Leaving the jungle after almost two weeks was a shock to the system. When I stepped off the plane in Lima I felt a sensation that I had pleasantly forgotten for the past twelve days — cold. I arrived in the darkness of night — always a somewhat disorienting experience — and fell asleep soon after…

It feels like much more than seven days have passed since the last Photo of the Week! That might have something to do with the face that in that time span we’ve explored Cusco, conquered the famed Inca Trail, and spent a night recovering in Aguas Calientes. You might be surprised not to see any photos…

Since I left home for my Great Escape, I’ve been doing monthly roundups of my adventures filled with anecdotes, private little moments, and thoughts that are found nowhere else on this blog. As this site is not just a resource for other travelers but also my own personal travel diary, I like to take some time to…

Read Part I here. I woke up after the second night aboard The Aria so grateful that I was on a four night itinerary — there was no way I’d have been ready to leave the next day! The ship was already beginning to feel like home and I knew I’d soon miss waking up to…

My departure date for Peru was no arbitrary day picked out by closing my eyes and seeing where my finger landed on the calendar. It was planned very specifically around a special event — the wedding of my dear friends Justine and Ben. Long time readers will remember Justine as my partner in crime from my…

There are many seasoned travelers who seem to take pride in declaring themselves “sooo not cruise people.” I am not one of those travelers. My first cruise, a Silversea voyage from Athens to Istanbul, showed me all that is sunny about sailing the high seas. I loved the camaraderie onboard, the convenience of surveying a large…