Southern Most City to the Equator - Check

Cheers to my fearless (usually) travel companion

We made it home and there has been a little bit of culture shock but mostly just temperature shock. After being in the mountains for 3 months it's a little rough to hack it in this 100 degree weather, but hey - I hop from my AC'd car to my AC'd house so I really shouldn't complain. It is so nice to be back and playing with all my homies here in Salt Lake though.

To wrap this adventure up here are some stats for you:

5 flights (including to and from)

20 bus rides covering 12,200 km and taking a total 240 hours - muchas auto bus'

19 different hostels and friends homes visited and slept in

Approximately a kazilion photos taken, new people met, and good times had

Who's in when we go back for Brazil and Colombia?? I miss it already

Updated

here

Home Again

My backpack exploded on my couch.

We did it! We made it home! It was a close call when my checked bags were randomly searched at the Ecuadorian airport and they found the antique pistol I had purchased at the market a few days before. I totally forgot about it so when they pull it out I'm like "Oh ya, sorry I forgot to tell you about that" they weren't too humored. They even threatened an investigation, but I put my best I feel real bad and real stupid right now face and they let my on the plane sans pistol. I cried, I really wanted that gun.

Anyway I am home now and I can't get over how:

A. fat all of the Americans look at the airport, sorry but it's true

B. big and absorbent our napkins are

C. giant and fast my computer seems to me right now

Honestly I'm pretty overwhelmed by all of the blogs I want to look at, people I want to call, and work I have to do. So instead of deal with all of that I'm headed to the woods for the next week with no phone and or internet - I guess real life can wait right?

If anyone is around tonight though I really hope you decide to come down to Pioneer Park for the free concert so that I can see your beautiful face and party with you. Otherwise I will be back in about one week - ready for some serious SLC summer fun.

Miss you all! See you soon!

The Road Home

Still here, just getting super lazy on the blogging. Lost my camera battery, so no photos either, but we´re still out here and making our way north.
In the last 3 weeks we:
Hiked the Inca trail con Lauren, Lezlie, and Casey and loved every second of it
Headed south with those same chicas to Lake Titi Caca (the center of the Inca religeon)
Took a 30 hour bus ride all of the way up to Moncora in the far north of Peru on the coast
Laid on the beach like it was our job, ate fresh fish, fresh fruit, took yoga classes with the most amazing yogi I have ever seen (this guy had skills), surfed with the locals every day, watched the world cup with an international crowd at our hostel, swam in the ocean on the night of the full moon and salsa danced for a week. Can you tell I liked it there?
Arrived in Ecuador and so far just soaking it all in before headed farther north into the mountains

Things are going well here, but we´re stoked to see everyone at home as well! Get home on the 7th of July and I really hope everyone is around. I´m ready for summer and for some play time in Utah!

Festival Time in Cuzco

Untitled from Jessica Baucom on Vimeo.

Baby Boom

2 of my best friends back home decided to have babies while I was away (that's 2 new babies, 1 new puppy, and 1 new baby horse if you're counting). Sarah in Colorado and Carly in Brooklyn. I'll be honest, I don't really like the idea of my friends having babies. I am selfish like that and I want them to wait for me to have babies, and in the mean time I want them to not be married either and come travel with me and play all of the time.

Sigh, in the mean time I will try to be happy for them and just enjoy all of these beautiful children they keep having.

Back in Action

The current state of my shoes


Today we flew from Lima to Cusco leaving the small town of Pampas Grandes far behind and it was a big reality check. We have been such scrappers going from bus to bus, hostel to hostel, so going to the airport all of a sudden we felt a little out of place. It felt posh. Wierd to think that's pretty much how most of the USA is. Posh compared to here.
We're back in Cusco and we feel like it's whole new place since we were here last. It's high season for tourists and there are Americans and Europeans everywhere. It's not bad, just different. Plus everyone wants you to pay twice as much as they were asking for 3 weeks ago. We're not falling for it. Last time we were here we scoped out some of the locals spots. We met a guy from Cusco who took us to a resturaunt that gives you a full meal for 3.50 soles. That's $1.20 US, and we're talking a big meal. The hostel we're staying at is 13.00 soles. That's $4.60 a night. If you can't tell what I'm getting at then here it is - TRAVEL. Travel while you can. It's completely doable. We have met SO many people from all over the world that are doing this for longer and for cheaper than we are. It's something that most people consider out of their reach, but let me tell you what. It's not. It's worth it.