After my presentation at the conference in Panama, I took a few days of rest and relaxation.  My friend and colleague, Kathi Dennis, was heading to the conference organizer’s beach house for a few days.  When the offer for me to join her was extended, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.  I first met Kathi and her husband, Ralph about 15 years ago.  It was good to spend time and get caught up with her.

After the beach, I hopped a plane to Lima, Peru.  I was excited to get to Peru because I had a number of friends that were going to meet me there.  It was the first group since the New Year’s Eve kick off party to meet me out on the road.  My friends picked a hostel in the upscale neighborhood of Lima called Miraflores.  I checked into the hostel knowing the rest of the group was coming in later that night or the next day. 

I decided to check out the city by going on a run.  The area was a great place to run because it bordered on the Pacific Ocean.  After running along the ocean, I headed towards town and ran by two great shopping/restaurant districts.  My run ended in the park area near my hostel which was the location of the statue of the "lovers in an embrace."

MEET THE FRIENDS

From left to right- Jenny Hurta (Austin, TX ) Jim Butski (The world-currently in Peru)
Cathi Odtohan (Chicago, IL)

I went to Frost Middle School and Churchill High School in Livonia, MI with the three of them.  The three of them ended up going to the University Michigan while I went to Michigan State.  I lost touch with them shortly after we graduated from college.

I reconnected with Jenny three years ago through a common friend.  Jenny and Cathi were in Michigan last summer and I met them at a Tiger game.  During the game, we talked about my trip and the two of them said they wanted to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.  I didn’t think much of it because everyone I talk about the trip to always say they are going to meet me somewhere.  Unlike others, they were serious.  Cathi connected me with Jim.  Jim was at the time living in Costa Rica.  A traveler at heart he quickly jumped on board.

Sangeeta Relan (Chicago, IL) with yours truly.

I met Sangeeta through my friends from Chicago, Jeff and Katie Kowalski.  Sangeeta is a Michigan State University grad.  She had traveled with Patrick and me in 2004 when we went to Belize.  I saw her in December at my going away party in Chicago.  I mentioned the Inca Trail to her casually but didn’t think she would make it because she was in the middle of a job search.  Needless to say, she made it out.

Pam Lauroff (Grand Rapids, MI)

I met Pam through my friend Graham Leach in 2000.  Pam is also a Michigan State University graduate.  We traveled to a number of MSU sporting events over the years including the 2000 NCAA Basketball National Championship Game.  She traveled with a group of us to New Zealand for New Years in 2005. I mentioned the Inca Trail to her at the same party in Chicago.  She was the last person to sign up for the trip.

My brother- Suneil Singh (Detroit, MI) with his two friends Tara Danneffel and Ryan Calus.

My brother and his friends decided to come out to Peru in February.  By that time the permits to hike the Inca Trail were already sold out for the days we were going.  They decided to take a different tour to Machu Picchu.  They had only one day of overlap with us in the city of Cusco.  It was too short but it was good to see them.

Each of them offered to bring things that I needed from the States.  Since I didn’t get any gifts for my birthday, this was like my belated birthday.  Yes, I did notice that I didn’t receive any gifts from you! 

• Pam brought me my new credit card and a new pair of pants.  When you lose 30 pounds on the road, you need new pants.  I ordered a new pair and had them sent to her house.
• Jenny brought me new headphones for my Ipod.
• Sangeeta brought me a book- Confession of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins.  (I will write about the book soon.)

   

• Cathi brought me DVDs  with movies and TV shows along with a few copies of Entertainment Weekly. Part of the DVD’s included the first nine episodes of this season’s television show, Lost.  I saw an episode of Lost in Buenos Aires and needed my fix.
• Suneil brought me a number of cd’s with music and a book by Jonathan Franzen.
• Jim was already traveling so I didn’t expect anything from him but later in the trip he gave me a Peru soccer jersey that didn’t fit him– so that deserves mention.