Round the World in 150 days

Im on a boat, thats going fast! ;)

jaclyn_anderson — Mon, 6 Dec 2010 08:23:00 GMT

Boat us definitely the best way to travel!!! We are on the fairy and sailing across the Mediterranean Sea. There are only about 150 passengers and it’s surprisingly, so much fun to travel this way. I’m getting really excited for Rome, and the Coliseum! A few hours to go and we’ll be done our Titanic-like ride that lasted from 10p.m. to 6p.m. of the next day.

It’s been good because we’ve slept most of the way, trying to catch up on our jetlag. There was a six hour time change from South America, to here. Spain was great and I just know Italy will be the same!!!! Can’t wait!

Barcelona is amazing!!

jaclyn_anderson — Mon, 6 Dec 2010 08:13:00 GMT

Spain is so cool!! We took a double-decker bus tour to see all the monuments and highlights of Barcelona. They have great little cafes and shops, and really good food. Dessert is a must, for the gelato (ice-cream) is to die for! Wishing we could spend more time here, a day just isn’t enough. We are definitely coming back in the summer!

Being back in the winter weather isn’t nice, but its Europe weather (not snowing, and only +10) so we still got it good! Going to be taking a fairy to Rome. The ancient stuff there will be really cool! J

Loving Barcelona, but wishing we could stay longer!!! But we’ll come back so it’s alright!!!!

Peru; an amazing adventure!!

jaclyn_anderson — Mon, 6 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT

The last few days in Peru were so much fun! We sand boarded and dune buggied in Icka, bodysurfed on one of Lima’s finer beaches, and enjoyed the sun before our venture to Europe.

We hired Rosa, our driver, and Fabrizio, our great guide, to go to Icka with us. The dunes were so amazing, and felt like a roller coaster! We had a riot going up, down, and around on the desert hills. Boarding down it was also a lot of fun. While Derek took it on like a snow board, the rest of us more reasonable people rode down the slopes like a toboggan down the snow. The first and smallest hill, we all went down with grins; however, the second was a bit more entertaining. ..

First Travis slid down the slope, closely followed by dad. Derek then had his attempt of going down, then Fabrizio, followed by me. Mom wasn’t as fortunate however. A little ways down the middle slope, she turned and rolled down the hill, sadly crashing. She held up her hands, motioning she was fine, until a minute later she curled up wither hands on her head.

When she had fallen, the board had cut the top of her head, leaving a big gash in her hairline that was bleeding pretty badly. Then off went her white lace shirt, to soak up the blood. The dune buggy driver took us back to Icka. Then Rosa drove us to the closest midi-center where Fabrizio accompanied mom and dad inside. They walked right past the line, to the front and asked to get mom fixed up. The people at the front desk told them it would be about 300 soles, roughly $100. Then Fabrizio said that that was too much and rushed mom and dad out, back to the car. A few minutes later, he came out with a bag. Inside it had rubber gloves, a sterilized needle, stitch string, a pair of scissors, sterile liquid, and a bottle of freezing. Fabrizio, being a surgical dentist-in-training stitched up mom in the parking lot of the midi-center!!!! Always an adventure! J

The beach trip was also really fun! We enjoyed going out of the city to a small town/side subdivision of Lima. There were barely any people there. Only some surfers way out, that were catching the perfect waves. After sun bathing and body surfing, we went a nice little restaurant that had great seafood! The perfect day trip, followed by a goodnight’s sleep at Bronco’s three B.

We left Peru on an early flight to Colombia. We stayed at the airport for our almost seven hour layover, where I wrote a great essay on the globalization of Peru. That is getting forwarded to my teachers back home, of course! After we had the night flight to Spain via Avianca Airlines.

Peru was such a great experience, and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed Macho Peachu, the Sacred Valley, sand boarding, and driving!!!!!! What a great first leg of the trip! Spain next! Super excited!!

one last time, Lima

jaclyn_anderson — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:40:00 GMT

Greatfully, we arrived back in Lima two days ago. Cuzco was fun and the views amazing, but was too high and the alltitude was making us sick. First Travis with a bad flu that kept him awake and looking for toothpaste (of all things!) at four in the morning. Then mom had some bad guacamole and was sick in the night. I had my share next. A very bad stomach ache and a pounding head. Dad also had troubles breathing properly fromthe alltitude. We all got something, except Katie and Derek. But back at sea level now and every one's almost better.

Yesterday we went to a mall that is built into the cliff side! They had a Tony Romas above, and a big movie theater in the center. We went and saw Harry Potter 7 with the other four people watching the spanish subtitle film...

Just down the marble staircases at the entrance, there was a giant replica of the Hogwarts castle with a walkthrough "cave" underneath, leading to the entrance of the dubbed show. Also the food that you got there was amazing and SOOOO cheap! They had big tubs of popcorn=one for 6 soles (about two dollars), giant paintcan pops=3 soles each ($1.50 about) and all kinds of candies and chocolate bars...YUM!

The movie was great. We also went to the beach and played in the water a bit. Where the water is mostly clean, the beach is all rocks and pieces of broken glass. But where the sand is the water isn't all that clean... We first went to the rocky beach and stuck ourfeet in the slightly cold water and then walked up to the sand anf chased the water there. A pretty fun time, we had there.

I am missing my friends and family back home! :( wishing you were with me!! But still having an incredible time and knowing your enjoying math! haha :)

A Mystical Adventure Through the Mountains

jaclyn_anderson — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 09:14:00 GMT

Now in Aguas Coliantus, a little and very touristy town known as Mauchu Picchu Town. We took a train from Cusco yesterday. Today on the short bus (needed for those tight switch backs up the mountain...)we went to the seventh wonder of the world. When we got there the fast moving fog like stuff was coveribg the view so you could only see a couple of feet in front of you. It soon cleared after a few minutes. It was so cool that they were able to build such an amazing place on the top of a mountain, all made of stone. It was beautiful and the different places there, explained to us by our great private tour guide, Vicky, were truly amazing.

I could just feel the spiritual energy at the sacred and forbidden to touch rock. The experiance was great but the hiking was a bit hard on the knees...

very surprised yet, THEY HAD CELL SERVACE ON THE MOUNTIN!!! At some places in my backyard you don´t even get reception!

All in All a pretty good tour of the sacred place. Then we went to the hot springs that were supposedly relaxing.. but to filfthy to go in. had to sell the tickets shortly after.

had a lot of fun today but have to go

write again soon!

the night streets of Lima, Peru

jaclyn_anderson — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:31:00 GMT

Hopefully wont be writing twice a day but I have to explain the amazing things we did today. We hired a great local guide (who spoke english) and a driver to explore the city of Lima. Started out with a homemade breakfast at our amazing B&B, then ventured out for the tour of Lima.

I got to see The Passing of Gaurd at the 'white house' which was very England style. Walked around in the Lima Square and saw all the street vendors. Then off to a market, Peruvian that is...

I'll just say that I'm glad I had left my iPod back at the hotel. It was packed with people everywhere and there was everything you could imagine for sale. Had the first taste of Inca Kola at a little cafe.

Driving had me very spooked. We were in a non-dented taxi van (which was rare, from the way Peruvians drive. Cars all over the road. No signal lights. No lanes (though they were painted there). And a red light just means that there are cars coming from the other direction. Did I mention all the litttle funny horns as well. Very hectic all around. And crossing the roads, you have fear of getting hit by the big old slinky busses which are overfull.

I just wish I could better understand and speak Spanish. Halfa course on the airplane isn't all that helpful. The people respected that we were trying our best though. Everyone is nice. Ordering from a menu is hard though. Language isues make us have to be mime-like.

Over-all, I am enjoying the experiance of Lima. It has loud cars and is busy but its really facinating to be emersed into the culture and ways of Peru. Staying here really makes me appreciate that back home I have a clean, warm shelter, a 24 hour hot water shower, and a clean toilette that always has toilette paper and a seat, even if most people don't touch it!

first stop, everybody out

jaclyn_anderson — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:39:00 GMT

so happy to know that I got eleventh at the Western Canadian Championships, and going to Nationals in july! we left vancouver on saturday, the day after i danced, and flew to Los Angeles. Stayed at a nice hotel there and 'toured' the city there. Hired a cab that took us to the Hollywood sign, down Hollywood Avenue, up past Reavena street, a great place to shop because of all the disigner stores...going to most definitly plan a trip there for my mom and I ;)touring LA in an hour or to then to the airport. flew LAX to lima, and now enjoying my lovely homestyle breakfast :)

so far, enjoying the quietness of lima and soaing up the culture

leaving in one week!!!

jaclyn_anderson — Fri, 5 Nov 2010 08:53:00 GMT

My family is leaving in one week on a trip around the world. We leave on Wednesday to Vancouver. I am dancing at the Western Canadian Championships for irish dance. Then we go to Peru, and Rome. After that we go to Thialand. We head to Australia, New Zealand, and then Fiji. After our 5 month trip we head home. It's a once ina life time experiance. I am really excited but know that I'm really going to miss all my friends and family back home.