In South America, toilets are very different. Toilet paper is a big issue here. First of all, it is generally treated as a fairly precious commodity. You are expected to carry your own TP, as most bathrooms do not have a supply available. Some places you can buy a length of TP for between 1-5 pesos. Lots of places you have to pay to use the washroom at all. Often there is no toilet seat. Almost never any soap, and rarely any paper towels. You are not suppose...

We are in the Cuzco airport. The process of leaving is interesting. We are seeking out places that remind us of home. Lunch at McDonalds, coffee at Starbucks (yes, we found both in our square, never noticed them before today). We got a few last minute things for the trip home and wandered the shops for awhile. Then we just sat in the square until we were just tired of the eternal requests to buy things or donate to some worthy cause. We were both feeling like we ...

I woke up this morning with the song," This is the day that the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" in my head. That is exactly what I decided to do. Sierra and I went for breakfast at a restaurant that the hostel we are in has a deal with. They serve us a simple breakfast of buns and coffee/tea. If we want more, we pay. The restaurant was on the second floor off the main square. As we sat down, a military parade went past the window. Pretty intere...

Puno is on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Cool place, but really it just looks like any very large lake. Yesterday we went to the bus station in the morning to buy a ticket to Cuzco. Our last leg of the trip, and last bus journey. When we got there, every company said that the only bus to Cuzco left at 9:30 pm. A night bus that would get us to Cuzco around 6:30 am. Blech!!!! Horrible! You can't check in at your next hostel till the afternoon, so that means ditching...

Wow! Now that was quite the bus journey!!! Saved the best for last??? Not!!! Filthy bus, no bathroom, it smelled, and the window came a long ways from sealing, so there was a frigid wind and the loud engine noise all night, not to mention the diesel fumes from the exhaust. Good thing I got warm clothes out! I was still shivering a few times!!! Didn't sleep much, that's for sure! The vibration of the bus kept making the window slide open, so sometimes the cold wok...