Life Of Travel

This article is a copy of our itinerary from San Jose to Lima. It includes some tips discovered by fortune (or misfortune) for those who wish to get an idea of what to expect.

If necessary to refer to particular people, for privacy sake, I will use nicknames that I will make up as I go. This article is compiled mainly from the notes of one of my fellow travellers because at the time I didn’t think to do it. ?Gracias Gato! Most pictures courtesy of Shaz.

Day 1. Miami to Costa Rica, San Jose

The plan was for all of us to meet at Fort Lauderdale airport so I arrived and went to check in. I was told that I needed to show proof of ongoing travel out of Costa Rica so was forced to buy another ticket. I can’t remember where I bought it to, and was not the cheapest available, but it was fully refundable. I rang for a refund about 24 hours later and they actually gave me back a couple of dollars more than I paid for the ticket. It was through Spirit Airlines and I recommend them.

7 of the people I was meeting managed to get through by saying that they where travelling onward overland. I did try this and so did a couple of others but we had to buy tickets. I guess it just depends on who is on the counter at the time. Try the overland thing first, if not then just buy a fully refundable ticket.

Once in San Jose we stayed at the Bevko hostel. Quiet, friendly and reasonably priced.

Day 2. Still in San Jose

We went to Volcano Izariu and walked around the general ‘park’ area. The walk is not difficult and worth doing to see the sulphur lake.

Day 3. San Jose to Quepos

From San Jose to Quepos is a short bus ride. We stayed at the Pura Vida hostel which is translated to Pure Life. I was told by the hostel employee that it is Costa Ricas’ motto which explains why we had seen it often. The Pura Vida hostel was decent and reminiscent of a tree house.

After dropping our baggage off we went to the national park where we managed to spot some elusive sloth’s, monkeys (which like to steal unattended stuff on the beach), armadillos (I touched one and was surprised to find that their ‘hard shell’ is actually relatively soft), deer, raccoons and hermit crabs.

We got out of the park in time for happy hour across the road from the beach and then headed back to the hostel to cook tea. As night fell one of the drunk workers invited us out to Salsa Dancing. We didn’t go but I wish we had.

Day 4 Quepos to Panama, David

Panama was the country we stayed in for the longest because we had already booked onward flights to Colombia. In hindsight I wish we spent less time in Panama and more time in Colombia (which was pretty much just travelling through) but it also meant we got to do Panama properly.

Most border crossings are pretty standard, but this is the first time I had done one overland. Basically the idea is to check out of one country and pay any leaving taxes, then walk down the road to check into the next country. In line to check into Panama there was a guy selling a passport ‘stamp’ for 1USD. We weren’t quite sure what was going on, but he assured us that we needed it, and the people in front of us had them, so for the sake of $1 we got one. Whether we actually needed it or not is still a mystery. Out of the 8 of us, some of our stamps got taken by immigration, and some of us kept them. Further more, a day or two later we were told that we were supposed to pay a $5 incoming tax, though that never caught up to us either. I think we where also supposed to get our bags checked by authorities, but when they asked us we just said no and walked out of the room. Again nothing happened and we just ‘waltzed’ over the border.

Our first port of call was David where we stayed at the Purple House. It was owned by an American and decided to make the whole thing purple. It was painted purple, had purple rooms, purple cups, purple plates etc. It was quite novel. Also there was her dog which was very placid. You could take it for a 10-15 minute walk in exchange for a hot shower (cold showers were free. Most showers in Central/South American Hostel showers were cold). She was nice, very knowledgeable and helpful but also a bit odd. I would definitely recommend the Purple House to stay if your in David.

 

Day 5. David to Chitre

On our way to Chitre we had to make a switch at the Davisa bus stop. We where supposed to get off a bit earlier to make the switch in a bigger city, but we just didn’t. Anyway, we got of the ‘big’ bus, collected our stuff then walked about 5 minutes around the corner to get to Chitre. There was 8 of us and we wanted to all get on the same ride. After about 20 minutes we gave up on that and 3 of us got on one of the mini buses and arranged to meet in Chitre. These little buses came past about every 10 minutes. The 3 of us arrived and got out at the bank to wait for the others. We had the plan to wait where we got as opposed to meeting at the hostel. This proved to be a wise move since Chitre was bigger than we originally thought. About 5 or so buses came and went before the others arrived. They had fit on a bigger bus which we probably all could have fit in. I assume the bigger buses are scheduled for every half an hour or so. Probably worth waiting for if in a group like we where. Being split up and uncertain in a strange country with no form of contact isn’t the best feeling, even if it is only for 20 minutes.

The hostel place recommended to us by the lady at the Purple House was called Miami Mikes. We asked around the town a bit but couldn’t find it so we ended up staying at the Santa Risa Hotel. Hot showers and a TV at a decent price (I think about 10us a head, which seemed to be the going rate at hostels also). We did try a different place before this one but the price they quoted us and the price they tried to charge us was different so we left.

After unloading our stuff we walked around the town and got lunch. On the way back we stumbled across Miami Mikes which was literally 5 mins down the road from where we where. We went in and had a chat. Mike seemed cool and had no business so we told him that if we were going to stay in Chitre another night we’d come to his. Back at the hotel we ate, watched American Pie 3 and went to sleep.

Day 6. Chitre

In the morning we relocated to Miami Mikes and chilled there for a bit. Mike was an American and had got the place with his girlfriend. She was supposed to help redecorate it but took off somewhere and he hadn’t done much to it. It has potential but was a bit of a dump. The beds were very uncomfortable but had a good view from the rooftop so we sat up there and drank a few.

That night I ate another hearty meal of Seco de Pollo (rice and chicken) which was one of my regular meals. Other favourites of the group included Bistek Arroz (steak and rice), Arroz frito (fried rice), papas fritas (french fries, which are hand made and awesome), pescado (fish), pizza, chicken nuggets, hamburguesas (hamburgers) and Mcdonalds.

Day 7. Chitre to Santa Clara

We took a bus from Chitre to Santa Clara. This was our beach stay. Hot, humid, tropical. I don’t really enjoy the beach, in particular the sand or the heat or the bugs, but it was still a good time. It was closest that we got to a typical relaxing holiday. We stayed at the Las Veraneras and, according to the locals, down the road had the best hamburgers in Panama, so we went to try them for ourselves. The place where they were sold was at a little caravan park/restaurant which also had a small aviary out the back, which among other species, had Toucans. On the way I managed to get 7 mangoes for $1us. (They accept USD in Panama, and the local money is worth the same, so no confusion).

Day 8-10. Santa Clara to Panama City

Another bus trip and we where in Panama City where we stayed at the Mamallena hostel. This was the busiest hostel we had stayed at so far. There was a nice patio upstairs to sit and chat and a BBQ out the back. Free internet and make your own pancakes for breakfast, which could be had at any time of day.

We spent the next couple of days in this hostel while looking around the city. We saw pretty average markets and some ruins of which I was not to phased about since we were headed to Machu Pichu, but was a good time filler. At the ruins I had the best banana smoothie I’ve ever had from the stall run by the lady outside the ‘museum’ which is actually markets.

On the last day in Panama we saw the Panama Canal. If you go around 3pm you can see the big ships come in and watch the spectacle. It was an impressive bit of engineering but seeing it once is more than enough. Make sure you go see the presentation beforehand (its only an extra $2 or so) as it explains how the Canal actually works. Nationals get in for about half price, and you may not be one, but the peroxide blonde in our group got away with it (although no one else did).

We also went for a hike through the Panama City Park. If you like nature walks then its worth doing. You get a nice view of the city and you may spot some animals if your lucky (I didn’t but I hear they where out there).

Day 11. Panama City to Colombia

We decided to catch a plane from Panama into Colombia since an overland border crossing is near impossible and notoriously known for bandits. Once landed in the city of Pereira we regrouped outside the airport and set upon getting a taxi to our hotel. We made the mistake of not changing money before hand which made taxi negotiations a little harder, but we got there.

Unfortunately our hotel (Hotel Royal, no issues with this hotel) only accepted Colombian pesos so while the others waited in the lobby with the luggage, a couple of us went for a walk to change money. The streets were alive in this city, akin to south east Asia. Street food was plentiful. If you get a chance, make sure you try the local doughnuts. They are small deep fried rings covered in sugar. Probably not the healthiest thing in the world but definitely fresh and tasty. Also, the water here is on the top 20 list of best quality drinking water in the world, straight from the tap. (This is not true with the rest of Colombia though, bottled water is recommended everywhere else.)

Originally we didn’t have much expectations for this city but we happen to come on the day of their independence and they where having a fashion parade. After dinner out in on of the local malls, we took to the main square to see it. While waiting for it to start we bought beer off a street vendor. A local quickly advised us to wash the top before drinking it. After about 30minutes we got tired of waiting for the show to start so retired to the hotel and watched it on television.

The one thing I noticed straight away about Colombia was the much different ‘vibe’ and people than in Panama. Compared to Colombia, Panama seemed somewhat dirty. People in Colombia carried themselves much better, and especially the women seemed to make much more effort. Perhaps they were more westernised. A few of the lads with me were (and probably still are) convinced that 40% of the girls had boob jobs. I still put it down to good breeding.

Day 12. Pereira to Cali

The next day we moved onto Cali. With only one day to explore (this was the theme of Colombia) we went to the Chimichape mall. It is an indoor/outdoor type mall, apparently built on an abandoned train station. There happened to be a Navy Recruiting Drive in progress at the time and the centre square was filled military related exhibitions. There where kids taking pictures with machine guns, rock-climbing, tanks and kiddie pools.

It was at this stage that my stomach started to give me grief. I put it down to hunger so got some food but declined chilli. This made it feel better for a little while but came back to haunt me in an hour or so. It was a mild stomach and passed the same day, which is much better than what some of the others experienced in the group later on.

We stayed at the Casablanca Hostel. Hot showers, free wifi, big kitchen, big tv with wide range of dvds and reasonably priced at about 15 Pesos for a dorm bed.

Day 13. Pereira to Pasto

Heading south west, we arrived in Pasto. We didn’t see much here but stayed at the Koala Inn. I think we mainly picked it for the name, but it turned out to be quite a novel hostel. It was set in an old mansion with on-suite rooms. The host was very friendly and informative. It was about 15 pesos per person, and I think about 5 pesos for a generous serving of pancakes and fruit for breakfast.

At about 8pm there was a barrage of car horns as a convey drove up and down the streets. A friendly local told us that there was a wedding and that kind of thing was normal on such an occasion.

Most of the group went to bed early that night while me and El Gato stayed up and watched CSI. We tried to go outside for a cigarette but as we opened the gate our host came running out to tell us that it wasn’t safe to go out at that time of night (it was probably only about 9pm). He said it was fine to smoke inside.

Day 14- Pasto to Quito, Equador

Another overland border crossing, only this time it was about a 10 minute walk through ‘no man’s land’ (this is the nick name we gave to the space between 2 countries, from being stamped out of one country to being stamped in the next). Apparently, if something dodgy is going to happen, it is most likely to happen in ‘no man’s’ land’. There were many people changing money on the street, but we opted to go to a Cambiar Dinero (Money Changer). You will get a better rate at the proper money changer but the street vendors show up in the handiest spots and after business hours.

We stayed at the Secret Garden Hostel. It was run by Australians and had a very ‘party’ vibe. Most of the hosts where volunteers working for free food and accommodation. It looked to be quite a good deal. The owners also own another hostel just down the road which is slightly cheaper, and you are welcome to come back to the Secret Garden to make use of their bar and food. We stayed at the Secret Garden which was not expensive by any means but I think we were quite lucky they had room for 8. I suggest booking ahead if in a large group. They also had a fantastic view of ‘old town’.

It was already dark by the time we arrived so we went across the street for pizza. It was very, very good. We then went back to the balcony for a few drinks and then turned in for a good nights sleep.

Day 15. Still in Quito

Day 15 was a packed day of activity. First we went to one of the famous churches in Old Town. I think it was the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus. You can climp to the top of the steeples (if you don’t get vertigo) and get a great view of the city. Also, from the balcony you get a great view of the La Virgen del Panecillo (Winged Virgin Mary) over the city (you can see this statue from most parts of the city, including the Secret Garden balcony) .

Our next stop was various markets with lunch along the way. We tried the fresh food and fish markets but I guess we got there at the wrong time. The Artisan (arts and crafts) markets were decent, but much the same all over South America. Seco de Pollo for lunch at a local restaurant which probably cost about 50cents US and we were good to go see the equator.

We took a taxi which was about $20 and entry was $2. It would be reasonable to assume that it would be hot near the equator, but Quito is at about 2800metres and lies in between 2 mountain ranges which means it can have ‘four seasons in one day’ The equator was cold. It is interesting to note that the the monument the French erected commemorating the Equator is actually in the wrong place, but in fact 240 metres away where the Indians had originally said it was. A quick look in the museum and another cheap meal and we went back to the city.

Quito was definitely one of my highlights of the trip. A good climate and lots to do. We didn’t get to see the night-life but was told it was good by the many other English and Australian tourists in the Secret Garden. On the last night there a English girl arrived who had just signed a 1 year contract to teach English. She did a Tesol course online and got a job within a couple of weeks. She said she was a bit nervous signing a one year contract to live somewhere she had never been before, but after spending only 2 days in Quito, I’m sure she’ll have a great experience. I think I’ll definitely have to go back there for a better look, maybe teach English and/or do a Spanish course. Quito is known as one of the best places to learn Spanish.

Day 16 Quito to Huaraz to Chicklayo to Lima, Peru

This was one of the longest bus rides I did on the journey. A killer 42 hours long. Sufficient to say that I slept through most of it. The worst thing about all the bus rides is the lack of English on the on board movies. They may or may not have toilets on board, and the distance of the journey does seem to be factor in this.

Luckily, the journey was split up and we had a then unknown layover in Huaraz. When we got off to cross the border (I believe it was the Huaquias/Tumbes border crossing) we met a friendly Colombian Doctor who was headed to Lima, I think for a holiday. He was extremely healpful. We ‘signed out’ of Ecuador and then headed to the visa entry point for Peru, which turned out to be quite a little adventure in itself.

The entry into Peru was a lot further away than in previous border crossings. Since we where quite a large group (now 9 with the Colombian) it was near impossible to get a taxi. It was already dark and we were in ‘No Mans Land’. This was not a time to split up. Thanks to our new Colombian friend, for a small fee (about $1us each, paid to the driver) we managed to hitch a ride in the back of a ute (pick-up truck). We piled in the luggage then took our seats on top. I held on and felt the wind as we drove on. This is the stuff travel memories are made of.

The driver was supposed to take us all the way to the visa entry point but street markets got in our way so we had to get out and walk. We got no form of refund. We continued to walk past the street markets. There was a lot going on, but not much market stuff. It was at this point that I started to feel a bit uneasy. After the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the street we decided to wait under the light of the banks. It was not considered safe to go any further. The police arrived and the Colombian started talking to them. I think he was trying to get them to give us a ride the rest of the way but they were having nothing of it. They were however quite helpful in helping strike a deal with the local taxi drivers. We turned down the first view because ‘there are many thieves on that bus’ was the advice from the Colombian. We managed to get a ‘bus’ of our own, although it had a bit of plastic for one of the windows. We jumped in and quickly shut all the windows that we could.

About ten minutes later we arrived at the entry point. After a quick discussion, we all went in with our bags, without paying the driver, and told him to wait. This was the dodgiest immigration point I have ever been to. We walked past the ‘gangsters’ out the front. I made sure not to make eye contact but not look like I wasn’t trying to make eye contact. I had no fantasies that a government building would be a deterrence in a night mugging of 8 western tourists. We quickly grabbed our paper work and squeezed into the room where our passports where to get stamped. It was hard to imagine it as a professional place of work. When we walked in the immigration officer was on her cell phone and there was a dog sleeping in the corner. After finishing her discussion (I’m not 100% sure what she was saying but it was definitely not a professional call) we filed through to get our stamps and then went back to the bus which took us into Chicklayo.

The memory of this border crossing is etched in my mind as the time we had to be most alert in South America. I don’t think this was the normal border crossing way for Westerners, as we didn’t see one other ‘white’ person the whole time.

I’m not quite sure how it happened but it was decided that we would get food before checking out the bus terminal for our connecting bus. The driver recommended a restaurant about a block away from the terminal. We walked in, got stared at, looked at the menu, saw that it was only seafood, got up, got stared at again and left for the terminal. Apparently, no one in the group apart from our ‘vegetarian’ was a very big fan of seafood. Also, we were worried that we didnt know what time the bus left and didn’t want to stay here for a night.

A quick walk to the terminal and we lined up to buy tickets to Lima for about 11US each. We only had half an hour to spare so half of us guarded the baggage while the other half got food, then we swapped. After a quick bite to eat of, surprise surprise, chicken and rice (at a very reasonable $2) we boarded the bus. I’m not sure about the others but my ‘travel buddy’ (at the start we paired off into a buddy system) and I got front seats on the second level. Essentially, we got to see what the driver would see. We decided it was better not to know and closed the curtain within 10 minutes.

This bus ride was about 12 hours. After a packet of chips and a few cheese sandwiches we arrived in Lima. We said goodbye to our Colombian friend and went to the Loki Hostel. This was a very well run hostel with everything you would expect. Despite having slept for most of the journey, we went to sleep.

Day 17. Lima to Ica and Huacachina

The next day we ate breakfast at the hostel and took some time to regroup ourselves. Our plan was to go to Ica and go sandboarding in Huacachina. We took most of the morning to get ourselves sorted out. Shaz and I had a nice 3 course lunch for 10 Peruvian Soles (about $3USD) right next door to the hostel, although what we though was a sauce for the meal was actually desert.

We jumped on yet another bus to Ica but halfway there Jew started feeling serious symptoms of gastro. We stopped the bus and the two of us got off at a very small town. We left our bags on the bus for the others to take care of and we told them to meet us at the hostel. With these instructions being shouted from the street into the bus window, the last thing to be said was ‘we need a guide book’. Baff quickly flung it out the window as the bus drove off.

The first thing I noticed was that there was nothing in this town except for a basketball court, residential houses and a kiosk. We quickly found Jew a bathroom in a locals house. I waited outside but the report was that it was one of the cleanest of the whole trip. We decided to wait 15 minutes to let her stomach settle and then make our way to Ica. We saw a mule with a ‘trailer’ on its back just standing there. Not tied down but not moving, and on the trailer was a sleeping dog. This to me was the picture of ‘outback’ Peru. Jew went for one more toilet stop (this time not such a clean bathroom) while I talked to the local ‘kiosk’ owner about getting to Ica. We communicated surprisingly well due to the language barrier, I had picked up more Spanish than initially thought.

We caught a mini bus to another town. Walked about 10 minutes down the road to the terminal and jumped on a big bus to Ica. We had to re buy the tickets but we where happy to be on the right path. Once in Ica we jumped in a taxi from inside the terminal (it’s always safer to catch taxis from inside the terminal as they won’t be let in unless they can prove they are an official taxi. You can ask for them to show their license) and 20 minutes later we were eating dinner and having a few drinks with the others who apparently were only half an hour in front of us. Jew wanted to show them photos of the town and the mule, but that is when we discovered that she had been robbed (we assume) on the bus. It must have been during the 20 seconds where the bag wasn’t between her legs and we dosed off. Fortunately they didn’t take her passport or spare cash. This was not the best day for Jew, but at least she felt good enough to eat.

Later that night we met 2 English students there on a volunteer program. We sat and chatted with them and the local worker who was kindly offering tokes of his pipe. We decide to go out with them so that night El Gato and I finally got to see a local club. It was a fairly quiet town so I had no problems with having a few drinks. It was nothing overly special, but was nice to get out.

Day 18. Sandboarding in Huacachina

Huacachina is a small tourist town based around a lagoon and surrounded by sand dunes. We were staying at the Desert Nights Hostel, which by no surprise, was owned by an American women and Peruvian man. It was clean, had friendly staff, laundry service, free internet, good location and a decent restaurant with alcohol available (although you could save a couple of dollars by going down the street) all at a reasonable price. The main thing is that they offered a dune buggy and sand-boarding package. For around 50USD you got to hire snowboards for the day (the type that strap to boots, as opposed to ones where you just slip your feet in) and also a 4 hour guided dune buggy/sand-boarding tour. You could opt to do either one or the other, and there are many companies in the town offering similar services, but I highly recommend doing both.

The next day we wasted no time and headed straight for the dunes. The climb was not easy but very worth it. We found a small cove and attempted to sand board. Sand and bodies were flying everywhere but after a few practice runs we started to pick it up. After a couple of hours I had enough and headed back for lunch. After some egging on from the others I decided to test my new skills and sand-boarded the big hill back to the town. To say I was nervous about it is an understatement, but to my surprise I did the whole thing without falling. This filled me confidence which would not serve me well that afternoon.

When I got back El Gato and I went for lunch. A restaurant owner convinced us to dine at his humble la bode which overlooked the lake. I can’t remember what I ate but I do remember that Gato had her heart set on spaghetti bolognaise, which was on the menu. When they said they were out of mince we decided to go somewhere else. As we stood up they suddenly changed their mind telling us that they could provide it. We wandered if they where going to the store to buy the mince. When it came out we discovered they had cut up steak in small chunks. I was convinced to try the local Peruvian beverage called Pisco Sour. At roughly 70 proof, this alcoholic drink is made from a range of ingredients including Pisco (a type of Peruvian Brandy), lime and egg-white. Although the taste was quite deceiving considering the alcohol content, it was a bit sour for my liking.

In the afternoon we went for our guided tour. Our tour guide was at one stage, a professional Dune Buggy racing champion. He could drive, well. It was like a roller coaster on the dunes. We would surf the dunes in the buggy then pull up on the hills and sand-board down. Then our guide would drive down to pick us up and we’d go to another hill. Surprisingly we didn’t start small, and the hills we were taken too just got bigger and bigger. I was not very good at turning, which apparently was also how you would slow down. My confidence built from the morning was soon shattered went I hit a bump and flipped then landed face first into the dunes. Luckily the sand is quite forgiving, although it did knock me around a bit. I decided to take it easy for the last couple of hills, while everyone else started to get a bit braver.

We explored the dunes until the sun fell and then headed back to the town before it got too cold. The next morning I had a quiet breakfast of toast, pancakes, fruit and tea from a place about 5 minutes stroll from the Desert Inn, then got ready to leave for the last leg of the trip. Sand-boarding in Huacachina was a major highlight in the trip for me and I highly recommend it, although I was still finding sand in my ears a couple of weeks after.

Day 19 – 21. Ica to Cusco

El Gato and I had managed to get cheap tickets from Lima to Cusco. We must have got the last ones because the others were forced to take another epic bus ride from Ica. I don’t know how long it was exactly but I know that it was the longest of the journey, and from they told me, not the smoothest ride.

So we went back to the Loki Hostel in Lima and found a cool restaurant/bar cove down the road for dinner. We treated ourselves to amazing pizza then turned in early for a 4am start. As it turned out we didn’t need to wake up that early because the airport wasn’t even open until about 15 minutes before our boarding time. Once checked in we had to wait 15 minutes for security to open, then another 15 minutes for the gate to open.

Once we landed in Cusco we checked in to the Loki Hostel Cusco. This was one of the biggest hostels I’ve seen. Similar to the one in Lima, but about triple the capacity. The others arrived not long after us and so we took our time to settle in and then did some exploring.

About 3 doors down from the Hostel was a tour operator. After some investigation and discussion we decided to get a ‘package deal’ to Machu Pichu. For just under 100USD each we would get a guide whom would pick us up in the morning from our hostel. From there would be 3 days and 2 nights which included a bike ride, a hike, all accommodation, 5 meals, entry to Machu Pichu and our journey back to Cusco.

We took it easy for the rest of the day, found some food and turned in. Unfortunately, in the early hours of the morning we had an intruder walk in just to ‘look around’ our room. Luckily, ‘Big Red’ had already woken up to question the man. It turned out to be harmless. Apparently he was a new employee and couldn’t remember which rooms had space. Never-the-less, it caused a commotion in our room for about 10 minutes afterwards, and then we all went swiftly back to sleep. About an hour or 2 later it happened again, only this time they were fellow backpackers being shown where they could sleep. I don’t know what kind of information the intruder compiled the first time round, but it can’t of been very accurate, as we were a group of eight and there were only eight beds per room.

Day 21. Exploring Cusco

We had agreed to spend one day acclimatizing to the altitude before we headed to Machu Pichu so we used it wisely and explored Cusco. We didn’t do any museums or galleries but as it turns out, Cusco itself is quite historic with amazing colonial architecture. We checked out the Artisan Markets at the corner of Avenida del Sol and Tullumayo. It is wise to buy souvenirs here as they are noticeably more expensive in Aguas Calientes and Machu Pichu. We also happened to stumble across a local parade in the towns’ main square showcasing local dress wear, music and dancing. A few of us then went for one of the many massages on offer. We treated ourselves to a 1hour massage which combined a number of different techniques including shiatsu, reflexology and Hot Rocks (which was fantastic). We also had quite an eventful food day as we managed to get a tasty 2 course meal at a local tucked away restaurant for about 2usd and later on that night ate a mystery Satay type stick which turned out to be Alpaca. It was actually quite tasty. We did go on the hunt for the local dish of Guinea Pig but didn’t have much luck. Apparently it only comes out in special occasions or is otherwise quite expensive. (We did find it in a restaurant later on but didn’t want a whole meal of it just in case we didn’t like it. Alas, it wasn’t on the appetisers.) Also, by now everyone was quite accustomed to Inca Kola.

Days 22-25. Machu Pichu

By day 22 we where well and truly ready for our Machu Pichu adventure. Although the trip so far had surmounted expectations, there had always been a feeling in the air that the rest of the trip had been leading up to this.

We where told to wait out the front of our hostel at 0730am and not to be late. Apparently, no one told our guide the same. There where a few others waiting with us, although we where the only ones on our particular tour. They had chosen the 4day 3night option, which was basically the same but had a longer hike and rafting to fill in the extra day. At 0750am our host arrived with a mini van to cart us all around. They fit our baggage whereever they could, including the roof, and we were off.

After about a 4 hour bus ride (not the comfiest we had been on) we stopped and dismounted to get ready for our bike ride. We had climbed a fair bit of altitude and were told that this point was higher than Machu Pichu. It was unmistakeably chilli. After a quick round of cocoa leaves (apparently good for altitude sickness) we mounted up on our bikes and set off down the very big hill. It was amazing. We soared down stopping every now and again to take pictures, then being told to hurry up because we where running late (there was roadworks further on and if we didn’t make it to the car in time they would close it off and we wouldn’t be able to get through.) The scenery was beautiful, but oncoming trucks quickly got our attention as we dodged out of the way.

At about the halfway mark the hill started to flatten out and the temperature got warmer. We pulled over for our packed lunch of cheese sandwiches, fruit, a local ‘muesli bar’ and some sweets. I can’t remember what the bars where made of, but I had previously bought some for a long bus ride. I’m not a fussy eater but I couldn’t eat these. After a dismal lunch and getting eaten by mosquitoes we took off again. We finished up in a small village. This was where we parted from the rafters. We got back on the bus and headed for our accommodation.

Our next stop wasn’t too far away. As we pulled up, the first thing we noticed was a small monkey on the side of the road. We all awed in its cuteness, until it attacked one of the local kids. We quickly took a step back as the older brother laughed at the victim. A two minute walk up the road and we settled into our rooms. After a quick set down of our stuff we went for a refreshing dip at some local hot springs. We stayed until just after sunset and then headed for a quick change and dinner at a local restaurant.

While waiting for the meeting time (which the guide was clearly not interested in adhering to) we had a chat with a few other tourists. There was a nice couple, an Irish girl and English guy, whom, along with another young American, had just completed the alternative ‘Inca Trail’ of 4 days. This, impressively, they had done after just completing the Ciudad de Perida (a 5 day hike in Colombia). The famous Inca Trail is about a 4 day hike but must be booked in advance which many people (including us) fail to do/realise. Fortunately there are many alternatives including what we did, as well as many other similar hikes, which are far less populated and considerably cheaper.

20 minutes later our guide decided to show up and took us a few doors up to our evening meal. Afterwards we had a quiet stroll around the town, admired the quality of welding and then turned in for the night.

After a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast was the hike to Aguas Calientes, which was to take about 6 hours. The first half was mostly following the river line, which at one point needed to be crossed. It was done via an ingenious contraption of a cage for which to sit in (pictured below) and a set of ropes to pull yourself, or the next people, across, depending on if you where unlucky enough to be the first ones over. Continuing along the river we soaked up the sights and felt the gentle spray off the river, then watch as our guide zoomed past us holding onto the back of a truck. Every now and again we would get a glimpse of our goal, Mt Machu Pichu, which is easily identified by the ‘Rainbow’ flag. There were sufficient stops along the way to recharge and even little stalls of old local women selling sports drinks and water (at an inflated price). One of the rest points even had a refreshing little stream to dunk your head under which everyone was grateful for.

About halfway there was a check in station which was pretty standard. Originally, the plan was to do a similar route to Agua Calientes, but by bus to this check in point and then hike the rest of the way. This was to be done at some stage in the middle of the night. Needless to say, it is far easier and a better experience to get a guide. Shortly after this was a lunch stop. After a good meal (including a perfect amount of ice cream), a blister check and a resupply of water, the trek continued along the railway tracks to Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes is the main access point to Machu Pichu. Due to the amount of tourists wishing to get to Machu Pichu, this small valley town is largely occupied with accommodation, restaurants and massage parlours. Other things you may wish to do whilst here include visiting hot spring baths along main street (Aguas Calientes literally means ‘hot water’ in Spanish), or the relatively large semi covered markets (make sure you bargain).

To ensure a ticket to Wayna Pichu you must be one of the first 400 visitors into Machu Pichu for the day. You can either hike up or take the bus for about 7US each way. Either way it is an early start. If catching the bus you want to be on one of the first 4 buses. The first bus leaves at 0530am and then continually every 10 minutes or so. Wayna Pichu is the famous backdrop used to photograph the ruins. Once at the entry gate to the ruins, you can get your ticket to the mountain (different to the entry ticket to the ruins) and can opt to either leave at 0700am or 1000am. It is recommended to do it at 1000am. This way, you can do a guided tour (often included in your trek/hike package) then look around yourself for an hour or so before climbing the mountain.

If you don’t wish to conform to tickets or timings you can choose to climb Mt Machu Pichu itself (where the Rainbow Flag is). It is a bigger mountain but is far less crowded and the view is spectacular. The ruins themselves are an amazing feat of human engineering, considering how old they are. They were rediscovered in 1911 but it is not known exactly why they were built. There are many theories from being a military fort to a country resort. What is known is that the Incas started building it around AD 1430, but it was abandoned as a site for the Inca rulers 100 years later during the Spanish Conquest. Strategically, it is a very well hidden and protected site, but is thought to only every have held a maximum of 750 occupants at a time. The thing that impressed me most about the ruins was the intricate drainage system running throughout the site, that and when El Gato got ‘jumped’ by an Alpaca which roam freely.

If you catch a bus up I recommend hiking back down. It is quite a steep hike (I’m glad I didn’t go up it) and takes an hour or 2 depending on how many stops you make. Along the way, just over the bridge, you can stop into the camp site next to the botanical gardens and go for a quick dip to cool off.

After dinner we went to catch our train back to Cusco. Between Big Red battling gastro and the rest of us being beyond tired but unable to sleep on the journey, it was a fun filled journey of jibberish. The train ride went for a couple of hours, then it was a quick but confusing change onto a mini bus back to the Loki Hostel. We settled in quickly as possible for a short sleep so we could get up early for our plane back to Miami.