Our Peruvian Adventure

Well we finally made it back to the United States. You don't appreciate this wonderful country until you've been out of it thats for sure! We had a blast though. Nothing like a foreign country for a couple weeks. Well for those who don't know, Quin served his mission in Piura, Peru and we were able to go back and visit! Quins parents, Kirk and Haldeen, came and also Aunt Ann. We had a lot of fun learning about a new country! Its soooo different from the USA!! We spent 15 days in Peru and traveled around ALOT. Except for my camera being lost/stolen, it was an awesome trip!It went a little something like this...

WEDNESDAY June 16: Our plane left at around 10:30 that night. We flew American Airlines. Not a comfortable flight. It was a little over 5 hours. We got a few hours of sleep. Not too much. But it was nice to arrive in Miami.

THURSDAY June 17: We arrived in Miami about 6:00 am. We didn't leave again until 4:30 so we decided we'd take a bus to Miami beach to relax and enjoy the sun. Well Aunt Ann had hurt her knee a couple weeks so back so there wasn't much relaxing under the sun when we got there. Her knee started to hurt pretty bad so we tried to find a clinic for her to get some medicine. We found a little guy in a Rite Aid or something like that but they told us we had to go to the hospital to get some medicine. So off Kirk and Ann went to the hospital where they got her some pain medication. Quin, Haldeen, and I stayed back and walked around and shopped. We bought some t-shirts. Kirk and Ann got back, we caught the next bus back to the airport and there we waited til our flight left...5 in a half hours later we arrived in Lima Peru!! We arrived pretty late so we didn't see too much. We just went to our hotel and hit the sack.

FRIDAY June 18: We flew AGAIN to Cuzco, Peru. (Yes there were alot of flying). When we arrived, we were supposed to head up to Machu Picchu but there had been a train strike (of course there had to be) so our train wasn't going up that day. Our tour guide company was great though and switched it all around so we could go up first thing the next day! So instead of leaving again, we checked into the hotel, and went sight seeing at other Inca ruins. One was called Sacsayhuaman (it sounds like "sexy human" when you pronounce it haha) and a famous catholic church called...I can't remember haha. They were pretty interesting. I had a ton of pictures of them but since my camera is no longer with me, I had to steal some from Haldeens camera. That evening we also went to an Alpaca Store. Quin and I got some Alpaca sweaters. They are pretty comfy! That night we went to dinner at a resturant where something AMAZING happened. So we were just eating our food when we saw some people with the missionary plaque on. Quin decided to go talk to them and find out who they were. They ended up being the Mission president and his wife from the Lima Central mission and they were having dinner with a couple who were the parents of one of Quins mission companions!! So cool. So they called him up and he came over to see Quin. And it also just so happened that his cousin married one of Quins other companions so he called him up and it was just one happy reunion for all of them. Quin was SO excited. Crazy how things work out thats for sure.
This is Cuzco...HUGE

Our tour guide...everyone there is reeeaaalllyyy short

Sacsayhuaman

The Reunion :)

SATURDAY June 19: Left at 3:00 am in a van that took us to a bus that took us to a train to get to Machu Picchu. Lots of traveling. Since half the train tracks were washed away from a flood they have to start the train half way up. It was kinda funny when we were driving up we had to dodge alot of rocks and burning tree trunks from the train strikers who had thrown them at cars and cops the day before. Its a dang good thing we didn't go up the day before. Well after a while of traveling we finally made it up to Aguas Calientes which is the town right below Machu Picchu, checked into our hotel, then caught another bus that took us up the mountain. We had a tour guide for this great Inca ruin as well. Quin and I hiked around the whole thing while Ann stayed at the bottom since she couldn't get far with her knee. Kirk and Haldeen came up a little bit of the way.





SUNDAY June 20: Our train left at 8:00 that morning so we caught that and went back to Cuzco. On our way we stopped at some more ruins called Ollantaytambo. Its amazing...at all these Inca Ruins they would just build right into the side of the mountain. The rocks are shaped perfectly together. They would use water and salt and just rub the rocks until they were the shape they wanted. These places were HUGE. I can't imagine how long it must have taken them. Incredible. Well then after that just went shopping and relaxed haha. Were weren't like the Inca's. This was also the dreadful night my camera disappeared. No idea where it went to. I had it with me in the van and the next thing I know I'm at the hotel camera-less. Sad day.



MONDAY June 21: Just hung around Cuzco. No tour guide that day thank the heavens :). We went shopping at some little shops. That night we went to a Peruvian show where they danced and there was their native music playing. It was pretty fun! I got chosen to go up and be a part of one of the little funny things they make people do. I was a bull. I even had my own tail haha. Cameras weren't allowed so we only got pictures after the show. Once that was over Quin and I went to visit his ole companion and his wife at their house. I wish I knew spanish so I could tell ya what they talked about. I can understand a little but not enough to follow a whole conversation.




TUESDAY June 22: We flew out that morning back to Lima. We didn't do too much that day. Went to our hotel, which is right across the street from the airport, ate dinner at the airport and that was about it.

WEDNESDAY June 23: We had another flight but to Chicalayo this time. This is where Quin served his mission was up in the northern parts. We had a van waiting for us to take us up to Mancora. It is right next to the beach and SOO beautiful!! It was a long drive though. About 6 hours. But it was worth it!
Getting on the plane


Our beach house!




This slug was as big as my hand. We saved his life though :)

BEAUTIFUL Sunset


THURSDAY June 24: Drove up to Ecuador, shopped around. Drove back down to Zurimilla where Quin served. Met some families and his pinchinista or however you spell that. Drove back to Mancora and shopped some more. This took a whole day even though it doesn't sound like it!! Ha. Kirk wasn't feeling very good so he stayed in the beach house. What a good place to stay though!


Gross...thats how they sell their meat.



FRIDAY June 25: We drove back to Piura that day. It was about a 5 hour drive. We were able to visit the mission home. We talked to some missionaries there. Quin loved it. We also went shopping. I can't remember anything else.
This is how we past the time

This was the view right outside our hotel window.

Mission Home

Missionaries


SATURDAY June 26: We drove up to Jaen which was an 8 hour car ride. Too long if you ask me! It was a pretty drive though. This was Quins favorite area and he spent 8 months there so he was excited to get there. To pass the time we took lots of random pictures of lots of random things. I won't post them. It would be too boring haha. We were able to meet up with some members that night. We went and played basketball too! It was fun.
I couldn't leave out the moto-taxi though :)


Some members Quin knew

SUNDAY June 27: Went to church. It was awesome. Quin was a celebrity there basically. Everyone wanted to talk to him and hug him. Everyone is so nice! Dang I wish I knew more spanish!! After church we had to leave and drive back to Chicalayo. We wish we could have stayed longer but we didn't have enough time!




MONDAY June 28: Went and visited Quins members he knew, ate some dang good Peruvian food at one of their homes, and visited some more til the sun went down!



TUESDAY June 29: We flew back to Lima, went to the Temple, and of course went shopping :). The temple was soo busy! We got there at 1:00 but couldn't get in a session until 3:30! So amazing how the Lords work just keeps going forward! I was even cool enough to get to wear the headphones that talked to me in a familiar language :).


WEDNESDAY June 30: Our last day in Peru :(. We went on a city tour. Lima is a gorgeous city. My camera, I mean Haldeens camera, died so I don't have any pictures of it. First we drove around to some ruins. Then we stopped at a catholic church. It was exactly something you would see in Spain! Very pretty. We went underneath it to the catacombs where ALOT of people were buried. There were probably more bones down there then you'd ever want to see. It was pretty interesting though! That night we met up with Quins former mission president, Elder Hooker as he is known as now. He is a member of the Seventy. Very amazing man. It was fun to visit with him and his family. They spoke english so that made it nice :).

THURSDAY July 1: Flew back to Miami, then back to Las Vegas. Long day but it was GOOD to get back in the USA!! And just in time for the Fourth of July and Hansen Family Reunion!

Well that about wraps up our trip. It was amazing and I am so happy i was able to go. Thanks Kirk and Haldeen for letting me a part of such a wonderful trip! I love my new family and I love being married! Peru was an awesome place to visit and hopefully we'll get to return again. I know I left alot out but it I wrote everything I don't think anyone would read the whole thing anyways. Thanks for reading this far!

Until next time!!