Getting ready for the Inca trail, Coca tea, Cuy and Alpaca

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So after another VIP night bus with Cruz del sur, we arrived in the city of Cusco. The bus journey was fine and we got a taxi to our hostel for the next 3 nights while we acclimatise to the altitude before our Inca trek.


The first day we took a slow walk around the town, it seems very nice. We seem to both be coping ok with the altitude, just a little out of breath when walking up a hill. For dinner we headed to an Indian restaurant called 'Korma sutra' very enjoyable. We had curried alpaca which was cooked very nicely, very tender but unfortunately they had run out of tandoori guinea pig.

Day two we went round the markets and had lunch at the food market. Here we had potato soup, which was filling and cheap. We then had the local trout with potatoes also enjoyable all washed down with a freshly made fruit juice.In the evening we headed to a Restaurant called 'pacha papa' here we had to start alpaca kebabs which were very tasty and a starter of stuffed mash potato, also tasty. For main course we had the the special of confied Guinepig or cuy as it is called here. We also had some more of the local trout with more Andean potatoes. I'm defiantly getting my fill of potatoes!

Day three we slept in then started sorting the bags ready for our trek. We are only allowed to take 4kilos each plus day bags. It's hard to pick what we will need and what we will not need. For lunch we went to a restaurant called 'muse' here we had a selection of appetisers, yuka fries, wings, nachos, hummus and trout brochettes. All very yummy.

In the evening we headed to our welcome meeting with llama path. Here we met the other 14 people we would be trekking with for the next 4 days before we get to Machu pitchu and out 2 guides Marco and David. Marco spent the next hour going through what we would be doing for the next 4 days, when we would stop for lunch, how far we would walk each day and were we would camp each night. I am now excited about the trek but still a little nervous if I will be fit enough to complete it?We went back to the hostel and finished packing up and tried to get some sleep as we are meeting the group at 4am tomorow.

Cusco has been good, lovely weather, fingers crossed the Inca trail will be just as good?...

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