The One with the Disappointment in La Paz

We took a private bus along the shores of Lake Titicaca to the Bolivian Border, and headed through the quickest customs control I have seen!. All stamped and legitimate we headed on our way.

We stopped at Tiwanaku - the ruins of a Pre Incan civilisation. I'm not sure if it was our un-impressive guide, or more that I was expecting it to be on a par with the pyramids in Mexico, but the partial sand dune hill was rather a dissappointment!

To be fair the sun gate, and the one or two remaining monoliths were better!

From here to La Paz, the large metropolis which nestles in the hills. Like Lima, La Paz is dirty and grubby, and is full of markets selling everything from socks to Llama Foetuses on the street corners.

We headed out for dinner. Our last night all together before joining a new group tomorrow (although Jimmy, Yvonne and Fi will be continuing with us as far as Sucre!)

The next day we had a free day and headed round the city. We had an English Breakfast at an English Pub. Unexciting , you may think, apart from the fact that I had my first decent cuppa in over 2 months ( a pint of Tetleys Tea!) mmm!

We visited the Coca museum, and the Witches Market. Another diappointment - I was expecting a larger tarpaulined area of stalls selling the dried llama fortuses and other potions, but instead we had just a couple of tables outside a couple of shops - and not a broomstick or pointed black hat in sight!

That night we met up with the remainder of our new group - Melissa our leader, Roz and Terry (UK), Mary-Ann and Andy (USA), Martha (UK) and Robert (SWE)

Let the new adventure begin!

The One with the New Mum and Dad

Woozy start to the day, for the trip to Puno (shouldn´t have had the last Gin), but looking better than some members of our group who had been out until 5am.

The trip to Puno was uneventful, and we got ready for our trip to Late Titicaca the following day.

Our transport to the port was by bicycle style rickshaws. Apparantly it was not a race, but I´m sure the drivers hadn´t heard that rule. Ours was 2nd for the whole way but we got overtaken at the last stretch by those with lighter loads!

We bought our presents for the homestay - sugar, porridge, candles, rice, oil and colouring pens in case we have children in the family. Nikolas and I also bought pens, rubbers, paper etc, to hand out to any children we met on Taquile Island. You can´t give them sweets as there is no real dental care, so this they could use at school!

We boarded the boat and headed off through the algae covered water. A bit further out, however, the water became clear, with the distant hills reflected in it, as well as the ever increasing clumps of reeds. We sat on top of the boat, with the wind rippling our hair and the sun reflecting in sparkles on the water.

We rode for about an hour and arrived at Taquile Island. We went to the opposite end to that which all the other boats were headed, and walked throught the mediterranean-esque landscape. It was how I imagine the greek islands to be, with the hot sun beating down over the blue water as far as the eye can see, except for the emergence of the odd island here or there!

On this island it is the men who knit, and the married men wear a red hat (a bit like a decorative santa) while unmarried men and boys wear a simpler white and red hat. The married men also have a bag (Man Bag) full of coca leaves, which keeps them strong.

The women wear a large black shawl over their heads which has a pom pom on the end. The size of the pom pom determines whether or not they are married.

We had a lovely lunch (King Fish!) and headed back to the boat for another hour or so´s ride to Amantani Island, our home for the night.

We met our family, Maruja (Mum), Reuben (Dad) and our two teenage brothers Joel and Wilber. Nikolas was also staying at our house, and one set of grandparents also lived there. As we headed up the hill for our first glimpse of home Maruja continued knitting a hat. It was knitted circularly up like a cone, and the spare wool hung around her neck.

As the locals can't tell us apart (?!) we were all given a hat to wear, identifying us to our Mums!

We headed off to play football against the locals. As the boys were short I stepped in, and after a few bad passes instantly got told to mark the smallest child on the opposition, and even then I had to hold him still to stop him getting to the ball. I subbed myself off, but got subbed on again later in the game (through pure desperation)and was in goal. After a couple of spectacular saves ( or flukely making sure my body was in the way of the ball) I let in 4 goals in as many minutes, losing us the game. There is no glory being a goalie!

The boys continued and won the second game, so there was a golden goal decider which we also won. The first tourist team to do so!

We headed back home, and helped with dinner by shelling peas and cutting up a carrot. My limited Spanish and even less Quechuan made conversation difficult, but we got by, and having Nikolas there was like having our own personal translator. Nikolas, H and I also helped one of the boys with his English homework!

After dinner, we got ready for the party at the village hall. Mum dressed us in the local costume - two skirts heavily embroidered, an embroidered blouse, and a tight belt, which certainly held your stomach in but also your lungs! We also had a shawl to wear on our heads but I spent most of the night with it on like a stoal as it kept falling off.

We danced and we danced and we danced. Pan pipes rule ( maybe I exaggerate about the pan pipes, but the dancing was certainly fun), and before we knew it out mum was nearly asleep in the corner and it was time to go home.

The next day we said our fond farewells and headed back to the boat, for our trips to the Uros Floating Reed Islands.

These islands really do float, and are rather bouncy to walk on! We tried a bit of the reed, and looked around the tiny reed houses (one bed sleeps four, Charlie Bucket Style) before taking a reed boat to another island. Really amazing.

Then it was back to Puno for our last night in Peru!

The One with the White Water Rafting

With most of our party at the jungle, H, Martin, Susan, Grant and I had 3 days to explore the wonderful town of Cusco at leisure.

While we had been away there had been a thunderstorm and the local church to where we were staying had been hit by lightening, knocking the cross off the bell tower, which in turn broke the stone cross at the churches door. With hail also falling, one over enthusiastic Cusconean spread panic as he ran around the square yelling that it was the end of the world. I wish I had been there - the image still makes me giggle now!

We met up with Milly again! (fab night out at the Irish Bar) before, with legs barely recovered, decided to test our arms with a bash at White Water Rafting on the Urubamba River on a level 3 rapid!

Resisting the urge to say "does my bum look big in this!" in my wetsuit and life jacket, we boarded our dingy (thankfully not the one that got a puncture and had been patched up with duck tape), and had a chance to practice the commands of forward, back paddle, left back, right back, inside, and most worryingly rock side (the one where you fly across the dingy putting all your force on the side praying that it won't capsize!)

Prepared, we headed down stream for 2 hours of arm aching fun.

I had a great time. We lost one dingy member as we paddled upstream into a rapid, but he was an austrian wuss anyway and was collected by the safety Kayak and soon returned to the boat!

We also managed to change positions in the boat, so I spent the last part at the front with a face full of water, while H was given the opportunity to steer the raft and nearly sent us crashing into the rocks!

We finished the day with a sauna and a late lunch before heading back to town, where I was unfortunately used as a cushion by a japanese tourist with a lolliping head.

The next day we purposefully lost ourselves in Cusco and found the local market selling animal stomachs, live chickens, and most gross, the muzzles of cows complete with nostrils, teeth and tongues.

We also visited the cathedral where the last supper, painted by locals features a guinea pig as the main course. How the scriptures gets that I have no idea! Also a mural of Daniel in the Lions Den features the lesser known Monkey Lion. The locals had never seen a lion and could only draw what they knew. A body of a lion looking animal with a monkeys head!

That night we joined the whole group at the Cross Keys pub(!) to watch the rugby, but as they had advertised the time wrong we took advantage of happy hour instead!

The One with the Final Ascent

We set off at 4.30am - don't we all look awake! - and Jimmy decided to wake all those who had insisted on partying to all hours, waking us up last night:

Is this the Way to Machu Picchu (Sung to the tune of Amarillo!)

When the day is dawning

On an Incan Wednesday Morning

How I long to be there

Machu Picchu waiting for me there.

All across the jungle (ba ba ba ba ba)

Hikers passing by (ba ba ba ba ba)

In a race to get there

To see the Sun Rise

Is this the way to Machu Picchu?

I've been walking for days just to see you

Dreaming dreams of Machu Picchu

And Machu Picchu waits for me.

We were the second group in the queue waiting for the gate to open at 5.30am, and then the "race" began. The competition between us and the other gap group was fierce. They had the leggy Dutch girl who was obviously European Power Walking Champion, but soon (at a fair trot I might add) we had passed 5 of the lead group.

Following Mauro's instructions we reached the 70 near vertical stone steps scrambling on hands and knees knowing that the end is near.

Except it wasn't.

Mauro had used poetic licence and with hearts sinking we had to carry on at a slightly slower pace allowing some of the others to overtake us. grr.

Still, we eventually reached the Sun Gate for our first views of Machu Picchu. It had taken us 35 minutes to walk the 5km - which explains why I am like a beetroot in all the pictures, and hence why they are not on here!

We had a triumphant group photo, and spent some time marvelling at our goal, nestled in the dawn, accompanied by Llamas.

We had a 2 hour tour of the site, visiting the Temple of the Sun (where the sun lines up exactly at the two Equinoxes, being channeled through the sun gate and a V shape in a mountain.)

We visited the temple of the main Creator God called APU ILLA TECSI TITI CONTIKI APU HUYUYUC PUNCHOU WIRACOCHA PACHA YACHACHIC or Mr W for short.

I, personally, was most impressed with the hitching post of the sun. Standing at the highest point of Machu Picchu , the sun hits the stone at the two solctices . The smaller stone on the top also acts as a sundial determining Anti, Inti or Conti (morning, noon or afternoon).

The stone is also a rhomboid, matching the Southern Cross constellation and lining up exactly with 4 surrounding mountains and the compass points. Plus, the top of the smaller stone slopes at a 13º angle - the exact same latitude postion below the equator as where Macchu Picchu stands.

A delta force of the group (myself, H, Katy O, Jimmy and Chris) decided that our legs had not been challenged enough and decided to climb Wanaypicchu (Young Mountain) as well. Wanaypicchu is the big peak in the background of all the famous pictures, and also has ruins on the top. As we rounded the first corner and saw the steepness of the stone steps, I began question both my decision and my ability to complete the task ahead, but we ploughed on and reached the top (even having to practically crawl through a tunnel on the way!)

The way down was slightly more hairy, being scared of heights and facing some incredible steep steps down. In the truly British way, I politely stepped aside for the annoying woman complaining at my speed, and stating she had to be down by 12 noon and quitely muttered things under my breath. By the way, we reached the bottom at 11.35am, about 2 minutes after her!

Sadly, we had to leave. I could have spent a lot longer there - althougth as the train loads of people had now arrived and it was starting to get very full.

We bussed down the hill to Agua Calientes, caught the train back to Ollantaytambo, and then a bus back to Cusco. Triumphant but exhausted!

The One with the Inca Trail - Day 3

The hard part was now over and we were heading downhill pretty much all day.

We spotted 9 of the 350 types of orchid in this national park and even had a botany lesson on how to spot an orchid (not sure I am exactly a whizz on it now though!)

At the bottom of a long line of steps we washed our hands in the spring purifying ourselves for the last part of the journey. It was now also tipping with rain, so the rainbow of ponchos were out in force as we had a lesson on Incan Sacrifice. Luckily for Jimmy it was not a practical today!

With the Sacred Valley (and more importantly the bar at the campsite) now in sight, we stormed ahead (I was lucky only to fall over once!!!), and were soon having lunch at the campsite.

We headed in the afternoon to the nearby ruins of Winaywayna meaning Forever Young.

Here we had a lesson on Incan Numerology and the Incan Cross. Be warned - I will bore you all with the symbology when I get back as it's AMAZING!

We practiced "In the Jungle" to sing to the Porters tonight. Sadly, pretty much anyone who knows me has been made to sing this song now, but I'm proud to say that our group did a good job, although maybe the Temple of the Rainbow in the Sacred Valley is not the best place to have practiced it!

After a well earned beer, we had an amazing dinner (the porters had baked a CAKE for our guides birthday!) and then a party with the porters to thank them for the amazing job they've done, and of course sing them our song. Then it was off to bed (8.30pm - I am getting old!) ready for the final challenge and the 4am start.

The One with the Inca Trail - Day 2

We were awoken at 5.45 by the porters with a cup of coffee in bed which soon made you forget your uncomfortable nights sleep.

With the camp being deconstructed around us, we had breakfast and headed up the biggest slope of the trip to Dead Womans Pass (so named because the mountain resembles a woman lying on her back) We kept aiming for her chest!

I kept up with the pack but was soon overtaken by the 4 boys. Yvonne and I kept setting ourselves goals as we zig zagged up the hill, reaching the top in elation! We all got lollies from Mauro to celebrate!

Downhill then for an hour (working different muscles again) and completely suurrounded in cloud. The group is quite evenly paced so we reached the "lunch spot" at 10.30am!

With the cloud rolling in and shroaded in rain, the group donned their ponchos and we headed up once more stopping at RUNKURAQUY the ruins of a messengers house to learn about communication across the empire.

At the top of the hill we placed a stone to thank God for the safe passage. Whilst we were re-enacting Incan rituals, I personally felt that the whole experience was just as much a pilgrimage for me, and said a prayer myself as I placed the stone. Whilst the incas worshipped Nature, it is just as easy to thank our creator, and with the scenery around us it is easy to see why.

Down some more, and past the ruins of SAYAQMARKA the home of the shamen, and a lesson about Incan medicine. We were now in the cloud forest and the trees were covered in hanging moss and lichen. We settled in for the night in the middle of a cloud!

The One with the Inca Trail - Day 1

Another early start and a bus trip through tiny dirt roads, past chickens and donkeys, and fishermen in the Urubamba river to Km 82 where we start the walk. The snow capped mountains look imposing, but there was excitement hidden there somewhere!

The Porters were already loading our duffel bags into large hessian sacks and hauling them on their backs, before trotting off at a jog up the hillside. In comparison, my daysac contained, water, camera and a jumper, and we puffed our way up the hills!

We had a group photo at the start, had our passports stamped (to proove we walked it and didn't take the train!) and headed forth.

Our guide Mauro was amazing. Stopping to point out flora and Fauna (Cacti's you can use as needle and thread, hummingbirds, Andean mint etc) and keeping the pace slow. At our first stop we had a banana and a portable waste disposable unit (pig) ate our peels before taking a liking to Karens bag. We think he got a couple of Antimalarial pills and some bug spray. Maybe he was just being cautious!

Our first big hill of the day rewarded us a rest and a history lesson about the Incas. With several of these every day we were soon piecing together the Iconography, History and Culture of the incas, and it all built to the anticipation of the final day!

Our first meal (lunch) and a taster of what was to come. Tent, fully laid tables, and 3 course meals (Pikey, Carys and Katie - how could you fail to mention how good the food was on the trail?)

As we left the thunder started to roll. You can really appreciate how the incas felt the Gods were in the Mountains and were unhappy. We did offer to sacrifice Jimmy (as the youngest and blondest) but he politely declined! Spoilsport!

The last stretch of the first day was hard. Up hill and with large steps. But the view at the end was worth it - as was the hot chocolate and popcorn waiting for us at camp. This camping lark is easy.

It's amazing how quickly the body can make you forget pain from a moment earlier. Warm and full we settled into the tents listening to the stupid dog barking at his own echo across the valley and the distant rumble of thunder. Ready for whatever tomorrow could throw at us.

The One with the Unpronouncable Town Name

On the way to the Inca Trail and had our first taster of Inca Ruins. We went to the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo (double ll is a y - it's all a bit welsh!)

Pisac was really beautiful. Lots of terraced hills, and made all the more mystical by a loan Andean flute player on the hill side. The Accoustics were so good you could hear him from everywhere.

Apparantly the town of Pisac was built in the shape of a Llama, I guess if you tip your head to one side and squint....

Jimmy (being white as white) was asked by several locals to pose for photos with them. We tried to charge them 1 soles like they do us but to no avail!

From here to our base for the night - Ollantaytambo. Another set of ruins and another chance for a group photo. Here the little children usually posing for photos were intrigued by our history lesson and muscled to the front of our group to peer upwards at the pictures (really cute!)

There was a celebration in Ollantaytambo with a fiesta in the square and an apparantely really famous Peruvian Singer. Personally I thought she was shocking, and the song seemed to go on forever.

Nerves were setting in for the trek ahead!

The One with the Apology to Phyllis and Dyllis

Enough said....

The One with Juanita and the Condor Watch!

5am wake up call - mmmm!

We travelled along the Colca River to the start of the Colca Canyon to watch the Condors rising on the Morning Thermals.

They had not been given the same time guide as us, so we spent a good 45 minutes spotting llama shaped rocks and dragons on the hillside formed by the clouds.

Finally the condors decided to show, and with hundreds of pairs of binoculars and cameras on them they performed like stars, circling up and around and swooping below with brilliant flashes of their black and white wings.

We were very lucky to see one perched on a ledge for some time, and with a whole group of people willing him to, he spread his wings and took off, with the cameras snapping in appreciation!

On the way back to Arequipa we stopped at Moca where I had my photo taken with Diana the Llama - she even smiled for the camera!

Back at Arequipa a bit earlier than expected, Jimmy, H and I went to the Juanita Museum to see Juanita the Ice Maiden of Ampato ( Neil - it looks like Ice Maidens don't stop at the ticket office!)

This was one thing from my A Level History that I had taken in! Juanita was an incan Sacrifice to the Ampato mountain, as due to El Nino, and the following weather conditions, the Incans thought their mountain God was angry with them. Anyway... Juanita walked from Cusco, up the 21,000ft mountain, where she was sedated with a drink called chicha and then bashed over the head with a mace. Because of the following snow, her mummy has been perfectly preserved (and without embalming like the Egyptians) - She still has her hair, and you can se all the details even down to her fingernails. The museum was fascinating and filled in a lots of missing bits of information from the previous few days. They even showed us the DVD that I had watched in A Level lessons 8 years earlier!!!