Machu Pichu

Everyone woke up extra early so that we could get into the park before the regular tourists who come into town, Machu Pichu Pueblo, on the trains.   I had come into town the previous day to meet up with the Inca Trail group that Forrest was with.  The previous evening we had all congregated at the Hot Springs so that they could soak their sores and reminisce about the trail.  

The morning was beautiful and the bus ride up to the ruins from town as gripping as ever.  Imagine going up a mountain full of switch-backs on a one lane road at 90 kph.  It's definately an extreme experience.  When the bus arrives at the entrance to the "park" there is a waiting area for all the groups going into the park.  There were not many when we arrived as only a few are given early entry.  The waiting area is where the famous lodge sits and then off to the right of the bus drop off lies the bathrooms and above those on the second level the restaurant and other facilities.

Once our group was situated and ready we entered the ruins and made our way to the where the "sacred rock."  Most of the ruins face a pristine mountain that is almost perfect in its shape.  Both Forrest and I could not keep our eyes off of it. The neutral feeling we both talked about was gone.  We were now feeling that strange energy you feel when you are in a sacred place.  At the heart of the ruins it began.  We couldnt figure out why we were so drawn to that mountain, until our guide informed us that it was "the" sacred mountain.  When we got to the Sacred Rock it had a similar shape to the mountain top.  

As we walked through the grounds we would walk through interesting constructions (perfectly cut and  fitted).  There were a few more sacred sites but also some interesting technologies like small circular shallow wells that when filled with water reflected the night sky and were used to chart the constellations. There was a room with stone insets that were accoustically attuned so that when you stuck your head in them and someone whispered in another you could here them. 

By afternoon the park was beginning to get busier as the first trains arrived.  Although the country is immaculate, especially the park, you do notice that there is wear and tear that is happening.  They do an excellent job at maintaining it but you do get some obnoxious people not following the rules.  They actually have a park warden with a whistle who blows it at people when they do silly stuff.  

Some sites have an effect on you (The condor temple, etc) others dont but one thing does catch you everytime and that is the scenery around the complex and strategic points within it.  The scenery around it is at a scale hard to imagine.  Even having been to Alaska where the mountains meet the water the scale of the peaks and the landscape dwarf everything and its all green and lush.  

We ended our day in Machu Pichu sitting on a steppe, talking and staring out at the "Sacred Mountain."  The guides may tell you it was an administrative center for trade, which you do not doubt just from its placement and the fact that all "trails" lead there.  But some how you feel that it isnt the only story.  Others may tell you it was a retreat for the elite, maybe so but there was too much else there to have only been the elite to live there.  The sheer scale, placement and thoughtfulness that went into the city not to mention the powerful feeling, energy whatever you want to call it that DOES reside throughout the main complex eludes to the fact that Machu Pichu was many things and its importance to the "Inca" and to people today who are drawn to its mysteries and its mystique and somehow effects our imagination and awe are the only facts we can count on in regards to this special place.  

Machu Pichu has an effect on you no matter what your agenda for visiting it is.  We each gained something from this trip and what was even more interesting, while observing everyone else you could tell each of them were having their own special experience too.

Machu Pichu continued

Inca Trail Continued
  
 
Day 3 and 12,200 feet
I am a little better this morning, but still winded as I am packing after the 6:30am wake up call. Today, our tour diverges from the pack, as we are on a five day tour, rather than a four day tour, which allows us more time to see the ruins along the trail. We head up the next pass, stopping at an Inca trail station (think of it as hotel/pony express/supply post – you find these about every 5 to 6 miles along the trail). We pick up a rock to carry to the next pass, to ask the mountain gods for a good trek. I am still quickly out of breath, but I stay within 15 minutes of the group all day. From this point on we are on the actual original Inca trail the rest of the way, the trail is much improved compared to the modern day one and impressive considering this little rock path is over 500 years old winding its way through high mountain passes. Compare this to our major highways in the mountains that get washed out every five or ten years on Rainier or Verlot.
 
We are learning more about the Inca. Our guide says the Inca used all technologies, but invented none. They can easily be compared to the Romans. Inca also proves to be a misnomer, the Quechua people called their king the Inca, in actuality the civilization should be called the Quechua, which still exist today in Peru and is the language is still spoken. As I catch my breath, I notice something strange. I expected to feel sacred ground, you know the strange feeling you get in some churches or sacred sites. I feel none of this. The guide keeps saying the Inca were administrators, which makes sense as there appears to be little that is sacred along the trail. He said Machu Picchu was built as an administrative center to control the cocoa trade.
 
Day 3 & 12,500 feet
We climbed the second pass and by noon descended down to lunch in a swampy area. The trail is beautiful, lush cloud forest and a trail that changes from clinging to a mountain to tunneling through rich cloud forest (think Olympic Peninsula) to swampy areas. We hit another set of ruins just before lunch. We were introduced to the first Inca temple. It was explained to us that the Inca/Quechua worshiped the underground, ground level and the sky. They have sacred mountains and often built temples into the rocks themselves to connect with mother earth. We witnessed one of these temples this morning. The rock of the mountain protrudes directly into the center of the temple, with an alter before it.  
 
Day 3 and 12,200 feet
We reached the third pass about 3pm. We are camping here for the night. The rain is steady but not strong, although the area is pretty cloudy. We can see a bit of ruins from the ledge we are camping on, but the clouds come in and out, just giving glimpses. You feel like you are on the top of world, even as the fog clings around us. I have two whole hours before 5pm tea, as I was able to keep up today.  This was a great day; the trail was beautiful, the trail was clear of people as most of the other tour groups had an additional three hours of hiking to get to their camp. The cold soon settled in and it was an early night for everyone.
 
Day 4 and 12,200 feet
This is our last day on the trail. The fog still clings to the mountain. It was cold enough a few people could not sleep, although I passed out soon after my head hit the pillow. We headed down to the first Inca site, which we had glimpses of from camp. It is quite a large site compared to others we have seen, with lots of terraces and buildings and looks almost impenetra

A Train to Machu Pichu

Well things didn't quite work out for me on the trail (this is Lee) so I travelled to Machu Pichu by the other way. Forrest left on the Sunday (April 26) in the morning. Once i got myself together i booked extra days in the hotel (the staff were so wonderful through this ordeal) and then went down to the Andean Treks office to make sure the Machu Pichu part of the package was still available to me. They arranged so my transportation within Machu Pichu (and that i paid for) was still valid and my entrance ticket into the site. They arranged a local representative to walk me around the city to all the agencies and offices so that i could secure a train ticket for wednesday to the site and another bus up to Machu Pichu and admission for Wednesday. I got the Wednesday train ticket and since the "Vista Dome" was only $15 more i booked on that. It is one step above the "Backpacker" and comes with steward service, a 180 degree view of the scenery (since everything is vertical on the trip) and is very comfortable. I was lucky and had a whole table section to myself.

When Wednesday finally came (April 29) i got up early and the hotel had arranged one of their drivers to take me to the station the train pulled out from. It was a half hour drive. The station was beautiful and very well maintained. I don't know what it is but i love travelling by train and this was going to be a treat. By that morning i had pretty much gotten over the disappointment of not going on the adventure hike. I was ready to go on this one and as the owner of the hotel we had been staying at mentioned, Peggy, I could blog about another aspect of Cusco and Machu Pichu.

The ride to Machu Pichu took us through canyons and valleys that were narrow and wedged between huge mountains that were in reality the peaks. One thing that is always difficult to remember is that when in Cusco you are on top of the mountains or nestled away in valleys that are very far up (between 7 and 13 thousand feet up to be exact) and so what look like massive mountains in the middle of no where, and are stretching up an additional few thousand feet, are actually mountain tops. I would always have to remember where i was geographically. And if i didnt consciously then my body would remind me as the physical effort you have to exert at sea level for the equitable activity is so much more and different at 12,000 feet.

The valleys were beautiful and the scale of the landscape breath-taking. All along the trip i saw lush, arable valleys fed by mountain run-off and large white-water rivers. Their were large and small estates, plantations, and ranches that had mass tracts of land with seemingly whole villages used to work the land. There were also the small plot farmers who tended to use the terraced tracts along the mountain-sides and rivers banks. One thing was certain the land was very arable even at this height and ALOT of food is produced in the Andes. It became clear quickly that the same terrain provided both a challenge and an advantage to the those who settled these areas. It was not hard to see, especially when you witness the pure scale of the construction of the Inca sites, that it was the largest Empire in the new world before the Spanish.

All along the valley there were citadels, forts and remains of outposts and towns. Some were Spanish, most were from the Inca. All were impressive and the precision of the stone work is not even fathomable until you seem them up close.

We eventually arrived in the small town at the base of the mountain that Machu Pichu sits atop. The town is called today, "Machu Pichu Pueblo." It is a small town winding its development around the base of the foot of the peaks and along the white-water river. When i arrived i took a ride into town and dropped off my luggage. I then proceeded to get on the first bus up to the Machu Pichu. I have to say i am not afraid of heights and i have gotten used to the Central and South American way of driving (especially public transportation). It isnt for the light-hearted and when you are speeding up the side of a mountain at 90 km an hour (as a reference 100 kmh is equivalent to 60mph) with no guard rails and very little foliage to catch anything, oh and its one lane with bused speeding both directions. i kept my eyes closed for the entire trip up there. and when they meet another vehicle head on by the time they both stop there is literally only feet between the two before one has to back up. Usually the one coming down the mountain. To the driver's credit they are used to the driving conditions, very seasoned drivers, and seemingly well trained.

At the top of the mountain just outside the ruins is the gathering area for tour groups. I was not part of tour group that afternoon but i nevertheless had to fuel up (eat) as no eating is allowed in the park thank goodness. There are also no toilets so you need to use the ones in the gathering area. They are spotlessly clean and only cost one Solei to use.

That is something you notice right away is that EVERYTHING is well maintained. The money that they get from tourism definately goes back into the infrastructure. The buses are modern, the trains are very comfortable (ran by the same company who runs the Orient Express) and the site, with as many tourists and groups who go through those paths, trails and the ruins they reduce the impact on the site. It's very impressive.

The site itself was breath-taking. To describe it would not do it justice. We all know the pictures from school and travel logs but to stand before it and witness its placement amidst a geography that is vast and its scale unfathomable you understand the sacredness of the spot and the energy the location much less the site exudes. I would not truly grasp Machu Pichu's influences until the next day when exploring the main site. But that is for a later blog entry.

My goal that afternoon was not to go into the main ruins (the ruins that you see in travel books and on television) but the upper ones that sit up higher and are terraced. I wanted to wait to go into the main parts for when Forrest arrived. So i explored the upper areas and then decided to walk to the Sungate (over an hours walk each way) to see where Forrest and the rest of the group would enter the site.

The whole trail up to the Sungate was beautifully paved with stone. It was an arduous task (i didnt bring the right hiking boots) as the unevenness of the path made for a fight and the altitude was not helping. By the time i got close to the Sungate i was worn out and ready to turn back. I hoped at that moment that the entire Inca Trail was not paved as such. I came to find out later on meeting up with the group that it had been. I am glad i walked up to the Sungate because i would not have known the true challenge and sense of accomplishment the group made. I had only had two and half hours of it they had four days and their climbs and descents were much more technical and challenging than the path to and from the Sungate.

I looked at my watch and tried to gauge my ability to stay another three hours without going through the main site, before they would arrive (the Inca Trail group and Forrest). I decided as much as i wanted to wait, the altitude was starting to get to me and the unintended exersion of the sungate trail had taken it out of me. I had seen enough and communed with the sacred mountain (that incidently sat across from the ruins and to which i was drawn to before i even knew its significance). I decided i should go back into town and check out the hotel.

I waited at the hotel for several hours (the group was a little later than expected). Forrest got into the hotel and immediately said the group was relaxing at the hotsprings at the edge of town. I imagined some rustic area of hot springs but when we got there it was a very well developed area. There were changing rooms, the springs themselves were four pools of varying degrees of temperature and intensity. There was bar and it seemed EVERYONE was enjoying the water. I have to say it was very refreshing and i wasnt the one who went on a hike. I cant imagine how it must have felt for them.

I was surprised to see how well everyone was doing. I expected them to be wiped but i think the adrenaline of walking into Machu Pichu, much less the four day technical hike, had a lot to do with their state. They were all smiling, all reminiscing and everyone of them seemed to value what they had accomplished. You can tell that they had developed a strong camraderie of accomplishment. The whole group was very nice and encouraging and had a great sense of humor. I was glad this was the group Forrest had to do his dream trip with. Afterwords the group went back to camp and Forrest and I went to go get a good meal in him.

We both crashed that night.

Forrest on the Inca Trail Day 1 & 2

Inca Trail Day 1 & 2

 

Day 1: 6am and 12,000 feet.

The bus got to our hotel and we headed off for a three hour ride to the trailhead. The bus ride itself let me see the rural part of Peru, people still grow crops in little plots a few hundred feet wide and carried food to market on their backs. We stopped for snacks and the bathroom in a town called Ollantaytambo. It was our first glimpse of ancient Inca sites, you just looked up and saw massive forts and complexes high above the town. During the ride, we actually dropped 3,000 feet to the start of the trail.

           

Day 1: 9:30am and 9,000 feet

We geared up, the porters took our main gear (we were allowed 22lbs), tents and other supplies. We took our day packs. The trail started in desert or scrubland and one of our first sights was an agave cactus. This was the easy day to let us get used the altitude. I was soon falling behind, constantly out of breath. My body was not cooperating. The assistant guide Carmen was hanging back with me, coaching me along “take it slow” and “breathe deeply” almost became a chant of hers. We hit an Inca site on the way, with a fort, terraces and a temple. We stopped for lunch, and much to our surprise, we found a full tent with a table and chairs, along with bathroom tents were set up. After lunch the climb began. We had about 1,000 feet to do today. I grew further and further behind. Carmen would stop me, noticing my fingers turning purple due to lack of air. I was dizzy and lightheaded (more than normal) and just had to take it slow.

 

Day 1: 5pm and 10,000 feet

I got to camp about an hour after the others. I talked to both Carmen and our Guide César – would I be able to do manage the climb tomorrow? There is a difference between dogged determinedness and stupidity and there was only one way off the mountain – walking. They both told me they thought I could do it, so I was in bed by 8pm, getting ready for the big day.

 

Day 2: 6:30am and 10,000 feet

            We were warned about day 2. It was a 3,000 foot climb to dead woman’s pass, 13,000 feet in all her glory. We were awakened by Carmen with a cup of hot tea right in our tent and a bowl of hot washing water. We were off by 7:30am. After about an hour, the trail turned from dirt to rock, steps mostly. We climbed through the cloud forest, which reminded me of home. Moss on the rocks and trees, madrona trees, rhododendrons, ferns all along a path made of granite river rocks – I was amazed how similar it looked. It was frustrated, I wanted to go faster and I had easily climbed such trail at home. But, of course, they were not at 10,000+ feet either. I soon figured out stopping for rests did little to get more air, you were winded 50 feet later no matter what. I learned to stop for three or ten breaths and to keep moving. I soon fell behind the group. My body refused to acclimatize. I was an hour late for lunch but they all waited for me.  Lunch was a small bowl of soup and a hamburger bun with a single slice of cheese, as no one would have enough breath to digest AND hike. Meals would continue to be light through the trip. My entire ascent that day would be a total of one egg, one piece of toast, a half of bowl of broth, a hamburger bun with a single slice of cheese and two bites of a snickers bar.

           

 

Day 2: 1pm and 11,000 feet

We headed off to lunch, it would be two more hours to the peak, the trail is as steep as hell. I got my rhythm, three deep breaths per step. Carmen behind me – “take your time”, “breath deeply” and “take it slow”. One of the porters arrived about 45 minutes into the ascent and took my day pack from me, putting it atop his 50 lb load. He then followed me step by step, despite my protests that he to go ahead. After the first hour, I had Carmen, the head porter, the porter with my day pack and a guide from another group (same company) all steps behind me making sure I was ok. If I stepped wrong or wobbled a bit, they would get ready to catch me, like a Mom getting ready to catch a toddler on a climbing toy. I was better than the day before, but I never caught my breath. I am used to just pushing through things, you cannot with altitude sickness, the harder you push, the sicker and more dangerous it becomes. I made sure it never progressed over mild altitude sickness. All in all, I arrived at the pass an hour late, pretty good, considering I was planning to reach it well after dark. I wanted to shout and celebrate as I hit the top, but catching my breath seemed more important.

 

Day 2: 3pm and 13,000 feet

We soon headed down the other side (steep rock stairs) for 90 minutes. I got into camp at 4:40pm, time to collapse, wash, and be at tea for 5pm. The first few days took their toll, I never really caught my breath, cramps everywhere, as no oxygen got to my muscles and my stomach shut completely as the body had to make a choice between oxygen and digestion. I did not really get to know my other trekkers in the first few days, always behind and exhausted once I caught up. They were very supportive, but I was focused on breathing. This was hard day on everyone and sleep came at 8pm. We had another 800 feet to climb in the morning. 

Peru Pictures on Photobuck (click here)

The Inca Trail Briefing

We had a good nights sleep and got up to go to our Inca Trail briefing at noon.  We met the rest of our group (very Intl) and our guides.  We got all the logistics.  Overall we are managing the altitude a lot better today and expect it should be fine by tomorrow.

We are picked up by the outfit (Andean Inca Adventures) at 6 am and then bussed three hours to the head of the trail.  We will be descending in altitude to get to the trail head.  Our first day will be taking us only a little ways back up in altitude.  The next day will be an all out climb to reach the top most altitude of 13,000 ft.  It is by far the toughest climb of the whole trip.  By the third day we begin a slight descent to Machu Pichu.  

We get there on the fourth day but dont enter the site until the next morning.  It will be bright and early again but it will be worth it as we will get a guided tour and be the first in the park.  Just as we are breaking up to explore on our own we will the rest of the tourists arrive by train.  

We are very excited and felt a little better about it after the briefing. We have some great guides.  We leave tomorrow morning and we will be camping all along the way for the first three nights.  So we will have no access to technology to post.  No worries as we return Thursday but probably wont post until friday about our experience.  So don't worry. 

guinea pigs

oh i forgot to mention (mostly because i wanted to forget it) we don't recommend the guinea pig.  it was beautifully cooked and the seasoning was good but it just takes a lot to get over.  

Travelling and Arrival

Thanks to Forrest's mom we got to the airport bright and early thursday morning.  We got to LAX and this time were in the newer international terminal.  it was better than last time but LAX still does not hold a special place in our hearts.  

The flight to Lima, Peru was good.  We flew LAN and were very impressed.  The plane was  a 767 800 and it was very spacious.  I have to say i think i prefer going long distances in a 767 rather than a 747.  8 hours later we arrived very late in Lima.  The airport there was great and we literally had to walk across the parking lot to the hotel. We later realized there was a sky bridge and could have avoided the taxi gauntlet but nevertheless we survived.

We greeted by a wonderful hotel staff and got two free drinks.  The local specialty is a  Pisco Sour.  It reminds me of the traditional Daiquiris. Not the strawberry monstrosities we serve in the US but if you have ever had one you know that unique Daiquirie flavor.  We dont have them in Washington only strawberry and they arent the same.  Anyway these drinks were like the old ones except more bitter.  

The next morning we got up and got on a LAN to Cusco. It took one hour.  The LAN crew were amazing and efficient.  We were only in the air one hour but got drink service and a snack. (a considerable snack).  We met four sisters who were in Peru for the first time too.  They were very nice and we had a pleasant conversation with them.  

The descent into Peru was a little hairy but the view was nothing short of spectacular.  Imagine a very high up (12,000 ft) valley with a city in it surrounded by mountain peaks.  And the people are so polite rivaling Costa Rica.  We arrived at our hotel and we couldnt figure out why everyone was insisting on doing everything for us and wanting us to relax and take it easy.  It was only after we got a introduction and welcome, personally, by the owner of the hotel (Torre Dorada-- we highly recommend btw) that we understood why the insistence.  We were 12,000 ft up.  we had gone from sea level to 12,000 in one hour.  To avoid altitude sickness we have to take it easy, drink coca tea and stay hydrated.  The altitude was only first evidenced to us after climbing two banks of stairs.  We were short breathed, struggling, feeling faint and woozy.

It is supposed to take two to three days to acclimate.  We met an Australian couple on the way back from town.  They have been here 36 hours already and the gentleman was still struggling.  He had to have oxygen (which the hotel has on hand).  

We went to the square after a four hour nap for dinner.  We ate at the Inka Grill and had an amazing Pepper Steak.  We started off with a great appetizer too and finished with a fresh made chocolate tart.  It was a much needed, anticipated and enjoyed meal.  We walked briefly around the spectacular plaza at night before succumbing to our altitude induced limitations.  

A good start.  Tomorrow we have our meeting with the Inca Trail tour group.  We will soon see just how challenging this hike will be.  We leave on Sunday for five days.  Thankfully after we see Machu Pichu we take the train back.  

That will more than likely be the next post.

And We're Off.....

We leave tomorrow for our South American Tour. This is an exciting trip for us, as the trip has each of our dream spots. I wanted to do the Inca Trail and see Machu Pichu. Lee always wanted to go the Galapagos. 

We head of tomorrow for Peru, arriving in Cusco two days early to get used to the altitude before doing the Inca Trail. It is a five day adventure (all between 9,000 & 13,000 feet) along the orginal trails cut into the rocks by the Inca. Cusco itself is at 12,000 feet. We then have a few days in Cusco and might do a sidetrip to Lake Titicaca. 

We head to Lima, where Lee will relax in luxury (or whatever hotel I put him at), while I head down to see the Nazca Lines. They are figures created in the desert miles wide by a pre-columbian civilization we know little about. 

The off to Quito, Ecuador - the first UN hertitage site. This is the best preserved Capitial city in all of South America. We are back up high again at 11,000 feet. We booked some down time in this city too. 

Towards the middle of May, we head for Guayaquil, Ecaudor to get ready for the Galapagos cruise. We are going with Lindblad, which is the cruiseline if National Geographic. There will be National Geographic Photographers onboard. We could have never affoarded this cruise without the bad ecomony, so it will be a treat. 

Now comes in the audience participation part. We arrive in Buenos Aires May 24th for two whole months. We have a two bedroom apartment on the border of Palmero/Recoleta. The extra bedroom is for whomever wants to come stay. We will have US phone numbers during the stay, so if you want to call us, just send an email. 

We are back in Seattle in late July for a few weeks, then off to Europe until we are broke. Everyone keeps asking what will we do after traveling. That is easy - WORK! Lee is thinking about going back to school, but unless he finds a sugar daddy, it will be work for both of us. 

We will have internet access off and on throughout the trip, so look for posts. If you do not see a post for a week or so, you know we are someplace remote. 

Monte Verde and Arenal

We drove in from the Pacific Coast Friday to San Jose. It was Forrest's first real driving in the country since we rented the car. It took us about four hours total but we made it fine.

Along the way we had stopped for lunch in another beach town just north of Quepos. It was full of surfers (mostly foreigners) and was really hopping with activity. We ate at a taco bar called, Taco Bar. It was really a cool place. the eating area was like a bar setting with stools on the inside and then on the outer seats swings. like playground swings. in the middle of this circle of seats was a salad/ taco fixings bar. you ordered your tacos, and how you wanted the meat seasoned then they bring it all out to you on these long wooden platters.

the food was great, simple and hot. Forrest wants to open one up now. it was quite clever and it seemed to be THE place to eat.

We arrived in San Jose in the afternoon and stayed in the hotel we had stayed before for one night and then we headed out to Monte Verde early the next day. The drive was very pleasant but the roads get a little bumpy and curvy outside of the central plateau of San Jose. The cloud forrest was beautiful and the eco lodge we stayed at was very nice.

The next day we headed around Lake Arenal, a beautiful area, and headed to fortuna which is a town at the base of Mt Arenal. The volcano is a perfect cone shape. in fact if you asked a child to draw a picture of a volcano they would be drawing this one. it is perfectly cone shaped with steam coming up out of it. we were told by a naturalist that it is very similar to Mt Saint Helen's in the type of volcano that it is. It is also the most active one in the country.

We went zip lining and met some really nice people, including a delightful family from Colorado. After the zip lining we had to ride down from the canopy area by horseback. it was my first time on a horse. I was terrified but survived. My horse was a sweetheart. Forrest's had a little spunk but nothing he couldn't handle.

In Fortuna we stayed at this private resort. The owners were absolutely wonderful and really made us feel at home. Their property was beautiful and close to everywhere. It was a peaceful and relaxing setting. in the evening we took a guided tour of the jungle and the mountain at nightwith a nature guide.

The next day we got up early and headed for the airport. Along the way we stopped off at a zoo that specialized in local species. it was wonderful. saw an Ocelot and Puma up close. beautiful animals.

The airport itself and ride home was uneventful. We landed in LA and got to the hotel by 4 am. We are taking a break here to give me a chance to talk with the British Consulate about some paperwork and documents i have been waiting on. i have a contact now and someone to help me with the process.

We plan on staying here until friday before finally arriving home.