Coats: Check!
Hiking boots: Check!
Thermal socks: Check!
Packed and ready for adventure, my husband and I were about to embark on an epic bucket list trip to Machu Picchu.
Our plan? Spend two glorious days in Lima indulging in the city’s finest culinary delights. Then head to Cusco, where we’d board the famed Hiram Bingham train for the scenic four-hour ascent to Machu Picchu.
With less than 24 hours to go, the countdown was well and truly on – and we were practically buzzing with excitement. This wasn’t just any holiday; it was one that had been years in the making. What we didn’t realise, though, was that this trip was about to flip our lives upside down – in the best, most unexpected way.
Missed Connections
Our connecting flight was in Atlanta — the airport buzzing with that familiar cocktail of high season chaos: travelers, trolleys, and short tempers.
We were waiting at the gate when a frazzled voice erupted over the PA: “We regret to inform you that this flight is oversold. Some passengers will be automatically rebooked on the next flight, departing tomorrow. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Of course, we were among the unlucky few.
A chorus of groans was followed by a small stampede toward the ticket counter. We had traveled enough to know these things happen. At first, we shrugged it off — a blip, a hiccup. Surely we’d be en route to Lima by morning.
But morning came and went. Then another. For three long days we tried — and failed — to board a flight to our destination.
Was the Universe conspiring against us? Didn’t it know we had hotel reservations? Train tickets? A guided tour? A cute new coat ready for its Instagram debut?
Exhausted and disheartened, we did the only thing we could do: pivot.
A dear friend had just returned from Portugal, absolutely raving about the country. Sure, it wasn’t what we planned but it felt like the lifeline we didn’t know we needed. We moved quickly, determined to salvage what remained of our vacation.
Before long, we were boarding a flight – feeling equal parts relieved and reluctant — this time bound for Europe.
Detours in the Right Direction
Somewhere high above the Atlantic, a wave of disappointment washed over me. I wasn’t going to see the Lost City after all. Swapping Peru for Portugal didn’t exactly scream upgrade — it felt more like the kind of plot twist you don’t see coming… and certainly don’t pack for.
Still, a tiny flicker of hope lingered. I’d taken an unexpected detour or two before. Back in uni, I had my heart firmly set on studying abroad in Sydney. When that plan fell through, I (grudgingly) settled for my second choice: Auckland.
Initially gutted, I soon found myself falling hard for the tiny Kiwi nation — the warm, down-to-earth locals, the impossibly green hills, and the sheep… so many sheep, dotted across the countryside like fluffy little commas. It had a charm all of its own. I did eventually make it to Australia, but deep down I knew — New Zealand had quietly claimed a piece of me.
So, as the plane began its descent into Lisbon, I couldn’t help but wonder… could lightning strike twice?
As it turns out, yes. Yes, it absolutely could.
From the moment we touched down, the disappointment melted away. In its place? Total, wide-eyed wonder.
That first night, we perched atop a steep staircase in the heart of Rossio. We dined on sautéed shrimp bathed in garlic and olive oil. It was a meal we’ll never forget. Why? Because somewhere between the distinct seafood aroma, golden glow of the street lamps, and hum of conversation, Lisbon was beginning to cast its spell over us.
That week, we savored gelato late at night while strolling through Chiado. We spent sun-drenched days wandering through Barrio Alto and lounging on Tamariz Beach (trading coats and thermal gear for swimsuits and sandals, of course).
And every evening before dinner, we sipped wine on the balcony of our charming bed and breakfast.
That was the trip we fell in love with Portugal – not Peru, despite our best intentions.
Turns out, Plan B was the real destination after all. Because the truth is, the best travel stories rarely come from perfectly laid plans but from the joyful, unexpected surprises that take our breath away. And isn’t that what we’re all chasing as travelers – those moments that feel like pure magic?
“something we hadn’t even known we were searching for: a sense of belonging in a place we now get to call home.“
Arrivals
Whether it was my detour from Down Under or our unexpected reroute from Peru, one thing’s become crystal clear: when plans go awry, they often make way for something far more magical than anything we could’ve possibly dreamt up. But here’s the catch — that magic only shows up when we’re brave enough to let go.
That last-minute decision back at Atlanta airport? It quietly planted the seed in 2016 of our love affair with Portugal — a slow, steady romance that blossomed until, in 2023, we finally made the move for good.
As I write this, I’m sat out on our sun-drenched patio, soaking in the everyday soundtrack of our little Portuguese town: birds chirping, church bells chiming, children playing, and old friends chuckling over coffee at the café next door.
All of it — every sunbeam, every laugh, every detour-turned-dream — because of one unexpected change in course.
In the words of Zora Neale Hurston: “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
If 2016 was the year full of questions, then 2023 came in strong with the answers — offering us something we hadn’t even known we were searching for: a sense of belonging in a place we now get to call home.
Maybe the Universe wasn’t throwing obstacles in our path after all. Maybe, just maybe, it was quietly guiding us exactly where we were meant to be — with a wink, a nudge, and a wildly unexpected layover. I know because luck did, indeed, strike twice.
“I know because luck did, indeed, strike twice.“
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samantha Rose is a luxury travel writer and personal essayist exploring the beauty of starting over on her site, Aviothic. There, she shares food-forward travel guides, soulful conversations from tastemakers, and reflections on life in Portugal, where she lives with her husband and rescue dog. Follow her here for more.
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