http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Peru , Cusco , Machu Picchu en-us Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:29:48 +0000 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:29:48 +0000 Machupicchu toursAfter many month waiting for confirmation and all necesary arrangments for My trip to Machupicchu I finally arrive to Cusco city very early in the morningwith a very good mood I started to search my hotel .already booked definetely.Cusco is a very small place compared with others cities byt it is real particular one.I felt something special for this place by the way I met somebody http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-464421.html Une fois remis de notre tourista on reste encore 2 jour a Cusco a se balader a se faire des petits dejeuners a la francaise croissant chocolat chaud jus de fruit ce qui nous requinque bienEnsuite d apres les conseils de Julien on se met en route pour les 5 jours de voyage prevus afin d aller visiter le Machu picchu et la vallee sacree. On prend un taxi a 10h30 dans Cusco qui nous amenera au http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-461662.html So off to the land of colour and little people.We crossed over the Chilean border with another couple we met on the Pachamama tour.....in style I may add.The border crossing was hilarious ....it was a Sunday and we had heard rumours that it was a very strict border but not at all. We wandered through got our passports stamped then put our luggage through the x ray machine ourselves no gaurd to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-460135.html Also mein letzter BloggEintrag fuer dieses Reisli. Ich weiss nicht ob es euch aufgefallen ist aber ich werde immer fauler bzw. es kostet mich immer mehr ueberwindung etwas zu schreiben. Das liegt einerseits sicher an meinem Naturell anderseit aber auch daran dass ich euch ja bald alles live erzaehlen kann. Nach La Paz sind wir direkt nach Puno weiter gereist da haben wir uns erstmals wiede http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-458559.html The bus ride to Santiago was uneventful. We were seated in the very front of the bus so I didnt sleep very well. I didnt sit by the heater this time so that helped but I could not get comfortable. We arrived in the bus station and took two taxis right away to the airport. We checked in and went through security with no problems. I got a breakfast sandwich at Dunkin Donuts while we waited. We boa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-454897.html Machu PichuWe awoke in darkness and some were far more awake than others. Irsquove never been a morning person but waking at 4am to start hiking in the dark for an hour or two is pushing the limits of my civility unless itrsquos a race and therefore competitive. Poor Penny has to deal with whatever fragile mask of humanity I can put on until my mind catches up with my body and manages http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-450323.html Machu PicchuWe are on the airplane flying from Peru to Salvador Brazil. We were in Machu Picchu yesterday.Tomorrow is Halloween at home in the USA. Halloween has been my favorite holiday foras long as I can remember. Kim and I both love dressing up and staying in character for the evening. One of my first memories was dressing up as the Riddler one of Batman's enemies. I think I was in the f http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-449890.html It has been called one of the Wonders of the World and I can understand the reason why but the problemis that there are many others who think the same. We arrived at 10.30am and it appeared that all the other tourists in Peru were there as well. Although there are restrictions on numbers walking the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu there is no restriction on the number of people entering this w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-449816.html Part of me never wanted to come to Machu Picchu. A bigger part did. So today we are now atop South America's most iconic historical monument.Those superb pictures of this mountain top city surrounded by cloud forest dropping away rapidly to the valleys below could hardly be more stunning. Being here though tipping down with rain crammed with other tourists in their brightly coloured ponchos http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-448424.html INKA TRAIL 21.24.10.2009Voi ystvt kalliit ett voi olla jotakin niin mahtavaa kuin Andit. Tll vuoret nyttvt erittin paljon vuorilta suorastaan vuorien perikuvilta ja vastaavasti laaksot laaksojen perikuvilta. Pohjalla virtaa aina pyh joki. Pelto ei lopu ojaan tiehen tai metsn vaan kkijyrkkn vuorenseinmn joka kohoaa tuhansia metrej ylspin. Aivan kuin vuoret kasvaisivat su http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-448402.html The plan was to set out at 7 am. Jeff the owner of the closest thing to a biker bar in Cuzco had given me on the scoop on the back door entrance to The Citadel. Follow the route to Santa Maria via Oyantantambo and turn left. Follow that road to its end at the hydroelectric plant and walk from there. Simple. Of course my seven o'clock start became an 8 o'clock start before I left the bar be http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-448363.html So with Jacks arrival in S.A and only a month to get to Buenos Aires we had to start moving pretty quickly which unfortunately for Jack meant flying from Lima to Cusco..his fourth plane in 2 days..pretty heavy for someone who doesnt like flying The flight was amazing though quite low the whole way so we could see the tops of the andes. We flew with TACA who turned out to be a pretty efficient http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-447862.html Entering Peru was a bit of a shock after the varied and generally colourful landscapes of Colombia and Ecuador. As soon as we crossed the mountainous border into the north we dropped down to the coastal desert which stretches all the way down the country to the West of the Andes. Frankly it's a bleak sunblasted and windblown place the monotony of the endless sand landscapes being livened up http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-446828.html Machu Picchu ja Aguas CalientesOlimme saaneet varattua matkan Machu Picchulle vhn eri aikataululla ja reitill kuin olimme toivoneet. No aina ei voi saada kaikkea toivomaansa ja matkamme alkoi Poroyst joka on Cuscossta n. 20 minuutin matkan pss. Asemalle meidt kuljetti Armando joka lupaisi tulla meidt seuraavana pivn sitten mys noutamaan Ollantaytambosta.Ainoa keino pst Machu Picch http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-444647.html We had an extra early start this morning as we had to eat breakfast and leave the campsite early enough for the porters to be able to pack everything up and run it all down the hill to get to the local public train by 6am. If they missed that train they would be stuck with having to use an expensive tourist train instead. We also wanted to get to the Winay Wayna guard post to line up to get into http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-444125.html Wednesday 7thWe arrived in Lima on Andys Birthday after flying across the Andes with some beautiful snow topped mountains.....and then in Lima we had a wander around Miraflores the posh neighbourhood taking in the funky coloured buildings and sampling some of Perus culinary delights.Thursday 8thHaving arrived in Peru we wanted to make use of our full day in Lima so headed off early to the zoo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-443790.html Time is running out. I need to be in Buenos Aires in just over a week and I have still to do possibly the one visit which everyone who comes to South America does Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail is one of the ways to get to Machu Picchu but this is very expensive and currently has a waiting list of at least four months. There are alternative treks which you can do the Lares trek and the Jungle Tre http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-442308.html As we arrived in Cuzco i was feeling a little ill not really sure if its mild altitude sickness a bug a fever or just feeling rub down i have not really been on top form since I arrived in South America. On our first night we all went for a beer in an irish bar on the main square inside you could have been in an Orsquoneils with the wooden panelled walls littered with memorabilia i looked http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-441760.html The small friendly town of Ollantaytambo was easily my favourite stop along the Sacred Valley with its impressive Inca fortress stunning views and grid like Inca town planning it was a fascinating place to spend a day. The Inca Emperor Pachacuti built a town and ceremonial centre here when he conquered the region in the mid15th century and the rebellion leader Manco Inca later retreated here in http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-441280.html Ok so I know it has been a while. But look Pictures And more will come later. After leaving La Paz we headed to Lake Titicaca where we spent a night in Copacabana and then took a boat to Isla del Sol a small island on this huge lake. We found a hostel for five dollars I think with the best view of the trip. Spent a really relaxing day walking around the island and doing not much of an http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-440829.html