Amy

I had forgotten how incredibly busy London gets, even in the "shoulder" season.  I grumbled my way around London dodging prams and slow tourists that line up side by side then stop to take photos.  It is much easier to dodge them when travelling solo, however we didn't do much of this. 

Now we are in Japan... I won't bore you with details of a painfully slow and sleepless flight.  I will just say that about one minute from reaching our hotel room door I was so weary from travelling I nearly burst into tears.  Needless to say I had a nice sob and a good shower.  Food solved the problem and we are both happily relaxing in our "deluxe" room with computer and King sized bed, an upgrade because they ran out of the room we reserved.

Japan is facinating.  I am enjoying it with fresh eyes and a small sense of the culture.  I am SO incredibly grateful to all of those patient and kind Japanese friends who have over the years taught me some phrases.  I even impressed myself by what I remembered from learning over 4 years ago.... i.e. "I am hungry."  With the incredibly limited Japanese that I know Greg and I were able to navigate the train, tube and menus with non-English speaking people.  We even asked for directions.  People are very friendly here and I am looking forward to a full day of shopping tomorrow, a luxury I have not taken on the trip other than yarn and a few small souvenirs.  I am not sure where I will put these things I plan on buying as my bag is completely full and far too heavy (18kg).  It's a hernia waiting to happen! 

What is hard to believe is that although we return this week (Tuesday morning I think) I will be on the road again on Thursday for a convention (work.)  I am looking forward to those two days at home even though there will be lots of work involved.

The trip has been fantastic so far.  We hit Canada in freezing temps, saw loads of family and friends and had a spectacular time!  Texas was equally enjoyable.  We visited friends and some family, caught up on some SXSW stuff, I even ran into SXSW acquaintances from 2004!  Alas, it seems that we left the last of the warm weather in Texas.  Ireland was beautiful and green, most days were really lovely.  We had good, but chilly weather most of our time there.  Unfortunately, I developed a cold while I was there and didn´t recooperate until London.  I still have a bit of a cough even now. 

We arrived in London only to leave the next morning for Iceland.  The weather was as expected, maybe better... It´s cold here.  yeah, really cold.  But surprisingly, we are prepared.  We have lots of warm clothing and I haven´t died of frostbitten anything.  =)  We got a bit delayed when we arrived because I couldn´t decide whether or not to go to a doctor.  Due to the flight from London (and Cork the day before) my ears were having issues.  They clogged like they sometimes do because of air pressure, but they weren´t un-popping.  I was a bit stressed out about this, but was trying not to worry.  In the end a very nice lady at the pharmacists agreed I should see a doctor and gave me the name of the after hours clinic (after I´d already tried at normal clinics twice).  The doctor took one look at me, prescribed some penicillin and sent me on my way.  Very efficient people those Icelanders.  The doctor also asked if I needed any pain meds.  At the time I wasn´t in pain and I said no.  Just moments later I wish I´d said yes.  Then I went in search of my emergency panadol (aspirin) which I carry with me.  I lost it!  The pain subsided in 48 hours and I´m feeling much better now.

So, why do people keep asking me "Why are you going to Iceland?  You know they are broke?"  Don´t ask me this... I already know.  and the answer is because I can... and it´s cheap right NOW!  But not as cheap as to make it cheap... just cheaper.  I´m absolutely stunned as to how incongruent the quality to cost ratio is and how it fluctuates so dramatically between establishments for seemingly no reason.  The place we are staying at tonight is a boring "charmless" hotel with no amenities and expensive as (while still being in the middle of nowhere) vs. 2 nights ago a completely gorgeous room and hotel (the best we´ve stayed in so far), amazing food, and also in the middle of nowhere but it costed LESS!

Regardless of these matters Iceland is beautiful and stunning in winter/spring.  We got lots and lots of snow, difficult driving conditions (good challenges) and NO tourists!  in fact, we are the only people staying at this "charmless" hotel tonight (with ~150 rooms).  The glaciers are gorgeous and the scenery is breathtaking... we are seeing an Iceland that few tourists see... the winter version.  I can´t imagine it in Summer.

Icelandic horses are everywhere!  I thought "oh, these poor animals... how can they leave them outside in the snow?"  Apparently they are quite happy in the snow and don´t do well in warmer climates.  They are robust and beautiful creatures, even though they look like short windswept teenagers with bedhead and long faces.  I´ll be sad to leave here, but I´m so excited about our next adventures!  and I´m dying to see my home again and a nice firm bed that my back doesn´t complain about.  Tomorrow I´m heading for my last hot spring for a while and I´ll be thinking of you while I wade in 38C water while the -1C air freezes my hair.  Then I´ll head inside and have a Bailey´s and hot choc.  =)

http://www.meltingpot.com/
Sunday March 15th, 6pm  Research Blvd location.  Who's in?

I would also like to hit the following places in no particular order and would love interested parties to join me.
Chuy's
Rudy's
Magnolia Cafe

Craft stores:
Craft-O-Rama
3100 S. Congress Ave., #3B

Hill Country Weavers
1701 S Congress Ave

Knitting Nest LLC
160 Slaughter Ln W # 200

Gauge Knits
5406 Parkcrest Dr

Bluebonnet Yarn Shoppe
Cedar Park

So, I'm relying on you, my adoring public, to give me some advice.  Of these places, which is the best (IYO) place to have a 2 night layover?
Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Osaka, or Bangkok
Keep in mind that I'm interested in food and culture, but most important is fabric and yarn stores.  I'd really love to hear your experience on any of these places.

I came across my notes from Greg's and my trip to Peru today. There is a reason I haven't written about it before now. This trip was in July 2005. For me, the pain of this trip was still too near, until now. I'm not sure that there is anything humorous about them but I'll give you a snippet of the notes. Keep in mind I am laughing now.

The trip started on a peculiar note because there was "civil unrest" where we were going, therefore we had to change our destination for the first four days of the trip. During our detour we found more "civil unrest" and narrowly made it out of town before streets were blocked. We went to areas of Peru that had never seen white people before, seriously. I spoke Spanish to the vendors in the area and they didn't respond... as if we were ghosts. We were the attraction that day.

I made note that our Inca trail tour guide frequently used the phrases "Ladies and Gentlemen", "what happens more" - instead of saying "also", and "for to" which Greg tells me is that our guide was combining the infinitive with the present continuous tense. Example: while a native English speaker would say "A bucket is used to carry water" our guide would have said "A bucket is used for to carry water". He was confusing "for carrying" with "to carry" = "for to carry". His pronunciation of "trail" was "trial". I found this very amusing, primarily because the trail was such a trial for me.

We were doing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu where the altitude started at around 9,000 ft.  We had spent a few days acclimatizing and chewing/drinking coca leaves and tea to help with the effects of altitude sickness. Greg and I had even brought medicine (that needed to be taken one day before) to reduce any symptoms. Greg decided not to take the medicine, therefore I thought I'd be fine as well. I should know have known better. I get car sick, train sick, bus sick... why wouldn't I get altitude sickness too?

So, we were in a group of about 16 people, 14 of which decided to take the trail to Machu Piccu, two took the train. I wish I had taken the train. But to this day when I am having trouble doing something physical Greg reminds me that "you walked the Inca Trail, you can do this". I have to remind him that I had to be carried and there was talk of a donkey, but that's to come.

The first day was exciting. We had stayed the night outside of Cusco in Ollantaytambo (say that three times fast), woke up early, drank even more coca tea and set off on the bus to the trail head. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. This was a big trail, the likes of which I had never done. I wasn't sure I was ready for it but was assured that many people had crossed it, including seniors well into retirement. There were porters to carry all of the heavy things. We had two guides to keep a watchful eye on us and help if there were any problems. The group checked into the trail head at 10:20 am, by 10:50 we were finally tramping.

I remember asking our guide if it's "like this" all the way (meaning steep). His response was "it's flat". Each time we asked we got the same response. Greg and I finally realized he meant that this is their flat... this is Peruvian flat, not Texas flat.

However, a little before we began those butterflies started to worry me. I had been fine the first seven days of our Peruvian trip, suddenly I was feeling strange. I passed it off as just an upset stomach and continued hiking. A few hours into our tramp I was feeling rotten, absolutely green! The asst. to our guide put salt in my water and told me to drink up. I had no idea what this would do, but I thought he must know his stuff and I trusted him. An hour later I started vomiting. The salt he poured in my water was meant to make me vomit (presumably to get the bad stuff out of my stomach), but he didn't tell me this.

Meanwhile the rest of our party was well ahead of Greg and me because I was feeling so crook. When we finally made it to our camp we were given food and our tent was set up. Those porters rock! My memory thankfully isn't that great regarding the food... but these few notes do bring up a few shivers: We were told that we had the "best cook on the Inca Trail", however this is among these other notes "gruel" and "salt soup". Honestly, this was not the best food on the trip.

At 6:45 am on the second day we aimed climbed to 13,851 ft "Dead Woman's Pass". I felt like that woman. Almost everyone in the party had some symptoms of altitude sickness, but nothing compared to the multiple whammies that had been delivered to me. I won't go into details. Towards the middle of the second day I was reduced to practically crawling. I simply couldn't walk more than ten or 15 steps without having a rest. I wanted to lie down and sleep. A member of our party (built like a football player) actually carried me for about 20 yards or so. The air was thin now. It was hard for one person to do this, much less carry another. He carried me a total of two times. The guides talked of the possibility of finding a donkey to take me back down the way we had just come from.

I don't know if I was just so stubborn that I didn't want to go back or the feeling that I was nearly halfway there and it couldn't get worse, but we agreed that I could make it. Seriously, I could SEE the trail to the top, we weren't far. When we finally did make it to the top we were told that we wouldn't have "lunch" until we made it to the tents. By this time it was 3:30 pm. By now I couldn't tell if I had hunger or pain in my stomach. We had another two hours minimum of hiking to go. The sun was going down by the time we got in (around 5:30 pm). More salt soup, followed up with gruel. Greg's head hit his pillow and he was OUT!

The third day my sickness was lifting (we were at a lower altitude). Today's challenge was the "cliff of stairs". The entire day was downward stairs at different heights, lengths, etc. My knees, calves, thighs and generally legs were KILLING me at the end of the day.

Some funny moments came from this day. This was the first time in three days that we were able to take a shower. Greg didn't bother, but I stood in line for the privilege. I needed it. Once inside there was a coin timer, a small cubicle and a shower head with electrical wires sticking out of it. The electrical wires were incredibly dodgy looking and had I not seen another woman just come walking out of the same shower two minutes before, I am not sure I would have trusted it. The shower pressure AND temperature varied with the whims of the cuy (guinea pigs) that must have been operating the pump.

After some startling showering I re-joined some of the party near the bar where they were playing cards. Over beers some of the single men in our party started to chat-up girls from another group. One girl had commented that this was her first or second time doing the Inca Trail and the guy said "Do you come to Peru often?". This is what pick-up lines sound like at altitude. Riotous laughter ensued.

The fourth day of the Inca trail was good. I was feeling much better and eager to get this over with. Each morning we had gotten up an hour earlier; we were now up at 4:45 walking in the darkness. It was beautiful.  Equally beautiful was the relief of my feet on the train ride back to Cusco. I have never been so ready to leave a place.

Upon arrival in Cusco our luggage was brought in and piled up in the lobby of our hotel. Greg and I grabbed our key and a bag each. When Greg looked for his bag it was GONE. We thought someone in our party may have taken it on accident, since it was sitting on top of the pile a moment before. We were tired, hungry and wanted a fresh start. We had to wait and wait...We spent two hours asking everyone. Finally we went to get some food. The last place that was open was near the hotel. I chose fettuccine al fredo and an old fashioned lemonade. The lemonade was hot, yes hot, not warm or luke warm... hot in a glass. And the straw in it tasted like beef. I swear. The fettuccine was well, watery, and not cream-like at all. It was also not our best meal. We ordered water and our boy waiter had to run down the street to buy water for us.

The next day we pieced together what had happened. Greg's bag was stolen, a thief had come into the hotel in the chaos of our arrival, grabbed a bag, looking like a porter and exited quickly. No one suspected anything. We spent our only free day in Cusco at the police station filing a report. I AM shaking my head and laughing as I write this. It was the single WORST trip I have ever taken, but I wouldn't have changed it. It didn't kill me.

Things I miss from Peru:
pisco sours
ceviche
Peruvian style BBQ chicken
private minibus owners which provided public bus service
haggling to buy goods/pay cab drivers
alpacas and all camelids
Inca engineering
our new couchsurf friend Lourdes
Peruvian hospitality
Peruvian security
Color

Things I don't miss from Peru:
crowds of the city
poverty
thieves
roasted cuy (yes, guinea pig)
salt soup
altitude sickness
quinoa (the Inca trail put me right off this)

Greg sent me this link. It speaks volumes about how I feel. I wish/hope that everyone can see the light and go have fun!

http://lnk.nu/sfgate.com/8d7.cgi