MACHU PICCHU, PERU

Ernesto led us up to the Gatekeepers Hut - famously linked to Che’s travels in ‘The Motorcycle Diaries‘. We looked down and saw the ancient ruins and our jaws just dropped. It was awesome!!! We sat and watched the clouds blanket the ruins then reveal them - and mists swirling across creating an eerie feeling of timelessness. The sunset we had hoped for was not to be but Ernesto, with 16 years of experience guiding in Mapi, said that it was much more evocative to see the mists at sunrise.

We were skilfully led through the ruins by Ernesto. He told us of the purpose of Mapi - an Inca centre for excellence spiritually, educationally, artistically, architecturally, astronomically and horticulturally. Only the Incas most competent in their field were allowed inside the city walls. The Incas triad for living was love, learning and work.

It was so hard to leave - we wanted to hide so that we could spend the night in this magical place, but we had a train to catch. We said goodbye to Ernesto, who after our thanks said that he appreciated our patience whilst listening to his explanations and our obvious joy to be in such a sacred place.

Back in Aguas Caliente we boarded the more expensive Vistadome train as we had booked too late to get a seat on the Backpackers’. Don’t take it unless you like to share your journey with travellers who don‘t go anywhere without a tour and a guide, cardboard lunch in a cardboard box and the staff modelling overpriced alpaca garments.

Our taxi driver met us at Ollantaytambo and drove us back to Cusco, stopping along the way for more photos of the amazing landscapes and colourful people. We had seen one of the greatest wonders of the world and would never forget our experiences in Machu Picchu.

THROUGH THE SACRED VALLEY TO AGUAS CALIENTES

Naively we had hoped to be able to visit Machu Picchu independently but transport to this formerly forgotten city has been pretty much sewn up by tour operators. We were lucky that Lesley’s (la Gringa) son Simon had just started his own tour company - and he arranged for an personal trip for us to Mapi, as Machu Picchu is affectionately called.

Oscar drove us in his taxi toward the Sacred Valley - we passed patchwork fields and houses built out of mud bricks. We stopped to take photos and met two cute boys with a parrot who were selling the usual tourist stuff that we didn´t need, so we gave them money to pose for us. Then down and down the valley to Ollantaytambo where we boarded the Backpackers’ train to Machu Picchu Pueblo - otherwise known as Aguas Calientes. It has to be one of the most blatantly touristy towns in South America - practice saying ‘no gracias’ about a hundred times an hour to the restaurant and bar touts and handicraft sellers. We were stopping there overnight to get an early bus up to Mapi the following day and avoid the crowds coming in on the train at around 10am. We stayed sane by soaking in the hot pools and sitting watching the river that feeds into the Amazon pounding it’s way down through the town.

That evening we met our guide, Ernesto - quiet, dignified and very proud to be a native of the area. We were planning to take the bus at 5.30am up to Mapi so that we could be one of the first into the site at 6am when it opened. Ernesto said he would come with us on the early bus, even though he was due to meet us much later inside the site.

Up at 4.30am, a quick breakfast and a short walk to the bus stop. We were surprised to see so many people already at the bus stop purchasing bus tickets. Our bus climbed up and up into the early morning clouds and arrived at the entrance at 6am - perfect timing!

CHILLING IN CUSCO

CUSCO

Cusco seemed like the usual central/south American rag-tag town as we drove in, but as we approached the centre we could see the character emerging. The hostel we had chosen was La Casa de la Gringa, in the San Blas area. A really ‘cool’ place - like stepping back into the 60’s.

We walked down the steep paved streets towards the central plaza and found a demonstration in progress. The government of Peru had proposed that Machupicchu and other historical sites should be privatised, and the local citizens were not happy. The foresaw multi-story hotels surrounding their sacred sites and were demonstrating their refusal to accept such a possibility. There were police standing by with riot gear but it was a peaceful protest.

I started to feel the effects of being 3,600 metres above sea-level, especially when climbing up the many steps, and was advised to drink mate (infusion) de coca, using leaves from the cocaine plant. The locals chew or drank coca not only to combat altitude sickness but to give energy and to suppress the appetite. I became strangely addicted to it, so let’s hope I don’t have to take a dope test in the foreseeable future!

We spent a couple of days trying out the bars and restaurants, talking to fellow travellers and exploring the one mighty home of the Inca kings before making arrangements to visit Machupicchu.

A CLOSE SHAVE ON THE ROAD TO CUSCO, PERU

The 20 hour bus ride took us along the coast in brown desert terrain before we turned into the mountains. We climbed for hours on switchback bends before descending so steeply that it was hard to keep our backs in the seat. Three hours short of our destination - Cusco - our bus was in collision with a truck carrying fruit. We heard a loud bang, glass flew back and then the interior started filling up with some kind of gas. (We later discovered it was the fire extinguisher.)
At first we thought that we couldn’t get out of the one exit door as the front of the bus was pushed back. We lifted the roof hatch but it was much too far to jump down, the two emergency exit windows were broken but again it was a long drop down - this time onto broken glass.

Then someone shouted that the door had been freed up. We walked past the driver who was still in his seat with blood pouring from his head. I stepped on a large sheet of glass covered in blood. We had to climb out of the bus and were then grabbed by someone and helped up back onto the road as the bus was right on the edge of a steep drop. If the collision had happened a couple of metres earlier the bus would have fallen into the deep ravine. We and our fellow passengers obviously had some grace in our metaphysical bank account.

The bus driver was freed from his seat and didn’t treatment but his co-driver, who was lying down in the front seats, had hurt his leg when the impact hurled him forward and was taken to hospital.

We stood shivering in the drizzly rain for over two hours before the bus company sent a replacement bus to complete our journey to Cusco.

INCA RUINS IN LIMA

We took in some Inca culture at the Huaca Pucllana ruins - literally meaning playground as, until it was revealed 14 years ago, that's exactly what it was used for. Our guide told us he used to ride his bike over the mud mound as a child, totally oblivious to what lay beneath - a huge Inka temple. They are still excavating and restoring, and only a week before two mummies were found. Our guide told us that the temple was twice as big as we could see, houses having been built on top of the ancient site.

We also met one of the bizzare hairless species of Peruvian dog - rather scary looking, but in fact very docile and affectionate

HAVING FUN IN LIMA

We visited the Fountain Park our first evening in Lima on Christian's advice - a really cool family place with 25 fountains. They were controlled by computer for variation and colour and one of them showed a lazer and film show of the history of Peru. Some of them were interactive and the locals had great fun getting soaking wet.

OFF TO LIMA, PERU

We chose Peru as our entry country into South America and flew into Lima.

Caught our first glimpse of the locals in the cab on our way to the Backpackers Family House - a hostel in the Miraflores district run by the super-helpful Christian and his friend Pedro.

VISITING OLD FRIENDS AND NEW IN PANAMA

We also went to visit Ed's dog Thor who is now in retirement from his life on the water. He is being looked after by Ann and her daughter Sarah and has a new playmate, a monkey called Violetta. They love playing together.

BACK AT OUR CATAMARAN RAFT IN PANAMA

We had still not decided how to jump to South America, so went back to our catamaran raft, the Absolute Absolution, for a few days. I did some boat cleaning - lots of barnacles and weird growths on the hulls and lines.

Ed finished off some repairs to keep the raft in good shape for the next voyage, and we also changed the lines to the anchors.

A FEW DAYS IN PANAMA

Arrived from London via New York in steaming hot Panama City 11.45 pm so straight to bed. Ed arrived the next day and we went to see the Panama Canal in action. We were surprised how narrow it was - not much room either side for the cruise ships going through. This cruise ship paid $180,000 US to transit the Canal.

NOT DONE ROAMING

In January 2008 my friend Ed and I decided to travel in South America. In 3 months we visited Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.

In October 2008 we returned to South America - to set up a non-profit project to create a technical school in Potosi, Bolivia for children currently working in the mines in the Cerro Rico mountain (www.givetakeshare.com). At the same time I am looking at possible locations for a small bar/restaurant, with rooms to let.

We began our journey to Boliva in Quito, Ecuador and are heading south.