I'm writing this a week after I actually went, but things have been some what manic recently. So, i decided to take myself off for a week to travel around southern Peru. The other girls im with are all going on after they leave, so I had to go now and on my own before term started. Anyway....... I took the bus on Sunday to Nazca, home of the famous Nazca Lines...although didnt actually make it in one of the three seater 'planes', promised Dad id come home alive, so just pottered around Nazca. Was wierd being a loner, eating in a restaurant on my own, i looked like the kinda people who used to come to Rucola, and Id say ahh bless, let me go and sit with them!!! Anyway, took the bus on the Monday to Cusco, an 18 journey through the night,but absolute luxury bus...with bed seats and films, as well as food!!! free food!!! I thinkthe fact we travelled through the night was a good thing, as Peruvians seem to not slow down on any corner, let alone however many 1000's of feet up in the andes you are. I just closed my eyes and though happy thoughts!! Arrived in Cusco Tuesday am, and went to hotel. Was told to rest for 2 hours and drink lots of coca tea, from the famous coca plant!! The altitude feeling was wierd, and although I didnt feel sick, it was very ahrd to breathe, and I easily lost my breath. Spent the rest of the day pottering aaround cusco, stumbling accross an aladdins cave of a market.....asdangerous as it sounds. Bought every 'gap year tragedy' purchase imaginable! may even wear them on the plane home! jokes!! Next morning was up at 5 in order to get the train to Aguas Calientes. The train was full of aussies, for 4 hours we drove along through shanty towns, then all along the urumbamba river, passing through the jungle. The scenery was worth all the travelling so far. Utterly incredible. Aguas Calientes is the last stop before you go on up to Macchu Picchu. A little town with souvenir shops and the famous aguas calientes...or hot springs. The bus up to MP was another 40 mins, climbing higher and higher...then we waited for our tour guide and made the short walk up again to the top ofthe site. Literally, as if you were something out of a film, you turn the corner and then there is the most breathtaking site ever. I cant believe i wasnt gona bother going. Relatively small, but just awesome, hopefully the photos will be up soon. I even went in my Prince of Wales Top Rich and Fi!! We finished the tour, full of interesting facts (the incas were so say wiped out by syphalis!!), and made our way back to AC and then the train back. Next day was a 22 hour solid bus journey back to Lima....was really looking forward to coming 'home'as it had been kinda wierd on my own, but was a really cool week, and a must for everyone.