We were coached to wear long pants and sleeves to Machu Picchu due to the biting insects,  whose name in the local native language translates to “the one that makes the puma cry.” As the temperature was predicted to be 34.5C (94f), a group member asked if shorts would be ok, we were assured with…

A long trip, the highlights kept building as time went on. Rio, Buenos Airies, Iguazu Falls, the Amazon rainforest, Galapagos, and now the delayed purpose of the trip, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cuzco, via Lima, to celebrate C’s 70th birthday postponed due to the pandemic.    We flew from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Lima…

I find  it important to blog our adventures, but can’t keep up. Here I am posting about Guayaquil, Ecuador,  but since, we’ve been to California for the holidays and Bali to visit Bryant and Sammy. Have to do it while we can. I’m sure there’ll come a time where all posts are home based. We’re…

Leaving Tena, we rode through the scenic mountainson our way to the Middle of the World Monument, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere, photo posted previously. Lunch was at a local restaurant where some of the group ordered Cuy (guinea pigs raised for their meat). You can imagine that there were…

The bus arrived at sunset, dropping us off at a dock in Tena to board our long motorized river canoes. Upon arrival at Itamandi Eco Lodge we were greeted with tea for our orientation session. I didn’t question the guayusa tea, but looking back I get it. They served  us a heavily caffeinated drink to…

Ecuador will be divided into three: Quito, the Amazon rain forest, and the Galapagos. Every new destination gets better and better. Participating in an organized tour can have its challenges. Thankfully this trip has gone very smoothly. Today, however, our included breakfast wasn't provided due to an early flight. The hotels will usually open the…

I'm not doing a good job of keeping up with the blog, interrupting the account of a trip of a lifetime with the extenuating circumstances of life, mostly happy right now with a little worry thrown into the mix. Christmastime is here, an event worthy of life interruption. I painted a Christmas tree that represents…

They were weeks apart, but I'll cover both here. Thanks to all who contacted us re our 40th. We don't eat out often, but given the special occasion, we did. Going back in time a little bit: Argentina. On the fourth day of the South America tour, we flew to Iguazu, home to the famous…

We interrupt the trip coverage to bring you the following announcement:   40 years ago today, we eloped.    December 6, 1982 The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden I read half of all marriages will end by 40 years, due to reasons of divorce or death (Harry Benson, Marriage Foundation, Dec 2019). Probably don’t need the…

The first days of the trip were a blur. It took three flights to get to Rio de Janeiro (which translates to River of January after its discovery in 1502). We flew from Vancouver to São Paulo to Rio.  Not the most direct route, but makes more sense than our originally scheduled flights that had us…