Peru, porque por qué no?

As many of my stories go, this one must also come with a disclaimer. I cannot fit all that has happened in one blog post. Probably not even in two. So just have patience with me and know that I'm lagging behind a bit because life comes first and blog sometime later. 

Stumbles and I were chilling at an airport bar in Rhode Island. We didn't really want to wait in line so we were just catching up a bit. I hadn't seen her since the last time I hitched across America so there was quite a bit to talk about. Only once we saw the last person walk through the gate to the plane we finally went over to board our flight to Atlanta. We were to meet Flip and all fly together to Lima, Peru from there.

 An announcement comes over the intercom as the plane's approaching the runway to take off.

"We're having some difficulties and we're going to have to go back to the gate for a bit."

Of course, it wouldn't be a Delta flgiht without some sort of delay. So we go back to the gate. Of course we're a little worried we'll miss our Peru flight, but we had a two hour layover in Atlanta and surely this wouldn't take two hours... 

Two hours later I was still looking at the same piece of tarmac as before. It was 14:30 before we finally were on our way. And our flight to Peru left Atlanta that day at 17:20. The flight was 3 hours long. If you're any sort of math wiz you can figure out that means we'd miss our connection flight in Atlanta. There was absolutely no way we'd make it and the worst part was we'd miss it by only 10 or 20 minutes. It was beginning to look like Flip would be going to Peru alone. 

Once we hit cruising altitude the intercom came on again.

"We're sorry about the delay, but everything is operational now. We're going to take as many shortcuts as air traffic control will allow and we're gonna put the pedal to the metal!" 

(He didn't actually say that last part, but I like to think he did). 

Aight, so there's a chance. We can do this. We've got this Stumbles!

It's 30 minutes until our plane leaves Atlanta and we're still in the air. The decent has begun but who knows when we'll actually touch down and how long the taxi'll be. Plus our flight to Peru leaves from about the farthest possible terminal from where we arrive. Stumbles and I take our packs and move up to the closest empty seats to the front of the plane. And then we land. With only 20 minutes until our flight leaves. I text Flip to make a ruckus at the gate so they can't leave us. During the longest taxi of my life, lasting only a mere 5 minutes, me and Stumbles prepared for the race. I looked at Stumbles, she looked at me, and we f'n ran.

Flip!!!! We see him waving us over to the ticket kiosk as we are running down the mile long hallway to our departure gate. Jesus Christ was that closer than I've ever made it in my life. We were 5 minutes from take off, the last on, but we're on the plane! We made it! 

We arrived en Lima at one in the morning. Me and Stumbles carried our bags on, so we're waiting for Flips bag when we here a "Christopher" being shouted in a rough accent. What'd you do Flip..? Turns out Delta fouled us again and they hadn't gotten Flips bag on the plane (he'd had a really close connection as well). Good thing we are all chill people and we casually moved on with it all. They said they'd send it to meet us In Cuzco (where we were flying to in a short 6 horas). With no other reason to be in the airport we took a taxi to Stumble's hotel (she's a  manager for a hotel chain) then passed out hard. We flew to Cuzco the next morning and spent the whole day there. An amazing place if you ask me. Also, ask me how I met Charlie via FB if you're interested because all my stories aren't always quite appropriate for the blog. 

But what to say about that day in Cuzco (o Cusco?). Well first there is the food. I have had a lot of food in my life. The best food award used to belong to Turkey (the country, not the bird), but Peru has taken it to a whole new level. The sauces they have, and the spices! The ceviche and the alpaca! Seriously the best foods I have ever had and it's all cheap as can be. We spent that whole day eating and drinking traditional Peruvian food and drink while overlooking the 11,000 foot high city. We had some challenges, but it was a damn good way to start Peru I think. 

Well I know this wasn't the most exciting thing you've read, but it only takes you one day into Peru. The next couple posts will be about Machu Picchu and the real pieces of travel! Promise!

Be happy :), 

Beacon