Geo: -0.223151, -78.5127Today was mostly a very long travel day with an early start to the airport, where we were faced with a delay, meaning we arrived into Quito later than we had planned. On arrival, the immigration process was quite long-winded, joining three different queues to check passports, collect baggage and finally scan our bags and clear customs, so when we finally arrived at our hotel, we were weary and ready for some chilled out time.Our journey from the airport had taken us past some lovely scenery and into the clean capital city. Ecuador already feels like a more affluent country - the airport facilities being more sanitary and organised than the neighbouring capital of Lima, and from what we have heard speaking to other travellers, we will find the same in the city itself.When ... read more

Geo: -12.0931, -77.0465Warning, it's a long one, but we saw so much and met so many people! We kicked off this morning by saying goodbye to the last few members of the group, before embarking on what was set to be a fascinating tour into the local life of Lima, a side to the city rarely seen by tourists. Our driver and enthusiastic guide, Jimmy, picked us up and drove us out of the affluent tourist area of Miraflores, to the port of Chorillos, an one of the working class suburbs of Lima. Without warning, we were surrounded by tuktuks, small motor taxis that we had not experienced this far on our travels in Peru. Jimmy explained that the are not allowed into the areas of Miraflores of Barranco, as these are classed as the upmarket ... read more

Geo: -13.52, -71.99Our body clocks have now made sure that each morning, between 6 and 7, our eyes ping open and we are ready for the day. So, after an early breakfast, we headed out back onto the pretty streets of Cusco, the morning sunshine filtering through the clouds. After a short walk, we found ourselves in the main square - Plaza de Armas, an elegant open space with grassy areas, a colonnaded walkway around the outside, with bars and cafes, their balconies overlooking the scenes below. On two sides, the cathedral and a series of equally imposing churches cast the cobbles into shade, while mountains rise bending the owner level buildings on the other two sides. In the centre of the square, a statue of Tupac Amaru, a local man who ferociously fought off the ... read more

Geo: -13.1628, -72.5158"Will someone please tell the cockerel that it's not light yet?" Were pretty much to he first words that everyone uttered using being roused at 4am, the insistent crowing going right through until our meeting time of 9am, a wonderful long lie-in pretty much destroyed by the fabulous fowl. However, after a simple breakfast, we were ready for our long day's activities to begin. Our first stop, after ambling through the narrow cobbled streets, almost deserted at this time of the morning, our only company a stooped woman in traditional dress who was hauling a huge bundle of grasses on her gnarled back. Huge blocks of stone marked the entrance to the Inca house we were here to visit - one leaning doorway the entrance to the home housing 5 different families. On hearing ... read more

Geo: -13.52, -71.99Following an incredibly early start, we devoured breakfast and whizzed through the nearly empty streets back to Lima airport, where, after a truly efficient boarding process, we took off for the short hop to Cusco. The bumpy plane journey flew us over incredible mountain scenery as we skimmed the top of the Andes. The sun was climbing higher in the sky as we began to descend through the pillow-soft cloud into Cusco airport - jagged peaks undulating for miles to either side of the plane, coloured into gorgeous shades by the ever shifting sun.After the damp cold of Lima, it was a welcome relief to step of the plane into beautiful sunshine and temperatures requiring more t-shirt and shorts than the thick winter jacket we had been wearing on the streets of Lima. Our ... read more