We flew into Peru from Buenos Aires on an evening flight. We landed at about 10:30pm local time – marking with a bang the official one month point of our travels. One month. In and out of five time zones(some more than once), four countries and too many moments to count. And here we were back in Lima. A city I explored briefly when we were here two years ago and when I wrote this story for Canadian Family magazine. We like Lima. I’m a fan of Miraflores in particular where there’s an artsy bohemian feel and wonderful streets to wander. But as our trip into Lima was a last minute addition, prices didn’t warrant a stay there and we opted for the business centre of San Isidro instead. We booked in at the Novotel which Expedia offered at a rate of about $100 per night and hoped for the best.
What we got was this:
hotel lobby
And from the moment I saw the beautiful couches and comfortable layout I knew we weren’t going anywhere near Miraflores on this trip.
Our new nomadic lifestyle is much like our old lifestyle in a few key ways. We are moving – all the time. At home we usually are forced to slow down by intervening factors: Grandparents inviting us to dinner. Friends asking us to attend something. Obligations for school and work. Forcing ourselves to slow down is a much harder task.
By the time we got to Lima, I hadn’t sat still to write in a few days. I was starting to feel stressed about it and that is when it dawned on me: We had just under 48 hours in Lima and we were going to give ourselves permission to not see any of it.
Instead we:
Watched TV
Wrote articles and blog posts
Filmed video of our recollections so far
Ate lunch (and dessert!) in the hotel restaurant
Swam in the hotel pool
Walked around the block
Slept.
And of course, drank lots and lots of Inca Cola.
Two years later we still love our Inca Cola
We reverted to normal. Not the travelers’ lifestyle normal but the one normal people on a normal trip might enjoy. And we were immediately better for it. By the time we boarded our flight to Ecuador we were more relaxed and ready for new adventures.
My apologies to Peru. We’ll be back one day to explore you fully, but know that the gift you gave us on this trip will make you memorable all the same.
Perfect. Knowing what you need – and following through.
Good for you! Travelers should be required to pencil in some lazy days. They are restorative and good for the soul!
That hotel looks beautiful! And I’ve got to try an Inca-cola!
Such good advice! Whether you’re traveling for a week or traveling for a year sometimes you just need some down time.
Now you’re all ready and refreshed for the next big adventure. Can’t wait to read what it will bring.
Love it! I was wondering how long you’d be able to keep up with your break-neck pace. It’s funny how a great hotel can make you just stop and enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that. At all.
Yup. We caved. And we liked it. Going to do it again soon. :)