Free Travel Week? In Puno….

Archive South America- INTI
This is Kelsey, your blogger for last week! I am sorry this blog is so late. I got sick but I am feeling much better now!
Last week we were unfortunately unable to start our adventure to the amazon due to riots on the road there. So we started free travel and headed out to Puno! We got on the bus and arrived later than we had thought but with thanks to our late arrival, many of us had a happy reunion with a friend from Quito, Ecuador at 11:30 ish at night (Corey).
During our first day in Puno we visited a cool Incan burial ground called Sillustani. Our tour guide was friendly and told us about sacrifices done for burials and burial ceremonies, very cool! Some people hopped in the lake, others bought socks and sweaters, and I almost got run over by bulls!
The second day we went on a tour of Lake Titicaca. Here we visited a floating island made of reeds. It was about as cool as Disney World in my opinion (and I like Disney World a lot)! They had double-decker boats also made of reeds and they also had TVs and phones which surprised me! We traveled to an actual island afterwards called Taquile. Here a persons marital status was signified by the hat they wore. They did dances with the same tools they used to farm their land and made a laundry detergent equivalent, that was made from a plant that grew naturally on the island! Also, many of us ladies thought it was super wonderful that the men here, before being considered by a woman for marriage, must know how to cook, clean and knit! The men on this island are well known in South America as some of the best knitters, and who doesn’t like a man that can knit? The waters around the island were gorgeous and we all enjoyed exploring this island.
The majority of the group stayed behind on Thursday and watched a full season of American Horror Story whilst the remaining four people went on a tour of a fertility temple! Our group left Puno in style on Friday in a tourist bus. We got to see several amazing sights on the way back. We went by a museum with alpacas (or llamas, I still cant tell them apart), saw an amazing mountain view and ate a buffet at a restaurant that had a spectacular mountain view.
For the last part of my blog I would like to invite all of the readers of our SAM Blog to play a game. Its a game I have decided to call: Guess Your Child. And it requires you to do just that! I will write 14 descriptions and you can try to figure out who you know on this trip and some of the embarrassing, repetitive or nice things they have done along the course of this trip! I will give them their number and they can share it with you if they choose, or forever keep you guessing! Good Luck!
GUESS YOUR CHILD:

1. Our first group member is a person in our group who is full of energy- they are a star. They are easily the best with kids and have a spirit that is young and full of joy. They make the best- and sometimes the scariest- funny faces. This person will go out of there way any day to do something incredibly kind for a stranger. This person is also always the first to give a hug to someone new that they meet.

2. Person number 2 is addicted to blue. Many of us came on this trip fairly color coordinated but this person easily did the best job. This person can often be seen straying from the activities of the group to pet a nearby horse or to give a massage to somebody in the group who needs it. This is the person you come to in the group when you need a hug or a kind and understanding ear to listen to you. This person has a kind and loving personality.
3. This person has an amazing laugh that is well known in the group for setting others off laughing along with them. They are the one in the group that leads the hikes and is most content when showers are not available for the week. This person is tough but also one of the most enjoyable to sit down and talk with.
4. This person is certainly the entertainer of the group- from their daily random facts, to their absent shirt, to their amazing ability to catch on video their own wipeout, there has been no shortage of laughs and smiles when this person is around. This person has an incredible love for learning, is a good friend and is ready to go out in the world and use their Spanish knowledge without fear.
5. Person numero cinco is the person most likely to miss the bus or to fall behind on a group hike due to their picture taking. This person is one of the most enjoyable to get to know, they have an incredible and sarcastic personality that stands out from the rest. This person disappears behind their pack when they put it on, has a passion for mangoes and movies and loves “their people’s” food.
6. This person has been caught doing happy dances when others in the group get over an illness. This person has the best stories from in the bathroom and the funniest photoshopped postcards to share with the group. This person is likely to be found taking care of others, getting to know group members, and is great to talk to for sound advice.
7. Person number seven has been nicknamed the woodland fairy- and rightfully so! This person is the person who always looks beautiful and has an angelic voice. This person is well grounded, has a laugh that comes easily and a joyful spirit that is contagious with whoever is lucky enough to be around them. This person places importance of poop on ones health and is also the most likely to stay healthy.
8. This person is always the last to finish a meal. -This is me! haha I also really enjoy chocolate cake and not getting sick!
9. Person number nine is a fun person to hang out with and a reliable caretaker when you are sick. They have the best stories, some of the most interesting thoughts and are likely to do a lucid dream check while you are with them. This person has the most interesting packing technique (they pack their shampoo in their socks), and is the most likely to get dental work done in Peru before the trip is over.
10. This person is the most likely to ask for help checking their bed for spiders.  This person is also a great person to go on walks with and a fantastic listener. This person can be found reading books from her nook, takes a bad situation and makes it something positive and knows how to have a good time.
11. Wall sits, sit ups and squats, this person is the most likely to be found exercising in her room. This person is the best to have late night conversations with. This person is very honest, direct and a strong leader. This person is likely to be found cooking meals, going on runs and out on hikes.
12. This person is the most likely to charm the group with their guitar playing and have deep talks.  This person has a contagious laugh and is a great caretaker of the group. This person can be found helping others with translations, making the sick folks tea or just giving a hug to those who need it. Person doce takes the award for having the most unfortunate accident so far along the trip.
13. Person 13 is an amazing friend who will show up at your bedside- despite getting unfortunately lost- to deliver you anything you need along with hugs and love. This person is yet to discover quite how wonderful they are, but shower the group with their goofy, kind and uplifting spirit daily. This person is well know for their great story telling ability.
14. This person is confident, kind and a great person to get lost in town with. This person has a bad sense of direction (but you would never be able to tell), a vast knowledge of fruit and power foods. This person is a great and wise friend who is always there when you need them. This person gives the most heartfelt compliments.
Lastly, I would like to thank all of the people reading this- especially those who supported all the SAM students in their process of becoming apart of Carpe Diem SAM group Spring of 2014. This week has been an incredibly challenging week for me both mentally and physically and I couldn’t have made it through without all of the amazing people that are on this trip. This week I was blessed with friends who came to visit me at the hospital and brought love and support OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA DSCN1523[1] DSCN1518[1]that I desperately needed. Thank you for letting go of these beautiful people for three months so I could get to know and make memories with them. Also, thank you to my group, I LOVE YOU ALL!