We awoke at 4.30 am after about 5 hrs of restless sleep - likely due to excitement of what was to come. We set off at 5am with our head torches and supplies of water and snacks to start the 90 minute ascent to Macchu Picchu - initially a 30 minute walk out of Agues Calientes following the river and then a 60 minute climb up steep steps all the way to the top. The plan being to arrive as soon as the site opened at 6.30 so we could experience it with less tourists....

The Sacred Valley of the Incas; Canadians, Brits and a Serb on a bus. Today we travelled from Cusco to Pisaq, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and finally onto Aguas Calientes, a small town just outside Machu Picchu. Along the way we digested more information about the Inkas and their culture which was very interesting. However what is equally as interesting is the people you meet on your travels. Tours tend to throw together an odd combination of people, people that you ...

Today we have been learning all about the Incas! The day started with a trip to the local bus station to buy our tickets for the night bus on Saturday to Puerto Maldonado and the jungle. We are lucky they have just completed building a tarmacked road - previously the journey would have taken 18 hrs on dirt track and I am told was not for the faint-hearted! In comparison our bus company is apparently as luxurious as it comes with fully reclining seats and loads of...

Oooo my head... Oooo my belly. These have been the two most commonly used phrases over the last 24hrs by Ju and myself. I had felt a little off colour yesterday even before steeping onto the plane and I knew the altitude would only make things worse upon our arrival at Cusco. I had gone to bed early last night feeling shivery and cold to the core. Ju kindly popped out to fetch me a pot noodle for tea which soon warmed me up and had me feeling better in no time. ...

Yay....finally I'm allowed on the netbook - have booted Scott off! Well we've arrived in Cusco and it is certainly not a disappointment. It is everything Scott had said and more - a mix of heavy head and body and slight breathlessness from the altitude, quaint and characterful alleys with cobbled streets, women and children selling just about everything you can think of out of alpaca wool, being stopped every 10metres to be asked f you want to buy a massage- guin...