Just Back from Peru - WOW!

[kristilew]

Speaking of the scarves - are they itchy? I haven't been able to buy one in person - plenty online but I'm wondering if I will have an itchy problem. Most wools I can't wear but not sure if cashimere is one but I don't have a problem with that one.

It depends on if the itchy is a personal sensitivity or an allergy. I found out on this trip I am actually allergic to alpaca wool. It saved my husband a fortune, as I would have bought many sweaters, shawls, etc. But as it was, I couldn't even stay in the shops for more than a few minutes if there were a lot of the alpaca products there.

If it's just that you don't like rough wool, you will not have an issue at all. This is the softest stuff around.

Keep in mind that even though you will be getting bargains on it, alpaca is still very expensive. There were folks on our trip who were thrilled to have paid "only" 300USD for a sweater. We did find some really lovely scarves that we got in the 30USD range.

 

[Scott H]

I have a question for anyone who's done this one? Did you all go non-stop or with a stop? If you did a stop and had to switch planes, did you have enough time to catch the plane? DH is looking at a flight from LAX to El Savador with a 1 hr 10 minutes layover and plane change on the way down and a 55 minute layover also with a plane change on the way back. Not sure if the time is enough for us to switch if the airport is as big as the International airports in the US.

Given the choice, would you have gone non-stop and gotten there at an ungodly hour or at a decent hour with a stop?

Thanks for any help!

Non stop is always my choice, nothing like pulling away from the gate to see your luggage on the tarmack, Yes this did happen to us, and there was a 2 hour plus layover.

To me alot would depend on which carrierI was flying.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

It depends on if the itchy is a personal sensitivity or an allergy. I found out on this trip I am actually allergic to alpaca wool. It saved my husband a fortune, as I would have bought many sweaters, shawls, etc. But as it was, I couldn't even stay in the shops for more than a few minutes if there were a lot of the alpaca products there.

If it's just that you don't like rough wool, you will not have an issue at all. This is the softest stuff around.

Keep in mind that even though you will be getting bargains on it, alpaca is still very expensive. There were folks on our trip who were thrilled to have paid "only" 300USD for a sweater. We did find some really lovely scarves that we got in the 30USD range.

$300? Hey I shop but I don't think I'll go there. I might be able to do the scarf thing.

Non stop is always my choice, nothing like pulling away from the gate to see your luggage on the tarmack, Yes this did happen to us, and there was a 2 hour plus layover.

To me alot would depend on which carrierI was flying.

The flight is TACA INTL and leaves LAX at 2:05 am and arrives at San Salvador at 7:50 am. Then departs San Salvador at 9 am and arrives at 2:15 pm. I was think that this sounded good but I would hate to see my luggage onthe tarmac. I've been pretty lucky so far. I personally haven't lost one - the times they lost something it was DH's and we got one the next day and the time they lost the family's they actually lost the whole planes and they got them back 3 days later. That was the London to LAX portion of the flight.

I think I will just bight the bullet and fly nonstop for the ungodly arrival of midnight. I will just sleep in late since the adventure doesn't start until late in the afternoon I think.

For the $100 dollar savings, it might not be a savings if I have to go out and outfit us with clothing.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Here's another question for those that have done this - is the LIMA airport big? I am wondering what the chances are of getting dropped of, checking our bags in and then taking off to explore if we have more than 8 hrs to wait. In talking to ABD, the latest they will take anyone to the airport is 6 pm if not earlier. If our flight does not leave until 3 am I don't want to wait there for hours on end.

If anyone reading this has done this ABD, what would your recommend or how did you handle the downtime? Is the airport that big? Thanks for any help yet again.

 

[kjd469]

eeyorelover...not sure where you got your info. re: airport drop-off, but they will take each group 2-3hrs. before your flight. Our flight was at 1a.m., and they picked us up at 10:30 p.m. and took us to the airport, so we only had a minimal wait time. There was 1 other couple from our group who went to the airport at the same time. Everyone else was scheduled for different times.

There are no scheduled activities on Arrival Day 1 of this trip, therefore if you came in at 1 a.m. it would not be a problem. We had a Meet-the-Guides scheduled for 12p.m., but if you were sleeping due to a late flight it was not a problem, as half of our group didn't arrive until that night. What you don't want to do is arrrive at 1a.m. on Day 2, as you have to be up very early and have luggage outside your hotel room door for 6a.m. for the flight to Cusco.
This is why I highly recommend the pre-night.

 

[Scott H]

TACA - In the professional dive travel community TACA is known as Take a Chance Airline. Granted this was a few years ago we used then to go to Honduras. Carrying dive gear we had two bags each, at Check in at Houston the counter asked us which bag we wanted to go "Prioity" meaning that one would make it for sure and the other if there was space. When we arrived in Honduras there was a group from Great Britan, they did not see their dive gear for three days, they connected via MIA. I would read up to see if they have gotten better. They were flying older 737's at the time.

Tiem frame would be about 7 years ago.

 

[orlandesign]

We did Spain last year... and had a blast. I am trying to save some money to do the China trip... I heard its awesome

 

[eeyorelvr10]

eeyorelover...not sure where you got your info. re: airport drop-off, but they will take each group 2-3hrs. before your flight. Our flight was at 1a.m., and they picked us up at 10:30 p.m. and took us to the airport, so we only had a minimal wait time. There was 1 other couple from our group who went to the airport at the same time. Everyone else was scheduled for different times.

There are no scheduled activities on Arrival Day 1 of this trip, therefore if you came in at 1 a.m. it would not be a problem. We had a Meet-the-Guides scheduled for 12p.m., but if you were sleeping due to a late flight it was not a problem, as half of our group didn't arrive until that night. What you don't want to do is arrrive at 1a.m. on Day 2, as you have to be up very early and have luggage outside your hotel room door for 6a.m. for the flight to Cusco.
This is why I highly recommend the pre-night.

See, this is why I like the DIS better, my information came from 3 sources at ABD, Carlos for the flight dept, and two other ladies from the reservations. They were both a little gruff when I asked them all kinds of questions. When I told them that Carlos was trying to book me for flying out the morning of the 13th, she then said I would have to book another night on my own. Didn't even give me the number to the hotel - I guess it was her lunch hour.

The other lady just flat out told me to stay and find my own way to the airport if I decided to book a room on our own for the post night as they would be done with us the night of the 11th. I know that each one probably has variations on how to answer questions but you'd think the info would be consistent. That is why I'm so nervous, I justly recently have been able to get access to DVC via the internet prior to that, they would seem to get mad if I called them asking questions. Each time I call, I specifically tell them I'm fairly new DVC member with no internet access and you'd think I did something wrong.

So they will take you to the airport? Did you leave the night before or did you stay for the last paid night? In my case, I can schedule something out for the night of the 11th (farewell dinner) but I want to take advantage of a "paid night" and sleep in. DH says to find our own way to the airport but we'd still have the problem of waiting for hours if we go early. So who's right the lady at ABD in Anaheim or experienced DIS personal? My bets on the DIS!

 

[kjd469]

Also, there is no farewell dinner on this trip, it is a farewell lunch. We were finished and back at the hotel by 4:00p.m. and some in our group were actually leaving on flights at 7:30p.m. After the final lunch there are no scheduled activities, although the Adventure Guides on our trip did come down to the lobby at 10:30 p.m. to see us off...they said they would do this for everyone, until the last guests had left. Also, perhaps they have changed, but there were definitely pre and post stays available at the Casa Andina Miraflores...several in our group added the post night. Maybe they found that there were too many people leaving on different nights, and decided to eliminate the post-stay to save themselves the hassle of taking people to the airport again on that night. This could be a change for next years trips, as I'm sure they adjust things to suit different situations. If that is the case, I would suggest leaving on the night of the last full day..after the farewell lunch, of course. You will have a room at the Casa Andina to use until your departure of the hotel...so you wouldn't have to spend hours and hours in the airport. My husband and I had a nice "final dinner" for ourselves at the hotel restaurant, then went back to our room to shower and freshen up for our overnight flight...it worked out very well. By that time we were ready to go home, and an extra day really wouldn't have added anything to the trip. Just my 2cents worth...hope it helps.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Also, there is no farewell dinner on this trip, it is a farewell lunch. We were finished and back at the hotel by 4:00p.m. and some in our group were actually leaving on flights at 7:30p.m. After the final lunch there are no scheduled activities, although the Adventure Guides on our trip did come down to the lobby at 10:30 p.m. to see us off...they said they would do this for everyone, until the last guests had left. Also, perhaps they have changed, but there were definitely pre and post stays available at the Casa Andina Miraflores...several in our group added the post night. Maybe they found that there were too many people leaving on different nights, and decided to eliminate the post-stay to save themselves the hassle of taking people to the airport again on that night. This could be a change for next years trips, as I'm sure they adjust things to suit different situations. If that is the case, I would suggest leaving on the night of the last full day..after the farewell lunch, of course. You will have a room at the Casa Andina to use until your departure of the hotel...so you wouldn't have to spend hours and hours in the airport. My husband and I had a nice "final dinner" for ourselves at the hotel restaurant, then went back to our room to shower and freshen up for our overnight flight...it worked out very well. By that time we were ready to go home, and an extra day really wouldn't have added anything to the trip. Just my 2cents worth...hope it helps.

OMG Yes! Thank you, Thank you, Thank You! You have answered my questions as I thought or suspected. I called again on Friday and am awaiting a return confirmation call from Burbank. You'd think they know all of
this already. Either way, thank you for confirming, I believe that we will go and stay and book our own flights for 3 am departure. I also plan on stealing your idea of your own very private dinner. Thanks for the idea!