I am pretty darn excited right now. Writing this from a hostel in Lima (which I am not nearly as excited about, seeing how glacier slow the internet is) and I am about to embark on a two-week tour on Monday all around Peru.
In preparing to write this post, I was forced to go back and look at my photos I took back in early 2009 on my only other trip through Peru. Similar to my having to review my Costa Rica photos before I took off on that tour a few months ago, the first thing I realized was just how bad of a photographer I was back when I first started traveling. My lord, looking back at those shots is a painful experience.
So to compensate for that, I’ve chosen three photos from the time I spent in Peru in 2009 with me in each photo. So how about we just say that these photos aren’t that good because obviously someone else was taking them and leave it to that? Deal?
the view down onto Machu Picchu from the neighboring mountain
My Trip with Cox & Kings
I am really excited to be working with the luxury tour company Cox & Kings on this agenda that will take me though almost all the highlights of this great tourist destination.
I’ll be spending a few days here in Lima, then off to Arequipa and nearby Colca Canyon (though this time, I will not be hiking down and failing to be able to hike back up, like I did last time I was here). From there, I’ll be hitting a spot I didn’t get a chance to see last time and I’m really excited about, Lake Titicaca.
From there, I will take a 10-hour Orient Express train to Cusco and give how much I love trains, how much do you think I am looking forward to that??
Bonus. This will be my first train in South America (there aren’t too many here anymore, alas), which means I will have taken trains on six continents. And until and unless someone builds one in Antarctica, that means I will have taken trains on every available continent. The train geek in me shall rejoice.
After exploring Cusco a bit, I will be whisked off to another spot I have never seen before and that I am eagerly awaiting, my first glimpse of the Amazon basin. I’ll finish the trip off back near Cusco and Peru’s most iconic destination, Machu Picchu.
This is going to be a spectacular 14 days. And to answer the question that some of you might be asking in your heads — no, I won’t be doing any filming while riding a bicycle on this tour.
the typical view of Machu Picchu
What is it all about?
Cox & Kings is one of the world’s premier luxury tour companies. They offer group tours to just about any place you could imagine and they also offer individually designed tailor-made holidays for those inclined to design their own special tour. For these 14 days I will be on my own, running around a bit crazily through this country for one main reason.
I’m working.
Cox & Kings has hired me to produce some videos of all these locations that they will be using in their future promotional efforts to get folks like you to come check out this great country with them. They want me to hit as many places as I can in two weeks, which is why my schedule is a bit packed full, but given how excited I am about the content that I am going to get on this trip, I can’t wait to start.
They have also set up an entire page on their website for you to follow along with my journey here. They are going to outfit me with a GSP tracking device, so as I check in along the way, you can see where I will be. My blog posts, photos and videos will be featured on that page as well.
In addition, they have set up a free and easy contest for you to enter to win a luxury holiday for 2 on the Cox & Kings “Train to Machu Picchu” group tour. Here is how easy it is to enter:
You just submit your best photo from color themes that most inspires you – red, yellow, green or blue. That’s it. Doesn’t have to be a photo of Peru — can be of anything.
The terms and conditions of the contest are here, but the bottom line is this: “Closing date for entries is midnight on 31 July 2013. Entries may be submitted from 1 May 2013 until the closing date. Three (3) shortlisted images from each colour category will be announced on Monday 5th August and will be displayed online from this date until 09:00 on Monday 19th August. The winning image will be the image that has gathered the most ’likes’ as counted on the microsite.”
Simple. So, pick out a photo and a color and enter.
I forgot I even had this photo. Colca Canyon. The face “art” is from a local berry.
What else can you expect from me?
In addition to the blog posts and video that I will be producing after this trip, I’m going to do my best to keep you up on all the highlights of this journey in real time.
You can follow along with my Instagram photos here.
My Twitter stream is going to have some of the activities in real time also.
And I will be posting up a daily update on my Facebook fan page of what I did that day, hopefully along with some quick video diaries I’ll be doing along the way.
And please click over and subscribe to the new YouTube channel I just created for all my video production from now on. I’d really be in your debt if you would.
It is winter down here right now, and I need a special bit of luck to get the kind of weather that I want to do the photography, time lapse, and video that I’d like to do on this trip, but I’m optimistic as usual. I haven’t even gone slightly into all of the great things they have scheduled for me on this trip, but this is likely the be the most action packed and full two weeks I have spent on the road in my five years of full time travel.
I am beyond excited.
I hope you are a bit also. Follow along and give me feedback along the way of things you want to see through my eyes. The power of video has consumed me now and I’m ready to start showing you more of my travels, instead of just telling you about them.
Can’t wait to hear about it! Be safe.
Sounds like it is going to be an awesome trip! We were thinking of heading to Peru later this year, but other opportunities presented themselves. It’s definitely on our radar though!
Sounds awesome! Will follow you along! I love Lima and, of course, the region you are going to is amazing.
In that last photo, it looks like you and your friend are standing in front of a green screen. Thanks for sharing photos of questionable quality, and have an awesome time on this trip. You’re taking collaborating with a tour company in an exciting direction, and I can’t wait to hear/read/see how it turns out.
So excited to hear about your trip. Even more excited to see the videos and photographs you’ll come back with. P.S. Thought the photograph of you in warrior paint was a great reflection of the Inca’s. 🙂
Sounds like you are going to have a great time. Very envious!
We are trying to get back to South America next year. So much to see!
That sounds very exciting! Seems like a pretty sweet giveaway too.
You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself about your past shortcomings, they’re a monument to how much you’ve learned. 🙂
Super cool, Michael! We’re in Arequipa right now, renting an apartment for a month and getting work done. We’re looking forward to exploring the south of the country properly once the month is up! How exciting that you will have been on a train on every continent (minus Antarctica!) after this. Such a lofty goal I should aim for myself, methinks.
Hey Mike, its my first time here and there’s only one thing in my mind right now, and its envy! I sure hope that I could visit all the places you have traveled. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Really Awesome Place i love this type places. because this type Place one thing in my mind right now,it looks like you and your friend are standing in front of a green screen.
Loving the face art. I had that done on my way to MP! You will love Lake Titicaca. The colours of the sky and lake are so intense and it’s all stunning. Do the overnight stay on Amantani if you can. The locals are lovely people.
Sounds like a really great work project. Have fun exploring the country again!
2nd time was better than the 1st. And the first was pretty darn good also.
Thanks for sharing the plan and I wish you continue to enjoy and explore new places as well as keep us all posted 🙂 Have Fun!
I had a blast. Now I just need to get all organized and get all these photos and videos ready to get posted up.
Look great fun…..never been there now after reading this willing to go there .
wow, amazing shots! Such beautiful colors & details…very nice!