Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Trip Report Mature Female Traveling Alone to Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Lima

I recently completed a blog for family and friends, of my June 2011 travel to Peru and decided to post it here for anyone that may be interested. This was my first time traveling completely solo, and I certainly had my share of trials and tribulations as anyone who travels to a third world country and being unfamiliar with the language would. However, the rewards were much greater.
Here are a set of rules that I abide by when traveling:

Rule #1: Remember Murphy’s Law – No matter how many weeks, months or even years of planning that you do, something will not go as planned. The key is to remain calm and be flexible.

Rule #2: Keep in mind, the Law of Attraction - Maintain a positive attitude and good will happen. Focus on the negativity and prepare for the worse. Life is what you make of it. I’m happy to testify that my guardian angel was with me throughout this trip.

Rule #3: Be respectful of the local people that you come in contact with. As much as I wanted to take a photo of the mother on the bus with an infant strapped to her back, I restrained myself. Be discreet and treat others as you wish to be treated.

Rule #4: Get some exercise prior to traveling. You may not think you will be involved in any vigorous activities however, one never knows what circumstances may arise. Machu Picchu is a physically challenging attraction, make no mistake about it.

Finally…
Rule #5: Take time to smell the roses. Don’t fill every hour touring every site mentioned in the catalogues. Get off the beaten path and mingle with the locals. Sit back and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.

http://yvonne-mytravels.blogspot.com/2012/01/peru.html