Travels to South America: The Highlight Reel

January 03, 2006, 3:27 p.m.
Happy New Year! Confession: I fell asleep hours before the ball dropped in Portland but I did manage to celebrate the New Year at the same time as my friends on the East Coast.
It has been a whirlwind few weeks and although I have finally responded to almost all of the e-mails in my inbox and managed to sort through every last bit of mail that accumulated while I was gone, I am still struggling to get back into a regular routine.
My brain, which is simultaneously on overload and yet barely functioning at a fifth grade level, cannot handle writing long flowery paragraphs about our trip but I think I can manage bullet points of the highlights:
La Luna, a hostel in Northern Ecuador, where the food and drink were as amazing as the owners. We spent two nights snuggled under the blankets next to a roaring fire and taking in the view.
Cozy Ecuadorian sweaters that were just too cheap to leave in the market
Horseback riding through beautiful and pristine countryside with views unlike anywhere else I have ever traveled
The moment at the end of the Inca Trail when we reached the Sun Gate and took in the views of Machu Picchu for the first time
Following J through the narrow streets of Cuzco in search of a restaurant serving guinea pig, an authentic Peruvian dish, and laughing as he attempted to extract the meat from its bones and then laughing even harder when he realized there was still hair on it!
The feeling of euphoria we experienced after traveling at breakneck speeds through the countryside to catch a flight that departed three hours earlier than we thought. We made the trip, which takes three hours by bus, in less than 90 minutes thanks to a taxi driver who was sympathetic to our plight and willing to put the pedal to the metal.
Visiting the floating islands and marveling at the number of things that can be made with reeds
Being welcomed into the home of a family on Lake Titicaca and experiencing their way of life and then dancing the night away in traditional dress
Learning the story of the Ampato Maiden and getting a glimpse of life 500 years ago. It is amazing how a determined explorer and modern science can offer insights into the past.
Coming home with no lost luggage (though our camera was stolen in Ecuador; the experience is not worthy of the highlight reel), sleeping in our own bed and snuggling with our favorite puppy.
In other news, my little sister got engaged over the holidays! Congrats Litts!