Aguas Calientes is set up for the hordes of people day visiting the Machu Picchu site and for the midges that feed on them. These little insects bite anywhere and everywhere, including through fingernails, we were glad to leave. The train back to Cuzco unfortunately was a night train so we missed the scenic trip back along the Urubamba River. Two nights in Cuzco then it was onto Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon.
It all started omoniously after being removed from the plane because it was apparently overloaded. I hope that the the weight of two people isnt that critical to a plane flying or not. All ended well with both planes landing safely, i have learnt to expect this sort of thing in Peru. We couldnt help thinking though, which plane would crash. Puerto Maldonado has the feel of a real frontier town on a tributary of the Amazon River. Motorcycles are the preferred mode of transport here as well as motorised canoe. The ride to the lodge took 45 minutes downstream, the river running high and full of debris following heavy rain. The eco lodge has a wonderful setting timber huts with big open windows and mosquito nets covering the beds.
Activities are planned out by the guides, unfortunately they try to organise you within an inch of your life. From early morning wake up knocks for no apparent reason except to annoy. Luckily the sounds of the jungle usually woke you before the sounds of the humans. The walks we were taken on unfortunately had a decided lack of animal life, except for some bird life and the bats stapled to a branch. One thing that baffled us was where are the mosquitos? then we found out daily the place was sprayed with some chemical which made all your textiles smell of mothballs. More wildlife was seen around the resort, than on the tours, the daily chorus of monkeys, huge rat like animals and the resident Tapir. The resort is a wonderful place to relax but you have to learn to say no to some of the activities.
Over the next 3 days we ran into Ted and his wife from Contours the agency we booked all our trip with. A great bunch of guys from California and Washington and a couple from the UK whom we had a laugh with. When it came time to leave i couldnt believe how fast the whole month had passed, it was time to return to Lima and goodbyes. Time to continue on south.
