News and Views From my kids accomplishments, to my heretical perspective of the world

We went back to MP the following day (yesterday). If you look at the usual pictures of the site, you see a large egg-shaped peak just behind the ruins of the city. On this day we climbed to the top of that peak. It was less than 1000 feet higher, but it was very steep, mostly climbing on the original steps that the Incas had carved.

Near the top are some temples and other stone structures, but the very top is a jumble of boulders. There were over 100 people clustered together on and between boulders. It was very crowded, but everyone was good-natured. We had a good view of the main city from up there, but the usual post card picture from the other side is more striking.

Four of us took an alternative, longer way down that passed by ¨The Great Cave¨. The extra hike was not worth the 20 x 50 foot cave. I’m not sure why it is named ¨Great¨. The hike was grueling, but it actually felt good to get some exercise after sitting and walking behind a guide, and the view was wonderful.

On this second visit I realized that the amazing thing about Machu Picchu is not necessarily the magnitude of the construction, but the beauty of the setting. Perched up there on that narrow ridge, with the sheer cliffs below and all around, and with the green covered hills — it´s just one of the most beautiful places I´ve ever been.

Today we are back in Cuzco. Tomorrow we go back to Lima where Devon catches a flight home. The rest of us are going up north back into another part of the Andes to Huaraz where one of our fellow travellers spent two years in the Peace Corps, 35 years ago. Should be less touristy, and perhaps a clearer picture of the “real” Peru.

To answer a couple of questions. It is winter here, but we are close enough to the equator that the temperatures don’t change much through the year. The main difference is that in the summer months (Jan – Mar) it rains more. During the winter it almost never rains.

Up here in Cuzco at 11500 feet nights drop down near or just below freezing. Days are in the 60’s. There are glaciers on the higher peaks, but we haven’t enountered any in our travels.

Lima, down on the coast, is surprisingly cool too; usually in the 60’s day and night. They claim that it hasn’t rained in Lima since the 1970’s, but it is always cloudy and usually “drizzling” — droplets condensing out of the air.

And that´s your travel lesson for the day.

By the way, everyone in my family is healthy right now, though one of the other women seems to have the same thing Devon had. She went to the hospital and got some medicine and is feeling much better now.

Early this morning we caught the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. It was only about 40 miles, but switch backs up the mountain and winding up canyons resulted in a 4 hour trip.

Machu Picchu is amazing. The closest thing I can compare it to is Stonehenge, in terms of a stone structure built with primitive tools, but I think MP far outshines Stonehenge. (I’ve never been to the Egyptian Pyramids, of course.)

We spent most of the day (after we got here) on a guided tour. The guide was an expert on almost everything related to the area. We are spending the night in a small town at the base of the mountain, then tomorrow a few of us are going back and climb 1000 feet above MP to one of their religious structures, while the lesser souls stay below and rest or shop.

Lots of pictures to show when we get back.

Everybody’s health is fine. We are getting used to the altitude, and anyway MP is quite a bit lower than Cusco; only about 8000 feet.

This is certainly the high point of the whole trip. I can’t imagine anything else we are going to see that can surpass this.

Last post I mentioned in a comment that Derek and Gisele had gone up the mountain and were feeling the altitude. It got worse.

They went through a 16,000 foot pass before they dropped back down to about 12,000 feet where their hotel was. Derek got sicker and sicker, terrible headache, vomiting, and they finally took him to the emergency room. Altitude sickness, of course. They gave him an injection and oxygen, and he was ready to go back to the hotel within an hour or so.

However, while Gisele was there with him, she mentioned that she didn’t feel well either, so they took her blood pressure — 170/something. So they gave her an injection too. She was well enough to go back to the hotel in an hour or so too. They had headaches for a while, but after getting back the next day to where Devon and I were at the low altitude of 8000 feet, they both felt fine.

Tonight we are in Cusco, in the heart of the Inca territory, at just under 12,000 feet elevation. So far everyone seems to feel fine. Those who might have had problems have become more aclimated, so hopefully all will be fine.

Tomorrow we catch a 6am train to Machu Pichu, about 3 hours away.

I’ve been drinking lots of coca tea — tea made from coca leaves. It sounds bad, but it’s really milder than the caffeine in regular tea. Everyone here says to drink it for altitude sickness.

Last night at dinner Devon complained that his stomach was a little uneasy. After dinner he had to hurry back to the hotel.

About 2 in the morning he called my room, saying he felt really bad. Diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, aches. He couldn’t keep anything down.

I had the hotel desk call a doctor, who came and diagnosed him with some kind of intestinal infection. He gave him a shot and 4 prescriptions. The hotel desk sent someone for the medicine at an all-night pharmacy, and by the time they got back Devon was already feeling better, and able to keep a few sips of water down.

Doctor’s house call — $40.
Prescriptions — $10.
My Pervian friend, Oscar, says these are very expensive, but probably in line for a tourist hotel.

It’s now later afternoon, and Devon is still in bed, still a little uncomfortable, but keeping liquids down and feeling well enough to watch TV.

The rest of the group took a 5-hour bus ride up higher into the Andes, where they will be spending the night, but I stayed here with Devon. They will be back tomorrow; hopefully Devon will feel well enough to rejoin the tour then.

We are here.

Devon almost didn´t make it. Super shuttle didn`t show up, but got a friend to drive him. He checked in too late to make the flight, but fortunately they had another following 1/2 hour behind. I changed my flight too so he wouldn´t be alone.

Lima was cool and drizzling all the time. We are now up at 8000 feet in Arequipa. We have seen llamas and alpacas. Tomorrow we go higher into the Andes.

We are off to Peru on Wednesday morning. None of us have ever been to South America, so we’re excited about the trip.

We will arrive in Lima, and then travel to Cusco and spend a few days there and at nearby Machu Pichu. I’m not sure of all the other places we will go — they are just names on the itinerary right now, but I’m sure they will fill with meaning in the next few weeks.

We are friends with a family that was born there. They have helped arrange everything. There are 10 of us from three families traveling together in mostly private tours.

We will be gone almost 3 weeks; back on Monday the 24th.

Hasta la vista!

Loss of Wisdom Teeth, that is. Derek had his all yanked out today. He’s up in his room on Vicodin and Ibuprofen, holding an ice bag against his face with one hand, playing “World of Warcraft” with the other.

He decided to do it without the sedation, just local anaesthetic. He was uncomfortable with the idea of being “out”. Maybe he was thinking about the Seinfeld episode where Jerry woke up with his shirt untucked.

Anyway, he said it wasn’t too bad.

I took Derek down to Tucson yesterday for a 3 day preview and orientation at the University of Arizona. I will pick him up tomorrow afternoon.

I haven’t heard from him begging to come back home, so I assume he’s doing OK.

I just got back from the airport, where Gisele left on a two-week trip to France. Most summers she goes for a month of intensive language instruction, but this year it’s a two week tour of the “Bourdeau” region, visiting castles (“Chateaus”), wineries and scenery.

Derek and I are bach-ing it until she gets back.