Day 2: Cusco...and a whole lot of altitude!
I honestly do not remember what time we had to be in the lobby, but I do remember waking up to put our packed bags outside the door for Inca Tinker Bell. For Peru,
ABD had asked that we pack everything into one suitcase (44 lbs) and one carry on for each traveler for the internal flights. Not that you can't pack more, but you'll be paying for the extras. As much I love this ABD magic on all of our trips, I really wish that Inca Tinker Bell would leave some sort of magical receipt so that we know it was ABD that took our bags we set outside the door and not some strangers roaming the hallway.
We went down to breakfast and met some more fellow adventurers. They seemed great, too, so I was certain this would be an awesome trip! My hidden agenda at breakfast was to scope out others who were as terrified about the altitude and hiking as I was. You know, someone who would take the wimpy path at Machu Picchu. I was glad to hear that a few people were worried like me, and we made a pact to stick together. We met a really nice couple from San Francisco - Dawn and Nicole - who were traveling with Dawn's brother and his wife - Darril and Nimfa. This was Dawn and Nicole's first ABD, but Darril and Nimfa were veterans. We also met another couple - Les and Kathy - from New Jersey. They told us they had just arrived a few hours earlier so this would be a fun day for them!
We loaded our carry ons onto the bus outside the hotel, and we were off to the airport! On the way, Ken gave us the safety briefing and Rudy provided some Peruvian history, in particular Pachacuti (the famous ruler of the Inca Empire) and Pachamama (the Incan fertility goddess). We also got some history around the relationship between Peru and Bolivia as well as Rudy came from Lake Titicaca which was split in half by the two countries. Before we knew it, we arrived at the airport. We gathered around the security gate where Ken handed out our boarding passes. He said not to worry if we don't get the seat next to each other as ABD has a block of seats and we can always swap on the plane. For some people, not sitting with their family is a huge issue...not me! I could use some me time
After we received our tickets, we went through security with no hassle. We learned that Inca Tinker Bell was having some issues getting the checked bags to the airport so Rudy and Ken had to stay behind to make sure everything was good to go before they could join us post-security (the things they have to do).
Fun fact: You can bring a bottle of water through security for domestic flights in Peru.
Fun fact: Unlike the techy TSA, Peru security officer tested medication to confirm that it is medication by making you take it. Right there at the the security check point. It was...interesting.
We made it to the gate with time to spare, only to find out that gate had changed. So we had to run to the new gate where we found that at least 4 out of the 6 flights in our gate area were going to Cusco. Good to know just in case someone misses our original flight. The flight itself was pretty uneventful as it was only a little over an hour. In-flight service was minimal - water, juice, or coffee - everything else you had to pay.
Fun fact: Even though Disney does a great job putting the itinerary together by spending a few days at the beginning of the trip in the Sacred Valley (8,000 to 9,000 feet of altitude) to get you acclimated, the first day, we do go to Cusco for part of the day (at 12,000 feet - that's double the altitude of Denver). Take your meds if you got 'em!
As soon as we landed, I got hit with altitude sickness right away. I didn't know what it was at first, but the dizziness set in immediately. As I got out of my seat to get off the plane, I started to experience shortness of breath. We had to walk from the plane to the terminal, and I could feel the problem getting worse with every step and it took a lot to just walk the 100 or so steps to get inside the terminal.
Fun fact: As soon as you enter the terminal, you will see a gift shop that offers free Coca leaves (yes, coca as in cocaine). Three leaves max per traveler. Coca leaves are supposed to help with altitude sickness either by chewing them or brewing them in tea.
Tip: DO NOT take these coca leaves. The hotel and resort will have them available if you want them. I have them every morning with tea to help calm my stomach. Also, you will notice the close proximity between these coca leaves and the doors to the toilets. That's just not sanitary!
Once we had everyone, we exited the terminal toward our awaiting buses (and walked right by our checked luggage leaving them in the hands of Inca Tinker Bell). Because the roads in Sacred Valley are smaller, we had to split up into 2 buses. The mascots? You guessed them! We had the Pacha Bus and the Kuzco Bus! Once we got on board, we were on our way to the welcome lunch!
On the way, Ken told us a bit more about Peru. He pointed out as we were driving that if we saw a stick with a red plastic bag tied to the end of it, it meant that that establishment serves alcohol. Although looking at some of these places, I was unsure exactly the kinds of alcohol they were serving. When we got into Cusco, we started to see rainbow flags everywhere! We got excited, but then Ken bursted our bubbles when he said that they had nothing to do with Pride. The Cusco flag is a rainbow flag. In fact, if we looked closely, we would see that there are 7 colors on the Cusco flag, not 6 like on the pride flag. Oh well, thanks Ken. Here is a statue of Pachacuti on the way into Cusco:
And here is an unfinished statue of Pachacuti. Unfinished because apparently the more they were building it, people started to notice that the face of the statue started to look more and more like the town mayor instead of Pachacuti. Ahh, good ol' corruption.
We also saw these cute little guys on top of houses: the bulls. They are for good luck and protection of the family living in the house below them.
Finally, we arrived at the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (CTTC)...at least I think that's where we were. I was pretty much done and wanted to lie down at this point. We walked through the Center as Ken and Rudy shouted, "Do not stop and shop! You will have time!" We will hear this many times throughout the trip.
In the back of the Center was an open area with a banquet set up for us. Apparently, there were some amazing beet chips, banana chips, salsa, and guacamole table for snacks. I bypassed it and went right for the closest chair to plop myself down. Soon after, 2 more people joined me at the table, one of whom warned us that we should avoid talking to her as she was nauseous and trying hard to keep it together. I made a note to myself that these are my people for our hiking days.
Despite having the sickness kicking my butt, lunch was pretty good. I vaguely remembered some drinks, a lot of meat, a lot of cheese, and the best strawberries I had ever tasted in my life.
Then everyone introduced themselves to the group. Ken "unintentionally" skipped us. This begun a week long (friendly) feud between Ken and me. I was in no condition to stand up, so DH had to speak on our behalf. For a person who hates public speaking, I was so proud that he got up and did an amazing job introducing us. A lot of people in the group were ABD veterans. I was quite excited to get recommendations for my next destinations! When Ken introduced himself, he said that one of his favorite quotes that he likes to share at welcome lunch is from the Muppet Movie:
"There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met."
For those of you reading this who have been on another ABD trip, you know this is so true for ABD, and it sums up why ABD is so special. We've met so many amazing people already on this trip, not to mention several more from our previous trips. These are the people with whom we just sat down together for the first time, and within a few minutes of conversation, we felt this indescribable connection like we're old friends. Ken scored a point with me.
After our introduction, one of the kids decided to show off a few dance moves (ahh, to be young again). Rudy saw this and joined in on the fun. For Rudy fans, here are the stills:
After lunch, we got to meet the director of the CTTC, Nilda, who is the world expert on Cusco textiles - even the Smithsonian consults with her! She explained to us about different types of alpaca wools, how they clean and dye them, and how they weave them by hands. We also got to meet the alpacas!!
I should have mentioned that by this point, they had served us some coca tea. I was feeling a bit better! Then it was time to shop, and we bought some alpaca scarves and wall decorations. Good quality products for a good cause.
After CTTC, we got back on the bus and began our journey to Sol y Luna. Here is a photo from the bus on the way there:
Sol y Luna was a hidden gem. It was a very quiet and tranquil place that we would have just drove by on the main drive not knowing that this resort existed. The grounds were well-kept, and there were so many plant species that we lost count. It was just a perfect place to start unwinding. Ken and Rudy handed out keys to our rooms which are called "casitas." The casitas were very nice. Every group got their own unit. The best part? No TVs. Ahh, bliss!
Tip: If you are struggling with altitude, you can request that a tank of oxygen be sent to your room. I did. It was one of the best decisions I made on this trip.
Tip: The resort also offers ATV tour and horseback riding (with extra charge). We were going to do it, but honestly, we were too tired most days and we just wanted to relax after the hiking. We didn't even want to go to the spa! Just take it easy while you're at Sol y Luna and adjust to the altitude. The pool was nice, and they had a jacuzzi and a sauna.
After a few puffs of oxygen, I was a new man! So while DH was resting in the room, I explored the resort.
The day ended with a dinner at the Ranch on the ground of Sol y Luna. I'm not going to ruin the surprises here so I'll just leave it with this - it was a great dinner with a great show. The pisco sours helped.
Tip: Grab the seats in the front. You'll thank me later.
Tomorrow: Whitewater Rafting and Ollantaytambo - and the hiking begins!
