Mon 14th - Thurs 24th October 2013 (Week 3-4)

Mon 14th & Tues 15th - We had a lovely overnight bus from Arequipa to Cuzco - nice big seats, good food, and individual tv screens with a choice of films, games etc ! And this time there was a digital display of the speed we were going, which was reassuring !

Cusco hasn't really changed too much over the 9 years since we were here. But the main difference we have noticed is how far the city has expanded outwards - the poorer areas have really sprung up on the outskirts, and there are many more buildings up into the surrounding hills, whereas before we are sure they were bare.

We spent a couple of days looking around the town again, enjoying the beautiful square, and looking in the shops. The exact same jumpers, gloves and bags that we bought last time are still around now but unfortunately our favourite restaurants were not.

Wed 16th - we started our 4 day trip into the Amazon - Manu National Park. We were collected at 5:30am, and had a long 12 hour day until we arrived at our beautiful jungle Bambu Lodges. We had a few stops along the way, mainly to have little walks along the jungle mountain road to kill time whilst we waited for 2 roadwork sections of the road to be opened to let traffic pass at certain times.
Even just walking along the road we spotted all sorts of birds, from humming birds, Pendulum birds, tucan, butterflies, c*** of the Rock, to Macaws.
It was stunning scenery on the long drive - going from the built up area of Cusco, to deep valleys, farming towns, quite poor areas where the houses were just made from mud bricks and metal roofs. And then once we entered Manu NP it became the Cloud Forest, with lots of beautiful jungle and a single track winding through the mountains with a few passing places every so often !
We really enjoyed our jungle accommodation - beautiful bamboo huts with mosquito nets over the beds and ensuite bathrooms ! But just netting for the windows so you still got a breeze and could hear all the insects and birds etc.

Thurs 17th - Our second day was a bit of a lie-in - until 6:45am. Had a walk around the surrounding area to see the local plants - pineapple, banana, papaya, cotton, coca leaves etc.
Another 30min drive, then arrived in the little town of Atalaya, and caught a nice wooden boat to our next lodge. Had a 2 hour walk on a local trail, enjoying the jungle and spotting various birds.
Then off to a pretty lake where we took a rickety raft that was half sinking across the lake, and then had another 2 hours walk in the dark, just using our head torches to watch where we were going and to spot anything alive ! Didn't manage to spot too much, but did see frogs, Wolf spiders, Scorpion spiders, and a large caiman !

Fri 18th - Third day was another early start - 4:45, and in the boat for 5am so we could get to the parrot clay lick before dawn. Unfortunately it was really misty, and although the parrots and parakeets came, they were very cautious and just stayed in the trees.
Another 3 hour walk before lunch and it was really hot and sticky and humid, but beautiful jungle.
Then in the afternoon we made our way back to Bambu Lodge, but stopped at an animal rescue centre on the way - which I'm embarrassed to say was probably the highlight of the 4 day trip for us !!
They had 3 beautiful macaws, a racoon, anteater, baby monkey, wild boar and its baby, tiny tortoise, a sloth and a capybara (a huge rodent, like a large guinea pig !) Amazing ! I got to stroke the sloth, and had a blue macaw on my shoulder !

Sat 19th - Day 4 was very long and laborious. We were up at 4:45 again, quick breakfast and on the road at 5:30. We should have been back in Cusco for around 2pm, but had 2 hold ups along the single-track jungle road. First one was a truck that had broken down the previous night and had just stayed there all night - so that took an hour for them to move it so the traffic could pass. Second one was police searching every truck for coca leaves ! There were loads of trucks with about 20 people piled in on top, with all the goods for market - potatoes, bananas, coca leaves etc. But there is a restriction on the amount of coca one person can have, so the police were just taking bag after bag off all the trucks. Quite sad to watch as all the women were getting upset and trying to snatch the bags back again, and the police were quite forceful.
Finally back in Cusco at 4pm, quickly got a 2 hour laundry done, and re-packed for the next 3 day trip !

Sun 20th - we headed off at 8:30 to do a day trip around the Sacred Valley. First stop was to Pisac Market which was row after row of all sorts of tourist souvenirs to buy - from silver, to rugs, to jumpers, hats, gloves, bags etc.
Then onto Pisac ruins which were really impressive - lots of Inca terracing, store houses, and their cemetery which consisted of holes in the cliff face where they put the mummies and treasures.
Quick stop in Urubamba for lunch, then onto Ollantaytambo for a tour of the Inca ruins there - also terracing, store houses, water fountains etc.
We had chosen to stay the night in Ollantaytambo instead of heading back to Cusco and we stayed in the brilliant Apu Lodge where we had a huge room with 3 singles and a double bed all to ourselves !
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the lovely little town looking at the market, Inca walls everywhere, and trying our first Pisco sour ! We really liked Ollantaytambo - it has a really nice atmosphere and would happily have stayed several days.

Mon 21st - Next morning we were collected at 5:40am, and boarded the PeruRail train to KM 104 to start our 1-day Inca Trail hike. We had 7 in our group with an age-range from mid-20's to mid-50's, so we were nicely in the middle. It was a lovely walk - 7km to where the 3rd day camp is on the 4-day Inca Trail, and then 7km of the final 4th day hike up to the Sun Gate. We didn't really want to do the entire 4-days again, but likewise didn't just want to catch the train directly to Machu Picchu, so we thought a nice 14km trek of part of the trail would be perfect. Fantastic views of the valley, river, mountains and Inca ruins alone the way. The trek started with brilliant sunshine and were all really hot, and then at 12pm we had the biggest storm I've ever seen, and the most rain the guide has experienced in his 6 years ! We all got completely drenched - including everything in our bags as well, and the thunder was the loudest I have ever heard - directly above us on the mountain !
Finally arrived at the Sun Gate but Machu Picchu was cloaked in clouds ! But as we gradually descended, the clouds broke, and we had wonderful views of the whole site.
By this time it was 3pm, and we were all so wet and cold, and hadn't had lunch, so we just boarded the bus down to Aguas Calientes to rest and dry out !

Tues 22nd - we were up again at 4:45am to catch one of the first buses back up to Machu Picchu at 5:30am. Had a few hours guided tour around the site, then spent until 12pm wandering around the site to try and appreciate it fully without being exhausted like we were after the 4-day Inca Trail !
Caught the 4:45 PeruRail train back to Cusco and crashed into bed at 10pm !

Wed 23rd & Thurs 24th - A final few couple of days around Cusco to catch up with things and just enjoy the relaxed city, before heading on another overnight bus down to Copacabana, Boliva.

Its been an amazing 3.5 weeks so far - we have done so much that it feels so much longer, but on the other hand the time has flown by. It hasn't felt too rushed so far, but still lots to see and do !