Before I knew, 5 days had slipped away without not seeing much more than a few streets of the city. This was despite there being a selection of supposedly interesting ruins outside Cusco, however I did make it to see the picturesque Pisaq (small market village) and to my credit, the almost daily rain made exploring more difficult (also frustrating).

While the rain put a dampener on Cusco (literally), time spent indoors was actually a lot of fun. It was fantastic to be able to spend time with some great people in the hostel. And many hours away from the rain were passed by sipping matè, playing guitar, music, cards and cooking some good food. Things could have definitely been worse. Having said that though, Cusco is a fascinating city. Dotted with amazing stonework, grand churches and Inca monuments throughout. Historically, it is one of the most significant cities in Peru, and maybe even the whole of South America. This of course reels the tourists in, however I expected to see many more than were actually there. It was also another chance for me to catch up with the homies from back in Aus (Blake, Mikayla, Adam) for a beer, as well as two Frenchies (Jeanne/Karini) for more cocktails and good chats. Cusco ended up becoming a time for relaxation, catch ups and lots of partying.

One of the main reasons to be in Cusco at this time was for New Years, and things kicked off pretty early in the hostel - with a huge feast of guacamole, bread, chips, cheeses and a host of other feeds. Adding to this was the variety of alcholic drinks (beer, vodka, wine, pisco etc) and a dose of Latin music ensured party times like no other. It wasn't until 1130 that we all decided to hit the plaza. All draped in stupid hats, glasses, decorations and myself brandishing a firework almost as tall as me, we raced to the central plaza, dancing and singing along the way, turning many heads etc.

We made it to the plaza just in time for the mayhem to unfold. A huge sea of people spilled out of the throng and began running around the circut of the plaza. With no hesitation, we all joined in, I was partnered with a Spaniard, whom was thirsty, and immediately began asking random dudes for a refill with unknown substances, like a marathon for alcoholics. Much care was taken to avoid the land-mines (huge amounts of fireworks) which were going off without warning, right under our feet. Eventually the running circuit subsided into a huge dance party in the centre of the plaza, jamming out to live bands. Yep, things are definitely done differently in South America. But I've never had so much fun.

I awoke the next morning, sore, dehydrated and a camera down (stolen or drunkenly misplaced?) and decided it was vital to replace lost fluids at the old faithful juice bar. I purchased a new camera (luckily didn't lose too many photos) and put it to good use, walking around the city and snapping a few shots of the many attractions in Cusco, including the cocoa museum. Surprisingly (or not), fireworks were still going off throughout the day and into the night, eventuating into another display later on. It got so crazy that it became a fire hazard to walk around in certain areas.

With plans for Machu Picchu in the works, the Frenchies and I bought some essentials for the trip (tent, ticket and water) and took an early night for the sure-to-be tiring journey to the town of Aguas Calientes in the morning. Cusco had nearly beat me into pieces, much to my surprise, given it's charming and peaceful first impression.