Trek The Planet

Abby and I found ourselves with some days to spare before her work started and while I'm between projects. Since we aren't able to get into out permanent apartment there wasn't a lot of settling we could do. So we decided to take a stab at our Peru Adventure list and see if we could fit in a little adventure. Machu Picchu was the top of the list so we cobbled together a last minute trip. We weren't able to get a spot for the Inca Trail (spots on the trail are limited by the government and sell out many months in advance for the high season) so we opted for the Lares Trek to the Sacred Valley. We booked that trek as well as a hike to Rainbow Mountain with Llama Path , a tour company with a reputation for treating their porters well including building a house for employees and families to use and providing a school in the community for employee and local children. Day 1 Saturday: Lima -> Cusco Cusco (or Cuzco) is the historical capitol of Peru from Incan tim...

We're back at the airport today to catch a flight to Cuzco (alt. 11,000 ft.). We're planning to spend a couple days there to acclimate to the elevation then do a 4 day trek through Sacred Valley to Lares and Machu Picchu. Friday we scheduled a trip up Rainbow Mountain (expect some good pics coming soon!). We'd have loved to do the Inca Trail but it books up months in advance. I'm sure there will be some great highlights from this trip we'll be glad it worked out like it did.

My perspective he says? I remember that conversation, the one where I "casually" mention I am thinking of moving back to Peru. My racing thought in that long pause was the next thing he would say was "well, nice knowing you..." but it wasn't! He couldn't have been more supportive. Whoa! Who is this guy? Agreeable he says? Yeah, that's true! It seemed a long way off and he could always change his mind....if you know me at all you know my middle name is not Trusting. However, Kevin has proved himself time and time again, fully gained my trust....but he hasn't had traveler's diarrhea yet so maybe he will leave when that happens. Just kidding! I teach in Peru. No, not English. People always ask that. I teach first grade at an English speaking school. These schools exist throughout the world. It's a pretty cool gig. Live and work in a different country? Learn culture, history, and language first hand? Yes please! I love adventure and you ...

Abby in a taxi in Lima On Tuesday we arrived in Lima, Peru. It was as easy as stepping onto a plane in Miami and stepping off in Lima, but there was a lot of background work (and luck) that went into getting here. Our intentions with this blog are to: #1 take our friends and family along with us on this epic adventure, #2 document all the cool things we see and do so we can look back in a year and remember how green we were at the start, #3 share the lessons we've learned along the way so that you too can embark on your own epic adventure and learn from the things we did well and avoid the mistakes we make along the way. Why Peru? Let's rewind to the start (at least the start of where I became involved). From my perspective (Kevin here, Abby will share hers too ) it was about Abby. One day back in February we were hiking in Bethel, Maine on the Albany Brook trail when Abby mentioned in a completely casual but non-casual way that she wanted to move back to Peru to complet...