05/25/2026
GNLC Eliana's name honors a Peruvian woman we met in 1996. It was Steve's 7th trip to South America*, Sue's 1st. Our kids' teachers assured us they would learn more from a month in the Andes than in their 5th and 8th grade classrooms. Thanks in large part to Eliana, they were right!
Beginning in La Paz, Bolivia, we first visited a llama village on the Altiplano that we'd been assisting through Heifer International–so remote they spoke only Aymara and had no idea what or where the United States is. (That's a story for another time!)
Our next stop was Cusco, where we met the delightful young woman who would be our guide for an incredible 8-day adventure deep into the Amazonian rain forest. In Manu National Park Eliana introduced us to quinoa, cacao goo and the morning cacophony of howlers; expertly led us on green-mosaic-moving trails made alive by leaf-cutter ants; warned us away from the hiding places of biting ants, piranhas and other dangers; and taught us how to lure Clotilda the Crocodile to the shoreline with a "gunk"ing call and the promise of cacao fruit. Shortly after our all-too-short-time with her, Eliana married a student researcher, whom we also met, and moved to his home state of North Carolina where she lives today. (Please note: despite this photograph, Eliana the Llama really does have 2 ears.)
* Steve's 6 other trips, in the 1980s and 1990s, were with Dr. William Franklin to conduct guanaco research; and to Chile, Argentina and Bolivia with our Team Llama friends to select breeding stock for importation and as consultants to native ranchers. Prior to 1996, The Shining Path's terrorists attacks on tourists had made travel to Peru impossible for our family.
