Once the whole group had returned to Aguas Calientes we ate lunch together including our guide David before catching the train to Ollantaytambo.

The hour and a half journey was spectacularly scenic as the train followed each kink in the Rio Urubamba with mountains and views in all directions. Our ticket also included a hot drink and snack which was an added pleasure!!

Arriving at Ollantaytambo, the train emptied as it was the final stop and we got into a waiting minibus for the final 90 minute journey back to Cusco.

We arrived in the dark, shattered and in need of sleep but also hungry, the perfect conditions for a quick McDonalds before getting into a solid bed for the night!

30/11

Unsurprisingly it was a good night's sleep. Before breakfasting we each enjoyed a hot shower for the first time in days. After our exertions of the previous few days, today was to be a restful day, a great chance to do some necessary chores.

We left the hotel dropping off over 4kg of dirty washing at the launderette before heading to the post office. The time had come to send another parcel of goodies home. In time-honoured fashion the process was bewildering to us. A man who ran a concession store within the post office provided the necessary box which we filled and he taped securely shut for us before, at the actual post office counter, we completed the necessary paperwork and paid the fee (S/135) before waving goodbye to the parcel. A bit odd but a pretty smooth process nonetheless compared to other countries!

We then found a nice cafe for a drink (after our original choice had people queueing out the door). We didn't plan to eat but the menu was so extensive and cakes looked so good, we couldn't resist.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing, something that had been in short supply the previous 4 days.

At 7pm we met up with the rest of the group and went out for dinner followed by a bar and a club to celebrate the last night of the tour.

1/12

We were woken up early by voices in the atrium. Packing up our stuff we breakfasted and then checked out. We picked up our laundry and by coincidence bumped into the other group members. Saying goodbye as many of them made their way to the airport we walked the short distance to our new hostel.

Despite what we were told our room wasn't ready so we left our bags behind and visited the Machu Picchu museum where we spent a couple of hours reading about the scientific 'discovery' of Machu Picchu made by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and seeing a number of the artefacts (crockery, jewellery and tools) which were found at the site. A really interesting museum!

We visited the supermarket together with a couple of other shops before again spending the afternoon chilling in the room, catching up on the journal and chatting about the rest of our trip until our stomachs got the better of us.

A couple of streets away we found a local restaurant and ordered a late lunch/ early dinner of churrasco and lasagne. Good food, good location.