around 3 ooo Nautical Miles you will have been trained from Deck Hand to Costal Skipper and ultimately achieve the level of Yachtmaster Offshore. Our promise is that you will become very proficient as all instruction given is “hands on”. OUR WAY OF SAILING encourages people to participate in all aspect of boat life from both the serious side: - helmsmanship – sail handling – watch keeping – navigation – meteorology – use of instruments – radio telephony – mooring – anchoring and the lighter side: using toilets, cooking and walking while the ship heels sometimes at 30 degrees. Cocktails and gourmet dinners are seldom part of it but we try our best. When lucky we can serve a variety of fish dishes fresh from the sea caught by our trawling lines. AN OCEAN GOING SAILING VESSEL is like a totally self-contained floating little town with the cook, the mechanic, the doctor and the teacher. With eight crew she has a comfortable capability of sailing for 3 months with an ample supply of food, water, gas, fuels, electricity, medicines and spare parts. THE SHIP IS A Bruce Roberts 45 FOOT CUTTER. Custom built of both reinforced marine grade steel and stainless steel, she is a solid vessel capable of enduring virtually any sea, ice floe and wind conditions. As safety is our primary concern, all the systems onboard are built efficiently, tough and simple to operate with multiple backups. She has now sailed with students the equivalent distance of seven global circumnavigations. She’s a well-found and well-proven ship. WHEN YOU SAIL WITH US on one of your adventures, one things is for certain, you will do and see things of wonder, you will learn much more about yourself than you thought possible and you will never be the same again. Beginners are preferred, being fit is important. THE FULFILMENT OF EACH VOYAGE culminates in the sighting of one of our Island destinations on the horizon and your excitement in exploring it at your discretion. We carry 2 inflatables . We can offer 3 to 5 day tours to the most remote areas where no tourist goes, leaving wildlife and flora undisturbed in breath-taking landscapes. Also day hikes,or snorkelling sorties are available.
THIS IS SAILING! WELCOME ABOARD!

- Our next voyage will leave Chile -Valparaiso for Galapagos and mainland Ecuador.

Details of itinerary
- 01 July 06 Meeting of the whole crew in Valparaiso.Chile
- 05 July departure after 4 days orientation period.
- 28 July approx arrive Galapagos-San Cristobal island after advance training to Yachtmaster Offshore level.
- 04 August depart Galapagos after a 7 days visit.
-14 August approx arrive Guayaquil- Ecuador after 3 examinations carried out on the High Seas.
Approximately a voyage of 45 days and 3 000 nautical miles or 5800 kilometers. Fees are 3500 Euros and include the following:
- All onboard living expenses from anchor up Chile to anchor down Ecuador mainland.
- Landing fees Galapagos-Ecuador.
- National park fees Galapagos Archipelelago.
- Use of personal safety harness for duration of voyage.
- All tuition to YACHTMASTER OFFSHORE LEVEL.Theory and practice.
- 3 Examinations: Practical-Oral-Written. - If pass,issue of Yachtmaster Offshore certificate.
It Excludes: - Touring costs while on land. - Tuition books,tools and writing materials. - Personal equipment.See list attached.

I would like to add that I created this school on the Oceans 10 years ago as a strictly non profit concern and after extensive personal training. I am totally independent,have no sponsors or agencies to dictate who sails with me ,and as to when only the seasons rule my departure dates. .I prefer to interview each applicant in person and after a presentation of my vessel and the activities on board we both decide whether to sail together or not. Basically to be the right stuff for this skipper training programm you must have a good blend of courage and discipline,time to spare and money that you have earned yourself . The fee charged is precisely what it costs me to have you on board in wear and tear,maintenance ,tuition , fuels and food. It represents about one fifth of what it would cost you to do the same comercially.

My aim is to train you up to a professional standard so that by the end of each voyage we can all sail the vessel as a competent team. Towards end of voyage you sit the exams as setby the SAILING ACADEMY, if you pass you will be awarded a CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE AS YACHTMASTER OFFSHORE which will enable you to seek employment as a charter skipper anywhere but typically in the MED,CARIBBEAN or simply to buy a yacht and sail it around the world with confidence. Please find attached list of typical equipment needed over what you normally carry in your backpack: ... Good water proof jacket and pants as for skiing ... Fingerless sailing gloves or biking ...Deck shoes ...Woollen hat and ski socks,good sweater ...2 pairs of sunglasses ...2 cotton full jogging suits with hood ...wristwatch with illuminator- ...Pocket binoculars ...medium flashlight- approx 20 centimeters long ...rectangular zip around sleeping bag,2 sheets ...2 bedsheets-1 smal pillow ...sunblock and chap stick ...60 tabs multivitamins good quality ...2 packs seasickness pills ...1 general course antibiotics ...personnal medicines,non addictive -Optional but recomended ...discman and 3 sets of batteries ...as many cd's as you like ...diving mask and snorkel ...books
Max luggage allowed: 1 rucksack and a sleeping bag I provide a life harness and jacket for the duration of the voyage -Pocket money: Advisable is :3oo usd or Euros approx in small denominationsfor t.shirts,drinks,taxis,horse rides,restaurants etc.This is because bank machines are often out of cash on the islands. If you wish to come for a visit of the ship and to meet us ,please call

Seb was also intersted, so we both contacted Rob. We got on well and he suggested that we come down to Chile to meet and check out the boat. So, here we are. And, today, we spent about 4 hours with Rob and his girlfriend Anna Marie on his sailboat.

This is not going to be a party cruise. It is hard core set up to learn how to sail. I never really thought about learning to sail, but I have always loved the ocean. So, why not! So, Seb and I are going to meet Rob tomorrow to pay our deposits. Then, I´m going to head back to Buenos Aires to staighten out my business and say goodbye to my friends who are left. Then back here to start my next adventure!!!

Sorry dad, returning date pushed back . . . yet again . . .

Where In the World is Amber???

Where am I now . . . Peru? Equador? Columbia? Argentina?

Nope. After 40 hours on the bus, I´m back in Chile. Seb and I have found a really cool opportunity that we came here to investigate. We´re supposed to meet with the man in charge today. But, the problem is that Seb is really sick. And, part of the deal is that we need to be really in good shape. So, we are going to try to get him to the doctor and maybe meet this man tomorrow.

All is well. Will keep you posted.

Had a fantastic day yesterday! Seb, Jon, Leona, and I took a steep climb up to the top of a mountain right in the city to see some fantastic inka ruins. They were really, unexpectedly fabulous. The stones they are made out of are huge and supposedly 300 tons a piece. They are so heavy and well planned that there is no need for any type of mortar between them to hold them together. It´s amazing considering that the inkas would have had to lug all these stones up a steep mountain.

We had a guide who took us through the ruins and showed us the tunnels, glacial remnants, and bizzarely shapped natural rock formations. It was really interesting. After the ruins I saw in Cococabana, I expected to be disappointed. Anyways, there are three other ruins around the area. And, we paid about 8 dollars a piece to take horses out to them. The other ruins were pretty inconsequental, but it was fun taking the horses around. We even stopped for a picnic.

At the end, we walked back to the city, had a drink and a rest, and then met out for dinner. As usual, we all had a fab time together laughing and taking the piss out of each other. Then, we went to a few lounges-clubs. We were all pretty tired since we´d been up early for the England game, so we ended up calling it a very early night before 3.

It was a great day. Today, is the end of the line. Jon and Leona are heading off on the Inka trail and Seb and I are making our own plans. So, we will probably have a day of planning and preparing and meet up for lunch or dinner. I have some thoughts in the works that I will write about once I have them sorted.

Nothing much going on here. Have been hanging out with Seb, Jon, and Leona. I´m deciding where to go next. I think that I´m going somewhere tomorrow. So, I need to decide. I´d really like to go to Columbia, but it´s going to be expensive and time consuming. Not sure . . . Got up early this morning to watch the match against England and Paraguy and have an excuse for a Saturday morning bloody mary. Meeting my friends to hike to a ruin in about an hour. Then a nice dinner and a big night out with the gang. It may be our last time together as Sebs and I are planning to head out tomorrow. Not sure if we´re going together or seperately. It would be weird traveling alone again.

Machu Picchu . . . My Version of the Inka Trail . . .

My trip to Machu Picchu was amazing!!! On Tuesday afternoon, I took a cab for about an hour to a town called Urubamba where I transferred to another cab and drove for another 15 minutes up to Ollantaytambo, where I needed to catch the train (as there are no more roads) up to Machu Picchu (or Agua Callientes).

I arrived in the town a couple of hours early. It was a really nice little town butted up directly to tall mountains, with some ruins illuminated in the background. It turned out that I was there on a good day as it was a holiday to celebrate the sun god. There was a constant parade, dancing, and partying in the main square. It was really cool. I sat in the square and ate bread, cheese, olives, and chocolate and watched the activity. Then, after a quick beer near the train station, got onto the train.

Unfortunatly, it was dark when we left, so I wasn´t able to see the scenery on the way up. So, I pretty much slept for the hour and a half ride up. I arrived in Agua Calientes at around 10 p.m. I found a cheap, basic hostel and then headed out for dinner. The town was very very nice. I really enjoyed it. I expected something very basic and expensive like San Pedro. But, it was so much nicer. The bars, restaurants, and hostels were all really nice looking, the roads were pretty cobble stone, and there was a pretty square. The weather was amazingly warm, even at night. And, of course, the sourounding mountains and stream that ran through town, were lovely.

For some reason, even though there are loads of nice bars and restaurants, they were practically empty at 10 pm. So, Seb and I had a bite to eat and some Sangria and asked around about how to get to Machu Picchu in the morning. Then, it was early to bed.

Machu Picchu - From Frommers
The Incas hid Machu Picchu so high in the clouds that it escaped destruction by the empire-raiding Spaniards, who never found it. It is no longer lost, of course -- Machu Picchu retains its perhaps unequaled aura of mystery and magic. No longer overgrown with brush, as it was when it was rediscovered in 1911 by the Yale archaeologist and historian Hiram Bingham with the aid of a local farmer who knew of its existence, from below it is still totally hidden from view. The majestic setting the Incas chose for it remains unchanged: The ruins are nestled in almost brooding Andes mountains and are frequently swathed in mist. When the early morning sun rises over the peaks and methodically illuminates the ruins row by row of granite stones, Machu Picchu leaves visitors as awestruck as ever.

The next morning, I was up at 430 in order to make it to Machu Picchu for sunrise. I was going to try to walk, but I was afraid I wouldn´t make it in time. So, Seb walked, but I took the bus. I was on the first bus to arrive at the site. So, I was one of the first in the gate. It was so foggy that there was no sunrise to be seen. But, I think that the fog surrounding the oddly shapped mountains and huge complex of ruins was better than any sunrise. It was amazing. I have never seen ruins that even come close to the enormity or splendor of Machu Picchu. I spent the full day exploring and hiking. I brought some food, so I spent several hours just sitting among the ruins having a picnic and taking in the scenery. I didn´t leave until closing time at 5 p.m.

When I got back into town, I walked up to the hot springs. I was expecting a little pond with warm water. Wow, was I wrong! This was a paradise. It was in a beautiful complex with tropical plants and rope bridges. The hot springs were actually filtered into pools that looked like fancy hot tubs. There were about 8 different pools of different shapes and sizes. They were all filled with mineral waters, and small natural stones along the bottom. On top of that, they had a full bar and the waitors would bring you drinks to the pools. There were even showers and changing rooms. It was heavenly. I stayed there for a couple hours until they kicked us out. Then, I had a bit of dinner and off to bed.

Up again at 430 to catch my 540 train - an hour and a half by train, and hour by bus. I´m back in Cusco now. Jon and Leona are coming in tonight, so I´m sure we will all meet up tonight. I think that Seb and I are going to head to Lima next.

I´ll post some pics when I can!

Not too much to tell about yesterday or today. Pretty much just walked around Cusco, ate, and made plans for heading to Machu Picchu. Taking a bus about two hours to a town where we´ll grab the train up to Agua Caliantes, which is the base town at the foot of the ruins. Will be at Machu Picchu for sunrise if all goes well. Went to the food market and got bread, cheese, tomatos, olives, strawberries, apples, chocolate, wine, coke, and water to snack on for the next couple days. I just loved buying things from the market! It made me feel very ¨local¨. Anyways, will be back in Cusco on Thursday morning. Not sure where exactly after . . .

Cusco is really great. It´s absolutely beautiful and very cool. Yesterday, visited some old churches in the main square. They are filled with statues and gold framed paintings. They are gaudy, and yet beautiful. Wandered alot. Ended up off the tourist path at a large food market. Got some cheese, bread, and fresh made orange juice. It was fabulous. Then, another big night out. The nightlife is really good here. Decided to spend another night here as I was feeling fairly crap upon waking this morning. Then, off to Maccu Pichu tomorrow.

Then, who knows. Back to Bs As? Ecuador? Columbia? Not sure.

Cusco is really great. It´s absolutely beautiful and very cool. Yesterday, visited some old churches in the main square. They are filled with statues and gold framed paintings. They are gaudy, and yet beautiful. Wandered alot. Ended up off the tourist path at a large food market. Got some cheese, bread, and fresh made orange juice. It was fabulous. Then, another big night out. The nightlife is really good here. Decided to spend another night here as I was feeling fairly crap upon waking this morning. Then, off to Maccu Pichu tomorrow.

Then, who knows. Back to Bs As? Ecuador? Columbia? Not sure.

Cusco is really great. It´s absolutely beautiful and very cool. Yesterday, visited some old churches in the main square. They are filled with statues and gold framed paintings. They are gaudy, and yet beautiful. Wandered alot. Ended up off the tourist path at a large food market. Got some cheese, bread, and fresh made orange juice. It was fabulous. Then, another big night out. The nightlife is really good here. Decided to spend another night here as I was feeling fairly crap upon waking this morning. Then, off to Maccu Pichu tomorrow.

Then, who knows. Back to Bs As? Ecuador? Columbia? Not sure.

In Peru!!!

Well, I´ve trancended another border, earned another stamp, and arrived in Cusco, Peru.

Last I wrote, I was about to go off on a bike ride to a beach on Cococabana. Well, instead, Seb and I rented a motor bike and took a 3 hour ride to the end of the penincala and then to the beach. It was really neat to get into the countryside of a tiny town and see how the real people live and work. We passed dozens of people tending their farms and carrying babies, water, and supplies on their backs in brightly colored cloths. The women wear their traditional skirts, shalls, and hats even when working in the fields. We were going to go out to dinner with Leona and Jon, but Jon was really sick and it started pouring. So me, Seb, and Leona had another dinner in the hotel´s restaurant. No complaints.

The next morning, the four of us took a boat to the Island of the Moon and the Island of the Sun (According to the Incas, the Islands where the Moon and Sun were born). Our boat stopped for just an hour on the Island of the Moon. There were some cruddy ruins. Nothing special. But, the weather was beautiful and I enjoyed sitting atop a mountainous island, in complete silence, with the sun and a slight breeze.

Then, we proceeded to the Island of the Sun. The boat dropped us off on the South of the Island at the bottom of a set of stairs carved into the rock that is affectionately nicknamed, ¨The thoursand stairs.¨ Haha - very funny. I have never seen such a place. Granted, every town in Bolivia is chucked full of hills, but this literally was a tiny tiny island town carved into the side of a mountain. We weren´t in Kansas anymore. It had been a while since I´d seen a McDonalds anyways, but this place was hardcore - no nice accomodations, no means of transportation other than walking (over boulders carved into somewhat of a path), no warm water, no flushing toilets, no nice restaurants, no internet, no place to change money. It completely blew my theory that no matter where you go where there have been tourists before you can always grab a cab and check into the nicest hotel in town. But really, it was really unlike anything I´ve ever seen - very rural and seemingly traditional (just men, women, children, and donkeys carving out a living on a mountain cut off from the rest of the world by a huge lake.

Anyways, our hotel was cute enough with a beautiful garden out front. We had lunch - which consisted of three choices (omlette, chicken milanasa, or trout). Then, we took about an hour and a half hike to some ruins and back. The ruins, again, were not spectacular. But, the hike was nice, albeit tiring. After that, we headed up to the top of the other side of the island to see the sun set. It was fabulously picturesque and romantic. We grabbed a little table at the edge of a cliff, covered in a bright blue table cloth and had a beer as we watched the sun set. After the sun set, there was little to do on the island besides eat. And, what a challenge that became.

It seems that every restaurant served only the same thing - some combination of three of omlette, chicken milanasa, trout, spagetti, or pizza. After hiking around in the dark, looking for something appealing, we settled on a little place right next to our hotel. It ended up having a nice atmosphere. It was dark and they lit candles on each of the brightly clothed tables and played waify american island tunes. There were six people in the restaurant besides us four. It took them two hours to make our food. There were more people in the kitchen than in the restaurant. And, they were continually sending the kids out for more supplies. It was a really different experience waiting so long for such simple meals. But, we had a good time left to our own devices and a couple bottles of red. It´s not like there was anything else to do on the island anyways.

Since we were in bed so early, Seb and I decided to get up for the sunrise. It was really lovely and it was beautiful seeing the island waking up. Since we were up, we decided to hike up to the very very top of the island so that we could see the other side. We hiked for a couple of hours and then headed back to the hotel to get our things. We grabbed the 1030 boat back to Cococabana and arrived at 1230ish. It felt like returning to a big city after our night on the rock. Anyways, we checked into going to Cusco that night and it turned out there was a bus at 130. So, we grabbed the bus, transfered in Puno, and arrived in Cusco at around 11 p.m.

The city is lovely by moonlight and windowlight, however, I had been warned about how dangerous it was as far as petty crime. And, there did seem to be alot of shadey characters out. It made me really glad that Seb and I are still heading in the same direction. It´s all good to be an independent woman traveller during the day, but arriving in a strange city at night is a bit disconcerting. Anyways, after a couple trys, we found a decent hostel. Then, we headed out for some nightlife.

At first they wouldn´t let us into this bar-club. They said it was closed. Then, we figured out that they said that because the police were there. As the next day, today, are their national elections, bars were supposed to be closed. Anyways, a couple minutes later, they let us in. It was packed full of travellers as usual. I had a fab time dancing up a storm with tons of guys. And, as always, somewhere along the line, a guy thought I didn´t speak English because I was trying to speak with him in Spanish. I´m not trying to show off, but I kind of feel like you should at least start the pleasantries in the local language. And, to tell the truth, I thought he might be a local. Anyways, funny.

Into bed around 5. Up around 10. Using the internet in the hostal. I think I´m going to have a little bit of a chill day today. I´ve had quite a cold and it seems to be getting worse. Will probably venture out after a nice warm shower and some clean clothes.

All is well. Will keep updating. Don´t know what´s next. When I started this trip, I thought my dream goal would be to make it to Cusco, but now that I´m here I´m dreaming of Ecuador and Columbia. So, who knows.

MMMMMM . . . Cococabana . . . .

Having a great time in Cococabana. The hotel is so nice. My room has two small beds on the bottom level and a nice bathroom with hot showers and a loft with a huge, comfy bed. The artwork is georgous. And, the ceiling is a huge dome. There is heat and they give you hot water bottles to put in bed.

The hotels itself is really nice. It has meditranian architecture. It´s a big, white building perched atop hill, overlooking the lake. The German owner is extremely friendly. The restaurant is wonderful. There are hamocks where you can chill in the sun with a book.

Yesterday, I explored the city, walked by the lake, and wrote and read in a hammock at the hotel. The sun was terrific. It was fabulously relaxing. Jon and Leona showed up at our hotel in the evening and we had drinks and dinner at the hotel.

It´s just lovely here. I really like it. I could stay for a week. I think that we´re going to rent bikes and go to some beaches and villages this afternoon. Then tomorrow, we´re all going to The Island of the Sun together. It´s supposed to have very basic accomodations, so I probably won´t write again until the day after tomorrow.

All is going fablously. I can´t wait until I can post pics again for you as I feel like I do a terribly inadequate job of describing how amazing and beautiful these places really are.

Best wishes to everyone!