On Thursday we caught the train to Aguas Caliente (the closest town to Machu Picchu). The train has windows on the roof for optimum viewing of the scenery we passed through including the Sacred Valley and alongside the Sacred river. Unfortunately the air conditioning wasn't working in our carriage and with the sun beating down through the roof windows it got really hot, the thermostat read 35 degrees when I checked plus the train was constantly stopping to let other trains past so instead of it taking 3hrs it took 5hrs!!!
When we arrived we were supposed to be met by the hostel rep to walk us to the hostel as Aguas Caliente is a town with no roads/cars as its so small. The rep didn't show up so we got instructions on roughly which way to walk towards then used our Tucan map but surprise surprise the map was inaccurate and our hostel was 2 blocks further than marked. Once we got there we were just happy to have a shower to cool down then go get some lunch.
We had been warned that Aguas Caliente was expensive so we picked a place that had a fairly reasonable menu option which I had stuffed avocado, spaghetti and for dessert we ordered caramel pancakes but when they came out they were two tiny piklets so we ordered more. We were so surprised when the bill came to PEN34 / $13 once they had added on local tax (which they include in all the other cities), drinks and the extra piklets. Cheap for Australian standards but in Peru that's more than triple what we'd normally pay.
When we were waiting to settle the bill we saw the people who did the Lares Valley Trek walk past, I was so excited to see Jessie-Mae!! They were so sunburnt and exhausted after trekking through snow capped mountains, after they settled into the hostel we headed to the hot springs which is how the town got its name (Agua means water and Caliente means hot).
There was multiple pools all at different temperatures. When we first hopped in the pool we were called gringos (white people), we weren't the only westerners but we definitely stood out. There was one creepy man in particular who stared at us the whole time and even changed pools every time we did. We even spotted him in the background of some of the photos that were taken.
In the hottest pool the whole pool was full of men lined up against the wall so we had to go in the middle and it felt like we were on show. It was uncomfortable but not enough to make us leave. Plus the ones who had done the trek really needed to soak their muscles.
We got an early night, well tried to, Jessie-Mae and I stayed up way too late talking about the past three days events.
We had to get up at 3:30am so we could get to the bus station by 4:30 so we could line up any get the first bus which left at 5:30, reaching Machu Picchu at 6am when the gates opened.
It was so foggy we could hardly see anything going up the mountain so when we got in the gates we headed to the bottom of the ruins and even though we couldn't see too much it still took my breath away. So many terraces and ruins that are in such good condition. Also when we first entered there was hardly anyone in there which is unusual compared to all the photos I'd seen and considering more than 2,500 visit Machu Picchu every day.

Our guide was really informative and I'm glad we didn't do it without him. As the fog lifted we were even more amazed. We got some really great photos with and without the fog.
It was quite cold when we first arrived but as the fog lifted and the sun came out it got really quite hot and we had to slather on the sunscreen as we were all so sunburnt already.
We climbed all the way to the top which was so hard with the altitude and the millions of stairs but the view certainly made up for it. Got some great photos from the top. That's where our guided tour finished after 3.5hrs. Some of the guys wanted to climb to Sungate to see it from another angle so they went off to do that while Karen and I soaked up the atmosphere and took in the view. Although we got eaten alive by the sand flies. No one mentions the sand flies until after you've been there and come out with bites all over your legs.
The people who had done the inca trail came down through Sungate but because the place was so massive and so many people we only ran into one person.
Machu Picchu really was incredible beyond words and it was surreal being there after dreaming about visiting it for so many years. Talk about living the dream!

After Machu Picchu we grabbed some lunch then hit one of the many bars that had happy hour 4 for 1 (shame the 1 drink is so expensive in the first place). The Belgiums and I sat in the bar drinking all sorts of cocktails and playing jenga then we started playing a game we made up which required us to learn the colours in Spanish. The barman thought we were crazy but utterly entertaining! Funnily enough I know all the colours in Spanish now, even after I sobered up.
We met up with everyone to catch the train back to Cuzco.