Here are Brent & Duane sitting with one butt cheek in each hemisphere at the Equator monument in Quito, Ecuador.

Barry had Brent & Duane see how many times they could cross the equator (by jumping across the line) - a technique to not only keep the kids busy, but tire them out!

After Ecuador we spent a while in Peru. Here Brent is sitting in a rock cutting in what must have been an Inca quary. Brent & Duane spent several days exploring an area with multiple Inca ruins.

Later we went to Machu Pichu and Brent & Duane ran free amoung the ruins. As you can see - it drops away steeply at the edges and other tourists were motified that Brent & Duane might fall over the edge as there is no railings - but Barry just told them to mind their own business. Brent's passion for the mountains was already growing...

One of the few times we stayed in a Hotel- we woke up in the morning to find Machu Pichu shrouded in mist and deserted of tourists - a magical site!

Here are Brent, Duane & Gloria on the Brasilian side of Iguassu Falls. Before this we had been in Bolivia, Chile, Argentina & Paraguay (where we sold Rusty the van).

School work had to be done wherever we were - so here we take a break to do some homework while Gloria marks it. Of course - Brent & Duane were already getting an eduaction that far surpassed anything they could get in a classroom!

We flew to Manaus (1,450 km inland from the Atlantic) and lucked out by finding Klaus - a guide who took us even further up the Amazon river in this small boat for five days.

Brent would always sit at the front of the boat looking for caymans (Amazon crocodiles) and snakes.

Here is Brent keeping watch as we glide up one of the Amazon river's tributaries. The river has 'high tide' and 'low tide' each of which last for several months. This is high tide and thousands of square kilometres of forest are flooded - so we were at times going 'off river' through the forest and thus hitting logs or having snakes or spiders drop into the boat was a real possibility.

Here Brent & Duane shake a 'tree' which starts of straight and slim all the leaves pop out as you shake it.

Brent doesn't look to enthusiastic, but this 'pod' contains nature's 'candy floss' coated beans that can be poped in the mouth and the 'floss' sucked off for an instant sweet.

Here are Brent & Duane with some other kids live up the Amazon and their family hosted us for a day.

Brent & Duane are standing out in the rain not only getting a shower - but trying to get some clean, fresh, drinkable water. Normally we had to boil water and then drink tea - which Brent & Duane didn't like too much.

Piranas - what Piranas?? Brent, Duane & Barry enjoy swiming in the river while Piranas swim around them. Since it is high tide, the Piranas have plenty of food and aren't aggressive - just don't wear anything red!

After Brasil was Venezuela and this is at a Barvarian village (yes - a Barvarian village!) In Venezuela we were 'adopted' by an oil executive and shown around a bit.

After Venezuela we went to Curacao - one of the islands of 'Netherland Antillies'. Here Brent & Duane explore the floating market - a market of floating boats.

Next - Europe & Asia >>