The next morning we slept late and then stumbled downstairs to meet our group. I had been a bit wary of what they would be like- two middle aged Germans currently living in Chicago, a Malaysian family with an 11 year old girl, a young Texan man, and a woman from the remote Highlands of Scotland. It sounded like a challenging mix of different interests at best. With this in mind, I was pleasantly surprised to discover an incredibly cohesive group that had plenty to talk about instantly and was already busting with laughter and smiles by mid afternoon of the first day. This was going to be a great trip! We met our Peruvian guide, Carlos, shortly thereafter, and found him to be absolutely charming and attentive from the start. We took a comfortable Royal Class bus to Pisco. Unlike any bus I have taken in the US, these express transports included cushy leather seats, bus hostesses who bring food and beverages, and American movies. We could certainly get used to this!