In the Marshall house we have a tradition: When the kids turn 8, they get to go with mom or dad anywhere they want in the world.
Z-Man chose Machu Picchu.
So at the end of August, just before the semester began, I took two of my boys to Machu Picchu in Peru.
I know, Peru sounds expensive and exotic. Actually it costs less than Disney. Plus your kids learn WAAAAY more visiting China or Italy or Costa Rica or Peru than a trip to “The Magic Kingdom.”
First stop – Lima. Didn’t know food could be so good. Biggest surprise:
Parasailing! No cable, no tow rope, no boat, no mountain to jump off of. Just a steady breeze from the Pacific that lifts your rig 1500 feet into the air, above the surf, above restaurants, parks, malls and skyscrapers. Flying high above the coastline. Absolutely exhilarating!!! (The fabulous guitar mastery in the video is by Dominic Gaudious.)
We checked out museums, the catacombs of the San Francisco Cathedral, the Santa Rosa holiday parade, the Presidential changing of the guard.
Then to Cusco, which is on the way to Machu Picchu. 11,000 feet elevation. Guess what – it takes the wind right out of you, baby. Altitude made Z-Man sick. He was a wreck.
Took the train out, which is gorgeous. By the time we got down to 8,000 feet he was fine.
Then Alpacas and ancient Inca ruins in Machu Picchu.
Planet Perry Scavenger Hunt: I left two copies of my new book “80/20 Sales & Marketing” at random locations in Peru.
Each has one half of the password of a password-protected blog post.
If the two people who find these books find each other (shouldn’t be too hard, you just post a web page that’s easily found in a Google search) they split $1000 in Perry Pesos. Good for anything they want to buy from Planet Perry.
On the way back home, we stopped in Lima and instead of staying in the Hilton, Laura got on AirBnB.com and rented us an apartment to crash at. After all we were only there from 10am til midnight.
Laura was feeling adventurous. She spent 40 bucks and instead of the Lima Hilton, we got a taste of REAL Peru. An efficiency apartment atop of a 3-story building in the middle of the metroplex. Complete with gated stairways and bars over windows.
Exactly like regular Peruvians live every day. I told Tiffany (Jimenez) and Z-Man: “For an average family of 5 in the world, THIS is normal. A 10 by 20 foot flat with a small kitchen, a bath and everybody in one bedroom. Double burner with gas on a table for cooking and a giant thermos for making tea.”
Buses and taxis honked, contending for pavement outside. A view of rooftops and telephone poles and laundry. Plus a bakery and grocery store and a quasi-Korean restaurant down the street.
Always keeping that “My Latte’s Too Foamy” attitude at bay.
Best of all: Just hangin’ with my boys for a week. Oh, and watching Phineas and Ferb and Karate Kid in Spanish.
Z-Man handed me the remote control and said, “Where’s the button for English?” “Z, there IS no button for English. This is Latin America, dude!
Enjoy your journey. And like it says in that old Far Side cartoon, always take time to eat the roses.
Perry Marshall
P.S.: Do YOU have interesting traditions that widen your kids’ horizons?
Post your stories below.
P.P.S.: so we’re at the top of Peru’s national treasure surrounded by mountain vistas & Tiffany (Jimenez) says, “What I wouldn’t give for a Chipotle.”
Chipotle??? Aaaaarrrrggggh! I have failed as a parent! My teenager is an incurable suburbianite.
Thanks to travel agent Dave Rosenthal of Day Dream Excursions for booking our trip!
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
18 Comments on “A little vacation before we hit the books + Planet Perry Scavenger Hunt”
Hey Perry.
We took 6 months out from the UK and travelled with our 4 kids (aged 2 to 9) around Latin America. Cusco was one of our stops, where we all volunteered with a centre for abused kids – my eldest two were teaching English, while my youngest two “helped” with toys! What a magical place! But one of many in a spectacular continent.
It is a tradition we hope to continue and go on another big cultural adventure to broaden all our horizons.
I wrote about the trip on my (totally not commercial) blog http://www.oursouthamericablog.com.
Gorgeous photographs! Love the airplane bar.
Yeah, the airplane was special. They still talk about it! So my hat off to you for going for adventure rather than predictability.
My pleasure to assist! Can’t wait to see more
pix.
That was both a great story and tradition. The video was incredible and the fantastic guitar was equally amazing. Thanks for including me in your story.
Thanks for a great trip!
I really enjoyed your vacation adventure. It sure sounded like you and your family had a great time. True memories in a memorable place. Your boys will probably never forget. How did the treasure hunt go? Lol
I absolutely loved the video. You both looked so relaxed. I was ducking and weaving in my chair when I saw the other para-sailors go by. I really liked how the video was synced between you and your son. Like when you went by the bank building. The music really fit the video too.
I almost feel like I had my first lesson in a para-sailor.
Thank you for sharing, it was great
Kathy
Went to Bali in the Spring and my wife dared take our 1.5 year old and 4 year old with her for 5 weeks! She needed escape, she expected paradise. She got it ‘tough’ in the main southern area of Bali (Kuta). I was booking b n b’s for her via hostelwolrd.com near to where she was (when she could skype in the evening to tell me!) and I got her fixed for a few days in a quieter area for when I jetted out there to be with them. Then off to Lombok soon after and stayed on the Gili islands for a week. Paradise… no motorised vehicles (just horse carts) and stayed away from the party island. True Bali culture experienced and the best thing about it was they LOVE kids – even hyped up ones like our 4 year old. He couldn’t do anything wrong and so we relaxed a little. Then back up to mainland Bali up to Lovina – and we met a UK guy from near Brighton (where we live) who had set up a palace out there and we stayed with him for a week for some luxury and good company. Such a coincidence! And well needed as by this time we were a little on the tired side… And they taxi’d us to markets, cooked great food and were great with our kids. Now planning to go off to Thailand for the Winter and already looking at flights. We don’t even care where exactly – beach huts, villa, tropical fruit and beach life. Not hardly thinking about business, money (just a little) and the cold cold Winter back in the UK. Setting up as a copywriter too on the side so fun days skyping new clients from our beach house ;-). #Livethedream
Great stories. Traditions keep family memories. When mother died 10’years after my dad. My three siblings excepted me to carry on with the family traditions and holidays– just like mom did. I did and we still have the memories . The traditions we create now are for generations of family. That is the real treasures of life. I love traveling and seeing this amazing world.
Your awesome story is making me wax homesick for the olden days. Our 2 daughters are 27 and 23. The English button story is priceless, but I’m with your son that wanted a Chipotle–my kinda kid!
One of my assistants in the office is a native of Peru and just became a US citizen last year. She’ll love seeing your story.
In other news, I’m a new Rennaisance member, and I’m already looking to upgrade. But it’s already like drinking out of a fire hose—in a good way of course. I guess that’s the yin and yang of things. If your stuff had calories, I’d already be at Weight Watchers!
Love this tradition. I also take my daughter out of school to travel. This year we went to India and the education far surpassed the 2 weeks of school she missed. Keep up your traditions Perry!
I don’t have kids, don’t plan to right now, but I’m going to Pakistan for 2 weeks with a co-worker. I never thought I’d end up going. He said he’s going in October. I, for no reason really, said if I can go with him. He said no problem. Others think I’m crazy for going, telling me to spend my money going America (I live in London) or Thialand or something, not Pakistan. But I know I’ll probably never get another opportunity to go, realistically. Even if I tell myself I’ll get some time in the future to go, I probably won’t. I just want to hammer my brain with travel experiences in locations that are completely different to mine. It can only benefit my mind, by expanding it’s horizons and rewiring itself with new reference points.
I’m jealous. At least a little.
Wow, Perry! What a wonderful thing to go and do – especially the last day where you got to experience somewhere else.
We didn’t have that sort of money – we did tour Germany in the family firm’s van (cleaned out, sleeping in the back).
“Where’s the button for English?” CLASSIC. Made my day.
I took my son to the Philadelphia Phillies every year. I wanted to go this year, and may still try to make it, no matter how they are doing. That’s irrelevant, it’s about the experience with my boy. He’ll be 4 next month so I’d like to find something else we can always do every year. We’ve been to the beach every year and he loves it. Even in Puerto Rico, where my family is from, we went to visit and I think I saw the sand more than my mom. It was beautiful though. Memories for ever etched in my mind. He’s at that age where we can start making some more traditions. Something more to look forward to. Thanks Perry for shining some beautiful sun this way with your story and your boys.
How about a few days in the woods, no tent, no home comforts. My ex did that with our two. They all came home looking rather disheveled. But their eyes were very bright!
Since your kid’s four, he’ll get used to the idea very quickly. Just you, him and the bears.
Okay, so no bears, right?
Hiya Perry, your Latte story resonated with me the first time I heard it. Fact is I convinced my son that playing Rugby Union was good move, and my daughter should have a pony. Over the last 10 years it has not been easy. But what great teenagers I have.
Both have a great – get sh!t done attitude to life and work, and are a pleasure to be around, and fully understand that you get nothin’ out unless you put it in first.
Keep the stories coming.
Richard