#seems like a good combo of 'not too far from urban things + cost of living + genuinely there ARE nice natural and cultural things there'

[burinazar]

Oh, wait, wait, ok, I can tell tumblr my news now.

I was accepted into the JET Program and will be moving to Japan for one year starting in late summer to teach English. : )

I don't know how many other applicants have ever had either of my specific application 'angles'. I think they were both pretty weird, but also very, very me, and I'm pleasantly surprised that they seemed to have worked, going off both by the acceptance and the very positive and warm reactions I got during the interview I had. These were:

Science/scicomm/museum background + implying mutual interest in and love of like insects and sea life could be an avenue of intercultural connection and exchange

India and Japan have always struck me as weirdly similar in ways nobody seems to discuss, especially in both being simultaneously hurtling into modernity and deeply traditional/conservative in many ways and places

So. Is this a silly idea considering most people in this program are fresh college grads, and people my age are expected to maybe be getting more settled rather than hopping continents? Is this a scary idea, considering I'll have to uproot all my shit and go exist in a foreign country whose language I really don't know beyond miniscule smatterings? I mean, hmm, yes on both counts, but I'm very excited. On count one, I'd only get older in the future and demonstrably *don't* already have a settled life and career here to disrupt (lol), and on count two...guys, I'm so so tired of letting fear and inertia make my life decisions.

Time to pack up and store most of my shit and end my lease and. Yeah. Also I haven't actually been to India in five years and will probably try to visit my relatives there in the coming months since idk if i'd had an opportunity for a prolonged visit in the future during the one year (at least) in jp. I'll also be probably selling, trading, or giving away a lot more of my hobby shit (that was sort of an ongoing project already but since I'll be unable to use most of it for a year plus it's another reason to do so), so uh, if you've ever wished I would sell any of my dolls now might be time to commit BJD Hobby Taboo and ask me lol. And, obviously, I'll be studying more Japanese, because mine is incredibly へたくそ at the moment. So much to do. But I'm really excited. And thank you to all of y'all that have been encouraging to me about anything related to this matter <3

[bryonysimcox]

Life on the Road: Week 1, France

A week ago we had just reached French shores and stayed the night near the Belgium border. Now, over a thousand kilometres later, I look back at life on the road in Suzi the HiAce.

The days before we left England, I was filled with nerves. A weird sort of apprehension-excitement-fear combo descended on me, especially as George left me alone for a day whilst he headed up to Manchester to do a last-minute video shoot. Then, Monday morning finally came and I was so glad we were ready to leave, given that my mind had been running in circles in the days prior.

Even if we had forgotten things, not planned for certain eventualities, I was ready to go and to start our long-awaited trip.

The drive to Dover was somewhat uneventful, punctuated by a welcome visit at my Aunt’s house in Ashford, and a lovely meal, sharing stories of places travelled and frantically jotting notes down from my knowledgeable relatives about the best routes to take (and tolls to avoid!) in France. We arrived at the ferry terminal with ages to spare, an unusual departure from George and my usual tendency to leave everything to the last minute. Once on French soil, we really enjoyed taking in the surroundings of the north coast. Although an altogether flat and industrial area, Dunkirk and the neighbouring villages were peppered with characterful qualities: the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ hosting small road-side bonfires, faded signage painted on brick facades, and unusual Flemish-style housing with tiled roofs and shuttered windows. We started to search online for the history of places we saw and towns we passed through, often discovering impressive stories from both the world wars of soldiers’ resistance and the resilience of ordinary local folk. This activity of reading a place’s Wikipedia page as evening entertainment has become a bit of a habit!

(images, left to right) Exploring the streets of Dunkirk, a much-needed celebratory champagne/beer on the ferry from Dover, and me outside Suzi on our drive to Paris.

En route to Paris, we risked the tolls and experienced the aggression of French drivers when they get stuck behind a 25-year old fully-laden campervan. Tolls are something we’re generally going to avoid; whilst they save you time, we’d rather save the money and enjoy the more scenic routes. But in this instance, we got to France’s capital nice and quickly, and found free showers at the roadside services as a bonus.

The two and a half days we spent in Paris were just perfect: we kept things slow and cheap rather than trying to see and do everything.

Based on advice from other vanlifers, we opted to park up in a suburb on the outskirts of the city and catch the train each day. Despite protests from railway workers and closed train lines making headline news whilst we were there, the line we took seemed unaffected and it worked out brilliantly - we would pop up at the station outside Notre Dame, and each day take in the sights of the city by foot. Road closures left streets feeling calm and quiet, combined with the fact that the freezing cold temperatures were keeping the crowds away!

Generally, we mooched around the Quartier Latin and the student areas, centred on the Pantheon and Rue Mouffetard, the city’s oldest street. I was impressed to see sustainable, human-centred initiatives across the city, no-doubt linked to the forward-thinking stance of Paris’ mayor, Anne Hidalgo (a renowned figure in urban design circles). There were lots of bicycles, generous pedestrian spaces, electric car charging stations and even billboards announcing the city’s ‘participatory budgeting’ scheme, although the lack of green spaces and trees was apparent too.

(images, left to right) Filming in Le Jardin du Luxembourg, wandering along the Seine, and escaping from the cold in a super-cool Parisien cafe.

We were lucky enough to catch up with friends and family in Paris, which made the big city feel warm and welcoming.

On the first night, a girl who I had met back in Sydney when we both volunteered at a not-for-profit restaurant met up with us and showed us the local’s perspective into the best inner-city spots for wandering and socialising. On Thursday, what began as George randomly spotting that an old bandmate of his was also in Paris, resulted in a couple of beers that evening with him and his girlfriend. And the next day, we were able to see one of my cousins, along with his wife and newborn baby, in their apartment in the 11th arrondissement. These encounters were so enjoyable, and were a powerful reminder that it will be the people we see and spend time with along this trip that define it.

Sad to leave but ready for the next step, we left Paris in the knowledge that life admin was on the cards. We wanted to get a gas refill for our spare gas bottle so that when we run out on our first tank in some middle-of-nowhere location, we don’t have to eat cold spaghetti! After a few delightful days of being tourists in Paris, including filming our first episode of ‘Place Portraits’ about film photography through our documentary channel Broaden, spending a tireless day looking for the right gas refill felt like a fall from grace.

We quickly learned that all the little things like gas, electricity and water can take up a lot of time when you’re living in a van and you’re in a foreign country. 

Eventually laden with a new (albeit pricey) bottle of gas, we headed out towards the countryside to find somewhere to stay for the night. We didn’t get that far, and stopped in the town of Fontainbleu - renowned for its historic connections to French royalty (also worth checking out the Wikipedia page). We found our parking spot through the fantastic app ‘Park4Night’, and this location reaffirmed just how awesome the app can be, as it led us to a space literally outside the gates to Fontainbleu Castle! 

(images, left to right) A morning run around Fontainbleu Castle, a very excitable me after said run, and our epic camping spot outside the castle gates.

One of mine and George’s priorities has been to squeeze in exercise along the journey. Staying active is not only important to the two of us, but essential when you’re often sitting still in a van for long distances. The only thing getting in the way of doing lots of exercise is the fact that we don’t have a shower (though we’re looking into a small one with submersible pump and would love recommendations from folks who have used them before). Nonetheless, we did a 5K run around the eery castle grounds at Fontainbleu, and I’ve tailored a workout with the NikeTraining app that I can just about do lying in the van. As for the washing situation, well it’s either boiling a kettle and doing a face-cloth shower, or heading to public swimming pools (as we did in Lyon) and making use of the facilities whilst squeezing a swim in as well.

With dreams of snow, we spent two days headed south-east, through Lyon, towards the Alps. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bit of a half-baked plan and we eventually decided to give up on the idea. 

We had gotten quite close to the Alps before we decided it wasn’t worth it. We’d been tracking slower than expected, and had generally realised that Suzi can’t just whizz up hilly roads as we’d like. Given that we also had no plans to ski (and were just headed there for the views and hikes), it felt like a huge commitment for not all that much reward. It was a frustrating decision, but a good first experience in the reality of trip-planning and timing.

Almost a week in, and it felt like we’d hit our first slump: giving up on the Alps and generally being aware that Suzi is an old van with a somewhat unreliable engine. Although we’ve had no issues with her so far, other than underwhelming fuel efficiency, George is conscious that we may have worn piston rings. The piston rings are something that could cause us issues in the future, so we’re closely monitoring them for now and on the look-out for a reliable garage in South France/Spain that may be able to have a look at them and give us an idea of what repairs may cost.

(images, left to right) Emptying the wastewater tank and filling up on fresh water at an ‘Aire du Camping-Car’, stocking up on much-needed bread and cheese, and editing footage inside the van in true hot-desking style! 

Changing the plan and re-diverting west turned out to be a real positive. We ventured along some alpine roads through the stunning scenery of the Parc Natural Regional Livradois-Forez and ended the first week on a high - parked up in the middle of nowhere safe and sound in the van.

That evening, we ate fresh baguette with local cheese and snuggled under our blanket watching a BBC crime drama. With no other sign of life in sight, we finally felt free - next to a stream in a misty forest, accompanied by the soundtrack of light rain. It wasn’t the most stunning place, the most famous or the most extreme, but it was just right.

[thegrassisaalwaysgreener]

Peru- Part 2

Tuesday October 1st, 2019        Since we were leaving bright and early for our flight to Cusco, Hotel Santa Cruz gave us to go breakfast bags- so nice of them! We were picked up by the tour company and brought to the airport. Our guide brought us through check in and all the way to the security area, which was very kind of him (and made me feel a bit like a child). Our flight from Lima to Cusco was about an hour and a half and the scenery as we were descending was super interesting. The area was very mountainous and rocky appearing. We were greeted at the airport by another guide from Tucan Travel who’s name I have forgotten (I thought I had everyone’s name written down but can’t seem to find them). This guide was awesome and told us all about the city en route to the accomodations. After we checked in to our hotel (Anden Inca), he took us on a walking tour of the main square (Plaza de Armas) and showed us some great spots to check out to visit, eat at and of course, where to shop.        After being left by the guide, we wanted to hang out and decide what activities in Cusco we really wanted to do and when. We were planning to pick up the “big ticket” that was $130 soles each but got you into a multitude of activities in the Cusco region including museums, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Saqsaywaman. The cost of Saqsaywaman was 70 soles each anyways and we would be reimbursed for our Sacred Valley of the Inca tour, so it was a no brainer. We wandered around the town for a while, checking out the alpaca wool stores, main square and various markets. We had a delicious lunch of alpaca skewers/stir fry with veggies, salad and potatoes at Caja before grabbing our “big ticket” and getting more money out of the ATM. We walked back to the hotel to grab warmer clothes (aka a jacket and scarf since that is all we really packed). Since we were feeling mildly short of breath at rest, we took a cab (10 soles) up to one of the points of the city to check out Saqsaywaman (which sounds funny and can be spelt tons of different ways). This Pre-Incan, walled complex is built from large (up to 200 tones) stones that were carefully cut to fit together without mortar. This complex was believed to have been used for ceremonies but its exact use is unknown. This complex is massive and there are lots of local guides who are willing to take you on a tour for a small fee. Since neither Jill nor I are huge into exact history, we were happy to wander around ourselves and enjoy the intricate stonework and great views of the city. One of the coolest things we saw from this vantage point was a large stadium down in the city that was painted rainbow colours and stood out amongst the stone of the surrounding area.       After seeing the majority of Saqsaywaman, we walked down the road to check out “Christo Blanco” (White Jesus). This 26 foot tall statue of Jesus was a gift from Arabic Palestinians, who sought refuge in Cusco after the Second World War This status of Jesus is similar to that of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer but on a smaller scale. There were many people selling souvenirs at the base of Christo Blanco and many tour buses came and went. We managed to find a cab to take us back down the hill to our hotel, where we took a bit of a break after a long day. I had been at altitude before, but being at 3400 m, all of a sudden, for a long period of time was different. We started taking our Diamox (which is supposed to help with altitude sickness) and stayed well hydrated but let me tell you, the SOBOE was real.        After relaxing for a bit, Jill and I met up with our group in the breakfast room of our hotel to meet our tour leaders - Raoul and Richard. We were debriefed on the next few days and what we could expect. We were also given our small duffle bags that were to be brought with us for our trek. Some of us had to rent sleeping bags, extra air mattress and poles, so that was sorted out at this time as well. We were told our duffels had to be less than 5 kg (for the porters who would be carrying it all) and our sleeping bags weighed 2.2kg. This was going to be interesting to say the least. For anyone that knows me, knows I am not the best packer and like having many options when I travel. There would be no extra options on this trek. There was some information in our packages about the tour and about weight limits, but I didn’t recall it stating the exact size and was shocked that 5kg was all we could bring. After all, we were going for 4 days to hike into the Andes Mountains en route to Machu Picchu. When we did Kili, we had way more stuff- then again that was 4 more days of hiking. In any case, we were all quite stressed about what we would be bringing with us and what we would have to cut out (or put in our day packs).      Once the meeting was finished, Jill and I went and did a rough pack, which was so sad. There were so many things we had to cut out of our packing due to weight. We had the bare minimum packed and ready to go (including many layers since it would be quite cold at night at- around 0-5 degrees). We headed down the road to the Aztec Inca Restaurant. This spot had just about any cuisine you could ask for-American, Mexican, Italian, Peruvian etc.  We were two of the only patrons in the restaurant that was run by an older woman and her son. We each had a Mexican inspired dish (tacos and enchiladas) before wandering around in search of this cool dessert spot we had read about that had ice cream rolls. Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t find said spot (and later found out it had been closed a month prior to our visit) and enjoyed checking out the stone streets and busy bars/restaurants of Cusco. I was even offered cocaine from a random on the street, which was a first. As a side note, we had been told that drugs were super common in Peru and that we could “get whatever we wanted”. Now, neither Jill nor I were looking for anything more than a glass of wine, but we learned in Mancora that men were solicited far more for drugs than women were. We didn’t believe that drugs were so readily available until we went around with Daniel and he was stopped every other block and offered drugs. End of story about drugs and back to dessert. We stopped at Qucharitas for our sweet tooth fix, which ended up being a fab dessert choice. Qucharitas had cold stone ice cream, crepes and all sorts of other delicious treats. Jill had a fruit crepe while I settled for coconut and chocolate ice cream with a churro cone. Both desserts were amazing and were probably the last desserts we would be having for a while. We headed back the hotel for a good nights sleep before our next big adventure!

Wednesday October 2, 2019       The Anden Inca hotel had a great continental breakfast, which we enjoyed before putting the majority of our belongings into the hotels’ storage room and hopping on the bus. We were heading towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas- a valley/river combo in between beautiful mountains that featured many Incan structures, temples and of course Machu Picchu. We would be travelling from Cusco through the Sacred Valley en route to our starting point for our trek. Our tour guides spoke to us about the valley, the Incas and all the history around the area. While I took many notes (on seemingly everything), I won’t bore you with too many details.        Our first stop of the day was at Awana Kancha, where we learned the difference between Alpacas and Llamas and saw several different types of alpacas. We saw how they made the wool, used various herbs and spices to dye it and watched women weave beautiful clothing items. This “living museum of the Andes” also featured many different types of corn and quinoa, which are abundant in the Andes. While the history and information was really neat and helpful, I was most excited about feeding and petting the alpacas (well and taking selfies of course).      After shopping and washroom breaks at Awana Kancha, we hopped back in the bus for another 35 minutes or so before arriving at the Pisaq Archeaological Park. Our guides explained that we would be driving through many different Incan cities that were all special in their own way with fabulous lookout points and views. Pisaq was very neat and had an urban centre, cemetery and ceremonial space in it. We got to walk through the ruins and learn about what kinds of activities were done in which parts of the ruins. We also saw some beautiful landscapes and the various levels of terraces that grew different types of crops. Despite the rain and cold, we had a great time exploring the ruins and learned a lot.       Next stop the town of Pisac to check out the market. I was super excited about this because so far, all of the markets we had seen had been awesome with tons of great art, clothing and souvenirs. Most of the people still spoke Kechewa (or Quechua) which is an ancient language of the Incans. We had about 30 minutes to wander the market and were told to meet our group at a designated spot. After walking up and down the market and checking out many stalls (and losing 50 soles out of my pocket) we decided not to buy anything since we didn’t have any extra weight left in our bags.  Half-hour later, the group was not in the designated meeting spot and we were mildly concerned about how we would find them as the market seemed like a maze and our Spanish was still dismal at best. After a bit more searching, we found them and laughed as they changed the meeting spot but didn’t tell everyone.      We spent another 40 minutes in the bus before getting out in Urubamba for lunch at InkaLicious. The buffet was 35 soles a person and had many great salads, meats and veggies. The dessert options were pretty good too (of course). We were all stuffed and happy with our day and meal so far. Back in the bus we went for the short drive from Hullyamba (Or Urubamba) into Ollyantambo. Many of the names of the towns (as you can gather) are still in their original Incan name, which is super neat. Ollantaytambo meant “Resting Spot” as this is the last town before the Inca trail begins towards Machu Picchu. This town is nestled in between the Urubumba River and the large snow capped mountains. This town is known for its large archeological site that was home to many religious and military spots as well as rich agriculture. We explored these ancient ruins and learned all about its history. Many of the large (80 tonne) stones were brought from the other side of the valley over 9km away, in the Incan times. We visited the various temples (Sun, Earth, Wind, Fire) and learned about each of their significance. At the top of the ruin, the views of the town below and mountains around us were incredible. It is crazy to think that all of this was created hundreds of years ago by the Incans/PreIncans and all of the work they put into creating their homes/ceremonial spots. I definitely wouldn’t have been cut out to be an Incan back then.     We were given our bags and directions on how to get to our hotel, as our bus wouldn’t fit well down the narrow, stone roads of the town. We stayed at the Tika Wasi Hotel which was very cute with nice comfortable rooms but poor acoustics (as we were realizing was a theme in Peruvian hotels). Jill and I hung out and enjoyed some down time before we met our group at Café Corozones for dinner. We sat at a table with some really cool people and learned a lot about them and their neat jobs (e.g working on American millionaires’ yachts). The altitude was definitely affecting my appetite so I had some chicken noodle soup before we wandered back to the hotel for our last comfy sleep for a few days.

Thursday October 3rd ,2019        Today was the first day of our Inca Trail Trek! We were up relatively late around 730 and had breakfast before leaving the hotel at 0815. We walked over to the main square and were picked up by a large coach bus. The bus seemed to go off-roading (along a railroad track and over a small river) through a small town where we would pick up the majority of our team and supplies. We met our whole group (which included the 12 of us trekkers, 2 guides, 1 chef and 14 Porters) and took a group photo before checking in and walking through the gate to the start of the trek. The Inca trail is three overlapping trails that all terminate at Machu Picchu. The trail itself is approx. 80 km from Ollantaytambo but the hike is around 40 km total. The highest elevation of the hike is the “Deadwomans pass” at 4200 meters. While we had a general overview of the trek, each day we would get briefed on what would happen the following day at dinner. Since this trail is very popular and sacred, there is a max of 500 people allowed on the trail each day, which includes the 300 or so porters/staff.        The start of the trail begins just outside of Ollantaytambo/Chilca area along the Urubamba River. We snapped some great photos in front of the Inca Trail signs and with our welcoming crew of llamas. As we walked along the river, our guides taught us things about the trees we were walking past (munia, peach, avocado) as well as all the “cochinilla” (parasite on the cactus) that are used as die for alpaca wool along with pointing out the various mountains, glaciers and special spots. Today would be the only day that we would see donkeys/horses as porters along the way and was said to be very scenic. I was surprised to learn that there would be many rest stops with places to purchases snacks and water. Not that I had much hiking experience, but when we did Kili, it was basically just hikers and staff the whole time with nowhere to buy anything or anyone living in the small towns.         Today we would be hiking for about 1.5 hours at a time. We were told this was an “Easy” day but I gave it a 6/10. There were lots of small hills that were not super challenging, but challenging enough at 2,600m. The weather was just perfect for hiking, warm-ish, sunny with a slight breeze. Each 1.5 hours or so we would stop for water and a snack if needed. The washrooms so far were similar to those we had seen in our travels- toilets without toilet seats. They were better than holes in the ground, which I was used to on my last trek.  Of course, the porters were ahead of us and they would be at the lunch spot/camping spot with everything ready for us before we got there. Our lunch today was at 1400 and was delicious. We had soup, rice, veggies and chicken. Lunchtime was about an hour and it rained throughout our lunch. We found some free toilets (most were 1 sole to use) and we used them before heading out for the last part of our trek.          We only had about 2 hours left and we stopped a few times for breaks, washrooms and shopping. I felt pretty short of breath today and was walking slow and steady (which may be the theme of my trek haha). I got to know a few of my fellow trekkers and really enjoyed this part of the day. To me, travelling is good for the soul because you not only get to see amazing things but meet awesome people you might not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet. We made it to camp at 1640 and happily saw that the porters had everything all set up already- these guys were amazing! Our campsite was called at Huayllabamba and was at 3000 meters. There were some ruins in our area so Jill, Tony and I walked up there. I guess I forgot to mention our amazing hiking friends! Jill and I were joined with some fabulous people. Tony, Rehka and Deepak were from England and were definitely the parents of the group. They are some of the loveliest people and I was excited to get to know them more. Emily was also from the UK and was there travelling alone but was bunking with Katherine from the island of Guernsey (closer to France but considered an island of the UK). Malcolm and Caroline were also from the UK and were big into tennis and hiking at home. The final duo in our group was Jess and Tom, the cutest young couple from Australia who were travelling for several weeks together all through South America. The group seemed awesome and I was really excited to finish the trek with them! Anyways, back to the ruins! We walked up to the ruins, which only took about 10 mins and had a neat view of the campsite and area around us. Despite being tired and sore I was super happy we made this small extra trek and enjoyed a different display of the area.       By the time we got back, it was time to get to know our crew. We learned each of their names along with how long they had been a porter for and if they had any kids. Most of them did not speak English or Spanish but their native language of Ketachaw. The porters were anywhere from 22 to 60 years old which I thought was insane. These men were just amazingly tough and strong to do this weekly. They often leave their families for weeks at a time, as it is pricey and long to get home for days away. Many of them live in small towns around the town of Ollantaytambo and the Cusco area. We had some free time before dinner so I had a $10 soles “hot shower”, which would be the last of the trek. It wasn’t warm at all but nice to shower in the middle of nowhere on a trek after a long first day.       After the shower, tea and hot chocolate were ready along with crackers/cookies. We all chatted and got to know one another before dinner. Dinner was extensive- soup with rice, pasta, stuffed chicken, a beef stew and pumpkin squash puree for dessert. This chef was awesome and definitely was accommodating as we had a few dietary restrictions on this trip. Raoul briefed us on the next day including our wake up time (0545 eek!) for our 0730 departure and what the hiking would consist of.  The first day of the trek was great! We hiked just over 12 km in 6.5 hours, which included lunch and multiple breaks. Day two was going to be the most challenging day and we were excited to get to it!

Friday October 4, 2019      0545 definitely came early! I didn’t want to get up and out of my sleeping bag as it seemed freezing outside (it was a low of about 5 overnight) and my sleep wasn’t the best. The sleeping bags that we had were the mummy type and we had used our sleeping bag liners that made it even harder to move around in. I also didn’t realize we had a tube-like fleece blanket that went into the sleeping bag. I wish I had figured this out as it would’ve been nice in the cool night air. Sleeping in wool base layers with the multiple layers of the sleeping bag kept me comfy until I had to go to the washroom at 2130 (so annoying). We also had extra air mattress each which was pretty slippery. While the first night sleep wasn’t the best, I was excited to get the day started. We got our stuff packed up and we were ready to go for breakfast soon after wake up. Breakfast was a weird but yummy porridge, toast, eggs and fried rice. I made sure to pick up some extra water from the lady who was selling water ($10 soles for 1.5 litres which would be 1/3-1/2 the price in the city).        We were out hiking with our poles at 0730 and knew that today might be a bit of a challenge, as we would be going over our first and highest pass of the trip. The first ¼ of the hike wasn’t too bad. There were many steady inclines with lots of flat spots. I did the majority of this first part alone in about 55 minutes or so which was kind of nice. I have been listening to a lot of podcasts and doing some mindfulness and found this to be super helpful while hiking (thanks Ben Bergeron). The quickest time for this ¼ was 40 mins and the longest was about 1:05 mins so I was happy to be in the middle. Our snack at this time were apples and a bounty bar which I saved for later. I’ve found that while I am hiking, I don’t get very hungry (probably because of the altitude) so keeping hydrated is key for me.       The 2nd quarter of the trek I did with Emily and we kept a good pace. We stopped lots to takes short breaks and enjoy the view. Jill was a speedy gazelle and way ahead of us. After the 2nd quarter, we stopped for lunch where it was cool, breezy and rainy. Our lunch was a delicious mushroom soup with pasta, veggies, avocado and some sort of chicken and bean concoction. As with our previous meals- it was all great and sustaining.      The last two hours towards the summit were pretty tricky but we stopped often for quick breaks, which helped a lot. It took us just under two hours to get to the top and of course it started raining when we got there. Alpacas/llamas greeted us at the top which was very welcomed. We climbed to the peak and took tons of photos before it really stared to pour. Those of us who were at the top made our way down and stopped for a quick toilet break just after the Dead Woman’s Pass (at 4200 m).  It was quite slippery on the way down which made me super nervous with my clumsiness and knee surgery less than a year before. We enjoyed the scenery, conversation and watched the fog roll over the camp site and the rest of the area while we hiked. It took us just under 2 hours to get to camp and boy was I glad to be there!      When we got to camp around 1645, we noticed that our site was in the middle of the camping area, which was slightly annoying. To get to either bathroom, you had to either climb up or down- super challenging when your legs are already exhausted and shaky from almost 2 hours of declines. The rest of the group came in on their own, a couple at a time and were greeted with cheers and high fives. We had our afternoon snack of tea, hot chocolate and crackers before enjoying some time in the tent relaxing. It was quite chilly out and I did not want to get out of the tent for supper (even though I knew it was a must). After another delicious dinner we were briefed on the plan for tomorrow. We had hiked a total of about 11 km in 8 hours and were all excited for a good nights sleep.

Saturday October 5, 2019      Today was going to be the “scenic” day of our trek. It was also going to be the longest so we were woken at about 0500.  We were out by 0630 after a yummy breakfast of eggs, toast, coffee/hot chocolate and a type of sugar puff cereal (think Sugar Crisp but less sweet).       We set off on the first part of the day, which was a steep pass that was going to take us about 2 hours. The 40 min or so walk up the stair-like stones was mildly challenging after a large breakfast, before we made a stop at the Runkurakay complex. I decided to be stubborn and chose to hike in my t-shirt (because my hot pink rain jacket bled onto my skin when it rained). Despite it being cool out, I figured I would be sweating really soon. I regretted my decision about 30 mins into the hike when I was already soaked and cold but chose to be stubborn and waited until the top of our last pass (almost 2 hours later) to throw on my light rain jacket. We waited for the group shivering and huddled together and then made our way down towards our camp spot. We stopped for a quick snack and bathroom break before walking the 1:00-1:30 mins to lunch (1h if you’re Jill, 1:15 or so if you’re me).     As always tea was ready for us when we arrived at Phuyupatamarca (or the town in the clouds) and we enjoyed a great meal of soup, potatoes, pork chops, pasta and salad. We learned more about the ruins we were around as well as some of the significance of the culture and area. After lunch, we were given the option of a shorter route and a longer route that had another beautiful set of ruins to see. The longer route was about an hour longer but would be well worth it. Naturally, we decided on the longer route and enjoyed the shade and reprieve of some of the trees on the route towards our camping spot. The ruins that we visited were called Intipata and are very impressive. These ruins are often missed because you can’t see them fully from the path and are not the most common route but they are way bigger and expansive that you would think. They are home to many llamas (or alpacas, I still get them confused) as well as many different plant sources of nutrition and over 200 kinds of orchids (which is the most famous plant on the Inca Trail). After many photos and selfies with the llamas, we made our way to our campsite that seemed close but took us almost an hour to get to. There were many steps along the way and every time we thought we had found our campsite, we learned it was another groups. While today was our longest day, it was also the most relaxed (minus the cold and rain). Our knees and legs were pretty sore but the 17.5 or so km we managed to hike didn’t seem so bad. Since there was only the one steeper incline, it was mostly downhill/flat which I personally liked a lot better.       Our tents in Winay-Wayna were set up quite close to the top edge of some rock levels which was a bit unnerving. People had to walk past us to get to one of the washroom as well but after the first few people, I stopped noticing. The bathrooms at this campsite were some of the worst (and smelliest) that we had seen. Throughout the hike, the bathrooms were mostly stalls with toilets without toilet seats on them or holes in the ground. We were getting an extra leg workout in by all of the squats we were doing. Dinner was delicious (as always it seemed) with quinoa soup, lomo saltado (traditional Peruvian beef dish), rice, noodles and veggies. At the end of the meal, we were given a delicious cake! It’s crazy that the chef had time (and the resources) to make a cake in the middle of the Inca Trail! Our crew came in for our last goodbyes- which were a bit awkward but cute nonetheless. We gave out our tip envelopes as a group (also awks) before being briefed on our last day of the trek.

Sunday October 6, 2019      Today was THE day. Or should I say, the morning. We were woken up rather early at 0330 so we could be up and out of our tents at 0350 to get in line at the check point. Groups were lined up earlier than we were but we still managed to hang out under the wood awning until the booth opened at 0530. We had been given breakfast bags to go with sandwiches, juice, fruit and a bar that we could munch on before we started our final hike. It was almost like a race when people got past the check point- which I think is kind of funny. It was barely daylight when we started the hike but thankfully, we didn’t have to use our headlamps because that would’ve added an extra level of danger for clumsy kids like me. The hike to the Sungate was about an hour and very pretty. It was quite undulating at times and involved some legit monkey steps about 10 mins before the Sungate. These steps required most people to use their hands and feet to climb up. There were about 30 in total and I was next level cranky after that. We made it to the Sungate at about 0635 to see that surprise, surprise, it was foggy.  We couldn’t see Machu Picchu in the distance, making the whole thing mildly anti climactic (I was having dejavu from Kilimanjaro). Our group came together at the top to take some photos and enjoy a snack before hiking that last 45 mins or so towards Machu Picchu.      Peruvians (and especially those in the MachuPicchu/Cusco Region) really believe in and respect the theory of the three “Gods”. These gods are the Condor, Puma and the Snake that represent Heaven, Present and the underworld. Half way between the Sungate and Machu Picchu, we found three levels of an altar that represented these Gods and had some great background history/folklore around them. This was considered the last stop before the city of Machu Picchu.      Before we arrive at Machu Picchu (“Old Mountain”), it is probably important to make note of what it is and why it is so special. Machu Picchu is the most renowned Incan citadel/city that was initially built in the 15th century, high up in the Andes and then abandoned (due to the Spanish invasion). It was built in the Incan fashion of precisely shaped dry stonewalls that are held together without mortar. While its exact use back in Incan times is unknown, there are many different ceremonial spots along with terraces that may have been used by the ancient emperor Pacachuti. While this “Lost City of the Incas” had existed for thousands of years, it did not come to be known as the amazing place it is until the early 1900s. Hiram Bingham of the USA, discovered this ancient city with the help of an 11 year old Ketchwa boy, who he paid to show him up the Urubamba River to these amazing ruins. Initially, this beautiful Incan ruin was a jungle covered with bushes and trees. He had many people come to help clean it up to see what was really underneath. Many of the details of what was found are hearsay, as he wasn’t known as the most honest and truthful man (allegedly). Gold and silver were among some of the more valuable resources that were found once excavation began (among many skeletons of woman and children who were sacrificed in the name of tradition and culture). Machu Picchu is also considered a Unesco World Heritage site which means it attracts thousands of visitors per day. While they do limit permits on the trail, over 2500 people visit Machu Picchu every day, making this dangerous for long term survival of the beautiful site. It was not meant for the weight and foot traffic that it has attracted which makes it so much more important for everyone to do their job and abide by the restrictions set out. The Peruvian government does it’s best to help with the sustainability of this historic site but it is said that only 8% of the revenue from Machu Picchu goes back to the community, the rest going to Lima (not a confirmed fact, just tour guide hersay)        We arrived at our first sight of Machu Picchu around 8 am and it was already pretty busy! Our group met up at the main entrance after taking some amazing photos en route (and a minor altercation with some large German men). We were able to get our passports stamped with the signature Machu Picchu Stamp (which is way cooler than I thought it would be). We got in the line for the washrooms and bag drop that was not super well organized or laid out and dropped off our bags. Visitors are only allowed to bring fanny packs/small back packs into the site. Our guides took us all around these beautiful, ancient ruins. We learned much more about its history and learned about each of the areas that we visited. While I loved being at this amazing spot, I have to say I was exhausted and wasn’t enjoying it as much as if I had slept more than a few hours the night before. After a few group photos and tons of photos from literally every angle we could, we were done our tour/visit. It started to get super busy around 1030 and so we made our way back the entrance to grab our stuff and hop on the bus.       Our guides clearly have been around the block before- we made it to the line for the buses just as everyone else seemed to as well. They didn’t have it very well organized and the line for the bus wrapped around the whole entrance way into the entrance line. We were given our 12 soles tickets for the bus and made our way from Machu Picchu into the town of Aguas Calientes (coolest name ever). The bus ride was about 25 mins and we were dropped off in the centre of town around noon. We didn’t have to catch our train until 1445 so we headed to our lunch spot called Munaycha. Emily and I shared “nachos” and pizza along with some fresh cold beers and pisco sours. It was so nice to relax and sit on proper chairs and enjoy the company. After a few beers and pisco sours, we made our way through the town towards the train station, mildly intoxicated. Thank goodness Raoul knew the streets like the back of his hand, or else it wouldn’t have gone well. We rushed to the train, grabbed our tickets and found our seats on the nicest train I’d ever been on. The seats reclined and had tables in front of them and was super clean. Tony ordered us another round of beers and we laughed (a bit too loud at times and were shushed) and enjoyed the 1.5 hour train ride. In Ollantaytambo, we said goodbye to Richard before jumping on another bus that would take us into Cusco. We knew we had about a 2 hour drive so we made a pit stop at a store to grab water and more beer. The drive felt long but was pleasant with beautiful sights, great company and awesome music.       By the time we made it back into Cusco, my tipsy feeling had worn off and now I was just exhausted. We said our goodbyes to Raoul, thanking him and giving him my hiking poles (that I vowed to never use again).The Anden Inca staff were amazing and already had our bags in our rooms. Our room for the next two nights was even better than the last one, with a nicer bathroom, cute ceilings and tons of extra room. After a much needed shower, we got ready to meet the group and go for dinner. Dinner was at the Aztec Inka place Jill and I had been to before as we had some picky eaters in the group and knew this place had a bit of everything. After burritos and water, I was super tired and headed home to bed early around 2130 after saying goodbye to the half of our group that would be leaving in the am.

Monday October 7, 2019      Today was definitely a sleep in day! Well for me at least (sorry Jildo). We had breakfast at the hotel and met with our jungle group (Catherine, Deepak, Rehka, Jill and myself). We were briefed on how the next few days would go including wake ups, airport transport times etc. After our breakfast meeting, Jill and I walked into town and checked out the Cathedral Basilica. The town was celebrating Santa Rosa day but then we found out the parade was actually for Our Lady of the Rosary day. We enjoyed the parade a bit before paying the $25 soles each to enter the beautiful church. I have to admit, I was most excited to see two things- 1. The last supper painting with the meal being a guinea pig and 2. Black Jesus. While photos were not allowed to be taken, I really enjoyed seeing these two interesting pieces and learning about them.       After the Cathedral, we visited the Inca Museum (10 soles) which was way bigger and more interesting than I had anticipated. We saw awesome pre Incan artifacts and drawings along with many relics from the Incan times and even mummies. Jill and I had talked about getting massages, so we ended up finding one of the many people in the square selling them. Similar to many other massage places we had been to, we were lead down random hallways to get to the small massage room. We had to wait a while to get started- we think the lady had to find someone else to massage one of us. Our massages were decent (especially for 50 soles) and made me feel more relaxed and less sore for sure. Jill and I still needed to pick up some souvenirs so we headed back to the hotel to grab our backpacks to contain all of our goodies. We stopped at Las Frescas that served delicious poke bowls. They were massive, healthy and exactly what we were looking for. We sauntered around the main square, popping into various alpaca stores. We found an amazing market to browse and barter for scarves, blankets and other little souvenirs. I love a good market and barter sesh so we had a good afternoon and picked up some great stuff.     We realized it was later on in the day than we had thought and had to pick up our laundry before the lady went home from the day. We packed up our stuff for the amazon and got everything organized. We were both so tired and not feeling so great so we bailed on dinner and picked up a few snacks (that ended up being totally unnecessary) for the Amazon before going to bed early.

Tuesday October 8, 2019       Today we were leaving Cusco (sadly). Jill and I both agreed that this was probably our favourite town of the trip with its neat landscapes, beautiful buildings and great culture. After breakfast and check out, we were met by our guide Paul from Tucan Travel who would take us through traffic (thanks to another Peruvian Holiday) to the airport. Paul gave us all the info we would need for the day and we were checked into the Latam flight in about 25 mins. We made sure to get out some more soles as there would be no other opportunities to get money out for the cash only Amazon EcoLodge. Most ATMS cost about 13-20 soles to get money out so make sure to take this into account if you’re short on cash in Peru. Security and boarding went well and soon we were on our delayed flight to Puerto Maldonado but safe and sound.      The flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado is only an hour but the temperature difference when we got off the plane was evident. We were warned that the Amazon and surrounding area was very hot and humid but that because of El Niño (I think), the temperature can change drastically and quickly. We were told to make sure to only bring what we needed (in duffle bags of course) and to pack long pants for our walks as there was lots of bugs and plants that might cause issues in shorts.  I definitely was feeling the heat the moment we got off the plane and wasn’t feeling well at all. We waited for our bags before hopping into the open air bus that would take us to the Eco Amazonia’s headquarters in Puerto. Puerto Maldanado has a population of about 80,000 is mostly a tourist place with one main square and is a port to many Amazonian trip. It is on the Madre de Dios River in the Madre de Dios region / Amazon basin. We were given 15 mins or so to get our stuff organized into our duffle bags for the trip before heading towards the port. We saw their version of the Golden Gate Bridge called Puente Billinghurst which is also the longest bridge in Peru at 750 meters long.         We took a 1 hour speed canoe ride on the Madre de Dios River. We learned that we weren’t actually on the Amazon River (Duh) but on a tributary of the river that is over 1500 km from the actual Amazon River.  We were staying at one of the many eco lodges in the area called Eco Amazonia. We were already told that there were restrictions on electricity (only really on from 1700-0700) and that there was no cell services/wifi among many other small details. None of these things would be an issue for the short time we were here- we would embrace the quiet and relaxation. We had a great buffet lunch after being briefed on the strict timeline of the next 36 hours. After our yummy meal, we were showed to our individual huts. This place was magical! It was quiet and serene, rustic and charming, all wrapped into one. Each of the huts were for 2-3 people and super cute. They had a small “mud” room with seats to leave your muddy stuff before entering the room. There were three twin beds in our room with a bathroom. The shower was a bit strange as it was open to the room in a way but was cute and just what we needed. The tops of the room were screens only so we could hear all of the fun nature noises.     We got ready for our afternoon hike to Caiman Lake. The hike is really a short walk (1 km to the lake) but we stopped to learn about some of the types of trees, animals and birds in the area. Julio was our guide and carried a knife for safety reasons, which made him look extra bad ass. We saw many “Iron trees” en route to cocha caiman (caiman Lake) which was a bit smaller than I had anticipated. We learned about the caimans (similar to an alligator) and several of the 70 subtypes. Caimans can vary in length but some can grow up to 4+ meters. They are mostly nocturnal but do enjoy the sun and fish. They are shy by nature but can be aggressive when needed. We saw many of them in the water and even saw a few come up onto the land thanks to Julios baiting skills. We heard the boiler birds and saw some beautiful macaws flying around.     After our walk back, we hung out and checked out the hammocks, pool and quiet areas of the lodge. Happy hour ended around 1800 and the deal was, as usual, 2 drinks for $20 soles (a steal since the drinks were 16-28 a piece). While the bartenders tried real hard, they were busy doing other jobs at the lodge and didn’t have a ton to offer in terms of alcohol and mixer. We were really sad they ran out of tonic, vodka and sparkling water but realized where we were and were thankful that they even had a bar. What was neat about this lodge, is that the staff play many roles. The tour guides would help in the kitchen and dining room as well as in the bar. It is a small staff who get some amazing things done each day. The manager Mauricio was amazing and very welcoming.     After our happy hour drinks, we grabbed our long sleeves before heading to the entrance for our late night canoe ride. We were going with the group and Julio to check out some more caimans. It was significantly cooler and less buggy than we had anticipated. Jupiter, Saturn and Scorpio were out in full force which was super cool to see. Julio used his “caiman call” and laser sharp vision to point out many caimans on the way. Our boat ride was very relaxing and enjoyable. After the boat ride, dinner was ready in the dining room. We were served a quinoa soup with fried yuka, chicken, veggies and a lemon tart for dessert. We made sure to top up our water bottles as water and hot drinks were only available during meal times (0530-0730, 1330-1500 and 1900-1800). If you didn’t have water at other times, you had to buy it at the bar.      We enjoyed some more drinks and chatted after our great dinner. We noticed that there were very few people enjoying the common area at this time. There had been many people hanging out playing pool and foosball before dinner but it was a ghost town after. We played pool and foosball until just before 2200. The main lights go off at 2200 so we made our way home for showers and bed.

Wednesday October 9, 2019       Despite going to bed early, we both slept until our wake up call at 0600 by Julio. We made it to breakfast for 0630 which was great! The options were extensive including omelets, cheese, fruit, homemade bread, ham and cakes along with a variety of juices. We ate quickly since we had to be ready for our long walk at 0700. We got our backpacks ready with water, sunscreen and bug spray and met the group. The first cool thing we saw on our stroll was the trumpeter bird who sang to us. We grabbed a photo with Tony and the trumpeter since he was staying in the bungalow named after this fun bird. On the walk, we stopped every 100 m or so to learn about various plants, bugs and animals in the area. There are 6 different types of monkeys on the nature reserve and we managed to see 3 of them on our walk (howler monkeys, brown capuchin and squirrel monkeys). We saw some cool non human friends like the amazon crested toad (with two fake eyes), a gross millipede, cute sloth and one large Goliath tarantula. Julio taught us about many of the different trees and plants, several of which have healing and medicinal properties.       After about 3 hours, we made it to Largo Apuvictor which was our main destination. There was a lookout point which had a beautiful view of the brownish/murky water  (we had come to realize was what all the water in this area looked like) and the vast jungle around us. We had snacks while waiting for our canoe ride. The canoe ride was lovely but we sadly didn’t see an anaconda (which was the ONLY reason I went on this walk). We saw some nice birds and a turtle while on our canoe ride. Some members of our large group had many questions and walked super slow, so we got ahead and walked a big quicker back to the lodge.  We hopped in the “indoor” pool and cooled off before planning our afternoon. We were supposed to take another boat ride to Monkey Island, but our group decided to skip it and enjoy some R&R at the lodge. While the lodge was amazing, the strict schedule wasn’t exactly what we were looking for on vacation, especially after do the Inca Trail. We spent the afternoon drinking and lying in the hammocks. Mauricio personally delivered a round or two of drinks to us out by the hammocks that overlooked the river. We were served a yummy lunch (not that I can exactly remember what it was��) before enjoying more time out by the water in the hammocks. I swear, I could’ve lived in the hammocks. We played a bit more table tennis and foosball before our yummy meal of rice, meat, veggies, soup and a delicious chocolate cake. After dinner, we had some more drinks, including one of the grossest wines I’ve ever had and some members of the group indulged in tequila shots. As always, we had great conversation and so many laughs before showering and heading to bed for our last sleep in the amazon. The rooms were way cooler overnight especially with the marvelous fan that worked wonders.

Thursday October 10, 2019      The howler monkeys woke us up before our 0600 wake up call, which was actually welcome. The sound of all the birds, crickets and monkeys was magical to wake up to. We had a nice final breakfast before settling our fairly large tab (thanks to all of our bevvies). We tried to fill up our water bottles but the lodge had run out of water (uhoh for the next people arriving) so put our tip in the tip box, finished our packing before saying goodbye to Mauricio. Our last group photo in the Amazon was taken before we hopped on the speed canoe back to town. I soaked up some rays and had a bit of a snooze on the 1:45 min long boat ride. The staff brought us back to the office in the open air bus and then right back to the airport. I was pretty happy to be off the open area bus as the drivers in this area were pretty crazy and didn’t abide by any specific rules of the road.        The airport check in was easy and we were happy to find air-conditioning on the other side of security. The small restaurant in the terminal didn’t have much to offer and the small convenience cart was very picky about their money being “clean”. Thankfully, we managed to get some water before our Latam flight back to Lima.       We landed in Lima 1.5 hours later and were picked up again by a Tucan travel staff member. They dropped us off at the Hotel Santa Cruz about an hour later. As usual, the weather in Lima was dismally grey and cooler. After unpacking our stuff, we grabbed some delicious sandwiches and coffee across the street at Caffeteria. Kat and I decided to take an Uber to the local Indian/Inka market to pick up a few last minute souvenirs. I was very impressed with this market and of course, picked up more souvenirs that were probably unnecessary and may or may not fit in my bag. Our Uber got us back to the hotel for 1700, giving me plenty of time to shower and get ready for our evening activities.       As a group, we decided to go to the Park of the Reserve halfway between where we were in Miraflores and downtown Lima to check out the Magic Water Circuit show. There were two different show times and we opted for the earlier one so we could go for a nice dinner after. This water show did not disappoint! There were several different fountains with various coloured lights and fun effects. The show itself was about 15 mins and was pretty neat. We made sure to have a great vantage point so we could see all of the fountains.      We managed to find a taxi to take us back towards the hotel area. The hotel had made us a reservation at El Senorio de Sulco, near the water in Miraflores however when we arrived, they didn’t have a table for us. Our group was not happy about this but the restaurant made it all better by feeding us two pisco sours while we waited. We enjoyed several bottles of wine and a delicious meal before finishing off our night with some night caps at the hotel bar (our English friends were not good influences on our livers!)

Friday October 11, 2019      It was officially our last day of our trip! In so many ways, it had seemed as though we had been away forever but then in other ways, it flew by! We enjoyed our last buffet breakfast at Hotel Santa Cruz, before saying our “see you laters” to our new friends with the promise of a reunion in England. Jill and I had a few more places in Lima that we wanted to check out so we made sure we were packed and ready to go. The hotel was kind enough to let us leave our stuff there while we went to explore for our final day. We had been told that Huaca Pucllana (or Huaca Juliana) was a must see by a few people so we headed over there first thing in the am. This adobe (mud brick) pyramid was made out of 7 staggered platforms around 200-500 AD and was used as a ceremonial centre by the PreIncans, Wari people. While the pyramids were neat to see, I was over it about 15 mins into the 90 minute or so tour. You had to be on a guided tour, which was a bit annoying, especially since our tour guide was very difficult to understand. The copious amounts of booze we had the night before didn’t help either. One of the best parts of this visit were the alpacas and guinea pigs we got to see.      After the ceremonial/playground adventure, we grabbed coffees while we wandered around downtown Miraflores before hopping into a cab to the Frias market in Baranco. Baranco is known as the hip/art district of Lima and we were excited to explore this area. The market was filled with cool stalls with different clothes, food, art and jewelry. They often have live music in the evenings as well but we were a bit early for that. We were also starving so we checked out a Peruvian/Chinese fusion restaurant for lunch and ordered WAY too much food for the two of us. The rice, noodles and wontons were all amazing and cheap (which was the best part!)       Since we had enjoyed the Lima by Walking tours so much, we decided to check out the Barranco walking tour. We were to meet the group leader in the central square by the beautifully painted library at 1610. Starbucks was in the area, so we grabbed coffees and waited for the group. The center of Barranco was super cute with many pastel coloured buildings, beautiful gardens and flowers. It was a beautifully sunny and warm-ish day (shocking for Lima) so we were extra excited to spend our last afternoon outside in the nice weather. Barranco is known as the “bohemian” part of the city and is home to about 30,000 people. It is one of the 43 districts in Lima. People from Miraflores and the historical centre moved to this area or have a “summer house” in Barranco because of its artsy, eclectic and relaxed vibe along with its access to the ocean which is lacking along the coast of Lima. We learned a ton about the history of the area (that is interesting but I won’t bore anyone else with it) while wandering around, checking out the views of the ocean and beautiful graffiti. We saw the famous and romantic bridge of “sighs” where you make a wish and hold your breath while you cross. Legends say you only get this wish once in a lifetime so it’s important to make it a good one. The city was initially mostly Spanish with Andean and Incan influence for many years. At the end of the 19th century, many people from China and Japan emigrated to the area, so there is a neat mix of all the cultures. This is evident in the art, food and design of the homes. We made several stops for great photos and loved the views we had.      The tour ended at the Dedalo gallery that was filled with several rooms of clothing, jewelry, toys and art. Most of the artists were local which was really neat to see. Jill and I decided to walk to Larcomar since it looked pretty close on the map. Famous last words! The walkway along the coast is anything but direct and both our bum ankles were feeling it by the time we made it to Larcomar. Despite being a bit sore, the views along the coast were amazing and I was glad we did the walk. Larcomar is a cool mall that was built into the cliffs of the Lima coast. It was several floors tall and had a beautiful view of the coast and water. The stores were mostly higher end but we enjoyed wandering around nonetheless. We were finally having a Paletta bar and so excited! The Paletta bar was basically a stuffed ice cream bar that we had seen all throughout the country. I got one with Nutella on the inside wrapped in Kinder surprise flavoured ice cream, dipped in chocolate and Jill got one with a form of blueberry jam inside and cheesecake flavoured ice cream. They were bomb and definitely worth the wait.       After a bit of a mishap finding our Uber, we managed to make our way back to the hotel where we took up the lobby and sprawled out on the couches for a few hours. It was nice to have a place to hang out and get organized before our flight. We ate our last Peruvian meal at the hotel (which was gross wings and average nachos) and some beers before taking our final Uber to the airport. We left the hotel at 2330 and made it to airport at 0005 since it was late and there was no traffic. Check in and bag drop was super easy and we spent some time enjoying duty free and buying our last minute souvenirs (thanks to Jill, we had an extra checked duffle that we threw some stuff in). 

Saturday October 12, 2019       Our AC Rouge flight was very uneventful- I slept the majority of the trip thanks to Gravol and went through the thousands of photos on my phone. I tried to enjoy the gross egg breakfast but was just so excited to be headed home.  While I LOVE travelling, I was so happy to land at YYZ. Customs and security was a breeze and we made it through around 11 am. Jill and I said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I am so lucky and thankful to have such an amazing travel buddy with whom I mesh so well with. We always have a great time together, regardless what continent we are on and this trip was no different. While there are so many places in Peru we didn’t get to, we had a jammed packed 3 week adventure that I won’t soon forget!

[gillespialfredoe01806ld]

The 10 U.S. Cities With the Fastest-Growing Suburbs

Denver, CO (knowlesgallery/iStock)

Ever since the modern American suburb sprouted like kudzu in the post-WWII era, we’ve found ourselves in a love-hate relationship of epic proportions.

Love: Owning your own slice of the dream—a home with a front and back yard, far from urban crime, crowds, squalor, and substandard schools. Hate: Leaving behind the thrill and culture of the city and settling into a tragically unhip, homogenized milieu, skewered in all its soul-crushing glory by everyone from Cheever to “Stepford Wives” to “Mad Men.”

But here’s the thing: We can’t quit them.

Even the most die-hard urbanites often wake up to realize they crave more space and better public schools at a lower price—while hopefully remaining within commuting distance of the jobs, restaurants, and indie music joints of the Big City.  In some of the nation’s top metro areas, the suburbs are growing faster than the city proper.

And now with an aging millennial generation, and growing interest from minorities, suburban communities are getting a fresh influx of transplants seeking affordable, family-friendly living. From 2010 to 2017, households in the suburbs grew 7.9% nationally, compared with 6.6% growth in urban areas, according to a realtor.com® analysis of Nielsen population data.

“Most high-growth urban areas just don’t have enough land, so prices are higher and homeownership is typically lower,” says Jonathan Smoke, our chief economist. “It’s tempting to live in a walkable urban neighborhood … but the costs make it hard to afford, especially  for large or growing families.”

To pinpoint which suburbs are growing the fastest, our data team looked at where the number of households, home listings, list prices, and demand for homes are growing the fastest for every ZIP code in the 50 largest metro areas. What did the data reveal?

It turns out America’s most sought-after suburban neighborhoods are often the exurbs of its fastest-expanding metros—places where those white picket-fenced homes often offer a way more affordable option.

1. Denver, CO

Median urban home price: $544,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Northeast Denver (ZIP code: 80239) Median price in Northeast Denver: $270,000 Suburban savings (moving from the city to the suburbs): 50%

The suburb known as Northeast Denver burst onto our radar with the opening of the surprisingly cool Stanley Marketplace—a chic, food-centric neighborhood center with restaurants, beer halls, and a yoga studio. It’s helping turn the former industrial neighborhood into the next hot spot.

The proof is in the prices. The median home price in the neighborhood jumped 27% last year—making Northeast Denver the fastest-growing suburban neighborhood in our analysis. (That sure makes sense, given that the city of Denver is also growing at a breakneck pace.)

“The Marketplace is one of the things really joining the top 1 percenters and the bottom 10 percenters here,” says Jessica Jiang, a real estate agent with Re/Max Momentum.

Lifelong Northeast Denver resident Jascon Willis, 37, an  oil industry consultant, is witnessing the changes with some apprehension.

“It’s growing,” says Willis, who hopes longtime residents won’t be displaced. “It’s an area in transition.”

Fun fact: Bordering Northeast Denver is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, inhabited by 330 species, including coyotes, black-footed ferrets, and bison.

2. Dallas, TX

Median urban home price: $501,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Wylie (ZIP code: 75098) Median price in Wylie: $369,000 Suburban savings: 26%

God’s-eye view of Dallas and its suburbs

Visible Earth/NASA

For folks who work in central Dallas but want to retreat to suburban security each night, Wylie is turning out to be just the place.

Named one of the safest cities in the U.S. by the website Neighborhood Scout, it’s home to a mix of young families as well as established professionals, with many first-time homeowners. The median home list price in Wylie currently sits at $352,000, around $100,000 above the national median—but hey, safety’s worth it, right?

With buyers eager for homes, new residential construction is booming. In fact, overall economic growth in the area has exerted pressure on the local labor market for more college-educated workers.To that end, the city worked with Collin College to sponsor a large new campus in Wylie, scheduled to open in 2020,

Fun fact: Sorry, the place was NOT named after Wile E. Coyote—the guy who supplied its moniker was railroad engineer Col. William D. Wylie, who helped pave the way for the trains that brought prosperity to Wylie in the 1880s.

3. San Francisco, CA

Median urban home price: $1,144,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Dublin (ZIP code: 94568) Median price in Dublin: $890,000 Suburban savings: 22%

Just over the hill from Oakland, and nestled in a region referred to as the Tri-Valley Area, Dublin represents a rare pocket of (relative) affordability in the exorbitant San Francisco Bay Area.

Not only do the homes have friendlier prices, but the city’s schools are at the top of the class, too. In fact, seven of them are rated 10 out of 10 on Greatschools.org.

We’re not saying it’s cheap—buyers will still need to pull down a Bay Area salary to buy a home here—but the number of households in this family-friendly ZIP grew 25.6% from 2010 to 2017.

Emerald Glen Recreation & Aquatic Complex, under construction in Dublin, CA

www.dublin.ca.gov

According to Nielsen data, half the housing stock in Dublin has been built since 2000. Much of the city’s growth can be traced to the addition of a Bay Area Rapid Transit station, which opened in the late ‘90s, directly connecting commuters to the metro Bay Area.

To keep pace with rapid growth, the city broke ground last year on a 189-acre community that could build up to 1,995 residential units over the next seven years.

Fun fact: In 2011, the Discovery Channel show “MythBusters” misfired a homemade cannonball and hit a Dublin home during filming. We’re not quite sure what myth it was trying to bust, but Dec. 6 was thereafter named “Victory in the Battle for Dublin.”

4. Austin, TX

Median urban home price: $494,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Daffan (ZIP code: 78724) Median price in Daffan: $348,000 Suburban savings: 30%

The suburban neighborhood of Daffan may not seem to have much in common with its hip, young city neighbor to the west. In fact, if the hood is known at all, it’s probably as the home to the Decker Creek Power Station. But that’s already starting to change.

Austin: The coolest city in America?

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/ iStock

Daffan is seeing an influx of new residents who are being priced out of the city as home and rent prices continue to rise sharply. New developments of single-family homes are going up, and suburbanites are moving right in.

And why not? What Austinites may not know is that the neighborhood is also home to the family-friendly Austin Rodeo, Fair and Stock Show as well as the Travis County Exposition Center. The latter hosts everything from rodeos to Kenny Rogers concerts.

Fun fact: The nearly 1,300-acre Walter E. Long Lake, which runs through Daffan, is the ideal place to spend an afternoon catching hybrid striped bass and catfish. Kenny Rogers tunes are optional.

5. Tampa, FL

Median urban home price: $350,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Palm River–Clair Mel (ZIP code: 33619) Median price in Palm River–Clair Mel: $134,000 Suburban savings: 62%

Tampa and nearby suburbs

ferrantraite/iStock

Last year, we named Tampa the No.1 city where Americans are moving, due to its winning combo of cheap housing and a strong job market. But plenty of area residents don’t want to actually live within the sleepy city’s limits. So instead, they’re heading for the ‘burbs.

Palm River–Clair Mel is becoming ever more popular with cash-strapped families looking for a safe and affordable home. It’s not a cultural mecca, however.

“Most of it is strip malls and residential real estate,” says Kenneth Stillwell, a real estate agent at Spin Real Estate, who specializes in buying homes in foreclosures, fixing them up, and then selling them as rental properties to investors. But “you have a lot of three-bedroom, two-bath homes and four-bedroom, two-bath homes” for a good price, he says.

Fun fact: Palm River–Clair Mel and nearby Progressive Village area were this metro’s first planned low-income housing suburbs.

6. Orlando, FL

Median urban home price: $278,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Vista East (ZIP code: 32829) Median price in Vista East: $231,500 Suburban savings: 17%

There are plenty of reasons to love Orlando. But one thing residents aren’t so fond of are the quickly rising home prices.

And that’s why they’re moving out to newer neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city, like Vista East, which are still comparatively affordable, and just a half-hour from the soon-to-be-Shamu-free SeaWorld.

“It’s very family-oriented. It has a community pool, a community playground, and it’s very well taken care of,” says Orlando-area Realtor® Jodi Nielsen of Re/Max Select. And it’s growing. “Everywhere you can see construction companies clearing the area and breaking ground.”

Fun fact: Orlando has 100 lakes, many of which are the result of sinkholes.

7. Miami, FL

Median urban home price: $470,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Cutler Bay (ZIP code: 33189) Median price in Cutler Bay: $290,000 Suburban savings: 38%

Deering Estate Park in Cutler Bay, FL

facebook.com/ CutlerBayFlorida

Floridians who love living on the water—and want to do it relatively affordably—seem to increasingly be discovering Cutler Bay. The small town, right on Biscayne Bay, is between Miami and North Key Largo, just 45 minutes from either destination.

“It’s far enough away to have that small-town feel,” says Realtor Marcos Fullana of Choice One Real Estate in Cutler Bay. “But it’s close to the beaches and downtown [Miami].”

The best part? “It’s affordable,” he says. “You’re going to get more square feet for your money than if you get closer to downtown Miami.”

Fun fact: Incorporated only in 2006, Cutler Bay is the youngest city in Florida.

8. San Jose, CA

Median urban home price: $1,149,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Milpitas (ZIP code: 95035) Median price in Milpitas: $850,000 Suburban savings: 26%

Milpitas and the suburban sprawl of San Jose

Greg Chow

For years, the city of Milpitas has been notorious for a noxious and pernicious odor that residents claim originates in the landfills of San Jose, just to the south. The smell even inspired a couple of Twitter accounts (@MilpitasStinks and @MilpitasOdor). But perhaps the acrid air is a small sacrifice to pay for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area?

After all, with top-ranked schools and easy access to most of Silicon Valley, Milpitas is an attractive location for tech professionals with families. Perhaps that’s why the number of households in the city grew 15.5% from 2010 to 2017.

As with Dublin, mass transit will likely play a vital role in Milpitas’ growth. A new BART station set to open in 2017 will link the city with the rest of the Bay Area.

With BART in mind, city officials recently approved a new mixed-use development of condos and retail spaces that they expect will eventually catalyze into something resembling a downtown.

Fun fact: From 1953 to 1983, Milpitas was home to Ford Motors’ primary manufacturing site in Northern California. Today, that site is the Great Mall of the Bay Area, a sprawling indoor mall whose 1.4 million square foot of retail space is anchored by a ginormous Burlington Coat Factory.

9. Nashville, TN

Median urban home price: $422,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Williamsburg in Murfreesboro (ZIP code: 37129) Median price in Northwest Murfreesboro: $295,000 Suburban savings: 30%

We already know Nashville is cool. But now that’s spilling over into Murfreesboro, 33 miles southwest of Nashville. It’s the 13th fastest-growing city in the U.S., according to U.S. Census data.

In northwest Murfreesboro, neighborhoods like Williamsburg and White Haven have seen a huge influx of eager home buyers. Younger buyers can still get a home for under $250,000 if they’re lucky, says Realtor Brian Copeland with Village Real Estate Services.

Another plus is the presence of two major hospitals—St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital and TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center—right in the heart of Williamsburg/White Haven, providing hundreds of jobs.

Fun fact: Murfreesboro celebrates Uncle Dave Macon Day every July, when people honor the first superstar of the Grand Ole Opry with competitions for old-time music and dancing.

10. Raleigh, NC

Median urban home price: $418,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Apex (ZIP code: 27502) Median price in Apex: $429,000 Suburban savings: Sorry, you have to pay a 3% premium. Apex is just that awesome.

Apex, NC: Is it really “The peak of good living”?

facebook.com/ TownofApex

In case you somehow missed it, Raleigh has become a magnet for millennials on the East Coast, benefiting from a booming job market.

That’s because the metro is home to Research Triangle Park, an area that’s home to more than 200 technology companies, including IBM and Cisco, and top-notch schools like Duke University.

And the hottest neighborhood is Apex. It’s so sought-after that it was rated the best place to live by Money Magazine in 2015.

Along with some of the state’s best schools, the community also boasts..

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2l6CdkL

[restate30201]

The 10 U.S. Cities With the Fastest-Growing Suburbs

Denver, CO (knowlesgallery/iStock)

Ever since the modern American suburb sprouted like kudzu in the post-WWII era, we’ve found ourselves in a love-hate relationship of epic proportions.

Love: Owning your own slice of the dream—a home with a front and back yard, far from urban crime, crowds, squalor, and substandard schools. Hate: Leaving behind the thrill and culture of the city and settling into a tragically unhip, homogenized milieu, skewered in all its soul-crushing glory by everyone from Cheever to “Stepford Wives” to “Mad Men.”

But here’s the thing: We can’t quit them.

Even the most die-hard urbanites often wake up to realize they crave more space and better public schools at a lower price—while hopefully remaining within commuting distance of the jobs, restaurants, and indie music joints of the Big City.  In some of the nation’s top metro areas, the suburbs are growing faster than the city proper.

And now with an aging millennial generation, and growing interest from minorities, suburban communities are getting a fresh influx of transplants seeking affordable, family-friendly living. From 2010 to 2017, households in the suburbs grew 7.9% nationally, compared with 6.6% growth in urban areas, according to a realtor.com® analysis of Nielsen population data.

“Most high-growth urban areas just don’t have enough land, so prices are higher and homeownership is typically lower,” says Jonathan Smoke, our chief economist. “It’s tempting to live in a walkable urban neighborhood … but the costs make it hard to afford, especially  for large or growing families.”

To pinpoint which suburbs are growing the fastest, our data team looked at where the number of households, home listings, list prices, and demand for homes are growing the fastest for every ZIP code in the 50 largest metro areas. What did the data reveal?

It turns out America’s most sought-after suburban neighborhoods are often the exurbs of its fastest-expanding metros—places where those white picket-fenced homes often offer a way more affordable option.

1. Denver, CO

Median urban home price: $544,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Northeast Denver (ZIP code: 80239) Median price in Northeast Denver: $270,000 Suburban savings (moving from the city to the suburbs): 50%

The suburb known as Northeast Denver burst onto our radar with the opening of the surprisingly cool Stanley Marketplace—a chic, food-centric neighborhood center with restaurants, beer halls, and a yoga studio. It’s helping turn the former industrial neighborhood into the next hot spot.

The proof is in the prices. The median home price in the neighborhood jumped 27% last year—making Northeast Denver the fastest-growing suburban neighborhood in our analysis. (That sure makes sense, given that the city of Denver is also growing at a breakneck pace.)

“The Marketplace is one of the things really joining the top 1 percenters and the bottom 10 percenters here,” says Jessica Jiang, a real estate agent with Re/Max Momentum.

Lifelong Northeast Denver resident Jascon Willis, 37, an  oil industry consultant, is witnessing the changes with some apprehension.

“It’s growing,” says Willis, who hopes longtime residents won’t be displaced. “It’s an area in transition.”

Fun fact: Bordering Northeast Denver is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, inhabited by 330 species, including coyotes, black-footed ferrets, and bison.

2. Dallas, TX

Median urban home price: $501,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Wylie (ZIP code: 75098) Median price in Wylie: $369,000 Suburban savings: 26%

God’s-eye view of Dallas and its suburbs

Visible Earth/NASA

For folks who work in central Dallas but want to retreat to suburban security each night, Wylie is turning out to be just the place.

Named one of the safest cities in the U.S. by the website Neighborhood Scout, it’s home to a mix of young families as well as established professionals, with many first-time homeowners. The median home list price in Wylie currently sits at $352,000, around $100,000 above the national median—but hey, safety’s worth it, right?

With buyers eager for homes, new residential construction is booming. In fact, overall economic growth in the area has exerted pressure on the local labor market for more college-educated workers.To that end, the city worked with Collin College to sponsor a large new campus in Wylie, scheduled to open in 2020,

Fun fact: Sorry, the place was NOT named after Wile E. Coyote—the guy who supplied its moniker was railroad engineer Col. William D. Wylie, who helped pave the way for the trains that brought prosperity to Wylie in the 1880s.

3. San Francisco, CA

Median urban home price: $1,144,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Dublin (ZIP code: 94568) Median price in Dublin: $890,000 Suburban savings: 22%

Just over the hill from Oakland, and nestled in a region referred to as the Tri-Valley Area, Dublin represents a rare pocket of (relative) affordability in the exorbitant San Francisco Bay Area.

Not only do the homes have friendlier prices, but the city’s schools are at the top of the class, too. In fact, seven of them are rated 10 out of 10 on Greatschools.org.

We’re not saying it’s cheap—buyers will still need to pull down a Bay Area salary to buy a home here—but the number of households in this family-friendly ZIP grew 25.6% from 2010 to 2017.

Emerald Glen Recreation & Aquatic Complex, under construction in Dublin, CA

www.dublin.ca.gov

According to Nielsen data, half the housing stock in Dublin has been built since 2000. Much of the city’s growth can be traced to the addition of a Bay Area Rapid Transit station, which opened in the late ‘90s, directly connecting commuters to the metro Bay Area.

To keep pace with rapid growth, the city broke ground last year on a 189-acre community that could build up to 1,995 residential units over the next seven years.

Fun fact: In 2011, the Discovery Channel show “MythBusters” misfired a homemade cannonball and hit a Dublin home during filming. We’re not quite sure what myth it was trying to bust, but Dec. 6 was thereafter named “Victory in the Battle for Dublin.”

4. Austin, TX

Median urban home price: $494,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Daffan (ZIP code: 78724) Median price in Daffan: $348,000 Suburban savings: 30%

The suburban neighborhood of Daffan may not seem to have much in common with its hip, young city neighbor to the west. In fact, if the hood is known at all, it’s probably as the home to the Decker Creek Power Station. But that’s already starting to change.

Austin: The coolest city in America?

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/ iStock

Daffan is seeing an influx of new residents who are being priced out of the city as home and rent prices continue to rise sharply. New developments of single-family homes are going up, and suburbanites are moving right in.

And why not? What Austinites may not know is that the neighborhood is also home to the family-friendly Austin Rodeo, Fair and Stock Show as well as the Travis County Exposition Center. The latter hosts everything from rodeos to Kenny Rogers concerts.

Fun fact: The nearly 1,300-acre Walter E. Long Lake, which runs through Daffan, is the ideal place to spend an afternoon catching hybrid striped bass and catfish. Kenny Rogers tunes are optional.

5. Tampa, FL

Median urban home price: $350,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Palm River–Clair Mel (ZIP code: 33619) Median price in Palm River–Clair Mel: $134,000 Suburban savings: 62%

Tampa and nearby suburbs

ferrantraite/iStock

Last year, we named Tampa the No.1 city where Americans are moving, due to its winning combo of cheap housing and a strong job market. But plenty of area residents don’t want to actually live within the sleepy city’s limits. So instead, they’re heading for the ‘burbs.

Palm River–Clair Mel is becoming ever more popular with cash-strapped families looking for a safe and affordable home. It’s not a cultural mecca, however.

“Most of it is strip malls and residential real estate,” says Kenneth Stillwell, a real estate agent at Spin Real Estate, who specializes in buying homes in foreclosures, fixing them up, and then selling them as rental properties to investors. But “you have a lot of three-bedroom, two-bath homes and four-bedroom, two-bath homes” for a good price, he says.

Fun fact: Palm River–Clair Mel and nearby Progressive Village area were this metro’s first planned low-income housing suburbs.

6. Orlando, FL

Median urban home price: $278,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Vista East (ZIP code: 32829) Median price in Vista East: $231,500 Suburban savings: 17%

There are plenty of reasons to love Orlando. But one thing residents aren’t so fond of are the quickly rising home prices.

And that’s why they’re moving out to newer neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city, like Vista East, which are still comparatively affordable, and just a half-hour from the soon-to-be-Shamu-free SeaWorld.

“It’s very family-oriented. It has a community pool, a community playground, and it’s very well taken care of,” says Orlando-area Realtor® Jodi Nielsen of Re/Max Select. And it’s growing. “Everywhere you can see construction companies clearing the area and breaking ground.”

Fun fact: Orlando has 100 lakes, many of which are the result of sinkholes.

7. Miami, FL

Median urban home price: $470,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Cutler Bay (ZIP code: 33189) Median price in Cutler Bay: $290,000 Suburban savings: 38%

Deering Estate Park in Cutler Bay, FL

facebook.com/ CutlerBayFlorida

Floridians who love living on the water—and want to do it relatively affordably—seem to increasingly be discovering Cutler Bay. The small town, right on Biscayne Bay, is between Miami and North Key Largo, just 45 minutes from either destination.

“It’s far enough away to have that small-town feel,” says Realtor Marcos Fullana of Choice One Real Estate in Cutler Bay. “But it’s close to the beaches and downtown [Miami].”

The best part? “It’s affordable,” he says. “You’re going to get more square feet for your money than if you get closer to downtown Miami.”

Fun fact: Incorporated only in 2006, Cutler Bay is the youngest city in Florida.

8. San Jose, CA

Median urban home price: $1,149,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Milpitas (ZIP code: 95035) Median price in Milpitas: $850,000 Suburban savings: 26%

Milpitas and the suburban sprawl of San Jose

Greg Chow

For years, the city of Milpitas has been notorious for a noxious and pernicious odor that residents claim originates in the landfills of San Jose, just to the south. The smell even inspired a couple of Twitter accounts (@MilpitasStinks and @MilpitasOdor). But perhaps the acrid air is a small sacrifice to pay for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area?

After all, with top-ranked schools and easy access to most of Silicon Valley, Milpitas is an attractive location for tech professionals with families. Perhaps that’s why the number of households in the city grew 15.5% from 2010 to 2017.

As with Dublin, mass transit will likely play a vital role in Milpitas’ growth. A new BART station set to open in 2017 will link the city with the rest of the Bay Area.

With BART in mind, city officials recently approved a new mixed-use development of condos and retail spaces that they expect will eventually catalyze into something resembling a downtown.

Fun fact: From 1953 to 1983, Milpitas was home to Ford Motors’ primary manufacturing site in Northern California. Today, that site is the Great Mall of the Bay Area, a sprawling indoor mall whose 1.4 million square foot of retail space is anchored by a ginormous Burlington Coat Factory.

9. Nashville, TN

Median urban home price: $422,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Williamsburg in Murfreesboro (ZIP code: 37129) Median price in Northwest Murfreesboro: $295,000 Suburban savings: 30%

We already know Nashville is cool. But now that’s spilling over into Murfreesboro, 33 miles southwest of Nashville. It’s the 13th fastest-growing city in the U.S., according to U.S. Census data.

In northwest Murfreesboro, neighborhoods like Williamsburg and White Haven have seen a huge influx of eager home buyers. Younger buyers can still get a home for under $250,000 if they’re lucky, says Realtor Brian Copeland with Village Real Estate Services.

Another plus is the presence of two major hospitals—St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital and TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center—right in the heart of Williamsburg/White Haven, providing hundreds of jobs.

Fun fact: Murfreesboro celebrates Uncle Dave Macon Day every July, when people honor the first superstar of the Grand Ole Opry with competitions for old-time music and dancing.

10. Raleigh, NC

Median urban home price: $418,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Apex (ZIP code: 27502) Median price in Apex: $429,000 Suburban savings: Sorry, you have to pay a 3% premium. Apex is just that awesome.

Apex, NC: Is it really “The peak of good living”?

facebook.com/ TownofApex

In case you somehow missed it, Raleigh has become a magnet for millennials on the East Coast, benefiting from a booming job market.

That’s because the metro is home to Research Triangle Park, an area that’s home to more than 200 technology companies, including IBM and Cisco, and top-notch schools like Duke University.

And the hottest neighborhood is Apex. It’s so sought-after that it was rated the best place to live by Money Magazine in 2015.

Along with some of the state’s best schools, the community also boasts..

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2l6CdkL

[realtor10036]

The 10 U.S. Cities With the Fastest-Growing Suburbs

Denver, CO (knowlesgallery/iStock)

Ever since the modern American suburb sprouted like kudzu in the post-WWII era, we’ve found ourselves in a love-hate relationship of epic proportions.

Love: Owning your own slice of the dream—a home with a front and back yard, far from urban crime, crowds, squalor, and substandard schools. Hate: Leaving behind the thrill and culture of the city and settling into a tragically unhip, homogenized milieu, skewered in all its soul-crushing glory by everyone from Cheever to “Stepford Wives” to “Mad Men.”

But here’s the thing: We can’t quit them.

Even the most die-hard urbanites often wake up to realize they crave more space and better public schools at a lower price—while hopefully remaining within commuting distance of the jobs, restaurants, and indie music joints of the Big City.  In some of the nation’s top metro areas, the suburbs are growing faster than the city proper.

And now with an aging millennial generation, and growing interest from minorities, suburban communities are getting a fresh influx of transplants seeking affordable, family-friendly living. From 2010 to 2017, households in the suburbs grew 7.9% nationally, compared with 6.6% growth in urban areas, according to a realtor.com® analysis of Nielsen population data.

“Most high-growth urban areas just don’t have enough land, so prices are higher and homeownership is typically lower,” says Jonathan Smoke, our chief economist. “It’s tempting to live in a walkable urban neighborhood … but the costs make it hard to afford, especially  for large or growing families.”

To pinpoint which suburbs are growing the fastest, our data team looked at where the number of households, home listings, list prices, and demand for homes are growing the fastest for every ZIP code in the 50 largest metro areas. What did the data reveal?

It turns out America’s most sought-after suburban neighborhoods are often the exurbs of its fastest-expanding metros—places where those white picket-fenced homes often offer a way more affordable option.

1. Denver, CO

Median urban home price: $544,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Northeast Denver (ZIP code: 80239) Median price in Northeast Denver: $270,000 Suburban savings (moving from the city to the suburbs): 50%

The suburb known as Northeast Denver burst onto our radar with the opening of the surprisingly cool Stanley Marketplace—a chic, food-centric neighborhood center with restaurants, beer halls, and a yoga studio. It’s helping turn the former industrial neighborhood into the next hot spot.

The proof is in the prices. The median home price in the neighborhood jumped 27% last year—making Northeast Denver the fastest-growing suburban neighborhood in our analysis. (That sure makes sense, given that the city of Denver is also growing at a breakneck pace.)

“The Marketplace is one of the things really joining the top 1 percenters and the bottom 10 percenters here,” says Jessica Jiang, a real estate agent with Re/Max Momentum.

Lifelong Northeast Denver resident Jascon Willis, 37, an  oil industry consultant, is witnessing the changes with some apprehension.

“It’s growing,” says Willis, who hopes longtime residents won’t be displaced. “It’s an area in transition.”

Fun fact: Bordering Northeast Denver is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, inhabited by 330 species, including coyotes, black-footed ferrets, and bison.

2. Dallas, TX

Median urban home price: $501,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Wylie (ZIP code: 75098) Median price in Wylie: $369,000 Suburban savings: 26%

God’s-eye view of Dallas and its suburbs

Visible Earth/NASA

For folks who work in central Dallas but want to retreat to suburban security each night, Wylie is turning out to be just the place.

Named one of the safest cities in the U.S. by the website Neighborhood Scout, it’s home to a mix of young families as well as established professionals, with many first-time homeowners. The median home list price in Wylie currently sits at $352,000, around $100,000 above the national median—but hey, safety’s worth it, right?

With buyers eager for homes, new residential construction is booming. In fact, overall economic growth in the area has exerted pressure on the local labor market for more college-educated workers.To that end, the city worked with Collin College to sponsor a large new campus in Wylie, scheduled to open in 2020,

Fun fact: Sorry, the place was NOT named after Wile E. Coyote—the guy who supplied its moniker was railroad engineer Col. William D. Wylie, who helped pave the way for the trains that brought prosperity to Wylie in the 1880s.

3. San Francisco, CA

Median urban home price: $1,144,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Dublin (ZIP code: 94568) Median price in Dublin: $890,000 Suburban savings: 22%

Just over the hill from Oakland, and nestled in a region referred to as the Tri-Valley Area, Dublin represents a rare pocket of (relative) affordability in the exorbitant San Francisco Bay Area.

Not only do the homes have friendlier prices, but the city’s schools are at the top of the class, too. In fact, seven of them are rated 10 out of 10 on Greatschools.org.

We’re not saying it’s cheap—buyers will still need to pull down a Bay Area salary to buy a home here—but the number of households in this family-friendly ZIP grew 25.6% from 2010 to 2017.

Emerald Glen Recreation & Aquatic Complex, under construction in Dublin, CA

www.dublin.ca.gov

According to Nielsen data, half the housing stock in Dublin has been built since 2000. Much of the city’s growth can be traced to the addition of a Bay Area Rapid Transit station, which opened in the late ‘90s, directly connecting commuters to the metro Bay Area.

To keep pace with rapid growth, the city broke ground last year on a 189-acre community that could build up to 1,995 residential units over the next seven years.

Fun fact: In 2011, the Discovery Channel show “MythBusters” misfired a homemade cannonball and hit a Dublin home during filming. We’re not quite sure what myth it was trying to bust, but Dec. 6 was thereafter named “Victory in the Battle for Dublin.”

4. Austin, TX

Median urban home price: $494,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Daffan (ZIP code: 78724) Median price in Daffan: $348,000 Suburban savings: 30%

The suburban neighborhood of Daffan may not seem to have much in common with its hip, young city neighbor to the west. In fact, if the hood is known at all, it’s probably as the home to the Decker Creek Power Station. But that’s already starting to change.

Austin: The coolest city in America?

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/ iStock

Daffan is seeing an influx of new residents who are being priced out of the city as home and rent prices continue to rise sharply. New developments of single-family homes are going up, and suburbanites are moving right in.

And why not? What Austinites may not know is that the neighborhood is also home to the family-friendly Austin Rodeo, Fair and Stock Show as well as the Travis County Exposition Center. The latter hosts everything from rodeos to Kenny Rogers concerts.

Fun fact: The nearly 1,300-acre Walter E. Long Lake, which runs through Daffan, is the ideal place to spend an afternoon catching hybrid striped bass and catfish. Kenny Rogers tunes are optional.

5. Tampa, FL

Median urban home price: $350,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Palm River–Clair Mel (ZIP code: 33619) Median price in Palm River–Clair Mel: $134,000 Suburban savings: 62%

Tampa and nearby suburbs

ferrantraite/iStock

Last year, we named Tampa the No.1 city where Americans are moving, due to its winning combo of cheap housing and a strong job market. But plenty of area residents don’t want to actually live within the sleepy city’s limits. So instead, they’re heading for the ‘burbs.

Palm River–Clair Mel is becoming ever more popular with cash-strapped families looking for a safe and affordable home. It’s not a cultural mecca, however.

“Most of it is strip malls and residential real estate,” says Kenneth Stillwell, a real estate agent at Spin Real Estate, who specializes in buying homes in foreclosures, fixing them up, and then selling them as rental properties to investors. But “you have a lot of three-bedroom, two-bath homes and four-bedroom, two-bath homes” for a good price, he says.

Fun fact: Palm River–Clair Mel and nearby Progressive Village area were this metro’s first planned low-income housing suburbs.

6. Orlando, FL

Median urban home price: $278,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Vista East (ZIP code: 32829) Median price in Vista East: $231,500 Suburban savings: 17%

There are plenty of reasons to love Orlando. But one thing residents aren’t so fond of are the quickly rising home prices.

And that’s why they’re moving out to newer neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city, like Vista East, which are still comparatively affordable, and just a half-hour from the soon-to-be-Shamu-free SeaWorld.

“It’s very family-oriented. It has a community pool, a community playground, and it’s very well taken care of,” says Orlando-area Realtor® Jodi Nielsen of Re/Max Select. And it’s growing. “Everywhere you can see construction companies clearing the area and breaking ground.”

Fun fact: Orlando has 100 lakes, many of which are the result of sinkholes.

7. Miami, FL

Median urban home price: $470,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Cutler Bay (ZIP code: 33189) Median price in Cutler Bay: $290,000 Suburban savings: 38%

Deering Estate Park in Cutler Bay, FL

facebook.com/ CutlerBayFlorida

Floridians who love living on the water—and want to do it relatively affordably—seem to increasingly be discovering Cutler Bay. The small town, right on Biscayne Bay, is between Miami and North Key Largo, just 45 minutes from either destination.

“It’s far enough away to have that small-town feel,” says Realtor Marcos Fullana of Choice One Real Estate in Cutler Bay. “But it’s close to the beaches and downtown [Miami].”

The best part? “It’s affordable,” he says. “You’re going to get more square feet for your money than if you get closer to downtown Miami.”

Fun fact: Incorporated only in 2006, Cutler Bay is the youngest city in Florida.

8. San Jose, CA

Median urban home price: $1,149,500 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Milpitas (ZIP code: 95035) Median price in Milpitas: $850,000 Suburban savings: 26%

Milpitas and the suburban sprawl of San Jose

Greg Chow

For years, the city of Milpitas has been notorious for a noxious and pernicious odor that residents claim originates in the landfills of San Jose, just to the south. The smell even inspired a couple of Twitter accounts (@MilpitasStinks and @MilpitasOdor). But perhaps the acrid air is a small sacrifice to pay for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area?

After all, with top-ranked schools and easy access to most of Silicon Valley, Milpitas is an attractive location for tech professionals with families. Perhaps that’s why the number of households in the city grew 15.5% from 2010 to 2017.

As with Dublin, mass transit will likely play a vital role in Milpitas’ growth. A new BART station set to open in 2017 will link the city with the rest of the Bay Area.

With BART in mind, city officials recently approved a new mixed-use development of condos and retail spaces that they expect will eventually catalyze into something resembling a downtown.

Fun fact: From 1953 to 1983, Milpitas was home to Ford Motors’ primary manufacturing site in Northern California. Today, that site is the Great Mall of the Bay Area, a sprawling indoor mall whose 1.4 million square foot of retail space is anchored by a ginormous Burlington Coat Factory.

9. Nashville, TN

Median urban home price: $422,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Williamsburg in Murfreesboro (ZIP code: 37129) Median price in Northwest Murfreesboro: $295,000 Suburban savings: 30%

We already know Nashville is cool. But now that’s spilling over into Murfreesboro, 33 miles southwest of Nashville. It’s the 13th fastest-growing city in the U.S., according to U.S. Census data.

In northwest Murfreesboro, neighborhoods like Williamsburg and White Haven have seen a huge influx of eager home buyers. Younger buyers can still get a home for under $250,000 if they’re lucky, says Realtor Brian Copeland with Village Real Estate Services.

Another plus is the presence of two major hospitals—St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital and TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center—right in the heart of Williamsburg/White Haven, providing hundreds of jobs.

Fun fact: Murfreesboro celebrates Uncle Dave Macon Day every July, when people honor the first superstar of the Grand Ole Opry with competitions for old-time music and dancing.

10. Raleigh, NC

Median urban home price: $418,000 Hottest suburban neighborhood: Apex (ZIP code: 27502) Median price in Apex: $429,000 Suburban savings: Sorry, you have to pay a 3% premium. Apex is just that awesome.

Apex, NC: Is it really “The peak of good living”?

facebook.com/ TownofApex

In case you somehow missed it, Raleigh has become a magnet for millennials on the East Coast, benefiting from a booming job market.

That’s because the metro is home to Research Triangle Park, an area that’s home to more than 200 technology companies, including IBM and Cisco, and top-notch schools like Duke University.

And the hottest neighborhood is Apex. It’s so sought-after that it was rated the best place to live by Money Magazine in 2015.

Along with some of the state’s best schools, the community also boasts..

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