A little over a week ago we left behind all of the luxurious and touristy comforts of Cusco and took an overnight cama cama bus loaded with la-z-boy recliners, movies, AC, questionable airplane food, and even our own flight attendant. It was quite the experience, but short lived and the pampering was over when we woke up in the sticky heat the Amazonian river town Puerto Maldonado. The town is… Read More

Ten days ago we arrived in the small Andean town or Pucara and were greeted our local contact, Peter Shear, along with almost half of the local community. We were sat down to a welcoming ceramony involving a cultural dance performed by women in traditional attire. After the ceremony we were all introduced to our homestay families and given the rest of the afternoon and evening to settle in to… Read More

Finally ended my devastatingly long fasting streak over our 16 hours of plane rides when we all got to Community Hostel and indulged in our first taste of a traditional Ecuadorian meal here…bacon cheeseburgers! Not exactly what I was anticipating but it was absolutely starvation quenching material and delicious – and no doubt because this hostel is phenomenal. It was not exactly what I was expecting when I envisioned some… Read More