Arequipa It was quite a relief to get away from our crazy Colca Canyon guide, but a shame to find ourselves in yet another sprawling city. Our hotel was right next to a fly-over, but it was a 1936 villa with a lovely garden, with tables and chairs, which was a nice surprise. The main plaza and surrounding area was actually really nice, and very clean, with a fountain in the middle, a huge cathedral all along one side, some palm trees, and some pedestrianised str...

Chivay and Colca Canyon It was strange to be back on board Frank (the truck) again after 9 days apart,       and with several new parts and a working fridge, we were 'good to go'. The road to Arequipa was a good test of the repairs that had been carried out, as it took us high up into the Andes again. From the point where we were picked up in the minibus, the road climbed to a high pass at just over 5,000m and we felt the familiar light headedness and breath...

Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon Jungle After a nice relaxing day in Cusco, some shopping, a good team meal and maybe a couple too many Pisco Sours, we set off early the next morning for the airport, and our flight to Puerto Maldonado, gateway to the amazon jungle. It was a bit frustrating, as our 45 minute flight was delayed by two hours, and there really isn't that much to do at Cusco airport! Once we took off, we flew out over the Andes, and before long we w...

Machu PicchuAfter the Lares trek, we travelled to Aguas Calientes on the 'Andean Explorer', very much a tourist train, with a piped cd playing really awful pan-pipe cover versions of 'Guantanamera', the theme tune from 'Titanic' and 'El condor Pasa' over and over again until everyone was groaning! On the other hand, the scenery was stunning, and the train had a glass roof so we could see the snowy peaks above us and the rivers and valleys below. They also came ro...

Cusco and the Lares TrekCusco, the ancient Inca capital, is a beautiful city. It has Colonial style buildings built on Inca stone foundations, narrow cobbled streets, an impressive cathedral, and colourful markets. Unfortunately, as the gateway to the Inca Trail, it is also VERY touristy. It has hundreds of outdoor clothing shops, and people thrusting leaflets at you from all directions trying to get you to go into their designer shops, restaurants or nightclubs....