Hiking Waynapicchu !! (Machu Picchu part II)

Posted by Sarah Robinson on May 5th, 2008

We’ve had an amazing early morning roaming around this

Gorgeous view

ancient jewel and it’s time to earn lunch! Up up up we hike

Emily & SC

overlooking Machu Picchu.

Death stairs to the mountaintop

Waynapicchu, one of the closest mountains

Luke and his bag of coca leaves

Incans have paved the way with

Incan stairway

a treacherous stairway, yet there is a happy trail of visitors from all over the world who puff out encouragement in their native tongues to everyone still on their way up.

Luke huffing up the stairs

I would be scared to hike this in the rain – but the views at the top are definitely worth

SC looking down on Machu Picchu

every ounce of effort to get there.

Some rejoice in the

Rah with her gun show

strength to climb, others are happy to sit so high and catch their breath and not fall off the boulders at the peak!!

Emily, Winston, Susan, Steve, Luke, SC

If you get the chance to visit this amazing piece of history– think seriously about hiking Wynapicchu. It’s a difficult hike but absolutely worth it.

We three from B42 (my PC training group)

Susan, SC, Sarah

take a few moments to celebrate our service at the top and give thanks for all these incredible experiences and lifelong friendships we’ve been so blessed to have.

Rah & SC in a window

Careful on the way down

Esther on the stairs

– it’s just as dubious a descent!

This is undoubtedly one of the best trips I’ve ever had the good fortune to go on; my thanks go out to the entire crew – thank you for making this such a special experience!

Luke, Emily, Susan, SC, Winston

Suerte con todo en sus vidas – que Dios les bendiga e que no les olvidan de disfrutarses del amor de cada dia!

Now playing: Billy Joel - You May Be Right

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Machu Picchu, Peru part I !!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on May 5th, 2008

It’s 4:45am and we are on our way to Machu Picchu!

Luke, Winston, Emily, Steve, SC, Sarah, Susan

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The Lares Valley, Peru Part III

Posted by Sarah Robinson on May 5th, 2008

Asst. Guide, Emily, Luke, SC, Susan, Sarah, Steve, Winston

Our third day is no less breathtaking than the rest – and we’re all happy to be singing and walking our way down to lower altitudes!

Once we reach the highest pass through the valley we get the adrenaline rush of sliding / skiing down almost 1,000 feet of loose soil/rock you see us standing on here:

Winston, Steve, Luke, Susan, Emily, Sarah

We may be a little tired by this point

Amazing valley shot

– but the scenery just keeps pushing us on. If ever one finds oneself questioning

Lakes above 12,000 ft

the majesty of God’s creation this is absolutely a part of the world in which to be reminded.

These mountain lakes are clear enough to see to the bottom in spots

SC & Sarah Anderson

and the scale of everything is a beautifully humbling experience.

The very small communities we hike through remind us how harsh a permanent life here would be

Campo houses

– a multiple hour, if not day, hike to the nearest ‘store’ for the most basic supplies. But none can deny the breathtaking sites these Peruvians wake up

Incredible Mt view

to every morning.

At the end of the hike we

Susan on the road down

find ourselves on a road of sorts, and finally end in a small village where Emily hands out

the last of our school

Emily handing out pencils to the kids

supplies to a group of kinder-gardeners.

From here we take another small mini-bus about an hour drive to a train station where a charming train ride brings us to Aguas Calientes (the small tourist town just below Machu Picchu) where we spend the night.

Now playing: Alicia Keys - No One

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The Lares Valley, Peru Part II

Posted by Sarah Robinson on May 5th, 2008

This incredible hike brings us up to 15,600 feet or so and through communities that surely haven’t changed in decades. Kids eating breadOur guide counsels us to give bread and school supplies to the children and families we see along the way Campesino farmingand we pass farmers using hand plows designed in Incan times – almost something out of the Discovery Channel!

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The Thermal Baths and Cusco, Peru Part I

Posted by Sarah Robinson on May 5th, 2008

B41 Leaves Tarija

Posted by Sarah Robinson on May 5th, 2008

Sadly B41 has just left Tarija. This post is a shout out to them: Julia Milne (Chicago, Il), Emelia Hurley (Reston, Va), Winston Harrell (South Boston, Va), Steve Cooper (upstate NY), and Shelby Tracy (Texas). They Emelia & Stevehave mostly lived to the south of Tarija city and collectively have worked on projects including: teaching English, building an internet cafe, building a miniature golf course out of recyclables, building bathrooms, working with orphans, working with womens groups, and working with bees and honey! Julia, Sarah, SC cooking

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Easter traditions come to San Lorenzo!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on April 10th, 2008

Thanks to my favorite aunt Betty Jo the teachers of my English club, my head nun (Sister Mery), Nutter, Sister Mery, SCand a few Nunnettes learned all about coloring Easter eggs and Easter egg hunts in general.

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Betty Jo and Andy visit Tarija !!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on April 10th, 2008

Costume Party!!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on February 12th, 2008

While in Tarija Bernie & Army were nice enough to throw us a costume party complete with fabulous food and an obstacle course!!

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Armstrong & Bernie meet Asterix !!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on February 12th, 2008

This fall my brother Armstrong (Army) and my father Bernie traveled all the way to Tarija to meet the newest guy in my life: Asterix!

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A walk through a drainage project

Posted by Sarah Robinson on February 12th, 2008

Once upon a very very sunny day I was headed out to Elke and Arend’s farm when the small bus I was riding on died. Being only 5 miles from the farm I decided to walk, and along the way I happened upon a public works project to build a drainage system along this main road.

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Thanks . . . giving

Posted by Sarah Robinson on November 27th, 2007

As our service continues, Christian Christian Pulver trying to show off his not-so big stomachis still trying to put on weight before his mother comes down and worries too much, SteveWinston & Steve relaxing is still rooting for Shockey every game even if he has to read about the results days after each game . . . Sarah Sarah Anderson & Stephanie Juice in backrub modeis looking forward to heading home to Chicago for Christmas . . . and Juice is busy training her gorgeous new puppy.SC & Emelia HurleyAnd Eme, well she’s still enjoying showing off her desserts!!

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Ready to Party ?

Posted by Sarah Robinson on November 27th, 2007

There have been a cascade of birthday parties lately, and I’d like you all to be prepared for the next Bolivian social function that you attend!Profe Elva and Dona Gledys

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A Campo Thanksgiving for All

Posted by Sarah Robinson on November 27th, 2007

How was your thanksgiving? We Tarija volunteers would have invited you to our river celebration, but we were desperate not to run out of turkey this year!

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Preparation for the Marathon

Posted by Sarah Robinson on November 27th, 2007

Marathons . . . 26.2 miles . . . 42 kilometers they’re rather funny things – and at the outset the whole idea seems pretty crazy doesn’t it? Winston Harrell, SC, Sarah Anderson

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Meet Team Tarija!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on November 27th, 2007

Meet team TarijaSC, Winston, Sarah: Winston “Big Guns” Harrell, Sarah “Esther” Anderson, and myself, SC.

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Lost in Translation !!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on October 16th, 2007

Translation – what a rush ! Have you ever tried it? Boy do you feel powerful . . . errrr, I mean, helpful . . . no, really!

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Trip to the Orphanage

Posted by Sarah Robinson on September 25th, 2007

I recently had the chance to visit an orphanage down in Bermejo, Tarija. Bermejo is the Southernmost town in Bolivia – just a few minutes and a river separates Bermejo and Argentina.

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Flota rides . . . you just can’t beat them

Posted by Sarah Robinson on September 25th, 2007

Hola, otra vez de Bolivia !

We are living in the 21st Century, and most of us are used to flying from one place to another. Perhaps we’ve recently become accustomed to griping about security lines, clear plastic bags, checking all liquids, almost every kind of delay –  and who knows what the future will bring . . . right?

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It’s now winter - but once upon a time there WAS water here !!

Posted by Sarah Robinson on August 23rd, 2007

While most of our friends in North America are busy adjusting their air conditioners and car stereos a few of us down south are remembering the nostalgic days of summer when there was actually Frances Marte at the fallswater around here.

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