Inspired by Peru by Arienne Parzei 

I remember the moment so vividly. I was on the phone with one of my best friends. She had just found out the news that she had been selected to lead a research and development team in Peru for 6 months. It was a big deal for her because it was her first assignment leading a team, and also meant infield experience for her. But little did I know at the time how much my friend’s new assignment would impact me.

After my congratulations I just blurted out, “I’m going to visit you”. She laughed and said, “of course, you have to!” I’m not sure if she thought I was serious, I didn’t either. I actually had to go and check a map to see exactly where it was located in South America, but for about a month after that all I could think about was Peru.

I made that trip a reality in January of 2008. It was full of firsts for me; my first solo trip, my first backpacking trip, and my first time visiting a 3rd world country. There were a lot of new things I had to plan and prepare for. This was going to be a different type of travel, much to the concern of my parents, and even to me truthfully. I decided it would be best that I join a tour for three weeks and then meet up with my friend for the final week of my stay in Peru. I wasn’t exactly going to be alone on the trip, but I was traveling solo.
I researched online for months about all the equipment I would need and general information about solo female travel. I had been awoken to a vast amount of online information that I never knew existed before. I was so inspired and felt more confident knowing that there were others who had done this before and lived to tell the tale.

Our tour itinerary was jam-packed. It would start in Lima, work down to Pisco and the Nazca Lines. We would visit the colonial town of Arequipa, climb the mountains to visit Colca Canyon, and stay overnight with a family in a local village on the highest lake above sea level, Lake Titicaca. We would then head over to Cuzco and hike the famous Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu for 4 days and 3 nights. Our trip would wrap up with a flight into the Amazon, exploring and staying in the rainforest and then finish back in Lima.

I remember waving goodbye to my mother at the airport, tears in both our eyes, with a sparkling new backpack on my back packed with everything I hoped would serve me well for the trip. I was excited and nervous, to say the least.
Nearly 4 years later and looking back on that trip, so many things are still fresh in my memory. I remember the beautiful faces of the children, the rich colours of fabric the women would sell on the side of the road, the horrible taste of coca-leaf tea (which is supposed to help with altitude sickness), the earthy smell of food being cooked, zooming head-first down a sand dune on a snowboard, flying in a tiny prop plane over the Nazca Lines, and the impressive strength and agility of our porters on the Inca Trail.

Hiking the Inca Trail was by far the highlight of the trip. It was grueling and exhilarating all at the same time. The scenery was impressive, and thoughts about the indigenous people doing the same route hundreds of years before danced in my head. It was a magical feeling sleeping in a tent on the mountains and waking up amongst the clouds. But it was even more magical reaching our final destination, Machu Picchu. It was a surreal experience walking amongst the ruins, taking it all in. I couldn’t help but think about how it was discovered in the first place, being surrounded by mountains on all sides. I still remember this eerie spirit, or mystical vibe of civilizations past, that seemed to float through the air. I spent some time just sitting on a rock near the top, soaking in the surroundings. It was a spiritual and humbling moment. I felt so calm and relaxed and inspired all at the same time. I literally could have sat there all day.

I got to see and experience so much in the four weeks I visited Peru, but I walked away with more than just memories and souvenirs. I walked away with more confidence in myself, and the ability to travel to developing countries. I also gained the understanding of the day-to-day life of those living with much less than we’re afforded at home, which put a lot of perspective on the kind of life I was living.
At the end of my trip, I had a clearer idea of what I wanted to accomplish in life and set two major goals for myself. I decided I wanted to live abroad for a period of time and that I wanted to do a major backpacking trip at some point that would last 6-months to a year. It’s now been almost 4 years later and I can say I’ve accomplished both. This past August, my boyfriend and I completed two years living and teaching English in South Korea, and we’re now 3 months into a long-term backpacking trip throughout Southeast Asia.

Traveling is so rewarding and educational for me in many ways. I learn something new about myself every time I travel. But more importantly, it gives me the opportunity to learn first-hand about other cultures and the people who live in them. I can’t imagine the rest of my life without travel in it.

Author Bio:
Arienne Parzei is a Canadian who has been traveling and working abroad since 2009.

Though a videographer by trade, she has now expanded her interests into travel journalism and web design. She lives and travels with her long-term boyfriend Tristan, always looking forward to where the road will take them next. You can follow their adventures at www.seeyousoon.ca,On twitter @seeusoontravel

Inspirational Series 

This is an ongoing series of Inspirational travel. If you have an experience in travel that changed your life, made you look at the world differently or an amazing moment that you want to share, please contact us for more details and we will email you right back.. You can also read more about submitting an article to this series at Calling All Writers, Share your Inspirational Travel Story

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We flew into Lima without a plan

Ollantaytambo , peru

Machu Picchu Bound

A Rainy Day

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Visit Intrepid’s website for more details or call 1 866 360 1151 and quote promo code 6669.
Trips included in this offer are Classic Peru (9 days ex. Lima), Inca Trail Express (7 days ex. Cuzco), Majestic Peru (15 days ex. Lima) and Sacred Land of the Incas (15 days ex. Lima)

It doesn’t matter how many places you have been before, or how many spectacular sights you have seen, until you step foot on Machu Picchu, you always feel that you are missing something in your repertoire of travels.

Machu Picchu didn’t disappoint. It lived up to the hype as one of the great ruins of the world.  Perched high in the mountains, this ancient Incan city is a still a mystery today. At 2340 metres (7970 feet) it terraced walls plunge into the deep valleys below.  How was this marvel of engineering made? How was a civilizations built high in the mountains and how were these heavy stones moved?

Only the resident Machu Picchu Llamas may have the answer. As the clouds and mist rose and the complex was revealed, I snapped this shot capturing the master of the house overlooking its domain.  This vantage point captures that famous photo that we all have seen so many times of Machu Picchu and its famous resident the llama.

So grab a Pisco Sour and enjoy the view of one of the most magnificent  feats of engineering in the world!

You must visit the Sand dunes of Peru

Dave and I made our first Bucket List way back in 1996.  We had all of these things that we wanted to try.  Scuba Diving, Rock Climbing, Tai Kwon Do, Yoga… this list goes on and on.  Since that time, we have checked off the original list and added to it extensively.  Every year, as we check off a few finished tasks we add ten more!  It keeps life exciting and it is a feeling of great accomplishment to say that one day we are going to do something and then a couple of years later, we follow through and do it.

Toasting our Bucket List in Pisco Peru

Now that we have crazy and more extreme ambitions it is nice to visit places like Victoria Falls or Egypt, where we can tick a bunch items on our “bucket list”  in one destination.  That was what it was like when we visited Peru.
It was a whirlwind 2-week adventure and we made the most of it by making specific plans of what we wanted to see and do.

Peru is an adventure lovers dream and there are so many things to do there that you could spend months exploring this vast South American Country.

Finally making it to Machu Picchu

1. See Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is the number one thing for anyone to do in Peru. In our last post What to do with 2 Weeks in Peru, we talked about visiting Machu Picchu one of the great ruins of the world.  Seeing all of the great ruins on the Planet is a big bucket list item for us. And Machu Picchu is one of the best.  After finally walking on the grounds of Machu Picchu, we feel worthy in saying that we have explored almost all of them by now.  We talk about our favorites in the world in our Top Ruins Post. Travel Bucket List Number 9-check.

Dave Paragliding in Peru, High on the Bucket List

2. Paragliding high in the sky. The next bucket list goal was for Dave.  He has always wanted to parachute. Preferably jumping out of an airplane, but Paragliding over Lima was a close second.  We walked down to the waterfront, asked around on how we could go about booking a Paragliding excursion and next thing we know, he was being harnessed up and getting a crash course on how to jump off of its great cliffs towering over the ocean.  All for $20!.
I take a little more coaxing and need to go through safety and training in more depth, but Dave jumped right in with no fear.  It was an adventure of a lifetime and he loved flying over the skyscrapers, doing maneuvers over the surf and floating  high into the sky. To see Dave take flight go to our video of Peru in the top right corner of this page.  Bucket List number 24-check.

Dave and Deb Sand Boarding at Sand Dunes of Peru

3. Sand board in the Desert. We are avid snowboarders and have been on the slopes all over British Columbia, Switzerland, Quebec and Vermont.  Naturally, when we visited some of the highest sand dunes in the world we had to try sandboarding. Before visiting Peru, I didn’t even know that they had a desert, let alone a giant desert occupying 188,700 square km.  It is one of the most stunning deserts I have ever seen and riding its slopes was a blast.
We weren’t as good at it as snow boarding. It is a little harder to carve out edges, but once we got the hang of it, it was a thrill.  We found it was easier to ride high on the sand and point the board down not turning too much.  I like the snow better though because that sand gets everywhere; but what a thrill it was, to stand atop a dune and see nothing but desert as we plunged into its deep valleys. Breathtaking. Bucket list Number 36-check

See and Oasis in Peru

4. Visit and Oasis. At the same time as sand-boarding, we ticked off yet another life list dream, to visit a desert Oasis.  Huacachina is a village built around a natural lake in the middle of the desert called the Oasis of America.  It is an incredibly beautiful location.  We stayed at a great backpacking hotel with a swimming pool and the giant dunes in our back yard.  The sand dunes tower over the entire Oasis and you can spend days here just chilling out.  You can even get your daily exercise in as you grab a board from your hotel and drag it up the tough hike to the top of the sand dunes.  It is a hard walk up sand dunes and it can really take your breath away, but the views are worth it and the run and tumble down is a blast.  Bucket list number 51-check

High on anyones list-dune buggy in the desert

5. Go on a Crazy Dune Buggy Ride.  I have see stunt men riding dune buggies on TV, I have see crazy adventurers ride through deserts on the discovery channel and I have always wanted to be strapped into one myself and tumble my way through hills and valleys.  And yet again Huacachina in the Ica Provence, we checked off yet another item on our bucket list. As usual, Dave and I go big or go home, so why not make our first dune buggy excersion on the biggest sand dunes on the planet?  I didn’t realize just how scary it would be, but when we were climbing to the top of one of these giants, my heart was racing.  You could see the peak coming at you and as we drove closer, I thought to myself, “We aren’t actually going over that thing are we?” Sure enough, we zipped over the edge and plunged in a near vertical nosedive.  It was exhilarating and terrifying, and this went on for hours!   We nearly rolled a couple of times, we got stuck, we raced and swerved and then we stopped and watched the sun go down behind the dunes. I will never forget that experience in my life. Check out the video on the right of our webpage to see our hairy ride. Life List number 31-check

6. Go to the Galapagos Islands. Ok, this didn’t happen, but we did get to go to Peru’s version of the Galapagos Island’s at Isla Ballestas. Near the town of Pisco, you can catch a boat out to the islands to see Sea Lions and Penguins frolic around in their natural habitat.  It was the cutest thing I had ever seen.  I could spend hours watching wild life. The only problem with these tours is that they really disrupt the lives of the animals.
Destinations like this are a bit tricky. If conservation and standards are put in place for the best interest of the wildlife than it is a winning experience for everyone. I was hoping that this would be the case, and disappointed when our boat approached the sea lions way too close for my comfort.  Their motors are loud and their exhaust is strong causing discomfort to the animals I am sure.

Penguins, Isla Ballestas, Peru

It is a double-edged sword.  Without tourists going to see the wildlife, there is no need for conservation in the eyes of governments but then it is the tourists that disrupt the lives of the wildlife that they are going to see.  But we all know that this planet is ruled by money, and if people can’t make money off of preserving their natural resources, they will find another way to either destroy them or use them up. It is a pessimistic view, but in my eyes, I see it as being true.
I am still glad that I went though, I know that as time goes on, Peru will learn from its mistakes at Isla Ballestas and soon, restrictions will be put in place.  At least the seals are protected and not being clubbed over their heads for fur. (Ooh, did I just slam my country?)  Life list number 5? It deserves a portion of a check. I still need to see the Galapagos Islands, but Isla Ballestas gave me the glimpse of wildlife that will tie me over for a while.

Peruvian Boobie, Isla Ballestas

What are some of your goals for the future.  We are thinking of posting a page of our remaining Bucket List Items and checking them off as we go.  Some of our biggest items that we are most proud of following through on are…Competing in an extreme adventure race by cycling the continent of Africa, Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Seeing All of the Worlds biggest and most extraordinary ruins and taking our scuba diving to the level of being certified rescue divers. We have hundreds of other bucket list items that we have reached like riding an elephant, riding a camel, seeing the Sahara Desert and Bungee Jumping in Victoria Falls.
And we still have hundreds more to fulfill. Like hiking the Great Wall of China, Going to Everest Base Camp, Horseback riding accross Mongolia, riding the Trans Siberia Railway and making it to the Galapagos Islands once and for all.  Life isn’t fun to us unless we have a list.

See the llama's at machu picchu, peru

When you don’t have a lot of time, Peru can be a little overwhelming to try and travel through.  It is a vast country with so much to see.  Where do you start? Do you go to the Amazon Basin, check out Lake Titicaca in the far south or do you climb Cordillera Huayhuash?  Having never been before, we decided to do what the tourists do, since we only had two weeks in Peru.  How can we go all the way there, and not see Machu Picchu? It would be like missing the Pyramids while in Egypt.

We decided on our Peru at the last minute. We were looking at where we could go with our free Aeroplan points. Europe was an option, but when we saw that we could fly into Lima for free at the peak of tourist season, we just had to do it.

View of the Andes from our flight

Upon landing, we decided to immediately grab a flight to Cuzco to see Machu Picchu.  Being so busy in the country, it was going to  be difficult to catch a train up to the ruins.  Having made our plans only 2 weeks earlier, there was little chance that we were going to be able to join a trek along the Inca Trail.  Normally you need to do that a year in advance. But at least we were going to see this famous Inca sight and we couldn’t wait.

Flying into Cuzco was breathtaking. the Andes were extremely beautiful with their snow capped mountain peaks reaching up to the heavens.  I was seriously taken aback by their beauty.

We landed at the airport, caught a cab for 5 soles ($1.65) and we were dropped off at the gorgeous square, Plaza De Armas. Cuzco is a lovely town and we didn’t mind taking in its beauty as we looked for a room.  Albeit, we were feeling a little fatigued from the altitude.  Cuzco sits at 3300 metres.

See the Plaza De Armas in Cusco Peru

It took a while to find a place. Everything was sold out of course, so we settled on a cheap room just off of the Plaza de Armas.  At least there was a wine bar around the corner, so we know where we would be that night.  We immediately dropped our packs and went off for some Cocoa Tea to take the edge off of our altitude sickness. The sun was shining bright and we mellowed out on a second floor terrace over looking the square.  Already, I knew that I was going to love Peru.

That night was a cold one in our concrete room and it didn’t help that the altitude was causing us to have to pee every hour.  Having no toilet we had to walk down the stairs in the frigid night air to go to our dark bathroom with a missing toilet seat.  No worries, we were heading to Macchu Pichu tomorrow. …WRONG…

First thing in the morning, we went to the ticket office to buy our train ticket to Aguas Callientas. We thought we would beat the line up and be on the first train out, but when we got their the line was around to corner.  By the time we made it to the front of the line, the day was sold and tomorrow too!  Plus, only VIP tickets were available for the next day. Well, we only had 2 weeks so we sucked it up and paid the $100 USD each.  Now what could we do in Cuzco for the next day and a half.

The Sacred Valley, a must see site in Peru

Turns out there is a lot to do.  We booked a tour to see Ollantaytambo and impressive Inca ruin it its own right.  Located in the Sacred Valley, surrounded by the Andes, we walked along its agricultural terraces, checked out the structures.  We took a tour of the valley and walked along a section of the Inca Trail.  We went to the market and enjoyed the countryside and visited a church. It was definitely worth the visit.

An old mans gaze at a market in Peru

We spent the night enjoying Pisco Sours and trying the Alpaca meat and then it was up bright and early again to catch our train to Machu Picchu.  The glass ceiling allowed us to see the entire view of the Andes and it was incredible.  It was a slow ride, but relaxing and we were fed a meal and enjoyed the scenery.  Once we arrived in Aguas Callientas, we had the task of finding yet another hotel.  As usual, everything was sold out, so this time we had to settle on an expensive room at $100 US.  We didn’t mind though, at least we had flown there for free!

We had awoken the next morning at 4:00 am ran through the rain to beat the queue for the first bust to leave at 5:00 am( ish) and there was already a crowd when we got there!  We sat around on the bus for quite awhile and then finally it was our turn to leave.  We couldn’t see the harrowing ride, luckily.  It is a nailbiting journey winding up the side of a mountain with steep vertical drops. We made it up unscathed though and arrived to see hundreds of people already standing in line.

Llamas as we approach Machu Picchu

It turns out we were pretty smart (unwittingly) and booked our entrance tickets to Machu Picchu at the cultural centre in Aguas Callientas as soon as we settled in. We stood in line with everyone else for a couple of minutes and then realized that we didn’t have to be in line. We already had our tickets! So we stepped out of line, walked up to the gate and went directly into the ruins.  We were one of the first people on sight.  I was taken aback as I walked in the dark and came across a Llama in my path.  It turns out there are llama’s scattered all over the ruins.  They made for some spectacular photo opportunities.

Arriving so early, has its pros because we had beaten the crowd and we had plenty of time to explore in peace and quiet, however, it was dark, it was raining and the fog was dense.  However, they restrice how many people can visit Machu Picchu each day, so I wouldn’t want to chance going later to stand in line forever and then be denied access.

We were pretty bummed out for a couple of hours as we walked around thinking that here was our one chance to visit Machu Picchu, and it was shrouded in cloud. But miraculously, as the sun rose, the fog burned off and the spectacular view was revealed.

Dave gets up close and personal with a llama

The incredible thing about visiting Machu Picchu is that you can hike up other peaks to see it from different angles.  Seeing it from above really gives you a sense of the scope of the place.  To understand how the Incan empire built this city clinging to the side of a mountain, with terraces falling into the valley is incomprehensible. The back drop is absolutely stunning.  It is even a bit of a thrill to be there. Get too clse to edge at times and you are plunging into the valley.

We may not have been able to hike the Inca Trail. But I certainly enjoyed my time at Machu Picchu.  We explored Aguas Calientes and shopped a lot at the market. We took advantage of happy hour with pitchers of Sangria, we loved our room since we were paying $100 and it was nice for a change to know that we wouldn’t be having to get up and have to trek or cycle or climb some mountain.

Sometimes an adventure can just simply be the experience in itself. Hiking around sacred ruins, enjoying the sunshine and view and actually being in Peru. Wow, that is exciting, I never thought that I would get to Peru.

The famous obligatory Machu Picchu shot

So there are days 1-5. Our whirlwind tour of the Sacred Valley, Ollayantaytambo, Cuzco and Machu Picchu. A must on any travelers destination. But we still have 10 more days to go.  Stay tuned for part two of What to do with Two Weeks in Peru.

Here is part 1 of our list of tense situations while traveling abroad:

5.Bear in the Camp at Algonquin Park. Right in our own back yard, Ontario.  We were on a 10 day canoe trip in Algonquin park and had definitely managed to get off the beaten path.  In a well secluded campsite with not another soul around, 4 of us were nearing the end of our trip.  We had some pepperettes that were going bad, so we decided to throw them in the fire before we went to bed.  This was not a smart idea.  After we had all turned in, I went out to use the Loo and heard someone by the fire pit.  I called out thinking it was Marcia or Ken, but no one answered.  That’s when I knew something was wrong.  I ran back to the tent and yelled that there was something out there.  With all of our commotion and noise it moved and it was now confirmed that it was something big.  We all yelled, and slapped our paddles, but we could still hear it.  Branches were breaking and we heard it grunting, but could not see it anywhere.  We all stood together and kept yelling for a very long time. A while later we heard a big splash in the water and assumed that it had jumped in and swam away. It never came back, but I was sleepless all night and frustrated with Dave for napping like a baby.

4.Train to Machu Picchu. Our entire time in Peru, local people kept warning us about how dangerous the country is. They warned us to watch our belongings and whenever we were alone on a street or bus, they would always tell us to watch out for dangerous people.  We actually had a man chase us down the street blowing a whistle all the way to our motel in Pisco .  We were so paranoid by now, that we thought he was going to attack us, that is until we got to the front door and the owner explained that he was security and making sure that we were safe.  So, you can’t blame us for over reacting on the train to Machu Picchu.  We were sitting in our seats enjoying the scenery when Dave suddenly tells me to hide the camera and stuff our valuables under the seat.  Up in the front compartment, he saw a couple of guys putting on masks and he was sure it was a stick up.  It turns out that they were the entertainment performing a traditional dance just for us.

3. Coasting down a mountain in the back of a pick up in Cambodia -We had hired a truck to take us to see the hill station of Kampot and had a wonderful day checking out the abandoned casino, the water fall and the scenery.  The sun was about to go down, so we had to go.  Of course, as usual, our truck broke down part way down.  It was now dark and we were in the middle of the jungle.  It is also Cambodia, so you know you can’t stumble along in the dark for fear of stepping off the path and onto a land mine.  We stupidly didn’t bring flashlights with us because we were on a day trip with a guide and no idea that we would be leaving so late in the day.  The driver really wasn’t telling us anything that was going on, so we decided to walk.  At least there were 5 of us, so we felt sort of safe from the animals.  We were walking for about an hour when we heard a honk behind us.  Alright, they had fixed it! No such luck…They were simply coasting down the winding road with vertical drops. No power steering or power brakes, barely any control, but we didn’t have a choice.  We couldn’t stay out all night in the jungle.  We hopped in the back of the box and held on for dear life.  We made it in one piece, called a cab and had a lot of beer at our guest house.

2. Aborted take off in Tanzania. All signs were telling us not to go to Zanzibar.  We made a last minute descision after climbing Kilimanjaro, that we deserved a break and instead of going on safari, we b-lined it for the airport.  We didn’t have any US Cash on us, but hey, they have a bank machine there.  No luck though, the machine was out of order. Oh, and they don’t take credit card either.We ended up having to pool our money with a travel companion and we somehow came up with the right amount. By the time we got our tickets, we almost missed the plane.  We were sitting on the runway feeling pretty proud of ourselves and take off started.  We gained speed and then the plane started fishtailing and shaking.  I was sure we were going to crash, but suddenly we veered to a stop.  I couple of seconds later a violent sand storm came through, shaking the plane once again and blackening the sky, we could barely see anything out the window.  After it had passed the pilot told us that we had to abort because of the storm.  It had passed now, so we were free to go.  I thought that we should have gone back to check the plane and make sure that nothing was plugged up with sand, but we flew off anyway into the sunset.

1. Dune Buggy in Peru.  This was supposed to be an exciting experience in Huachachina.  We had always wanted to ride through giant dunes strapped into a buggy with the threat of rolling.  That is until we were strapped in with no place to go. We were about a half hour into our ride when police came charging up behind us.  A heated discussion ensued to which I could not understand and then the officer turned to us and told us that we are seriously taking our life in our hands going with this man.  It is very dangerous and they were not supposed to be driving here because a tourist was killed last week.  I definitely wanted to get off, but the police left and we continued on our way.  I told the driver that I didn’t want to do this anymore, but he ignored me and off we went.  It was an insane experience.  We climbed giant, almost vertical dunes and then rolled over the edge to a freefall into oblivion.  It was a thrill and we made it through for sure, but the whole I I was sure that I was going to be killed.  When we finally came to the end, I got down on my knees and kissed the sand.

Here is a list of our favorite ruins in the world that we had visited.

6. Angkor Wat

Tree Growing out of Ta Prom Temple at Angkor Wat

Located in Cambodia this majestic complex consists of hundreds of temples covering 500 acres of land. Mother nature has done her work well reclaiming the land once ruled by the Khmer Empire. The jungle had almost swallowed up the temples of Angkor, until great efforts were made in restoration. In recent years many temples have been restored to their original grandeur. The Main Temple of Angkor Wat is well preserved and a breathtaking sight. Its five main towers jut into the air as high as 66 meters (215 ft) from its 1.6 km (1 mile) long base.You can witness the strength of nature by visiting the temple of Ta Prom. Left in its original state, vines and roots twist through the complex breaking apart solid rock as trees rise through its roof far into the air. Not to be missed is Angkor Tom. Imposing statues of 54 Gods and 54 Demons line the causeway leading up to the temple.

I think that Angkor Wat would have been number 1 on our list if we had visited 5 years earlier.  From what I heard, you could walk through the ruins for hours without seeing another person.  However when we visited it in 2004, we spent most of our time having our tuk tuk driver  outrun tour buses.  At sunset on Bakhen Hill, you can overlook the entire land, but it wasn’t quite as special when you were jockeying for a position and trying to see over the other hundreds of tourists heads.  Never the less it is well worth a visit.

5. Pyramids of Giza

Dave & Deb At Pyramids of Giza

The first pyramids I had ever heard about as a child.  Wow, the pyramids of legend and the top of most peoples “must see” lists.  We finally made it to the piéce de resistance of all of the pyramids in the world.  Driving through Cairo, you can see the pyramids from almost everywhere.  When we landed at the airport and took our minivan to our hotel, I could see them out the window and couldn’t wait to get up close and personal.

The most incredible way to see them is to hire a camel and guide.  You start walking through the maze of back streets getting a real taste of Cairo and then you walk into the desert riding high on its back. Definitely feeling like we were Lawrence of Arabia, we fantasized about how it must have felt to come upon these great monuments after a long caravan in the desert.

We were spoiled as well and got to the Pyramids twice.  Riding in the Tour d’Afrique, we were lucky enough to cycle to the Pyramids of Giza at sunrise.  Nobody else was around and we had them all to ourselves, stopping at the Sphynx and riding along side camels and their guides getting ready for the day.

Maybe it is because we had seen many temples and ruins before visiting this number one attraction in the world that it is only number 4 on our list, but we have enjoyed others that we found to be far more magical.

4.Bagan

Thatbyinnyu Pahto Temple; Bagan, Myanmar

Definitely the least visited Ruin that we have ever visited. Bagan is a wonder of Asia. Located in Myanmar (Burma) we took a ferry from Mandalay on the Irrawady River to the ruins.  This Buddhist complex was built in 1057 and covers 16 square miles.

We hired a horse cart to take us through the complex and it was magical.  Time stands still in most of Burma and this feeling is even heightened in Bagan.  Farmers ride by on their ox carts, very few many locals pray at the temples and monks walk the street in the morning searching for alms.

Like most other ruins, the highlight is walking to the top of  the highest temple; Thatbyinnyu Pahto to overlook the complex.  But one of the most extraordinary temples is Ananda Pahto.  Inside stands 4 giant Buddhas and two sacred Buddha footprints. Visiting Bagan made a believer out of me! It is a spiritual sight that gives off a feeling of calm and peace.

What we loved about Bagan was how we could enter almost all of the temples.  We studied their scriptures up close and checked out the architecture.  This was actually the only ruin that we spent 2 full days exploring.  It is just to big and extraordinary.

It is sad that this extraordinary site is located in a country run by a military junta.  They unfortunately are doing a terrible job restoring the pagodas. Shoddy work with no care for staying with its original design.  But the temples that are restored and have weathered time are an incredible sight and worth a visit.  It would have been higher on the list if the government didn’t repress its people so much.  How can we give a site top marks if it isn’t staying true to the message of its ancestors and respecting its people.

3. Machu Picchu

Deb at Machu Picchu

Nestled high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, at 2500 meters it is certainly the most extraordinary ruin on the planet.  How did the Incas build this incredible complex so high on the side of a cliff?  Built in the 1400′s Machu Picchu is remarkably well preserved.  Arriving early in the morning, it is shrouded in cloud, but as the sun rises and burns off the fog, a majestic vision unfolds.  200 buildings, terraced high on the side of the mountain surrounded by jungle, vegetation and clear blue skies.

The highlight is looking at the entire complex from an adjacent peak.  Sitting on a ledge plunging into the abyss, I was a little worried about the children running around and hanging their feet over the side.  But the breathtaking views quickly drew my focus back to the temples.  Luckily no one fell over, and I could enjoy its beauty as Llama’s and El Paccas grazed in a step below.

We should have hired a guide for our journey throughout the complex and because we went to Peru on a whim, we didn’t have time to book a trek on the Inca trail.  You have to book a year in advance if you are going at high season.  I really didn’t feel that I missed too much, but I do think that it would have put it higher on our list if we actually hiked the Inca Trail to the ruins.  But taking the train through the Andes and spending time in Aguas Calientas was certainly special in its own right.

2. Chitzen Itza

Dave at El Castillo, Chitzen Itza

Probably the most visited by tourists from Canada and the US, but it was one of our favorites.  Being the very first ruin that we ever visited makes it one of the most memorable.  Located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico about 3 hours from Cancun, we had our most in depth tour of any temple that we have ever gone to.  We were staying at an all inclusive hotel, The Barcello Maya in 1999 and booked a day trip to Chitzen Itza, because some friends had told us that it was not to be missed.

I am glad that we listened.  We were amazed with how connected to the stars the Mayans were.  They seemed to know them intimately.  The entire complex was built for the heavens it seemed.  We couldn’t believe how everything lined up perfectly with other Mayan Ruins.  They built everything in precision without modern tools or technology.  It is unbelievable that during the Equinox at El Castillo, the sun hits the site perfectly and a shadow in the shape of a serpent snakes down its 365 steps. We were in awe of the impeccable sound in the Pok ta pok arena and yet we were a little shocked at the brutality of the Mayans.  They held sacrifices, they beheaded players of the Pok ta Pok game, it was a bloody society that is for sure.

We visited Chizen Itza at a perfect time.  I hear that you can no longer climb to the top of El Castillo.  That was an extraordinary experience.  Scary as it may have been, it was awe inspiring to stand high over the buildings and look into the jungle.  If you looked hard enough, you could imagine that you can see the other great Mayan Ruins of Tulum, Tikal or CoPan which we knew were in a straight line leading from the temple.

1. Tikal

Tikal, Guatemala

Arriving early in the morning, we sit high on the top of a temple overlooking the jungle and complex.  Howler monkeys roar in the distance and we sit mesmorized by its splendor content to just “Be”.

Located in Guatemala, Tikal is one of the least visited Mayan Ruins. What struck us the most about the complex was the mounds of un-excavated temples.  Set in the middle of the jungle, much of the temples are left exactly as they were found.  We would walk along a path and look to our right to see huge triangular hills covered in vegetation and then we would realize that it is a temple. Incredible.

If we stopped long enough and stood silently still, we could watch spider monkeys, toucans and parrots play above.  We quickly learned how to spot them regularly.  If you look hard enough and stay still long enough, the wild life is everywhere.

I remember spending what seemed like hours watching leaf cutter ants carry their load along their path that has been so worn down that it looked like a mountain bike trail.  We loved watching their structure, discipline and organization.  They had their own little community going on.

One of the scariest things I had done in my life was walk to the top of Temple 2.  Temple 1 had been closed before we arrived because unlucky tourists had tumbled to their deaths, but lucky for us, Temple 2 was still open. At 38 meters high, the steep and narrow steps are not for the faint of heart, and once you reach the top, it is a sheer fall to the ground.  Not railings or ropes to save you.  I was happy to be down, exploring the rest of the complex by foot but happy to have had the privilege to make it to the top of the temple and experience what the ancient Mayans felt centuries ago.

Honorable mentions- Tulum, Mexico; Ayutthaya, Thailand; Valley of the Kings and Hatchepsuts Temple,Luxor Egypt; Abu Simble, Lake Nasser Egypt

We still have to see many more, we will update as wel go.