Peru: Familial Festivities

The three weeks in Galápagos gave us a taste of familiarity and comfort. We knew people and navigated the islands effortlessly thanks to Paul’s experience. It was a nice change of pace after continuously traveling. Peru would feel similar mainly because my family would join for that section of our trip. We were eager and ecstatic especially since we were starting to feel homesick. There was just one colossal hiccup.

During our last days in Galápagos we learned of the political unrest in Peru. Civilian protests in Cusco and Arequipa were gaining steam and there was high risk of airports and attractions closing down. The current situation in Peru is complicated and it’s difficult for us, visitors to their country, to form an opinion. There is a great deal of tension on all sides of the debate and it doesn’t feel adequate to choose a side as visitors in their country.

Shortly after arriving in Lima we learned that Cusco and Arequipa were shutting down and that Machu Picchu would be next. There was a great deal of uncertainty every hour on whether Cusco would be safe for travel. We had already booked flights, lodging, and even the tickets and transport to Machu Picchu. Not to mention my family was planning on arriving the following week. Every hour was different and it became increasingly difficult to identify next steps. Fortunately, as we frantically researched and looked at our cancellation policies, the World Cup Final between Argentina and France served as an exciting distraction. It was perhaps the best game we have ever watched. The back and forth goals had us on the edge of our seats and it was oddly similar to what we were experiencing with our travel plans. One minute we were convinced we had to cancel plans and seconds later plans were back on. We finally decided to go for it. Even if we didn't see Machu Picchu, the opportunity to experience a new country with my family felt worth it.

Incredibly, just a few days before my family arrived in Lima, the protestors and government agreed on a truce for the holidays. Meaning that from December 21st - January 5th there would be no protests and all attractions would remain open. The dates happen to match our planned stay in Cusco. How lucky are we!? We did have to rebook some flights and waited on the phone for 5 hours, but things were back on.

Seeing my family in Lima was so refreshing and comforting, we loved seeing them and showing them around. We walked the Miraflores boardwalk, chatted and joked, and tried some delicious ceviche and pisco sours. We also ventured to Lima’s historic center and learned about the religious history of the city and explored underground catacombs. We all learned something new. Having a piece of home lifted our spirits and it was a great way to appreciate the holidays in a different country.

With tourism in a sharp decline, we spent a quiet holiday season in Cusco. We wandered the Christmas shops on the main plaza, tried different foods, and we all, especially my mom, shopped for artisanal crafts to our heart's content. We also tried the best fresh juices in the markets and explored the many streets and crafts of Cusco. I loved seeing my mom and siblings enjoy themselves and embrace travel and new cultures. It was so cool to share a piece of this travel journey with loved ones. We’ll have many memories to share over the years. Our Airbnb was located on a hill and it was the perfect viewing location for the Christmas fireworks show. It was the highlight of Peru for me. You might be asking, how can a firework show be the highlight over Machu Picchu? For starters, it was a really good firework show that lasted well over an hour and it spanned across the entire city, and sadly Paul and I didn’t make it to Machu Picchu. This is the part of our travel story where things took a turn for the worse. With Paul’s blessing, I’m going to share the hardest part of our travel story to date.

The day before our planned visit to Machu Picchu, Paul was feeling very lethargic and had strained breathing. It was evident that he was experiencing altitude sickness. In some way we all were, I had felt it a few days prior and so had my sister, Diana. But after a few days in Cusco our symptoms subsided, except for Paul’s. His condition worsened and we finally made the decision to call a clinic after I heard liquid in his lungs. A home visit confirmed our worst fears. Paul's oxygen level dropped to critical low levels and he was suffering from High Altitude Pulmonary Edema and needed to be hospitalized urgently. We spent the day in the hospital where he received the needed oxygen and electrolytes. Because the high altitude was the cause of his symptoms we had to descend to lower elevation immediately. This meant we had to return to Lima so that his lungs and body could recuperate adequately. It surprised us that Paul, a skier and avid 14’er hiker, experienced altitude sickness. We learned that HAPE can be very sudden especially if ascension is quick. We had spent a month at sea-level and ascended to Cusco (12,000ft above sea-level) way too quickly. What scared us was how quickly and dangerously close these symptoms impacted him. I’m so glad Paul was okay and that we acted quickly. Even though we didn’t visit Machu Picchu or Rainbow Mountain, my family was able to enjoy the fruits of our treacherous planning and had the most wonderful time visiting the Sacred Valley. They had an amazing time and it was a transformative experience for them.

Thanks now to our savvy Peru planning skills, we can easily re-plan our trip to Machu Picchu for April. Hopefully by then, the protests will have subsided and the citadel can be opened to the public again.

Peru was a tumultuous time, but we closed the year with another firework show in Miraflores as we reflected and counted our blessings for all that 2022 gifted us. Experiencing a new year in a new country can feel daunting, but for us, it was also exhilarating. We were about to head to our next destination, Chile. A country we’ve been looking forward to visiting for many years. Our desire to visit Chile was one of the first conversations Paul and I ever had, even before dating.