Most brilliant dumb thing in the whole world.

So I am on top of a mountain, in the San Blas Arts district in Cusco. How did I get here, you might ask? Well, I decided the hotel where I was staying—the hotel with a big bed and lots of covers, private bathroom, and breakfast in the morning—was too expensive if I was going to be staying until Monday. So a Hostal, I thought. I had a good experience at one in Venice, and then in Lima. And then I was like, well, I think I want to look around at apartments in the arts district, so I should find a hostel there. So I looked in my guide book and on the internet and one, the Hostal of Artists in San Blas, was the one that got good reviews and only costs $8 a night. So I called them, got a room until Monday, and was happy.

I took a walk this morning, checked out of my hotel, and at 9:45am had the taxi take me to the hostal. He took me as far as the San Blas square and pointed up the hill and then abandoned me. So I started walking. That was when I encountered the stairs… The stairs that lead all the way up the giant steep hill stairs. The stairs that someone who is not used to the altitude should not try even if they’re only carrying a purse stairs. And I had 2 luggage bags that weight 50lbs each (remember I’m here for 10ms, for a few seasons, and there are no malls or stores for buying clothes easily, so I had to bring it all with me). A very nice shop owner let me stow one bag in his back room and I proceeded to lug the other up the hill. It almost killed me, I felt like I was having an asthma attack the whole time, and when I got to the top all the hawkers took one look at me and scattered. You know it’s bad when the hawkers won’t even approach you—I think they were worried I’d pass out.

I got in, talked to the man behind the counter (Lenny) about checking in and then put on my most piteous face (not hard after all that) to ask if he could help me get the other bag (which turned out to be the lighter of the 2). He pointed to the communal bathrooms, to the communal kitchen, and helped me get my bags into my room. I realized then that I have no towels, no hand/face soap, no shower sandals, no mirror, a gigantic bruise on my arm, and I wanted to cry. Oh yea, good morning.

Now I’m supposed to go apt. looking. I don’t know if I have the energy for this or even the will power after seeing the one yesterday. I’m supposed to be taking it easy and getting used to the altitude….not doing so well on that point so far today. I want to be able to call my girlfriend without arranging a skype session. In good news, I signed up for in person classes with mi maestra, Danitza, 2 hrs a day M-F this week. So hopefully I’ll get more comfortable just talking to people. And if all else fails, the bright side to this little adventure (which won’t be funny for a while, but will be hilarious years from now) is that it will be much easier going back down.