I can't believe we leave for Botswana in 5 weeks. It seems like yesterday we were saying that we have 5 months to go - it was so far away. Now our departure date is just around the corner. We have jumped into pack mode- we have piles of clothes, toiletries, and other necessities in our apartment to attest to this.
During February, Richard and I headed to Peru for our last big trip before leaving for the Peace Corps. We visited with Jen VT in Lima and she travelled with us to the Amazon. We loved the Amazon- creatures everywhere!!! We saw parrots, lizards, tons of frogs (including poison dart frogs!), tarantulas, big insects, snakes (including an anaconda and a viper), jungle deer, pink dolphins, etc. We even went piranha fishing and got to eat our catch. After the Amazon, Richard and I went to Cuzco, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley- all of which were all amazing.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30125&l=9c9de&id=531866536
Richard returned to the United States to go skiing and visit friends/family and I stayed in Peru with Jen. Jen and I made a trip to Lake Titicaca. The altitude made me feel drunk and made Jen feel sick, but the lake, its islands, and its surroundings were beautiful. The man-made floating islands were especially amazing.
I also met Kate in Argentina for a week. We explored Buenos Aires and Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay. We then headed to Patagonia where we visited Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, El Calafate and the Perito Moreno glacier, and Torres del Paine in Chile. Trekking on the glacier was especially memorable!! On the way back to Lima, I spent a couple days visiting Valparaiso and Santiago, Chile where I was able to spend a day with Javier.
We are now back home in New York City counting down the days until we leave. So many emotions come with leaving your family and friends and home for two years...however, we are looking forward to our time in Botswana.
