Peru and Bolivia (the business trip!)
Hola to all!! I am writing to update you about my recent moments in the above countries. Last update I had spent a very lovely month in buenos aires learning Spanish and I turfed myself out of a cosy home to get back to the traveller diet and guest house lifestyle for a couple of weeks. I flew over to Lima and then Cusco and arrived at altitude 3399 meters to this beautiful town. No blocks of buildings here, ancient streets, hills, cobbles, llamas, small women with funny hats and beautiful mountains surrounding me! Que Liiiiiindddaaaa!!! (How beautiful !) I hadn't slept over night due to the times of my flights so of course took a walking tour of the town with sleepy eyes and breathless body. It was great! However, i managed to develop a bit of a fever so had to hold off for one night on my trek towards Machu Picchu.
Mostly recovered I woke up at 4 am to begin what was now a 4 day trek over Salkantay mountain (6271 meters altitude!) which would end in Aguas Calientes, the feeder town for Machu picchu. Met a great group of people on my trek and walked probably 7 hours a day on average (I have to admit the most difficult 4 hours of the climb I piked out and took a very strong and stubborn donkey due to my previous illness/lazyness/knackeredness!!!) The views at the top of Salkantay Mountain were fantastic!!! It had snowed the night before so it really did feel like Mount Everest up there!!! I certainly had a new found respect for my crazy sister and her husband who scaled Mera Peak in Nepal for 21 days for their honey moon!!! I was knackered after just 4 days !! Rock on Em and James!!!
We stayed 2 nights in tents on the mountain side and the porters who hoiked all our stuff up began after our group and of course overtook us on route, they were amazing!!! The food was amazing too, popcorn and hot chocolate followed by a 3 course meal and all the coca tea you can drink!! The final day of the trek I took a well needed shower and we stayed in a very comfortable hostel right in the mountains in Aguas Calientes, beautiful. Next day up at 3 am and was supposed to see the sun rise at Machu picchu but it was cloudy so instead we watched the morning light bring the mist up over a very atmospheric view of the ancient site. Wow is all I can say. I mostly never think places live up to what’s in your mind but in the morning mist, surrounded by peaks I certainly felt the mystery of the place. The day brightened up and the sun came later and I hiked around the site, up and down staircases and paths, in and out of old buildings and temples. Really was a great day.
Returning to Cusco on the night train I left the following night bound for Bolivia. The only thing I wanted to do in the North of the country was to bike the worlds most dangerous road so La Paz here I came!!! What a buzz!!! 64 kilometres down, 20 on the normal paved road and 40 odd on the old road which is now mostly closed to traffic. If you like down hill mountain biking don’t miss this. Got totally soaked as it rained all day but who cares when you are zipping down trails with hundreds of meters drop to your left!!! Although La Paz is a crazy city with very dodgy toilets I actually quite liked it in the end. After a little bit of shopping and some coffee and conversations I boarded a bus heading back to Cusco where I fly back to BA. It has been an interesting couple of weeks but I am looking forward to returning and next destination is Hawaii!!! Bring me some sunshine!!!! Necicito a tan!!
Well folks, sorry to babble on but I am done now. Adios from the bus headed to the mountains once more and will update post Hawaii!!! Buenos Aires, the explorer is on her way!!! NECICITO DULCE DE LECHE!!!!! XXXX
