Peru

It looks like you don't only pilgrimage once... I'm back on the trail! Only this time, the pilgrimage has brought me to South America. I took my Business Associations final and jetted off, first to Panama City, next to Lima, and then my final destination - Cusco, Peru!

I lost my Camino walking stick at the customs security check in Peru within minutes of arriving. When I was leaving the airport, I was swarmed by taxi cab drivers, and I unsuccessfully attempted to haggle with the official taxi service (40 soles? This ain't my first rodeo!). So instead I took a ride with a stranger who may or may not have been a real taxi driver. But he didn't kill me. That stranger's name was Freddy, and I paid him 20 soles.

I'm staying at Pariwana Hostel, the third best in Cusco. That's what I like about it, that it's third. I walked around the city for a bit, and it reminds me of all the wonderful places I have been fortunate to visit. The hostel reminds me of a monastery I stayed in during the Camino, the one where the nun locked me out at 10pm. Cusco has stray dogs like Brasov, but they seem friendlier and less pack-like. The cobblestone and quaint shops remind me of Porto. The hostel was also playing Limp Bizkit at one point and that reminded me of the sixth grade.

Ryan was right - the tourists all look like they are straight out of a REI catalogue. I had to go to the Machu Picchu tour company to give them the rest/all of my money. I'm a bit worried about the weight of my pack (it's 8.5 kilos aka 18.7 pounds!) but I'm American, and I love stuff. I'm not too keen on the idea of getting a porter to carry my items, considering I carried my pack for 33 days without too many complaints.

I went to get adobo for dinner but the store was closed. Peruvian Spanish is so much easier to understand. For being so tranquila, those Andalucians sure do speak quickly.

I tried Inca Cola, which is like Squirt and Mountain Dew but sweeter.

I played beer bong with another American girl named Lydia in the hostel tournament. The prize was a free night at the hostel. That's 16 bucks! But we were robbed. They were making up all kinds of rules and in the end the rival team beat us with just two cups on the table. Want to know who won the tournament? The hostel workers. Conspiracy? They also won the ping pong tournament. Suspect.