If you’re just joining my Cusco series, I recommend starting with I’m So Glad We Let a Local Agency Handle Machu Picchu, where I explain why we decided to let a local operator handle the logistics. This article picks up from there with an unexpected flight delay that ended up changing our time in Cusco…
Planning a trip to Cusco? This post is part of my Cusco series, where I share why we chose a local agency for Machu Picchu, how an unexpected flight delay changed our itinerary, and why Cusco deserves more than a quick stop before the Inca citadel. Planning Machu Picchu looks simple at first. Until you…
A realistic travel planning process (not just inspiration) Most travel planning advice starts after you’ve picked a destination. Mine starts much earlier. Before I think about hotels, attractions, or even flights, I’m trying to answer a much simpler question: What would this trip actually feel like? Is it a destination where I’ll naturally slow down…
There’s a version of travel where points and miles completely shape your itinerary. And there’s another where they simply enhance it. I sit somewhere in between. I’m not someone who manufactures trips just to maximize redemptions, and I’m also not purely cash-based. Instead, I try to balance cost, comfort, and flexibility depending on the trip…
Leaving Egypt behind wasn’t easy, especially after realizing in Luxor Needed More Downtime Than We Gave It just how much we’d underestimated the value of slowing down. Our next stop was Jordan, where Petra completely lived up to the hype—but our itinerary didn’t. Looking back, this Petra Jordan itinerary taught me just how difficult it…