Looking back, I think I first learned of Machu Picchu in the 8th or 9th grade. It was considered then, as it is today, as one of the greatest architectural feats ever created by a pre-industrial age civilization…certainly in the same league as the great pyramids. Over the years, I learned much about the site in books, from images on calendars, History Channel segments, You Tube videos and most recently (for me) from an amazing book by Mark Adams…”Turn Right at Machu Picchu” (if you get a chance, listen to the book on Audible…the narrator is amazing as is the book).

Dreaming about going to Machu Picchu is one thing….getting there is quite another. It’s in a remote area of Peru and roughly 3,500 miles from our home in South Carolina. Think of the great John Candy movie “Planes, Trains & Automobiles”….you need all those, plus lots of walking and Uber rides (these drivers are truly fearless and the rides to and from restaurants in Lima were absolutely wild). Logistically, getting there and back and all the while enjoying the amazing cities of Lima, Cusco and Aguas Calientes required nearly a year of work by our world-traveling daughter. There were so many pieces to the puzzle, she ended up using a spreadsheet to keep it all straight. This trip is not for the faint-of-heart, or those who have always used travel agencies to plan their vacations. Get in shape, be prepared and be ready to roll with whatever situations you encounter.

There is so much to say about this amazing place, that it will require many posts to get it all described and explained. So…this is just a brief introduction. Stay tuned…