Don Keyhote's Checking In

11/24/2004

Hola Amigos,

Sorry it has been so long. I really don't have an excuse for not writing other than general laziness. Things have been a bit strange down here, for a while I was starting to feel that my wants and desires had shifted away from what my traveling partner, Dave, wanted to do but now that he is gone I find that I am more lost than ever. It is only now that I am finding out how much I relied on our combined brain-power/bravado to get thing done. Ah well, got to learn to fly on my own some day.

On Wednesday we went to see the Chile vs Peru futbol game. It was a blast, we were in the cheap seats behind the Peruvian net with the rowdiest crowd. Our section happened to be right next to the most expensive section , where a group of Chileños happend to be seated. If they had not been protected by a regiment of riot cops with guard dogs and a chain link fence topped with razor wire, I don't think they would have survived the game. As it was I learned a plethora of new insults. Our chileño friends would have been dismayed by the vigour with which we hurled these new found insults across the razor wire but it was a matter of nessesity... to appear to be friendly to the chileños while sitting in our section would have been hazardous to one's health. There is a deep rivalry between these countries that goes back hundreads of years. The action on the pitch was good as well, with the unexpected 2-1 win by Peru. Which lead to even more revelry in the streets that lasted most of the night and nessitated the need for tonnes of cerveza (and legions of riot cops). Made it a bit of an adventure to get Dave to the airport right after the game.

I have made quite a change since Dave left, put most of my things in storage and am traveling with a bag smaller than anything I would use for going to school. It is kind of fun to play up the crazy Canadian line. Here most of the travelers are chachee gringos that want nothing to do with anybody but other chachee gringos. Yesterday I say two of these two girls carrying packs so big that they would make a Sherpa faint. When they see a barefoot (lost my shoes in the Bolivian jungle) bearded Canadian grinning at them awkwardness they get a little uncomfortable. Those that aren't scared away tend to be fairly interesting.

Anyways things are kind of winding down for me, I don't have to much desire to move around or see anymore places... just looking for some cool people to hang with for a while. I am actually at the point where I would pass up seeing Machu Picchu, though it was the one thing I wanted to see when I was planning this trip. That is planning in the loosest sense of the word... I was sitting in Archaeology class when the prof showed a picture of the ruins at sunrise. I turned to my friend and said "That's it man... That's were I am going." That was the totality of my research for this trip. Still I may go if I can get hooked up with this guide that can take me there by donkey (the ride is about $25 by train or $200 for the five day hike). This guy with the donkey is said to be able to get you in through the back door, thus by-passing the mandatory $200 trail fee. I think I would do it just to be showing up Don Keyjote style as those wannabe Sherpas arrive through the front door after a labourious five day hike. Eat my donkey dust fuckers. Ah well we will see, eh?

Espero que usted sea bien,

Adam

P.S. Sorry about the abundance of angst in the email. I am at roughly 4000m above sea level and am feeling the effects of Altitude Sickness (again) which makes me irritable and nauseous. It is kind of like a bad hang-over that lasts for a few days. _ _ ______________________________________________________ _ _

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