I booked my tickets.  I’m definitely going now.  Here’s the plan…

• Leave Petersburg on January 24th.  Head to Seattle via Juneau.  Seth just happens to be heading to Seattle on the same flight so i’m going to spend two nights there.  I’ll shop for some very typical eco-tourist clothing because i’m planning on going ultra-light on the trip.  So pants with zip-off shorts, hand washing clothes in hotel sinks… that kind of a gig.  One small carry-on backpack.
• 26th of January fly to Los Angeles.  I’ll have the whole day there so hopefully Kevin can get the day off.  My flight out is just a little after midnight.
• 27th fly to Lima,Peru with a flight change in San Jose, Costa Rica.  (I never count just being in an airport as being to the country or city – but i wish i could.)
• The late afternoon and evening check out Lima really quickly.  I’ll definitely hit the Church of San Francisco with the catacombs with human bones.  If i sleep at all it will be in the airport.
• January 28th i’ll fly to Cusco, Peru early in the morning.  I’ll rest up and get acclimated to the 10,000 foot elevation for at least a day.  Then i’ll tour the Sacred Valley of the Incas and then spend two days at Machu Picchu.
• On February 2nd i’ll celebrate Groundhog’s Day by flying back to Lima and then on to the beaches in northern Peru.  I’ll probably meet up with Levy (who i travelled with in Cambodia and Vietnam) around this time.  We’ll work our way north along the beach and have a good solid week of serendipity crossing the border into Ecuador.  I hope to learn to surf.
• I’ll fly or bus inland to Quito, Ecuador a few days before the 14th when I’ll begin the flights home… Quito, San Jose, San Salvador, Los Angeles, Seattle, Juneau, and finally Petersburg on the 15th.
• Back to work on the 16th.  Undoubtedly thinking about hitting a different continent next time (this will be my second time to South america and last year was my second to Asia).  If only the US dollar was stronger in Europe!

I have lots to do.  Brushing up on Spanish, buying a new camera and figuring out how to archive photos, working on my base tan, and fine tuning a gear list… and fun stuff like figuring out what i really want to see while there.  I have ordered a few guide books and will hit the Trip Advisor forums heavily for the next three weeks.

I’ll celebrate my second birthday in South America!

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