Flight to Lima We travelled from Puno to Juliaca on a coach transfer that was waiting around for some Americans for ages, so much we worried we would miss our flight! We need not have worried as our flight was delayed and we hung around the tiny airport watching mini-sandstorms skitter across the runway. To our horror the French family from hell (from the train) turned up and acknowleding us, sat right opposite us in the departure lounge. The mum was still as miserable as ever but the kids amused us by knocking each other's heads with an empty water bottle. [View Full Entry]

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Choo choo train We were excited about our First Class train ride from Cusco to Puno and we weren't disappointed! We arrived at the station nice and early and seated ourselves in two huge armchairs looking out the window. We enjoyed a light breakfast as we watched Cusco disappear and we drove past farms and small villages in the mountains. Mid-morning we were invited to the Observation Car for a free refreshing Pisco Sour whilst watching the fashion show. Two ladies in black catsuits and an embarrassed-looking guy, modelling alapaca sweaters, hats and shawls were sashaying down the c [View Full Entry]

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Back in Cusco The next couple of days we didn´t do an awful lot because we were both suffering so much with the persistent flu. The lady manager in Jack´s Cafe had said it was doing the rounds in Cusco and she´d suffered for almost a month with a similar sounding virus! Great news! We shopped and ate lightly, meeting Ricardo and Margarita for evening meals, before they disappeared down to Puno on the bus, to visit Lake Titicaca. We visited Fallen Angel, a trendy restaurant in Cusco for our farewell meal. The steak was yummy although Jase moaned because they [View Full Entry]

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The train to Aguas Calientes We got up early and waited patiently for our pickup to arrive, but it never materialised! So we quickly grabbed a cab, which flew down the narrow cobbles of Cusco and got us to the train just in time! Only Backpacker class today, but it was comfortable enough thanks to the distraction of the stunning views of the valley. It was a curious train journey because the train had to repeatedly zig-zag backwards and forwards up the hill. As we got closer to Machu Picchu we caught glimpses of the trail and people trekking, which made [View Full Entry]

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Cusco We had an early start with a flight from Arequipa to Cusco, with a touchdown in Juliaca on route. For some strange reason, we all had seats apart, but it was only a short flight, so no great hardship. Two descents were tough on Rachel´s ears as she couldn´t equalize due to congestion. We arrived at Cusco at 3800m and our taxi raced down periously narrow cobbled streets to The Hotel Grial, our little two star place in San Blas. We were all weary and treated ourselves to breakfast at Jack´s Cafe. Everyone helped Rach finish her massive stack of [View Full Entry]

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High up on a mountain top Rach woke up feeling dreadful, with a high fever, sore throat and stuffy nose. We headed off on our overnight trip to the Colca Canyon. Our first stop was at a little restaurant and market where we tried coca tea for the first time. The leaves of the coca plant (which are also used to make coke - the legal and illegal kind) are steeped in hot water and are said to relieve altitude sickness and give you energy. Surprisingly it was Jase who really liked the brew, rather than Rach, the usual tea belly. [View Full Entry]

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Arrived in Arequipa We arrived in the lovely White City of Arequipa, Ricardo´s home town. We checked into a great hotel and had a buffet breakfast where Rach got excited because they had a cereal that tasted like Sugar Puffs and cold leche! Ricardo gave us a quick tour of the city and then Margarita joined us to visit Santa Catalina. This convent is like a mini city in itself and previously housed 2000 nuns. We spent the afternoon wandering around the cloisters, chapels and rooms, which seemed relatively well furnished for nuns back in those days. It was really too [View Full Entry]

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Flight over Nazca Lines In the morning, depsite our camp guides obvious hangovers, we got up at 6.30am and Jeejo drove us perilously fast across the sand dunes. We breakfasted in the hostel and caught a bus to Nazca. It was incredibly hot as we drove to the little airfield for our flight over the Nazca Lines. Despite our sensible strategy of not drinking much the night before, the stifling 40 degree heat in the Cessna cockpit before take off made Rach feel queasy. Not often airsick, the Nazca flight is notorious for pukers due to the thermals providing a bumpy [View Full Entry]

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The Oasis We arrived at Huacachina, a little oasis resort in the heart of the Ica desert that afternoon. It was still very hot, so we wandered around the waters eating ice creams. When the sun had cooled, we set off on our overnight desert adventure! Dune Buggies and Sand Boarding We roared across the desert in a surprisingly speedy dune buggy, driven by our crazy driver Jeejo. It was like being on a sand roller coaster, flying up and over the dunes, and skirting up the sides, so you thought you were going to roll over. It was hilarious fun [View Full Entry]

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After the earthquake We caught a bus from Lima to Pisco and watched Highlander in Spanish on route. A taxi took us to our hotel in Pisco, a city devastated by a huge earthquake back in August. It was incredibly sad to see so many demolished buildings and only half of people´s homes left standing. Lots of people seemed to be living in pre-fabricated houses provided as temporary housing, but they were just glorified sheds. Still they looked more comfortable than the makeshift shanty houses and dusty tents inhabited by others. We only walked around the centre for a short while, [View Full Entry]

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