They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This is true for me when it comes to the ones I have included here. As home draws near, I have taken the time to dig through and pick out the most significant photos to myself. This is my past 11 months in images. While there is no way I could put my whole race experience into words, I am opting to let these photos do the talking for themselves…
Months 8 and 9:
BOLIVIA
‘Living at 14,000 feet. There was no air up there, and hail storms from black skies were normal.’
‘The view looking down at La Paz with the Andes looming in the distance.’
‘My bed had 8 blankets plus my sleeping bag due to an unheated house. You could always see your breath in there.’
‘Water had to be boiled or filtered to make safe for drinking. It also made a good chance to unfreeze your fingers.’
‘Cable cars provide transportation to the city 3,000 feet below.’
‘Old buses are used as public transport on the roads.’
‘Witchcraft is heavily practiced here. Things are hung in the air in hopes of keeping evil spirits at bay.’
‘You can find anything from potions to dried llama fetuses at the witches market.’
‘In El Alto we worked in a boys rehabilitation center.’
‘We joined them in everyday chores and games.’
‘Food was purchased at the market from the Inca Indians.’
‘Soup was the everyday meal.’
‘After lunch we always played basketball with the boys. They are recovering from drug relapses, alcohol abuse, and other very hard things. They are so brave, and they sure did make the best of friends.’
‘We also got close to the Germans who were volunteering there.’
‘The streets where we lived were always desolate except for the many street dogs.’
‘I had no problem loving them. This is Merlin. I enjoyed brushing out his matted fur and dressing him in a sweater.’
‘In Uyuni we visited a train cemetery.’
‘The salt flats: The most incredible place I have ever seen. Where Heaven meets Earth.’
‘Mountain biking Death Road in the rain was a muddy addreniline rush. We survived.’
‘Bolivia is both beautiful and strange. A place for absolute adventure.’
PERU
‘It took waking up at 4am and hiking up over 130 flights of stairs to peek this wonder of the world in time for the sunrise on Easter Sunday.’
‘Peru is not short of alpacas and cute babies.’
‘This man performs an ancient ritual with cocoa leaves and smoke on a mountain top above Cusco.’
‘Most of us were sick this month, but we got to spend it with a beautiful family who nurtured us with fellowship and love.’
‘One day we climbed a mountain covered in wild flowers to take communion.’
‘Travel days toward Ecuador consisted of over 70 hours on buses at the end of the month.’
‘We were stuck in a riot for 24 hours on our way to the Ecaudor boarder. The road was blocked with fire when we tried to pass through at night, and nothing was around us in the desert except for some very angry fishermen.’
‘My favorite day in Peru was when I climbed a 14er up to Humantay Lagoon.’
‘I have never seen water so blue.’
‘The lagoon rests below a mighty frozen peek. Peru, you are stunning.’
