On Your Mark!

It started with an innocent enough question...on the heels of a decision to go to Ireland for MY 50th birthday last year, I asked Lorne, "what would you like to do for YOUR 50th birthday?" Without a pause, he fired back, "I want to go to Machu Picchu!" I looked at him and said, "where?" Just kidding, but I think I looked at him in serious doubt. And then he said, "I want to hike to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail!" I said, "with me?" I said, "are you joking?" And I said, "no way." I was serious. I'm an old lady. I turned 50 in 2009. I have a chronic back problem due to a herniated disk. I have a million aches and pains. I cannot sleep on the hard ground. I don't like the idea of not being able to take a hot shower for 3 nights, and in that moment, I was just plain incredulous. A few days later he said, "I want you to go with me. I'd want you with me even if you were in a wheelchair." Aw, how sweet. And stupid. Really? I mean, all I could think was, "Baby, what a way to ruin your 50th celebration...you don't want me complaining the whole time." Truly, I was thinking that my going along was a really bad idea. So we were at an impasse...then, in March of 2010, we chatted with an old friend who had been to Peru and had hiked up the Inca Trail too...granted, he was about 1000 times more fit than me, and about 100 times more fit than Lorne. And he had hiked and biked in about a million mountain ranges (okay, I exaggerate, but you get the picture). And he said, brilliantly, "why don't you go to Peru with another couple? The guys can do the trek and the girls can take a side trip, and then take the train up to MP, and meet you there!" I was really excited by this idea. We were at a conference at the time, but I didn't care...ran over to my man with this incredible news..."Hey, listen to this idea!" And that was the beginning of what has become the Peru trip itinerary of a lifetime...it will be fun to describe it all to you....as we travel through the Andes. I know very little about Peru, and I knew even less when we decided to go there. But Lorne it seems had always wanted to go and part of being married is signing on for the adventures you wouldn't have if you weren't with that person. So, it has been many months of reading, talking, studying maps and making decisions, as well as many months of treatments for my back problems, in the hope that I’ll be able to cope with the challenges of this trip. And lately, many days of browsing (me), selecting, buying (him), working out (him) and walking out (me), and tons and tons of reading. We have chosen our travel buddies (who might write here now and then), carefully enough so that I don't have to do the Inca Trail, and Lorne can indeed do the Inca Trail! The boys will climb the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, while the girls take a little trip to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world! It's all going to be wonderful, but whatever it is, you'll likely read about it here. It will definitely be an adventure. The most fun so far has been all the DIY planning we've done. Except for the Inca Trail (which involves a tour group put together by a company called Llama Path) all plans have been researched by Lorne, the best travel agent in the world. We have selected some nice places to stay and we look forward to relaxing and enjoying this fascinating part of the world...eating great food, sleeping in comfort (except when on the trail of course), and learning about a fascinating culture. We depart Saturday morning. I'll write about our itinerary in the next blog...stay tuned. xoxoxDeb.