Hello again from Cochabamba. The last few weeks have been quite hectic as I have been trying to squeeze as many projects and activities into my last few weeks as possible. Classes have continued to go well, however they have been a little repetitive and frustrating since I am at a point now that the main thing I need is practice, and at times going to a class for four hours a day is a rather rigid form of practicing. However, the classes are getting more interesting as I am able to better express myself and talk about more complicated issues. I will finish with classes this Friday. They have been an amazing help in my learning Spanish. While rather intense at times, the classes were exactly what I needed to begin learning the language in a short period of time.
Last Sunday, I made an attempt on Tunari, the largest mountain in the area. At over 16000 feet, it is a monster that is clearly visible from anywhere in the city. I began the adventure with two friends from the Institute around 6am on Sunday morning. We took a trufi west to Quillicollo, and from there another to the Parque Tunari. We began climbing around 8am and had decided to attempt the journey without a guide. Not using a guide was probably a mistake especially since we spent the first two hours bushwhacking and trailblazing through river beds and thick ground cover. After a while as we got into the higher altitudes, the plant growth thinned out a bit and we were able to proceed much easier. Despite keeping a relentless pace, we definitely underestimated the distance however, and my two in the afternoon, had just reached the base of the cliffs that go up to the summit. This was a bit disappointing, but if we wanted to attempt a summit in one day, we should have hired transportation to get up a little higher up the mountain. The views were spectacular and it was a great experience. Next time I am here I am going to have to try again.
Thanks again for reading. I will write more soon.
Gray
grayskinner@hotmail.com
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