THE WHEELS ON THE TRUCK GO TO PUNO

WEATHER: Cooler and 22C

HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY: Not a bad thing, but leaving Cuzco

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Wrong information on my t-shirt

Today we leave Cuzco and head for Puno and Lake Titicaca.  I have to say again how lovely Cuzco was, but 9 nights was more than enough.  Rosita was too big to get into Cuzco city, so we have to transfer in and out of the city in a shuttle bus.  It is a small pain as we don’t have access to the truck and secondly we have to pack all our crap into bags and the minivan and as the weeks go on we are all accumulating more and more crap and we are all getting more and more bags.  Kate has been calling me the ‘bag lady’ which this isn’t the first time I have been called this and she also can’t talk Miss also has more than 4 bags lady!!!  It’s organized.  An electronic bag, clothes bag, hand bag, day bag and a munchies bag, so they are all necessities!!! 

Our tour t-shirts were ready at the last hour.  I think that is a pre-requisite for a t-shirt man to make promises on when the shirts will be ready and then keep pushing it out till an hour before we leave to get them to the hotel.  Both our Africa shirts were the same, we got them, but at the last minute as we were driving out of camp.  I am not really sure why I get the shirts.  The women’s sizes never fit me, so I always have to get a men’s size and I don’t really like wearing the men’s shirts.  I have sent my Africa shirts home and I know I will do the same with this one, considering there was a mistake on mine.  I am travelling from Lima to Quito, circumnavigating the continent; my shirt has me travelling from Lima to Quito the opposite way, so my travel route doesn’t look that impressive.  I asked Mark if I could get a refund on my trip as I am only doing the 3 weeks and not the 5 months according to my shirt – yeah nice try!!!  I also got my berniesworldodyssey patches back from the t-shirt guy this morning and they look awesome.  I got 20 of them done (minimum order) but they look great with red writing on a black background.  I will get one sewed on my backpack, day backpack, day bag, my 2 jackets and anything else I can think of.  Nic and Kate both wanted one, so that is another 2 offloaded.  I am sure I will find somewhere to stitch the rest, but they look great and for 1.10AUD a patch they were a steal.

So once at the truck we see that she has been pimped out in Christmas decorations, a few jolly Santa’s, and lots of tinsel.  It’s still hard to think it is Christmas in just over a week.  But a nice touch Mark and Gray – well done.  So 9am we are all packed on and back on the road.  I do like driving, plugging in my IPod and watching the world go by.  It is still hard to believe that I am in Peru, living the dream, travelling and experiencing new cultures and making new friends.  I am blessed I have met some amazing people (and not some) that are now considered very close friends seeing this beautiful world we live and it makes you appreciate just how lucky we are back home and how much ‘stuff’ we probably don’t need, how much we waste, trying to keep up with the ‘Joneses’, technology and the stress we put on our own lives.  A lot has to be said on the way we live and I am not totally sure I can go back to living that life style again.  I have some news and plans in the pipeline that re-enforces that frame of mind, I am nearly close to revealing my plans, but I need to make sure on a few details first, but it is exciting and challenging but feel like I am ready.

Today is a travel day.  We stopped at the old city walls of Cuzco, they were just..walls, but there was a pretty amazing view and then back on the road till 11am when we stopped for a potty stop.  Most of the scenery today is smaller villages, farm land and snowcapped mountains.  The afternoon scenery was just beautiful with massive mountains, we stopped for a photo stop at 4338m and it just randomly started to hail!  Small beads, which I caught a few in my hand from the truck window, but hail!!!  I am snapping photos as we are driving.  Poor Seamus cops it when I keep opening the window with blasts of cold air, but I try and be quick, I just can’t let that scenery pass me by without capturing it.

We stopped for lunch at a gas station just after 2pm.  As there really aren’t any rosters for the choppers, there are a core group that just gets in there and gets it done, so who am I to argue with that, I would prefer to wash and flap, so it sort of just works itself out anyway.  I am feeling really tired and I think it may finally be the altitude kicking in.  I feel fine, I am just super tired.  We are still at 4000m, so it would make sense, but it really saps the energy out of you!  The gas station wasn’t the greatest stop with local dogs hanging around and it smelling if urine, but I am sure all the stations would have been the same and we were going to start eating each other soon if we didn’t stop soon.  TIP – This is Peru!!!

We arrived into Puno just after 4pm.  Once again Rosita is too big for the city’s streets, so it is another shuttle transfer from the bus depot, where we leave Rosita for the next 2 days and get the transfer to the hotel.  We need to take overnight bags for our trip to Lake Titicaca tomorrow, so it is just a matter of getting a little organized.  I am still leaving my big backpack on the truck and have a smaller bag I take with me with a few days of cloths in it, but that has since grown over the last week, and I just about have 75% of my cloths in thus day bag anyway, I might as well nearly take in my big pack at the end of the day.  In my defence, I need clothes for hot and cold weather, so this is part of the reason I have more clothes, once we get out of the altitude, I’m hoping the weather will warm up a bit and I can pack some of the warmer clothes back into the backpack.  Oh the travel tribulations……

Puno, named after San Carlos de Puno in November 4 of 1668, is a city in southeastern Peru.   It is an important urban center at the regional level, whose type is administrative, utilities, financial, tourism and culture.  Surrounded by hills, ranging from 3810-4050 m (between the lake and the upper parts). Puno is one of the highest cities in Peru and the fifth in the world .

Within the national tourism development, the city of Puno is the third city that receives the greatest flow of foreign tourists after Cuzco and Lima.  In 2009 Puno received a total of 274,946 tourists, of whom 96,074 were domestic tourists and 179,872 were foreigners.  Notably, in the biggest party of Peru (Feast of the Candelaria Virgin ) that develops in February, concentrated 19,424 visitors, of which 9672 were domestic tourists and 9752 were foreigners. 

The hotel is right next door to the main shopping street of Puno and as we headed out for our small city tour, that took 15 minutes, the city has a great feel to it.  Plenty of restaurants and it felt safe to walk around.  We had a few hours to kill before dinner, so we were shown where the supermarket was as we had to buy some thank-you gifts in the form of food for our host’s tomorrow night on Amantai Island.  They suggest things like rice, sugar, pasta etc… and with a budget of 10SOL each (3.50AUD) we walked in to make our purchases.  The food is ridiculously cheap.  For my 10SOLS I got 2kg of rice, 2 packets of pasta and a bag of sugar.  All that for 3.50AUD.  I hope that they will be happy with that.  We had to decide to buy something that they wouldn’t normally get themselves, like a small splurge, or to get them something we know that they could use or swap with other families.  We decided to stick with what they would know and got the basics for them.  We were also told not to get sweets for the children as there is no dental or doctors on the islands, so they are trying to keep their teeth healthy by telling visitors to not bring lollies, makes sense. 

So we hit a few souvenir stores on the way back to the hotel and then out to dinner as a group to a restaurant that serves gunei pig if people do desired to have that for dinner.  There were 2 people, Julia and Nic, I just couldn’t and stuck with lamb.  I did have a small taste of Nic’s and it tasted a little like duck, but to just see their small heads on the plate, with their dead little eyes looking at you, it was just too much for me.  I think if they served it without all its ‘people’ features, like a fillet or something then I would be more inclined to have ordered it.  It looked fiddly to eat and not a lot of meat for your effort, but thanks Nic for letting me have a taste.

We have a BIG 2 days starting tomorrow.  We get to travel on the world’s highest navigable lake, meeting our mama and papa’s, our new family for the night tomorrow night and seeing some of the islands on Lake Titicaca.  I like Puno.

Spending Christmas with Jesus

My mum was buried 2 weeks before Christmas, 06 December 2008 and this poem was used at her funeral.  

It's that time of year when people think about loved ones and family and this is to honor my mum and that she hasn't been forgotten.

Spending Christmas with Jesus

I see the countless Christmas trees

Around the world below,

With tiny lights like heaven's stars

Reflecting round the globe.

The sight is so spectacular

Please wipe away that tear

For I'm spending Christmas

With Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs

That people hold so dear

But earthly music can't compare

With the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you

The joy their voices bring

For it's beyond description

To hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,

Trust God and have no fear

For I'm spending Christmas

With Jesus Christ this year.

I can't tell you of the splendor

Or the peace here in this place.

Can you imagine Christmas

With our Savior, face to face?

May God uplift your spirit

As I tell Him of your love

Then pray for one another

As you lift your eyes above.

So let your hearts be joyful

And let your spirits sing

For I'm spending Christmas in Heaven

And I'm walking with the king! 

SAME SAME BUT MORE CUZCO

I’m just about Cuzco’ed out.  We had another 2 days here in this beautiful town, but I think 9 nights here is plenty and I am looking forward to getting back on out massive yellow truck and onto our next part of our adventure. 

As I am a GREAT roomie, I was happy to sleep in for both days we had in Cuzco with Kate till 10.30am. So no breakfast required and we just had brunch both days.  So by the time we were up and about we really only had the afternoon both days.

I got a parcel sent off home and one to Beth to thank her for all the work she has been doing on all my bookings while I have been away.  In total for nearly 3kg it cost me just over 60AUD.  They have a great set up at the Cuzco post office.  There is guy set up to one side that provides boxes, tape, envelopes etc…. and you can pay him to pack everything up for you.  My 2 packages, all boxed, addressed and ready to send cost me 8SOL which is like 2.50AUD!!!!!  I tipped this guy as he was super-fast and defo worth the money.  Two packages down, I have one more on the truck to post, but I’ll get that sent from La Paz in a few days’ time.

As we were walking around we stumbled onto a hairdresser’s.  It looked like a normal hairdresser’s back home and for Peru; I think quite a swanky joint with Revlon posters on the walls.  We popped in to initially make an appointment, but they could take me straight away, so no time like the present and I really needed the cut, so I sat in the chair and explained with hand actions that I only wanted a ‘little’ cut off.  Last time I said that I was in Reunion Island and her ‘little’ was like 10cm cut off.  So with my fingers crossed I watched as my Peruvian hairdresser cut off what needed to be done and she did a great job.  After she had finished the cut she asked if I wanted it washed, they do it the other way round, but I said no and to just blow dry it off and we would be done.  So I went to pay, I hadn’t asked at the start how much the cut would be, rookie mistake, but at the end of the day I needed it and I would have paid whatever they asked.  So I handed over my credit card not wanting to use all my local cash and there was a bit of discussion over the card, so I asked how much the cut was and it was 25SOL which is like 8AUD.  Hell no wonder they were talking about the amount, it was a pittance, so I paid cash and left feeling like a new woman.  It has been over 3 months since my last cut, so it was well overdue.

We also got some washing down through the hotel.  It was only 1.30AUD for a kilo and if it was dropped in before 9am it would be back after 2pm the same day.  I am loving all this cheap washing.  I am able to have cleaner clothes more often- what a treat.  So to get 50% of my pack washed only cost me $4.50AUD.  AWESOME.

Throw into the mix a bit more handicraft shopping, and yeas a few more of the stitched bags, I think I am happy to report that I think I am now shopped out of those bags that pretty much completed our last days in Cuzco. 

This place is amazing at night.  When you stand in the main square and look towards the mountain, all the lights from the locals houses make the mountain look like a big Christmas tree.  They also have illuminated life size lama’s and animals in the square with the square buildings lit up, it really is a magical place at night.

So this is goodbye to Cuzco.  I am glad all the trekkers made it back safe and sound-it has been a great week to chill and relax and now it is time to move on.

THE MAGICAL MYSTERIOUS MOUNTAINOUS MACHU PICCHU

WEATHER: Cool and rainy in the morning-Sunny in the afternoon

HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY: MACHU PICCHU

BUMMER OF THE DAY: The rain in the morning…….

BUYS OF THE DAY: A small shopping spree at the Handicraft Markets

WORD OF THE DAY: CONGRATULATIONS TREKKERS

TODAY IS MACHU PICCHU DAY.  As mentioned previously this has been a dream of mine for a long long time and today is the day.

Today is also the day the Trekkers return.  We know that they are going to be tired, maybe cranky and I’m hoping totally stoked that they finished their character building journey.  I know, well I can guess, how hard the trek was and all I can do is have admiration for them for doing it.  It is a BIG deal.

We thought we were getting up early at 5am, but think of the trekkers that were up at 3.30am and were already on the track by 5am in the rain and in the dark.  Yep STILL glad that I did not do the trek let me tell you.  Breakfast was at 5.45am and then we had arranged to leave the hotel at 6.30am to catch a 7am bus up to the ruins.  The busses pretty much leave as they fill up, which in the mornings doesn’t take that long.  The bus station was only a 5 minute walk from the hotel where we left our overnight bags to go back and collect them this afternoon. Even though we were aiming for a 7am bus but leaving the hotel so early we didn’t want to keep the trekkers waiting once they arrived in off the trail.  That would be really bad that we couldn’t organize ourselves to get there when they have been walking in the elements for 4 days.  We decided it would be better to get there early and we wait than the other way around.      

After waiting only 10 minutes with a full bus we pulled out just after 6.45am for the 20 minute journey ascending the slope of the hill Machu Picchu, the mountain.  We wound our way up and up and up, with the mountains covered in clouds and mist and with rain hitting the windows, it wasn’t the way I had expected to see Machu Picchu but when Mother Nature speaks who are we to argue.  The said road, however, is not integrated into the national road network in Peru. Starting in the village of Aguas Calientes it can only be accessed by rail from Cuzco.  The absence of a direct road to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu is intentional and allows the control of the flow of visitors to the area, which, given its national reserve, is particularly sensitive to the crowds. 

So we arrived at 7.05am and with the sprinkle of rain falling we went undercover just near the restaurants, where they had picnic tables to wait for our group.  Angelica asked what time the trekkers start to arrive and we were told anytime from 7.30am.  So we were pleasantly surprised when we saw Sharon, Mick and Julia at 7.20am on the other side of the checkpoint.  They had made it.  I felt so proud, like a mothers pride for her children, welcome back with BIG waves and arm flaying.  They waited on the other side for the rest of the group to arrive over the next 15 minutes and then they cleared the last checkpoint to come over and see us!  I was so HAPPY to see them all and I had BIG warm hugs for Kate, Malar, Mick and Seamus.  OH MY GOD GUYS YOU DID IT!!!!  They all looked tired, some more than others, not naming anybody….Kate, but you have just climbed over 76,000 steps, in the rain, wind and sun and have made it through the other side.  AWESOME ACHEIVEMENT. 

So we waited for around 30 minutes for the guys to get drinks, go to the toilet where they didn’t have to squat, I pulled out the packet of Tim Tams and Angelica had bought Milky Ways and after getting as much as we could to get them half human we all entered back through the checkpoint at 8.30am for our guided tour of Machu Picchu. 

So after getting our tickets scanned through the entrance we were in the Great Inca site.  There was still a low mist and fog covering the complex, but you could see that it was slowly lifting and Ruben, our guide, said that it looked like it was going to be a good day and he would know, he has done the Inca Trail over 300 times!!!  So we sat down near the Sun Temple and Ruben ran through the history of the Machu Picchu site from start to the current day.

     

Machu Picchu is the contemporary name given to a llaqta (old town Andean Inca ) stone built mainly in the mid- fifteenth century in the rocky promontory that links the mountains Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu in the eastern foothills of the Andes Central.  Its original name would have been Picchu or Picho .

According to documents from the mid sixteenth century, Machu Picchu would have been one of the vacation homes of Pachacutec (first Inca emperor, 1438-1470). However, some of his best buildings and the obvious nature of the main ceremonial route of access to llaqta prove that it was used as a religious shrine. 

Machu Picchu is considered both a masterpiece of architecture and engineering.  Its unique architectural features and landscape, and the veil of mystery that has woven around much of the literature published on the site, have become one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet. Machu Picchu is in the List of World Heritage of UNESCO since 1983 , as part of a whole cultural and ecological well-known under the name Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary .  On July 7th of 2007 Machu Picchu was declared as one of the new seven wonders of the modern world at a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, which was attended by a hundred million voters in the world.

By 1440 the valley of Picchu was conquered by Pachacutec , first Inca emperor (1438-1470). The site of Machu Picchu must have impressed the monarch for their unique characteristics within the sacred geography of Cusco, and therefore would have ordered to be built there, to 1450 , an urban resort with luxurious buildings of civil and religious buildings.  Machu Picchu is believed that population had a mobile and most llactas Incas, which ranged between 300 and 1,000 inhabitants.  It has been shown that the force consisted of agricultural settlers from different corners of the empire.   Machu Picchu was not from any point of view an isolated complex, so the myth of the "lost city" and "safe house" of the Inca emperors lacks grip. The valleys that converge in the valley formed a densely populated agricultural productivity which increased dramatically from the Inca occupation in 1440. Machu Picchu of these complexes depended for food, because the fields in the agricultural sector of the city would be insufficient to supply the population. Intraregional communication was possible through the network of Inca roads: 8 ways came to Machu Picchu. The small city of Picchu was reached differentiate neighboring populations by the unique quality of its main buildings.

The Transition Period between 1534-1572 saw the Inca civil war (1531-32) and the Spanish invasion in Cuzco in 1534 that significantly affected the lives of Machu Picchu. The peasantry of the region was mostly Mitman, settlers from different nations conquered by the Incas and forcibly taken to the site. They took advantage of the economic collapse of Cusco to return to their homelands. Inca resistance against the Spanish led by Manco Inca in 1536 summoned the nobles of the surrounding regions to join his court in exile and very likely that the main noble Picchu then having left the city. 

In fact an ongoing investigation recently reported reveals information about a German businessman named Augusto Berns who in1867 would not only have "discovered" the ruins they have founded a company "mining" to exploit the alleged "treasures" that held (the "Company Limited operator of the Temples of the Inca"). According to this source, between 1867 and 1870 and the government cameJosé Balta , the company would have operated in the area and then sold "all that he found" European and American collectors. 

Finally in 1880 the French explorer Charles Wiener confirms the existence of archaeological remains in place (says "I was told about other cities, Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu"), but cannot reach the site.  In any case is clear that the existence of the alleged "lost city" was not forgotten, as was believed until a few years.

The rediscovery of Machu Picchu 1894-1911 has the first direct references to visitors from the ruins of Machu Picchu indicate that Augustine Lizarraga, a lessee of land in Cuzco, came to the site on July 14 of 1902.  The visitors left graffiti with their names on one wall of the Temple of Three Windows which was subsequently verified by several people. There are reports suggesting that Lizarraga had visited Machu Picchu in the company of Luis Bejar in 1894. Lizárraga showed them the buildings "visitors", although the nature of their activities has not hitherto been investigated. 

Hiram Bingham , an American professor of history interested in finding the last of the Inca’s of from their contact with local landowners and thus arrived at Machu Picchu on July 24 of 1911 led by another tenant of land, Melchor Arteaga, accompanied by a civil guard sergeant named Peruvian Carrasco.  They found two peasant families living there: Recharte and Alvarez, who used the platforms of the south of the ruins for farming and drinking water Inca channel still worked and brought water from a spring. Paul Recharte, one of the children of Machu Picchu, Bingham led to the "urban area" covered by weeds. 

Bingham was very impressed by what he saw and handled the auspices of Yale University , the National Geographic Society and the Peruvian government to immediately start the scientific study of the site.  Thus, the engineer Erdis Ellwood, the osteopath George Eaton, the direct participation of Anacleto Alvarez and Toribio Recharte and a group of anonymous employees of the area, led Bingham to Machu Picchu archaeological work in 1912 to 1915 period when it cleared the weeds and Inca tombs were excavated on the outskirts of the city. The "public life" of Machu Picchu begins in 1913 with the publication of this in an article in the Journal of the National Geographic.

While it is clear that Bingham discovered Machu Picchu in the strict sense of the word (no one did since I never was "lost" really), it certainly had the merit of being the first person to recognize the importance of the ruins, a multidisciplinary team studying and disseminating their findings. This despite the fact that employees were not archaeological criteria most appropriate from today's perspective,  and despite also the controversy today involves more than leaving the country irregularly excavated archaeological material  (which consists of at least a 46 332 pieces) and it was only in March 2011 that began some items were to be returned to Peru.

Between 1924 and 1928 Martin Chambi and Juan Manuel Figueroa made ​​a series of photographs in Machu Picchu that were published in various journals Peru and expanding the local interest on the ruins that became a national symbol. With the passing of decades, and especially since opening in 1948 of a road for vehicles, climbed the slope of the mountain to the ruins from the train station, Machu Picchu became the main destination of Peru. During the first two thirds of the twentieth century, however, interest in the tourist operation was higher than the conservation and study of the ruins. 

The built in Machu Picchu area is 530 meters long by 200 wide and includes at least 172 campuses. The complex is clearly divided into two main areas: the agricultural area, consisting of sets of agricultural terraces, which lies to the south, and the urban area, which is, of course, the one where the occupants lived and where some of the main civic and religious activities. Both zones are separated by a wall, a moat and a staircase, all of which run parallel to the hill east of the mountain.  A significant part of the ruins you can see today are actually recent reconstructions, as shown by comparing the images obtained in the 1910 to current.

A stone city built on top of an " isthmus "between two mountains and two faults in a region subject to constant earthquakes and, above all, to heavy rainfall throughout the year is a challenge for any builder: to prevent that the complex does not falls apart. The secret of longevity of Machu Picchu is the drainage system. In fact, the ground of their non-roofed is equipped with a system of drainage which consists of layers of gravel (crushed stone) and rocks prevent ponding of rainwater. 129 drainage channels are spread throughout the urban area, designed to avoid splashing and erosion , resulting in most of the "moat" that separates the urban area of agriculture, which was actually the city's main drain. It is estimated that 60% of the constructive effort of Machu Picchu was to make the foundations on terraces filled with gravel for good drainage of excess water.

There is strong evidence that the builders were considered astronomical criteria and rituals for the construction.  Indeed, the alignment of some important buildings coincides with the azimuth solar during the solstices consistently and therefore not by chance,  with the points of sunrise and sunset the sun at certain times of the year and the surrounding mountain peaks. 

All the buildings are preserved granite whitish, composed in 60% feldspar, 30% quartz and 10% mica. All the material came from the quarries located in the Inca complex contours.  The rock is between 6 to 7 degrees of hardness on the Mohs scale . In Inca times this was worked with crowbars and other tools of bronze (no iron tools used in ancient Peru) and rock hammers harder. The rocks were smoothed by abrasion with sand.   Most buildings are rectangular. They come in one, two and up to eight doors, usually in one of the long sides of the rectangle. 

Hiram Bingham took 5,000 pieces archaeological University Yale as a result of excavations at Machu Picchu. For a long time were claimed by the Peruvian government in 2007 until an agreement was reached. Repayment is expected in late 2009; however, this did not happen. Yale University recently confirmed the return of the pieces in 2011 , to commemorate the centenary of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu by Bingham. 

I know there is a lot of information there, but it is an amazing story to tell.  It was now time to take a walk around, which we did for the next 2 hours.  The poncho’s came off, the sun came pout and the mist and clouds lifted for an AMAZING day.  There were a few other groups around the ruins, but we somehow managed to always be the last to arrive at each section, so we got some time to ourselves at each place without other people.  There was one time, I had just got my Bernstar jump and one of the Machu Picchu officials came over to tell me off, that you are not allowed to jump in Machu Picchu and to start with I was horrified that I had broken some sacred religious rule.  Till one of the guides in quite a tome, told me that they don’t permit people to jump as it makes the foundations unstable and it is for the preservation of the ruins.  This is all fine and I totally understand, but the tone that he used was uncalled for, so I told him so and said that he didn’t have to talk to me in that tone, and now that I know I won’t do it again.  Well then one of his American tourists piped in with her 5 cents worth, so I then told her that it was none of her business and to keep her nose out of it.  And with that, and my Bernstar jump recorded on my camera I walked off to join the rest of the group.  I am not sure what overcame me, but there is no need for attitude and he made out that I had been told a million times before.  So if you go to Machu Picchu, then no jumps allowed, or don’t get caught, as you will get into trouble.

So after getting shown around the site for 2 hours, we pretty much had the whole day to either stay at the site for as long as we wanted or head back into town whenever we were ready and wait the afternoon away till our train departure at 6.45pm.  I felt sort for the guys, as there was no chance for a shower and after getting up at 3.30am and to keep going till 6.45pm, I think is a big ask.  I would have preferred to have a night in Agnes Calientes and have a night short in Cuzco, giving them then the option to go to the hotel, shower, and change and sleep if they wanted.  But after speaking to a few of them, they would prefer to do what they did and just get back to Cuzco even though it made for a massive day.  I can’t complain as I hadn’t done the trek, but it made it tough all the same.

A small group of us wanted to get the ‘postcard’ shot.  The one that you see on all the postcards, tourism posters, internet anywhere you see Machu Picchu this is the picture you will see.  We had to climb to the highest point of the whole ruins, and I wasn’t going to complain about how many steps we had to climb after the group had done 76,000 of them, but with the altitude and the uneven steps, just between you and I it was tough!  I ended up climbing with O and Nic and they told me about the ‘Spirit of the Turtle’.  Slow and steady wins the race, and on the Inca Trail they just kept that in their minds to get them through, one slow foot in front of the other.  So instead of trying to race up the steps, I took on the ‘Spirit of the Turtle’ and I have to say it made small difference, but I was still trying to suck in the big ones.  But once at the top, the view was totally worth it and we were so lucky the last of the low clouds had blown over and we had a 100% clear view of the ‘postcard’ view.  I rekon I took over 50 pictures at all different angles and it was the most amazing experience.  We stayed up there for around an hour, snapping photos and just marveling that we were indeed at Machu Picchu.  This was one of my travel dreams come true.  Machu Picchu.  UNBELIEVABLE.

After being at the site for nearly 5 hours it was time to leave.  With one more glance over my shoulder it was time to climb back down the stairs and head back to the entrance/exit.  After 9am, the staff at the ruins set up a stamp and ink pad for people to stamp passports, tickets and books.  So on our way out I got my Globetrotters Book stamped for my Peru entry.  It doesn’t get any better than that does it?  The busses leave every 10 minutes from the site back to Agnes Calientes, so we jumped on the waiting bus and drove the 30 minutes back to town.  Tucan have an arrangement with a restaurant in the town, that they look after all the trekker’s bags and we got use of the 2^nd floor area they have that has couches, toilets, music and a TV for our use.  It was pretty good set up that overlooked the train track and shops and restaurants. 

The afternoon was spent shopping for me.  I still had birthday money to burn and a few souvenirs to buy.  It started to rain later on, so it ‘forced’ me to spend more time at the markets while I waited for it to die down a little before heading back to our restaurant.  Some of the other guys went to the hot springs, some got massages and pedicures to wile away the afternoon and then most of us had an early dinner at 5.30pm as we still had a few travel hours to do before making it back to Cuzco.

The last train leaves Aguas at 6.45pm.  It was the same set up as coming up here.  We were allocated seats, got served a hot drink and snack for the 1.5 hours travel time to Ollantaytambo.  From here we had s shuttle van waiting for us, and with our luggage tied to the roof we drove for a further 1.5 hour drive back to Cuzco.  Talk about a long day, and I didn’t even climb the 3 hours of the trail this morning, the guys must be feeling like zombies.  We finally arrived into Cuzco just after 10pm. 

I let Kate have the first shower, firstly she needed it, and secondly I am just the greatest roomie and new how much better it would make her feel.  I have to stress again what an amazing achievement she had just done, but I think it may take a few days for it all to sink in, with sore feet, sore Achilles and a few sore toes, it’s gonna take some time to appreciate it all.  I am still GLAD as hell that I didn’t do it and I was able to enjoy the ruins and my travel dream to cross them off my bucket list.

  

THE TOURIST TOWN OF AGUAS CALIENTES

WEATHER: Cold in the morning with showers Warmed up in the afternoon 21C

HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY: Getting one step closer to Machu Picchu

BUYS OF THE DAY: Some more stitched pouches

WORD OF THE DAY: Exuberant

So it is now day 3 for the Inca Trekkers and the weather has turned cold and rainy here in Cusco.  I hope the weather is a little better for them on the mountain.  They would have completed the hardest day yesterday and I am sure that they are now starting to feel really tired and looking forward to getting back to civilization tomorrow morning.

We are heading to Aguas Calientes today where we will spend one night and then we will meet up with the trekker’s tomorrow morning as they finish the climb and then together we will get a 2 hour tour of the ruins before our own free time before the train and van rides back to Cuzco in the afternoon.   

So we had an early start this morning with a wakeup at 5am, breakfast was supposed to be at 5.45am, but they didn’t open till 6am, we did ask them if they would serves us earlier the night before and they said yes.  Typical Peru, the message wasn’t passed on.  So we had to wolf down a roll and tea before getting collected at 6.20am for a transfer to one of the smaller squares of Cuzco, where we changed into a minivan for the drive to Ollantaytambo 1.5 hours away.  We had to wait 40 minutes here, which was a little annoying as we could have had extra time at breakfast or sleeping but we finally got on the road just before 7am.  We were a little worried as the drive was supposed to be 1.5 hours and we had to check in at 8.23am for the train on an 8.53am departure.  He was going to have to drive like a bat out of hell and hope to goodness that there was going to be limited traffic.  We have travelled this way before and after around 40 minutes the driver took a back way through some villages on a dirt road to pop us out just a few kilometers out of the town of Pisaq.  Good work and we got to Ollantaytambo at 8.30am with 23 minutes up our sleeve.  Currently the only legal way to get to Machu Picchu is by train; hiking along the train tracks is prohibited. There are no roads from the town and helicopter services have been suspended indefinitely. In addition to the train, visitors can reach Machu Picchu via several inbound hiking trails, including the Classic Trail (four-day trek) from Cuzco, but there is no hiking back the other way on the Inca Trail.

There were four carriages going up to Machu Picchu on our departure.  We were in carriage A and had allocated seats which were at the front of the carriage.  The train reminds me of the Rocky Mountaineer trains.  They had skylights in the roof every 3 seats and large picture windows throughout the carriages.  It was certainly a better quality train than what I expected which is always a nice surprise.  We cover a distance of 43km and it took us 1.5 hours.  We passed the starting point of the 4 day Inca trail and we also saw the start of the 1 day trail at the 103km mark.  The country side was amazing, travelling through massive mountains following a raging river for the whole distance to Agua Calientes.  There were low lying clouds, mist and a little rain all the way, so it just added to the atmosphere of the journey we were making.  The announcements on the train were firstly in Spanish and then also in English and we were well informed the whole way if there was anything to look at, if we stopped and some general information as we travelled.  It wasn’t intrusive, but quite well done.  At the halfway point we were served a hot drink and a small snack.  I was getting excited and butterflies in my tummy that I was going to be seeing Machu Picchu tomorrow.  Can you believe it!!!!  MACHU PICCHU.  I know it sounds weird to be having ‘butterflies’ about a tourist destination, but this is definetly a WOW moment that I have been waiting years, seriously years for and I do need to pinch myself that I am actually here.

Arriving at Aguas Calientes, the end of the road at 2000m we were met and walked to our hotel just up, and I mean UP from the small main square.  Most of the streets are on slopes in a valley and it is pretty hard to escape an ‘uphill’ somewhere.  It was just after 10.30am and we now had all day to explore this small town.   

Aguas Calientes, whose real name is Machu Picchu village whose origin dates back to 1901 when the railway that would unite the people of Cusco and Santa Ana came to the camp.   Thanks to its location, just 30 minutes by bus from Machu Picchu, it is the place where tourists come to visit the Indian holy city of Machu Picchu. Aguas Calientes is the last station the train leaves from Cusco, the British-owned PeruRail .

The town has developed a tourist infrastructure at all levels, from the simplest to most exclusive hotels.  Among its most important tourist attractions are the hot springs located 800 m from the village, to which medicinal properties are attributed to them and give its name.  Aguas Calientes also called or known as Machu Picchu Pueblo was forged from the year 1911 with the start of construction of the railway line, 10 years after the discovery of the Inca city of Machu Picchu in 1901.  In the year 1928 in its first phase comes to Maquinachayoq camp area at the height of km 110 (currently Machu Picchu Pueblo.  This camp was the center of operations of machinery and heavy equipment of the project and as such was a temporary stay of the railway workers. 

We had read that Aguas was really touristy and to not expect too much, but from what we saw after we had checked in and walked around, it had a really great atmosphere to the place and the rain had stopped and the clouds had lifted and the day didn’t turn out to bad.  I just hope tomorrow was also going to be like this.  We decided to have an early lunch and there were plenty of restaurants to choose from with all forms of culinary options.  We decided on Mexican and while we waited Paul and I decided to have a beer, and not just any beer, but a 1.1L beer for the grand cost of 15SOL (5AUD).  Now is that the bargain of the century or what!  So Paul and I have now created the 1L Club and we are 2 members at the moment. 

In Aguas Calientes there is only one street. In a section of town the shops are located on both sides of the railway line, giving the impression of the street, until the train arrives. Elsewhere there is a very wide sidewalk, which we had identified itself to the traffic of cars.  There were also shops along where the buses leave to go up to Machu Picchu.  After lunch we checked out the main square (which is not that big) looped back around and discovered the Handicraft Market next door to the Tourist Train Station.  So we ended up spending just over 2 hours in the market and I bought some more of the stitched pouches that I seem to have an affinity for buying at the moment of all different sizes.  They are beautiful small stitched bags and they come in an array of colours, sizes and shapes and I am obsession to buying them all.  In my defence I am using a few for my travel needs, some for gifts and the rest are, well for me.  They really are beautiful.  Paul and Lizzie decided to get an hour’s massage.  As you can image there are a lot of massage houses around to cater for the needs of the trekkers after they have come off the trail, so Paul and Lizzie got a combination massage for an hour for 15AUD.  Not bad, not bad at all.  I used the hour to read my book in the sun in a park just outside of the hotel to then meet the guys at 4.30pm to then take a visit to the hot springs. 

Thermal Baths of Aguas Calientes or the hot springs are very picturesque, situated on the banks of the Vilcanota River, surrounded by mountains that rise like green walls over 400 meters.  The entrance of the hot springs was only a 3 minute walk from the hotel and just before the entrance is an opportunity to rent towels and ‘swim gear’.  I hired a towel for 1AUD, but please tell me that not many people rent swimmers.  Ughhhhhh I could think of nothing worse, renting swimmers.  We then had to climb up a fairly steep path, cross a bridge and climb over 50 steps to get us to the ticket check and bag drop for the springs.  The path overlooks the pools of the springs and the water doesn’t look that inviting, with it a being a little cloudy and brownish.  But we figured that there wasn’t that much else to do and we had paid already, so we changed, check our bags in the compulsory lockers for 40 cents and then headed to the pools.  They had 6 pools, so after rinsing off at the hot taps (they also had the option of freezing taps) we headed to the least busiest pool and were disappointed that the water was luke warm.  The floor of the pool was sand, which was nice on the feet, but the water just wasn’t hot enough.  So we went to the next pool over and that was a lot warmer than the first but nothing like the pools we went to in the Colca Canyon.  So we decided to give the main pool, which was also the busiest a go and this by far was the hottest.  You could pick the trekkers, they were either swimming in their underwear or they were hobbling around with ‘trekking injuries’ or sore muscles.  Even though they weren’t the greatest hot springs, if you had trekked for 4 days, I could see how the pools would definitely make you feel 100% better and to make sure you take some swimmers. 

We spent just over an hour, with a beer in hand, which was delivered personally by the bar guy to the pool.  You just have to wave your arms and he comes down to take your order and you pay on the way out.  It was only a 330ml can, so no liter club here.  I guess you wouldn’t want to encourage people to drink too much in the pool as we all know what eventually has to happen with too much liquid consumption.   Paul and I decided to finish the hot pool experience the way it was supposed to and rinsed off in the FREEZING showers, seriously it took my breath away it was that cold, but I have to say that I wasn’t cold when I stepped out, it was weird that I still felt quite warm – how does that work?

Dinner was at an Italian restaurant just up from the hotel.  The further down we walked meant that we would have to walk back up again, so we stopped at the first restaurant we liked.  The food on a whole has been a lot more expensive than anywhere else, but I guess you get that at any tourist town.  The food was good and the service was exceptional so you don’t mind paying the money when you get both. They also include the service tip here automatically, which is a little annoying, but it’s the way it’s done here.    

So it is the last night the trekkers have on the mountain.  So what exactly did we miss?  After today and the other ruin walks we have done, I know for a fact that I would not have been able to cope on the trek.  I am still HAPPY that I did not do it.  For me the dream has always been the ruins themselves and not the trek, and that was back in my younger years and fitter years, I still had that mindset, so it isn’t because I am now older and more unfit that reflected my decision.         

The Inca Trail is by far the most famous trek in South America and is rated by many to be in the top 5 treks in the world. In just 26 miles (43km) it manages to combine beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest, and subtropical jungle and, of course, a stunning mix of Inca paving stones ruins and tunnels. The final destination of the trail just cannot be beaten: Machu Picchu, the mysterious "Lost City of the Incas".

The Classic 4-day Inca Trail trek that starts at km82 (82 kilometres along the railway from Cusco to Aguas Calientes) and treks high up into the mountains passing the Inca ruins of Llactapata, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñay Wayna before finally arriving at Machu Picchu for sunrise on the 4th day of the trek.

Day 1 (12km): The trekkers were collected early from their hotel and travel by bus from Ollantaytambo, to kilometer 82 (the start of the trail).  Hikers cross the Vilcanota River and follow the trail to the right as it climbs steeply up from the river. After passing through a small village, the ruins of the Inca hillfort of Huillca Raccay come into view high above the mouth of the river Cusichaca ('happy bridge'). It is a simple descent down to the Cusichaca River.

For a further 7 km the path follows the left bank of the river up to the village of Wayllabamba (3,000m). The name in Quechua means 'grassy plain'. Most tour groups spend the first night here although there are prettier campsites a little further on.

Day 2 (11km): Climbing up from Wayllabamba for about 3 hours through steepening woods and increasingly spectacular terrain brings you to the tree line and a meadow known as Llulluchapampa (3,680m). It is another 1½ hours climb to the first and highest pass of the trail (Abra de Huarmihuañusca or 'Dead Woman's Pass) at 4,200m. During this part of the trail hikers are exposed to the Andean elements: first scorching sun and then, closer to the pass, freezing winds. Once at the top hikers can celebrate having completed the most difficult section of the trail.  The decent from the pass is steep although not difficult, following the trail on the left side of the valley to the valley floor and to the 2nd night's campsite at Pacamayo (3,600m). There are toilet facilities here.

Day 3 (16km): From Pacamayo it takes about an hour to climb up to the ruins of Runkuracay. These small circular ruins occupy a commanding position overlooking the Pacamayo valley below. Another 45 minute hike will bring you to the top of the second pass: Abra de Runkuracay (4,000m). At last you'll feel that you are walking along the trail of the Incas with paving, for the most part, being original. The descent down the steps from the pass is steep so take care. This section of the trail, up till the 3rd pass, is particularly beautiful as the path crosses high stone embankments and skirts deep precipices. After about 1 hour from the 2nd pass you'll arrive at Sayacmarca by way of a superbly designed stone staircase. The name Sayacmarca means 'Inaccessible Town' and describes the position of the ruins perfectly, protected on three sides by sheer cliffs. No one knows the exact purpose of these ruins.

You have to backtrack a little to rejoin the trail as it passes Conchamarca, a small Inca dwelling situated in the shadows of Sayacmarca, which was probably a tambo for weary travelers on their way to Machu Picchu.  From then on the path descends into magnificent cloudforest full of orchids, hanging mosses, tree ferns and flowers, passing through an impressive Inca tunnel, carved into the rock, on the way.

The trail then climbs up to the 3rd pass (3,700m). The view from the pass offers excellent views of several snow-capped peaks including Salkantay (6,271m) and Veronica (5,750m). A few minutes after the pass is Phuyupatamarca, the most impressive Inca ruin so far. The name means 'Town in the Clouds'. Access to the ruins is down a steep flight of stairs passing six 'Inca Baths' probably used for the ritual worship of water.  Leaving the site via an impressive Inca staircase leading from the west side of the ruins (the far end from the baths) you descend a thousand or so steps. Be careful with your knees which will feel the strain by the end of the day. 

A short trail that goes to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. The name in Quechua means 'forever young' and is named after a variety of pink orchid which grows here. The ruins comprise magnificent agricultural terraces set in an impressive location. There are also many buildings of good quality stonework and a sequence of 10 baths, suggesting that the site was probably a religious center associated with the worship of water. Ritual cleansing may have taken place here for pilgrims on the final leg of the trail to Machu Picchu.

Day 4 (6km): The trail to Machu Picchu is clearly marked and takes about 1½ hours. Most people attempt to wake up at 4.30am so that they can leave Wiñay Wayna by 5.30am to get to Machu Picchu before sunrise. The sky starts getting light by 6am and the first rays of the sun reach Machu Picchu at about 7am. The trail contours a mountainside and drops into cloudforest before coming to an almost vertical flight of 50 steps leading up to the final pass at Intipunku (Sun Gate). Suddenly the whole of Machu Picchu is spread out before you in all its glory - a fantastic sight for all. 

After 3.5 days of trekking the guys climb and descend approximately 76,000 steps.  76,000 STEPS. It is an amazing feat and I think it will take a few days for it all to sink in the enormity of what they have actually achieved!

So good luck trekkers for your last night.  We can’t wait to see you all tomorrow and give you a massive welcome back hug.