Instagram is still the most confusing of the three.

So let’s get down to the obligatory stats for 2015, in descending order:

Miles Flown
32086 (wow, lower than I expected but I guess Central America is closer than Asia)

Number of Nights Spent in Hotels/Lodges
33

Number of Flight Legs
26

Number of Missed Work Days
25 (I had a lot of comp time…I took maybe half of these days off work)

Number of Nights Dog Spent in Kennel
18 (sorry Toasty…we’ll do better in 2016)

Airlines Flown
6 (American, British Airways, United, Jet Blue, SafariLink, TACA)

Number of Days Pup Enjoyed with Dogsitter Extraordinaire
5

States Visited (> 2 Days)
5 (Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Florida)

Countries Visited
4 (Costa Rica, Jamaica, Kenya, Peru)

Number of Legs in Business Class
4

Number of Loyalty Statuses Held
3 (by year end: United, Marriott, Starwood)

Number of Times I Traveled Without DH
2

Number of Flight Delays > 1hr
2 (at DCA)

Number of Free Hotel or Flight Upgrades
1 (Hotel)

Number of Barf Bags Used
0 (This, for me, is shocking)

Number of Forced Bag Checks
0

Here’s to an exciting 2016! I’m going back (hopefully) to more routine posting after the holiday season is over. And let’s leave 2015 with some of my favorite memories (not favorite photos–choosing those is way too hard).

At least two people in our group did get to enjoy the bliss of chewed up grass cud… and the angry stare of a llama.

We had a llama growing up. His name was Tardy. I never asked how he got that name, but now I wonder. I also had a matching stuffed animal named Tardy. Both were white. One was much nicer than the other. My parents let me lead and pet Tardy, but I was watched pretty closely.

My best memory of Tardy was when we packed him to go backpacking in the mountains (like, real backpacking, not this “fake” backpacking that everyone seems to refer to on the east coast where you go set up a tent near a bank of showers and flush toilets. That is NOT backpacking.) Anyways. Tardy just stopped on the trail. I remember my dad absolutely losing his sh*t and trying to pull on Tardy as hard as he could to get him to move. And my mom telling my dad that was not going to work. I remember just staring at Tardy wondering how an animal could be that stubborn. Unfortunately for my parents, I was/am very much like a llama: if you want to try to convince me to do something, pulling as hard as possible definitely is not the winning strategy. Fortunately, my parents did train me not to spit cud as a small human.

Joking, obviously. I was not a spitter.

True story…I once was in a llama show. It was an obstacle class. I think my llama refused to walk through the poles, like any good opinionated llama. They are a very peculiar species. And yes, this whole post is really just a diversionary tactic so I could tell childhood llama stories.

The funny thing is, if you are pretty comfortable with animals or can read body language, you know exactly when a llama is thinking/planning/plotting to expel his/her spit on you. But the irony is that if you aren’t the person in their crosshairs, the chances of you successfully warning the target person in enough time for them to dodge is not very good.

It’s like one of those bad movies in slow motion… you know exactly what is going to happen, but there isn’t much you can do save tackle them to the ground or yell crazily. And really, llama spit is totally harmless. Think of it as a vegetable face mask. With some slime thrown in for good measure.

And, if you were wondering, llamas have large, banana shaped ears and are much bigger than alpacas. Alpacas typically have shorter, spear shaped ears. No, it’s not always that easy to tell them apart, though it’s a good start. Alpacas tend to be a bit more timid (and I think less likely to spit at you, too, though I wouldn’t push your luck). We unfortunately didn’t see any wild vicunas during our trip to Peru.

Anyways, I loved taking pictures of both llamas and alpacas in Peru. I especially enjoyed watching them watch/judge/assess humans. I will always have a true affinity for stubborn, spitting animals with crazy hair. The alpaca cape I got is pretty awesome, too.

Here are three reasons I’d suggest the Belmond properties, not only at Machu Picchu, but also in Cusco and Lima:

1. Character. There was a crazy, weird, sort of secret praying sanctuary in our room at Belmond Monasterio. Yes, it was weird. But you know what? It was pretty neat to know that while they had re-purposed the monastery as a hotel, the Belmond retained so much of the original monastery character (including tiny, pint size windows and areas for lighting candles). Our rooms in Lima had adorable little courtyards with flowers and chairs–a nice change from the typical (often not even open-able these days) balcony of many city hotels.

Check out this Hidey Hole!

Wonderful Patio Area in Lima…That I Wish I Had More Time to Enjoy!

2. Location. In Cusco, the Belmond Monasterio is perfectly located in walking distance from pretty much everything. It’s easy to stroll to eat, to shop, to visit museums, and then take a break in their stunningly beautiful courtyard. In Lima, the Belmond is within sight of the ocean (great view from the roof deck pool), and in a nice neighborhood where you can go for a stroll or run. Both are very central, and great locations for exploring.

Beautiful Courtyard in Cusco

3. Cleanliness & Comfort. Obvious perhaps, but also one of the most important characteristics! Above and beyond all, the Belmond properties in Cusco and Lima were very clean (I have high cleanliness standards, too), with fluffy towels, comfortable beds with plenty of pillows, and good bath products. I used the gym in Lima, which was spotlessly clean and had great new, working equipment, as well as lime water just in case the regular water cooler wasn’t going to cut it.

Great View from the Belmond in Miraflores

I wasn’t familiar with Belmond properties before Peru, but a couple have popped up when I’ve been planning potential trips recently and I would not hesitate to stay in a Belmond again. (Pending cost, of course.)  When you stay in the same brand of hotels on a trip, often one just blends into the next… this is definitely not the case with the Belmond properties in Peru, which is probably what I enjoyed the most. I really thought that even though Belmond properties are worldwide, they definitely were each very unique, unlike some major hotel chains.

Have you stayed at a Belmond somewhere else in the world? Tell me more!

Ya’ll should know my love for sleep. And therefore for lay flat seats. Amusingly, I can actually fall asleep anywhere (and pretty much anytime), but waking up rested without a crick in my neck or stiff legs is just fantastic. Seriously.

The last time I flew business class was on the way back from Bangkok, and well, we all know that foreign and domestic carriers are not made equally. So while I was thrilled to have a lay flat seat, I wasn’t totally sure what to expect (or not to expect) from a United international flight. The ANA service and equipment was just incredible (and perhaps sadly, the best ramen I’ve ever had).

Happily, I was pleasantly surprised. The flight attendants were quite nice, and attentive but not annoying on all four legs. Most importantly, the lay flat seat was very, very comfortable.  The pillow was cushy, the blanket/quilted duvee was not rough or too small, and I had more than enough room to spread out and, well, sleep! The seats fit fliers up to about 6’3, and are 21″ wide, which is more than enough space for most travelers.

We flew on a 767-300, which had a 2-1-2 configuration in Business/First. Beware that if you are sitting in the window seats, it can be a weensy bit tricky to hop over the other person (e.g., just be careful). I was flying with my mom so it wasn’t a big deal for me (and, like a horrible traveler, I can go a very long time without getting up anyway). But if you are one of those good fliers that likes to get up and walk periodically, definitely keep this in mind.

The video screen was large and the selection of movies was quite sufficient. I’m horrible at keeping up with movies at home, so when I’m not sleeping, I enjoy the opportunity to sit back and enjoy some new releases with zero guilt that I’m not “doing something I should be”. I honestly don’t remember any of the food on the way home, but the dinner on the way down was simple (roasted peppers and some chicken) and seemed fresh (crispy lettuce for the win), which I appreciated.

As always, I love to critique the products provided to Business/First customers, because, well, why not? ANA’s L’Occitane products are some of my favorite, so United wasn’t going to live up to that, but I was curious.

The offer Cowshed products (made for SOHO house in England), in a nice pouch that I find more useful than other pouches…it has a hook for easy hanging (whether in a restroom or other crowded space where you don’t want to put something on a sink), and I actually think the stylized United zipper pull is a very cute addition. I’m a sucker for weird things like that. I know, it’s strange.

The Cowshed products smell very naturally, not perfumey and not overly scented. They also work quite well–the chapstick (always appreciative of new chapstick as I lose chapstick on a daily basis), actually moisturizes, as does the hand cream. The face wipe leaves your face feel refreshed, yet clean. I wasn’t expecting much from these products, but I was pleasantly surprised by their effectiveness.

But, serious digression ahead. Can’t help it.

Can we talk for a moment about the name? Cowshed? Who in branding thought that was a good idea? Growing up on a ranch, cow + shed = lots of cow patties (cow patties are cow shit), and a very, very bad smell. There is absolutely no connotation of “Cowshed” that comes up with any other picture in my mind. Plus on the products, they have clever little tags, like “cow pat” on the lotion and “lippy cow” on the chapstick. Since I’ve already established that cow patties = cow shit, I’m not sure how they got to “cow pat” on the lotion. And what is a lippy cow?

I can assure you that their products are neither made from or smell like cow shit. Well, at least I think they are not made from cow shit…I guess I should go back and double check that…they do say all natural…they can’t be making products from organic cow shit, right? Eh, if they do, I’m just going to embrace the fact that I moisturized with cow patties. Fantastic.

All in all, particularly with the fantastic deal on the Business/First seats (about $400 more than economy round-trip from DCA), it was a great experience. Every chance to fly in business rather than in coach is appreciated, enjoyed, and certainly not taken for granted. It is a privilege that results hoarding lots of miles to try to make it happen again!

When we traveled to Peru, we stayed in three different Belmond-branded properties. I, honestly, was not familiar with Belmond properties at all before heading to Peru, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

As I mentioned before, we went to Peru as part of a group, so I didn’t do a whole lot of research before we left…but I did some research, mainly to see if we would be able to get bookings without being part of a group (and no, booking 1-2 months in advance during high season is not possible).

But, I did notice in my research that one of the biggest debates was “where to stay” at Machu Picchu, itself. There aren’t that many luxury hotels, if that is what you are after, and there is only one at the actual archaeological site–the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge. There are a gabillion TripAdvisor reviews, of which most I found to be a tad bit unhelpful…like “the rooms are too small.”

I mean, you are on the side of a mountain right next to one of the most amazing archaeological sites in the word…and you spend enough time in your room to complain about the size? Shaking my head.

There are some really major benefits to staying at Machu Picchu rather than in Aguas Calientes (though Inkaterra is the best bet if you stay in Aguas, I think, for a luxury stay. We had lunch there and the property is quite nice). Here’s my take on staying at the Belmond Santuary Lodge, if you are on the fence (if you are looking for a budget option, this is not for you).

You Don’t Have to Hurry

If you are staying the night at the Belmond, you can go up the afternoon before and explore the site as the sun descends and most visitors leave. The light can often be better in the afternoon than sunrise! Plus, when we went in to the site after lunch, within an hour or so, most people started trickling out. You don’t have to catch a bus down, so you can spend the afternoon enjoying the site until it closes. Not only do you get ample opportunity to explore in the afternoon without being crowded, it is also really nice to have 2 part days to spend exploring Machu Picchu.  A large part of enjoying Machu Picchu, to me, is being able to wander without time pressure.

The View from Our Room

It Makes Your Morning Easier

When we arrived in Aguas, we had to wait a very long time for a bus up to Machu Picchu (at least an hour and a half, and likely more).  We also heard the bus line was very long the following morning. While getting up early is a small price to play to see Machu Picchu, at least when you are already at the top, you can get up a little bit later, gauge the line/buses coming in, and make a decision of when to line up for entrance depending on what you want to do/see that morning. Additionally, just being there is simply gorgeous–rather than waiting in line for the bus in Aguas, you can stare down the valley and enjoy a cup of coffee and some breakfast.

The Property is Gorgeous

I really don’t understand all the complaints about this property on TripAdvisor given its uniqueness and location. There is a hot tub, crazy beautiful vistas, a large grassy area with loungers that overlooks the valley, and even fantastically hidden places for yoga and massages. I definitely could have spent just  a little more time enjoying and relaxing there! The rooms are definitely clean, and while the hallways feel a bit dated, who spends time in the hallways, anyway, while next to Machu Picchu? And there should be no FOMO (fear of missing out); while Aguas certainly has its charm, few travelers use it as anything but an overnight on the way up to Machu Picchu.

Yoga, Anyone?

It’s Only One Night

I realize that cost is one of the biggest reasons that people avoid the Belmond and use another hotel in Aguas Calientes. However, you should always check to see how much more expensive the Belmond is, particularly in comparison to other luxury options like Inkaterra. Now, if you want to explore Aguas, are climbing/hiking from Aguas, or want to hike up to Machu Picchu instead of taking the bus, staying in the valley may be a great option for you. But if the only reason you are avoiding staying at the Belmond is because of price, I would suggest that you weigh the factors above: you get relaxing time to explore Machu Picchu without as many crowds, you can spend your morning not waiting in bus lines, and you can enjoy being in such an amazing locale for a night.

And for those that are concerned about the “small” rooms: the rooms here are not even close to being as small as many European hotels and definitely not as small as nice hotels I’ve stayed at in NYC or Mexico City. No, they aren’t penthouses, but they do include a sitting area, table, and beautiful doors that open to a shared veranda with your own loungers. Come on, people.

Veranda & Loungers

Did you stay at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge? What did you think?

We actually weren’t planning to walk to the Sun Gate on our free morning at Machu Picchu. Most trekkers come in through the Sun Gate, as it is the end of the Inca Trail. But for those of us who didn’t trek, the Sun Gate is about a mile up from the main site of Machu Picchu.

In August, the sun rises at about 7am, and the line into Machu Picchu was no joke either the afternoon we arrived or the next morning. In order to get to the top of the Sun Gate, we would have had to line up well before 6am in order to hopefully get in the gate as quickly as possible and make it to the Sun Gate. Instead, we decided to hike to one of the upper points of the ruins, and enjoyed the sunrise from there.  We were concerned that the Sun Gate would be really crowded, and that we might not make it up to the Sun Gate anyway, because the line just to get in was really long. The view from here was fantastic, and most visitors stay farther below so it wasn’t crowded at all.  After watching the sunrise, we decided that it would be fun to walk to the Sun Gate anyway, so off we went!

Sun Creeping Over Machu Picchu

How long it takes you to hike to the Sun Gate depends on two things: how fit you are (and how you handle altitude) as well as how much time you spend on the way up taking pictures of the beautiful view below.  Most guides suggest that it will take 1 to 1.5 hours up and about 40 minutes on the way down. It took us about 1.5 hours or a little bit more roundtrip and we spent probably 20 minutes or so at the top. If you have problems with altitude, it will definitely take longer–we passed many people who were having a really hard time walking uphill at 9,000 feet.

View On The Trail to the Sungate

The Sun Gate was to be the main entrance for the Incas to Machu Picchu, and does provide a stunning view of the entire site. But as our guides said, if you are looking for the “best view ever” you might be disappointed–Machu Picchu does look really small from there.  If you are just interested in getting a fun hike in and some good views, the Sun Gate is absolutely worth it.

That said, I think whether or not you walk to the Sun Gate really depends on how much time you have at the site: if you are there just for a few hours or half-day in the morning, I’m not really sure–that unless you just want a fun hike–that the Sun Gate is worth it. Because we were able to spend the entire afternoon prior exploring the site, until Machu Picchu closed, the next day there wasn’t a ton more that we really wanted to see, and the extra bit of exercise definitely sounded nice (marathon training, remember?).

Overall, here is my verdict on the Sun Gate:

Hike: Uphill, but easy path with some stairs.

Length: 45 minutes up if you are fit/not having altitude issues; 1.5 hours if you are having a hard time.

View: Excellent, just to take in the expanse of Machu Picchu and the surrounding areas, but there are lots of fantastic views throughout the site as well. Can be hazy/foggy, and depending on you camera and skills, lighting can be tough. So if you are going up just to get a good photo, you may be disappointed.

Overall: If you have time and want exercise, it’s definitely a fun hike. If you are doing it just to say you did (come on, we all know people like that), or for the one and only perfect shot of Machu Picchu, well, you might be disappointed.

Machu Picchu Nestled into the Andes, from the Sun Gate

In fact, pretty much the only useful thing I could find (beyond pictures of girls in heels in the ruins…the last time I wore heels was May, and that was for a wedding, so, well, NO), was this post from Travel Fashion Girl. Those general recommendations are on point, and I thought it would be helpful to show some of the things I wore, given the time of year that we went (early August).

Don’t Wear Hiking Boots

If you are NOT trekking, hiking boots are heavy, cumbersome, and seriously not necessary. Machu Picchu is mostly stairs and fine gravel paths. There is no strenuous hiking involved if you are just going to the ruins. Flip flops would have been fine (I’m young, fit, and consider flip flops pretty much the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, so take that into consideration). As long as it didn’t rain–the stone does get a touch slippery. I was glad to have light trail running shoes for the hike to the Sun Gate.

Even If It’s Chilly in Cusco, Machu Picchu Gets Warm Quickly

Machu Picchu is a good 4,000 feet lower than Cusco, and even if it’s brisk in the morning, down is truly overkill in August. The coldest place–seriously–was the dining room in the restaurant in the evening. When the sun comes up, it gets warm, and it gets warm fast. Light, sun protective layers are great, but don’t expect to be cold. I wore my Patagonia Better Sweater for probably 40 minutes the morning we got up early to see the sun rise.

I Own Four Better Sweaters Because They ROCK

Sun, Sun, Sun

Beware of the sun–either wear UPF items or lots of sunscreen. The first afternoon we were there, I lathered up my arms and through a SPF shirt around my shoulders for extra protection. For the morning we were out until about 11am, I wore a UPF shirt (seen under my Better Sweater above, from Lululemon) so I didn’t have to worry about it. The altitude + the exposure means that there is a lot of sun, powerful rays, and lobster-esque visitors.

Sunglasses + Hat + SPF

Bugs + Bugs = More Bugs

I’m usually like the biggest bug attractor ever, yet I didn’t have issues in Peru. Granted, though, I didn’t give the pesky things much of a chance: long pants, bug spray with deet, and often a long-sleeved shirt. However, given the lovely welted legs we observed at Machu Picchu, and the myriad of forum posts on how bad the bugs are at Machu Picchu, I’d error on the side of caution. Bug gear may be in order, depending on the time of year you visit, and always wear long pants that they can’t really bite through.

Athleisure Items Are Fantastic

As much as that word sort of makes me want to vomit (can’t wait till THAT one goes in the Oxford English Dictionary), they are really awesome for Machu Picchu. I wore a pair of Anatomie travel pants (yup, I have multiple pairs due to an amazing giveaway win), and a cute longsleeve with a tank top every day (usually Lululemon or Athleta). Mixed and matched appropriately, many of these items can be dressed up (lose the hat, switch out the UPF top for an oxford over a tank, and gain a scarf or long necklace), and were perfect for Machu Picchu and Peru more generally.

My Fave Pair of Anatomie Skyler Pants

All photos again courtsey of my mom, who likes to take photos of me when I don’t notice because I’m a total grump about people taking photos of me.

The City of Cusco

Modern Cusco Exists Because of Travelers

I really didn’t realize, before visiting Cusco, the sheer number of visitors the city has each year. Nor did I realize that the city as it is today probably wouldn’t exist except for the visitors heading to Machu Picchu. I’ve been to some popular archaeological sites (like Angkor and the pyramids), but I found the city of Cusco to be just filled to the brim with visitors (of all types) and very “touristy”. Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, depending on your wants and expectations. But as a result, the city seemed “built” to please, e.g., a Starbucks on the corner (I was tempted), tons of restaurants intended to appeal to travelers, and everyone speaking English.

To cut to the chase: you don’t need to speak a lick of Spanish in Cusco (though I think it’s always appreciated), you can find pretty much whatever you want to eat, and it’s really easy to navigate all the major areas. Just don’t expect an immersion into Peruvian culture if you stick to the paths most traveled–it’s a place built for and around visitors and their preferences.

Just in Case You Wanted Alpaca or Cuy (Guinea Pig, Of Course!)

It’s Chilly at Night but Let’s Not Exaggerate

So much has been written about “how cold” Cusco can be.  This is all about perspective–yes, Cusco can be chilly–but “cold” to me (from Wyoming) means COLD. It essentially never snows in Cusco (in fact, one of our guides had never actually seen snow before except on the Andes flying between Lima and Cusco). In August, I had a Patagonia down-fleece hybrid jacket (which I adore, by the way), but save one night walking three blocks home I really didn’t need it.

The deal: if you are from an area with actual winter, Cusco isn’t cold. It might not be warm, and you might need a light fleece, but you don’t need the bunny suit that makes you look like the down-loving Michelin Man. You just don’t.

Cusco is a City (Hiking Boots and Trekking Poles Not Needed)

Due to it’s proximity to Machu Picchu, and the fact that most travelers use it as a jumping off point, you see all kinds of outfits in Cusco. But if you aren’t hiking, at all, during your time in Peru, Cusco is a city and you should wear things that you normally wear in a city. Just because it is at 12,000 feet and in the mountains doesn’t make it into some type of Andean snow cave maze. Streets are paved, nice restaurants can be found, and there is no need for mountaineering gear.

What I really want to say: take normal clothes and wear them. Jeans or khakis are fine! Sure, the Patagonia jacket isn’t going to look out of place, but hiking boots, bandanas, and trekking pants are really ridiculous. Obviously if you are trekking you get a pass here. If you wouldn’t dress this way in say, Denver, I just don’t get the attraction of looking like you are on your way to Everest. I know, I know. I’m being snarky.

Cusco is a City (Don’t Be An Idiot, and Things Are Generally Fine)

I get pretty annoyed (since I now live in a city) when I listen to people 1) rave about how safe a city is, or 2) rave about how dangerous a city is…both are usually totally unrealistic and unfair generalizations. Cusco, like any city, has it’s ruts and back alleys. And, let’s face it: would you pull a wad of cash out in New York City to count how much you have? (If your answer is yes…well..I’m judging your judgement). Yes, there are always those lurking just waiting for a purse on a bench or hung over a chair. As there are in most cities. But in general, Cusco–particularly all the tourist areas–truly seem fine for walking around, even after dark.

The verdict: don’t wander around drunk at 2am to places you know you shouldn’t be, and use good judgement. Cusco is neither the awful place it’s made out to be by some travel bloggers or the safest place ever where you can leave your Cartier watch on the dinner table just as a test. If only someone could bottle common sense.

Cusco is Filled with Things to Do

I was actually amazed with how much there is to do in Cusco, and how much I enjoyed being there. It’s beautiful, first of all, with the blend of Spanish, Incan, and Andean/Peruvian architecture, culture, and influences.  Note to all–the rainbow flag does not mean what it does in the United States (or Europe), so don’t get all excited about equal rights: it’s actually the flag of Cusco.

There are many museums, cathedrals, squares to sit and people watch, lots of shopping, an art district (San Blas), and archaeological sites including Saksaywaman which has stone blocks that are a whopping 19 feet tall or so. Unbelievable! We found the food to be pretty good, too, and perhaps most importantly, there is always a place to grab a Cusquena (in negra, roja, or regular). In addition, Cusco is a great place to “jump-off” in Peru, whether you want to head to Tambopata (like me…next time), Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, the Andes, or for other treks.

It’s a good all around city where you can both explore and relax, and certainly worth a few days on any trip to Peru.

And dear husband usually polices me. Which is a good thing, really. Our condo can’t handle many more masks, paintings, figurines…you get the idea.

Seminario is actually quite well known throughout the world (not by me of course, my knowledge of art is far from enviable). He has pieces in Chicago’s Field Museum, and I believe the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. He blends the old with the new, using techniques from ancient cultures and blending in more modern elements to his pieces. He was actually in his studio when we visited, and spent some time explaining his more recent pieces. He crafts in a fashion called “Seminario Style” and creates typical pottery pieces in addition to what I think are more modern folk art pieces.

I found his recent work to be both intriguing and beautiful. It is absolutely the kind of thing (if I could afford it), that I would put into an entryway or to accent a beautiful hallway.  You can find his more classic work in both his studio (and gallery) as well as in stores around Peru. Each piece of pottery is unique, and each is handpainted individually. I found his classic work to be very reasonably priced (but yet I abstained…I like things to match and bringing home a set of 6 plates or 6 mugs was just not going to happen).

Two of My Favorite More Modern Pieces…They Also Change Color When  Turned

Classic Seminario Art Piece

Seminario Pottery Drying in the Sun

One of My Favorite Pieces, Hiding in a Planter. Unfortunately Not For Sale.

Seminario’s studio is definitely worth a visit, and I think it is open to the public though I believe a visit may need to be arranged in advance (if you want a tour–I think the gallery is always open). I’m not sure how often Seminario himself is in his studio, but it was fantastic to see him working on one of his massive new sculptures. His gallery and workshop is charming, off from the hustle and bustle of the street.

Oh, his llama is NOT friendly. Beware. You know what happens when unfriendly llamas get annoyed (I was fortunately not the recipient of the mouthful of cud/saliva).

I’ve written about group travel before, too.

My mom and I went in a group to Machu Picchu. While I probably, usually, would have planned a trip Machu Picchu independently, we decided to go pretty (very) late and during high season. This meant little was available–trains, accommodations, and even tickets to Machu Picchu started to look really complicated and less than ideal. Plus, I was incredibly busy at the time and didn’t really have hours to spare organizing the weeklong trip.  We were both happy to go the group route with a highly reputable company.

I’ve been on enough group tours now to know the pitfalls and benefits to group travel. Choosing the right operator and the right trip can make a huge difference in your experience, obviously. But there are other things that are harder to judge in advance. These things can really make or break a trip. Sure, reading online reviews helps, but I find that online reviews of group trips are generally 1) written by the company, 2) written by people who only travel in groups, or 3) written by people where something horrible, terrible, very bad happened (like that one review where the two teenage children refused to leave a hotel because they got in a fight with their parents and the parents blamed the tour guide…that’s one of my all-time favorites).

But here are five things that you only find out during the group trip that I think make a huge difference in overall trip enjoyment:

Un-Annoying, Non-Difficult Group Members

Given the groups we’ve had in the past before, this group was pretty easy going and did not have a single attention-needing, loud, obnoxious person. Serious relief. While we’ve always met some truly wonderful people in the past, we’ve also had our share of helpless, ridiculous, rude, ignorant, and seriously freaking annoying. This group was a bit less sociable than others we’ve had, mostly due to lots of families, but I’ll take that over annoying any day.

The Itinerary Meets the Expectations Set by the Promotional Materials

Mostly, this trip fit the bill. There were a few misleading things, like “we’ll enjoy a walk to the Sun Gate” (was totally optional and not really suggested). And that we would have a free afternoon in Lima. Apparently that meant just for dinner? Traffic in Lima is awful, and it took us about 2 hours to get to our hotel. But traffic is always awful in Lima, and to not plan this into the schedule is a bit silly. In general, the itinerary was pretty straightforward, lectures on schedule, and everything as advertised. That said, this company was one of those that had 2 sentences, maximum, to describe each day. When that’s all you have, it’s pretty easy to not oversell anything. Some companies send about a page for each day–I guess each has their preferences for their clientele.

We Hiked to the Sun Gate

Accommodations that Are the Level Advertised

In addition to the itinerary, it is critically important that hotels are the level they are purported to be. You know, not the whole “well, five stars here is like two stars in the United States.” While so many places we’ve stayed have been wonderful, we’ve also stayed in some (well, perhaps just a small handful) of dark, dank, dirty hotels that were advertised as luxury. Ha. Sousse Palace I’m looking at you.

This trip’s accommodations were in the other direction–extremely, extremely nice. All of them. Better than I was expecting. You can only learn so much from TripAdvisor, and things I value–cleanliness primarily, comfortable pillows that don’t smell, and nice bath products don’t hurt–were all excellent. While I don’t know if bad accommodations can totally “ruin” a trip (as my mom would say, “only if you let them”), they can certainly make showering an effort in how to be a germ-avoidance ninja. Thumbs up.

Beautiful Belmond Hotel Monasterio

Good Trip Leaders

Oh dear. This is one of those things that is so variable and can make such a huge difference. A tour leader that doesn’t handle conflict well, one that clearly doesn’t want to be there, and those that are so enjoyable you want to take them home with you and show them wherever you live…we’ve had the full gamut.

This one totally missed the mark on our trip. Besides refusing to speak a word in Spanish to me which I found overly offensive as my Spanish is not that bad (this includes basic greetings like good morning), his English was subpar.  We got in a few arguments, including why I needed to just grab something from my luggage, that left a bad taste in my mouth. Not to mention he treated our bus driver like pond scum. Yea, yea culture and all, but if you have a client that understands Spanish, my feeling is you need to make damn sure you at least pretend to be polite, particularly in a small bus of only 12 people.

The saving grace, really, is that we had 2 other guides for Cusco and Machu Picchu that were great. They were knowledgeable, personable, acted like they actually wanted to be there. If it wasn’t for them, this trip probably would have been a dee-sas-ter.

Organization and Scheduling

One of the big keys, to me, of a good tour is ensuring that people generally don’t feel rushed or overscheduled. I hate being herded and hurried through museums, archaeological sites, cities, etc. Often, having lots of “free” time in a place is my preference. If I want to go for a run, I go for a run. If we want to go see another museum, shop, whatever–we can do those things at our leisure.  It’s hard to have back to back to back activities and enjoy each of them.

On the trip to Peru, I never felt particularly rushed at Machu Picchu, or in Cusco. During our time at the Sacred Valley, however, it did sometimes feel we were scheduled like sardines. Our time in Lima, until we were dropped off at our hotel, was awful. Rush, rush, rush, rush. The other thing that was particularly annoying was that our Tour Leader wouldn’t tell us anything about our schedule for the next day until the night prior (like what time our flight was), when we all sat down and discussed “what we would do tomorrow”. That made me feel like a kindergartner.  I hated kindergarten.

(Do you know how absolutely tormenting it is to spend an entire day learning the letter H when you can already read full books? It’s awful. Just saying).

Overall Verdict on Peru

We definitely enjoyed the trip. I mean, I think it’s hard not to enjoy Machu Picchu and not to enjoy Peru. The rudeness of the trip leader did take a toll after a while, as did his inability to tell us anything you can’t find on Wikipedia (actually, I take that back, there is WAY more to learn on Wikipedia than what he told us about Peru). But we enjoyed the time we spent with our other guides in Machu Picchu and Cusco. The accommodations were wonderful, unique, and the food was fantastic. While there are definitely certain places I’ll go on group tours again (i.e., Antarctica and the Galapagos), I’ll be avoiding tours in cities where we prefer to explore on our own time and own pace.