We arrived in Cusco (by yet another bus), the ancient Inca capital of Peru in the late afternoon of the 6th June. The City centres on the main Plaza de Armas and seemed to have perpetual parades - When we arrived the feast of Corpus Christi was being celebrated, thousands of people thronged the Plaza and huge religious statues were being carried aloft by teams of hefty men.

Adam arrived on the early morning of our second full day. He had flown from Heathrow via Amsterdam, Panama and Lima, 30 hours travelling without sleep. He would be very tired and the altitude of 3300 metres would likely have a serious effect on him - but he had a plan. Along with Dan he spent the entire afternoon in "Paddy's" which claimed to be the highest Irish owned bar in the world (11,000 feet asl) carefully balancing his intake of the local alcohol with the altitude factor until an equilibrium was achieved. Finally, after 40+ hours without sleep, he went to bed, body clock fully aligned with the Peruvian timeline.

Kath, an English/Australian we had met in Sucre turned up with Dan's glasses (he had left them in La Paz) which she had collected on her way through. The four of us set off by local bus to Pisac in the Sacred Valley - A major Incan site. We spent most of the day exploring the ruins which were spread out over a large area of mountainside with a plunging gorge on either side (these Inca boys liked to be up high). The walking and climbing at this altitude was exhausting but fascinating. Back to Cusco by taxi, a decision made after seeing the crashed skeleton of a bus and the one and only local ambulance ferrying injured passengers from it.

Next day we set off early in the morning on our "big event", a four day "bike-trek combo" to Machu Picchu with our group of 12, collectively called The Family. The first day involved driving up to 4300 metres with incredible views, then getting kitted out with our bikes and gear (body armour, roller derby style) for the 55km downhill cycle with loads of hairpin bends and sheer drops. Took 2 hours and was really great and fast - Heather was very nervous before we started but enjoyed it thoroughly (she made it to the first checkpoint in first place behind the guide) ….. We finished at about 1500 metres and after lunch Adam took the white water rafting option while we settled for a few games of pool in our hostel.

The second day was our most difficult, about 10 hours hiking through the mountains along Inca trails (though not the expensive tourist one). Narrow paths with sheer drops, climbing to breath-taking heights and down into river valleys and back again. Nearing the end of a very tough day we had to cross a gorge in what they had referred to as a "cable car" - It turned out to be a metal tray on pulleys that took three people at a time - One either side to balance and one in the middle to lean left or right, correcting any imbalance. This contraption was then pulled across the gorge manually by rope - sitting hundreds of feet above the valley floor in this makeshift transport is nature's most certain cure for constipation. We finished our trek in the dark across a rocky dried up river bed …. And were rewarded with being allowed to relax and swim in a natural thermal pool.

Day 3 started with "Zip-lining" where we hung from taut steel ropes stretched out across the jungle valleys several hundred feet in the air. There were four lines in all, stretching in excess of 3 miles, the longest one being a mile and a half - The longest in South America. Heather was nervous at first but as usual rose to the occasion and flew like a bird. Adam was last to go and just as "the family" were thinking he had "bottled out" he flew across head first in a Superman pose. The rest of the day was an easier hike along a picturesque railway track to the town of Aguas Calliantes (hot water) at the base of Machu Picchu.

The last morning we rose at 4:00am and set out for the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu - Adam and The Family climbed the steep, 2km and 1700 steps to the entrance ….. but it was raining so we caught the bus (wimps) to the top and watched the climbers appear totally exhausted and dripping with sweat. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley which is 80 kilometres northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti(1438-1472). Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca civilization.

The Incas built the estate around 1450, but abandoned it a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham.

Since the site was not known to the Spanish during their conquest, it is highly significant as a relatively intact cultural site. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll.

The area it covers is huge and once again involves extensive walking and climbing to explore but it is well worth the effort. As you stand in the remains of the city, set high in the Andes and shrouded surreally in cloud, it is impossible not feel the presence of an ancient force and a sense of powers beyond our understanding.

More mundanely, the location of the city, the sheer size of it and the advanced building techniques employed leaves one totally awestruck as to how it was physically achieved and we felt privileged to have been here.

On the way back to Cusco we spent the night in Ollantaytambo where nothing has changed in the last 700 years of this cobblestoned Inca Village. The next day we explored the massive fortress before taking two local buses back to our Irish pub in Cusco for much needed refreshment.