Machu Picchu

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Mon 7th Nov.
Can´t begin to describe the sights from the bus on the way to Cusco, just so very different from anywhere else. Wide dirt tracks for side roads and tons of people, tck tcks, etc. A bit of a panic when Jim and others got off the bus to buy some water and it took off without them, but it did turn round eventually. No surprise when the bus broke down (Ormeño Company NOT recommended) and we arrived at Cusco at midnight. Everywhere was closed, hotel not very good so first impressions were guarded.
Tues.
Found a lovely hotel with 2 balconies overlooking guess whet, so we´re back on track again. Beautiful city, narrow cobbled streets, surrounded by mountains, good cheap meals and good wine at 2.50 a bottle. Recommended restaurant - Inkaria, at the top of Saphy St. A lazy day, until we were accosted by 2 schoolgirls, wanting help with their homework. Answering the English questions was a doddle, but transleting it back to Spanish took over an hour and we´re glad we´re not around when the results come through. Do you think the teacher wil fall for it, John?
Thurs.
This is the day we set off for Machu Picchu, the whole point of coming to Peru and we´re very excited. On the way, we decide to go native and catch a local bus to Ollantaytambo. Boy, was that an experience, no chikens, but everything else. Again, spectacular scenery. We climbed to the top of the Inca ruins and saw where the Condors nest. Then on to the station to catch the Vistadome Train to Agua Calientes, where we are staying the night.
Fri.
Our guide, Jessica collected us at 6.00 a.m. (honestly) and we took the tourist bus up to Machu Picchu, along terrifying narrow roads with hairpin bends. We missed the sunrise but the place still took your breath away, and that was before we started climbing. Jessica was terrific and gave us a thouroughly entertaining history lesson, so when she left us at 11.30 we were loving the Incas. That all changed when we signed in to climb Waynapicchu, you know, that huge mountain overlooking Machu Picchu where all the idiots have their photographs taken at the summit! The climb up was bad enough, 2000 feet of hard slog on broken, narrow pathways, assisted at times by fraying ropes to haul you up to the next level. Then to reach the top we had to squeeze through a cave, and find a place to perch on the sharp edge of rocks to have the obligatory photograph taken. If we thought that was bad enough, it then got 10 times worse. We left the summit by "bumming" it down a shear slope and then going around the corner to find an almost vertical set of narrow, very narrow stone steps. We thought we´d taken a wrong turn, but no, that was the only way down. Truly terrifying! We were totally exhausted by the end of it, and if the photographs don´t turn out we´re not going back for more!
We caught the backpacker train returning to Cusco and picked up a lot of travelling tips from the kids we were sitting with.

Sat.
Looking forward to the rest - a leisurely 6 hour drive to Puno. Silly us - this is Peru. The bus finally left the terminal 1 1/2 hours late with just us two on board, but then 10 mins. later it just stops. We couldn´t find out why, but eventually 60 - 70 schoolgirls get off minibuses and pile onto our coach. Not enough places, so they are all over the aisle and down the steps. Thank goodness we had front seats! Off we go, only to stop half hour later for their lunch break. Keeping the bus in sight we found somewhere to eat and made everyones´day when we asked for knives and forks. They laughed at us and held up their fingers, so who needs cutlery in the sticks.
Bye for now, update tomorrow if we have time.

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Comments

[Linda Steele]

Worth reading
We are visiting Peru next week - want to learn what others have experienced. Love the climb to Waynapicchu - the only time I've felt this is really what it is like. Will look at the view, must remember. Thanks