A Few Pictures for Your Viewing Pleasure

The top of our hike above Machu Picchu.

Heidi, climbing a rock using a handy rope - I almost crapped myself I was laughing SO HARD.

Machu Picchu

Santiago, Chile

Lima, Peru

Heids and I made it to Puno at 4:30 am this morning. Tomorrow we are going on a full-day tour of Lake Titicaca and visiting a few islands. These islands are made out of reeds that grow in the water; the residents of the island continuously replace the reeds because they rot underneath.

Love,
Meg

Beginner's Guide to Driving in South America

• Lanes: Those pretty yellow and white lines on the road mean nothing; pay them no attention. They are merely painted for asthetic reasons.
• Honking: Use your car horn as many times as you deem necessary. This should include, but is not limited to: honking at red lights, pedestrians, beautiful chicas, other vehicles, or just for fun.
• Speed Bumps: It is best to take speed bumps at an angle. Yes, that's correct, veer your vehicle to the left or right before driving over the bump so that only one tire goes over at a time. Who cares if you take up the entire road; simply honk your horn at other vehicles and it´s fine.
• Headlights: Believe it or not, cars in front of you are not affected by your brights. In fact, it is a good idea to drive 2-5 feet directly behind a car in front of you with your brights on. The driver in the other vehicle will enjoy it.
• Speed Limit: The only speed limit in South America is however fast your spedometer will allow you to drive. It is best to see how fast you can go - especially around corners. This will save you money on gasoline.
• Passing: Pass every vehicle that is in front of you. You must always be the first in a line. It is preferable to pass on blind corners or hills.

I have never prayed more in my life than I do when I am riding in a vehicle in South America. I mentioned this to Heidi and she said, ''Haha, I guess I used to think the same thing when I first got here but then I just got used to it. I haven´t died yet!'' Somehow, that didn´t make me feel better.

On a better note, Machu Picchu was amazing yesterday. We hired a tour guide so we learned a lot about how it was discovered and the different theories as to why the Incas abandoned it. We are very excited to go to Lake Titicaca tonight, we're traveling by bus - I hope we have a safe driver! We'll be in Puno (one of the towns next to the lake) for Christmas. Hope all is well at home.

Love,

Meg

Cusco, Peru

Traveling by bus for over 21 hours isn´t very pleasant. Especially when half the passengers on the bus vomit or decide that, yes, now is a great time to take a nasty shit in the back toilet so the entire bus can smell my odor. Thanks a bunch! I thoroughly enjoyed myself :) The ride to Cusco was very similar to the Road to Hana in Hawaii. Windy roads, one-lane bridges and a double-decker bus... Oh wait, you don´t normally drive to Hana in a tall bus? That's too bad, you're really missing out.

Just for fun:
Things South American's LOVE:

• Fanny packs
• Honking their car horns. (In fact, I don´t think they know how to use their blinkers and the ''courtesy wave'' hasn´t been invented yet)

I thought of a lot more earlier, but now I can´t remember. Post more later. Machu Picchu tomorrow!

Love, M

Back to traveling!

Heidi and I just started our 21-hour bus-ride from Lima, Peru to Cuzco. We should arrive sometime tomorrow around noon. The picture shows that we're sitting on the second level (first class) directly above the driver; we basically have a front row seat - I'm hoping for a nice view but Heidi claims it's just going to be desert.

Heidi, my sister, and I will be traveling South America for Christmas and New Years. We're coming home to PDX on January 14th. Heidi is fluent in Spanish since she has lived in Chile since July; I consider her my guide :)

So far, just getting to South America has cost me roughly $2,415 US dollars. This includes my plane tickets to Chile and Peru, various vaccines and prescriptions I had to get, and the entrance fees into Chile and Bolivia. I'm hoping that the rest of the trip will cost less than the initial amount. And yes, I am employed (thanks for letting me have a month off, Joe!) but I'm too lazy to change the name of this blog.

I'll be sure to blog soon. We're going to Machu Picchu in a few days and it's supposed to rain the entire time; I'll let you know how it goes!

Xo, Meg
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Last Blog

Before you begin reading my final blog entry, I think it is important that you get online and listen to the song "One Day You Will" by Lady Antebellum. Or just look up the lyrics on www.letssingit.com. In case some of my readers do not have time to download the song, look up the lyrics, or you simply don't want to do anything extra other than read this blog, I will provide you with the words to the chorus:
"But down the road the sun is shining
In every cloud there's a silver lining
Just keep holding on
And every heartache makes you stronger
But it won't be much longer
You'll find love, you'll find peace
And the you you're meant to be
I know right now that's not the way you feel
But one day you will."

Before I embarked on this adventure, I was at a very strange point in my life. Having graduated from college and found no job, it was difficult for me to be on the island doing the same old stuff I did every summer. Don't get me wrong - I had a ball this summer! Partying on the beach with Heidi and Valerie was a highlight! However, something was missing and I constantly felt claustrophobic in my hometown, a place that I LOVE, and I struggled to relax. Leaving the island to travel is the best decision I have ever made. As I look back on this trip, I see how my attitude towards life has changed for the better and I am SO thankful that I had this opportunity.

Now I realize that life truly is full of ENDLESS possibilities that stretch out in front of me infinitely. For the first time, I honestly believe that I can do anything, see everything, and be anyone I want to be. Just as Lady Antebellum sings in their song, I feel as though I have finally found the "me I'm meant to be" - or at least I am on the right path! I have reached the "someday" that they are singing about. I am more excited, enthusiastic, confident, curious, stable, spontaneous, and free. I can't wait to see what life has in store for me.

When I say I am excited, I want you all to understand that I am literally excited for every aspect of life that might come my way. The unknown is no longer scary. I can't wait to meet new people and I'm also looking forward to spending more time with friends and family I already know and love. I want to continue to travel; at the same time, I am also anticipating settling down, getting a job and having some structure. I have a tentative job prospect in the next few months but if that doesn't work out, I will be okay. Maybe I am meant to do something else.
Before Europe, I was so set in planning everything. I'm not going to lie; I still like to plan :) However, it doesn't bother me as much if the plan doesn't work out. If my "life plan" doesn't work out the way I have imagined it, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I am only excited and curious to see what does happen - it might be better than what I originally wanted! The only thing that truly matters is that I surround myself with people that I LOVE and care about and who also feel the same way about me. I no longer want to waste my time with petty arguments or being stubborn just to make a point. I am more honest and straight-forward; games are time-consuming and wasteful.

Throughout this trip, my travels have been labeled as an "adventure." I feel as though that is incorrect. LIVING is an excursion in itself and backpacking Europe is only a small portion of the bigger picture. The only sure thing in this world is that the future will continue to be a mystery; life will always be an adventure filled with SERENDIPITY.

I am flying home today and I absolutely can't wait to see each and every one of you!
All my love,
Meg
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I CARRIED ALL OF THIS

I will be sure to count everything when I get home, but please take note of 3 purses, 3 pairs of shoes, A PAINTING, 3 dresses, and all the food I have accumulated throughout this trip. And yes, I carried it all, on my back, for almost 3 MONTHS.

Please be impressed :)
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What I will miss about Europe and Highlights

WHAT I WILL MISS:
All the new friends I've made and all the old friends I've reconnected with

PASTRIES

The cheap food in Portugal

My Gold Coast family in Lagos

Danish hotdogs

Quiet time on the trains

Pizza and pasta in Italy

Eating ice cream every day

Street markets!

The shopping and fashions

H&M on every corner

Discussing politics with the Kastrup family

Ruth's cooking

Writing all of Kirst's funny quotes (check out my quote book when I get back!)

Taking pictures of Kirsten taking pictures of animals

Trying to pronounce "beer" in Danish

HIGHLIGHTS:
People: I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet up with Christoph Heers and Astrid Kruse. I still remember the last time Christoph left my home and I bawled because I thought I would never see him again! Clearly, the world isn't as "inaccessible" as I once thought it was; I met up with Christoph twice since I have been in Europe. Reconnecting with Astrid was one of the happiest moments for me on this trip. Seven and a half years is a lot to catch up on! It is also strange to think that the last time I saw her I was only 14; now I am 22. She is still the same fun, amazing, beautiful person she was in high school - I am so blessed to know her!
I am also thankful to have the opportunity to meet SO MANY new people and make new friends around every corner. The Kastrup family, Cordy and Rich, my Lagos family, the Heers family, and the countless number of friends I made on trains and in hostels have made this trip into the adventure it was meant to be. Discussing politics, killing HUGE spiders, learning about ecological Germans, pronouncing new words, and giving and receiving hugs will always be my favorite memories from Europe. I believe that there are kind people in every corner of the world and friendship can be found in every country; this trip has confirmed that.

Culture: I LOVED learning about new cultures and ways of living! I must say that Spain was one of my favorite because I took a siesta every day and ate tapas all the time. Learning about new cultures not only teaches me that people can live in ways other than my own - it also helps me to appreciate the endless amount of opportunities I have in the United States. (I also look forward to coming home and not be cat-called constantly the way I was in the southern countries.) I understand that other countries have different government systems, taxes, healthcare plans, pollution control, etc. that works for them. That doesn't mean it will work for us. I am more willing to stand up for the USA and what we believe in; I see that other systems work for others but I also recognize that there is more than one way to solve a problem. Different cultures are awesome; I still love mine :)

Food: Each country we've been to has had a food "specialty" - in our opinions.
Denmark: Pastries
Germany: Americaner cookies
Netherlands: Stroopwaffels
France: Tarts
Portugal: English breakfasts at Odeon Cafe!
Spain: Tapas
Italy: ALL FOOD aka: pasta, pizza, and gelato
Switzerland: Chocolate
Czech Republic: Svikova and some other pastry I can't remember the name of...

In case you are wondering, I have not gained any weight :) Unfortunately, though, I have lost all my leg muscles from running constantly and have replaced the lost muscle with FAT. SICK. Again, Valerie, please please please let's do the next 10k. My running shoes have missed me.

3 DAYS!
Love,
Meg

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