Day 18: Lake Titicaca With an overnight bag packed, we all met in the lobby for our 8am pick-up for Lake Titicaca. We were introduced to our friendly local guide, Gido, who then led us out the hotel and a short distance to waiting rickshaws. Zipping through the town, weaving though traffic and flying down hills, the rickshaws delivered us to the harbour. There we picked up a few snacks and boarded the boat, a covered vessel with roof deck. Gido gave us a quick l...

Day 17: Puno Departing Cusco early this morning to head to Puno on Lake Titicaca, we boarded the bus for the 7 hour bus ride: a comfortable bus with enormous reclining chairs and some questionable movies on screens in the centre of the aisle. Stopping halfway for burgers and a toilet break, we reached Puno in the late afternoon. Not as pretty as Cusco, but full of charm as the hilly town looks out on the enormous lake. Far less touristy, the polished Main Street...

Day 16: Cusco At the end of our big night out in Cusco, Shan and Holly promised to wake me for breakfast. When the distant giggling calls came a few short hours later, in a groggy haze I answered the door, eyes barely open, hair a fine mesh of bed fuzz and a face that caused the two girls to burst out laughing. Nice way to start the day. The plan for the day: do as little as possible. After the elation and celebration of Machu Picchu, we were all a bit delicate...

Day 15: Machu Picchu Today was THE day. The day we'd all been waiting for: to see the infamous Machu Picchu site. Half our original group were going to be arriving into the site on foot after doing the Inca Trail. The rest of us would have to get up from our cosy bed in a hotel at 5am and get a bus up. Queues for the bus were as long as the street when we arrived there in the dark at 5:30, but thankfully moved quickly and we were on a bus weaving through the fo...

Day 14: Lares After an uncomfortable night, longing for morning, we were awoken for the last time with a cup of coca tea served in the tent. Breakfast came complete with cake to celebrate the end of the Lares Trek. In a rather grumpy mood from a bad sleep and a sick tummy, I trudged along with the group until we reached our first stop - an Inca ruin. Sun out in force again and strong even at only 9am, I layered down and lathered on the sun cream. A tedious less...