No more school!!!!

Wow, its hard to believe that I've been here 4 weeks! Its gone so bloody quickly. This last week has flown by too. Way to much partying, too many late nights, then having to be alert for class in the morning. Not a good combination!

Ok. What have I been up too... Good question...

Friday afternoon (23/4) - I did the ruins above cusco that represent the head of the Puma with Deb, a girl I met from Perth. Tradition has it that Cusco city is the shape of a Puma. The name is pretty much pronounced Sexy Woman, cant remember the correct spelling. We bargained with a local to give us a bit of a tour of the site, for Sl10, the tour was pretty good so we gave him Sl15. At one stage he went to take us through this cave / it was pitch black. I didn't want to go through, very unlike me, we turned back. Don't think I trusted him... Friday night was a party night, met quite a few Aussies... Don't think I've met any Kiwis yet.

Saturday (25/04) Liz & Annilei were pretty tired but I really wanted to do the Pisac ruins so they came with me. We caught a local bus for Sl2 & it took about a hour to get there, it was a pretty decent ride. We ate at a local restaurant in Pisac then caught a taxi up to the ruins. The ruins are pretty cool. It was awesome to walk through & imagine that people used to live there & look out at that vista, its pretty dam amazing. It took us about 4 hours to walk through, around & down the mountain. Its quite a way up & it was interesting to walk back down. At one stage we took the wrong path & ended up almost sliding down the bank on our asses to get back to the path. Another thing that surprised me that I didn't like, was a few times on the way down the path got quite narrow with a sheer drop on one side, it freaked me a little... I'm getting soft in my old age!!! Saturday night... More going out :)

Sunday (26/04) Don't have a good recollection of Sunday... Think I got home about 4am so I pretty much slept in & had a lazy morning oh then Sunday afternoon my host family took me to a restaurant that looks over cusco for lunch. It was really cool. Tried something called Tamar that's made out of corn, its soooo nice! Have to try & get it again. Sunday night... Not sure what I did. Probably went to the student residenance & hung out...

The rest of this week, I really don't think I've accomplished much... I booked the 2 day Inca trail & I do that tomorrow. I don't have much faith in the people I've booked with, basically cause they don't speak much English & I don't speak much Spanish, but I'm sure it'll be fine. I have to meet them at the train station at 5.30am tomorrow so no going out for me tonight.

I booked my bus to Puno, for sl30, I leave Monday at 9.30am so I should get there about 4pm. So I should have enough time to find a hostel before dark. Its the local bus so it should be interesting...

I've been catching the bus to school by myself this week. Beginning to feel like a bit more of a local (not that I look it!!). I'm not noticing the differences here so much anymore. I think its good that I've spend so long here, if anything just to get used to it. My Spanish has improved & I'm talking a lot more & my homestay mum understands me & we have conversations. I didn't think Id picked up that much but to day we revised quite a bit & I was like - dam, I understand this!!!! HOW EXCITING. Its hard when people speak to you though, they speak so fast. I can read & understand & speak & be understood but I need to get used to people talking to me... I spose only time will tell :)

Oh, last night we decided to get dressed up & the girls convinced me to wear my heels. Ok word of warning, heels in cusco are not a good idea! Getting stuck in cobble stones & sliding everywhere is not a good look. Tempted to send the heels home, should have listened to you all when you told me not to bring them :)

um, what else.... I'm addicted to snickers bars! They cost sl3 each, just to give you a idea, I ate at a local restaurant on Wednesday night & had a whole meal of fried pork, pappas frittas & ensalada and it cost me sl3. Oh well what do you do! Don't really think I have that much else to report on... Well not that I can remember at the moment anyway...

Oh, my new bank card arrived on Wednesday & I was so pissed off cause I thought it didn't work. Looks like they've just put the account in the wrong place. If I select cheque instead of savings its fine! Go figure.

Ian - Thanks for letting me know what's happening there, its great to hear form you! I miss you all heaps & I can only imagine how quiet it is there! Shame you don't get to keep your office!

Love to all of you! Keep in touch, Rach.

Cusco, 30th April 2004, 3.46pm