Got back last week from Peru, and just about done with organizing and uploading the pictures I took on the trip. Unlike my pervious trip reports, where I get way too verbose and just don't have the time to finish up, I'm going to focus just on the planes and trains part and add more filler if I have time.

1. United Airlines LAX - IAH
2. United Airlines IAH - LIM
3. Cessna Caravan Nazca Lines
4. Avianca LIM - JUL
5. Andean Explorer Puno to Cusco
6. Hiram Bingham Train To Machu Picchu
7. Avianca Cusco To Lima
8. United Airlines LIM - IAH
9. United Airlines IAH - LAX

After months of planning, the time had finally come for our trip to Peru. We left my parents house early to catch the FlyAway bus to LAX. So early in the morning, we were surprised at how full and busy the FlyAway was.
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When we got to terminal 7 at LAX, we were directed to a empty check-in counter by one of the staff walking around the hall greeting passengers.
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Check-in was quick and in no time we had our boarding passes in hand and heading to security. When I was here in May, due to construction, everyone had to go outside and then reenter the terminal, but this time the passage between the checkin and security was open.
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This was also our first time using PreCheck with a KTN after getting Global Entry. Security took less than 2 min. TSA did not like me taking pictures of the PreCheck area and told me to stop.
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My parents and I headed directly to United Club. There were already a group of people waiting for the club to open at 4:30AM.
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Currently, the new club is being constructed and soon this one will be replaced.
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About 20 min before boarding, we headed out of the club and went to the gate. Surprise surprise, the gate louse's were already forming.
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Boarding started right on time with only 1 Global Services passenger boarding before anyone else today. Blankets were already on the seats.
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Pre departure drink orders were taken and served in the standard United blue plastic cups.
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We pushed back on time and in no time we were in the air.
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Breakfast started with hot towels, and then breakfast and drink orders were taken. We were asked for our first and second choices, between omelette or oatmeal.
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My mimosa for breakfast. My mom gave me a dirty look and the FA just laughed.
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I got stuck with my second choice but my parents got their first choice of omelette.
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My mom gave me some of her omelette and it was REALLY GOOD! My mom and I ended up swapping meals since she really only wanted some fruit so early in the morning. Bread basket came around with a choice of cinnamon rolls or croissants
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The rest of the flight was uneventful. The aircraft had BYOD entertainment but I passed. About an hour before arrival into IAH, I asked the FA's for some of the Stroopwafel served in coach, and I was brought 3 from the coach galley.
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I told them it was a shame that the Stroopwafel's are only served in coach and just before landing, one of the other FA's working FC surprises me with a stack of Stoopwafel's!
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Nice catch

^ Love me my stroopwafels!

My parents and I headed directly for the United Club located at the E gates. Lunch food were setup already when we arrived and I helped myself to some soup and nibbles.
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This club has 3 levels. 1st floor is check-in and the other two floors are for the club. We started out on the second floor but moved to the 3rd floor which was much less busier. Great view of the activity on the ramp from the club.
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During our stay in the club, a massive thunderstorm rolled into IAH. With the amount of rain, we were worried about delays, but nothing major.
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We headed out to the gate for our Lima flight. It turned out, that our gate has an automated gate system. During boarding, this did not work so boarding was processed manually.
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The problem with gate E4 is that you can't see your plane.
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That is all you can see.
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Had the same FA greeting passengers at the door on our way back.
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My mom and my seat. My dad had the center aisle single seat.
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Full size pillows! Why can't other airlines do this as well?
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Amenity kit in a terribly designed tin.
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Menus were distributed while still at the gate.
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Lots of activity outside.
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Before they could close the door, we had to wait for people connecting from the NRT flight.

After takeoff, hot towels and immigration forms were handed out. Our aisle was being worked by one of the BEST FA's I've ever flown with. She was cheerful and I felt like she genuinely enjoyed her job. It was really refreshing to have a "human" FA than always dealing with the forced smile of foreign carriers. Actually all the FA's on our flight were great.

God bless her she also thought I was in my mid 20's and was shocked when I told her I was in my mid 30's.
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Beverage and dinner service started shortly. Table cloths were placed on my traytable vs being handed to me as others have mentioned in previous reports. Drinks were constantly refilled, and empty dishes were prompty removed and all done with a smile! My mom was too tired for dessert but I was determined to have dessert before bed.
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Out of ALL the business class seats I have slept on. United's was the most comfortable and I got the best sleep ever on an airplane. Reclined 180, I did not feel any lumps or pressure points and with the large pillows, woke up just before snack service feeling really refreshed.
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When I woke up, there were two bottles of water on the center console.
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Pre-arrival snack service started with more hot towels and another tablecloth.
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Snack was a cheese plate.
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Landing in Lima was uneventful and due to the small size of the airport, be were at the gate like 2 min after touching down.

Having avoided flying United Internationally due to reading so many bad reviews, we ended up flying United due to no other reasonable option getting to Lima from LAX on a Star Alliance carrier. There is Avianca and Copa which both involved multiple connections and really really tight transfer times. We expected the worst but ended up quite pleased with the service and comfort provided by United.

As to the bolded, that's super true. That's why I flew AA even out of Houston because UA was being really tight with saver availability on the direct IAH-LIM flight (as in it seemed to not exist for when I planned to go).

Curious to see your thoughts on the Hiram Bingham train. I didn't book that because, well, it was 4x the cost but it looked nice through the windows as it was parked on the adjacent track when we were leaving Machu Picchu.

When were you there? I was there 2-3 weeks ago and wrote it up here. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ia-aa-f-j.html

The tickets for BF was paid so can't comment on the availability of the saver, but I thought the price charged for round trip LAX - LIM was really reasonable.
I was there 25th - 8th.

After 3 nights in Lima, our private driver drove us down to Paracas for couple nights to checkout the Nazca Lines. The flight left from Las Dunas Airport in Ica Peru on a Cessna Caravan. During check-in, everyone is weighed and then assigned seats based on weight and balance needs of the aircraft.
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First Class Seating
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Pan American Highway
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The Whale
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The Astronaut
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Monkey
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We were running late so the only breakfast we had were the stoofwaffles that the United FA gave us. This turned out to be a blessing since due to all the 45 degree banking left and right so that everyone on the plane could see the lines, I got airsick for the FIRST TIME in my life. When the airsickness hit, I stopped looking at the lines and just wanted it to end. I did dry heave but there was nothing to projectile vomit out.

How did you arrange for the driver to Paracas?

Some of those small planes have crashed. Now you also told me about air sickness i will skip this flight when I hopefully go.

We went with http://www.nazcaflights.com/
We did the 2 nights 3 days tour and did a special request to be dropped off at Lima airport instead back at a hotel. The driver showed up at our hotel exactly at the time Jon Green said he would be.

It would be a shame to go all that way and not do the flight. Just make sure you don't eat before the flight or eat something that is quick to digest. In our case it was the stoofwaffles that we got on United.

Leche De Tigre
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4 Different Ceviches
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Arroz Con Mariscos
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Chicha Morada
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Mixed Appetizer Plate With All Kinds Of Traditional Peruvian Food
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Yucca Frita
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Sampler Of Peruvian Dishes
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Lime Marinated Onions Are EVERYWHERE In Peru
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Lomo Saltado
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Seafood Soup
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Peruvian Fruit Called Lucuma
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Another Lomo Saltado
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Pollo Ala Brasa
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Chicharon Sandwich
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Ceviche
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Mixed Seafood Peruvian Fried Rice. It Even Had Abalone.
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Pescado Alo Macho
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Jalea
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Lucuma Ice Cream
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Tacu Tacu
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Great Report --- food looks delicious!

I returned from Peru last night. Your TR is timely, as I was going to post one myself. The Hiram Bingam is way out of my budget, but I was going to post a way we saw the Sacred Valley and Macchu Picchu for a very reasonable cost.

After 2 nights down in Paracas, our driver picked us up and drove us 3.5 hours back to Lima for our evening flight to Julica/Puno. We arrived at Lima airport with plenty of time to spare.

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When I purchased our tickets for the Hiram Bingham online, it said that we needed to pickup the tickets at one of the ticket offices due to "security," by bringing the CC used to make the purchase and our passport. I'm guessing that due to the high price, they didn't want to risk any frauds. As we were walking to our gate, we saw a small makeshift Peru Rail stand in the domestic terminal so I inquired if we could pick up our tickets and the lady replied yes and printed out our tickets and gave us 3 ticket jacket/itineraries.
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Since we would be arriving into our hotel late, we decided to eat at the only option past security. Terrible pizza was microwaved.
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The boarding process for our flight to Juliaca made United's seem WAY advanced and civilized. Avianca's boarding process was just a free for all.
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The seats felt really roomy for coach.
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One of the nicest FA's that I have ever met.
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headphones were given out.
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Inflight service starting
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Snacks. One FA came down with the snack cart while the other followed with the drink cart.
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Drink cart
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C/J seats
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I was really impressed with Avianca's (AKA TACA Peru) service for such a short flight. The FA's were helpful, courteous and efficient. Once we got off and walked down the stairs, I immediately felt the difference from the high altitude. Once we picked up our luggage, the driver sent by our hotel was waiting for us with a sign with my name on it.

Word of advice to all who venture to Julica/Puno. Arrange your transportation to your hotel ahead of time with your hotel or another third party. Our hotel charged us 120 Peruvian Soles for the 1 hour ride to the hotel from the airport. Juliaca is not a place you want to be without pre arranged transport.

Peru Rail makes you do that for all tickets. I tried to pick ours up at the Cuzco airport when we landed and the rep was unable to print them off saying her system wasn't working. Wound up getting them from the Peru Rail ticket office at our hotel (Tambo del Inka). Vistadome class of service tickets don't get the nice ticket jacket though