Shopping in CuscoWe all decided to sleep in due to the travel ahead of us. After breakfast we checked out of our rooms, left our luggage with the front desk, then headed out for one last exploration day in Cusco. It was strange not having Ayul with us, but we took the tips he gave us, and we revisited a few sites, shopped for our favorite hard candies while on the trail, bought coffee, chocolates, and books to the capacity of our luggage. We returned to Chulls for lunch next to the Temple of the Sun. We strolled the streets, admiring the sleeping dog siesta next to the Temple. Then back to the hotel for a little tea and siesta ourselves in the hotel lobby. Around 5 p.m. our van transport to the airport arrived and we had a quick delivery to Cusco national airport. The staff was kind and helped us get checked in for our flight. Lisa, Donnell, and Heidi checked a bag without issue. Before we knew it our trip had ended, and off we flew towards Lima. Once in Lima, I could only think of dinner. It wasn’t too long, and we were presented with a full food court of mostly familiar chain restaurants. I made a beeline for McDonalds, while my travel companions looked in the shops. Before long we were all sitting and eating familiar American fast food. After dinner, I purchased a water and a few chocolate bars. It seemed like forever before we boarded for JFK. Our flight left around midnight, and we had all grown accustomed to an 8 p.m. bedtime. We all had our bags searched before boarding, and we were not allowed to bring any water bottles with us. When Latam staff served “dinner” around 2 a.m. I woke parched and disoriented. I drank the two small glasses of water provided and skipped the food. By breakfast I was so thirsty and grateful for the generous breakfast service with plenty to drink.
