We had a smooth flight from Arequipa to Cusco.It was even better when the hotel picked us up . Unfortunately, Peter was crook and after organising the train tickets for Machu Picchu he went to bed and didn´t surface until the next morning, but well, which was the main thing.I am so glad to be able to write that altitude sickness avoided me this time. What a relief! I am hoping this means that all will be well from now on re heights.
We had a bit of difficulty organising the tickets for days and times we wanted for the BIG adventure to Machu Picchu and ended up with the two nights at Aguas Calientes option. That ended up being perfect for us as we joined Anne Marie and Ray on a bus tour of The Sacred Valley on Sunday and left the tour in the afternoon at Ollantaytambo, a small town from which trains also depart for Aquas Calientes.We caught the night train train there. It cut down on a lot of extra travelling over same paths to and from Cusco.
The Sacred Valley was again an area of great beauty and incredible mountains and very interesting ruins.There are many photos to record these places.....I wonder if the number of our photos of mountains and ruins will outdo the number of Therese´s photos of elephants!
On the train we met the French couple we had crossed the Ecuador-Peru border with in the bus, so stayed in the cheap, but adequate hostel they were in. The little lady that met them took us all to the office to buy the entrance tickets that night as it was closing, and it made a smooth start to the very early morning we needed to have to make the trip up the mountain.
We were on the second bus, at 5.40am and it was a great ride up the mountain, zigzagging along with astounding views.It was worth it to arrive in the serenity of that hour and I felt very emotional at the time. This was one the reasons we had travelled so far.....to be at Machu Picchu in the early hours of the morning.And it was all we hoped it would be! We had bought a book about the ruins and gradually explored them before the main throng of tourists arrived around 11.00.
We climbed the peak called Hayupicchu, but will have to check spelling, that overlooks the ruins and just enjoyed to sit and take it all in.Even had to use a rope to negotiate climbing a large rock.We also walked to the Inca Drawbridge, about 20 mins away.We feel now that when we see the ad with Mr and Mrs Johnson at Machu Picchu we know all about it!
One unexpected treat was to walk into one of the rooms and come across a family of four chinchillas. We have never seen these animals before. They are like a cross between a rabbit, squirrel and a chimpmonk. We didn´t worry them and they pottered around for a while then disappeared into the large mound of rocks there and one stayed up to sleepily keep guard.
We were very lucky with the weather and when we arrived we could see the snow capped mountains in the distance, which later were hidden by cloud.
We walked around the town in the late afternoon to observe lots of improvements being made. However, as the site is slipping at about a cm a month, there is talk of changes coming to limit access to Machu Picchu. This would be quite dramatic for this little place that survives on tourism.
It was good to get up early again and be on the 5.45am train back to Ollantaytambo and then a 5 sol bus back to Cusco to meet Anne Marie and Ray for a late breakfast overlooking the beautiful square.That night on the way to eat a small army band was playing and a troop of female soldiers, dressed in very European uniforms, much like those soldiers in toy sets are, practising marching routines. It drew a large crowd. At the end the women all went into the crowd and chose a partner and had a bracket of free dancing, that went on and on.
We changed hotels to Loreto Hostel which is right on the square , but on the corner of a laneway made from two Inca stone walls.
We have gone to the major sights here and today are trying to settle on what to do about a trip to the jungle, incorporating a visit to a bird clay lick.Peter is especially ruined-out and ready to get back to nature again.
