Notourguideneeded

Tips on Going to Machu Picchu Peru

March 16, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

Machu Picchu is on my bucket list and I wanted somewhere adventurous to visit for my Birthday in 2015. So off to Peru we went.

The Peruvian people are some of the most warm and friendliest people I have ever met. Everyone was friendly. Everyone. It seemed like people just wanted us to enjoy life. The food was fabulous and the nature was unbelievable.

So, planning a trip to anywhere in South America is not easy and Machu Picchu is not the exception. We didn’t want to take an organized tour and we are glad we didn’t because you really don’t need one.

Options

From Houston (and most US) you fly direct to Lima. You will probably get in around midnight or so. Then you have options. You can hang out in Lima, or go directly from Lima to Cuzco. From Cuzco you then take a train ride to Aguas Calientes. That is the city you stay at for Machu Picchu. Then from Aguas Calientes, you take a bus up to the ruins.

You can also walk from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, known as the Inca Trail. We did not do this option so I am not going to have much information on it. However, we met a lot of people who did walk it and everyone raved about how great it was.

We decided to go straight to Cuzco from Lima and take the 4am flight. Our flight was cancelled and we had to wait until 8am for the next flight. Lima Airport has plenty of options.

The Lima Airport…

There are things you should know about the Lima Airport.

1. United operates only during certain times, so there is not a United rep there all the time. On the way out, we got to the airport 10 hours early and we were told to come back in 8 hours.
2. The Lima Airport does not close. You can sleep there. Lots of people do. On the floor, in the chairs, everywhere. There is a hotel connected but it runs about $200 a night (why spend $200 when there is the floor??). There is a very very tiny lounge in the domestic area. When you land, you are landing in the domestic area (I know it is odd). BUT, on your way out, you can hang out in the VERY VERY NICE international lounge. I could have spent the whole day there. Unfortunately we needed to check bags so we had to wait for the United rep to get there until we could get to the lounge.

3. Behind the stairs is an official baggage hold. Since we had to wait for United, we checked our bags there and then got a cab to sight see. It wasn’t cheap but the alternative was to hang out in ticketing. Boring.

4. There are LOTS of cab drivers at the airport. They are aggressive and everywhere. The guys in Green are reputable.

5. You can easily see most of Lima in 6 hours. We went downtown, saw the churches, went to the beach and took a bus tour. I highly recommend you check out the city.

Cuzco

Our trip had us in Cuzco twice. Here is our itinerary

Houston to Lima (air)
Lima to Cuzco (air)
One night in Cuzco
Cuzco to Aguas Calientes (train)
Two nights in Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes to Cuzco (train)
Five nights in Cuzco
Cuzco to Lima (air)
Lima to Houston (air)

Cuzco is a great small city. Everywhere was walkable except to the ruins. You can take a tour to that but we just took a cab and I think that was really all we needed.

Here is the big issue. Altitude sickness. Cuzco is 3.400 m up. Altitude sickness can begin at 2,400 m. You are high up.

Many people choose to go to the other cities around Cuzco first and gradually make their way up. I’ve been to high places and never had a problem. Until this trip. So, altitude sickness feels like you have ingested way too much MSG. Or, remember back in college when you had one too many shots and you just wanted to feel normal. With a headache and nausea. It was odd to walk down the hallway and have to rest and not know why. The whole experience is very unpleasant. I tried to walk up the stairs and just couldn’t. I had to put my head between my legs because it was like I just ran up 10 flights of stairs, when in reality it was just ten steps.

So, keep this in mind. We stayed at the JW Marriott in Cuzco and they were the most accommodating hotel I have ever stayed at, ever. The hotel staff saw us as we arrived look pale and disoriented. They sat us down until our room was ready. They have a person on staff who administers oxygen when you cannot take it any longer. Not to mention the hotel was beautiful inside. And the spa was just wow. If you go, get the chocolate massage. You will thank me later :).

More on Cuzco

The city square is really pretty. There is a market that sells anything you could possibly want. There are several art museums and chocolate museum is a must. The big drink there is a pisco sour. I wasn’t a fan as they put egg whites in the drink but after a few days they grew on me. The food was great everywhere we went. Read my trip advisor reviews here:

Cicciolina
Don Carlos
JW Marriott

I would recommend you stay at least three days in Cuzco. Many people were shocked that we spent five days but it was just a really relaxing city. Plus the first two days we really felt bad and had we left then we wouldn’t have experienced the city like we did.

On to Aguas Calientes…

There are several ways to get to Aguas Calientes. We opted for taking the train rather than walking/camping. The train ride was super cool. First, it was my birthday and they had the train singing happy birthday to me, complete with an apple pie and candle! The staff just had fun the whole trip and the scenery was awesome. The trip is narrated so you know what you are looking at most of the time.

Here are my thoughts on where to stay:

Stay at El Mapi or if you want to go cheap stay at a hostel. Do not spend a lot of money for the main hotels. We stayed at El Mapi and it couldn’t have been better. We took a bird watching tour at the sister property (that charged $800 a night) and it confirmed we were happy with our hotel choice. BUT do the bird watching tour! The guide is super knowledgeable and I saw so many amazing birds. They have a humming bird area too (you could go there for free but you are paying for the guide’s knowledge).

Aguas Calientes exists for no other reason than for people going to Machu Picchu.

It is a cool little city with a great market for take home items (I bought a bunch of stuff and I never by things) like pillow cases and little wooden owls. Don’t expect much of this city, but it is cute. We stayed two nights because we did not want to be rushed. You would not need three nights, but the two nights was nice.

Many people took the morning train to AC, then went straight up to Machu Picchu, then took the train back to Cuzco. But here’s the thing… if you are going to go through all the effort to get there, why not take it easy and enjoy the place??

Machu Picchu

We opted to go to Machu Picchu in the morning and using a private guide. I am glad we did because they handled the logistics of standing in line for tickets and such. There were various reports of when was the best time to go up. I think the guides want to space people out so they try to convince people that the afternoon is the best time to go. But there really isn’t a BEST time to go. Many people line up to get there as the sun is coming up. However, the actual ruins are covered in fog many mornings and it is kind of in a valley of other mountains, so sun rise isn’t all what it is expected. There were some people who stayed at EL Mapi with us that went in the morning and it was packed so they went again in the afternoon.

Weather

Regardless of when you go, remember to take rain gear and mosquito repellant. It was sunny and bright and within an hour it went from hot to cold to raining to hot ‘after rain’ feeling. Take layers, layers and layers.

There is no shelter so when it starts to rain, you are going to get wet.

Getting to Machu Picchu

Our guide was very knowledgeable but you didn’t need to have a guide if you had a book or reference materials. We used a guide because the process was little confusing. Now that we know, I will share:

1. You go down to buy your tickets. You must take your passport with you.

2. Pick your time and get in line for the bus.

3. Get on the bus.

4. Travel up a very windy road. Some people walk it to save money. Don’t do this. There isn’t a pedestrian path and you could get run over. And remember the weather?

5. Get off the bus, go through check in, follow the signs.

There are no toilets inside the gates so make sure you go (for a fee) before you go through the gate.

Our guide was from the area and his family held a lot of the traditions so it was interesting to hear his perspectives. I still sort of recommend getting someone to help you for the stories but it isn’t necessary. The hubs thought it was a waste of money, so take your pick.

I hope you have a wonderful time. Let me know how your trip goes!

Rio

March 16, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

I have always wanted to go to Rio, so we spent my birthday in 2014.

First, let me say that Rio is not the kind of place you can just fly into and figure it out. We are adventurous travelers and were a little overwhelmed by the city. The population is huge with 6.5 million people. We spent a significant amount of time sitting (not moving) in traffic. The wealth of the citizens is divided with many people living in favelas.

However, the beaches and culture are overwhelming. Here are things to know if you want to go:

1. The Rio airport does not have A/C. I have personally experienced this. I read this before we went and I thought the author just meant the airport is hot. No, there is no air circulation.

2. Get to the airport 4 (yes, 4, not a typo) hours before your flight. We waited in security while people took their breaks. It was crazy long and hot. Very hot.

3. We could not find little markets to buy things for the beach and thought this was very odd. Then we learned why. Go down to the beach and get comfy. The markets come to you! We had people selling beer, cocktails, shrimp on the BBQ, dresses, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen. Pretty much anything you could possibly want. Several times we saw the guy who sold dresses leave his stuff to run to (I assume) his car for alternative options. I am pretty sure if I wanted something, someone would have went and got it for me.

4. The Christ Redeemer is enormous, beautiful and worth going. However, getting there is a little odd. We took a taxi and after 45 minutes we made it the 2 miles. Then the guy pulls into a neighborhood and says, “walk to the end of the block, turn right and you will see it”. Very odd… I was expecting Disneyland type lines and such. No.. there was a ticket counter for the train that takes you up the hill. The train is quite impressive as I am not certain how safe it was, but it got us there. At the top we saw the only tourist shop we ever saw in the whole city. There was a place to eat and an ice cream shop that was quite good.

5. Soccer. Football. Learn it before you go.

6. Any attire is acceptable on the beach. I saw a lot of women who were over 200lbs and sporting a bikini like it was nothing special. Good for them! It made me want to buy a bikini from the lovely merchants who walked around selling tops and bottoms, but alas I am not that brave. However, don’t worry about what you are wearing or not wearing. Clearly no one cares.

7. Caipirinha. Do not be a show off. These people take this drink seriously and the last thing you want to do is be drunk on vacation and not able to function the next day. Ask a bartender to show you how they make them. The trick is to not put the white insides of the lime into the drink. YUM.

8. The hotels are not directly on the beach like in Miami or other cities. You cross a major street and then walk a little ways to get to the water. It isn’t bad, I just wasn’t expecting there to be a main street between our hotel and the beach.

9. We stayed at the JW Marriott. Fabulous place that overlooks the sea. And they had a great lounge. Highly recommend it.

10. Do not go to the all you can eat seafood or meat restaurants. Note the tour buses and make your own conclusions.

These coconuts are sold on the beach. They just cut them open for you and they are delish!

The statue is enormous and so worth the walk up there!

Things to know when traveling to Lourdes

March 16, 2016 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

I spent a tremendous amount of time researching Lourdes, because it was really important to me. When I got there, I was glad I did because it is a little confusing.

We drove to Lourdes from Spain. The mountains were just amazing and the drive is very nice. However, plan for more time than what google maps tells you. You are driving through the mountains, in little towns, etc. It took us a couple hours more than planned. So, we arrived in Lourdes at night. There are signs to follow but they are scattered so you kind of have to hope you did it right.

Arriving in Lourdes, I was surprised that it was a little town. I am not sure what I was expecting, but I guess not a nice little town.

We get to Lourdes, check in the hotel (Best Western – which was a nice place). I read somewhere that there was a night mass in Lourdes. We ask the people at the Best Western and they did not know. So, we just walk over to the church. Now, when you arrive, the church is massive. Kind of overwhelming. I see a priest and ask him where the night mass is. He tells me he has never heard of this, but to “go down to the river and Mary will help me to console my soul”. Now I am confused that the priest doesn’t know about this night mass. The hubs says, maybe we should just do what the priest says, kind of joking. So we walk over to the water, and there it is! The priests have mass BEHIND the church where the water is flowing. There are candles and chanting. It was just a really amazing experience.

So, while there are many masses happening there, I highly recommend you check out the night mass.

Lourdes is probably a bit touristy in the town itself. The streets line with all kinds of shops where you can buy plastic jugs to fill with water and any type of Virgin Mary stuff you would ever want to own.

The Water….

People go to Lourdes to experience the free flowing holy water. There are many ways this can be done:

Water fountains are available for you to drink/wash from. The water is cold, so many people enjoy washing their hands and face and drink from the tap. It is basically a water tap in a large rock. This is also where you would take a bottle that you can cheaply purchase at one of the stores, or bring your own. There were not any lines and you just walk up and do your thing.
Just walk around and breath in the river. The river air is so nice and the land the church is on is beautiful. My husband did not bathe, and he really enjoyed just walking around taking in the sites.
The big thing to do in Lourdes is to bath in the water. This is a very systematic ritual and the nuns have it down to a science.

Here is how the Bath works:

You get there and there is probably going to be a line. Don’t worry though, the nuns sing for you and there are benches to sit on. People talk while you wait and I met some very wonderful people. Some go just for the experience but many are there with an ailment of some sort wanting to be healed.

You will get to the place where the water is and the nuns will help you to your spot. The water fills up these pools in the ground (they look like mini bathtubs in the ground). The nuns will hold a sheet around you while you undress and then very modestly wrap you in a sheet. At no point does anyone actually see you naked. It is amazing how they do it.

They will walk you to the water and then it becomes personal what you do. Some get in and out (it is FREEZING water). Others dunk. Some have the nun pour water over them. So you don’t want to wear a lot of make up or hair stuff. Then they take you out of the water (you are only in there for like 10 seconds), and redress you (kind of opposite of how they got you undressed. Don’t worry, you are never exposed. I was a little embarrassed when I saw all the people around but it really is okay. There isn’t any place for you to “freshen up” so be prepared for that. I wrapped up my hair in a bun and was done.

Something you should know before going to Lourdes…

I knew that many people with illnesses venture to Lourdes for help. While I thought I was prepared to see it, I was not. With all the beauty and peacefulness also comes the sadness and heartbreak for those in need. If you are visiting Lourdes while on a larger vacation like I was, it can be very difficult to bounce back and enjoy yourself over the guilt of seeing the pain that some people are in are clearly worse that your own demons. There is nothing you can do to prepare yourself, but just know that you may need a day of reflection to process some of the things you may see.

Bottom line it is just sad, and happy all at the same time. I am not trying to discourage you from going but I feel that people should know this before venturing there. It isn’t a “cool” place to go (although it kind of is in a healing sense).

Just have the right state of mind when you go.

Did you know Angel Falls is the tallest free flowing waterfall in the world? And it is an adventure getting to it…

January 24, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 3 Comments

I have a list of the wonders of the world. You know, every travel group seems to have one now. But, I found one that I had done many things on and what I wanted to do more of. Angel Falls was on that list.

Now if you aren’t familiar with Angel Falls, watch the cartoon movie “Up”. The goal is for the husband to get the house up next to the falls.. Angel Falls. It is also the tallest free drop waterfall in the word.

So in November 2012, the hubs and I pack our bags and first head to Caracas. I love to research a lot of stuff before we go, but for some reason there is not a lot of good information on Angel Falls. (well, maybe there is in Spanish, but I am not that fluent yet). As we normally do, we just decided to wing it.

First we stop off and see my wonderful in-laws and nieces/nephews. We tell them we want to go to the falls. (OH, BTW, it was also my birthday). My sister-in-law calls someone she knows and we go to the travel agency. They really were not helpful and were trying to get us to take a plane ride over to see the falls. No, I wanted to experience riding the canoe up and really seeing the falls. Not from up high.

Now, a few years before that, when we visited Margarita Island, we got most of our travel done by an agent at the American Express shop in Sambil. I know, it sounds crazy but they are reliable and get us what we wanted. So, off to Sambil we went.

After a very long wait, the wonderful woman found us tickets to Angel Falls. However, we couldn’t just fly into where the falls were. Here is the route:

Leave Caracas and go to Puerto Ordaz
Leave Puerto Ordaz and go to Aeropuerto Canaima, aka the jungle
When you get to Canaima, your tour group picks you up from there and takes you to their camp via a truck/open bus.

Our big mistake was we waited until the last minute. I would highly recommend you not wing it. Find a tour group you like and book the trip through them. The entire park is reserved and you cannot access anything without a tour.

When we left Caracas we only had a ticket to Puerto Ordaz. The ticket counter in Caracas had spoken to the person in Puerto Ordaz and they would have our ticket. So, we got on the plane and flew to Puerto Ordaz. At the airport, we went to hotels.com to book a room. The Howard Johnson was the only chain I was familiar with and we were tired and didn’t want to risk it. We take a cab from the grocery store across from the airport to the hotel and they do not have our reservation. That’s okay, they had an open room but we needed to pay in exact money. Sigh..

The room was nice, and I would stay there again. So we wake up, have a great breakfast, and take a cab over to the mall to get our tickets.

When we got to the mall and found the woman, there was a very long line of people. Then we had to wait for the woman to return from lunch. Then the woman was waiting from a fax from another office. However that office lost electricity and could not fax the form. And by the way, she was going home at 4pm so if the fax wasn’t there we would have to wait the next day. OMG!

Eventually after much worrying, the fax came, the tickets were there and we were able to get on the plane. Jungle here we come!

The flight to Caniama was kind of cool, in a very unsafe sort of way. There was no “turn off your electrical devices and buckle up”. There were about 12 of us on the plane and when we all got in we just left.

We arrived into a field, that had a very large hut like building. There was a man walking around in tribal wear, but I think that was more for show. Eventually our truck arrive and we got to camp.

Here is our room:

This was the first night's bed in Caniama. This was before we took the canoe up to the falls. — This was the first night’s bed in Canaima. This was before we took the canoe up to the falls.

266 — This is outside our room at the camp in Canaima. Note the parrot who wrecked havoc on everyone’s stuff.

Our tour consisted of the first day at El Sapo and the next Two (there and back) at Angel Falls. First, let me say that all I researched was Angel Falls. I did not realize how amazing El Sapo is. If you have time to visit it, go. Climb behind the falls and really experience it. This YouTube video is probably the best illustration of what it is like, the walking the climbing etc. YouTube Link to El Sapo When we left, our guide didn’t tell me where we were going and said we were going site seeing. So, I wore sandals. Worse decision ever. It was so hot and I thought we were going for a leisurely stroll. So, always be prepared and I learned my lesson.

Also, do not underestimate how hot in will be. Carry your water with you at all times. This is the jungle; they do not have people selling water as you walk in the open fields. Also, wear more sun screen than you ever thought would be enough and then put a little more on yourself. The sun is closer to you as you are close to the equator and before you know it you are fried. And again, this is the jungle so there are not any places that sell aloe or sun burn help.

So, the next morning we get up and start the journey. I cannot over state how important ziplock baggies are. Every trip they have saved my stuff. To get to the falls, you can only take your bag and they pile them all up in the back of the canoe. Then all you can do is pray water doesn’t get in them. Put everything in baggies and you will be okay.

Our particular trip the river was very low. Our guide prepared us the night before and let us know that we would have to get out of the canoe and push in many places. I thought he said 2 or 3 spots. He meant to say 20 or 30 spots. Oh well. 🙂

The view we saw from the canoe ride was worth every single frustration to get there. There are many pictures in my smug mug account (My Vacation Photos).

Unless you are short on time, do not forgo the canoe trip for the airplane ride. You will miss the best part of the trip. Spending 5-8 hours in a peaceful canoe with the natural beauty is just amazing. Seriously. Do it.

So, we arrived at camp and had a delicious meal of poultry cooked over the campfire. We slept in hammocks and the sound of nature was really cool. I have camped, but never in the middle of untouched land. It truly was fantastic.

You spend the night there under the falls. Depending on which package you get, some people walked to the base of the falls, which was another trek upward.

I did sneak around and look at the other camps. We were there off season (Nov 22) so many of them were not functioning. You can choose from many options so I’d spend some time looking if you are able. However, at the end of the day, everyone sleeps around the same area outside. I wouldn’t spend too much money on accommodations.

Angle Falls from our camp — Angel Falls from our camp

You cannot experience anything like this anywhere else.

Going home was an adventure all in its own. Read about how we got lost, ended up in another town and saw an Andy Warhol here at “Being Left in the Jungle“.

Feel free to reach out to me if you want advice or questions about your upcoming trip.

Here are things to remember:

Take lots of sunscreen and use it!
Drink lots of water
Wear good hiking water shoes.
Remember to enjoy the experience and go with the flow.

Some of the people I met on the trip we still talk with today. Enjoy yourself and you might find little hidden gems of the world you didn’t know existed.

Peace and love.

11 things to Remember when New York City during Christmas

January 2, 2016 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

New York City at Christmas

Many years ago I started going to New York City at Christmas time for shopping and snow viewing. It has now morphed into my husband’s birthday celebration place. If you are thinking of going to New York during the Christmas season there are a few things to keep in mind.

Weather

We had a great trip this year, even with the weather being crazy. We arrived on Thursday night and it was hot, then Friday morning it was freezing. It stayed cold until Monday as we were leaving it was hot again. Hot being 70 degrees, but that is warm for NYC in December.

A few years back we experienced a blizzard!

Bottom line – be prepared for any type of weather.

People

There will be LOTS of people. More than normal. And most of these people are panicking because they have a Christmas list of things to buy and time is running out. The hubs and I quit doing presents a long time ago and therefore are not freaked out. But you must be on notice that people are really really stressed out.

Clothing

While the streets are (usually) freezing, the insides of buildings are usually ridiculously hot. Prepare for this. Do not wear heavy sweaters under a heavy coat and then wrap your bag over your shoulder. Wear layers. And put your bag under your coat. Then when you enter the building you can take your coat off without it being an Olympic event. The locals have this down to an art; you are not a local so don’t even try. Just put that purse under your coat or be ready to melt.

If you do not own a scarf, buy one immediately when you get to NYC. I’m from the south so we don’t really need/wear scarves. I have found over the years though that they are quite handy and wear them often now. Google a video on the many ways to wear them. The cold wind in NYC somehow knows how to hit your lips (while chapping them well), and then rush down your neck and into your clothes. Wear a scarf.

You can also use them to breathe through went on the subway and not so great odors appear.

Christmas Windows

The Christmas windows are just as pretty in the day as they are at night when people think that is the only time they are up. They are also up at 9am before the stores even open. Do not stand in long lines to see the same thing you can see in the morning. They are beautiful. Evening and morning they are the same.

Other Christmas Activities

If you stand on the church steps at St. Patrick’s on 55 and 5th, you can hear (and kind of see, but not well) the Saks Christmas lights on the building. Or you can cross the street and stand in the crowd. This, unfortunately does need to be done at night. It is pretty and should be done. But please don’t fight the crowd…stand on the steps and lean over a little. You’ll get the point.

There is nothing more peaceful that watching people ice skate in Central Park. Forget Rockefeller ice.. it is loud, and touristy. Bryant Park can be nice too sometimes.

I avoid Time Square at all cost. If you have never been, go around 9am. Things start opening up and it is not as crazy as the middle of the afternoon. There is nothing “christmasy” in TS, so look and then leave.

Nespresso has a shop up by the park, east side. Forget the Starbucks. This has a restaurant and the coffees are fabulous. The store in the back has great servers that will let you sample your heart out too. And they have clean bathrooms.

Lincoln Center has opera and ballets that are wonderful to watch during this time. Check out their schedules. It is less hectic and usually much cheaper than a broadway show.

Last but not least, remember to enjoy your self. And stay away from people with look of panic in their eyes. 🙂

Tips on Going to Machu Picchu Peru

Options

The Lima Airport…

Cuzco

More on Cuzco

On to Aguas Calientes…

Aguas Calientes exists for no other reason than for people going to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

Weather

Getting to Machu Picchu

Rio

Things to know when traveling to Lourdes

The Water….

Here is how the Bath works:

Something you should know before going to Lourdes…

Did you know Angel Falls is the tallest free flowing waterfall in the world? And it is an adventure getting to it…

11 things to Remember when New York City during Christmas

New York City at Christmas

Weather

People

Clothing

Christmas Windows

Other Christmas Activities

Destination

Check-in date

Check-out date

Options

The Lima Airport…

Cuzco

More on Cuzco

On to Aguas Calientes…

Aguas Calientes exists for no other reason than for people going to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

Weather

Getting to Machu Picchu

The Water….

Here is how the Bath works:

Something you should know before going to Lourdes…

New York City at Christmas

Weather

People

Clothing

Christmas Windows

Other Christmas Activities

Check-in date

Check-out date

Contact: [email protected]

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