Packing for Adventure

Pack Light. Travel Far.

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  • The Floating Islands of Uros: Life on Lake Titicaca

    The Floating Islands of Uros: Life on Lake Titicaca

    Visiting these floating islands on Lake Titicaca was definitely a highlight of our trip. The people who live here are proud, resilient, and resourceful. They are amazing!

    Our guide, William, had spent much of his training on the islands. He could understand the native language, Aymara, though he couldn’t speak it himself. Most of the islanders are multilingual: Aymara is their native tongue, Quechua connects them to Incan heritage and trade, and Spanish allows communication with the outside world.

    No one knows for certain why these people began living on floating islands. Even the islanders themselves only have theories. Some say their ancestors were exiled; others believe they fled from danger. They say it began with a single reed boat that expanded as families grew, eventually evolving into entire islands. What is certain is that they have lived this way since even before the Incas.

    Our visit began with a demonstration of how the islands float. Each island starts with large reed roots that naturally float, layered with fresh reeds on top. As the bottom layers slowly sink, new reeds are continually added to keep the islands stable. The men gather food and collect more reeds while the women guide visitors and explain daily life.

    Demonstration

    Every island belongs to a family, and each house on the island serves a purpose – bedrooms, kitchens, and common spaces. The bedrooms are raised to protect against moisture and prevent rheumatism, while the kitchens have stone floors to keep fires safe. Life here is communal, but it also has clear rules: if a family member doesn’t contribute, their section of the island can literally be cut away and set adrift. There’s no tolerance for shirkers!

    View from the communication tower

    The tour guides rotate which of the more than 80 man-made islands they visit. The island community shares in the profits of the entrance fee. They use the money they make to buy medicine and school books from the mainland. William warned us not to tip them – they are very proud of their ability to provide for themselves without what they consider to be charity.

    Many of the children go to school on the mainland, usually taught by missionaries. Many of the children end up leaving the culture altogether and get jobs on the mainland. This was really sad to me. I hate to think about such a beautiful culture dwindling away.

    The matriarch of the island we visited was named Eliana. She dressed us in her clothes. She was beautiful and welcoming. She didn’t speak a lot of English, but she spoke enough. As we wore her clothes and visited her bedroom, she said proudly to us “this is my home.” I felt honored to be there.

    Me and Chris with Eliana, our beautiful and welcoming host

    I am sure Eliana has long forgotten us, but we will never forget her and our short visit in her home! My next post I’ll share the song she sang for us as a thank you for our visit.

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  • On High Alert in Puno Peru

    Now that our adventure in Cusco was over, it was time to head southeast to Lake Titicaca. We hopped on another plane headed for Juliaca, the nearest airport to Puno, a city perched right on the edge of the lake.

    We had a tour guide with us for the next two days named William. He grew up in Puno. He was happy to escort us from Juliaca to Puno. He had plenty of stories about growing up in the area. The city is pretty run down and crime-ridden. He would point out all the unfinished houses we drove past and informed us that Peruvians do not have to pay taxes on houses until they are finished, so they often just live indefinitely in unfinished homes.

    Staying Alert

    To rewind a bit, months before leaving for our trip to Peru, I had signed up for travel alerts through the US Embassy in Peru. I figured it would be good to be registered with the embassy just in case we ran into trouble while out of the country. We got an alert a few weeks before our trip of political unrest in Puno and advice to reconsider traveling there. We looked into it a bit and decided we’d probably be okay, and we’d just be vigilant.

    So we were on high alert, especially after hearing William’s stories about crime in the area. William took us to our hotel and left us for the day with plans to rejoin us the next day.

    Where We Stayed

    We stayed at the Hotel Hacienda Puno. It was probably our least favorite hotel we stayed at in Peru, though it did have a nice view of the lake and a beautiful spot for enjoying breakfast outside.

    A Curious Kind of “Unrest”

    We spent a few hours walking around Puno, bracing for signs of protest or political demonstrations. We kept seeing groups of people holding candles and singing in circles. They were quite boisterous, but it was still just…. happy singing. We were baffled. Is this what unrest looks like in Peru? Maybe the songs were rallying cries about social injustices of some sort and we just didn’t understand the language.

    We found out later that they were, in fact, happily singing. That day turned out to be a national religious holiday in Peru and the people were celebrating. So if there was political unrest in Puno at the time, we didn’t witness any of it.

    We called it a day a little early so we could be rested for a big day. We’d be setting sail on Lake Titicaca to see the Floating Islands of Uros and the Island of Taquile!

    Floating Islands of Uros

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  • Cusco, Cuzco, or Qosqo?

    Spelling in Peru is tricky, and mostly because it seems like the spelling keeps changing!

    When I made my photo album after our trip to Peru, the Sun Temple in Cusco was spelled Qorikancha in Google Maps, and now it’s Qurikancha. But Wikipedia says Corikancha?

    As for Cusco itself, is it spelled with an s or a z? And man, there sure are a lot of q’s in the Peruvian culture!

    Cusco vs Cuzco

    Curiosity got the best of me, so I looked it up. Turns out both Cusco and Cuzco are technically correct, but Cusco is the preferred spelling in Peru today. The “z” version Cuzco was the one adopted by Spanish colonizers. Over time the spelling was changed back to better reflect the native Quechua language, which doesn’t have a “z” sound at all.

    Even more fascinating, the official Quechua name for the city is Qosqo. So really, both Cusco and Cuzco are adapted versions of the original name. That explains why you’ll see so many different spellings depending on whether you’re looking at a Peruvian source, an older map, or an English-language travel site.

    Cusco

    And What About Qurikancha?

    My guess is that the same logic applies to the temple’s spelling variations. The Incas had their own words, the Spanish tried to adapt them, and modern spellings are attempts to bridge the two. Whether you write it Qurikancha, Qorikancha, or Corikancha, it’s still the amazing Sun Temple we visited in Cusco.

    Next Time in Cusco

    As I mentioned before, one day in Cusco was nowhere near enough. Next time we return, we’d love to spend more time soaking in the city and its surroundings. On our must-visit list:

    • Sacsayhuamán – the massive Incan complex overlooking Cusco, full of intrigue and history!
    • Qeswachaka Rope Bridge – an ancient Incan bridge made of woven grass, still rebuilt by hand every year.
    • Ollantaytambo – a town we passed through but didn’t linger in, with its own ruins and incredible charm.

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  • Qurikancha: Cusco’s Sun Temple

    Qurikancha: Cusco’s Sun Temple

    We only had one full day in Cusco, which hardly feels like enough. The city is bursting with history, architecture, markets, and a lively energy that deserves more than a quick stopover. But since our trip to Peru was focused mostly on Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca, Cusco was more of a jumping-off point. Even so, the highlight of our short time there was visiting Qurikancha, also known as the Sun Temple.

    The Sun Temple

    We didn’t hire a formal guide in Aguas Calientes and Cusco, but we did have a driver who ferried us to different spots and filled in bits of history along the way. At Qurikancha, he explained that the temple was originally built by the Incas as a sacred place dedicated to the Sun God. But when the Spanish arrived, they reshaped the space into something that fit their own world. The Incan temple was plastered over with Catholic iconography, and a monastery was eventually built right on top of it.

    Our driver spoke with disdain about the Spaniards who forced their culture on the Incan people, erasing much of what came before. Yet he himself was a devout Catholic. It seemed a bit ironic, though it was almost a living reflection of Cusco itself, a city where both traditions still coexist, layered like stone upon stone.

    Inner Courtyard

    Stones That Speak

    What struck me most was the visible contrast between the Incan architecture and the Spanish additions. Anywhere the stonework looked impossibly precise (perfect symmetry, stones fitting together without mortar, seams so tight you couldn’t slip a piece of paper between them) was Incan. Wherever things looked more uneven and a little less mysterious, that was the Spanish handiwork. It felt like looking at two different conversations carved in stone, one eternal and enigmatic, the other blunt and practical.

    Perfect symmetry and mortarless stones
    People taking turns to stand in the center and experience the symmetry

    The Grounds

    The temple grounds themselves were stunning. Lush gardens framed the ancient walls, with flowers blooming against the backdrop of centuries-old stone. It was peaceful to walk around, despite our still sore legs. The once golden walls must have gleamed in the sunlight, a beauty worthy of the Sun God it was built to honor. The gold is long gone, stripped away by conquerors, but the bones of the Incan temple remain.

    Beautiful grounds!

    There is so much mystery to Incan architecture, a mystery we didn’t get to fully explore. Next time we are in Cusco, a visit to Sacsayhuaman is at the top of our list. You won’t forget the name of this famous Incan complex… it’s pronounced a lot like “Sexy Woman!”

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  • Baby Llamas in Cusco

    Baby Llamas in Cusco

    Now that our time at Machu Picchu was over, we hopped on another train. The ride away from Aguas Calientes was much more somber than the ride there. The passengers, ourselves included, seemed more tired. There were no lively conversations, and instead just peaceful napping.

    Goodbye Aguas Calientes

    Where We Stayed

    We stayed at the LP Los Portales Hotel Cusco. The staff was nice, and it is within walking distance of all the sites in Cusco.

    How We Got Around

    We just walked everywhere. There’s a lot you can do in a small radius, though we did feel like we missed out on tourism in the larger area of Cusco. But we were still pretty sore from the hike to the top of Machu Picchu.

    We quite enjoyed the town square, and we even bought a beautiful painting of Machu Picchu from a local artist. We were baffled to find a KFC in the middle of the square. When I think of Peru, KFC isn’t the first cuisine that comes to mind!

    Cusco Town Square

    But my favorite experience was that of running into these three hustlers! These women all dressed up in Peruvian dresses were holding a baby llama that was ALSO dressed up with flowers in her hair! I was TICKLED! These women thrust the baby llama in my hands while I was shouting at Chris to take a picture! Chris kept trying to tell me that this wouldn’t be free and they’d expect money, but I didn’t care! Did he not see the freaking baby llama with freaking flowers in her freaking hair?!?

    Baby llama drama

    We didn’t have small change, so they followed us until we could get them some money. And as quickly as they appeared and placed a baby llama in my arms, they as quickly disappeared once they got paid. Best 5 PEN I ever spent. No regrets!

    What I do regret, however, is not getting our shoes shined. We were approached several times by locals wanting to shine our shoes for what would have been less than 1 USD. We kept saying no. We weren’t wearing nice shoes, they were sneakers. And we weren’t going anywhere fancy, just a lot more walking. It didn’t make sense to have our shoes shined. But that’s not the point. This was their livelihood. The less than $1 to me would mean so much more to them.

    When I go back, I’m getting my shoes shined.

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  • A Piece of Our Hearts in Aguas Calientes

    A Piece of Our Hearts in Aguas Calientes

    The town of Aguas Calientes, otherwise known as the Machu Picchu Pueblo, was endearingly charming! It is very small, and we had the wonderful opportunity to explore every square inch of it.

    Machu Picchu Pueblo – Aguas Calientes

    There were dogs everywhere. Our local tour guide who had orchestrated our itinerary and arranged for transportation as needed told us that the dogs were owned by everyone. They were all very sweet. At the time, we did not have children yet, so our fur babies at home were desperately missed and it was heartwarming to see all the nice dogs everywhere. Chris had to tell me to quit taking pictures of the dogs.

    “Bernard” following us around the night before
    Chris dubbed these guys “Sally” and “Gail”
    I thought this sleeping dog was so funny, but by this point Chris was tired of me gushing over dogs and wouldn’t name him.

    Everywhere we went, you could see the locals busily preparing for the rainy season by placing sandbags everywhere.

    Locals were placing sandbags near this beautiful spot.

    We ordered alpaca at one of the restaurants, which Chris loved and had multiple times throughout the trip. We watched a restaurant worker leave the restaurant and walk over to a nearby market and come back with the fresh alpaca meat to cook it for us which we thought was funny. Alpaca was as exotic as we dared try – we could never bring ourselves to try the guinea pig.

    Machu Picchu Pueblo Town Square

    We loved walking through all the shops and purchasing souvenirs. Retail therapy was good for my sore legs.

    Marketplace
    I didn’t love the placement of the meat on the ground haha!

    There were locks on the bridges. I know there are many cities around the world with these locks of love, but this was my first encounter, and I really wanted to leave a lock. But we didn’t have one, so we set about looking for a place to purchase a lock to leave on the bridge. We encountered some unexpected language barriers. Despite my one year of grade-school Spanish and our best efforts with a translation app, every time we asked, locals simply pointed us back toward the bridge. No matter how we phrased it, they just couldn’t understand we were trying to buy a lock. Finally, during a meal break, a kind waiter from Venezuela who spoke perfect English came to the rescue. He personally walked us to a hardware store and helped us get the lock we’d been searching for.

    I loved these fun bridges!

    Warning: cheesy content ahead You are supposed to put the lock on the bridge and then throw the key into the river to symbolize our unbreakable love. However, I like to think of it more like we left a piece of our hearts in Peru, and we kept the keys as a souvenir. We don’t need to throw away the key to know our love is unbreakable.

    We left a piece of our heart in Aguas Calientes! Chris is holding a souvenir bag, not garbage 🙂

    Aguas Calientes wasn’t just a gateway to Machu Picchu; it was a place where we connected with the culture, the people, and even left behind a small symbol of our love. But our adventure through Peru wasn’t over yet. Stay tuned as we continue exploring beyond the Pueblo!

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  • Yellowstone: Uncle Tom’s Trail

    Daily writing prompt
    If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?
    View all responses

    The first time I ever visited Yellowstone as an adult was back in 2015. I know I had been at least once before as a kid with my parents and siblings, but I only have a vague memory of seeing Old Faithful and an even hazier memory of hiking down to the Brink of the Lower Falls.

    Chris, on the other hand, visited Yellowstone with his grandparents almost every year as a kid. He has many fond memories of his travels to Yellowstone with them. We spent over a week there together in 2015 and explored every corner, and even spent a day at Jenny Lake in the Grand Tetons National Park.

    We put in a LOT of miles! We hiked all day every day seeing everything. It was great!

    Hands down, our favorite hike we did was called Uncle Tom’s Trail.

    If you hike to the Brink of the Lower Falls, you can faintly make out some stairs across the waterfall. We could see people on the stairs and we were quite intrigued and wanted to figure out how to get there. It turns out it’s by the Artist’s Point. We made our way to the stairs – they take you down 328 steps and you are right next to the waterfall. The stairs were very rickety and it was definitely sketchy with all the people traveling up and down, but it was an unforgettable experience to get to be so close to the base of the thundering waterfall at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Getting back up those stairs was no easy feat.

    Our next visit to Yellowstone was with my parents and siblings and their families in 2018. We had hyped up this hike to all our family and were really bummed to find that the trail was temporarily closed. But never fear, we’d try again next time.

    Then me and Chris went again in 2020, this time with our infant daughter. We made our way to the top of the trail to find out that now it had been PERMANENTLY CLOSED. We were, and still are, DEVASTATED!

    I guess the stairs were just too rickety. We talked to a park ranger, and they basically said it would take millions of taxpayer dollars to bring the stairs up to code. Me and Chris have remarked multiple times since then that were we ever to get a windfall, our first donation would be to Yellowstone to rebuild the Uncle Tom’s Trail.

    I doubt we’ll ever have the financial means to do this, so I’m just grateful we were lucky enough to experience the trail before it closed. All I can do now is hold onto that memory and hope that someday, someone with the means and the passion will bring this dream back to life.

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  • The Incan Bridge and Our Final Steps Through Machu Picchu

    The Incan Bridge and Our Final Steps Through Machu Picchu

    This first picture is maybe my favorite picture of the trip. It is right after we made it to the bottom of the hike to the top of Machu Picchu. My legs were complete jello by the end, and I took a tumble on one of the stairs. I’m so grateful I didn’t tumble all the way down! But you can see dirt on my arm from the incident.

    Beautiful view near the mouth of the Incan Bridge trail

    We were trying to figure out what to do, we still had half the day ahead of us by the time we finished the hike. We wanted to hit up some spots we didn’t get to on our tour the day prior, and we wanted to do some more exploring on our own of some of our favorite spots from the tour.

    We made our way over to the Incan Bridge. This was another hike, and we were worried we couldn’t handle it. Despite Chris having fared better than me, his legs were sore too. As we were at the entrance to the hike to the Incan Bridge trying to decide what to do, another couple from Canada was just finishing the hike. They assured us it was a 20-minute easy hike. Additionally, they had done the hike to Huayna Picchu that morning.

    I appreciated their insights about Huayna Picchu. They said it was pretty brutal, and that they had to climb on all fours at some parts. Once they got to the top, they weren’t as impressed with the view as they’d hoped to be – they said the view you want is the view OF Huayna Picchu, not from it, like what we saw at the top of Machu Picchu.

    Despite what they had to say, I still wanna do it someday. But it gave us the courage to go see the Incan Bridge.

    To be honest, I was a little let down – mostly because we were not allowed to walk on the bridge, or even get close to it. I get it, it’s old and very small and I’d probably fall off and die, especially with my jello legs. But still!

    They think it may have been like an emergency escape route. Standing there, I couldn’t help but wonder what really lay beyond this bridge. Were there desperate flights into the unknown, narrow escapes under pursuit, or untold stories forever lost to time? Was this escape path used when the Spanish came? Did anyone survive on the other side? Maybe we’ll find out one day.

    Zoom in to see the small wood plank covering a hole on the stone terrace.
    This is as close as we were allowed to get.

    After this, we made our way through the ruins we had seen the day prior. The trails of the ruins are one-way, so once you start you have to keep going. At a certain point we decided our legs were just done, so we opted for a short cut.

    Shortcut to the exit of Machu Picchu via these terraces

    This shortcut involved walking down all these terraces that take you back to the exit. I had seen these terraces the day prior and thought they looked fun and I hoped to be able to walk down them. That was before the hike! It was very painful walking down these terraces!! But even so, we loved it, and it was a memorable way to make our exit.

    With that, we said goodbye to the ruins of Machu Picchu, ready to continue our adventure in other parts of Peru.

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  • Machu Picchu: Conquering the “Old Mountain”

    Machu Picchu: Conquering the “Old Mountain”

    On our second day exploring Machu Picchu, we again took the crazy bus ride to the ruins, but this time we were exploring on our own without a tour guide.

    We had booked a time to hike to the top of Machu Picchu. In the old Incan language Quechua, Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain.” The view from the top is that of Huayna Picchu, or “Young Mountain” in Quechua.

    At the entrance gate, we had to sign in so that the Machu Picchu employees could keep track of everyone on the mountain to ensure everyone returned safely. They told us to expect it to take 2 hours to get to the top and 1 hour to get down. There were people zooming past us like they were trying to beat the quoted time. We paced ourselves, our legs needed it!

    Feeling victorious on the Machu Picchu trail
    Breathtaking views from the Machu Picchu trail

    We were very happy to make it to the top. There were people up there from all over. We met a couple from Michigan and a boy from Ecuador.

    Resting spot at the top of Machu Picchu
    Historical market at the top of Machu Picchu

    This day happened to mark the 5-year anniversary of the day we met (not the day we got married). I can’t think of a better way to celebrate!

    Montana Machu Picchu signpost at the top

    A quick note about Huayna Picchu: I learned about Huayna Picchu too late – you have to get tickets months in advance as they only let a certain number of people on the trail at a time as it is a dangerous trail. The hike features the “Stairs of Death.” I really wanted to do it!

    Machu Picchu is higher than Huayna Picchu, but less steep. We had a lovely view of the “Young Mountain” from the top.

    Chris achieving his dream of making it to the top of Machu Picchu

    Though I was disappointed we didn’t get to hike Huayna Picchu, hiking Macchu Picchu was hard enough. I had prepared for this journey by participating in a local trail race series running through the mountains in Utah. Meanwhile, Chris, as usual, did nothing to prepare. Despite my months of preparation, I was not prepared for the Incan stairs.

    Oh did I not mention the stairs? No one mentioned them to me! I imagined it would be a regular hike, but it’s ALL STAIRS! And I’m not talking like stadium stairs that are all uniform in height – they were all sorts of sizes. Though one size was conspicuously missing: the small stairs. They weren’t there. They were big, bigger, and even bigger, and all sorts of lopsided. It was more than my stubby little legs could handle!

    I love crawling through spaces like this
    Heading down, my legs were jello from all these stairs!
    Stairs stairs and more stairs

    Chris fared much better than me, surprise surprise. Though he will still tell you to this day, despite having hiked the Half Dome in Yosemite and 20 miles of the Grand Canyon, that this maybe 2.5 mile hike to Machu Picchu is the hardest hike he’s ever done.

    Imagine climbing all these stairs after having done the whole Inca Trail?! The Inca Trail starts in Ollantaytambo and it’s a 26-mile 4-day trek. You know I’m all about hiking and adventure, but I’m also all about conserving energy – if a train can take me to the same spot, I’ll gladly accept the ride! I know my limits.

    That night when we were safely back in our hotel, my legs were hurting pretty bad. I never ask Chris to give me massages as he does not know the meaning of the word soft. I very delicately approached him and told him that my legs hurt very bad. I asked him if he could possibly massage my legs. I asked him to very gently barely touch my legs where it hurts. He was very sweet and obliged my request as best he could, though the second he touched them, I started sobbing hahaha! It hurt so bad!

    I tell this story for a few reasons. I have a tendency to come across as inhuman in my career (all business, I’d fit in well in NYC meetings), and these kind of stories show my softer side. I also want people of all fitness levels and abilities to not feel overwhelmed by some of these treks – if I can accomplish something, almost anyone can! And lastly, I want people to know to USE A STAIRSTEPPER when training for this hike! Learn from my pain!

    Despite the pain, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. The whole experience was awe-inspiring to say the least, and I’d love to do it again, albeit better prepared for stairs! It was exhausting, exhilarating, and unforgettable, and it was only day 3 of our trip!

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  • Machu Picchu: A Guided Tour Through a Modern Wonder of the World

    Machu Picchu: A Guided Tour Through a Modern Wonder of the World

    We were able to visit Machu Picchu on two days back to back. On our first day we went on a tour led by a wonderful Peruvian tour guide named Percy. We were in a group with people from all over the world. In our tour was the couple from California that we chatted with on the train from Ollantaytambo, but there was also a family from India and a couple from Finland among others. We took turns taking photos for each other.

    Machu Picchu ruins

    Llamas were EVERYWHERE. They are allowed to do whatever they want – they had free access to every corner of the ruins. They have more privileges than the people! They were very tame and clearly used to posing for pictures.

    Posing with a photogenic llama

    This rock is believed to have been a ceremonial rock where sacrifices were done. It was carved to look like the mountain. Unfortunately for me, we were NOT allowed to climb on it for pictures, or even get close.

    Sacrificial rock carved to look like the mountain

    The terraces served two purposes – they helped with landslides in the rainy season and provided a flat surface for planting food.

    Beautiful terraces at Machu Picchu

    The sun aligns through the window of the Sun Temple each June 21st, which was considered a holy day. We were not allowed to go inside. You can see a clear covering over a hole to the side where excavations were still being done.

    Sun Temple

    This rock house shows a difference between how Incans dealt with problems vs how we do today. Today, when we want to build a house, we move anything that is in the way, including large rocks. Back then, they just built around it!

    Rock house

    This whole area was off limits (except for llamas). They believe it was a marketplace.

    Scenery was beautiful! I wished desperately to be a llama and be able to go wherever!

    This picture shows the notches found on some of the blocks, believed to have been there to support roof beams that are no longer there. Kind of like lego pieces.

    Lego-like notches

    Temple of the Three Windows

    Temple of the Three Windows

    You can’t even fit a piece of paper in these smooth and tightly-fitting blocks!

    Even with all of today’s technology, we still don’t know how they fit these blocks together so tightly.

    Mama Llama at entrance to Huayna Picchu (means “Young Mountain” in Quechua, the old Incan language).

    Mama Llama and baby at the entrance to Huayna Picchu

    Every morning Machu Picchu workers bring cups of water to fill these basins designed to see the reflection of the sun and the moon. Unfortunately, most people never get the opportunity to see the reflection of the moon. They think the Incans used this as a way to communicate with the gods… or extraterrestrials.

    One the left is to view the reflection of the moon and the one on the right is to view the reflection of the sun
    You can see the sun reflected in the basin on the right – I wish we’d been able to get better photos!

    Condor Rock – this was sacred to the Incans and is part of the “Incan Trilogy” which includes the Condor, the Puma, and the Snake. The Condor represents the Sky, where the rain falls from. The Puma represents the Land, which provides crops. The Snake represents the Urubamba River that flows through Machu Picchu. The three together represent Machu Picchu.

    Condor Rock

    This rock has been suspended in the air for years. No one knows when it will fall. There is a room underneath that tourists used to be able to go under and explore and take pictures pretending you were holding up the rock (you know, like pictures of people holding up the Tower of Pisa). Tourists are no longer allowed to do this; not because they are afraid a tourist will get hurt, but because too many tourists left trash in the past. This was very upsetting to me – not only would I LOVE to explore under there, that’s like my thing! But it is infuriating that people would leave trash in such a treasured landmark.

    Suspended rock

    This guy in this photo was in our tour group, and he ended up being in like 65% of our photos from the day. He is forever memorialized in our hearts haha!

    From llamas ruling the ruins to stones carved with impossible precision, our first day at Machu Picchu left us in awe – despite the restrictions to climbing sacrificial rocks or strolling through the marketplace. The next day would be filled with our solo exploration of the ruins, including the hike to the top of the Old Mountain!

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