Finalizing Details!

Alright! So, Megabus tickets are booked! Before I proceed, let me back up and explain about this Megabus process. The Megabus is this intriguing little (big) bus that shows up at a certain hour at a certain sidewalk in Knoxville (and other towns). You book online for really cheap (sometimes as low as $1) and you can go to a lot of really cool places. Anyway, it will be taking us to a shady little parking lot somewhere in Washington D.C., drop us off, and leave us to our city wisdom to figure out what to do. But don't worry! I've done this before. And, as travelers, we are not frightened off by mafia-like instructions and transportation. Also, Megabus, as I mentioned before is CHEAP. So, I'll deal with it being a little shady solely based on the fact that it's cheaper than any other means of transportation to DC.

Look how friendly!

Alright, so Megabus explained, let's move on. Maybe I should explain why going to DC has anything to do with Peru. Well, as I mentioned, we like being cheap, and as it turns out, flying from DC to Cuzco happened to be the absolute cheapest flight we could find. So yes, it may take 10 hours of extra travel time, being dropped off in the middle-of-nowhere DC to wander around with all of our luggage for hours and miles of exhausting podiatric torture, etc etc, BUT we will save $1200 each! That is one thousand and two hundred big fat George Washingtons per person that will be saved. So, is it worth the exhaustion and hassle? That's a big resounding YES.

Moving on. Once we arrive to DC, in order to evade complete exhaustion and unending pain, we have decided to stay in a hostel for one night. That way, we'll suffer the hassle of the bus ride, we'll suffer the pain of hiking the length of DC to get to a metro, and we'll suffer the back pain that 50 pounds of backpacking and travel gear is sure to cause (let's keep in mind, I'm 5'2 and only weigh 110 pounds...miles of walking with a 50 pound backpack is practically superhuman for me...also gives me the most amazingly strong back you've ever seen, I'm practically She-Hulk)--all for only one day. THEN we'll get an amazing break. Hot showers, nice beds, etc. Doesn't the hostel seem like such a nice idea? The hostel we're staying at in DC (of course, the cheapest one) is the Hilltop Hostel--"Housed in a converted Victorian hostel in a suburban area of parks and gardens, we have comfortable dormitory accommodation. Lockers and linen are provided and facilities include wireless internet access, satellite television, a fames room, a kitchen, laundry and a back yard with a BBQ area, outdoor games and hammocks," doesn't it sound just lovely? Also, it is directly across the street from the metro. That's only like 300 feet to walk once we get off the rail (you have to think about these things, you know). Then we get to repeat said travel hassles for day two. Only this time it will involve customs, delays, layovers, and more. Less back pain, more headache.

Mmm! Look at those nice, comfy beds waiting for us!

Then, we will fly from the Dulles International Airport to Bogota, Colombia, from Colombia to Lima, Peru and from Lima, over the Andes mountains, to Cuzco!

Washington DC (step 1)

Bogota, Colombia (step 2)

Lima, Peru (step 3)

Cuzco! Final destination!

Now, let's hope our host family will be there to meet us in the airport.

Only 3 1/2 weeks left! That's so soon!

¡Ahí Los Vidrios!

-Veronica

Getting Ready for Peru!

I hiked about 7-8 miles today! It was awesome. On the way down I stopped in at Toby's Rock Creek Cafe. Not so vegetarian friendly, but they have super yummy grilled cheese sandwhiches. I am planning to hike on my days off so I'll be ready for the hiking in Peru! We've got about a month before we go. Till then check out the pictures of my FAVORITE park and hiking area.

¡Ahí Los Vidrios!

Beginning June 9, myself (Veronica), Alexander and Heidi will embark on an adventure to Cuzco, Peru. Alexander and I will be staying until July 17; Heidi will be leaving us during the first week of the month.

What will we be doing, you ask? Well, Heidi and I will be attending Mundo Verde Spanish School for 40 hours a week, with one on one tutoring sessions, as well as living with a Peruvian host family in the city, and taking various cultural immersion classes (weaving, cooking, dancing, etc). We will volunteer with the school (teaching English to children, performing environmental clean up, and whatever else they ask of us) and our final week of classes will culminate in learning about Andean medicinal plants! This will lead us up into rural villages of the Andes where we will meet with local healers and learn about their plant healing wisdom. Additionally, I will embark on a journey to El Parque de la Papa, where I will learn about biodiverse, sustainable farming practices performed through community work.

Alexander, being the brilliant medical student that he is, will pursue Mundo Verde's Medical Elective Program, where he will spend his time working in large hospitals and small, rural community clinics around Cuzco--including clinics deep in the Peruvian jungle.

Finally, Alexander and I will take a breathtaking hike on the Salkantay Trek--which will take us 36 miles over the course of 5 days--through the Andes mountains (including peaks as high as 13,450 feet)--to reach our ultimate destination at Machu Picchu.

So, lots of exciting times to come! Keep track of our adventures here, at this blog.

And as they say in Peru--¡Ahí Los Vidrios! (there are the glasses--aka: see you later!)

--Veronica