By this Author: MurkTravels

overview / intro

Nothing really of note, but we did a boat tour of mangroves in northern Peru and souther Ecuador, so we crossed the border into another country. There was a crazy bird island with thousands of residents, and lots of clam, crab and mussel farming in the swampy mangrove areas.

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen

Looking Back

2021:
Well, the pandemic continued. And I got cabin fever just sitting around in the US, so found ways to travel as usual.
The big news was that I left the boring bank job and moved to Peru to live for a while.

Well, here's the quick review:

Activities

Things that happened in 2021:

Big Travels

• winter festivities in Colorado - January
• Taos and Sante Fe, New Mexico - May
• Mexico - June
• West Coast Road Trip - California and Oregon - July
• Maldives beach resort - August
• Lima & Ica & Huacachina, Peru - September
• Tingo Maria, Peru - October
• Sacred Valley, Peru - November
• Cusco, Peru - November
• Machu Picchu - November

Challenges
Didn't get to do any 14er hikes, or trail runs, or any new crazy challenges this year. But I got to enjoy snorkeling in the Indian Ocean in the Maldives, hiking around Machu Picchu in Peru, and visiting more US National Parks. I count that as a win.

Events & other activities

• bought an investment house in Des Moines - May
• races: none
• continued with volleyball, biking, running, walking, hiking, SUP
• Prudence turned 4 - August
• move to Lima, Peru - September
• concerts: local Peru rock band in Lima - October

previous year reviews:

• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen

A follow up from the Cusco and Machu Picchu post: Cusco

Pictures

see more on Facebook Murk Travels albums
Peru album

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen

overview / intro

After spending over a week in the Sacred Valley, went took a night train to the town at the base of Machu Picchu, named Aguas Clientes. The next morning was a very early alarm to take a bus to the gate at the grounds. We first hiked up Wayne Picchu, which is a mountain peak that overlooks the city of Machu Picchu. It was mostly foggy on the way up, but cleared for amazing views as we were leaving and hiking back down.

Then we met up with a guide and spent several more hours learning about the history and the specific buildings that make up the old Inca settlement. The name isn't actually known, but it goes by the name of the mountain it's on, Machu Picchu. It was definitely an amazing experience, one of the true wonders of the modern world.
Just a note though, they expect the crowd limitations to continue to be reduced every year, and maybe in 15-20 years have to shut it down completely due to the damage being done by tourists and the foot traffic.

Next we trained back to Cusco and spent several days in the city. There are 5 or so Inca sites around the edges of the town, a local artisan market, several Spanish churches, shops, and a cool plaza.

Recommend:

• hike Waynu Picchu to get the best view of Machu Picchu
• hire a guide and spend most of the day at Machu Picchu
• visit San Pedro market in Cusco
• eat at local places around the Cusco main plaza

Trip Map

Pictures

see more on Facebook Murk Travels Peru album

Cusco:

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen

overview / intro

The Sacred Valley is set between Cusco and Machu Picchu. It was one of several main routes in the Incan empire. We spent a week checking out many of the ruins that still stand today and are ready for exploration.

Recommend:

• get a 10-day pass to see most of the sites in the Sacred Valley and Cusco
• several of these can take an entire day to explore: Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Chinchero (w/ waterfall hike, Perolnyoc
• get a guide at either Ollantaytambo or Pisac

Trip Map

Pictures

Ollantaytambo - major trading hub and spot between Incan religious sites. It has a Sun temple and water temple.

Chinchero - agriculture and religious site

Humantay - a cool crystal blue lake in the Andes along part of the Inca Trail

Pisac - a large settlement

Moray - research area for crops and climate

salt mines of Maras

Perolnyoc

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen

overview / intro

Tingo Maria is in the jungle portion of Peru. It was definitely always hot and muggy there.

We took a couple hikes to waterfalls (and jumped in the waters to cool off), as well as a jungle tour and swim in a lagoon.Tried some delicious new food, including cecina (mix of jerky and bacon) and pachamanca (meat cooked underground with fire and rocks). Went to a bat cave, rode in a river boat, went to some parties, watched some local futbol games, and rode in mototaxis everywhere.

Trip Map

Pictures

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen

overview / intro

In September, we took the first step of a plan to explore South America, and specifically the country of Peru. It has the start of the Amazon river, areas of the Amazon jungle, mountain peaks over 22,000 feet, sand desert and a hidden oasis, the coast with beaches. Plus the biggest reasons that visitors come here are the amazing food options and Machu Picchu.

We are basing our stay in Lima, near family. I will learn some basic Spanish and do some remote work. There is also a lot to see and do in Lima, with a lot of Spanish and Inca history. It's home to 11 million people, about 1/3 of the country population. There's lots of restaurants, museums, beaches, and neighborhoods to check out in Lima. Plus a lot of week long trips planned around the country.

Recommend:

• Peruvian ceviche
• the Sacred Valley near Cusco
• Machu Picchu (obviously)
• spending some time at the beaches
• catching a local futbol match
• more Peruvian food
• Museums & historic sites in Lima

Trip Map

Pictures

Ica & Huacachina oasis

Lima food

Lima sites

Links

MurkTravels Vimeo - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Youtube - videos of my trips & entertainment
MurkTravels Facebook page - pictures, posts, and regular updates
MurkTravels Facebook photo albums
MurkTravels Instagram - my attempt at artistic travel images
MurkTravels Travel Map - all the places that I've been and the things that I've seen