Let me run you through some prices. Train from Ollantaytambo and return (11/2hr ea way) $86us Bus up the hill (20min ea way) $14us Hey surprise thats $100 Entry to Machu Picchu $43us Thats $143us or about $220 ausie dollars. Imagine a couple that would be $450. If they come from Cusco it would cost over $500 for a day trip!! Thats my cry out of the way, let me tell you about the reason for the last few days. You see Manco Inca was bashed up by the spanish at Saqsaywaman. He retreated to Ollantaytambo and stood his ground. In fact beat up the spanish. The spanish came back with more men and beat him up again so he retreated further into the jungle to his stronghold at Vilcabamba. Fast forward a few hundred years and Hiram Bingham was looking through the scrub for Vilcabamba and discovered Machu Picchu. He thought it was Vilcabamba so they started to clear the place. We now know Vilcabamba is actually at Espiritu Pampa and Machu Picchu is a totally different place. There is a heap of speculation about M.P: form a royal retreat, city of chosen women to abandoned before the spanish arrived. No one really knows its original purpose. So this morning it is ******* with rain and I checked my tickets to see if I could put it off. Bus ticket is valid for 3 days but entry valid today and no transfer. Best way to make it stop raining I bought a poncho. It stopped raining imediately and didnt rain again. Like everyday in Peru you just have to wait a ahile and it will come good. I was on the first bus at 5.30am and inside Machu Picchu at 6am. It was very cloudy but in some ways I think that adds to the pics. I went from the highest point to the lowest point, I left no stone unturned... pun intended. I think I got some good shots. The last place I went to was Intipunku, The Sun Gate.It took me over an hour to walk there and was a pretty tough climb. Half way there an old Japanese lady on a walking stick sprinted past me. She obviously hadnt done as much of the ruins as I had. Really I passed her but she was amazing. I had taken a few pics on the way up incase I didnt make it all the way but when I saw her I had to make it. Now sit back and watch the slide show, with special effects, there´s a few!!!