The End.

So, I'm sitting in the Lima airport.

Suffering through a 10 hour layover by drinking shitty South American beer.

And I'm sad.

After Machu Picchu, it finally kind of hit me that my trip was coming to a close.

Yesterday was rainy.

Cold, nasty, rainy.

To top it off, there's this festival happening in Cuzco where people throw buckets of water or water balloons on passersby and aggressively spray the with shaving cream.  Like from two inches from your face.

And if you think that they don't target white, American girls, you are sorely mistaken.

Needless to say, our one outing into the markets (not to mention the aforementioned rain), ended in four cold, wet, cranky, white, American girls, sticky with shaving cream residue.

So we trekked back through streets covered in at least an inch of rain water to drink hot toddies and cook dinner at Laura's apartment.

It was a truly perfect and relaxing end to the trip -- despite the dampness.

My emotions are in conflict with each other.

Like I said, I am sad.

I burst into tears saying bye to Maggie this morning and all I really want right now is to be eating shitty Peruvian baked goods in a cafe with my two compañeras.

But I am also excited.

For San Francisco.

To see my family.

To plan the next step.

And then there is the jumble of other emotions: anxious, thankful, confused, slightly airport drunk -- the list goes on.

True to character, I am being ranty, cheesy, and emotional.

Let's just go with it for a few more minutes:

Thank you Mom and Dad for putting up with my angst as I saved to make this trip possible.

Thank you, Ryan, for continued support and for experiencing my trip second hand and always offering company, distraction, and words of wisdom over late-night, shitty wifi.

Thank you to all of my friends that encouraged this trip from the beginning.

Thank you to the amazing Laura Koes for for offering her company and guidance during the last few days of my trip -- you are truly a beautiful soul.

Thank you, Amanda for being the one that made me get off my ass and do this in the first place! For your companionship, your rationale, and all of the jokes.  I am happy we're friends now.

And Maggie.

Where to start!

You are such an inspiration to me.

Who knows if this crazy trip would have ever happened if it wasn't for your picking up and moving to Colombia on a whim?

Thank you for being our translator and our mom.  For your grace and hospitality.

I love you and I cannot wait to see you again!

Anyway, I'll leave it at that.

Cheesy, beer-induced rant.

I guess next you hear from me, I will have resumed my normal, boring blogging.

I'll let you all look forward to that.

Not sure what else to say other than the usual:

Thanks for reading.

WHAT A TRIP.