Hello everyone! I am in Cusco, Peru, staying at an awesome hostel called the Wild Rover.

The past week has been non-stop action. We visited the beach city of Huanchaco, took an overnight bus to Lima, and then headed to Huacachina—a tiny town surrounding a desert oasis. We took a sand buggy into the dunes at sunset with a crazy driver who treated the dunes like a roller coaster. We even went sandboarding! I went down boogie-board style, and it was an incredible rush.

Now we are in Cusco, a beautiful, historic city in the mountains. My friends and I picked up local alpaca sweaters and beanies so we finally blend in a little more. Everything is so affordable here; I recently upgraded a $7 massage to a hot stone and coconut oil massage for just $10! The food is great, the people are very friendly, and I was feeling safe until an incident yesterday. I still love the city and want to spend more time here after we get back from Machu Picchu, but I have learned to be a little more careful when walking in the city.

Before I came to South America I had many people warn me to be careful, that it was not safe.  I heard the same thing before I went to Asia, but in reality, I felt way safer every day in Asia than I did back home in the US. However, in the past month here, I have had two attempted robberies. The first time was in a public area, and my friend ran away; nothing was stolen from us. 

 I was walking on a busy street near my hostel when an intoxicated man grabbed my wristlet, broke it off my arm, and ran. I chased him, but a security guard tackled him first. The next thing I knew, I was in the back of a tiny police truck, smashed between the security guard and the sobbing robber. The man was crying hysterically about his pregnant wife and drooling everywhere. It was so cramped and strange that my friend and I eventually just decided to get out of the truck before reaching the station.

I’m safe and I got my purse back, but I learned a valuable lesson: this isn't Asia. In South America, you have to be extra careful. From now on, I’m only carrying cash in a necklace under my shirt.

Tomorrow, I’m off on a four-day hike to Machu Picchu! Our trek includes mountain biking, white water rafting, and hot springs, ending with the sunrise at the ruins. I’m packing a poncho for the rainy season and crossing my fingers we stay dry.