The Latin Paradise

I made it to Buenos Aires!  Nearly three weeks trying to change my ticket (three airline offices in two different cities, plus phone calls and emails and web ´help´) and I finally got to go where I wanted (BA) when I wanted (16 Jan, 10:45 a).   And in the end the thing that worked was going to the airport and praying someone on my intended flight would be in a car accident on their way there (not really! - but kinda).  Once the flight was closed to everyone would had tickets (an hour before take-off) I got to change my ticket (for a mere 25 USD), race through security and immigration to my gate, and find out that by ´boarding already´ they meant waiting for a fuel truck. If I wasn´t ridiculously happy to get a ticket at all (and exhausted!), I´d have been really annoyed. Also, ´full´ appearantly means the plane is a third empty.

Lessons learned:
1) Never fly stand-by -- very stressful not knowing in what country you ´ll be sleeping.
2) Yep, the airline is messing with you. Accept it now and you´ll be a happier person.

It is really gorgeous here - totally worth the drama. Picts to follow.

Happy retirement Molly! Enjoy Arizona!

The Sacred Valley

Yes - it´s been forever. From Arequipa we went to Puno for Lake Titicaca and the requisite island tour then on to Cusco for New Year´s (it´s celebrated with fireworks) and Ollantaytambu for the train to Aquas Calientes and Machu Picchu (even the regular tourist train is very comfortable and has windows in the ceiling).  We´ve had two days (in a row!) without rain here in Cusco and a nice place to stay (with a kitchen and doggies!) so it´s been a very pleasant few days.  I really should have brought my own computer (lots of hostels have wifi but few have computers available - keep that in mind if you come to South America).  I´ve got a lot more wandering through the Cusco region to do before heading back to Lima so, for now, a quiock view of Machu Picchu:

The classic view (plus fog)



Inca Bridge (closed for traffic)

  Yep - it´s as awesome as you´d think.