Latest Stories
Most likely I'll post some pics as part of whatever update I give, and given that there is no way all three of my daughters will think that they look good in the same photo at the same time, pics will likely be pulled and right there is your incentive to check back every day to see how things actually went before something gets taken down.​​​This section will contain the running commentary from the trip, in regards to the most recent country we have been in. But once I'm able to start the next country, I'll put the historical posts in the "Old Updates - XYZ" tab above. This all assumes I (or one of my kids) will be able to figure out how to make this website work.
​
If you want to read about the first 28 days and our time in Italy, then click here.
If you want to read about our time in Turkiye, then click here.
If you want to read about our safari in Kenya, then click here.
If you want to read about our beach vacation in Tanzania, then click here.
If you want to read about our amusement park/desert experience in the U.A.E, then click here.
If you want to read about our desert/beach experience in Oman, then click here.
If you want to read about our jungle ruins experience in Cambodia, then click here.
If you want to read about our elephant/beach experience in Thailand, then click here.
If you want to read about our beach/city experience in Australia, then click here.
If you want to read about our adventure/beach experience in New Zealand, then click here.​​
If you want to read about our under water adventure in the Maldives, then click here.
If you want to read about our Taj Mahal adventure in India, then click here.
If you want to read about our Disney adventure in Hong Kong, then click here.
If you want to read about our Disney adventure in China, then click here.​​
If you want to read about our Political/girlie adventure in Seoul, then click here.
If you want to read about our Adventure with friends in Japan, then click here.​​
If you want to read about our Disney Adventure in France, then click here.​
If you want to read about our World School Prom Adventure in Hungary, then click here.
If you want to read about our Sound of Music/Kid Friendly Adventure in Austria, then click here.
​​
​
The Journey Continues - Peru
Munich to Newark
Newark to Lima
Lima to Cusco
Day 251
We said goodbye to Lily’s friends, and then went to the airport. We had a 9 hour flight to Lima so I used points to upgrade everyone this time. We ate lunch at the lounge and then boarded the flight. Despite all of the articles about Newark airport delays and cancellations, we hadn’t had any issues.
We landed in Lima a little before 9pm and it took a little while to go through customs, but we got our bags quickly and met our driver. I had booked us a free night at a Marriott in Lima, when the original plan was that we would spend a day in Lima before traveling on. But once we added in the pit stop in Newark and the prom and the Kinder hotel, we had to find days to cut, so we just were going to Cusco the next morning. This was a bit of a problem since the hotel was 45 minutes away, which meant that we were only going to be able to sleep for at best 6-7 hours.
The hotel was fine, but I shoudl have booked us at a place next to the airport. This turned out to be doubly true because on the way to the hotel, Liam started to complain about not feeling well and then about 2 minutes from the hotel he started to throw up. Luckily we had been scrambling for some kind of bag and got a wrapper for him to throw up into, but some got on his clothes and my hands were covered. We got into the hotel and got him cleaned up and everyone went to bed.
The next morning we went to the restaurant for the free breakfast and although they told us at checkin that it opened at 6:30, none of the hot food was out, but we made due with cereal, bread and fruit. Then we got to the airport and the guide helped us check our bags and get our boarding passes from the automated kiosks. It was kind of nice not to be the one in charge of getting us through the airport.
I sometimes get too caught up in earning points for travel and frequent flier miles and such, but when we got to our gate, I was reminded why I really only like flying Star Alliance. Not only did we not have lounge access, but we were boarding group 5, which often means that there might not be room in the overhead compartments. The airport is quite small and there weren’t enough seats for us to sit together, but eventually a flight boarded, clearing out some seats and we got everyone together.
I tried to get a stroller tag, but the guy told me that he wasn’t working our flight but that we would probably have to gate check it. A little while later, when a different person was at the counter, the woman told me that we could see if it fit in the overhead and that we would get priority boarding because of the child. As they started to call everyone that the flight was about to board, the original guy came over and gave us a baggage tag to gate check the stroller and since he didn’t say anything about preboarding, Megan took this as a sign that we couldn’t preboard. As a bunch of people boarded who didn’t look like they needed special assistance I argued that we should board but we waited.
We boarded with group 5 and at the bottom of the gangway there were about 25 roller bags that were gate checked, and Megan left the stroller there. The guy had told us that the stroller would be at the plane when we got off. As we boarded the flight, there was actually plenty of overhead space, in part, I think because they were so maniacal about checking the roller bags. So I didn’t have a problem putting Liam’s bag above, and I put my bag below Liam’s feet.
​
The flight was quick and when we got off, Liam and I were a couple of rows ahead of the other 4, so we walked to the end of the bridge. The rest caught up to us and asked if we had the stroller, but we didn’t. We then tried to ask people where we should pick up the stroller. I know a decent amount of Spanish, but no one understood me (which isn’t too surprising since I only know 70% of the words in the phrase - “we gate checked the stroller and the woman said it would be at the plane when we got off, but it isn’t there”). Megan eventually google translated the sentence and one of the guys said it would be with the bags (but even here we weren’t sure because I heard “Sala de llegada” which would mean arrival hall, and Megan heard “sala de ayuda” which would be the “help room”). We went to the baggage claim and I walked around looking for a “help room” or information center and didn’t see anything. I came back and Megan had gotten the stroller off of the baggage claim.
​
We got our bags and Lily was complaining about not feeling well and wanted some electrolytes. While we were waiting for some people to come back from the bathroom, I found a vending machine that sold Powerade, and although it wouldn’t accept my bills, it did leave me to ask our tour guide if there was a place to get some Powerade and he brought us to a little shop and I bought bottles for everyone, since Liam always wants Powerade, Keira never drinks enough water and we were at high altitude so we were all supposed to be drinking a lot.
​
It was almost a 2 hour drive to our hotel, and the guide did a good job of pointing things out and the landscape was beautiful. First, the city of Cusco was nice - it looked European with the Spanish architecture and churches, but then you would also see remnants of Inca ruins or the terraces that they built. Then we went more into the mountains where there were rolling hills, green grass, trees and imposing mountains in the background. The guide noted that the rainy season just ended, and a lot of the green would be yellow in a week or two. Finally, we got into more mountainous terrain with mountain rivers flowing by the roads. It reminded me a lot of my travels in Ecuador.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
Our room was on a beautiful garden-type area, with mountains in the back and river running next to it.
​
We got to our hotel and everyone was feeling a little off, but it was hard to tell if it was because we had taken 3 flights (2 of which were 8 hours +) in the past 48 hours, had been in the car for 2 hours on winding roads, had altitude sickness or just hadn’t eaten lunch yet (it was 2pm). After lunch, we relaxed at the room, which was actually a two story, 8 person tent. The bottom floor was a building, but the roof was a tent and its ceiling was so low on the second floor that I couldn’t stand up straight even in the middle where it came to a point. But it was very neat and picturesque. Surrounded by mountains, with a stream next to our room, creating some nice white noise. Most of us fell asleep, except Keira and Liam, and Elenna had asked not to be woken up for dinner, so the 5 of us got up and went to dinner, which had the same menu as lunch.
​
Then we went back to the room and got ready for bed.
​
Day 253
Our hotel was beautiful, it was in a walled area that felt a bit like a sanctuary after traveling through the dirt roads and cobble stone streets. Once when we came back from a tour, Keira made an audible sound before saying how relaxing this area was. Each hotel “room” was a tent for 2, 4 or 8 people and it was right next to a river, which you could hear from our room, creating some white noise.
We had a feeling that everyone would be exhausted, so we planned only a half day tour of Ollantaytambo. The town was pretty neat. The roads were often cobble stones, dating back to the days of the Incas. Apparently, the Incas always built in drainage into their streets, such that there was a little river flowing along the streets. In the rainy season it lowered the risk of flooding, and the rest of the time, it brought fresh water from the mountains throughout the city.
​
​
​
A good look at the waterway paths through the streets.​
​
Our guide took us to a house that was set up like in the days of the Incas. In one of the rooms there was a bunch of guinea pigs. They raise the guinea pigs to be eaten. I had eaten one when I was in Ecuador during college and Keira wanted to try one and send a video to her high school Spanish teacher about it. She must really like her teacher, because she doesn’t even eat meat, much less guinea pig. They let us feed them and it was probably Liam’s favorite part of the tour.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
\
​
This was probably Liam's favorite part of the tour. Guinea pigs are called "Cuy" in spanish because of the sounds that they make - I had never heard them speak before, but when you feed them, they all run over making this high pitched sound that could sound like "cuy".
​
​
​
Then we walked over to an old Incan site. Like most Incan sites, there were a series of terraced levels before you got to the top where a temple was. Cusco was 11k feet above sea level and Ollantaytambo was 9k feet, so there was some risk of altitude sickness. We started taking medicine when we left Lima, and for the most part we felt ok. However, when we started climbing up the steps, we were all winded after about 10 steps and Megan said that she felt like her heart was fluttering.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
It was tiring walking up only a few flights of these terraces. I couldn't imagine actually building the terraces.​
We took a rest and the guide explained some of the features of the area. This allowed us to catch our breath and continue climbing. The next level of stairs was a little easier but we were still pretty easily winded. On the itinerary was a hike at Machu Picchu (which is only 8k feet up) and I was getting a little worried about our ability to do a hike.
The construction was amazing, with giant rocks carved so that they could fit together without mortar, and without even enough space to fit a piece of paper between the rocks. Essentially, the rocks were carved so that they fit into each other, almost like the first Legos.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
Look at how well the rocks fit together, with no mortar to be seen.
​
After the tour, we went to a Peruvian restaurant that served authentic cuisine, which meant that Liam wouldn’t eat anything and the girls would eat 35% of the menu. Even Megan only ate about 60% of what was available. And to make matters worse, it took forever. However, the bright spot was that the set menu included “cuy” (guinea pig) so Keira got her wish to eat some and make her video. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t like it.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
Keira's first and last bite of cuy.
​​
We got back to the hotel around 3 and relaxed the rest of the day. I made a massage appointment for Megan at 4, and I took a nap. Only Liam and Keira stayed awake until dinner, but we rallied and ate at the restaurant in the hotel. It had the same menu for lunch and dinner, and this was now the third time eating there, but the food was ok.
​Day 254
The next day we headed for Machu Picchu. We ate breakfast at the hotel and then went to the train station. There was a little bit of worry as our guide said to be there by 8 and we were, but he wasn’t there. I asked when the next train would be and the guard said 8:30 so we felt a little better. But by 8:15 he still hadn’t come so i walked out to find him and there he was, walking to us.
We boarded the train, and it was pretty neat. It had large window, and even windows on the ceiling, to make sure that you had a view of the scenery and mountains that you would be passing on the way to Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, it was one of those trains where it sat 4 people around a table, which meant that 2 people would be facing backwards, so I sat backwards since I don’t get motion sickness. But it did make it a bit difficult to see the scenery well (I find that facing forwards allows you to see something in the distance, and then get a better look as you get closer. Going backwards, your closest view is immediate, and you get a worse and worse view of it as you go on, so if you don’t notice it right away, you don’t get a good view).
I loved the windows on the train, that let you get a good view as you passed by things.
​
At one point, they made an announcement that they were inviting us to the observation car at the back of the train, where there would be entertainment. Liam and Megan went, but the rest of us stayed. But we quickly noticed that EVERYONE else in the car had left. I’m usually up for whatever, but I was feeling a bit tired, and my head started to feel dizzy, and I was wondering if maybe I do get motion sickness (I had turned around and took Megan’s seat so I was facing the right direction).
Then Megan texted me that it was fun in the other car, and I should join, so I got up and went to see what it was about. There was a little band playing “Despacito” and a few people were dancing, including Liam and Megan. Then they had an area at the back of the train where you could get a picture taken with people in local garb.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
We made some friends on the train.
​
The train arrived and we left our bags with a porter who brought them to our hotel. Then we walked to the hotel to check in. I was a little surprised with how lax the luggage security was - our guide had our bags in the suitcase area that is by the door to the cab, and you can’t see it from the seats. Then the bags were brought to our hotel, but just left on the floor of the lobby. Luckily, everything was delivered to our hotel room safe and sound.
​
Our guide said to hang out for an hour, so Liam and I walked around and did some Pokemon hunting. Then we came back and waited for the guide to return. He came back after an hour and we walked over to the restaurant. A couple of minutes before we got to the restaurant, we passed a raid for a Mega Gyrados, so Liam and I battled it. Our girls were embarrassed that we were playing Pokemon entering the restaurant, but you gotta do what you gotta do. We got the Gyrados for both me and Megan.
​
Lunch was pretty good, but it took a long time and I heard the guide complaining to the waiter about how slowly the food was coming out, and he told him we had to get to Machu Picchu. I asked if there was a time limit, and he said that we had to be there by 1:30 at the absolute latest, which meant that we would have to quickly eat the main course and dessert and use the bathroom to make it. We did it, but we were a bit stressed.
​
We boarded the bus to take us up to the ruins and it was pretty much Megan’s worst nightmare. It was a bunch of switchbacks up the mountain, going down a narrow street that couldn’t fit traffic both directions most of the way. Every turn meant that we were going along a steep drop off, and whenever a bus came from the other direction, we had to go further to the edge to pass it. But, we got to the top safely.
We got off and entered the park. Once again, the first set of stairs was a bit difficult to climb, but much less so than our first stairs in Ollantaytambo, as our bodies were adjusting. The area had the tell tale markings from the other Incan areas we had seen - the terraced hills and the aquaducts for drainage.
​​
I could tour this stuff all day. My kids, not so much.
​
It was all really impressive. As I walked up the first flight of stairs and got winded, I thought about how I was already here and didn’t have to climb up the mountain first to get here. As a result, building something like this, at this height, seemed like almost an impossibility, particularly if there weren’t roads already there to walk up. Then, to carry whatever you needed up there - food, seeds, tools, clothes, etc) and then to build the multiple terraces before you even started building the buildings. Our guide said that there were 20k workers there at the height of the construction.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
The ruins were incredibly impressive.
​
Like most Incan things, the Sun was prominently featured, with buildings facing east for the sunrise, and temples having windows facing the direction where light from the summer and winter solstices could come directly in.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​We also got to meet Machu Pikachu.
We toured the upper area of the ruins, and after a while, it started to rain, so we rushed through the end to get back to the bus. The plan was to return tomorrow to do a tour of the lower level. Originally, the plan included waking up super early to go on a hike, but our guide didn’t think that Liam would be able to do it, and when Megan heard that there were places with drops to either side, she didn’t want to do it either (or have anyone in her family do it). So we pivoted to the lower level tour, which should be dramatically easier (knock on wood).
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
The stonework was pretty impressive - the fact that it was still standing 600 years later is amazing (apparently 70% is untouched and 30% was restored).
On the bus back to the hotel, there was a lot of discussion about which side of the bus to sit on, with our daughters about as scared as Megan was about how close we got to the sides of the cliff. Megan wanted to distract herself, so she started playing Pokemon to distract herself.
We had a couple of hours at the hotel until dinner, and then once again the service to eat took an incredibly long time (over 2 hours for the 3 course set menu). The food was quite good, although Liam continues to only eat plain pasta, and there is always a lot of confusion from the waiters about how it should be plain (no butter, no oil, etc). The food was good, potentially the best since we got to Peru.
Day 255
We had the option of getting up for a 6am hike up the mountain or doing a tour of the lower level of Machu Picchu, and since the guide was wary of Liam being able to do the hike and Megan was wary of Liam falling off of a cliff, we opted for the later tour of the lower level. Keira wasn’t feeling well, and she stayed back at the hotel.
We braved the winding roads up to the ruins once again, and this time Megan was prepared with air pods and an audio book to distract her from the potential that we slide off the mountain. The main difference today was that it was cloudy.
​
​
​
​
You couldn't see the mountains that surrounded the city.
And since we were in the mountains, we were surrounded by the clouds. The giant mountains that were the backdrop for Machu Picchu yesterday were not at all visible, and I was doubly glad that we didn’t get up at 5am to do a hike up the mountain to see a view of the clouds.
​​
Not quite as good as our picture the day before.
​
The lower level was more of the same, but really, it was still impressive. Elenna wondered what area it would cover if the rocks were laid out flat. It was incredible how it was built, with 60% of the construction underground (aquaducts, foundations, etc.). When they built the walls like legos, it was amazing to see how they fit together.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
I still get a kick out of the buildings, just looking at the pictures.​
​
We made the loop of the lower level and Liam was bored and the girls were ready to stop.
​
​
​
​
​
​
Even a little snack break couldn't convince Liam to keep going.
We had about 45 minutes to kill until lunch was open, so Megan, the guide (Fernando) and I went back up and did the upper level again. We stopped at a couple of places that we didn’t see the first time because we were rushing out in the rain. I really liked the experience and was blown away from the construction.
​
A much more civilized tour without the kids.
​
Megan had been texting with Keira who started feeling better, then started feeling worse. So we wrapped up lunch and started heading home. As we were boarding the bus, we fought a Pokemon raid with Elenna and Megan’s phone, and beat it as we were boarding and just before our reception got knocked out, adding some excitement. While we were in line, Keira texted back that she was feeling better, which was good since Megan was already going to be worried enough about the winding descent and didn’t need anything else to worry about.
When we got back, I went to a restaurant with our guide and bought some soup and pizza for Keira. She drank the soup but skipped the pizza and Liam said that he didn’t like it - and after a quick taste, I could see why. Keira was feeling much better after the food.
Then Liam and I went Pokemon hunting for over an hour with Megan’s phone so we could battle some bigger Pokemon than we could have if we just had my phone. We ate dinner and packed our things for the trip back to Cusco.
​
The next day we slept in and then left the hotel to get some lunch at a restaurant that the tour company set up. The timing was tight so we rushed from lunch to the train station to board the same train that we took there. By now, Liam was hooked on the Percy Jackson series and he and Lily listened to it the whole train back.
​
Then we met our guide and drove for 100 minutes back to Cusco. By now it was 5pm. We were staying at a very nice Marriott which made the girls happy, and we ordered room service for dinner. Then we had to take everything our of our Machu Picchu duffel bags and repack them into our normal suitcases.
