Party Like It's...2011?

July 28-30, 2011

Um yeah, remember that campfire? Well I wasn’t able to pull out the guitar because of the excessively loud music. I figured it would die down after a little bit. Not so much. The town has several hotspots where the party goes, and one house has it during the night. Well, the one right next to the soccer field where we were staying had Thursday night’s party. They rented huge speakers and the sound blasted until, 6 am. Yes, that’s right. 6 am. So all night it sounded like the party was inside our tents and we got no sleep. Then, from 6 to 7 it was quiet, then it started again with the live music and bands of roving dancers!!! That is like 48 hours straight!! I guess it goes on for four days like that. I’m glad Friday was time for us to leave.

So Friday morning we hiked 1200 feet up the nearby mountain for an uninhibited view of Mount Veronica. Wow. It was so beautiful. I can’t wait for faster internet to post some pictures.

We got back to camp and said goodbye to our families. It was weird because the whole town was down at the soccer field and there were little kids everywhere trying to get in on the donations of books, stuffed animals, and school supplies that our students brought. It was awful, because the donations were only for our families that we worked with. Several little kids walked away crying when they didn’t get anything despite our efforts to explain what was going on. We did leave a backpack full of school supplies that were going to the kindergarten. The president of the community is holding it until I return on my motorcycle so I can present it to the school when it is back in session. It is cool to think I will be back soon on my bike.

Friday afternoon we did the $2 a day project and the photo scavenger hunt. Normally this is a time when Molly and I can catch up on our personal lives. This is especially important since we need to lock down what we are doing after Rustic. But, the electricity was out in town and there was no internet. I really had to send out some important emails and try to figure out the bike pickup, but that had to wait one more day. Elena was there and we talked about where I might live in town. At night, it was pachamanka again and copious amounts of lamb. Yes.

Saturday we said goodbye to our cooks and headed to town for lunch at the Blue Puppy. The manager is from Texas and gave me a lead on a place to stay when I return. Sweet. Then it was off on the train to Aguas Calientes. It was weird to think it might be my last train ride to Machu Picchu, but I have thought that before and still managed to end up going back there. Tomorrow will be my 7^th visit. We got tickets to Wayna Picchu!! It is a beautiful hike and I am so pumped. Readers beware that there is a limit on tickets and you need to get them way in advance, use the website I posted in a pervious blog.

In Aguas we played two soccer games against the locals for money. (No one does anything down here without putting a little something on the game.) We won the first game!! I was in goal and did alright. The second game we tied 1-1 and I let in a soft goal. But still, we had a blast and I am definitely improving. We headed to our famous buffet at Inka Wasi and my favorite butt-sliding activity afterwards. We drew a huge crowd and the kids pushed the limits. Our highlight was Dustin doing the superman and Seth, Dustin, and I doing a 3-person wheelbarrow. I am pretty cut up but it was worth it.

Now we are headed to bed for a 4:30 am wakeup to catch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. I can’t wait.