Today was a free day - but we would rather be in the Amazon now - it was more of the same and we needed animals and wildlife not shops and buildings! After breakfast, followed by packing and a much deserved Starbucks Caramel Macchiato we wandered around a 'more local' rather than touristy shopping area and had lunch overlooking a square. As we were ground level we had lots of people trying to sell us things from llama key rings to Peruvian hats all of which we d...

Today we decided to side step the city tour - we couldn't face another Inca site or church - preferring instead a day to ourselves. It also meant others who had lost their multi entry tickets could have ours rather than fork out for replacements. After a leisurely breakfast we sorted out the washing and took it to the laundry - 7.5kilos for 30 sols ( less than £7) We then wandered around the shops had a coffee and returned to the hotel. I decided I would go an...

I awoke with the alarm at 0445 - first time I have needed one for ages - I think I had become attached to the bed which was lovely after 3 nights in a sleeping bag on a thin blow up mattress. After breakfast, at 0600, we left to join the bus queue which stretched up the street - that said it only took 30 minutes for the queue to reach us and we were on the bus winding our way up to Machu Picchu. Passports and tickets at the ready we we were soon inside and looki...

We woke early, opened the front window of the tent and watched the stars and moon as they waned over the mountains; the first light caught Mt Veronica and just after 6am it burst over the mountains infront of us. Lucky we were awake as Dan, enroute to the loo tripped over our guy ropes - all we could see was the light of his torch heading towards us! All packed up we headed to the tent for breakfast but as it was so warm we sat there while they lifted it off for...

After an on off nights sleep - luckily more on than off - we woke at 5.45 and with the wind still whistling around the tent I was reluctant to get up, but needs must, so I quickly ran to the loo tent - it wasn't as cold as I expected - not long after getting back the guys arrived with the hot drinks closely followed by the water for washing. As it was very nippy outside we left our thermals on and ate breakfast with hats and gloves on - the water that they had l...