Annnnnnnnnd we're off! We jumpstarted the trip through Ecuador only spending a day before heading to Peru. Reasoning was, I had been there before and we will be back through it to fly out in December. While in Ecuador we spent a day walking the streets and boardwalks of Guayaquil (the largest city in Equador). We also managed to find our way up to a lookout giving a 360 degree panarama of the city.
Currently we are in Huaraz which is the jumping off point for the Cordilleras Blanca, which are known for their trekking, big wall climbing, and ostentatious summits. The Cordilleras are second to the Himalayas in being the highest mountain range in the world with 22 summits over 6000 meters. For now we will spend a few days combating altitude sickness and making sure we are acclimated to the quick change in elevation. Then we'll hire a donkey and head for the hills to spend a few nights among the frozen water falls, glacier lakes, and snow capped peaks.