Peru Trip 2025 – Days 10 to 13 – Final Days 

Our Lama Shepherd who let her lamas hike with us

On day 10, the day after our visit to Machu Picchu, we took an early train for a last 1.5 hour scenic ride through the Sacred Valley of Peru. Arriving in Ollantaytambo, we then took a 2-hour van ride to the southern end of the valley back to Cusco.

Back in Cusco we walked through the charming San Blas neighborhood to reach our lunch spot, Pachapapa. After lunch, I walked around on my own and did some shopping. In Cusco there are so many opportunities to part with your Des Soles!  Once the center and capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco was transformed by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Today it’s a fascinating blend of old and new with Inca and colonial architecture juxtaposed throughout the town.

On Day 11 we shuttled a short distance to the ceremonial site of Tambomachay, where we saw large trapezoidal shaped indentions in the rock that were used to house mummified corpses. We then continued our hike with a gradual climb, passing through a Quechua village where all of the houses had the ceremonial ceramic yoke and two cows, which we saw in all of the villages in the Andes. This important rooftop decoration represents couple unity and is supposed to bring good fortune  to the couple who reside in the house. Houses with multiple pairs of these on top have multiple couples living in them.

We continued our climb until reached the highest point of our trip (12,800 feet). This is also where our leaders surprised us with lamas, which would accompany us on the rest of our hike to our lunch spot! It was pretty cool have lamas hike with you. We also witnessed a brightly colored procession including music on one the trails below us.

Before stopping for lunch, we participated in a spiritual ceremony that was surprisingly powerful and moving. And the entire ceremony had to be translated for us! I cannot quite put my finger on why the ceremony was so emotionally powerful, but I am going to give it a try. I will refer to the officiant as a shaman. I am sure that is not the correct word, but you get the point.

First, the ceremony was very visual. It was held totally outdoors with the Andes Mountains in the background. And during the entire ceremony, the Shaman’s mother was by his side, which was visually powerful.  The ceremony also had universal meaning. I know most of us love and respect our planet. And this ceremony focused on Mother Earth and all that it gives us. And it also focused on our loved ones, both those who are with us and those who have departed and returned to Mother Earth.

It was participatory. With the Shaman’s sing song voice, the simple “music” he produced, the incense, and holding the three cocoa leaves while making a wish, offering a prayer, or remembering our loved ones who have passed, made it personal. And because the 24 of us were in a semi-circle, we could see each other. And similar  to other “group activities” like concerts that can be quite communal, there was a “group energy” that was very present. And the final gesture that made it very moving for me occurred when the shaman and his mother walked around our semi-circled group and gave each one of us a hug. During my hug I gave the shaman three gentle taps on his back and he hugged me even tighter. No words were needed. At that point I stepped away from the group so that I could compose myself…

Afterwards, during lunch I found out that others had very similar experiences and reactions. This simple “activity” ended up being one of the highlights of the trip for me. And did I mention that Mother Earth cooperated by holding off the rain until after the ceremony?

After the ceremony, we enjoyed another splendid tent lunch with the pitter-patter of rain joining our chorus of voices. One thing I noticed from this trip is that every time this group got together, we were loud. And even though this was the largest Backroads group I have traveled with, as an entire group, it was the most enjoyable and cohesive. Magic sometimes happens.

After lunch we walked past the Temple of the Moon and then Saqsayhuaman, (pronounced sexy woman), which overlooks Cusco. This extraordinary fortress of massive stone blocks was used for religious and military purposes and ranks as one of the most impressive sites in all of South America.  Back in Cusco, I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at our hotel, the Belmond Palacio Nazarena, where we would gather later for drinks and a Farewell Dinner.  The next morning we would proceed to the famous San Pedro Market, where I would buy more gifts before heading home. 

Day 11 is when my “Travel Adventure” began. The day started out well. After a nice morning in town, Pete and I shared a taxi to the Cusco airport. Although we were on separate flights, we agreed to reconnect at the Lima airport due to very long layovers. We were both scheduled to take red-eyes back to the States – Pete through Miami and me through Atlanta.

When we met up, we had similar experiences with each separate airline regarding our carry-on luggage. Although our carry-on luggage could fit into the overhead bins, each of us were forced to check our luggage to Lima. Because there were no issues, we laughed about it while having dinner together at the Lima Airport.

But the real adventure was just starting. In Lima I found out that my Atlanta flight was delayed from 11:40 pm to 1:10 a.m. I had no worries because I had a 6-hour layover in Atlanta. And then it got delayed again until 5:30 a.m. So, I called Delta and made sure I was booked on a later flight out of Atlanta so that I would not miss my connection. Again, no worries. Exhausted, I found a quiet place in one of the terminals, set my phone alarm to 3:30 a.m. and promptly fell asleep on the floor with my luggage tucked in beside me. Evidently, a very nice lady, who spoke Spanish, woke me up 45 minutes later because she thought I was about to miss my flight that was leaving that particular gate. After indicating that I was not on that flight, she and her partner promptly got on the plane. Strangers can be so caring and thoughtful. I fell back to sleep.

I awoke on Day 12 of my adventure at 2 a.m. on the floor of the airport with no persons around me other than an airport worker. Groggy, I check my email and messages to get an update on my flight. It was CANCELLED. Evidently there are very few Delta flights from Lima. So, they had booked me on a LATAM airlines flight that did not leave until 12:15 the next afternoon. I called Delta. To make a long story short, the flight they booked me on was the best option. However, to get an actual boarding pass, I had to eventually go to a LATAM airline counter. This meant leaving the departures area and going back downstairs to ticketing and going through security and passport control again. At this point it is 3:30 a.m. So, I move to a less secluded area, find a bench, and fall asleep again with a sleep mask on.

I open my eyes again at 6:30 a.m. to the sounds of a busy airport waking up. Miraculously, I somehow got a decent amount of sleep despite having a floor and hard bench as my bedding. I now have almost 6 hours to kill before my LATAM flight leaves for Atlanta. And I need to look for an exit back to ticketing so I can get a LATAM boarding pass for my flight. I then realize that LATAM has a lounge at this airport. Hmm. Maybe the agents at the lounge can issue me a boarding pass so that I do not have to go through security and passport control again. So, off I go.

As I approach, I am tell it is a really nice lounge. So, I tentatively approach the desk and slowly explain my situation. In perfect English, the agent says “It is no problem. We can issue you your boarding pass.” I was so grateful. She then notices that I have status with Delta and says, “Sir, enjoy the lounge.” I stand there a moment in utter disbelief. She must have thought I was some kind of idiot because all I could do was point towards the lounge with a quizzical look on my face. And with a big smile she nods her head and says “Please enjoy your stay with us.” And I did enjoy my 5-hours in that lounge, especially after my adventure during the previous 12-hours. If it had not been so early in the day, I would have enjoyed a few glasses of wine.

Because of what happened in Cusco, my only minor concern at that point was whether LATAM would make me check my bag. I had nothing to worry about. I breezed right through boarding – duffel bag and all. And it did fit.  So, as I sit here in Atlanta at 10 p.m. waiting for my flight back home, I am thankful for so much. I am thankful for my life and my wife, for my time and my mind, and for my health and my wealth.  And the wealth I refer to IS THE WEALTH OF COMMUNITY. And when I travel, it’s the people who make it special – the people I am traveling with and the people I meet along the way. 

For example, on Day 1 in Lima it was David and Jay from the food tour. Jay is an amazing young woman who decided to spend three months in South America before heading off to the army as a cyber security analyst. On Day 2 in Cusco it was Fernando the chef who taught Pete and I to prepare Ceviche and stir-fried beef. And who has a dream of joining his mom and sister in Vermont one day and becoming an American citizen. And on Day 3 it was Alessia, the Peruvian shopkeeper with a delightful personality who sold me my Alpaca hoodie that you see in some of my photos. And I could go on…  

 I have a friend, Joe, who loves to photograph people in different countries.  After visiting Peru, I can see why.