This is the Way We Go We Go, This is the Way We Go!

So our intrepid travellers are getting ready to leave in less than 48 hours! For those of you whom are reading this at NAIT (say around, oh I don't know 10:00 am when the 'NAITUser Messages" appears in your Outlook inbox) it will be less than 24! You can see that I (Ted) have posted a tab with our itinerary on it.....BUT, I though I would give you a preview here.

Arriving - Most of the group is arriving a couple days before the start of the official tour. That means after what will most likely be a 14 hour trip from Edmonton to Lima, they will make their way through customs in the wee hours of the morning of the 23rd. A few select ones (yours truly included) won't get there until Saturday the 25th at about 12:30am.

Lima - June 24th to June 27th
This is a part of the trip which will involve most of the 'Peru today' type things. We will of course be touring around some of the museums, important buildings and locations of the city and experiencing some folklore music and dance shows.

This is also where we are going to be visiting some of the poorer areas and seeing what daily life is like for most Peruvians and "Limeños" (is that what they are called?).  A lot of people have expressed that this is the part they are looking forward to the most. It isn't often that we get a chance to get a glimpse of what the experience of life is like for those less fortunate.

Andes Mountains - June 28th to July 2nd
I say Andes because there are a couple of different things going on here.

Cuzco (June 28th, July 2rd) is the old Inca capital whose stone masonry the Spanish built upon (and whose design hardly moves while more modern structures crumble when there are the inevitable earthquakes).  It is quite a contrast from Lima, with is green mountains and red earth. It will be our first foray into what life was like for the Incans. We also get a chance to see how their descendants lived. Cuzco will serve as a "home base" for all of our adventures in the mountains.

Machu Picchu & Aguas Calientes (June 29th & June 30th) Machu Picchu is always a highlight. A lot of the group has been doing their own research into its significance. Anyone care to share what they have found? Aguas Calientes is where we stay - a village just below the ruins. The train ride up from Cuzco itself can be interesting (especially the switchbacks coming out of the Cuzco bowl!)

Chincero & Pachamanca (June 30th & July 1st) These, like Lima, are our days to truly interact with local people and experience their culture. In particular we will visit with a local shaman and get a glimpse of Andean spirituality - often a highlight for many. It also promises to provide some interesting culinary delights in the form of roast guinea pig. I wonder if it will taste like chicken?

Departure - July 4th
After getting back from the mountains, we have one last day in Lima. A chance to go see some more sights, perhaps even re-visit some of the places we were before and put into context the entire journey. I imagine most of us will be excited to get back to life in Canada and share our adventures with our friends.....this PARTICULAR adventurer will still have another 11 days in South America as he goes on to visit friends and framily (friends whom are like family) in Argentina!