Today is entirely at sea traveling from Manta, Ecuador to Salaverry, Peru. We are due to dock in Peru at 5:00 am tomorrow. It is from there that I will travel by coach to Trujillo airport, fly to Lima, then to Cusco. Tomorrow afternoon we tour the Koricancha Temple, a Cathedral and town square. Here we will have photo op before traveling on to The Sacred Valley, where we will dine and attend a Peruvian Paso Horse show before resting our weary bones at the Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa. It will be Wednesday before we arrive at Machu Picchu. Guided tours of the Citadel and magnificent sights await us there. Another overnight at the hotel and Thursday a five+ hour coach ride. Yes I will have my knitting with me for that. Fly from Cusco back to Lima where we reboard the ship. We have had several bits of advice regarding how to cope with the altitude. Drink the “tea”, don’t drink the tea it will only make you happier while you are sick. See the ship Dr and get the pills: don’t take the pills they will only make you sick. Walk slowly, drink lots and lots of water and NO alcohol, coffee, etc, etc. The comment on walking slowly is wasted. Our average age is somewhere above my actual age, thus we walk slow even if we are in a hurry! Talk about preaching to the choir.
Yesterday in Manta we explored on our own for a bit. The natural beauty everywhere we have been is overwhelming. Man has defaced some of it, but if you look, the raw beauty is everywhere. While Manta seems to be a sleepy little fishing village there were many sailboats, fishing boats and commercial vessels in the picture perfect harbor-complete with lighthouse for Donia. The economy appears to be depressed. Their currency has been replaced with the US dollar as it has in Guatemala. In fact currency exchange has not been necessary to date. Tommy found his “authentic” Panama hat made in Montecristo, Ecuador. Reminds me of the billboard in northeastern New Mexico pointing out the “Real Authentic Grave of Billy the Kid.”
On Saturday, after crossing the equator, we were pronounced by King Neptune to be Shellbacks, thus would have untroubled passage across the equator for the remainder of our lives. We sat out the actual ceremony of having icewater poured over our heads then jumping into the pool. Possibly Tommy would have participated in this had he been aware that it was the beautiful mermaid who did the pouring rather than King Neptune.
Tommy is just returning from a cooking class preparing Melange Seafood and Medallion Fillet in balsamic. He came away with receipts for both. If either of us ever see the inside of a kitchen again, perhaps we can try them. It’s been a couple of hours without food now, so off we go.
Today IS someday! Make it count.
2020 Around the World Tour 