Ditching the DSLR...

Ok, so I'm not really ditching my fantastic new camera. Unfortunately, I won't be taking it with me on my long-dreamed-of trip to Peru tomorrow.

Did you know in Peru the Canon EOS and similar DSLR cameras are considered "professional equipment" and have special restrictions? You have to declare the camera and pay a deposit to customs when you bring it in (about $200). You have to carry a copy of your receipt to prove where you bought it and for how much. And if you want to bring it to Machu Picchu (who wouldn't??) you have to pay a fee of about $310 USD.

So the DLSR will be staying home, and the point-and-shoot will be it. I was a little nervous about the DSLR anyway since it's still so new to me and I'm not yet comfortable with all the settings. I'm sad to leave it behind, but it will certainly join me on future trips.

In happier news, I managed to get a prescription for medication to prevent altitude sickness, despite being denied by the first doctor because I wasn't "currently experiencing symptoms." (This conversation took place at sea level.)

I hope I'll be able to blip while I'm in Peru, but I'm not sure what our internet access will be like.

And now I'm off to reread Pablo Neruda's "The Heights of Machu Picchu," the long poem that originally inspired my deep desire to visit this magical place.

Cheers, everyone!