Friends actually...

...ARE, all around.

I suppose I should start with a profound apology to all my avid readers who have not blog cheated on me by giving up on me to read my bros blog (just kidding, I actually encourage it), for neglecting an update on my adventures the last 2 1/2 months. And thank you for not assuming we are dead and calling the Bolivian embassy after 6 days (Momma!). I am going to go ahead and blame med school apps and my lazy reliance on Matt to thoroughly document our journey.

I believe I left you lovely souls hanging after our fantastic trip to teh Bolivian salt flats where we met the lovely Frenchy and the spunky Karina. From there we spent about a month exploring the rest of Bolivia (two words: beautiful, cheap). the majority of which we spent in Cochabamba taking Spanish and Quechua lessons while volunteering in an orphanage in the afternoons.

We crossed the boarder into Peru on the shores of Lake Titicaca, and on our way to Cuzco to meet our wonderful Tia Jeannie we made a few-day pit stop in the White City of Arequipa and the deep gorge of the Colca Canyon (2x deeper than the Grand Canyon). With Tia we explored the Sacred Valley and trekked 5 days via the very high (4,600 m) Salkantay Pass to the PHENOMENAL ruins of Machu Picchu. After leaving the tia :( we made our way to Lima by first hopping over to the coast, flying in a 4-seat Cessna over the mysterious Nazca Lines and dune-buggying through the sand dunes outside Huacachina oasis. in Lima we met up with Matt´s good high school buddy Chris, had a few fun nights and a few good laughs (with me acting as the perfect wing-woman for the boys, as per usual), and set off for Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca to do another beautiful 4 day trek. Huaraz is where we met Team Stretch (see below), taught the locals how to play Twister, and where I said goodbye to the bro for 2 weeks as we went our separate ways: he to Quito to meet another old friend, and Chris and I back to Lima to meet a few of his med school classmates. After a few more laughs in Lima we headed to Iquitos, Peru accompanying some Denver Docs on a medical mission to remote villages on the Amazon River and its tributaries. MUCHO MUCHO more about this later as the experience definitely deserves its own entry.So, if you want more details and pics of any of the above experiences I encourage anyone to visit my bro´s blog (myhighwayhome.blogspot.com) as he has not become the 4-star slacker general as I, and also, it is kind of sick how good he is getting at photography (if you like the pics he is trying to sell them to get a portfolio together, so just let me or him know and he can matte (sp?) and frame it for you when he gets back!). Since I can´t go into detail about 2+ months in one blog I have decided to pick my favorite theme of that time period: FRIENDS. New friends, old friends, cute friends, cold friends. Below are a few pics of awesome people and a quick profile of each:

This is Emiliana, a cute Bolivian weaver from whom I bought the first piece of cloth for my quilt project! She and her husband were super sweet, thought not sweet enough to give me a sweet discount. haha

This is Carola (short for Carolina), one of the little girls at the Orphanage we volunteered at in Cochabamba, Bolivia. She was a fire-cracker, always keeping me on my toes....this pic is about 5 seconds prior to our Elmer´s Glue explosion fiasco.
This is Carola´s little sister Julie. Dirtiest kid I have ever met, but you can´t tell because they just put on her brand new dress in this pic. Too cute.
I don´t know if this pic will come out, but this is my beautiful American friend Katelyn (don´t let the crack-head appearance mislead you, as she is one of the sweeter souls I have ever met) in Cochabamba who was also volunteering through Sustainable Bolivia.

This is Gregoria, a Peruvian weaver who supplied another one of my pieces for my quilt project. She was a little shy.

TIAAAAAAA!! Nuff said. Rock on. (At Sacsayhuaman)

This one may not turn out either, but it is the after shot of our Salkantay trek team. Including our Peruvian guide, two aussies, and two other Americans (from good ol´Phila! No wonder I was craving a cheesesteak when I got back!)

The two aussies on the trek (Patty spent about 7 minutes trying to get the timing right for Rene to jump....I got it on the first shot. I know, gangsta)

This is Tia with JESUS the donkey (he was my aunt´s savior going up the tricky parts of the pass: hence the name)

Hamish, trying to keep warm playing his guitar and wearing Chris´ socks and my flip-flops after his valiant attempt to save his hacky-sac from the rapids of the river.

Team Stretch trying to keep warm as we wait for the mules to arrive with our tents.From left to right we have yours truly, our futbol crazed Northern Irishman, three of the four Kiwis (Hamish, his brother Blair, the lovely Jaz), Chris, Matt leaning in the background, and I am assuming Steve (the other Kiwi) stretching....but wait, where are the Swede and my favorite Japanese dude?! Hope they didn´t fall in the river too!

Bonding around the fire the first night, whittling sticks, burning socks, and stoking the fire.

My spunky roomie Murial (left) and her daugher Gail (Doc Z´s wife). Two truly beautiful ladies.

All smiles, this one. I laugh thinking that my first impression was that he is a hard-ass. How could I ever think such a thing of a caring Buddhist? Maybe because he is also a monster that scares little Peruvian children so that it makes my job to weigh them all that much harder. Thanks for all the help, Ro ;)

Charlie looks cute, but don´t be fooled. His farts can kill. He is also the biggest rodent in the world, so that might give you a clue. I will also add that he likes beer, so don´t go leaving any bottles under your hammock while you sleep!

This is the second village we visited that made us presents (beaded dolls and jewelry...some with Pirahna jaws on them) to thank us for visiting them and caring about them. I am assuming the little boys are not excited about anti-parasite meds and vitamins, but psyched that they get a day off of school (we always conducted the mission in the school houses).

Once again, don´t be fooled by the pretty feathers. This parrot can sneak up on the best hammock sleepers and eat Harry Potter books....he can also drive doctors to passionate arguments with only two words: Hola, and Whatever.
These boys taught me how to play marbles while the lines for the docs dwindled. Little do they know that bocce balls is in my blood...better watch out, boys!

This is my boyfriend, the Peruvian look alike to the little actor in the 2 and 1/2 Men sitcom. He latched on and didn´t let go. Those of you who know of my baby fever are probably not surprised that I didn’t mind.

Side note: Did I mention we biked the deadliest road in the world? This is a pic of the crew gathered around one of the CURVES OF DEATH! There are 70 or so cars at the bottom of one of them.

Until next time.....UN ABRAZO!