AmysTriptoSouthAmerica

**AMY'S TRIP TO SOUTH AMERICA**
DAY 49 Thu-July 23	AMY'S BACK from Mike: 3:07pm: She's on her way home with Krissy right now. (text) from Amy: 9:18am: I made it to NJ-and as of now my flight is on time. (text)
DAY 48 Wed-July 22	Amy Lerman hates TACA airlines right now. Amy Lerman Thanks to a sink in a bathroom of a Burger King in Lima, Peru, I can now show Dr. Peters that water does NOT go down the drain in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere. [The Coriolis force]
DAY 47 Tue-July 21	Amy Lerman will never again wake up at 3:30am to climb a mountain, to wait in line, to race across Machu Picchu, to wait in another line, to be one of 400 people to get a ticket to climb another mountian (which I bascially had to slide down on my butt). If the doctor was right about my having a heart murmer, I cured it. Because my heart was not murmering, it was screaming very loudly and trying to pound its way out of my chest.
DAY 45 Sun-July 19	Amy Lerman thinks that one should be able to use the bathroom, even if the bathroon attendant does not have change. email from Amy Sun 6:19pm: Hi mom, I took a 12 hour bus from La Paz to Cusco on the 17th. I paid extra for a bathroom, but unfortunately the bus did not have one. Which ended up being a disaster because everywhere along the way you have to pay to use the bathroom, and I didn't have change, and then I didn't have the right currency, so I had to beg money from the guy sitting next to me. Anyways... I arrived in Cusco Friday night, then Saturday I took a tour of the city, and today I took a tour of some ruins and the Sacred Valley. I was dropped off in some town that starts with an O (where I am right now) -- and I'm catching a train to another town that starts with an A to stay for the night. Tomorrow I'm going to MP, then taking the train (or bus, or some combination of both) back to Cusco tomorrow night. I'll have one more day in Cusco, then the morning of the 22nd I fly to Lima. I have about a 13 hour lay-over in Lima--but I met some girls on the City Tour who are living in Lima currently and I'm going to hang-out with them in the afternoon. My flight to Newark leaves around 10:00pm, then I have about 5 hours in Newark before I fly home. Love, Amy
DAY 44 Sat-July 18	[Amy had this message from Debbie on her FaceBook wall so I guess she's left Bolivia and is now in Peru...] Debbie Zamd did you make it? how are you feeling? hope your bag didn´t break your back. it was really fun seeing you! maybe see you next year, kinda same place, kinda same time.
DAY 42 Thu-July 16	Amy Lerman This Bolivian album is incredibly long for two reasons. One, Debbie takes just as many pictures as I do. And two, the second time I was sick (this is the third) I had a whole day with nothing better to do but sit on the computer and make up captions. View if you choose. [note: Krissy will pick Amy up from the airport at 2:30pm in just one week.]
DAY 41 Wed-July 15	Amy Lerman can't keep up with all the babies being born..... [Chloe belongs to Carolyn, Caroline belongs to Karen]	new babies Chloe & Caroline
DAY 40 Tue-July 14	Amy Lerman would like to acknowledge that Luma was correct when describing the general bathroom conditions in Bolivia and the frequency of peeing outdoors. I thought I had the swine flu for a hot second, but no... just serious digestive issues with Bolivian food is all. But it's all good. [FB update]
DAY 37 Sat-July 11	Amy Lerman is sick of being sick. But I'm heading to the salt flats anyway. Hopefully I don't freeze to death :)
DAY 35 Thur-July 9	Amy Lerman wishes there was more air in La Paz. [La Paz's altitude is 12,001 ft]
DAY 34 Wed-July 8	Amy Lerman saw where the sun and moon were born (according to the Incas) -- and now I'm off to see some famous virgin statue...
DAY 33 Tue-July 7	Amy Lerman hopes the numerous sand fly bites did not contian leishmaniasis. Losing my nose to a flesh-eating protozoan would really suck.
DAY 32 Mon-July 6	Mike: How is Lake Titicaca? Have you been in it or on it? Amy: It´s freezing here, so I didn´t go in it. I don´t know if anyone does. But I took lots of pictures of it, and went in a boat across it twice, and hiked across an island located in it. (emails)
DAY 31 Sun-July 5	Amy Lerman is now sponsoring an 8-year-old boy named Kevin in Sorata, Bolivia. Thanks to Luma´s influence : ) [about 1:00pm]
DAY 30 Sat-July 4th	Luma: Last I knew she was arriving in La Paz on Friday and then taking off right away to a small city outside of La Paz called Sorata! It is very small and has limited internet service. She is supposed to be there until Sunday or Monday! Please let me know when u hear from her! (email)
	?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
DAY 28 Thu-July 2	Guarulhos Flight #1817 12:40am Salvador to Sao Paulo 3:20am ----- 14 1/2 hour layover in Sao Paulo, Brazil ----- TACA Flight #130 5:50pm Sao Paulo to Lima 9:00pm ----- 45 minute layover in Lima, Peru ----- TACA Flight #35 9:45pm Lima to La Paz, Bolivia 12:35am
DAY 27 Wed-July 1	Amy Lerman is getting ready to fly to Bolivia. Hopefully it will not be a repeat of Colombia. But it may be... I only have a 45 minute lay-over in Lima (after spending 15 hours in the Sao Paulo airport. Ugh.) It's always an adventure!	MORE BRAZIL PHOTOS
DAY 25 Mon-June 29	Amy Lerman is a big fan of over the counter medications in Brazil.
DAY 23 Sat-June 27	Amy Lerman chased a tour bus down the street today... but it was worth it... the tour was fun!
DAY 22 Fri-June 2		BRAZIL PHOTOS
DAY 21 Thu-June 25	Amy Lerman: These [monkeys] were in trees outside Luma's window... not in a zoo... way cooler :)
DAY 20 Wed-June 24	Amy Lerman saw monkeys.
DAY 19 Tue-June 23	Amy Lerman is celebrating São João in Gandu (Ricardo´s home town) -- very fun!!
DAY 18 Mon-June 22	Amy Lerman is no longer accepting responsibility for Ricardo's broken arm. Apparently he was always planning on playing in the game. However, my small bladder is responsible for my being shoved and man-handled in a crowded bar while avoiding a fight and stepping on a man on the floor with a clubbed foot--while Luma, Ricardo, and Hillary got caught in a rainstorm and Ricardo's cast got wet. (Which Luma got in trouble for.)
DAY 17 Sun-June 21	from Amy: I'm in Brazil with Luma! (email)
DAY 16 early morning Sat-June 20	Amy Lerman Despite the fact the Pilot announced over the speaker he was going to fly fast to help me make my connection (the flight was late) -- I missed my flight to Sao Paulo anyway. Now I have 24 hours in the beautiful city of Bogota without my luggage which they made me check in Cali against my will. My luggage is now in Brazil. Perhaps. With my cell phone. With Luma's number. Crap. Luma... are you reading this??!! My flight from Cali to Bogota was late and I missed my connecting flight to Sao Paulo, which means I'm going to miss my flight to Salvador. I have no way of reaching Luma--unless she checks her Facebook tomorrow before she comes to airport to get me at 10:00am. She has a cell phone number, but I don't know it. The next flight to Sao Paulo is tomorrow night (Saturday) at 9:30pm and I won´t arrive until 5:30am Sunday morning. Then I guess I'll have to buy a new flight to Salvador. Without speaking Portuguese. I need to talk to Luma!! (email) I'm at the Habitel hotel in Bogota. Room 214. [011] (57 1) 419 9999 (email) My luggage is in the airport waiting for me. So hopefully it´s all good. [FB update]
more 10:00am	note: Amy got Luma's cell phone number from her sister in Walled Lake, Michigan. So she was able to talk to Luma, but not before Luma drove to the airport. (phone call)
more 2:05pm 2:45pm	I talked to Luma and everything is straightened out--it's just going to cost me $250 to get a new ticket from Sao Paulo to Salvador. Hopefully I can be reimbursed through my travel insurance, I have to check. Hopefully this will be my last disaster. [see above] (email) note: Amy called the insurence Co. and she just has to fill out a claim when she gets home, and she should get her money back. (phone message)
more 7:30pm	Amy Lerman continued... Because I missed my flight to Sao Paulo, I missed my flight to Salvador. Because I missed my flight to Salvador, Luma, Ricardo and I missed our bus to our vacation destination. Because we missed our bus to our vacation destination, Ricardo played a soccer game and broke his arm. So because I packed too much stuff, Ricardo now has to get surgery next week. I think that may be bad karma..	Ricardo & Luma
DAY 15 Fri-June 19	Amy Lerman is flying to Brazil today!
DAY 14 Thu-June 18	Amy Lerman didn't appreciate the cricket jumping four stories through a bedroom window and landing on my stomach yesterday. But as Carrie pointed out, I was lucky it was only a cricket...
DAY 11 Mon-June 15	Amy Lerman thought I was going to end up on an episode of "Locked up Abroad" today when the boat I was taking to Isla Rosario was stopped for a random check by a police boat asking for documentation. My passport was in the hotel, of course, because apparently I think it´s a good idea to wander around a foreign country with no identification. Luckily they changed their mind. I have avoided jail once again. I fly back to Cali tomorrow (Tuesday). But Carrie is moving tomorrow and won't have the internet set up, so I won't be able to email again until I get to Brazil. But Luma is also moving the day I arrive and we're going on a roadtrip, so I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to get to a computer after I arrive. (email)	ADVENTURE PHOTOS
DAY 10 Sun-June 14	Amy Lerman danced salsa in Cartegana Friday night (very poorly) to a live band in an open air plaza with Colombian social activists. My trip is now complete.	(see below)
DAY 8 Fri-June 12	Amy Lerman took a mud bath in a volcano today. It was more like a hill though... not very volcano-ish. The mud is supposed to heal I think, but it isn't working yet...	PHOTOS FROM CARTEGANA
DAY 7 Thu-June 11	Amy Lerman learned another reason why knowing Spanish would be helpful. Today I won a lottery on a plane to Cartegan a--a free plane ticket. But because I had no idea what they were saying to me I just said, "No Gracias." Muy stupid. These [photos] may be all I can send for a while... I´m not sure when I´ll have internet access again. I´m in Cartegena right now... (email)
DAY 6 Wed-June 10	Amy Lerman saw a monkey eating poop at the zoo today (whose poop, I'm not sure.) [video on Picasa photo #40 & #41]	ZOO PHOTOS
DAY 5 Tue-June 9	Amy Lerman traveled down train tracks today on a contraption built out of ply-wood and powered by a teenager on a mo-ped.	PHOTOS
DAY 4 Mon-June 8	Amy Lerman, the most obvious gringa in Cali, survived the streets of Colombia alone without being offered cocaine or being kidnapped. (Knowledge of the spanish language would have been helpful.) However, the streets may be safer than the "Taxi's of Death" where road signs and lane markers are mere suggestions. Note to self: Next time I go to South America bring a Spanish-English dictionary. I'll be posting pictures on FaceBook when I get enough of them. (email)	PHOTOS
DAY 3 Sun-June 7	Amy Lerman is proud to be known as "Oreo Shake." [???]
DAY 2 Sat-June 6	Amy Lerman has started her adventure. (FaceBook) I made it to Colombia :) (email) PHOTOS START HERE	PHOTOS
DAY 1 Fri-June 5	"I'm on the plane in Houston getting ready to leave the country. I'll try to email tonight when I get to Carrie's. The bag is a pain & heavy - but it fits no problem in the overhead." ( text-message)
	******************************************************************

AMY'S TRIP TO SOUTH AMERICA

DAY 49
Thu-July 23

AMY'S BACK

from Mike: 3:07pm: She's on her way home with Krissy right now. (text)

from Amy: 9:18am: I made it to NJ-and as of now my flight is on time. (text)

DAY 48
Wed-July 22

Amy Lerman hates TACA airlines right now.

Amy Lerman Thanks to a sink in a bathroom of a Burger King in Lima, Peru, I can now show Dr. Peters that water does NOT go down the drain in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

[The Coriolis force]

DAY 47
Tue-July 21

Amy Lerman will never again wake up at 3:30am to climb a mountain, to wait in line, to race across Machu Picchu, to wait in another line, to be one of 400 people to get a ticket to climb another mountian (which I bascially had to slide down on my butt). If the doctor was right about my having a heart murmer, I cured it. Because my heart was not murmering, it was screaming very loudly and trying to pound its way out of my chest.

DAY 45
Sun-July 19

Amy Lerman thinks that one should be able to use the bathroom, even if the bathroon attendant does not have change.

email from Amy Sun 6:19pm:
Hi mom,
I took a 12 hour bus from La Paz to Cusco on the 17th. I paid extra for a bathroom, but unfortunately the bus did not have one. Which ended up being a disaster because everywhere along the way you have to pay to use the bathroom, and I didn't have change, and then I didn't have the right currency, so I had to beg money from the guy sitting next to me. Anyways... I arrived in Cusco Friday night, then Saturday I took a tour of the city, and today I took a tour of some ruins and the Sacred Valley. I was dropped off in some town that starts with an O (where I am right now) -- and I'm catching a train to another town that starts with an A to stay for the night. Tomorrow I'm going to MP, then taking the train (or bus, or some combination of both) back to Cusco tomorrow night. I'll have one more day in Cusco, then the morning of the 22nd I fly to Lima. I have about a 13 hour lay-over in Lima--but I met some girls on the City Tour who are living in Lima currently and I'm going to hang-out with them in the afternoon. My flight to Newark leaves around 10:00pm, then I have about 5 hours in Newark before I fly home.
Love, Amy

DAY 44
Sat-July 18

[Amy had this message from Debbie on her FaceBook wall so I guess she's left Bolivia and is now in Peru...]

Debbie Zamd did you make it? how are you feeling? hope your bag didn´t break your back. it was really fun seeing you! maybe see you next year, kinda same place, kinda same time.

DAY 42
Thu-July 16

Amy Lerman This Bolivian album is incredibly long for two reasons. One, Debbie takes just as many pictures as I do. And two, the second time I was sick (this is the third) I had a whole day with nothing better to do but sit on the computer and make up captions. View if you choose.

[note: Krissy will pick Amy up from the airport at 2:30pm in just one week.]

DAY 41
Wed-July 15

Amy Lerman can't keep up with all the babies being born.....

[Chloe belongs to Carolyn, Caroline belongs to Karen]

new babies Chloe & Caroline

DAY 40
Tue-July 14

Amy Lerman would like to acknowledge that Luma was correct when describing the general bathroom conditions in Bolivia and the frequency of peeing outdoors.

I thought I had the swine flu for a hot second, but no... just serious digestive issues with Bolivian food is all. But it's all good. [FB update]

DAY 37
Sat-July 11

Amy Lerman is sick of being sick. But I'm heading to the salt flats anyway. Hopefully I don't freeze to death :)

DAY 35
Thur-July 9

Amy Lerman wishes there was more air in La Paz.

[La Paz's altitude is 12,001 ft]

DAY 34
Wed-July 8

Amy Lerman saw where the sun and moon were born (according to the Incas) -- and now I'm off to see some famous virgin statue...

DAY 33
Tue-July 7

Amy Lerman hopes the numerous sand fly bites did not contian leishmaniasis. Losing my nose to a flesh-eating protozoan would really suck.

DAY 32
Mon-July 6

Mike: How is Lake Titicaca? Have you been in it or on it?
Amy: It´s freezing here, so I didn´t go in it. I don´t know if anyone does. But I took lots of pictures of it, and went in a boat across it twice, and hiked across an island located in it. (emails)

DAY 31
Sun-July 5

Amy Lerman is now sponsoring an 8-year-old boy named Kevin in Sorata, Bolivia. Thanks to Luma´s influence : ) [about 1:00pm]

DAY 30
Sat-July 4th

Luma: Last I knew she was arriving in La Paz on Friday and then taking off right away to a small city outside of La Paz called Sorata! It is very small and has limited internet service. She is supposed to be there until Sunday or Monday! Please let me know when u hear from her! (email)

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

DAY 28
Thu-July 2

Guarulhos Flight #1817 12:40am Salvador to Sao Paulo 3:20am
----- 14 1/2 hour layover in Sao Paulo, Brazil -----
TACA Flight #130 5:50pm Sao Paulo to Lima 9:00pm
----- 45 minute layover in Lima, Peru -----
TACA Flight #35 9:45pm Lima to La Paz, Bolivia 12:35am

DAY 27
Wed-July 1

Amy Lerman is getting ready to fly to Bolivia. Hopefully it will not be a repeat of Colombia. But it may be... I only have a 45 minute lay-over in Lima (after spending 15 hours in the Sao Paulo airport. Ugh.) It's always an adventure!

MORE BRAZIL
PHOTOS

DAY 25

Mon-June 29

Amy Lerman is a big fan of over the counter medications in Brazil.

DAY 23

Sat-June 27

Amy Lerman chased a tour bus down the street today... but it was worth it... the tour was fun!

DAY 22

Fri-June 2

BRAZIL PHOTOS

DAY 21

Thu-June 25

Amy Lerman:

These [monkeys] were in trees outside Luma's window... not in a zoo... way cooler :)

DAY 20

Wed-June 24

Amy Lerman saw monkeys.

DAY 19

Tue-June 23

Amy Lerman is celebrating São João in Gandu (Ricardo´s home town) -- very fun!!

DAY 18

Mon-June 22

Amy Lerman is no longer accepting responsibility for Ricardo's broken arm. Apparently he was always planning on playing in the game. However, my small bladder is responsible for my being shoved and man-handled in a crowded bar while avoiding a fight and stepping on a man on the floor with a clubbed foot--while Luma, Ricardo, and Hillary got caught in a rainstorm and Ricardo's cast got wet. (Which Luma got in trouble for.)

DAY 17

Sun-June 21

from Amy: I'm in Brazil with Luma! (email)

DAY 16

early
morning

Sat-June 20

Amy Lerman Despite the fact the Pilot announced over the speaker he was going to fly fast to help me make my connection (the flight was late) -- I missed my flight to Sao Paulo anyway. Now I have 24 hours in the beautiful city of Bogota without my luggage which they made me check in Cali against my will. My luggage is now in Brazil. Perhaps. With my cell phone. With Luma's number. Crap. Luma... are you reading this??!!

My flight from Cali to Bogota was late and I missed my connecting flight to Sao Paulo, which means I'm going to miss my flight to Salvador. I have no way of reaching Luma--unless she checks her Facebook tomorrow before she comes to airport to get me at 10:00am. She has a cell phone number, but I don't know it. The next flight to Sao Paulo is tomorrow night (Saturday) at 9:30pm and I won´t arrive until 5:30am Sunday morning. Then I guess I'll have to buy a new flight to Salvador. Without speaking Portuguese. I need to talk to Luma!! (email)

I'm at the Habitel hotel in Bogota. Room 214.
[011] (57 1) 419 9999 (email)

My luggage is in the airport waiting for me. So hopefully it´s all good. [FB update]

more
10:00am

note: Amy got Luma's cell phone number from her sister in Walled Lake, Michigan. So she was able to talk to Luma, but not before Luma drove to the airport. (phone call)

more
2:05pm

2:45pm

I talked to Luma and everything is straightened out--it's just going to cost me $250 to get a new ticket from Sao Paulo to Salvador. Hopefully I can be reimbursed through my travel insurance, I have to check. Hopefully this will be my last disaster. [see above] (email)

note: Amy called the insurence Co. and she just has to fill out a claim when she gets home, and she should get her money back. (phone message)

more
7:30pm

Amy Lerman continued... Because I missed my flight to Sao Paulo, I missed my flight to Salvador. Because I missed my flight to Salvador, Luma, Ricardo and I missed our bus to our vacation destination. Because we missed our bus to our vacation destination, Ricardo played a soccer game and broke his arm. So because I packed too much stuff, Ricardo now has to get surgery next week. I think that may be bad karma..

Ricardo & Luma

DAY 15
Fri-June 19

Amy Lerman is flying to Brazil today!

DAY 14
Thu-June 18

Amy Lerman didn't appreciate the cricket jumping four stories through a bedroom window and landing on my stomach yesterday. But as Carrie pointed out, I was lucky it was only a cricket...

DAY 11
Mon-June 15

Amy Lerman thought I was going to end up on an episode of "Locked up Abroad" today when the boat I was taking to Isla Rosario was stopped for a random check by a police boat asking for documentation. My passport was in the hotel, of course, because apparently I think it´s a good idea to wander around a foreign country with no identification. Luckily they changed their mind. I have avoided jail once again.

I fly back to Cali tomorrow (Tuesday). But Carrie is moving tomorrow and won't have the internet set up, so I won't be able to email again until I get to Brazil. But Luma is also moving the day I arrive and we're going on a roadtrip, so I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to get to a computer after I arrive. (email)

ADVENTURE

PHOTOS

DAY 10
Sun-June 14

Amy Lerman danced salsa in Cartegana Friday night (very poorly) to a live band in an open air plaza with Colombian social activists. My trip is now complete.

(see below)

DAY 8
Fri-June 12

Amy Lerman took a mud bath in a volcano today. It was more like a hill though... not very volcano-ish. The mud is supposed to heal I think, but it isn't working yet...

PHOTOS FROM CARTEGANA

DAY 7
Thu-June 11

Amy Lerman learned another reason why knowing Spanish would be helpful. Today I won a lottery on a plane to Cartegan a--a free plane ticket. But because I had no idea what they were saying to me I just said, "No Gracias." Muy stupid.

These [photos] may be all I can send for a while... I´m not sure when I´ll have internet access again. I´m in Cartegena right now... (email)

DAY 6
Wed-June 10

Amy Lerman saw a monkey eating poop at the zoo today (whose poop, I'm not sure.)
[video on Picasa photo #40 & #41]

ZOO PHOTOS

DAY 5
Tue-June 9

Amy Lerman traveled down train tracks today on a contraption built out of ply-wood and powered by a teenager on a mo-ped.

PHOTOS

DAY 4
Mon-June 8

Amy Lerman, the most obvious gringa in Cali, survived the streets of Colombia alone without being offered cocaine or being kidnapped. (Knowledge of the spanish language would have been helpful.) However, the streets may be safer than the "Taxi's of Death" where road signs and lane markers are mere suggestions.

Note to self: Next time I go to South America bring a Spanish-English dictionary.

I'll be posting pictures on FaceBook when I get enough of them. (email)

PHOTOS

DAY 3
Sun-June 7

Amy Lerman is proud to be known as "Oreo Shake." [???]

DAY 2
Sat-June 6

Amy Lerman has started her adventure. (FaceBook)

I made it to Colombia :) (email)

PHOTOS START HERE

PHOTOS

DAY 1
Fri-June 5

"I'm on the plane in Houston getting ready to leave the country.
I'll try to email tonight when I get to Carrie's.
The bag is a pain & heavy - but it fits no problem in the overhead." ( text-message)

******************************************************************

Amy Lerman hates TACA airlines right now.

Amy Lerman Thanks to a sink in a bathroom of a Burger King in Lima, Peru, I can now show Dr. Peters that water does NOT go down the drain in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

Amy Lerman thinks that one should be able to use the bathroom, even if the bathroon attendant does not have change.

[Amy had this message from Debbie on her FaceBook wall so I guess she's left Bolivia and is now in Peru...]

Debbie Zamd did you make it? how are you feeling? hope your bag didn´t break your back. it was really fun seeing you! maybe see you next year, kinda same place, kinda same time.

Amy Lerman This Bolivian album is incredibly long for two reasons. One, Debbie takes just as many pictures as I do. And two, the second time I was sick (this is the third) I had a whole day with nothing better to do but sit on the computer and make up captions. View if you choose.

Amy Lerman can't keep up with all the babies being born.....

Amy Lerman would like to acknowledge that Luma was correct when describing the general bathroom conditions in Bolivia and the frequency of peeing outdoors.

Amy Lerman wishes there was more air in La Paz.

Amy Lerman hopes the numerous sand fly bites did not contian leishmaniasis. Losing my nose to a flesh-eating protozoan would really suck.

Amy Lerman is now sponsoring an 8-year-old boy named Kevin in Sorata, Bolivia. Thanks to Luma´s influence : ) [about 1:00pm]

Amy Lerman is getting ready to fly to Bolivia. Hopefully it will not be a repeat of Colombia. But it may be... I only have a 45 minute lay-over in Lima (after spending 15 hours in the Sao Paulo airport. Ugh.) It's always an adventure!

Amy Lerman is a big fan of over the counter medications in Brazil.

Amy Lerman saw monkeys.

Amy Lerman is celebrating São João in Gandu (Ricardo´s home town) -- very fun!!

note: Amy called the insurence Co. and she just has to fill out a claim when she gets home, and she should get her money back. (phone message)

Amy Lerman didn't appreciate the cricket jumping four stories through a bedroom window and landing on my stomach yesterday. But as Carrie pointed out, I was lucky it was only a cricket...

Amy Lerman danced salsa in Cartegana Friday night (very poorly) to a live band in an open air plaza with Colombian social activists. My trip is now complete.

Amy Lerman learned another reason why knowing Spanish would be helpful. Today I won a lottery on a plane to Cartegana--a free plane ticket. But because I had no idea what they were saying to me I just said, "No Gracias." Muy stupid.

Amy Lerman traveled down train tracks today on a contraption built out of ply-wood and powered by a teenager on a mo-ped.

Amy Lerman is proud to be known as "Oreo Shake." [???]

Amy Lerman has started her adventure. (FaceBook)

Amy Lerman learned another reason why knowing Spanish would be helpful. Today I won a lottery on a plane to Cartegan a--a free plane ticket. But because I had no idea what they were saying to me I just said, "No Gracias." Muy stupid.