This was Kent and Will's first Zoom Vacation, and they were so much fun to have on the trip, we certainly hope it will not be their last. Kent shared with us his thoughts on gay travel and Peru.
Zoom: Why did you decide to take this trip with Zoom Vacations?
Kent: It was a kind of last minute decision to go to Peru after our trip to Puerto Rico was cancelled because of the hurricane. Peru is someplace we had wanted to visit and we liked the idea of a pre-planned trip.
Zoom: Was this your first time in Peru?
Kent: Yes it was - we have a good friend who had fallen in love with the country years ago and he had really piqued our interest in a visit.
Zoom: Was coming during American Thanksgiving a good choice? Why?
Kent: For us, we were not loving the idea of spending Thanksgiving in the U.S. - we typically host a big event so the idea of NOT doing that and letting someone else worry about it was an appealing change from our routine.
Zoom: Did having a Zoom Concierge (Bryan) make a difference in your trip?
Kent: Bryan was really fun to travel with and he was a great resource during the trip if any problems came up and we needed help with something. Having made the trip before, he was a great source of information and in addition, he was charming and funny too.
Zoom: Did the hotels live up to your expectations?
Kent: We found all the hotels to be really nice and definitely the kind of places we would look for when we travel. They were all a little different but definitely comfortable and luxurious.
Zoom: How about Machu Picchu?
Kent: We found it to be a wondrous place and really enjoyed the trip, although I have to say I enjoyed some of the other sites we visited just as much. I feel like we would have missed a lot of out-of-the-way spots if it wasn’t for our Zoom guides. Everything was really effortless and I didn’t really find it to be too much - there were plenty of opportunities to skip excursions or stops if the mood struck you.
Zoom: What were your favorite parts of the trip?
Kent: We enjoyed Cusco very much and definitely the food - I had heard that Peruvian food was good and I was not disappointed. Very good quality and lots of opportunities to try things that featured local ingredients and traditions. The coco and muna tea was really refreshing and kind of nice change from coffee drinking.
Zoom: What were some of your biggest “wow” moments?
Kent: We found the whole sacred valley was pretty amazing with lots of incredible vistas of cities built on the tops and hanging off the sides of mountains, and so on. Personally, being a little afraid of heights, it was a little dizzying at times but that could have been the altitude.
Zoom: How were the other people on the trip?
Kent: We met some very interesting and charming people in our group and I really enjoyed the size - we only had 12 on our tour and it was a good number. I definitely met some interesting people that I wouldn’t have an opportunity to meet at home.
Zoom: Will you be taking another trip with Zoom Vacations? To where?
Kent: For us, I think Zoom is the perfect trip to make to places where the logistics of travel might be a little daunting. We both have busy jobs and getting time off is always a challenge, so having everything pre-arranged with so much attention to detail is a real luxury and well worth the money.
I like the fact that the company is a 'pop&pop’ operation and we like supporting gay businesses. I also felt confident that Bryan would keep us out of trouble. We’d like to try a trip to Africa and India in the future.
