Boy your gunna carry that weight, carry that weight for a long time

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After a few relaxing days in Cusco, we decided to get back at it and go see the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu. the easiest way to get to machu Picchu is by train from Cusco, but this is extremely expensive. Its about 50 dollars one way. So we decided to make our own way there. Its a bit of a trek. First we caught an early bus to a place called Santa Maria which took about 6 hours. got to use my new pen knife for the first time. Very excited. We had jam rolls.

We then transfered into smaller people carriers to take us to Santa Teresa and then onto a hydro electrical plant. Amy, myself and a bunch of Chilean students all crammed in with a few locals and we set off. Our driver just happened to be the reincarnation of Colin McCrae. He hammered it along these slim mountain dirt tracks, only slowing down when another vehicle approached. We went over a few lolly pop style bridges. it was quite scary, Amy couldn´t look.

We went through Santa Teresa and made it to the hydro electrical plant with our bags and a couple of people still on the roof. The hydro electrical plant was the end of our transportation, we had to do the rest on foot. We could have done the next bit by train, but we decided to walk it to save our de niro. It was good fun for the first bit anyway, we had to follow railway tracks all the way into the town. Lonely Planet said it was a two hour walk from here to Aguas Calientes, which is the closest town to Machu Picchu. It wasnt two hours, with our bloody heavy packs it was nearly 3 1·2 and we only just made it before it got too dark.

We eventually made it, we were knackered. We found a cheap hostel, had a shower and then went to buy our Machu Picchu tickets for the next day. We were suprised to find that the tickets were double to price we thought they would be, 30 quid each. If you were a student, peruvian or a peruvian student you got in much, much cheaper. After the sharp pain of spending nearly 1·2 a weeks funds had subsided we had something to eat and went to bed, early start in the morning.

Got up about 5.30 and started the 500 metre ascent to Machu Picchu with somw bread, bananas and water. It took about 1 1·2 hours to get there, we could have got a bus up there but decided to be hardcore and walk. It pissed down the whole way up.

When we arrived it was really misty and you couldnt see anything. Slowly the mist cleared and the city revealed itself. It was amazing, well worth the money. We ambled around the site for hours, taking pictures and taking it all in. There were plenty of llamas there. They were well funny and have a goat like gormlessness. There were also plenty of lizards and these giant rodent things that looked like a cross between a rabbit and a squirrel. There were signs everywhere before we got to the site saying not to bring any food or bottled water onto the site. We were the only mugs who only brought a little, so if it had to be thrown away, it didnt matter. Everyone else brought a veritable feast. We wanted to climb Wayna Picchu but had no water... we were gutted not to be able to do that. Poo. The whole day was amazing and well worth the visit.

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Photos

On the road
Waiting in Santa Maria

Giant Butterfly
This is a South West Trains announcement. all services are delayed due to Butterflies on the tracks

Misty
First glimpse

tony and the llama
After this shot was taken he tried to kiss me. tongues and all.

Classic view
Wayna Picchu in the background