So, Saturday morning we got up and headed to the Cuzco airport to catch our flight to Lima. We arrived around noon and headed to the Miraflores district for some free time and lunch. Afterwards, we headed down to the beach to catch sunset and just chill out before our long travel day home.
The beach was all rocks...no sand...but that didn't matter. It was so peaceful sitting there, listening to the waves, watching the kids play in the waves...get a little wet...and watch the slow sunset. The most entertaining part was probably watching the kids be entertained for an hour throwing rocks...just how a simple 'toy' just bonded them all trying to land the little rocks on a big rock...good fun!!
After time on the beach, we headed to our last dinner. Daniel and his clan joined us, gave us an update on how the week has been going, and brought all the kids key chains as a thank you. Then he opened a box and presented us with a beautiful glass piece...not a dry eye in the house. We grabbed some ice cream afterwards and headed off to the airport.
On our way to the airport we said our Thank You's to our amazing tour director, Sally. Every kid shared with us their favorite 'Sally Moments' and we presented her with some gifts. Needless to say, there wasn't a dry eye on the bus. We got all checked in at the airport for our Atlanta flight, and then the good-byes began. We said good-bye to Daniel and his clan and are looking forward to the updates we will be receiving from him. Then, up the escalator we went for our good-byes to Sally. Boy, it was a rough 15 minutes of good-byes! But, as we know how this world works, it's not really a good-bye, but a 'see you soon'!
We had a 2am flight to Atlanta, so sleep time for us. We landed in Atlanta around 9am and headed to the food court for some American food. As we had a 6+ hour layover, I took the kids to an empty gate for nap time.
This is our last pic as we were sitting at our gate ready to head home to the Quad Cities. It was awesome to see all the people at the airport waiting for us all with hugs & smiles and many stories to share.
To say this was a memorable trip, would be an understatement. I think we are all excited to see what comes out of this trip. What started as a simple trip to Peru & Machu Picchu, turned in to a huge humanitarian effort that will have ripple effects for years to come. While the kids are excited to be home, I think they are missing Peru and their travel buddies. I know I am missing them, so am grateful when they stop in and visit.
So, to all the kids, travelers, chaperones, tour director Sally, Daniel & clan, and everyone who had a hand in making this trip such an unforgettable experience, I thank you! Thank you for the many laughs, the hugs (Trevor), the memories....mil gracias!
Number 21 might be the most memorable yet!
~steph :)
