Machu Picchu

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Well what a day - Machu Picchu was awesome! We had a wicked day - I wil let the photos speak for themselves!

We decided not to do the Inca Trail - one it was bloody cold at night in Cuzco and our sleeping bags wouldnt have been up to it but the other reason was that the trail had suffered several major mudslides. Fortuantely we ran into some kiwis who had told us this and so we decided to flag it as you werent able to walk into the ruins - you had to walk into Agua Calientes (the town nearest Mchu Picchu) and catch the bus up just like everyone else - defeating the purpose really after hammering yourself for 4 days!

The tours groups were not telling people this until they had paid and were on the track and most got sucked in to walking the track and then having to waslk the railways tracks and busing up the hill and walking in like the rest of us - most as you can imagine were gutted!!!

Anyhow all in all it was awesome we all thoroughly enjoyed it - the train ride was wicked too we got to see some amazing scenery!!

Anyhow we are now in Puno now a town that sits by Lake Titicaca - we went our yesterday on a boat tour to the floating island of Uros and went out across the lake in a reed boat - we even ate some reed (photos to come - promise) and then to another island further out called Tacuilla. For those that have been there it was so much like being at Lake Taupo!!!

We are heading off today to Arequipa. . We are going on a canyon tour and staying over night - we are hoping to see Condors - yep Birds of Prey (hehe Nel this ones for Neil!!!!) The canyon is the biggest in the world.

We are having to flag Bolivia - unfortunately we have decided that we just wont have enough time given the distance that is required to be travelled to do all that we want too without rushing through and missing things in Peru so it will wait until next time !! The upside is though that we are going to change our flights and get an extra week in Argentina/Brazil - have heard some great stories and have decided an extra week will be all good!

Anyhow hope all is well at home - thanks to that have sent comments!!
Miss you all loads!! BTW to the parents we are all healthy again now - all systems are go properly again!!! Yay!!

Take care all,
Love lots
ShonL and Mike ...oh yeah and Gary! xxxx

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Photos

1
On our way to Machu Picchu - we had to taxi, bus, train, bus - this is the first bus on ur way to meet the train

2
On the train - the first one- PeruRail!! Yay so glad to get our butt off a bus for a while!

3
A view from the train - it was a perfect day - lovely and warm

4
Victoria Peak in the distance - the river is the Rio Urubumba - the train ride was spectacular scenery as we headed into the start of the Amazon Jungle

5
Machu Picchu - just amazing!

6
Us at Machu Picchu

7
All three of us

8
The Llamas started as three - now their are 14 - dirty old llamas!!!

9
Some of the city ruins

Comments

[Gavin San]

PeruaPooie
SnM, Awesome snaps !!! Wish I was there. U a da hav a drinka wiv da Inca? :~))

[Claire]

Wicked! we are about to book our flights over there for Feb next year - your pics have just confirmed it will be worth it!

[todd]

just checking out your photos from the grajegan office in bali...makes me only a little less jealous...travel safely lv yoad