I understand that I have not updated in approximately one month which might imply that I somehow obtained a life post-Peru Trip. But that’s definately not the case, don’t worry.

You see, I had to give myself time to let my stool return to it’s usual consistency (Traveler’s Diarrhea, my only weakness!). But, I’m starting this entry on the wrong foot. I should probably tell you all about Peru and how I hiked a quarter of a mile up on the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate (”a short walk away”) or how I needlessly bargained with dirt poor Peruvian indian merchants for llama wool or how I nearly fell down 578 ancient Incan steps to my death or how I completely fell in love with the country and its people. But it all happened so long ago that you have ceased caring and I have too many pictures to talk about so do me a favor and go check them all out on Flickr:

I know, WOW, right?

I went to Peru with 20 of my fellow classmates and while these are probably people I wouldn’t have otherwise interacted with, the arrangment turned out to be awesome. Emotional bonding happened as we traveled between the cities of Lima and Puno. I bought plenty of wool paraphenalia which, as a citizen of Orlando, is useless to me. I ate alpaca but not guinea pig. I danced. I conquered my fear of dangerous dirt road tour bus rides at 12,000 feet of elevation (although, plunging off the side of Machu Pichu would be quite a view!). I rode a Reed Boat. I drank way too much Pisco Sour.

The Andes are more than just a tourist attraction or a geographic phenomenon; they are the very essence and spiritual center of the people of Peru. As our guide so eloquently informed us, “In the Incan way, we hold one hand over our hearts and the other over our stomachs to represent giving and recieving. We give from our hearts and, in doing so, our spirits are full.”

Damn, yo. That’s deep.