We were excited about Cuzco and had done our research and looked into Hostels prior, so we jumped in our taxi and got the conversation right and he speeded off to our requested hostel. Little did we know that with all the bus strikes people had been stranded in Cuzco and all our hostel choices were full, luckily it was daytime and safe to wonder the streets loaded up like a donkey to search. We also had added protection a stray dog had taken a shine to us and followed us everywhere, even once we found a lovely hostel he wondered in I think the owner would of let us keep him if it wasn't for Hana's disgust in stray manky dogs!

The next day fully settled in and showered we had the fun job of exploring our new city, we had to find somewhere to eat which we are starting to get bored of now really want home cooked food! Then its the fun of traipsing around all the tour shops listening to the same trip being explained but only being interested in one thing PRICE!!! Trying to get a discount and ensuring you aren't about to be conned! Talking to tour companies we realised we need to make a quick decision as train tickets are hard to get hold off. We settled with a two day one night option which also included a little trekking, not quite the Inca trail but still walking at altitude! With our tour booked we were left to enjoy the plaza which was beautiful and wondered around looking at all the beautiful buildings and searched for more gifts that we promise we will send home soon.

Day one of our adventure to Machu Picchu

We awoke early sorted out our bags and waited patiently for our pick up. Again we waited and waited its horrible the wait keeping your fingers cross they do come. Finally a little lady arrived and walked us back to the plaza to meet our bus, wow is that what they meant by they pick you up from your hostel! We were the only English speaking on our little mini van and there was no room in the back so we had the joy of watching the drivers driving from the front! Little space for our long legs but the driver had good taste in music so we sang along, not sure he enjoyed our voices!

The drive was interesting it was extremely long, with short stops to the loo but the landscape was breathtaking in lots of ways. We drove along lots of long windy roads with tight corners, snaking our way up and down the mountainous area. The mountains looked like they had a green blanket covering them keeping them warn and snug. As we drove I saw a beautiful magical moment, a local lady dressed in her traditional bright clothing just sat on a rock in the middle of nowhere with mountains all around her just knitting some more clothing. Why she was there and where she had come from is unknown but it was amazing sight, wish I had had my camera ready! We passed the raging river that was fully with all the added rain water, it racing down created lots of swell it was a force not to mess with!

As we ventured closer and closer the driving got more and more ridiculous, it may be crazy driving but they do seem to know what they are doing and even in fog and tight corners it is fine to over take slow buses. Then came the crazy parts, due to it being their rainy season lots of water was cascading down from the mountains and therefore streams had taken there own paths crossing over the roads some deeper than others. We drove over small little wooden bridges with no sides over the raging river, you definitely needed to understand the width of your van how the buses passed I don't know. After 5 hours of swaying from side to side, bumping up and down on untarmacked road, passing over roads that I'm sure could be labeled the "world's most dangerous road" too and under cliff hangings we finally arrived for some lunch. We met our tour guide and were a little disappointed when he explained that there would be no tour guide to walk us to Aguas Calientes but if we didnt want the train ticket we could walk it ourselves along the train track. We used our heads and decided it wasnt safe and that we would catch the train even thou the thought of sitting down again scared our bums.

The train station was crazy, full of backpackers all heading to the same place. Lots of local people again with there hugh bags full to bursting with unknown items. It was interesting there were definite sections, there was a cart full with cargo a cart for the local people and at the very end was the cart full with backpackers. The train was bright blue with yellow writing, it looked very new but had an old style to it, you had to seat four to a booth in your twos facing one another your legs sitting knee to knee with the stranger opposite. The whistle blew and we were on our way, but from just outside you could hear the faint voices of a group of backpackers arguing who thought they had a tour that included train tickets but were being told they had to walk! The train journey wasnt the smoothest but hey we have got use to this kind of travel now and enjoyed the view from the window, watching the river and mountains and getting a little sneaky peek at the edge of Machu Picchu. The train stopped and chucked, reversed and slowly edged forward until we arrived in the little village of Aguas Calientes at the bottom of mountain to the famous Inca ruins.

Our tour guide still continued to command us around only in Spanish when we had tried to explain we knew very little and were promised he would speak English to us. We were shown to our Hostel and it wasnt the same as the Hostel promised but it was only one night and we could cope. We had a little time before our dinner so we grabbed our bikinis and went to find the hot springs for a little body relaxation. There was a definite nip in the air but if you ran quickly into the pools then it was fine, but after losing Hana's towel we had to do it in runs to dry and change as it was too cold to wait! We still had some time so we explored the little village trying on local hats and posing in different spots for photos.

Dinner wasnt the best and added disappointment when we were told that the trek to Machu Picchu was always done on your own. A nice guide spoke english to us and explained the route while our tour guide ignored us and our complaints. We were told we would need to wake at 4am to start our trek in the dark especially if we wanted the limited tickets to climb the mountain 'Wanapicchu'. It was 10pm and we realised we need to get some serious sleep pronto because nothing was going to stop us doing this trek.

Day two the walk to Machu Picchu

'Beep beep beep' the alarm was sounding, but it wasn't needed we were already awake as it appeared we were setting off late compared to others who had arisen at 3am! We stumbled out of bed, put on our clothes that were all laid out and grabbed our bags. Not a surprise but our guide hadnt left us our breakfast package so we set off with our sweets to keep our spirits high. We had no torches and it was pitch black, but must have had enough carrots because our eyes started to adjust slightly. It was obviously a normal trekk thou as we were surrounded by others all refusing to pay the bus fare or desperate to get those limited tickets, heading in the same direction luckily they had torches so we had some broken light to try and assist us in not stepping in every puddle. The sound of the river was much louder when there was no busy rush from the train or restaurants and most still sleeping.

We found the bridge to cross to start the ascent to the top. Took the right turning unlike other travelers we had heard that had missed the day before and ended up very lost. Climbing up hidden steps in the wet atmosphere desperately following others as it was still extremely dark and now we were enclosed in the forest area so no light from the moon. Every so often you would lose the step trail and have to follow the road around as it snaked up the mountain until you found others who either were starting the next climb or search with their torches. In a way it was sometimes easier for us to walk the road than the steps as they were irregular and steep, each step took twice as much effort and the altitude lack of oxygen was being felt throughout our chests. We kept climbing, overtaking some others that were struggling just like us but also being overtaken by those making it look so easy. As the sun started to rise we kept the struggle on stopping more and more often to catch our breathes, take on water, eat a few ironically called 'lifesaver' sweets and strip off some more clothes. The mist morning or gentle drizzling rain was for once actually really refreshing and without that it would have been harder. As soon as one of our spirits dropped the other would take over and motivate the duo to carry on to the next twist in steps. It was heartbreaking as you approached the end of a set of steps only to find another awaited you. You kept your ears tuned in to any sound that may indicated you were at the top, but the first sound we heard was of the buses that had started. But we kept going and the relief when we reached the top was so intense, I now fully understand that if you put the hard work in the rewards are much more intense than ever. All the bad thought during the trek, the times you wanted to give up all disappeared in a flash and excitement that you had done it was flowing throughout your body. Once at the top we realised that it had taken us 2 hours not bad but the queue was winding down the mountain and we knew then we had missed out on the special tickets but we weren't at all worried as there was no energy left in our little legs to climb any further.

We found our tour guide who conveniently had two breakfast bags ready, he insured us they were spare ones but we didn't believe him. Unfortunately we were met with more problems from our guide even after explaining I wasn't a student he still brought me a student ticket that I had to change and pay extra, but I had lost my English queuing manner and managed to push in saving us lots of time. We were then palmed off into a non organised English tour, which actually wasn't too bad for us in the end as there was only the four of us and Juan was amazing.

We walked in through the farm lands and was taking back when your eyes saw the massive stone buildings that formed a true community feel. Unlike the Maya ruins we had seen in Central America, the Inca ruins looked and felt like a village you could picture the stone building with there thatched roofs. We walked through the ruins being shown lots of little interesting buildings and areas. We saw were they collected the water for their homes and shown the public toilets, they used the waste to fertilize the farm lands. We were shown the homes some one story some were two but didnt have stairs inside up to the next level you would have to walk around the outside. All the kitchens were outside so not to set light to the roofs or belongings inside. We saw what happened when you died, you would be placed in little coves in a crouched position and worshiped for three days, there was a condor shaped rock that would have some of your blood placed on it to assist in your spirits being taken to heaven. They were clever the Inca's they realised you couldn't look directly into the sun, which they worshiped so they created two pools so that you could look into them and see the reflection. They also used this for looking at the stars. We bumped into llamas who were used to help cut the grass. We saw the Inca's (the King) quarters, which was the only home that had a unsuite toilet a hole in the ground! We saw the sun temple and other temples for there rituals. After our tour we climbed to the top and took the tourist picture you all know off Machu Picchu and then found ourselves a lovely little spot to park our bums in exhaustion. We sat there under our ponchos and ate our breakfast and snacks waiting for the sun to clear up the misty clouds. This never happened so we gave in and left to return back for the train.

We were so tired we couldn't imagine walking back down the mountain however we weren't sure we could part with $7 dollars to catch the bus down, but as luck has it for us sometimes we met some lovely old people who were about to start their descent, we tried to warn them but they seemed happy to do it and they even gave us their return tickets we were so grateful. It appears everyone seems to know someone or has a relative traveling so most are so helpful.

We found our not so helpful guide again and got our train tickets back and collect our van ready for the long trip back, although this time we would just KO on this van no matter what! When we arrived at the van pick up, our driver was not happy as majority of our group had decided to stay and so he only had three to take back we were excited as this meant we would have room to lounge out but oh no our driver had other plans and picked up a full van load plus backpacks this made the van very full!

During our time here it had rained constantly, not heavy but there was always a drizzle in the air, this had increased the flow of water cascading from the mountains. We suddenly arrived at a queue of traffic and our van driver been the crazy man he was wasn't prepared to wait patiently and over took until the reason for the delay was obvious...... there had been a massive landslide that had completely wiped out the only road leading out of Aguas Calientes. There were massive diggers already on the scene trying hard to move the rocks and mud but no sooner had they moved the debris then more replaced it, we had no choice but to wait. We waited and waited all getting restless, we wandered around excited by the action and thinking how this would make for a great blog entry and an adventure that no tour could match. However as the hours passed and with the JCB's appearing to make no progress we heard an awful cracking and crumbling sound with sudden panic stricking voice shouting in Spanish, we all jumped out to see what was happening to find to our horror the tarmac of the road opposite fallening into the river. Have a look at our pictures. Cars and buses were quickly moved to the opposite side to escape the danger of tumbling down the cliff side. You could tell that now there was a slight panic in our van atmosphere, was our road going to stay in one piece? As the night drew in massive tucks arrived carrying dirt to try and block and slow the river water flowing over the road to allow the traffic to pass. It started to work and slowly some trucks attempted the drive and were successful. We watched a similar van make the crossing which got stuck and needed the JCB's to push them across, once a crossed everyone was out of the van hugging, you could tell what had gone through there minds! Others in the van who saw this were not so sure of our fate and wanted to stop our crazy driver from passing, but he saw a moment for us to pass and there was no arguing we had to run and jumped and pray that one we all got in in time and shut the door and two that we weren't swept away. I think at this point both Hana and I had a little word and were extremely pleased that are confident crazy driver got us pass without any problems. After this high emotional outburst and our high energy day we quickly passed out for the rest of the journey.

We were woken up when the engine cut out and found ourselves being dropped off in the middle of Cuzco at 1am, luckily we had spent some time and Becki had her barrings we knew we weren't far and risked the 10min journey back to our safe hostel. We had missed our bus to Puno and were tired wet and cold so went straight to sleep.

In the morning we were really mad with our tour, we were promised lots of things that never came true, our guide was rude and horrible to us and never apologised just said it wasn't his problem. We had paid good money and were not about to be treated unfairly because they think westerner have the money, so we grabbed our stuff and headed back to our tour company for a refund. As we approached we found the guy who sold the tour to us and demanded to speak to him and his boss immediately. We remained calm and collective and stated our complaint to everyone, we spoke to the manager who hung up on Becki and we refused there pathetic refund of about 10pounds. We kept strong even when we realised they were making the guy who sold us the tour pay from his pocket, we were set on getting back $50 dollars, they continued to refuse and Hana decided to pay out her treat and went to get the tourist police, once they realised we weren't joking they soon asked me to stop Hana and gave us the $50 dollars. We were so pleased with ourselves for staying strong and standing up for ourselves even in a country we don't understand the language. After an hour or two of arguing we had missed several buses to Puno but we had 10mins to catch the next one so we jumped in the taxi, ran into the bus terminal and never being one to miss out on money they made us run to catch the bus that was already leaving. We flung our backpacks underneath and darted to the first seats free.... this was a big mistake!!

Our day of arguing was not over, as the bus started to fill with more and more locals we came unstuck the seats we were in had been sold to others at another terminal. We protested with them and demand the bus driver who had our ticket to come and find us and prove we had a ticket. We were in the wrong seats so were asked to move to our allocated seats which we did, however a guy was in one of our seats. There was a lot of shouting him in Spanish us in English, finally we think the guy was asked to stand up to let one of us in to the window seat but being the cheeky clever ones while he was standing Hana sneaked into the window seat and I quickly followed and the guy was left to stand and are only reply was 'non espanol senor'!!! It pays not to speak Spanish sometimes!!