1 month on the road came and went faster than we could believe. We had been so busy with traveling into Bolivia then 2 days in Chile and on to Argentina, that we suddenly realized the big day was upon us! (We've also included a few silly pictures of us.)

We celebrated by having dinner on a Saturday night at La Casona del Molina in Salta and thought about many of the things we've noticed along the way.

1. Traveling brings out the best and the worst in you. Tired, hungry, generally stressed all add up to two cranky people. We've both had to take a step back a few times to remind ourselves that the slower portion of travel was upon us.

2. Toilet paper has become our version of gold. To have a nice clean roll in our backpacks is a piece of mind I never knew I needed. With missing toilet seats, uncertainty over where to actually go, constantly asking how much it costs to use the bathroom, it's really the simplicity of just having a roll that makes the whole process so much better.

3. Sometimes you just need to eat something familiar. While I'm proud to say we've not eaten a true fast food meal, I did finally cave when we were at a Salta mall looking for a better zoom lens and there was a Mickey Dees. I definitely grabbed a fry and it tasted so good. Eating traditional food in each country is great but after 4 weeks on the road, it's nice to find one thing you aren't worried will cause food poisoning.

4. 3 days in a city is enough to understand how most things work. By day 3, these basic things are mostly understood: layout of the city, process of getting a cab/public transportation, where to find a supermarket, bus terminal, ATM, etc. We start to feel like locals after 3 days in one place.

5. Traveling is so different from vacation. Vacation you plan ahead and everything is set for your arrival. Traveling is more like work, with constant planning for the next step, trying to maintain a budget, finding safe places to stay, and still keep in touch with each other and those at home. We've really had to focus on spending days not planning for the next step and just enjoying the moment.

Best Meal: Pacena la Saltena-one of our cheapest meals was also our best. La Paz didn't offer us much to be excited about but the saltenas seriously have us considering a yearly fly in-fly out just for these delicious stuffed dough balls.

Toughest Border Crossing: Chile to Argentina. I would never have guessed Chile to Argentina would be more challenging than Peru to Bolivia but it was. Disorganized and challenging to understand, the step-by-step of Bolivia was quicker and easy as long as your were prepared with the proper paper work. Chile to Argentina was a time-consuming cluster that left even the most kind-hearted Germans in line behind us saying Cambodia was an easier entry.

Best cocktail: Passion de Muna from Belmond Monestario.

Biggest disagreement: 4 weeks of nonstop travel doesn't a trip make according to Brian. However, I have been fine with our pace. When Brian hit the wall, I was still ready to keep rocking. Stopping in Salta for 5 days helped to even us both and prepared us for our next month.

Things we miss: We've talked about this a lot over the last week.

-We miss our family and friends and Nashville. Lindsay misses snuggling on Nashboy a lot.

-We mostly miss food. We miss a good Greek salad, white queso and chips and Brian's homemade margs.

-Lindsay misses using a good Reidel wine glass and enjoying it from her own couch.

-Missing out on babies-Lindsay's best friend Sarah just had a baby girl, Sadie and we have many other friends who've just given birth or are about too.

-Brian misses good BBQ and real craft beer-none of this so-called craft beer.

-Having private space-public parks and community space are great, but it would be nice to have your own sofa or back porch to relax on.

-Consistently solid data and wifi-We have data and texting everywhere we go, but sometimes it's so slow we want to throw our phones out the bus window.

-We miss the opportunity to go to church on Sundays. We keep searching for a Protestant church but South America is mainly Catholic or LDS. Also, every service being in Spanish doesn't help either.

Things we've loved:

-Being able to really talk and listen to one another for the first time in a long time, discussing new dreams and ideas and goals.

-Asking why not when an opportunity presents itself and seeking out new things to try and do.

-Not missing our jobs at all-we miss the people, but not the day-to-day grind.

-Not missing our community commitments-we miss involvement but not feeling the burden to always say yes.

-Slow travel! There is something so freeing in knowing you don't really need to move quickly but can add and subtract days as you feel best.

Things we hate:

-Overnight bus travel-I don't care how nice the bus is, traveling overnight is miserable. Thank goodness most hostels let you check in early.

-Worrying about eating something uncooked, like salad or fruit. We really want to eat these things, but 9/10 times it's just a question mark. If we are staying for several nights in a place, we usually risk it, but if we are moving on quickly, we avoid anything uncooked.

Traveling this way has really opened our eyes to a lot of new things and new attitudes and we've loved our journey so far.

No one can deny that I am a Type-A planner, but I really have no intention of being unprepared at border crossings, especially Bolivia.

I had read crazy stories about everything: being asked for all types of paperwork to simply paying and getting a stamp. We were nervous about being asked for something and not having it, so we prepared for the worst.

The US Embassy states the following:

"To apply for your visa upon your arrival to Bolivia, you must pay the visa fee of $135.00 in cash to immigration authorities in Bolivia. In addition to the $135.00 visa fee, you must present a passport with a validity of not less than 6 months beyond the date of your proposed entry, evidence of a hotel reservation or a letter of invitation in Spanish, proof of economic solvency (credit card, cash, or a current bank statement), and an International Vaccination Certificate for yellow fever. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be given a visa application form which you need to complete. Please be sure to have the address of where you will be staying in Bolivia handy to complete this application."

Needless to say, this information was inconsistent at best. My research also led me to a Bolivian Visa Application

Turns out this was a very good thing to stumble upon, because we needed it.

Here is what we needed for the border crossing for each of us:

1. Passport

2. Visa application

3. 1 color passport photo

4. 1 color copy of passport

5. 360 Bolivianos each (Not crisp $135 CRISP USD we had been protecting for the previous 3 weeks, which was also a savings of roughly half.)

6. Immigration declaration form (provided by Tour Peru on bus) including where we were staying, who was our in-country contact, information about our contacts back at home, home address and where we had traveled our last 30 days

7. Entry form (provided by Tour Peru on bus)

We were not asked to show but were prepared with all of the above plus:

1. $135 CRISP USD each in exact change

2. Copy of our bank balance

3. Copy of our hostel reservation

4. Copy of our onward travel out of Bolivia

5. Yellow card

We are still uncertain if there are differing rules for air entry versus land crossings or if each border is different.

One of the most surprising things was the difference in entry fees. We had never read about not having to pay in USD, but our tour guide insisted we would pay in Bolivianos. We ended up having both prepared just in case we were asked for either.

The guide on the tour made it very clear the process and also kept track of the bus group. The bus let us off at a cambio to exchange soles and dollars into bolivianos. Here it was a mad house but went very quickly with a charge of around 20 soles per transaction.

Once we had changed money, we were pointed to cross the street to the Peruvian immigration office. There are 4 windows, so line up at any window and have your passport and immigration paper ready. They give you your exit stamp and then you proceed to walk up the hill, through the stone arch into Bolivia.

At the top of the hill you will see the Bolivian immigration on your left with a line out the door that gets longer with each tour bus that arrives.

If you know your country must pay a reciprocity fee at the border, send someone to the front the line and check if there is anyone in line for the far left window where you need to pay. For our trip, the tour guide pulled us out of line and walked us right up to the window and said, "Pay here." The visa agent was so bored he was playing games on his phone.

We handed over our paperwork as mentioned above, got our visa sticker in our passports and then were transferred to another window to have our declaration papers collected.

Once everyone is through immigration, the bus pulls through the gates and you pile back on the bus. Your luggage never leaves the bus for examination and the bus is locked while the group goes through the process.

Be mindful to be prepared. We did leave 2 girls at the border because they didn't have their paperwork in order and did not receive entry into Bolivia. The guide provided them with instructions, but this is not a situation you want to be in this border town.

Once you arrive in Copacabana (the closest town on Lake Titicaca), the guides will unload your luggage and point you to another connecting bus to take you into La Paz. Peruvian bus companies aren't allowed to operate in Bolivia, so you have to switch there to a local company. Our bus left an hour later, so we left our luggage (locked of course) at the bus office and walked down to enjoy the waterfront.

Successful entry into Bolivia!

Getting to Machu Picchu is a tough nut to crack. The online information is confusing, at times misleading, and generally stresses you out. When you research it from the States, information is one-directional or inconclusive.

Do you need a tour? Is booking ahead of time the only way? Did I just buy a ticket to the ruins, the mountain hike, or the Inca trail?

We were thankful to be traveling during the off season because a lot fewer people means a lot more flexibility.

Upon arriving in Cusco, we immediately started piecing together the puzzle to get to Machu Picchu. As we've learned and crafted our travel style, it is much cheaper to do-it-yourself than take a professional tour. With a few starter questions at our hostel, we got it figured out in an afternoon.

We started at the ticket office just off of Plaza Regocijo and bought ruin access tickets for 3 days in advance. Then the attendant pointed us to the PeruRail office, just around the corner, for our train tickets from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, now known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. (The train used to run much closer to Cusco, but for some reason it only currently goes to Ollantaytambo, 1.5 hours away.) $160 USD per person later, we had one leg of the trip booked.

We were told we could catch a bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo at the "collectivo" (private group bus) station located on Calle Pavitos. We stopped by and learned we could just show up the morning-of because the collectivos leave every 30 minutes or so (funneling tourists like pro's). We also were told that you can't book a bus up to MP until you're in Aguas Calientes.

Umm...the planner in Lindsay went crazy. Don't 2000-3000 people go up to this site every day?! You can't book in advance?! (This cloudiness of certainty is why people usually book organized tours.)

We ended up saving only about $100 by booking ourselves, but the experience was unique and certainly not touristy.

Here are the options for booking and getting to Machu Picchu:

1. Book a tour. Find it online, book it, and they handle the rest. This is truly a great option during the high season when nearly 3000 people slam Aguas Calientes every day. It saves you the small headache of planning it yourself.

2. Piece it all together:

Step 1: Arrive in Cusco a few days in advance to give yourself a few days of flexibility.

Step 2: Go to the tourist office on the corner of Garciloso & Heladeros to purchase your tickets for MP ruins ($85 USD/person and your Wanya Picchu mountain hike if you like.)

Step 3: Stop by PeruRail to purchase your round trip train from Ollantaytambo to A.G. and back. The office is located just around the corner from the ticket office on Heladeros and San Juan de Dios.

Step 4: Show up at the collectivo station the day of your departure to A.G. on the corner of Pavitos and Lechugal. You can't miss it as they will be yelling for anyone to board to OLLANTAYTAMBO!!!

Pay your S/.10 per person upon arrival at the rail station in Ollantaytambo.

The bus ride is 2 hours, so plan accordingly to ensure you arrive with plenty of time before your train departure time.

Step 5: Once you've arrived and made the train in Ollantaytambo, you will arrive in A.G. about 1.5 hours later.

Step 6: Get off the train and walk North along the tracks - do not go up the stairs into the market - and cross the river. On your right you will see buses lined up. Find a window to purchase your ticket up the mountain. Cost is $24 USD/person for a round trip. You can leave any time the next day every 15 minutes.

To save money, you can also make the 1.5 hour hike up to the ruins. (Not a glorious hike. You mainly follow the same switchback road as the buses and have to dodge them along the way. Only do the hike up if you are super serious about saving money.)

Simply show up in the morning at the bus station and they will herd you onto a bus for the 25 minute ride to the ruins.

Plan to spen 3-6 hours at the ruins, depending on how much you want to see and if you want to hike up Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountains.

Step 7: Grab a bus or walk back down after your M.P. experience and head back to the train station. You simply get off the bus and walk up the stairs to head straight through the market to the train terminal.

Step 8: Once you arrive back in Ollantaytambo after your MP experience, there are plenty of people yelling for you to jump on their collectivo back to Cusco (10 soles per person), where you will be dropped off at San Francisco Square in the heart of the historic district.

We had two days in Puno, Peru, which is the main large city on Lake Titicaca. It isn't a very unique, exciting, or clean city, and most people travel here for only the lake experience. We woke up early on our second day to meet the guide downstairs at 7:15 and picked up a few other tourists on the way to the dock.

We had prepared for an open boat on the freezing water, but it turned out to be a great enclosed boat and we had a full group of around 25 people onboard.

We paid $55 each for the tour, and this really ended up being a great decision. There is almost no way to get around the lake without being a part of a tour, unless you rent your own private guide, which I imagine is much more expensive.

We started at the Uros floating islands, which are 15 minutes from port, surprisingly close to Puno. It's really incredible to see these structures. The islanders pile up reed cuttings until they have a floating island anchored to the lake bed by wooden posts. The ground is bouncy and the reed clippings have to be constantly replenished. The islands last around 35 years each, until the foundation rots away, then they must build a new one. I don't believe the people actually live on the islands still, but think it's more of a floating museum, although we were assured families still do.

It's a bit of a tourist trap and we declined to take the dragon-shaped " water taxi" ride around the island for S/10 per person. Instead, we were suckered into the "market" on the island (three tables with handcrafted goods) where Brian bought a necklace for S/5. He took pity on the fact that these people probably have few sources of revenue beyond tourism.

It started to rain, so we moved on to the 1.5 hour ride to Isle Taquile. By the time we arrived, many people were thankful for land due to the choppy water from the storm. Luckily, the rain stopped just in time for us to arrive on the island and we made the very steep hike up to the center of town.

This island is incredible. It's beautiful and surrounded by stunning vistas of the lake. The land is nearly entirely terraced for farming and raising cattle and sheep. There are no roads - only stone walking paths - and therefore no vehicles, so the air is very clean. The sky is so blue and the clouds so white. The weather was perfect as well - cool breeze and warm sun.

After wandering the square and the weaving markets, we headed to a local family's home for lunch and to learn about the traditional life on the island. The family, including their toddler son, showed us how they weave belts and hats, did traditional dances, and served us a delicious meal of lake trout (trucha) and quinoa soup.

Following lunch, we strolled along a rocky path to the other end of the island, where our tour boat had relocated. We really enjoyed the walk back in the sunshine and spent the boat ride back on the stern soaking up the sun and calming lake views.

We made two more stops again at the floating islands to learn about the building process of the islands and then to get the touristy "passport" stamp.

Being the highest major lake in the world, we expected it to be dreary and cold, but it was the exact opposite. Rocky mountains surround all sides of the massive lake, the islands are lush, and the water is pristine blue/green. This was the perfect way to spend our final day in Peru.

P.S. - We usually aren't organized tour people, but recommend the one we did. We used the tour company "Jumbo Tours" which was much cheaper than other options, provided quality experiences, and included entry fees and lunch in the tour cost of $55 USD per person.

We aren't on this RTW for voluntourism. As terrible as this sounds, we aren't actively seeking out ways to volunteer our time, donate our money or help the greater good of the world. Some people travel specifically to volunteer, whether on a mission trip or with the Peace Corps or at orphanages. That is all very admirable.

We are traveling to experience cultures and people just they way they are.

However, Brian and I love people and when people ask for help, we are hardpressed to say no.

When we returned from Machu Picchu, we ended up running into our Swiss friends from the Colca Canyon hike, Camilla & Eliya, at Norton's pub in Cusco.

While we were chatting, a sweet girl named Emily came up to our table and asked if we minded volunteering the next day for a school project they were working on.

She is in a college group project putting together brochures and a new marketing plan for a special needs facility and its on-site hotel. It is an international Catholic organization called San Juan de Dios. The profits from the hotel help fund operations of the center. The group needed a few "models" to be in the brochure. We all agreed to arrive at 11 AM the next day.

Emily gave us her information and we were all set, and she seemed very relieved to have found some tourists to participate. We all agreed we loved volunteering, so this was a fun opportunity.

The next morning, we grabbed a taxi over to the facility which isn't far, but is certainly not in the middle of town. We mentioned Emily's name and the guard pointed us to the hotel lobby on the campus. We chatted for a while, while Camilla and Eliya did mock checking-in poses. Then it was our turn to pretend to have breakfast. It was hilarious, but they said they got what they needed.

They gave us a tour of the facility which is very modern and has rehab facilities for all ages. The facility takes care of 400 children with physical disabilities like cerebral palsy per day, and about 30 live on-site. We even got to meet a few of them during their lunch hour.

It was great to do something, no matter how silly or easy, that we know will help this place in the future.

The crew of college kids gave us chocolate bars as thank yous and asked us to meet them back at Norton's Pub at 9 to celebrate it being a "wrap."

The two days preceding our trip to Machu Picchu, we became worried that the trip wouldn't happen. We feared that we wouldn't be able to catch a bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo due to a driver's strike that lasted two days. The stikers were placing rocks and boulders in the middle of the roads to prevent any cars from coming or going. We're not sure of their exact motivation, but we overheard many tousists trying to get refunds due to canceled trips.

But, on Friday morning, we headed to the collectivo station to catch a bus without any issues.

We got there in time to take the 9 AM bus. You can't miss the bus because the hawkers/salesmen yell up and down the street for passengers in order to fill up the bus. The cost is 10 soles/person, so just over $3 for a 2 hour ride to Ollantaytambo where you must pick up the train.

The rides are always crazy, with the driver constantly trying to win an imaginary race up and down the mountain to the destination. Constantly passing slower cars and gunning it over speed bumps is typical.

When we arrived in Ollantaytambo, we had around an hour before the train, so we walked up to town where there was a festival in the square honoring women for International Women's Day. There was dancing and at the end the younger women served the older women a special drink.

Our 1.5 hour train ride was fairly uneventful. Beautiful views of the Sacred Valley passed as we swayed and jerked along the river.

When we arrived it started pouring rain. Exiting the train station is very confusing, as it forces you to go thru a giant artisan market before you can get to town. There are dozens of stalls selling, keychains, jewelry, and handmade textiles. It's very easy to get lost within the market, and we stayed there for 20 minutes while getting our bearing. What we know now is that you don't take the stairs when exiting the train, but instead walk along the tracks into the city.

The city is built into the hills along the river and is overwhelmingly touristy. Prices are grossly inflated and there are restaurants lining the nearly vertical streets, where people yell out constantly at you to come eat there. It makes choosing very difficult and annoying.

After finding the ticket window for the bus to MP, tickets are valid for a departure up and down at anytime-bus leaves every 15 minutes, we walked to our hostel in a less touristy version of town. We stayed at the Ecologica Mapi hotel, which is closer to the residential area of the pueblo. It was a decent place for the money and quiet enough.

Many people choose to take the 5:30 AM bus to arrive in time for the 6 AM opening. We decided to take the 7 AM bus up to Machu Picchu and were so glad we did. The drive up really is spectacular, providing views of the valley as your rise. Our timing was perfect because fog shrouded the ruins and made them indiscernable, as we found out from some Canadians (also fellow Gator fans!). The fog started to clear and the sun peaked through the clouds as we climbed the winding Machu Picchu mountain, taking in every beautiful vista.

When we arrived, we immediately turned left up the stairs - all the way up, huffing and puffing in the thin air - to find the magical photo opportunity of Machu Picchu. It really is incredible to see the clouds hovering just over the ruins, with the sun peaking out and the green mountains surrounding it. We took many pictures before climbing to the Inka Bridge, which is scary-small. It is carved into the rock face, and the bridge iteself consists of a few pieces of wood spanning a 10 foot gap. There is no way people actually walked over this gap and up the small, narrow trail!

Although we had plenty time, we decided to forgo hiking up Machu Picchu Mountain simply due to the already-incredible views from the photo opp spot and the fact that clouds continued to hang on the mountaintop. There just didn't seem to be any reason to make the extra hike for a similar view.

We wandered thru the ruins, occasionally eavesdropping on an English tour before moving on. The place is incredible but it's pretty hard to really tell the difference between each of the rooms' uses when all that remains is a base layer of stone.

Brian had a hilarious interaction with one of the resident llamas because the llama was entranced by his blue water bottle. As we walked on past all the tourists feeding the other llama, one little boy was teasing the animals by walking back and forth with food in his hand. The llama had enough of his taunting and spit on the boy! It was so funny to watch and proved that, just like the stereotype of camels, llamas are spitters too.

By 11 AM we felt like we had seen our fair share and the tour groups were swarming, so we got our cheesy Machu Picchu stamp in our passports and grabbed the bus back to A.C.

Our train departing Aguas Calientes didn't board until 2:30, so we had plenty of time to kill. Having read about a hidden market where you could get traditional and cheap Peruvian food, we set off for lunch. We definitely found it! Up some unidentified stairs is an oval shaped room with food stalls lining the entire wall. Only local Peruvians were eating there... a good sign. We chose one that was fairly packed and sat at the bar to eat the menu del dia. The soup was giant, per usual, and each of us enjoyed our meals. The lunch counters didn't have names, just dry erase menus and similar dishes. I guess you choose based on your favorite cook! We were do happy to eat there, try some strange herbal drink, and only pay 14 soles (around $4.50). Finally found a deal in Aguas!

After lunch we wandered the market to find Brian a PERU patch for his backpack. Trying to backtrack to find a specific stall in that market - good luck! It's just a crazy maze of cheap yet overpriced knickknacks.

As soon as we got off our slow and uneventful train ride, the mayhem began. Every where you turn, someone is yelling at you...CUSCO! CUSCO! 10 soles! and trying to get you into their taxi or bus. It's overwhelming. We finally heard 8 soles, so we said ok and climbed into the bus. Our driver was a complete idiot. It was terrifying. For 1.5 hours he swerved and slammed on his breaks, just trying to get 1 mini-bus length ahead. He even got pulled over by the police through a small town for speeding, but just kept driving like he didn't hear the police whistle. Finally he had to pull over to let people out and the cop caught up to him. He was let off with a warning, but ugh, what an idiot. On top of this, our entire bus reeked of B.O. Ugh.

We finally made it back to the plaza after two long, but adventurous days.

Machu Picchu is one of those places you must cross off your list during a visit to Peru. The experience of getting there is tiresome and crowded due to the 2,000-3,000 people who visit the site daily. The rampant commercialism and price-inflation makes it feel like a Peruvian Disney World. However, if you get to the ruins early enough to beat the biggest crowds, you'll be rewarded with an intimate and awe-inspiring experience. The impressive ruins and their setting among the mist-draped mountains is something we'll never forget.

Let me start by saying we are fine. We debated a lot regarding this post, whether to tell anyone, our parents, share with friends and family, etc. What we finally decided was this is a part of our journey and we want to be open regarding the truthfulness of this site and not get home at Thanksgiving with a secret from week 1 of our trip.

So, I apologize for the length of this story, but here it is...and remember, we are okay.

On February 28 we set out from Arequipa at 3:30 am for the Colca canyon. We decided to hike here because it is one of Peru's natural wonders and is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. There are several options to get to the canyon: hire a private tour company, take the 1am Reyna bus, or the 3:30 am Señor de los Milagros bus to Cabanaconde, the "big" town on the edge of the canyon. We decided to take the 3:30 on the recommendation of Gabe and Simon, who we met in the hostel in Arequipa, and because the timing made sense.

After a very brief sleep, we took a taxi to the Arequipa terminal terrestre bus port. There were probably 100 people waiting for buses around 3:00, which really surprised us. Most were Peruvians trying to get some sleep on the filthy floor of the previously packed station. All the lights were turned on, so if that didn't make sleeping hard enough, two ticket agents were screaming out "Juliaca, Juliaca!" every 10 seconds, which is another destination city. I guessed they were trying to sell a few extra seats on the bus to that city, but it was absolutely obnoxious. In addition to the bus ticket, you had to pay a 1.5 sol terminal fee each to be able to board the bus. (But it got you a free trip to the banos. Bonus?)

The bus trip itself was an interesting experience. After leaving the terminal fairly empty, we made 3 other random stops along the main road out of Arequipa to pick up other passengers in the dead of night. Dozing in and out of sleep in dirty, uncomfortable seats, we cruised up the mountains. We went through a cold, snowing section for around an hour, which worried us about the weather at the canyon. After emerging from the snowy peaks, we found ourselves descending into lush, sweeping mountains and valleys.

We shortly arrived in Chivay, the first town in the valley area. After a 30 minute wait at the bus station for other passengers, we moved on. In each of the subsequent 4 or 5 towns, the bus driver would lay on the horn as we rolled into the pueblo. Folks who needed the bus would be waiting on random street corners or come running around the block trying to catch us. They would hop on, then get off at the next town or two, or anywhere in between. This continued for 2 hours and definitely delayed our arrival, but it was a great study in humanity. All sorts of people got on, from teenage girls, to old working men with shovels, and old ladies traditionally dressed in gold-embroidered skirts and decorated hats.

After finally arriving in Cabanaconde, we ate a quick breakfast at a tiny hostel. The town appeared as if it had seen better days, with dilapidated buildings and dirty streets. As we ate, the mayor gave a weekly address outside town hall over a loudspeaker to a patient, but seemingly disinterested crowd of around 20 men.

We walked up the road out of town and found the trailhead around the back of the abandoned soccer stadium. The hike down took us through many rocky chicanes and past stunning vistas. We stopped to take a lot of beaks for pictures because the beauty is incomparable. We hit the trail at around 11:30 am, and by 3:30 pm, finished the last steep section to descend to the river. There we found 11 year old Benjamin waiting for us. He is the son of Roy and Domitila who own the lodge where we had arranged to stay. Benjamin was cheery as he guided us over the bridge and up to his house.

Benjamin introduced us to his mother, who welcomes us warmly and invited us to sit in the dining room while she prepared a late lunch of quinoa soup for us. No sooner had we removed our backpacks and sat down at the table when an incredibly terrifying force shook the earth. Window panes rattled, loud booms sounded, plaster fell from the walls, and the ground moved under our feet. We immediately grabbed each other and darted outside.

Among the other hikers present at Casa de Roy, the look in everyone's eyes was pure terror as we all realized it was a minor earthquake. We were ushered to the largest piece of open land as we watched rocks, earth and dust crash across the canyon - the exact trail we had been on 30 minutes ago. I immediately told Domitila we had passed two hikers going upward about 1.5 hours before. She got on the phone to the town to send someone to the trail head to watch for them. As soon as Roy arrived he got his binoculars and searched the trail without seeing anyone. Luckily, we heard later that the couple had made it up safely.

While waiting for the dust to settle on the mountain, Domitila brought us soup for lunch, which was delicious and much needed but felt very strange to be eating at such a time. It was amazing how she was more concerned with her guests' wellbeing than the condition of her home and her friends in the valley.

Within the span of fifteen minutes, there were a few additional aftershocks bringing down more rocks. We all sat on the patch of grass holding our breath for whatever was to come, wondering if what we felt was the biggest or just a precursor to something worse.

When the aftershocks settled down, we warily made ourselves little more comfortable. Dinner was at 7, and because there was no electricity, we ate chicken and rice by candlelight.

Roy and the hiking guide for the larger group, Ismael, told us that we could not go back up the way we came. It was no longer safe due to the loose rocks, and that we would be going with the group the next morning. They refused to let us try, and we easily gave into their experienced advice. Their concern for the safety of their visitors was incredible.

We knew it was the best thing and we were so thankful they took us in.

We realized that we wouldn't have enough money to get us another two days in the canyon and the touristica bus ride back with the group. After overhearing this, a lovely Dutch woman named Edith offered to help us when we ran out and said we could pay her back in Arequipa. We were so thankful.

We made quick friends with the other hikers. Stressful conditions have a way of bringing people together quickly. Among our new group was a Swiss couple, a French couple, four French doctoral residents, an Aussie, a German, and Dutch Edith.

Most people turned in for a restless sleep by 8:30 due to a light rain that brought thunder, making it feel like another tremor. Every boom that rattled the windows was so disconcerting, and sleep was evasive. Before we went to bed, we practiced our earthquake drill. We slept fully clothed with our shoes next to the bed and our bags packed. Lindsay woke up many times clutching Brian to be reassured it was only thunder.

Lindsay woke up around 4 am to a beautiful starlit sky due to the sound and eery flashes of light from rocks falling into the river. We're still not sure what that phenomenon was, but it was truly strange.

Our alarm was set for 7:00, but at 6:50 we were shaken out of bed by another serious tremor. There is little else more terrifying than being awakened by the earth moving below you. We jumped into our shoes and ran outside to the safety of open grass.

We found out in the morning there were two more tremors during the night (which we mistook for thunder) and Roy was on the phone with the governor of the province to make sure no one started the path into the canyon.

The decision was made to continue to the town in the direction of the safest path out and wait to see the progression of the situation, while Roy would keep Ismael updated on any information from the park rangers.

We left around 8:45 after a breakfast of pancakes. The fact that Domitila could continue to cook such great meals and worry about her guests' comfort under these circumstances is a testament to Peruvian hospitality.

This hike was tough. We were headed to the Sangalle Oasis hostel for the night and the path was mostly downhill. Lindsay was miserable and started to cry out of frustration and shouted "I hate this!" A moment of physical and emotional weakness due to all the stresses.

We made it to Oasis and finally got a chance to relax. We played cards with our new group of friends and had a dinner of spaghetti.

We were briefed on the plan for the next morning and were told we needed to be on the trail by 5:20.

A good nights sleep didn't come. Unfortunately we were woken up (the second morning in a row) at 5:00 by another tremor and loose rocks falling nearby.

We packed up quickly and met the guides to prepare for the hike. Tremor or not, we had to get out of the canyon that day. Ismael had all of us stuff our hats with extra shirts or wrap our heads to provide some cushion for any potential falling rocks and then told us we would be hiking quickly through the most dangerous parts two-by-two.

We set off just as the sun began to rise and we were moving quickly, stopping only every 30 minutes for a break.

As we got to the most dangerous part, we broke in to two groups and one of the guides ran ahead to check the path. Once it was okayed we went two-by-two over freshly fallen rocks from the last few days. We all recognized how dangerous it really was, which motivated us to combat the altitude challenges most of us were dealing with, as well.

Many times I just repeated over and over in my head: breathe deep, take a step.

I am not exaggerating when I say this was the most physically, mentally and emotionally challenging experience I've ever had.

One of the most interesting things about this entire hike was that we had two stray dog friends with us the entire time. They would run ahead and then come back to meet us. If we were spread out too far, they would wait until the last person got to the stopping point. There is significant evidence that animals are able to detect storms, danger, and other phenomenon well before humans, and it was reassuring to have them alongside. Their care over our group was truly incredible. Brian nicknamed them Angela and Santo, like the angels guarding us.

After 3.5 hours of a brutal uphill climb, we finally made it to the top where I cried from relief and thankfulness to God for a safe trip out.

We cheered as each person made it to the edge of the cliff.

This adventure has been the craziest experience we've ever gone through, but through it all, Brian and I were both certain of God's majesty. We have never seen anything quite as beautiful and powerful as this canyon and this earthquake.

Arequipa has really captured our hearts. I'm not sure if it's because it's our first place or that we are finally relaxing or just the charming city itself where it's ok to "just be" but we have come to feel comfortable here in just a few short days.

There is no pressure in Arequipa. In the evenings, the plaza fills to the brim with people coming and going and stopping to say hello, surrounded by the tiny cars that zip around the city, honking like mad to make other driver's aware of their presence.

Some of our favorite things about Arequipa:

1. The noise. Arequipa isn't quiet. It's constantly filled with the honk, honk, honk of the taxi driver's. The city is formatted on a quadrant system so most intersections don't have traffic lights. It's first come, first through. Or better yet, he who honks first just keeps driving.

2. The food. Arequipa is surprisingly a food city. You can eat like a king at the best and newest restaurant in town for around $50 or devour a feast at one of the many hole-in-the-walls for $7. It's a city that is starting to develop an identity which includes a cocktail and craft beer scene.

3. No pressure. It doesn't matter what it is, there is no pressure in this city. Want to stop in the middle of the street to talk to someone-no problem. Want to sit on the steps of the cathedral for hours-no problem. Want to sit in a restaurant and talk for hours with a server/bartender/manager-no problem. It's as though they are fine with letting people just do their thing.

4. Just right. Arequipa is a city that isn't too big or too small. It's just right. It's small enough to offer everything you'd want within walking distance, but big enough to keep you guessing. We've wandered into little cubby holes to find antique shops, chocolate shops, music stores, coffee shops. You never know what you will find just by wandering through the door into a surprise courtyard

5. The fog. Every evening the fog rolls in off the mountains and blankets the city in an orange haze, lighting up the Plaza with a mystifying feel. In the morning, it rolls out and offers a great view of those mountains. Incredible.

Over the past week, other than spanish lessons, we've visited the Cathedral, the central market (where you can find everything... I mean everything, your heart desires), tried new fruits including granadilla (eat the seeds) and tuna blanco (aka cactus fruit, good for juicing) learned how to make a few new cocktails, tried alpaca filet (very much like pork), and gained confidence to cross an intersection without lights.

We would whole-heartedly recommend Arequipa and a big shout out to Brian's manager, Jose, for telling us it's a must-visit place. We couldn't agree more and will look forward to coming back for one more night on Sunday, following our two-day hike into Colca Canyon.

Miraflores to Arequipa

What a quick few days we've had. We've heard negative feedback regarding Lima and I can see that if you aren't staying in Miraflores. Miraflores is an entirely different story.

We flew Jet Blue from Ft. Lauderdale to Lima, which was an easy flight. We were asked before we left about our continuuing travel because we were taking a one-way flight. After providing a receipt of our flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid on April 16th, we were approved to board.

Our flight attendant was a pill though and refused to speak Spanish even though 90% of the flight was Peruvian. I even had my hand at translating for the sweet grandma next to us that they don't serve sandwiches on international flights.

When we landed, immigration was super easy. We had filled out our papers on the flight, so we were ready to keep left at immigration to hand over our info. The woman asked how long we'd be staying and we got our first stamp! That was quite the feeling. We are on the road officially.

We had a bit of a catch when we landed. Our hostel was sending a taxi driver for us and we were told he would be there with a sign. No go. Between not having checked baggage and under 5 minutes in customs, we had landed, deplaned and were at the baggage claim in under 30 minutes. We tried to call the hostel, but no one picked up. As one of the pushy local taxi companies tried to help, even offering to call our hostel, the guy arrived from the mass of people, holding a sign with our names. Bienvenidos!

Our hostel, Family Backpackers House, was a bit dingy, but in a prime location in Miraflores, one block away from the cliffs and around 30 minutes from the airport without traffic.

We crashed very hard and woke up around 8:30 for a mediocre breakfast of bread and butter and Tang. I was nervous to drink it because I was unsure about the water, but to date the water and fruit have all been 100% okay.

We spent the day wandering Miraflores, including getting a sunburn from walking along the Costa Verde. What an incredible space! Park after park along the cliffs invites you to relax and stay awhile.

We stopped at WONG for snacks for the bus trip-basically a smaller version of Walmart, with everything from groceries to linens. We grabbed lunch of Chicharrones and fresh juices from La Lucha, near Parque del Kennedy, and then returned to Lover's Park to relax under the shade of the trees before our overnight bus to Arequipa.

We had our first moment of realization that we had zero responsibilities. No emails to check. No calls to return. Nothing to do except be for a bit. To be honest, I'm sure we are quite yet comfortable with the idea yet. Ha!

The hostel had booked us a taxi to the terrapuerto, like aeropuerto but terra meaning land. We checked our main bags and boarded the bus in VIP. Definitely do this if you ever travel by bus. We had large leather seats on Cruz del Sur. Our learning lesson was to not take the row in the very back. Our seats didn't recline as much as the seats in front of ours.

The bus ride was about 15 hours, starting along the old Pan-American Highway. It was slow moving at first. Once we were out of the city, our driver began flying. It was tough to sleep with all the movement, but we each got a fair bit of twilight sleep to keep us moving upon arrival in Arequipa at 11 am.

The process of retrieving your checked bag was hilarious. They staple a tag to your bag when you check it and that's how you have to retrieve it. Every passenger stands around the counter with their baggage claim ticket watching anxiously for their bag. Once you ID it, you just call out until you get the attention of the porter and yell which bags are yours. They take your ticket, match it to the bag and then toss it over the counter to you. It made us laugh so hard.

After a perilous taxi ride along the very narrow streets, we arrived at Los Andes Bed & Breakfast. We met our Spanish teacher for the following day and then slept a good bit. The view from our room is amazing, with a prime view of the volcano rising over the town.

We wandered the streets for a bit, including the main square before settling on a quiet alley behind the Cathedral called Paseo Catedral. We were called by every host/hostess to come in for happy hour-Booze-the universal language. We grabbed an umbrella covered table just in time for the daily afternoon rain to start. We ordered pisco sours and the Menu del Dia for S/.15. 15 soles for a 2 course meal, including soup, onion and pumpkin (not together) and a main course. It was pretty good.