Another Peru Question

[cemb]

A shout out to those who have done the ABD Peru trip ... this trip is #1 on our family travel bucket list for 2012, but was wondering just how strenuous the trip is with ABD? We have a 12 year old with lingering physical issues from medical treatments several years ago that can leave him very exhausted. His doctors are ok with travel but if too strenuous, then he won't enjoy it. The ABD trip is listed as 8 and up so am thinking this could work for him. Experience from those who have done this trip with kids would be well appreciated.

 

[sayhello]

I don't know about strenuous (I haven't taken this trip -- yet!), but the trip is VERY high altitude, and that can take a lot out of people who are in perfect health. I would specifically ask his doctors their opinions about high altitude traveling. If they say OK, then judge about the strenuousness... JMHO. It's honestly the main thing holding me back from signing up for this trip. Otherwise, it sounds spectacular!

Sayhello

 

[Adena]

Cemb: I have a feeling that the ABD folks can give you the best guidance on whether or not the Peru trip is a good idea for your son. But as a Peru ABD 2010 veteran, here's my two cents' worth:

For altitude sickness, my husband and I obtained prescriptions for acetazolamide (a.k.a. Diamox) prior to our trip. We began taking it once we arrived in Peru and throughout the trip. Because of our diligence in taking the medicine, we never experienced altitude sickness.

Our pediatrician would not prescribe acetazolamide for our children (ages 7 and 9), but they were fine and it appeared that all the other children on the trip were fine, too. Only once did my son complain of a headache, and he felt okay after taking a dose of children's ibuprofen.

For those who are in good shape, the guides will present you with exploration and hiking opportunities galore. For those who aren't in the best shape, there is still much to see and enjoy. I thought that the guides were keen observers of the physical abilities of those on the trip and were quick to discreetly offer advice and great alternatives when necessary.

 

[kristilew]

We did the Peru ABD three years ago when DD was 10. It was fairly active, but there were always alternatives to the most energetic activities. For example, if one didn't want to raft, there was the option to go on the bus to the meeting point. At Macchu Pichu, there were several trail options.

The main form of exertion is walking on trails. Some of these were quite steep, and there is a bit of step climbing as well. The altitude can make all this a bit of a challenge, but the guides were very considerate of those who needed to go more slowly.

The only caution I would advise re your son is that it is not the sort of trip that can be much enjoyed from the bus window. So if he was having a bad spell that happened to conicide with your travel dates, he could end up disappointed.

On the other hand, there was a lady on our trip celebrating her 70th birthday. She took it a little slower than some, and kept a walking stick with her, but had no trouble keeping up in general. I guess it just depends on how extreme the exhaustion gets.

hope this helps a little!

 

[kermit116]

I don't know about strenuous (I haven't taken this trip -- yet!), but the trip is VERY high altitude, and that can take a lot out of people who are in perfect health. I would specifically ask his doctors their opinions about high altitude traveling. If they say OK, then judge about the strenuousness... JMHO. It's honestly the main thing holding me back from signing up for this trip. Otherwise, it sounds spectacular!

Sayhello

I would think the altitude would be a concern. As this post says, there are many people in perfectly good health who have serious reactions to the altitude that require immediate medical attention. I'm sure ABD would help with this, but I'm not sure it's a risk worth taking. I'd suggest you get an opinion from your doctor and maybe a second opinion as well to determine if it would be a wise idea.

 

[cemb]

Thanks for the advice! We will only go if his doctor approves the trip anyway, which we should know later this week. Peru is very high on our "bucket list" of places we want to go, and would really like to do it next year. His energy level can be more like that of the 70 year old mentioned, so there might be hope we can do it!

 

[tufbuf]

We already have 36 ppl in our group and the date is already removed from the roster. Exciting!!! So far, we have Armando as one of the guides.

Just wondering, since I am trying to figure out how much Nuevo sols and US$ to bring, how much do the wool blankets/products ( is it wool?) cost, at least the range? I guess that would be the best souvenirs we can get from the area? Can anyone give me a suggestion how much of the local currency would be enough to carry? Thanks!

 

[kermit116]

We already have 36 ppl in our group and the date is already removed from the roster. Exciting!!! So far, we have Armando as one of the guides.

Just wondering, since I am trying to figure out how much Nuevo sols and US$ to bring, how much do the wool blankets/products ( is it wool?) cost, at least the range? I guess that would be the best souvenirs we can get from the area? Can anyone give me a suggestion how much of the local currency would be enough to carry? Thanks!

Peru operates on a dual currency - they use both the nuevo sol and the US dollar. You should check the exchange rate before you go to decide how much you should exchange. Depending on the rate, Peruvian vendors may be more likely to want one currency over the other. Many of the touristy places will take either USD or soles. However, you may get a better exchange rate by paying in soles than in USD. Whenever we've bought stuff in Peru using dollars, we ask what exchange rate they'll give us at the store/restaurant. Then we decide if it's worth it to use USD or soles.

Not sure what you budget will be to spend on souvenirs, but I'd plan to carry a small amount of soles - about $300 worth . You can always change dollars when your out and about, or at the airport (although you'll pay a lot more at the airport). Ask your guides to help with money exchange if that is allowed. There are places at many commercial centers that change dollars for soles and you usually get a better rate from the, but ask your guides because there are some scam artists who will give you counterfeit bills. For example, you may exchange dollars for soles at the airport for 2.7 soles/dollar, but you may be able to buy something in Lima for 2.9 soles/dollar.

ALSO, since counterfeiting of US dollars is a big issue in Peru, I would highly recommend you NOT take hundred dollar bills. And, any smaller bills you take should be new and in pristine condition - as in go to your bank, ask for only new bills. If you don't have pristine bills, people might not exchange them. On our last trip we had several bills ($20s and a few $100s) that NO ONE would change because (1) they were creased or (2) they were from a series that had been frequently counterfeited. We even took the bills to the banks, they used the pen that shows they aren't counterfeit, but they wouldn't take the bills because they were from that series. Not sure if there's a website somewhere that has information on the series they won't take - based on our experience it was more of a word of mouth thing amongst Peruvians.


As for souvenirs...

The best high end souvenirs will be llama/alpaca blankets, sweaters, shawls, scarves. Those can be VERY expensive, especially if you are buying in a tourist area, which is where I assume the ABD trips will take you. A good baby alpaca women's sweater can easily run $400+. A good women's alpaca shawl can be $200+. Also, you have to remember that Peruvan sizes run much smaller than US sizes, so if you were a womens/mens size L or XL in the US, you probably won't find any sweaters in your size in Peru. You can, however, still get lovely scarves.

You can also get beautiful hand-woven rugs, throws, place mats, and table runners. The best of the best of these will be made from baby alpaca, and again these can be several hundred dollars depending on the size. A small baby alpaca throw rug (about 2 ft x 3 ft) can be in the $400-$600 range, but they are extremely soft, well made, and beautiful. Less expensive and more durable rugs will be made of a blend of alpaca and wool. The more alpaca they have, the softer they will be, the finer the thread (usually), and the more expensive they will be. You can probably find good quality alpaca/wool bled rugs & throws for $300-$800 depending on the size, detail, etc. These rugs are what I'd consider the ultimate Peruvian souvenir, so if you can afford one, I'd highly recommend them. Also, I don't know if ABD offers this on their trip, but see if you can get some sort of tour on how the rugs are actually made. They are woven on hand looms and it's amazing to see this done. Many of them are also died with natural dies, and this is incredible to watch, too. They start with a natural colored thread and add different herbs and barks and come up with these amazingly bright colors you'd think would only be possible through artificial dyes. Very very cool.

For smaller souvenirs, I'd suggest some of the less expensive scarves for women (there are some that are blends that you can get for as low as $40/each). Peru also has great cotton products, so the quality of the T-shirts is great - really soft and durable. Again, just watch sizes because they will run small. But most T-shirt vendors have caught on to American sizes and have larger sizes now. Don't be afraid to ask a vendor to take something out of a plastic bag to check the size before you buy. This is common practice. Most good t-shirts will run about $8-15/each, and you can bargain with vendors in markets if you are buying more than one. They will usually give you a deal.

Peru has amazing ceramics called "chulucanas." Some have been exported to the US, and some were even sold in Target stores a few years back. They are generally black & white and have different designs. There are a lot rip-off chulucanas from China in the US, but the real ones are made in Peru (they come from the Chulucanas region) and are fired in a stove with mango leaves. The black & white ones are NOT PAINTED - they get their color from the firing technique. You can tell if they are authentic by smelling them - real ones will smell smoky inside, not chemically. You can't use them for food, but they make gorgeous decorative pieces. If you Google "chulucanas pottery" you can find some good examples. These vary in price depending on size and intricacy of pattern, but you can generally get them for $15-$90.

You'll also find tons of little handmade items - small nativities, little silver items, etc. I will warn you that most Peruvian silver items I've had tarnish very easily, so just keep that in mind. Jewelry or items not used often will require cleaning.

Finally, you may wish to buy a bottle or two of Pisco and bring that home. These run from $15-$90 depending on quality. I've found you can generally get a good bottle of Pisco for about $30. You must put these in your checked bag, and I think you can only have two per checked bag. Pisco is a brandy made from grapes that originated in Pisco, Peru - a southern coastal region that was badly damaged by the earthquake in 2007. Many people think Pisco comes from Chile but it's actually from Peru. You can buy drink mixes at most grocery stores that will help you make Pisco sours and other Pisco drinks.

Hope this helps!

 

[tufbuf]

Kermit, thank you for all the info!!! Now I have a better idea of how much to bring and what to get for souvenirs. I will take note of everything you said, especially the local ceramics which interests me as well!!

I guess credit cards are not so useful?

 

[kristilew]

We already have 36 ppl in our group and the date is already removed from the roster. Exciting!!! So far, we have Armando as one of the guides.

Just wondering, since I am trying to figure out how much Nuevo sols and US$ to bring, how much do the wool blankets/products ( is it wool?) cost, at least the range? I guess that would be the best souvenirs we can get from the area? Can anyone give me a suggestion how much of the local currency would be enough to carry? Thanks!

tufbuf, we had no problem getting local currency from ATMs along the way. The guides were wonderful about alerting us to when we might want to do this, and telling us a range of how much to get out each time, depending on shopping opportunities. The exchange rates from the ATMs are as good as any you'll get from a bank. There is one right in the airport, so you don't really have to worry about bringing cash ahead of time. (although I did have the guides' tip money already in cash so I wouldn't have to worry about it later.)

Most of the folks on our ABD bought alpaca products. In Cusco, there were lovely leather products for sale, and a lot of etched gourds, which were amazingly intricate and fun to bring home. Of course, everyone wanted an Inca Cola tee shirt, and Incan themed chess sets were quite popular with our group as well (or, rather, like a chess set, but it was a slightly different game. your guides will explain.)

You can carry as much cash as you want, but I would suggest smaller bills as well. It helps your haggling position to not be flashing around big bills. (though we never once encountered any of the counterfitting concerns mentioned by Kermit. Perhaps this is a more recent problem, or it sounds like Kermit has traveled more extensively in Peru than the ABD trip allows, and maybe this is more regional?) Some of the wool and alpaca items were in the hundreds of dollars (US) and people felt they were worth it. My husband was thrilled that I'm allergic to alpaca, so we spent much less on our trinkets!

 

[kermit116]

You can also use credit cards pretty much everywhere in Peru - from restaurants and fast food places to merchandise stores. Visa is probably the most widely accepted, followed by Mastercard. There aren't as many places that take American Express, so I wouldn't rely on that as a primary credit card in Peru.

If you plan to use your credit card in Peru, make sure to call your credit card company before you leave the country and let them know you'll be traveling oversees so they don't shut off your credit card when you buy something in Peru. Also, check what exchange rate they will give you, and what fees they will charge you. While most credit cards will actually give you a better exchange rate, some will also charge you a fee for each foreign currency charge. You'll need to look at this and evaluate whether it's cheaper to use cash or to have the convenience of just putting it on your credit card.

The counterfeiting issue was in Lima a few months ago, so I would suspect it's still an issue. Counterfeiting has always been an issue in the years we've traveled to Peru, but this recent trip was the first time we had such wide spread problems with certain bills. We had a few hundred dollars that were obviously not counterfeit because I took them out of my bank in the US, but no one (banks, shops) would take them, so they were essentially useless to us until we got back to the US. Again, I don't remember the numbers of the series of bills they wouldn't accept, but I know they were at least a few years old so if you get cash from your bank that is from a more recently-minted series you should be okay.

 

[appleberry]

Will be going to Peru shortly. For those of you who have gone already, what did you wish you had brought but you didn't bring and what did you bring that you didn't need? I keep thinking of Carl from "An Idiot Abroad" who mostly brings potato chips and toilet paper. It will be two adults arriving a day early. Also, looking for suggestions on what to do during free time. Do they allow enough free time for exploring Macchu Picchu if you are avid hikers? Also, if you bring limited clothing are there facilities/time to do laundry?

 

[kristilew]

Will be going to Peru shortly. For those of you who have gone already, what did you wish you had brought but you didn't bring and what did you bring that you didn't need? I keep thinking of Carl from "An Idiot Abroad" who mostly brings potato chips and toilet paper. It will be two adults arriving a day early. Also, looking for suggestions on what to do during free time. Do they allow enough free time for exploring Macchu Picchu if you are avid hikers? Also, if you bring limited clothing are there facilities/time to do laundry?

We went several years ago on the ABD, so it might have changed. However, from what I remember, we had the afternoon free at Macchu Picchu. A group hiked up to the top gate, the rest of us split up and explored at will. Definitely enough time to hike around, though not enough to take off down the Inca Trail, if that's what you meant.

There were some chances to do laundry, but really not a lot of time for it. You would be giving up something else to do it. Why not throw in an extra outfit or two and not worry about it. You never tote your own bags once you claim them from customs, so it's not that much of an issue if they're full.

We were very glad to have real hiking boots and sunhats. Also, a fleece pullover got worn every night and I would have worn a jacket if I'd had it. Layers were the key, as it was cold when it was dark, hot when it was midday, and every temp in between as it transitioned.

Here is a link to a thread I posted when I first got back. It had a few more packing tips/questions answered: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1853771

You are going to LOVE this ABD! So much fun.

 

[sjlsk8r]

We did the trip last summer and not much has changed from what krisitlew said above. Layers are important it was often chilly or damp in the mornings when the day started. We found wind pants and tech shirts to be good top layers for the morning because they absorbed less moisture so we felt dry even on damp mornings. We wore these same clothes to start most days (also trying to limit packing) and they shorts and a tee later in the day. What did I bring that I didn't wear? I planned to change into a sundress for dinner in the evenings but ended up not doing so because it was to cool.

 

[BasilofBakerstreet]

Will be going to Peru shortly. For those of you who have gone already, what did you wish you had brought but you didn't bring and what did you bring that you didn't need? I keep thinking of Carl from "An Idiot Abroad" who mostly brings potato chips and toilet paper. It will be two adults arriving a day early. Also, looking for suggestions on what to do during free time. Do they allow enough free time for exploring Macchu Picchu if you are avid hikers? Also, if you bring limited clothing are there facilities/time to do laundry?

I would make sure you bring warm clothes. When you stay in the Sacred Valley the rooms only have a space heater and it is somewhat cold in the evenings and early mornings.

You have after lunch to explore on your own. We had time to hike to the Incan bridge or explore Machu Pichu on your own but not time to do both.

 

[tufbuf]

We are very excited to start our Peru adventure! I just want to ask one more thing, I think I read somewhere that it will be helpful to bring extra fleece blanket for the cold nights? Hope someone can chime in since I don't do too well with sleeping in the cold. We got our hop on hop off tix and some soles, we are packing away, so we are almost set!

 

[kristilew]

We are very excited to start our Peru adventure! I just want to ask one more thing, I think I read somewhere that it will be helpful to bring extra fleece blanket for the cold nights? Hope someone can chime in since I don't do too well with sleeping in the cold. We got our hop on hop off tix and some soles, we are packing away, so we are almost set!

tufbuf, it might be a regional vocabulary thing: I suggested a "fleece." That is what we call a pullover, or a fleece anorak - like the kind you would wear for a run in cool weather. Lighter weight than a sweatshirt, a little more packable. I use them as layering pieces, or on their own for when I am cold.

I would think this would be easier than packing a blanket, and much more multi-purpose! I did end up wearing mine to bed a couple of nights, and also in the early mornings and late evenings when we had outside activities. Also if your feet get cold, maybe pack a few pairs of "bed socks." By the end of the day, our socks were pretty dusty and dirty and not something I wanted in the bed!

You are going to have such a great trip - can't wait to hear your report!

 

[tufbuf]

Ok, got it. I don't normally wear fleece but use a fleece blanket to give me extra warmth. We do have small blankets which will do. Thanks for the info!!