Peru Pt. 3: Lake Titicaca, home stay with a family and floating islands!

Allie and Nelson dressed as locals on the Uros Islands.

Hola! We traveled 8 hours by bus from Cusco to Puno, a small town right next to Lake Titicaca. We spent 2 days exploring the islands on this large lake. The Uros Islands (floating islands made of reeds), Amantani Island (where we stayed with a local family for a night), and Taquile Island. We had a great time and gained a new perspective for the way these Peruvians live. We were thankful for a hot shower and running water when we left but we were so glad we took the opportunity to step into a whole new world in order to better appreciate our own. Next up will be Arequipa, Lima, and our Peru Summary!

Peru Pt. 2: Machu Picchu- disclaimer pictures DON'T do it justice!!

Allie and Nelson with the classic view of Machu Picchu. Behind the morning clouds is Huayna Picchu which we later hiked to the summit.

Everyone we spoke with about our travels to Machu Picchu stressed how beautiful and breathtaking this place was, but once we got there we realized that words or pictures did this place NO justice. Machu Picchu was built in the 1400's by the Inca empire, it was built as an estate for the Inca emperor. Located 50 miles northwest of Cusco, situated on a mountain ridge high above the Urubamba river. The site was abandoned 100 years later during the conquest of the Spanish. The advanced empire was slowly phased out by multiple factors including diseases brought by the Spanish.  In 1911 the site was rediscovered by an American archeologist Hiram Bingham. This site is located 8,040 ft above sea level. The city sits between two mountains Machu Picchu (old peak) & Huayna Picchu (young peak). The peak of Huayna Picchu is 8,920 ft above sea level, making it a perfect place to view the entire city of Machu Picchu as you can see in our pictures. The site is truly an archeological marvel. We were taken back by the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains, the ingenuity of the Incan people and the peacefulness of the entire site. Enjoy our pictures of this truly amazing and unbelievable site! Next up is our home stay with a local family on Amantani Island in the middle of Lake Titicaca! Another truly unique experience!

Peru Pt. 1: Cusco- Our culture shock experience

Allie and Nelson at Inca ruins outside of Cusco, Peru

When we arrived in Cusco, Peru we were amazed at what we saw. There were so many people, a fairly large city, and we experienced some culture shock! Women carrying their children on their backs, people walking sheep down the road, and alpacas staring you in the face. It was quite the experience. Its a beautiful city rich in pride and history (and tour companies). We visited old churches built by the Spanish when they conquered Cusco and the Incas in the 1500s. They would tear down the Inca temples and build Catholic churches in their place often leaving the original Inca foundation. We flew high over the Andes, tried homemade ceviche, alpaca, and coca leaf tea, and visited some nearby ruins. Enjoy the pictures! Next to come, a whole post dedicated to Machu Picchu! (too many pictures to fit it in here!)

Argentina: The Summary

Argentina, from what we saw was beautiful. Man-made beauty. Buenos Aires was much larger of a city than we had anticipated but definitely had the European charm that everyone had talked about.

Days in Argentina: 13 (1 in Colonia, Uruguay)

The People:
For the most part we found Argentinians extremely friendly. We had many instances where taxi drivers went out of their way to have a pleasant conversation, give us pointers on where to go, and give a tutorial on spotting counterfit money! The servers we ran into were more than happy to help us understand menus. Even the people on the street helped to steer us in the right direction when we were lost. The people speak Spanish but it has a unique dialect where “ll” is pronounced “sh” and they use “vos”. People seem to work to live, not live to work. They are in no hurry whatsoever. We found ourselves walking very fast with no where to be (must be our nature when in a big city). We had to slow ourselves down and learn to stroll. Many people will visit a café, alone or with a friend, and sit and talk for hours, or read the paper over a coffee or beer. The check will only be brought to you when you ask for it. The servers are even more hands off than in Brazil. We found this annoying at first but learned to appreciate the hands off service, very different from the US. Eating late is the norm. People eat dinner no earlier than 10pm. It is not uncommon to find a whole family with young toddlers out to dinner around midnight. Argentinians seem to be very family conscious. On Sundays there were many adult children out walking with their parents. We also found several ads promoting children to spend time with their grandparents.

Buenos Aires Pt. 2: Tango, Uruguay day trip, a Futbol championship celebration, and amazing PIZZA!

Nelson and Allie living it up on a moto in Colonia, Urugay! Notice Nelson's chin strap vs. Allie's! 

Greetings from South America! Its still summer and we are loving our time here! If this picture does not capture that, nothing will!!! We found out real good pizza does exist south of the equator! We took a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay and we got much more out of it than a stamp in the passport. It was beautiful and romantic! We watched old couples dance tango at Confiteria Ideal, a charming romantic old dance hall/cafe. We joined in the celebration of La Boca winning the championship. Enjoy these pictures! They don't do justice to our enjoyment! So much fun! Next up, expect an Argentina summary and on to Peru where we will check out Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca!

Ahh, the good airs! Buenos Aires Part 1

A typical beautiful street in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires can be summed up in one word, beautiful! Okay two words... HOT! It has been so hot here. About 90 degrees and sun everyday. The ironic thing is that Buenos Aires actually has beautiful breezes! They can be so refreshing on our long walks through the neighborhoods of the city. We are taking it all in and enjoying the views that are literally taking our breath away. We have visited the famous La Recoleta Cemetery, the San Telmo market on Sunday, and the famous Cafe Tortoni. Enjoy some pictures of our days here so far. Next, we venture to Uruguay for a day and explore more of Buenos Aires.

Brazil: The Summary

Ah, Brazil. Rio de Janeiro is just what we imagined it to be. Tropical, beach, delicious drinks, laid back feel, not a care in the world. Sao Paulo was a giant of a city that made these New Yorkers a bit flustered.  Here are our thoughts on Brazil. 

Days in Brazil: 14  (11 in Rio and 3 in Sao Paulo)

The People:
The people we encountered in Brazil were more than happy to help us with anything we needed in both Rio and Sao Paulo. We could not speak the language and we soon found out that most Brazilians do not speak English, but they were all so willing to help you understand a menu or play a game of charades to get their point across. Life slowed down in Rio and it was perfect for our first location as we slowed down right with them. They do not bring you the bill at a restaurant unless you ask for it. People sit for hours at beachside cafes sipping ice cold beers and people watching. Sao Paulo was fast paced. Very fast, the subways were crowded, the traffic was crazy, but the people were still very friendly towards us. (Except for one woman on the metro who almost got in a fist fight with Nelson, see below).

Sao Paulo: The NYC of Brazil?

What do you know about Sao Paulo? We didn't know much before we went. Once we arrived and our host told us, "It's like NYC but tropical," we were very skeptical! As we walked around we realized we were dealing with a monster of a city! It was NOTHING like the low key, laid back beach "town" of Rio de Janeiro. We were fighting to keep up with the walkers. We saw more suits in 10 minutes than we did in 10 days in Rio! The population was much more diverse. We realized the city was huge so we looked up some stats to confirm our observations. 

Did you know....

• Sao Paulo is the 2nd largest metro area in the Americas? Behind Mexico City and ahead of New York City? 
• Sao Paulo is the 10th richest city in the world. By 2025 it will be 5th. 
• Sao Paulo has 20 million people in its metro region. 
• Sao Paulo has the 2nd largest population of Japanese behind Japan!
• Sao Paulo has the 2nd largest population of Italians behind Italy!
• Sao Paulo was founded in the 1500s and became a city well before America was even founded in 1711! 

Enjoy our brief tour of Brazil's other major city! Up next, our Brazil summary and onto Buenos Aires, Argentina!

Rio de Janeiro Part 3: Sugar Loaf Mountain, a beach day, and LAPA!

We have seen many beautiful views in Rio but our favorite was from Sugar Loaf Mountain. The view of the sea stretching as far as the eye can see was amazing. The site itself was very well manicured tropical vegetation and very peaceful. We were going to visit the Botanical Garden, but.... after all the rain we encountered, when our last day was bright and sunny, we couldn't resist the beach! Sorry botanical gardens but its hard to beat a sunny day at the beach. We also checked out nightlife in Lapa! We were looking for Samba music but found so much more!!! Why didn't anyone tell us how full of life their nightlife was!? Enjoy our last days in Rio through our pictures! Stay tuned as we travel to Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil!

Rio de Janeiro Part 2: unexpected market, more food, and oh the views!

Allie and Nelson overlooking Copacabana from Sugar Loaf Mountain

As we continue our journey through Rio, we find more and more we appreciate. Their Brazilian culture is prominent in some of the surrounding areas more so than the tourist traps of Copacabana and Ipanema. We explored some new neighborhoods (Santa Teresa, Botafogo, Flamengo) and visited the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). Enjoy our pictures! To come next... Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Botanical Gardens.

Rio de Janeiro: Part 1 Exploring and People Watching

Allie and Nelson at Ipanema Beach

Ola! Nelson and Allie reporting live from lovely Rio de Janeiro! We are having so much fun here. We have done a lot of acclamation, people watching, relaxing, and taking it all in. Here our some of our first days in Rio! With Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Botanical Gardens still to come! Ciao!

We have departed!

Its official! We have departed the US and we have arrived in the UK! After the flight we are definitely experiencing jet lag! We are here in London for one night as we depart again tomorrow for sunny Rio de Janeiro! (London, not so sunny!) 

What we have learned from our first 12+ hours of traveling from JFK to Heahthrow:

• We have too much stuff, we should plan in the next few days of what to ditch as our bags are stuffed to the brim. Not convenient for traveling when you want to slip something in your bag real quick.
• Lines don't bother you as much when you have plenty of time. 
• British accents are so amusing! (and sometimes so hard to understand it sounds like a different language)
• Virgin Atlantic in flight service is very good! Pleasant flight crew! (free wine in economy class isn't too shabby either!)
• When the pilot tells you it will be a "nice day" in London, that equates to "dark, cloudy, gloomy skies, but no rain!" :)

The Gateway to America: Ellis Island

Lady Liberty

The journey millions of immigrants made to America was not easy. The 8 days by boat makes our future 8 hour flights look like joy rides. Their travel conditions were terrible, crowded, and dirty making our society's complaints about leg room and seat assignments trivial. They left relatives behind in their native countries, some they would never see again. No ability to Skype or FaceTime whenever they wanted. They came to a place where they could not speak the language. No iPhone apps to help with translation or currency exchange. They did all of this for a better way of life for themselves and their children. Could you do it? Would you be brave enough to leave your family and friends for life in another country? As we leave America in our rearview, we contemplated the appeal America had for so many millions of immigrants.

I'm Movin' Out!- A shift in mindset...

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies."

Moving is never easy to do. It is often the climax of a change in ones life. As humans, we tend to strongly dislike change, ourselves included. 

Our apartment was taken over by boxes, bins, and the accumulation of "things" that had taken place over a period of time. You find yourself making piles of clothes titled toss, donate, and storage. Well this time was a bit different for us. We had 4 piles. Toss, donate, storage, and trip! It was tough deciding what clothes made the cut for our 6+ month journey but we found a way. As the movers took all of our "things" away this morning, I thought back to the notion of accumulation of things. How is that we acquire so many items of furniture, clothing, books, DVDs, etc? I believe we hold onto things for their sentimental meaning. Not so much for the value of the item itself, but more for what that item reminds us of, a time or moment, or memory we want to hold with us. 

Our Featured Interview on MeAndFrenchie.com!

Allie and Nelson

Our Interview 

During our research for our trip, we came across an amazing travel blog titled, MeAndFrenchie.com.

We reached out to the traveling couple from San Francisco to gather ideas and ask many questions. They were eager to help a fellow couple who was just about to embark on their journey. We were thrilled when Mui from meandfrenchie.com asked to highlight us in a series of interviews on their blog. Here is our first interview on their blog! (Being featured on a blog as fantastic as theirs makes us feel like mini celebs!)

Our New York State of Mind

Our last month left in New York we took advantage of all New York state and the Northeast had to offer. We visited the wineries in Westchester County, saw the fall foliage in Connecticut, visited local markets, picked apples, ate our favorite foods, and traveled far upstate to visit friends and family. From the museums in Manhattan to the bowling alleys in Buffalo we covered it all! Here is our journey through Fall 2011 in our beloved home state during our goodbye tour. Enjoy our photos as Billy Joel tells you all about our New York State of Mind.

Why the recession is the best time to travel...

  

Round up your pennies and go!

Many people hear we are traveling and may think, "Is it really the best time to travel? Shouldn't you be saving your money?" We think differently. This may be one of the best times to travel! With many nations suffering like the US is, they are desperate for tourism dollars with many companies offering air, hotel, and tour group deals. Some of these nations thrive on tourism, so we like to consider our travels a bit of financial donation to some countries in need.

Some countries have recently decreased their visa fees to entice or promote travel to their country. It has been rumored that the Japanese government will be giving away free flights to Japan to spark tourism in 2012. After the earthquake and nuclear scares in spring of 2011, they have seen a significant drop in tourism. Many people are tightening up and are not able to spend money on luxuries such as vacations. If you can afford it, now is the time to find these great deals.

The American dollar may be weak compared to the Euro and the British Pound, but there are many countries where the dollar will take you far! If you venture to these nations you can spend very little for luxury accommodations and amazing food!

Less then a month till our departure!

Our handy dandy countdown app

Just 29 days away until we leave to see the world! We can't believe it is coming up so soon! Just packing our bags, putting our life into storage, putting the few bills we have on auto pay and leaving it all behind! Our last month "home" will be bitter sweet. Spending lots of time with our families, saying goodbye to friends, visiting our favorite restaurants one last time before we depart. We will miss everyone so much but yet we are so excited to see all that there is out there!

Kaizen for your Life - Change for the Better

Nelson dreaming of continuously improving his life as we cruise the Hudson River

Six sigma is a business management strategy used to improve business processes, eliminate waste, and diminish variation. As a six sigma professional I was pondering a term we in the industry use very often: Kaizen.

Wines of the World!

You don't need to take a physical trip to get a taste of the world. When I was a senior in college I took two electives through our hotel management program called 'Wines of the World' and "Food and Wine Pairing'. Real tough way to spend your senior year right? I have always enjoyed wine and when I would venture to the wine store I would try to pick wines from regions I have been to. Recently, I have found myself searching for wines of areas I will soon travel to. Either way, its a great way to get a taste of a place you have traveled to in hopes of reliving a moment or memory or get excited for a trip or vacation in your near future!

 Explore your liquor/wine store for a gastronomic journey!

How can I travel around the world?

Okay, so you made the decision to take a long term trip. Congratulations! The hard part is over! But now, how does one even start to plan? We learned things about long term travel we never knew existed. Travel blogs with firsthand experience were filled with information, resources and plenty of inspiration!

1. Make your list of countries.

This part is easy. Start dreaming. If you've ever thought, "I've always wanted to see what Australia is all about!" or "I am fascinated with Japanese culture," then include those! No nation is out of your reach. The world is getting smaller and smaller, take advantage.

Sit down solo or with your travel partner and make your list. We spent a few breakfasts at our local diner editing our list, adding to it and trying to make a path around the world that makes sense. We had no idea how we would do it or even how much it would cost it, but make an extensive list that can be shortened if necessary. For example, an African safari was just too expensive for our budget and eventually didn't make the cut.

2. More Money, Less Problems... when planning travel!

I've read the same quote on several travel blogs and I will include it here. "Pack what you think you will need and save your money. Then halve your items packed and double your savings."

Goodbye New York, Hello World!

Have you ever said, "I want to go far, far away from it all!"? We all have.
Ever wonder what this rat race is all for? Yeah, us too.
Have you found yourself spending time and money on things that really shouldn't be a priority? Been there.
Do you put off your dreams for any number of the standard excuses?
 ... Not us. We are doing something about it!

We love to travel. We crave it. We have this burning passion for it. Why not do what you love? Life is far too short to not do what invigorates you, makes you feel alive, gives you a better sense of purpose in this large (but small) world. With little financial responsibility, a travel partner, and a decent chunk of savings, why not go?