Leaving Ollantaytambo

Two days ago, we returned from our much-anticipated two-day trek in the Andes. For many of us, it was the highest altitude climb (at over 16,000 feet) that we have ever accomplished and as tired as we were, it was beyond satisfying. Including a once-in-a-lifetime view of the sunrise, 16 hours of hiking over very challenging yet exciting terrain, a brief tour of the Pumamarka ruins, multiple encounters with llamas, a walk through a remote Incan village, and the most satisfying ice cream upon our return, the trek was an incredible and extraordinary experience for all of us.

Today is our last day staying in Ollantaytambo and we are finishing up our Tierra de Ninos project with the school. After two nights of rest, we are pretty much recovered from the hike (except for Jocie and Hannah, who got up this morning at 4 to bake only to find out, after walking across town in the pitch black, that a power outage prevented the baking), and are trying to enjoy our final day as much as possible. We are busy visiting classes, weaving baskets with Tucker and Ud’s father, Pancho, (a.k.a. the coolest person in the world), farming with Reynaldo and Alicia, making ceramics, and trying to do as much as possible before we have to leave. In what has actually been a short amount of time, we’ve all gotten so attached to the families, the town, and the project that we are reluctant to leave so soon. For lunch, we will have a “Pachamanca” cookout with all of our families to celebrate the amount of work we have accomplished here and to wrap up our time here.
Bright and early tomorrow morning, we will say goodbye to our families and catch a train to Macchu Picchu, where we will hike the Inca trail and see one of the greatest sights in the world. For the remaining 6 days here in Peru, we step into the role of tourists more than community members to visit some of the most renowned tourist attractions in Peru. For now, we leave you to plant the trees in the park.

Hasta luego!

XOXO,
Hannah, Jocie, and Juanita (Jane)