Hi Cold,

Wow - adventures and excitement and suspense right to the end.

My daughter also is interested in the foreign service so I know what you mean... For now, the foreign service is only lukewarm about her so I am hoping she can get a bit more savvy before she is sent off somewhere afar...

You and my husband could have a good commiseration about university tuitions!

(And, I'm glad you know travel experiences are way more educational than college!)

I almost joined the Foreign Service when I graduated many years ago (I was also very interested in the United Nations), and almost had another chance at it just recently now as a professional but didn't pursue either opportunity further and am glad with my decision. Having many friends in the FS and posted around the world in great locations, theres a lot that goes with the job that many are unaware of.
However I also think a lot depends on where you are in your life at the time, and being younger is definitely better too.

Mlgb - thanks for the tips. With two of us requiring premium economy seats to arrive in one piece, the airfare is so expensive. I spend hours trying to find innovative ways to fly to NZ/Australia. Stop at an island. A round the world fare. Air Canada points. One of these days ...

Gruezi - I read the threads about US tuition and I thank the Gods we live in Canada. Tuition is going up here, but is still much cheaper than what you face.

Mathieu - We were thinking about how "younger helps" when we were in the Canadian embassy in Lima. Everyone had such a carefree attitude about their next posting. Here, there, wherever ... it was all fine with them. One big adventure.

Thats a large part of it Cold. The other is the money - the majority of those jobs don't pay very much, and it can take a long time before you can make a decent wage, not to mention the competition and heirarchy for promotion, and the transient nature of the job. Most of your perqs are non monetary though your benefits can be attractive. You work all hours of the day and are always on call, and have some glamourous moments but thats not the norm for most FS staff. So yes, it's an exciting adventure when you're young and starting work (though immaturity in that line of work can also have it's problems) and I think a very worthwhile experience, but hard to consider if you are older with some roots put down, and used to a higher income than you'd likely earn, even with commensurate experience.

I forwent my opportunities in favour of the private sector (Banking), and in 5 years was considerably further ahead than I think I would have been had I pursued the FS career (based on the friends I know). And travel to exciting places was still a possibility.

Cold I enjoyed your trip report SO much. It is a trip that is high on my bucket list, but after readying your report, I'm not so sure I'd be able to do it. I could easily read your report over and over, and pretend I'm right there doing the trip. The thought of altitude sickness scares the hell out of me. I experienced it a couple of years ago in the Andes, and I wasn't nearly as high up as you were. And even though I don't really have a fear of heights, I think it would still be scary..

But what a fabulous trip! Thanks so much for taking the time to put your experience down on paper.

Keep saving your Aeroplan! I got to NZ that way, stopping in Fiji.

Happy travels.

Cold, wow, what a trip report. My feet hurt just thinking about those rocks. I could visualize your 12 year old running up the steps over and over, you know, just for fun. Little shits, where do they get so much energy?
You are right about the family trips coming to an end soon. My girls are 31 and 29, with spouses, children, jobs, house payments, inlaws, etc. It is hard to coordinate a 3 day weekend with all of us. So grandma and I bought a house large enough for all of us, it isn't Peru but the sound of little feet running around again is perty cool.
As far as college is concerned, I don't care how much $$ you make, when you have two on campus at the same time, it isn't enough. Good luck with that,oh and don't forget there might be a wedding in there somewhere, right about the time you think you can afford a six pack again.
Is ass-slide a fodors patented term now? I enjoy your writing and didn't you have a layover in Houston?

Kodi - those Aeroplan bas5ards just stole 50,000 points from my wife and daughter (no activity for a year). I have 220,000 points but cannot find a business class seat to Australia (I am 6'3"). They will offer it to me one way but the other way is always economy, except for the Ottawa-Toronto segment which is business class - yippee. I am really sick of Aeroplan.

Ziggypop - you are so right. We will have three in university at some point. And the oldest was just in here saying she could get 30% off her Alexandria, Egypt tuition if we reduce our income a bit. There's a great plan.

Yes we had a four hour layover in Houston. Just long enough to see the world's largest cockroach run across the floor in front of the McDonalds tables in the departure lounge.

Cold, so sorry to hear about the loss of 50,000 points . That really stinks. Good luck with the business class seat to and from Australia.

Have meant to read your report for some time but the world has intervened. So now I have and can say, sorry, cold, but you and I have no future. No way do I poo on the side of a mountain....
:-d

Seriously, an amazing trip and TR. As others have said, wonderful memories for your family.

Excellent trip report - you do have a great writing style. Brought back happy memories too and from the sound of it we had it much easier - I'd definately recommend trying to do the Inca Trail in the dry season if at all possible.

TD - just hold it in for four days. No wait - that was my plan. It didn't work.

Tjhome - I am trying to figure out how to get back and do the trail again. Maybe it will be in our summer (their dry season) next time. I just read your trip report. Many of our observations are very similar. I look forward to your report of the strange train ride. :)

It's nice to know that as a vertically "TERRIFIED" person, I am now alone. I am 58 living in a state with many bridges.I can only walk on many bridges with 1 foot on the sidewalk with the other in the street. The Missi R. is one on side of the state with the Missouri R. on the other. Unless someone drives me across the bridge, I am forever stuck here. Thank goodness for airplanes because I do not mind flying to get over the rivers - if need be. In the mid-1960's I wanted to be an archaeologist so I read everything I could get from the library.Of course there were the articles/pictures of Machu Picchu. The pictures always showed sheer cliffs, deep canyons. Then, there wasn't much tourism and a rope bridge was always pictured going over to the area. I cannot even get on a rope bridge withour becoming catatonic. My mother was very aware of this. She used to "jeer" at me saying what was I going to do? I would never become an archaeologist...Well, I never let my mother influence me too much. I am an archaeologist in the nice rolling hills and bluffs of the midwest - it works. This year I am finally making the trek to Machu Picchu - I am not going on the Trail - I believe what you say. Can't wait to read more.

I sorta/kinda read everything backwords so now I see the "finali" - great travel log. A suggestion for a very affordable, fun, somewhat challenging family vacation is a 1 week canoe/kayak float on the Mississpi River basin area.There is a none profit organization that plans the annual trips - generally during the last week of July - following on the heels of RAGBRAI - the Great Bicycle Race across Iowa (that's a challenging ride too). Anyway the River Rumble is doing a trip on the Missouri this year. Generally the floats are in the Wisconsin, Minn., Il., and Iowa areas - the prettiest sections of the river. They plan all the camping sites, eating areas, transportation of all one's gear, etc. The Winona Canoe Co. sponsors the trips. 1 can rent the river craft. The best thing is the trip does not cost $5,000 for 10 days. The main cost is about $350 each for 7 days - one has to get themselves to the ending point and they will take you to the starting point for a small fee.Go to www.riverrumble.org for this year's info and info on future trips. It is a very interesting trip. You think the river flow will take you down river with no effort on your part. How can 1 be so wrong! I never had to paddle so hard for so long to maintain the day's trip goals. Gives 1 a great appreciation for when river travel was a principle mode of transportation. There are great water gun fights too!

Hi coldy, I just found your report today, it brings back a lot of memories of my trek on the Inca Trail in 2008. Thanks for taking so much time to share your trip with us.

Cold, just found and read your excellent inca trail report! I have started to do research for my trip in June booked this week and I am excited and terrified after reading your family's experience and watching some YouTube videos. I don't have VC issues but I am not exactly Ms. Outdoors, just an adventure lover looking to experience all this fantastic world has to offer. At any rate I'm just wondering if I've bit off more than I can chew. Wouldn't be the first time.

This was the first trip report I've read on the hike and I think I can stop now. Well done and very helpful.

Hi Jen - I doubt very much you have bitten off more than you can chew. A good company will take care of you. And if you are an adventure lover you will have a great attitude.

I have thought more about this trip than any trip we have taken. Just yesterday my wife was saying how much she misses our guides. That is just so unlike her. It is not like every moment is wonderful. But the whole trip adds up to a wonderful life moment.

I hope you will post how it goes.

I should add that so many vacations are satisfying on the emotional and intellectual levels. Trips like the IT add in a significant physical sense of satisfaction. The synergy is wonderful.

Awesome! Thanks, I really could tell that you felt that way about it even with some of the physical challenges. I will definitely come back and post and probably will post a help me with planning thread in the next few months which I hope you will contribute to. Don't worry I'm not planning to take any jeggings with me :-).

Knowmad - I love your quote:

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain.

Now if only I can pretend it is mine. :?

A wonderful quote!