We decided to break up the journey from Cusco to Mancora by stopping in Trujillo to visit the nearby beach resort of Huanchaco. It wasn't quite what we expected although we did sample our first Ceviche (raw fish marinated in chilli and lemon) which was excellent. We found the only bar in town that was open, run by a Cornish girl and her Peruvian husband. We're not sure how, but Jona managed to befriend Huanchaco's richest resident (who didn't speak a word of Engl...

Ready for the off at 4am with our bag packed for the porter (there was no way we were going to carry it!) we were on the bus heading for km 82, the start of the classic Inca trail, Camino. We met our group over breakfast around a table in a field, a lovely bunch; Marco and Simoneta (the mad Italians), Tony and Judy) the super fit retired Brits), Kelly (I've just spent 60 hrs on a bus, now I'm going to walk the Inca trail - USA), Brian and Brianna (the honeymooner...

We arrived in Cusco earlier than scheduled (damn these Cruz Del Sur buses are good!). Still half asleep we let one of the eager touts escort us to a cheap hostel and after a power nap in our freezing room we went on the hunt for more sutiable accommodation. Accepting that Cusco is a tourist town we forked out a little more for a lovely hotel on a cobbled street in San Blas. Accommodation sorted we happily stumbled across Jacks Cafe and both got totally overexcite...

We celebrated the reduced altitude and increased heat by sunning ourselves on our roof terrace, soaking in the views of Misti and Chachani Volcanoes. We decided to stay put in Arequipa rather than rushing up to Pisco and Nazca befote our Inca trail in Cusco. Thankful for the extra time to relax we mixed seeing the town´s sights with drinking Cubre Libres on our roof terrace. The nunnery was definitely a highlight, we were both surprised at how beaudtiful i...

We reached Yunguyo, the border town to Peru, and walked across the border through the big archway. Without the huge cultural and geographical changes you get when arriving by air we only felt a slight sense of relief Bolivia was behind us and anticipation of Peruvian adventures to come. It suddenly struck us on the bus towards Puno that we only had a pocket full of Bolivianos and not 2 soles to rub together. Luckily the bus conductor knew of a hotel and what`s...