Peru was an amazing trip! Truly one of the best of my life!

I traveled light. Only 24 lbs in a backpack.


I spent my first night in a hostel in Lima.

Early the next morning I flew from the capital of Lima to Iquitos, the heart of the Amazon! The Andes mountains were amazing. They looked like islands coming from the clouds.

The Amazon and its tributaries looked like an anaconda to me.

From Iquitos, I traveled over an hour to the little village of El Triunfo–the Triumph! The area reminded me of coastal Kenya near Mombasa. Hot and humid!

I hiked about 2 miles through the jungle to a camp run by a man named Percy Lozano.


Percy noted for natural healing with plants and singing songs of his ancestors called icaros. They were beautiful.

I was joined at the camp with a doctor from Chicago, a dentist from Oregon and a lady from Ireland.

I lived in a hut that was raised on poles about eight feet off the ground.



The hardest part about the jungle was the food. Or the lack thereof. We had a very strict diet with no salt, no sugar, no meat, no fruit. This was my meal for seven days: breakfast, lunch and dinner!

I was given oatmeal for two meals as a change up.

The camp was beautiful! I loved the plants, birds and mushrooms in particular!

I recognized many of the flowers. Interesting to think that this is the area that they came from!

I enjoyed my hikes in the jungle.

I didn’t dig ALL the animals. I had a rat that chewed on my stuff, including my soap. Bad luck.

The river came through the camp. He would pour flowers and aromatic plants on us here. Smelled amazing.

This is the Maloka, where we would gather to listen to them sing songs.

Percy liked me singing “Baba Oshe” in Yoruba. He’d say, “Hallelujah!”

I didn’t wear a shirt for a week. Too hot.

It was the Super Moon while I was in the Amazon.

After a week with nearly no food, I was ready to get back to civilization! Hiked out of the jungle and was picked up my my friend Robert in the “Blue Bullet.” Top speed 40 mph. I think. His speedometer and seat belts didn’t work.

I couldn’t get over how much the area reminded me of coastal Kenya.

I stayed in Iquitos overnight and left for Lima and Cusco early the next morning. Beautiful sunset that evening.


It was great to have electricity and running water again!

The airport in Lima was just a little too Americanized for me.

We flew over the Andes mountains on the way to Cusco, 11,340 feet!


There’s just something about snow capped mountains!

Cusco at night was amazing. They were celebrating the birthday of St. San Francisco. Even had fireworks! And parades! My house was at the top of the hill. I walked down and took a taxi back up. The altitude was intense.

I stayed with an Irish woman and her cousin in Cusco.

I had the loft apartment.


Watch your head! Bonk.
I’ve never taken a trip where I had to prepare for the hottest and coldest weather at the same time.

The view from my house.

Cusco was even more beautiful during the day! It was amazing being there during a celebration.

I visited the market of San Pedro. I loved the cacti they had there. Made me miss my garden.







The market reminded me of Nairobi.

I spent most of my afternoon hiking through the ruins around Cusco. These walls were hundreds of years old and earthquake proof.


The Spaniards built a Cathedral over the ruins of Qoricancha.

Went above Cusco (over 12,000 ft!) to Sacsayhuaman. The walls were amazing. Some of the stones weighed several tons.





Tambomachay was a temple dedicated to water.



The water always flowed at the same rate irregardless of rain or drought.

Pukapukara was located in a beautiful spot.



Q’uenko was an underground temple. They mummified the royalty here.

Man, did I get sunburned that day! Started out cold. Then hot. With no decent hat.

Another fabulous sunset!

It was great to get back to real food.

Say what?

Monday morning, I left Cusco to travel down the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo.


The drive through the mountains was spectacular.

Gotta love llamas.

Signs of Incan ruins were everywhere.

I stayed at the Full Moon Lodge at Ollantaytambo.



My host was cool.

My friend Adrian (who looked like the pirate Jack Sparrow) took me on a five mile hike around the valley up into the mountains.

Amazing.








We stopped to visit with an Quechan family at the top of the mountain.




When Elvis left the building, he went to Peru.

Adrian was a fun host.


He took me to some overlooked ruins.

An early night’s sleep ready to get up the next morning to ride the train to Machu Picchu!


The train ride reminded me of Nepal.



Machu Picchu is actually thousands of feet lower than Cusco. The call it the “eyebrow of the jungle.” The train goes through a lot more trees than around the Sacred Valley.

I caught a bus in the town of Machu Picchu to take me on a 30 minute drive up to the ruins.

One of the Wonders of the World! Macchu Picchu!






This is the head of the Condor!

I got the stamp in my passport.
Rode the train back to Ollantaytambo. Got home around 9pm. Crashed. Super tired. Up again at 5:30am to pack and then check out the ruins that the town is named for. Fantastic.



After visiting the Ollantaytambo ruins, I met up with my taxi driver to take me back to Cusco. Beautiful trip.

We went the alternate route through Pisac, another major archaeological site.

We stopped at an animal sanctuary on our way back to Cusco. I liked the pumas and condors the best.

This statue, called the “White Christ” overlooks Cusco.

Caught my flight into Lima and had a great time with a friend of mine Luis Zevallos who is a fan of my podcast Verbal Surgery. Made my long layover at the airport go a lot faster!

After a 1:30am flight, I arrived in the ATL around 9am! GREAT to see my girls!

A fantastic “bucket list” trip! THANKS for your prayers and support.