Cuzco, the capital of the Inca empire and my launch pad for Machu Picchu. The city has a ski resort feel and around 350,000 friendly inhabitants. It is set in a bowl of mountains which gives it a cozy feel. During my first few days in Cuzco I visited some Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman, got a good view of the city from a christ statue which overlooks the city and ponced around drinking cappuchino in bars with balconies overlooking the impressive main square. I visited the cathedral which is absolutely massive and is awe-inspiring once you get inside. I also went to a convent called Santa Domingo. Here I saw the evidence of Inca and colonial presence. In the evenings I would go out to the local bars and clubs with Niki, Ken, John and other travelling friends who happened to be in town. In Cuzco you don't pay for drinks! People drag you into the bars and give you cocktails for free! They chase you down the street and it is absolutely mental! Its a great city but, as a tourist, you do get pestered a lot. I get offered all sorts of drugs even when I am sitting in the main square during daylight hours! "White widow my friend, you like weed, hash, pot, white charlie. Anything is possible for you my friend"! On Sunday I woke up at 0430am and got a bus to Ollantaytambo train station where I boarded for the train journey through the amazing sacred valley. On arrival in Aguas Calientes I joined a couple from Israel and a guide took us up to Machu Picchu. We went up winding mountainside roads for 30 minutes before walking into the lost city itself. The weather in the morning meant that you could not see the top of Waynapicchu but by the afternoon the view was perfect. We wondered around the ruins whilst being told the history before climbing up Waynapicchu for a spectacular view of Machu Picchu, the sacred valley and surrounding jungle. I forgot my mosquito repellent and got bitten about 20 times on each leg. I didn't have any idea that Machu Picchu was on the border of the amazon basin and that it would be quite so hot! During the bus ride back down to Aguas Calientes train station a small boy of about 12 years old ran down the mountain steps as we weaved backwards and forwards down the hill. Every so often he would appear and start waving his arms and screaming in front of the bus. By the time we had reached the bottom, the driver let him on the bus where we all gave him a tip for his enterprise. I got the train back to Ollantaytambo and then a bus back to Cuzco. I spent that night in the local casino where I won the cost of my bus ticket to Arequipa! Sunday was a long 22 hour day but something very impressive. Next destination, Arequipa, is a 12 hour bus ride to the south west coast.