Still blogging from a boozer in La Paz!!
We stayed in an airbnb apartment for two days when we arrived in Cuzco in order to arrange our solo expedition to Machu Picchu. We rented tents and sleeping bags. We didn't want to do "classic" Inca Trail because it's not permitted to do it without a guide and essentially following them or the person in front - no adventure in that! We took and map and a compass and followed the "Salkantay route", which took us to over 4600 metres.
The altitude was more difficult that either of us thought it would be. Ascending at that altitude was extremely tiring and we struggled to catch our breath.
After returning to Cuzco from Machu Picchu we had booked a hotel for another two nights. We had a flight booked on Christmas Eve to La Paz, but after five hours in the airport the thing was cancelled. Fortunately we managed to get cheap digs for another night in Cuzco and managed to fly here yesterday (Christmas day) to our rented airbnb apartment.
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| The entrance to our apartment in Cuzco |
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| Cuzco is a typical South American city, poverty is rife |
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| Plaza de Armas |
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| Plaza de Armas |
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| Cuzco |
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| We meet up with a couple from the UK. This doesn't often happen, usually we're the only gringos in town, but we knew we'd meet other English speaking people here, as everyone is en route to Machu Picchu |
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| I took this 'selfie' as we were about to leave on our 4 day hike to Machu Picchu at 4am. We took a "colectivo" to Mollepata - a two hour trip. |
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| The nightmare begins! |
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| Rain looms.... |
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| A dead snake |
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| Mount Salkantay snow covered in the background (over 6000 metres) |
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| Face-off with a bull! |
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| Oh no!! The rain looms again |
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| I lugged this bottle of wine with me and was almost too exhausted to drink it. Pic taken from my tent - as the rain falls.. |
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| First night on our expedition, it got a lot worse as the rain continued and we got wet. Lots of snow on Mount Salkantay! |
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| The next day we reach our maximum altitude, then we get very wet... |
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| We get drowned |
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| Thankfully we manage to get beds at a campsite on our second night, and dry our gear off. I'd been wet through for hours and could have been in trouble if we'd had to camp in tents under no cover... |
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| The other option at the camp site - pitch your tent under cover |
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| We continue the next day, and get lost after an old local guy gives us the wrong directions! |
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| We get to a tiny community in a place called La Playa - there was no beach!! |
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| We have a meal and the owner's wife offers us a free space to camp. This is the 'before' picture... |
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| ...and after we pitch the tents - we were exhausted. Night three. |
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| Craig with the owner of the "restaurant'. He spoke no English and very little Spanish, the local language is Quechua. |
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| After a short taxi trip we set off for Aguascalientes. |
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| We spend the night in a hotel in Aguascalientes then climb to Machu Picchu the following day. |
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| After 1200 steps we arrive at the entrance to Machu Picchu. |
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| Fortunately this cloud clears. |
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| Tamest lamas on the planet! |
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| I crapped myself as this lama seemed to almost pose for this pic! |
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| I'd expected to see more of this type of stonework |
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| We get back to Aguascalientes and pick up our gear... |
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| ...before walking along the train tracks back to the hidroelectrica and getting a colectivo back to Cuzco. |
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| We have lunch and all of a sudden the 'vendors' start moving stuff, then this train goes by! |
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| It was moving at speed! |
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| En route back to Cuzco. |
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| The driver buys coco leaves to chew. |
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| When I took this picture I thought it would be our last night in Peru, but our flight the following day was cancelled and we spent Christmas Eve in Cuzco. |
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