Is there one place you’ve always dreamed of exploring, somewhere that’s lived in the back of your mind for years? For me, that place was Machu Picchu.

Years ago, a friend returned from Peru and showed me her photos. Machu Picchu’s misty mountains and ancient stone terraces grabbed me right away. I fell in love with it on the spot. At the time, I was extremely heavy and way out of shape, and the idea of climbing around a mountaintop citadel at 8,000 foot altitude felt like an impossible dream.

Fast forward to last year, when we started planning our annual November trip—this time to South America. On the itinerary included: Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, and Iguazu Falls. Three big time bucket list stops in one journey. My weight was way down from years past, but I knew my balance, stamina, and strength still weren’t where they needed to be for all those steps, hills, and long days.

I decided this time I was not going to be the one left behind on the bus while everyone else went off exploring. I wanted to be there, on the trails, up the stairs, in the photos not just hearing about it later.

So, months before we ever packed a suitcase, I started serious training in Norton Commons at Core Pilates. With Bear as my Pilates instructor and Becky as my PT coach, we focused on exactly what travel like this demands: strength, balance, flexibility, endurance. Session by session, they pushed me just enough. My legs got stronger, my core steadier, my confidence higher.

By the time we flew to Peru, I felt ready. Now the 8,000 foot altitude was my main concern, but I was prepared to handle that too with acclimation and medication.

Machu Picchu was every bit as magical as those original photos promised. The climb, the altitude, the endless Inca stone steps—they were real, and they were work. Instead of gasping and sitting out, I moved with the group, stopped to take pictures, and soaked in the views: terraces dropping into the clouds, stone walls perfectly fitted together centuries ago, and mountains wrapping around us in every direction.

That preparation didn’t just give me one good day at Machu Picchu—it allowed me to fully enjoy breathtaking hikes in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, where the altitudes were even more challenging.

It translated into a better trip everywhere we went. I could say yes to early mornings, yes to extra walks, yes to those “just a few more stairs” viewpoints. On this single South America journey, I was able to truly experience three different world wonders: Machu Picchu in the Andes, Christ the Redeemer watching over Rio, and Iguazu Falls thundering on the Brazil-Argentina border.

Over years of travel, KZ and I have learned that trips aren’t only about what you pack in your suitcase. They’re about what you bring with you physically. If there’s a place you’ve always wanted to go—a ruin, city, or trail—prepare your body for the trip, not just your packing list. Give yourself time. Work with a trainer or join a class. Do what’s needed so that when your big moment comes, you’re stepping off the bus with everyone else, not watching it from the window.

For me, the dream of Machu Picchu went from a “dream” to “I did it.” Standing where I once thought I never could, then going on to enjoy Peru, Argentina, and Brazil on that same trip is a memory I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.

And now the question isn’t “Can I do it?” It’s “What’s next?” For us, that answer is Japan in 2026.