Blogs from Peru, South America - page 1119

We were up in the 5s to get the 6.15am train to Aguas Calientes a.k.a. Machu Picchu village. Getting up in the 5s is my pet hate (I refuse to do it for work purposes) but today it wasn´t pàrticularly difficult as I honestly hadn't slept a wink due to excitement. Goodness knows what I am going to be like before the wedding! The views from the train were fantastic though by then I was finally getting sleepy and struggling to stay awake. On arrival we walked from the town down the road to find the camp site mentioned in the Lonely Planet. It was quite a walk so we were gutted to find it completely deserted. Eventually we found a hostel within our budget and tried but failed to have a little nap. The plan ... read more

We arrived in Cuzco just before midday and looked for a hostel. We thought we had found a very pleasent place at the right price until the man explained the advertised price was in dollars not soles! We eventually found a hostel within our budget, a run-down converted colonial casa. We have stayed in quite a few colonial buildings some better maintained than others. I can honestly say I am getting to like them. The facia of the building is generally just a large arched split door - no windows. This door leads to a lobby and central courtyard from which all the rooms are accessed. There is a balcony that runs all the way round the first floor. The balcony is generally a darkwood providing a theme for all the woodwork in the building. More ... read more

Today was a day of mucho rest. Finally. We woke up around 930, and lounged around chatting til about 130, when we made our way down to the train station. It was only 30 minutes on foot, but the street was coblestone and a little tough on the wheels of our backpack/luggage - so we paid for an auto to take us there. By auto, I mean a 3 wheeled motorcycle thing with a little carriage behind it. I told the 12 year old driving it we wanted to buy a hat for the sun. (both Justin and I are burned, him on the neck and me on my forehead). It doesn´t matter how you come here, dark or light, you will get burned, baby, burned. Anyway, somehow he took hat for my head, to mean ... read more

So we arrived in Lima, and caught the 1st bus to Ica. First, a few words about the city of Lima. It´s a real city. The airport looked legit, with smiling customer service and clean open space, and soothing announcements heard overhead, in spanish and in english. Where are we? We´re in Peru. After a 5 hour bus ride from Lima to Ica, we then took a 15 minute bus ride to Huacachina, an oasis in the middle of the dessert. Legend has it that a beautiful goddess was taking a bath in the middle of the dessert, when she saw the reflection of a hunter in her mirror. Frightened, she dropped the mirror and fled, and the mirror became the Lagoon of Huacachina. My questions are 1) If the mirror was what turned into the ... read more

Okay so let's call it a draw. Granted, I landed some great punches. I saw dozens of spiders, Caimans (alligators), Jungle life, and some amazing scenery. But the jungle hit back hard with rain, strong rivers, and, a painful uppercut, a bridge collapsing out from underneath my above Peru-average weight. Let me break the trip down. Day 1: Bus ride into the Jungle Arriving at the tour agency at 7:00 am I was happy to see everythign was well underway for our trip. In front of me was our private van that was to take us ten hours along a winding dirt road into the launching off point for Manu, Peru's most famous entrance into the Amazon basin. After piling into the van we hit the road by 7:20, excited but tired. Our guide, Rider (named ... read more