Two Months Down

Today* marks my two month anniversary in South America.  As  write this, at 5:30 am, it is almost exactly two months to the hour that I was getting dropped off at the airport... heading off on a journey with limitless possibilities and unknown adventures.

I've been on the road almost ten weeks, and exactly 62 days.  In the past month, I've slept in 22 different beds, been on one plane, spent 105 hours in buses, and 17 hours on boats, bringing it to a total of 42 beds, 18 hours on boats, 5 planes and 176 hours in buses since I've left home.

Over the past month, I've mountain biked, ziplined, white water rafted, hiked part of the classic Inca Trail, been to the ancient city of Machu Picchu, summited Machu Picchu Mountain, and attempted to hike Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world - all in Peru. 

I crossed into Bolivia, and visited Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, the world's highest altitude lake, and crawled six levels deep into the mines of Potosi, the highest city in the world. 

I went on a Pampas tour in Rurrenbaque in the Amazon where we went Piranha fishing, came face to face with an anaconda, floated down the Yacuma River whose shores were lined with alligators and crocodiles and swam with pink dolphins. 

I went horseback riding in Tupiza and saw unbelievable mountain scenery.  I slept in a hotel made from Salt in the Salar de Uyuni and took the classic distorted visual perception pictures.

I've seen the sunrise while climbing the stairs to Machu Picchu and the sunset over mountains at both the world's highest altitude lake and the world's largest salt flats. 

I had my phone pickpocketed on a busy street in La Paz and my entire purse stolen in Tupiza as I sat at a table furthest from the door with my back against the wall in a virtually empty restaurant as I ate dinner with five friends, none of whom saw anyone walk in. 

I currently have no debit cards, and my only access to money is through a very expensive cash advance on my one remaining credit card. 

I've learned to NEVER try to import electronics into South America after spending 18 hours in six different offices trying to claim the replacement phone my parents sent me. 

As much as it sucks to have lost the phone, the credit cards and the money that was stolen, what breaks my heart is that all of the pictures from the past month were on a memory card that was in my purse.

I began traveling with Sinead, a girl I had met my first week on Colombia, but barely knew when we decided to meet up in Cuzco and it's been the best decision I've made. Along the way we picked up Mona and Mark and created our own travel family.

Sadly, Mark had to leave us early, but today, Sinead, Mona and I will cross into Chile to visit San Pedro de Atacama, which is supposed to have some of the best star gazing in the world and then head to Argentina for Christmas in Salta and New Years in Beunos Aires. 

I feel as if I really hit my travel groove this month.  I love being on the road and seeing beautiful places and meeting new people on daily basis. 

This month has been filled with ups and downs, but even during the downtimes I feel lucky to be traveling. 

I still haven't booked a ticket home, and though I have a loose plan for the next couple months, anything can happen. 

Pictures
1- Sunset over the Salar de Uyuni
2- Mark, Sinead Mona and I on the Pampas tour
3- Mona, Sinead and I at the sunset on Salar de Uyuni
4- Me over Tupiza
5- Me above Machu Picchu
6- La Paz, Bolivia
7- Distorted images on the Salar de Uyuni

*Actually written on December 18, despite my delayed publishing