6 months of travel, 6 countries. Nate came to travel with me for a week in Peru and celebrated my birthday with me. It was one of the best weeks of my trip - he lifted my spirits when I was getting burnt out, and he brought an air of good vibes with him. I´m now feeling rejuvenated to continue on for a while longer. Thanks bro!
So we met early in the morning at the airport and flew to Cuzco. After some heavy napping, we booked our tickets for Machu Pichu and had an excellent dinner with the best service I´ve recieved on the whole trip. The waiter spent the entire evening chatting with us and telling us about Peru. I guess we were some of the only customers there but still - he was so friendly and attentative! Usually I´m ignored for an hour and a half and have to get up to ask for the bill.
Next day we spent most of the day "ruin-hopping" in the Sacred Valley. We bought the partial tourist ticket and started at Tambomachay. Then we walked the 4km down the road, stopping at Puka Pukara, Q´enqo, and ending at Saqsayhuaman or "sexy woman" as the foreigners like to refer to it as. Nate was stopped twice to take pictures with people. We aren´t sure why, perhaps he looks famous?! So then we waited with all the locals for a bus back to Cuzco and let many pass because they were packed to the max, until finally we got lucky and got a taxi back. Another lovely dinner in the evening with traditional music and dance at the restaurant.
We got up early to get a taxi to Ollantaytambo. I warned Nate about the bumpy ride we were in for, remembering what it was like in Bolivia. We had a woman in the trunk pounding dough the entire hour and a half trip, despite the sharp curves and big bumps. Once again we were subjected to passing cars on the solid yellow line, when you couldn´t be sure another car wasn´t right around the bend. And once again, I cringed, held my breath and prayed for our lives everytime this happened. No one else seemed bothered. And we did eventually make it in one piece. In Ollantaytambo we walked up part of a mountain to see some old ruins, and I had to stop every 3 minutes to catch my breath due to the altitude. Then we had lunch at a place that turned out to be mostly veggie and not-for-profit, donating the money to help children in school. So we left feeling good about our choice of restaurant and then got on the train to Aguas Calientes.
At 4:45am we woke up, ate breakfast and checked out of our hostel with our backpacks and headed down to catch one of the many buses lined up for Machu Pichu. Around 6am we got into Machu Pichu and wow wow wow. The first time you set your eyes on the incredible ruins of the mysterious and ancient city, surrounded by mountains with the clouds looming over, it really does take your breath away. It´s one of those places where you could spend hours sitting and staring in awe, letting yourself become transported back in time, imaging what it would look like with the Incans bustling all about. We spent the entire day wandering through the ruins, catching bits and peices of what guides were saying around us and sitting - and breathing - taking it all in. It was truely spectacular. In the afternoon, thouroughly exhausted, we got a bus back to Aguas Calientes and hung out at a restaurant with free wifi and drinks until our train back to Ollantaytambo, and taxi back to Cuzco. We got back after midnight and practically fell into our beds.
Our last day in Cuzco we went market shopping and managed to fill an entire duffel bag full of stuff. Thankfully, this time I can say most of it wasn´t for me. Although, I still managed to crack and get a poncho and a few other things! At least Nate was nice enough to bring it all back home so I wouldn´t have to lug it around for the rest of the trip. Thanks again bro!
Back in Lima we celebrated me moving into my late 20´s by going paragliding. We also went to the chocolate museum, where we learned about chocolate and then ate some too, and then had a really good meal at a vegetarian restaurant. There was also some beer involved.
Our last day together we went downtown to get a tour of the San Francisco Monastery, where you can see catacombs under the church. Archeologists have estimated that over 25,000 bodies were buried there and they are still excavating. It was pretty cool to see all the bones. Is it weird that I think that´s cool? Anyway, we finished our evening with our last supper. At 4am Nate left for the airport. It was really sad to say goodbye - our bro-sis trips are always really fun. I´m glad my introduction to Peru was spent with one of my favorite people in the world. We were very well recieved everywhere we went. So far, the people here seem very friendly and helpful. So I´m flying solo again on the open road. Off to Arequipa tonight.
