Travel Tip 158
How to revisit with a new perspective
This week I went back to Machu Picchu.
My first visit to Machu Picchu in 2013 was magical.
I hiked the 3-day Salkantay trail to the tiny town of Santa Teresa and then walked the train tracks to Aguas Calientes. The next day, I got up around 4am to hike up to Machu Picchu in time for sunrise and spent almost an hour walking around before other people began to trickle in.
I’ve visited about a dozen times since.
It’s never held the same kind of magic or mystery as my first visit, but every time I go back, I see something new and learn something new. I’ve had the same experience at Kuélap and Chavín. I know when I go back to Caral, I’ll learn more. Most archeological sites in Peru are still being studied, so archeologists and historians are constantly publishing new finds, and opening new places to the public, like Peñico, which opened last year.
When my cousin Isaac came to visit me in Morocco with my uncles, the first place I took them was Madrasa Ben Yousef.
It’s not just archeological sites.
I lived in Morocco 2005-2007, serving in Peace Corps in a town called Kelaat Sraghrana about 88km (55mi) from Marrakech. I went to Marrakech every chance I got and visited places like the Koutubia and Madrasa Ben Youssef more times than I could keep track of. Each time I appreciated the art and architecture more, better understood the Arabic spoken around me and saw how sunlight played in the fountains at different times of days.
I’ve been to Cusco’s Plaza de Armas innumerable times since I moved to Cusco in 2019 and sometimes still manage to see it with fresh eyes.
You don’t have to go somewhere new to have a new experience.
Whether you’re considering a staycation this year or going to Seattle for the 50th time, you can still have new experiences in places you already know. Here’s my top three tips for revisiting a place with a new perspective.
This narrow bridge is hidden around the back of Machu Picchu - a 20-minute walk from the main part of the ruins.
1. Look for new places
If you always go to the waterfront and Pikes Place Market in Seattle, check out a different part of the city. Whatever your favorite places are, set yourself the goal of finding one more place you can add to your list of favorites. You may have to go to several new places before you find one that makes the cut.
This time to Machu Picchu I got a ticket for the Inca Bridge circuit, which is around the back of the ruins in an area that most people don’t visit – and that I’d never seen! It’s a fascinating part of Machu Picchu, a hidden entrance with a removable bridge rather than a lock on the door.
I had stopped looking at souvenirs by the time Amanda visited. Suddenly, everything looked cool again and I bought souvenirs as she shopped, though only two things in this photo were mine.
2. Visit with different people
My friend Amanda came to visit me in Cusco in February 2020, after I’d been living here for six months. By then, most places had become routine, and I didn’t even look up at the Inca statue when I walked through the Plaza de Armas. Walking around Cusco with Amanda gave me a new perspective as I saw the city through her eyes: everything new and exciting.
The same happened when family members came to visit in Morocco. The views of the Atlas Mountains were awe-inspiring again and I compared tajine and couscous to average American cuisine rather than the hundreds of dishes of tajine and couscous I’d eaten over the year I’d lived in Morocco.
The Atlas Mountains show up better if you’re at the Marrakech souk early in the morning.
3. Visit at a different time of day or time of year
If you’ve visited New Orleans for Mardi Gras, check out what it’s like in the October or November. If you’ve gone to southern France in the summer, see what it’s like in the winter. If you’re doing a staycation near home and can’t change the time of year, try going places at different times of day.
When I lived in Morocco, I usually ended up in the market, called souk, in the afternoon or evening and I remember the first time I went in the morning it seemed like a completely different place. It was so much quieter and more peaceful, and I enjoyed watching people open up their shops, stacking their wares in artistic towers.
The wooden part of the bridge can be easily removed, essentially closing the back door to Machu Picchu.
New Blog: Machu Picchu Inca Bridge
This is perhaps the least popular of the ten circuits at Machu Picchu, though I definitely enjoyed it. If you’re planning a last-minute trip to Machu Picchu, this is one of the circuits that sells out last. Here’s why you shouldn’t be disappointed if this is your route at Machu Picchu.
There are a thousand tickets available to buy in person if you’re in the town of Aguas Calientes.
Another New Blog: Machu Picchu Tickets
It’s possible to buy a Machu Picchu ticket the day before you visit, but don’t count on it. Here’s how to get a last-minute ticket and why I recommend buying one ahead of time.
