Good-bye Peru!

For those who have not heard, the final two weeks in Peru were difficult to say the least. First, the floods started and our running water stopped. Then, a state of emergency was declared in Cuzco, with 2,500 some tourists trapped at Macchu Picchu (where we were headed on the Inca trail that weekend) and several dead, homes & crops throughout Cuzco destroyed, and so on. Needless to say, we were all disappointed that we would not be seeing Macchu Picchu, (as all has been closed down for 2 months), but extremely grateful we were not among the above-mentioned.

Then, due to the general disease frequency and lack of hygiene in Cuzco exacerbated by the floods, plus our contact in our volunteer work, I managed to contract a lung infection, a urinary tract infection, giardia and salmonella all at once! So instead of my first time viewing the ancient Inca mecca, I experienced my first "third world" hospitalization and IV drip. No, it was a really nice traveller's clinic, and the doctor spoke English and let Raph sleep in the room with me:)

Good-bye to Peru was very bitter-sweet: part of me couldn't wait to get out of there, but saying good-bye to the kids (oh yeah, and you guys Tom, Linds, Helena, Cindy & Virginia) and the thank-you ceremony they gave us (flowers, singing, every single one hugged us several times over) was touching to say the least.