He's Back

Travis came back from Peru bearing gifts. He brought me a drum and a beautiful cotton handmade shirt as well as this chocolate, which made me laugh.

He brought Leoni this hat, which she loved.

Machu Picchu

I have always wanted to visit Machu Picchu. About 10 years ago, my parents were Mission President in Bolivia. I went down to visit them for a month and planned on taking a "small" side trip to Peru to see Machu Picchu (hereafter referred to as MP). At the time, my dad said I didn't have the money for something like that - which was true - and crushed my dream. I felt it was such a waste of being relatively close and not being able to take advantage of the situation.

With my job at Qatar University, I am able to request funding to attend or present at various conferences throughout the world. I found a couple conferences that I could submit a proposal to, and then got accepted to and received funding for Peru TESOL. I managed to schedule my travels so that I could do a whirlwind trip to MP.

This was in the middle of the summer break, so what would Lindsay & Leoni do while I was away? I wanted them to come with me, but that just wasn't a practical option this time. So much of our summer was dedicated to balancing time with both of our families, it was difficult to figure out when we could visit Lindsay's grandpa in California or her aunt and cousin in Utah (since time in Utah was mostly dedicated to my family). We decided that this would be a good time for Grandpa Tubbs and Aunt TTT.

Shortly before my flight, L&L flew down to California. Lindsay's mom drove down and those three generations of ladies spent a few days with Doug (the fourth generation of that picture) in/around Fullerton. Then, L&L flew back up to Utah and spent the weekend with TTT and Emery.

In the meantime, I arrived in Cusco, Peru, on a Tuesday, and spent the day wandering around the city. I left early the next morning to take the only means of motorized transportation from Cusco to MP: about a 4-hour train. Some people backpack a few days along the Incan Trail to get there. The train goes all the way to a little town - Aguas Calientes - at the river's edge below MP. However, I got off the train about an hour early to hike along the Incan Trail the rest of the way, with my guide.

I hiked up (about 500m) and along the mountain for about 8 hours (only expecting a couple hours) visiting a few different Incan sites until we (my guide & I) arrived at Intipunku (the Sun Gate) overlooking MP. By that time, it was approaching sunset. We descended down to a bus which drove down a series of switchbacks to Aguas Calientes to stay the night.

The next morning, we got on a bus to go back up to MP with my guide. We went all over the site to see and learn about the incredible work of the Incas. There is one section that you can hike up to to overlook MP, but this involved getting up extra early to wait in line to get a permit. I enjoyed sleeping longer.

After a few hours at MP, my guide returned to Cusco and I wandered around Aguas Calientes until my departure back to Cusco on the train. I wandered around Cusco a little the next morning and then left for Arequipa that afternoon. My conference was great, especially because of some the people I met there.

I felt a little guilty going without Lindsay, but she reassured me by saying that we may never have the opportunity to go as a couple or family and I should take the opportunity. After visiting, I am very determined to make sure that Lindsay also has the opportunity to go some day.

Overlooking Machu Picchu from Intipunku

Sandy Aquarium

We had the chance to not only visit the Aquarium in Sandy, UT but visit with friends. Angela, Erica and I worked on a life consuming project (all while Angela was pregnant). Erica & I were working for efy and Angela was a functional consultant. Little did we know when we were assigned to the project that in the midst of "trials" we would become good friends. It was fun to be able to get together with our little people.

Erica, Lindsay, & Angela (and the little people)

Snapping turtles

The only picture I got of Leoni in front of the penguins before she was banished. They put up ropes for a presentation. Of course, she could walk right under them, but the aquarium people didn't like that. We had to move down the way since she couldn't see why she wasn't able to be close up.

Return to Utah

After a great trip to California, we returned to Utah. I was too tired to try to carry Leoni with everything else, so she was left to follow me through the airport parking lot, carrying baby bear.

Met up with my cousin Emery and my Aunt Tracy for lunch of delicious Thai food at Thaifoon at the Gateway. I have to say they were wonderful with a tired kid who had been travelling all morning. Leoni loved the noodles, too.

We past by the "dancing fountain" at the Gateway. This is one of the first times I was there in the summer during the day. There were crowds of people with their children playing in the water. Because navigating through them took a little while, I noticed this wall.

Sad that I never seemed to notice it before.

Especially since I am one of the people it was dedicated to.

I worked with the Slovenian delegation for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It resulted in a lower GPA my last semester at BYU (we didn't get time off for the Olympics like most other universities), but it was memorable and I will never forget the experiences it provided me (including living one of my biggest fears...a story for another time).

California visit

Leoni & Great-Grandpa Tubbs

While Travis went to Peru, Leoni and I went to southern California to visit my grandfather. We met up with my mom and spent a few days there so Leoni could see her great-grandfather.

Being silly in the hotel

Smelling the flowers

Sharing a petal

The flight was great, though navigating through an airport with a toddler who wants to walk herself and a carseat and all the other things a kid needs isn't the easiest. Thankfully, we flew into Long Beach, which is a small airport. We were able to see the ducks in a big park, eat some wonderful meals, and relax while visiting. There are more photos that ended up on my mom's camera (seeing as she is not in any of these pictures.)

Another first

First Mrs. Fields cookie

Thanksgiving Point Gardens

On a very sunny day, we went to the Gardens at Thanksgiving Point.

Leoni was happiest when she was walking around on her own.