What a huge day of travelling. We left Cusco at 8.30 this morning and drove for a bit out to an alpaca wool weaving centre where they keep the alpacas, shear them, dye the wool with natural elements (like red from the cochineal bug that lives in the multitude of cactuses everywhere), and they weave it (with the pattern in their head) to make into garments. One of the men got spat on by an alpaca when it was having an altercation with the one next to it.

We drove on from there for a couple of hours (past many, many eucalypts, a theme that continued all day) out to the Pisac ruins - these were quite extensive and were the residences of the high priests and other upper classes. They also had a great water irrigation system working but when the Spanish invaded they destroyed it so that the important Incan people would be forced to leave the high grounds and become workers for the Spanish down on the low lands.

After that we went back down to the local Pisac markets where we had Andean Pizza Empanadas (tomato, cheese and onion in a type of puff pastry). These cost 3 Peruvian Sol each (about $1.25) - then we may have bought some more souvenirs!

The people are amazing - they really do wear those pleated skirts, colourful tops and black hats! They really do carry everything in a colourful blanket on their back. There are dogs everywhere - but I think I may have said that before.

We were pulled over by the police for a registration/insurance check. Our local guide said they have a lot of police women, because the men are corrupt.

After this we drove on for some time to the Moray Archaeological site to view the elliptical terraces. These terraces are pre-Incan and they are filled with a little soil, followed by some sand, some gravel and finally large rocks, to be perfectly drained. These people experimented with growing all sorts of food. Because they were protected by the natural depression they were naturally warmer. They grew asparagus there! (And that reminded me: how often have I seen "Product of Peru" on the fresh asparagus from Woolies?). The terraces cannot be used because the irrigation system created before the 1400s hasn't been repaired yet.

After this we drove on to the extensive salt ponds, which are maintained only by people of Moray. These salt ponds are fed by a tiny brook and the people cultivate them for a month or so to dehydrate and press the salt. This is only able to exist because these mountains used to be on the sea bed (they contain ocean salt, fossils and shells), until the two tectonic plates moved across each other and one side was forced up into the sky to creat the Andes.

We were amazed because we drove along many dirt tracks, totally off the beaten track, with no street signs to guide us, just the driver's knowledge. Bunniks are amazing, taking us to places many others don't go.

We then drove along the Sacred Valley, through a large town and continuing along the road. We then turned off the road and onto yet another dirt road, past little shanties. We were wondering where our accommodation would be when we suddenly turned into this gorgeous 4.5 star hotel grounds (with bottle brushes and melaleucas). Totally stunned all of us!

We were further stunned when we found that, along with the lovely couple from Newcastle (a Special Ed aide and ex electrician in a coal mine) we had been given an upgrade to an amazing tri-level suite.

We all met in the hotel's restaurant for dinner, where Tom ordered the Alpaca! It was very nice (he gave me a little taste) - similar to eye fillet steak. Quite tasty! I had Andean Trout. Quite a few of our group ordered and enjoyed the alpaca, getting revenge for when it spat on warren this morning!!

We need an early night tonight for tomorrow's early start!