Nasca, Machu Pichu and beyond

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Apologies for the delay it´s been a long few days and now we have finally stopped so we can play catch up!!! Time to make yourselves comfortable and we will begin .....

Nasca

We spent the whole day in Nasca as our bus wasn´t due to leave until 9.00pm. So we visited the museum which was interesting and has in its back gardens (for want of a better description) an aqueduct. This is an original and still feeds water through the town. As we walked away from the museum heading towards the town I spotted a rather large whole in the side of the road. On taking a closer look, it emerged to be a well with steps down to it. This was part of the aqueduct we had earlier seen!!! It was an exceptionally hot day, no let up in the sun and the heat radiating back up was just as immense. You know what they say only mad dogs and englishmen!!! Well that was us!! Fortunately a taxi driver saved us, and we headed to the nearest bar and lunch!!!

Our bus natually was late!! One bus did come in which we got quite excited about it until we realised that the complete front of it was caved in and held together by polythene. The drivers side was hanging off and various windows were smashed. No words needed to be spoken between us, we were no way getting on that one!!! The right one did eventually arrive!!!

Following the advice of the lonely planet - it advises that overnight journeys on buses are very cold - we dressed and took clothes onboard!!! We walked onto a sauna!!! We thought after a while it would cool down - no it just got hotter!!! We started stripping!!! David was sat by the window and kept resting his head onto to try and keep cool - he stopped short of licking the window!!!!! It was what they call a Cama Bus, which means you have seats that virtually fully recline!!! Well mine did but then after a few minutes would rise up again!!! So between us we didn´t do too well on the sleeping front!!!

When daylight came we were high in the Peruvian Andes - and we saw rain - what a welcome relief!!!! We saw snow capped peaks. The farming is still in strips, every available fertile patch is planted no matter what shape or size or incline it is on. There are broad beans, potatoes, rape seed, sweet corn, gladioli, roses, wild dahlias - its unending. Everyone farms the land no matter what their age is. And it is still done by hand. Sheep, pigs and cows are tethered or herded from one area to another on paths and land that have been used this way for centuries. The housing is more substantial, adobe bricks and proper red tiles. The women carry impossible loads on their backs in brightly weaved fabrics.

We dropped into Cusco a city of red bricks and red tiles and totally fascinating. A little touristy and a fair number of hippies!!! And we were there to get to Machu Pichu on the following day!! So we got up and went to San Pedro station for 5.00am and queued for a tickets upto Aqua Calientes. We had also booked our next bus ride for 10.00pm that night!!! The train journey takes 4hrs and we were due back on the 5pm train!!!! Ok so work the maths out!!!

The train journey up is fantastic and uncomfortable but hey you can put up with it!!! We got our tickets at Agua Calientes and then boarded a bus for a twenty minute journey upto the site!!!

And oh what a site it is. Very hard to describe. Everything you have seen or any photo or programme is there in front of you and is more magnificent and outstanding than you could ever believe or prepare yourself for!!! The clouds swirl around peaks of sheer vertical drops of rock faces held together by immense jungle habitations. The clouds clear and then form eleswhere giving this sight an even more dramatic setting. How did the Incas ever build anything here. The sight is huge and drops away either side of the mountain. Llamas run free along with other rodents which I thought was a small Capybara (can someone let me know if they live up at these altitudes??) but was cute!!!! Despite the number of people you can still get moments of seclusion and peace. However Machu Pichu is slipping the scientists estimate by 1cm a month and we humans are adding to it by walking freely and without resistance. You are told not to bring food or drink or walking sticks in, yet there are people eating drinking and the guides walk around with umbrellas!!!! This is a UNESCO site and something more has to be done to protect it for the future. But this is personal opinion so I´ll get off my soapbox now!!!

So the train journey back - hmmm - takes 4 and half hours and left at 5pm which meant we wouldn´t get back until 9.30pm which left us absolutley no time at all to get to the bus station. So a kindly peruvian told us to hop off at Olyetambo (definatley not spelt right!) and catch a taxi back into Cusco, which we did and worked perfectly.

We boarded yet again another 15hr overnight bus ride - and this time it was cold!!! But we were wise and still took on warm clothes!!! The bus seemed to have a larger number of hippies on board complete with bongo drums - you can imagine our sentiments!!! Anyway everyone fell asleep quite quickly! Morning brought us to Puno and Lake Titicaca where we had to board another bus!! This was a proper chicken bus with all the hippies on - still with the bongo drums and us!!! Boy did we feel old and out of place. The journey took us along the edge of the Lake where we have seen flamingoes. The housing is still of adobe bricks but now they have corrugated rooves that reflect the sun and virtually spoil the charm of the area.

We then reach the Bolivian border where we yet again have to get off the chicken bus carry all our luggage go through Peruvian control and then into Bolivian control. And what did I spy on the Peruvian side - a bongo drum left by one of the hippies! After much tapping on Davids shoulder he realised what I was pointing at and we managed to maintain our giggles whilst trying to be serious in front of a peruvian official. However our humour didn´t last as we walked upto the border the hippy had realised and was on her way to collect it!!!

We then had to board another mini bus which took us into to Copocabana. Our sins having caught us up when the hippy complete with friends started tapping away on her bongo drum complete with inane whistling and singing!!!! It was a very long 15 minutes before we could escape!!! On board with us was another english couple who we shared a taxi with to our hotel. His comment about the bongo drum was i nearly put my fist through it!!!

Our room was stunning - we had the honeymoon suite, complete with conservatory overlooking the lake!!! Don´t get too excited David hasn´t popped the question - not that I am aware of at least!!!! We sat and just completley relaxed in the consevatory and watched the world go by!! In the evening was a spectacular thunderstorm over the lake with all sorts of different lighting!!! Unfortunately now we are into another room which doesn´t have the views, but we can still get them from the lawns as the hotel is in an elevated position. We are here for a few days catching our breaths before heading off to La Paz.

One thing we haven´t mentioned is the driving here in South America. It´s an eye opener. In the centre of towns and cities everything works on a one way system and works brilliantly!!! However, on crossroads you take your life in your hand. There is no give way. The cars just head up to the junction pap there horns and keep going, they work on the basis the others will give way!!! Our one driver over took, under took and pulled out in front of everything, he was completely and utterly mad. How we survived is beyond either of us!!!

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