Saturday, March 26, 2011


Hola Familia y Amigos:

This is not like any place I’ve ever been or imagined!  Photos don’t tell the story and yet we are trying to capture bits of it with our flip cameras and digital snaps. There’s not one of us who isn’t surprised and awed by the spectacular scenery. Steep mountains, streaked with green shrubs and rocky oranges, reds and grays, line the sacred valley and the Urubamba river cuts through it’s middle. Goats, sheep, cows and pigs graze along the roadsides and on the soccer fields. Fertile fields are full of grains and vegetables, as are terraces that perch high up on the steep slopes.

We began our day with eggs, toast, orange juice and tea.  Sitting around a large table in the hostel, we each wrote down our greatest fear (meeting and eating with host families won hands down) and one of our goals for this trip (understanding the culture of Perú was the most-identified).

We then packed for the rafting adventure. The drive to the starting point allowed us to observe the life in many small and medium-sized villages. Once there, we changed into wet suits, helmets and PFD’s. Decked out, we boarded in three rafts and ran the river. We had so much fun! We even had rain to complement the white water. At the other end, we had tea and a picnic lunch (no rain).

Once back at the hostel, students learned about Ollantaytambo with a scavenger hunt. We had a fairly deep discussion about cultural differences. This increased our appetites for our first dinner with host families. That’s where we are now. We’ll write more tomorrow.

Un abrazo a todos!
Hello Mom! Hello Dad! Hello Sis! Hello Bro!

4 comments:

Kerri said...

Can't wait to see the pictures!

Sepple Family said...

Sounds like so much fun...enjoying reading what you are doing each day!

Campbell said...

Sounds like you all are having a great time! Austin glad you were safe and no risk taking tricks! Have fun... much love to all.

Unknown said...

Sounds like you are having a great time. Miss you and love you Jack Jack. Thanks for keeping us updated. Cant wait to read more and see some pictures.