Machu Picchu: Day Four

Eventually we hit day four, which started a bit too early for my liking - 4am to be precise. Sleepily we arose from our slumber and managed to clothe ourselves in-between yawns. Going outside into the dark with our head-torch, there was then a 20-minute walk to the meeting point, where we had been told we had to congregate at 4:30. However, as we sat on a bench eating our packed breakfast, we were confused at the lack of crowds, for this was at the foot of the 1,800 Inca steps that lead up the Machu Picchu site, and we were thinking that there should probably be more than the 10 of us who were there. After speaking to people gradually trickling to the point, we subsequently discovered that the locked gates were not opened until 5:30, leaving us a little annoyed that we had been deprived of an hour's sleep. However, eventually the gates did open, and little did I know what lay ahead....

Anxiously waiting....

   The start of the steps

Views from halfway up

We had had the option to take a bus or climb these steps, which we had been told would take about an hour and a half. Easy, I thought. However, I almost died! (Figuratively of course - I didn't fall down the mountain or anything). My throat burned, my legs felt like they were made of stone, I could hear my heart thudding in my chest, and sweat was dripping down my face. In short, I was a mess. I started off being one of the first people to begin the climb, but was overtaken by almost everybody, partly because I could not seem to walk anything more than snail's pace, and partly because I had to stop for a break every 5 minutes or so. But there was light at the end of the tunnel. At one point, we began to panic, because we had 20 minutes before we had to meet the guide at the top and we were convinced we were only halfway up. But the angels seemed to be singing as we turned a corner at that very moment and saw the entrance to Machu Picchu. My pain was over, we had arrived on time, and my previous bitter regret at not having jumped on the bus gave way to an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and gladness that I had tackled that ancient staircase (isn't hindsight a wonderful thing!).

The Machu Picchu city

The tour was fascinating, although I did have to strain my ears to understand the guide's thick accent, and after 2 hours of absorbing vast amounts of information so early in the morning and walking around the incredibly hilly terrain, I was quite exhausted. So when we were left to our own devices, Tobias and I had a little nap in the sun before exploring the quite expansive place. The tour had taken us to some of the most important buildings -including the 'university', residential houses, and places where sundials and water wells told the time. The information has taken many years for archaeologists to glean because the Incas had no writing system, despite having such a sophisticated culture. I was also surprised to learn that the city took 200 years to build, but the Incas lived in the completely finished city for only 12 years before inexplicably moving away. Fortunately for us this happened, or this gorgeous relic of a lost culture would have gone the way of other Inca cities once the Spanish got hold of them - completely destroyed. Instead, this site lay untouched in the jungle for hundreds of years before being rediscovered in the 20th century.

Our guide in front of one of the ancient ruins

After our aforementioned nap, and also after having a little more food, we felt a lot more refreshed, and spent the next few hours walking around the site, befriending the llamas, and taking photos. If you want toned calves then this is the place to go - there are steps and hills to contend with everywhere. We had bought a ticket to climb the actual Machu Picchu mountain (the site is not the mountain itself - it is named after one of the mountains that surrounds it), but once we were there we felt the Inca steps had taken the energy we would have needed out of us, so we forwent that. It would have taken 3 hours too, and so we decided to use this time to explore the site instead. If you do decide to go to Machu Picchu, that would be my one bit of advice - resist the overwhelming temptation to buy the mountain ticket when you book. I think there are times later on when you can do this if you really feel up to it, and if you do make the purchase, then take the bus up to the site instead of climbing the Inca steps. Unless you are super fit then nearly 2,000 steep steps and then a mountain is a tall order, bordering on impossible.

Pictures just cannot do the reality of this scene justice...

The llamas were surprisingly social (or perhaps not so surprisingly, considering the site sees over 3,000 visitors per day). I expected that they'd shy away from humans and the most I could hope for would be to catch a glimpse of them from far off, but they were actually incredibly curious and quite unbothered by the fact that there were thousands of humans milling about. They seem to live a charmed life of chillin' in the sun and eating. We did make a couple of friends:

He isn't dead, just sleeping...

After a phenomenal day we got the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, where we grabbed our stuff from the hostel and jumped on a train to Cusco, leaving for Lima the next day. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget. Utterly exhausting but totally worth it! Fascinating, fun, and exciting, I am so glad we opted for the Jungle Trek over the Inca Trail (and not just because of the price). It is hard to pick between the Amazon jungle or this as the highlight of my time in Peru.

Machu Picchu: Day Two

Being away in Europe for a couple of weeks, I have had little time to update my Machu Picchu blog. However, I decided that today is the day to document Day 2 of my climb.

The second day was actually our least active one. We arrived the night before in a little jungle lodge run by a family and were pleased to be able to sit down, relax, and be served our meal of rice and chicken. Little merriment was had that night as we were all keen to crawl into our beds and refresh ourselves for our impending hike the next day. I attempted to shower, but could only wash one limb at a time in the freezing cold water, so I was kind of clean... :/ I think. I made a point not to look up at the corrugated iron roof as the little concrete space was full of cobwebs and dead insects, and I feared I had a few eight-legged friends waiting to say hello.

The next morning we saw true Peruvian 'punctuality' in action; after being told we were setting off on our hike at 9am, it was nearing 10 before they let us know that actually we were not going to be leaving until at least 11. In the meantime we were given a lesson on various fruits and vegetables that grow in the Peruvian mountains and jungle, including thousands of varieties of potato. My potato knowledge has never been that great, but it was kind of interesting to learn that the vegetable, which originates from the country, was brought to Europe and made popular by the Spaniards, and sadly, due to its subsequent popularity and cultivation, the thousands of varieties that used to exist have now been practically halved, with the less popular ones having disappeared over time.

As well as potato facts, we were also able to eat a raw cocoa bean (bitter, but I was a bit of a fan), and wear makeup made from the juice of various fruits - a practice still in existence by many tribal peoples of today.

Eventually we left, and the day consisted of walking through the breathtaking countryside for around 8 hours before arriving at the natural thermal springs built into the mountains. I had known we were going to be swimming in natural hot baths but I was unprepared for how beautiful the surroundings would truly be. The baths were around 32-35 degrees celsius, and were situated in a natural valley, walled by mountains, rocks, and vegetation. After a day hiking, I was in absolute heaven!

But the day didn't end there. After a couple of hours swimming and relaxing, it was pretty dark, so a bus took us to the mountain town where we would spend the night in a hostel. After dinner we decided that tonight would not be another early night, and so tried the local 'Inca tequila' shots; an alcoholic beverage that has been brewed with a dead snake for a bit of extra flavour. They were...strong. After hitting the bar, we also tried out the local club scene, or rather, the one rather empty club. Having popped a few moves, Tobias and I were then ready to head back to the hostel. An early morning and zip-lining fun awaited us.

Machu Picchu: Day One

Machu Picchu just had to be seen. To have come to Peru and not gone there would have been some kind of sacrilege I feel. And so, like all good tourists, Tobias and I duly booked to go and see this ancient Inca ruin. We decided to forgo the famous Inca trail, and opted for the four day Jungle Trek with Loki Hostels, which included various activities like white water rafting and zip-lining, instead. It sounded much more fun and we also saved hundreds of dollars.

After only one day in Cusco, we got up at an inhuman hour and made our way to the waiting bus, where we met our tour guide and the rest of the group. It turns out I was the only native English speaker there, with other members of the group being from far flung places like Italy, Germany, and Argentina. I was also the only female, which did feel a little strange at first.

It was a long, winding road up to our first activity, and took around 3 hours. The scenery was spectacular though, so I was by no means bored. And as well as this, the weather was so shockingly bad that I was happy at the excuse to sit in a toasty bus. However, the moment came when we had to brave the elements and get ready for our impending bike ride. I was quite looking forward to the mountain biking activity, especially when I learned it was all downhill, but I must admit, I was hoping the weather would be slightly more agreeable. After dressing in our protective gear and choosing our bikes, we gathered for the obligatory group photo before whizzing off down the hill.

Looking attractive

The road was a mountain road (obviously, you might say) - very windy and with a sheer drop on one side. Add to this the fact that it was pouring with rain and you can understand why I was a little cautious. I was the slowest one (slow being relative here - I was going quite fast), and every now and then I would whiz round a corner and see the group was gathered together waiting for me. However, when we set off again, I quickly lost them all, despite trying to live on the edge and not worry too much about impending death or injury. Anyway, despite being 'slow', I found the whole thing rather exhilarating.

A problem did arise after about 40 minutes though. We had to stop when we came across a long queue of cars and people milling about. It turns out that there had been a landslide shortly before (luckily not whilst we were riding past) and so the road was completely blocked. This shortened our ride quite considerably, and at this point we had to give our bikes back to the van that had been following us and take a short cut to our destination. This involved walking down a steep drop covered with loose mud and stones. At one point I landed flat on my back and ended up covered in mud.

Making my way down the hill

We eventually made it to where the car was picking us up and taking us to our well-deserved lunch in an idyllic little lodge, just before we went white water rafting. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons I could not take photos of this activity (not yet the owner of a Go Pro), but I have to say it was the best part of the trip. An absolute highlight. Tobias and I were not actually sure if we were going to do it, partly because we had to pay an extra fee, and partly because I had heard horrific first-hand stories from my friends who had visited Machu Picchu a few weeks previously. However, I am so glad we did. The river was set in the most amazing location, and all we could see around us were mountains covered in forest. It felt kind of prehistoric, as though we'd travelled in time back to the Stone Age or something. 

There were six to a boat and we had a guide telling us how and when to paddle. Fortunately. Or we probably would have ended up being sucked in by rapids. Paddling with the oars was a definite workout for the arms, but I did get into a nice rhythm. The windy weather meant the water was very choppy, but that just made it all the more fun. We did survive, although there was one hairy moment - with most of the waves we'd be lifted up and then plonked back down again, but one was so big that that just wasn't going to happen. As we were thrown through the wave, I headbutted the person in front of me, and learned afterwards that Tobias, who was in front of him, had also hit this guy at the very same moment. In the face. With an oar. Ouch! Going through the wave probably lasted only a few seconds but everything went into slow motion and it felt a lot longer. I was quite scared as I knew that the whole raft was completely out of anybody's control and I was convinced that we'd all be thrown out. We weren't. Despite this moment, I found the water rafting experience to be absolutely amazing, but the best part had to be when we jumped off our raft towards the end and went for a swim in the freezing water.

The day was tiring but incredible, as you can probably imagine, but the adventures weren't quite over yet. Night hiking up the mountain in order to reach our lodge for the night, we happened across a house in the jungle, and stopped for water. The couple living there had a pet monkey, which was (sadly) tied to a pole. Being a monkey-lover, I went over to play with him. All was well for the first minute or so until, out of the blue, he swiftly grabbed my glasses off my face and ran up to the top of his pole. Being blind and terrified that I would be unable to see for the next three days, my first instinct was to wrestle with this little creature and and try and get them back. However, after being bitten (not deeply, fortunately) on the finger, I realised that it was probably not a good idea to fight with an aggressive jungle animal. The owner calmed him down, at which point, the sulky little thing threw the glasses on the ground. I'm not one for tying up wild animals but at that moment I was glad he could only climb the length of a pole and not run off into the jungle leaving me with a lack of sharp vision. Lesson learned: never mix monkeys and valuables. I slept well that night.

Exploring Cusco

We didn't spend long in Cusco, the former Inca capital, so did not have the time to experience the amazing nightlife that my friends (who had gone a few weeks before) had raved about, but we did manage to have enough time to get in a bit of culture and have a whistlestop tour of the beautiful city.

View from our bedroom window

Having previously been warned to take precautions because of the altitude, we made sure to take altitude sickness tablets before we went, and also rested for a little while before exploring the place. However, at 3,400 m, we still weren't reacting too well to being there, despite the pills and copious amounts of coca tea, the ubiquitous drink that you just can't escape from in Cusco - it apparently holds the secret to health in the highlands.

Coca tea

The coca tea is an acquired taste but I did get to quite like it. Although I came across some teabags, most of the time it is given in the form of leaves, to which boiling water is added, and then VOILA! - leaf-tasting water. The leaves come from the coca plant that grows abundantly in the Peruvian jungle, the plant from which is produced the dangerous drug, cocaine. However, don't be afraid of this little leaf - in its original form it is harmless, and actually very healthy.

Cusco itself is absolutely breathtaking and is full of charming little streets, elegant-looking buildings, and impressive churches that date back to the Spanish colonial era. The exploration had to be slow, however; the air is thin, and I found myself feeling faint whenever I tried to run or walk too fast, sometimes having to sit down on the ground until my equilibrium was restored.

The city was originally built by the Incas and has a unique shape - the layout actually takes the form of a puma. However, much of the original Inca architecture was destroyed by the Spanish invaders, and the architectural glories that exist to this day were built on the remains of the Inca temples by the Spanish in an attempt to quash the Andean culture. However, this wasn't completely successful and so nowadays the city is a fascinating mix of the remains of the Inca empire and its traditions and the relatively more modern Spanish influences.

 Many of the locals know exactly how to draw in the tourists

Unfortunately, because of the tourist pull (mainly due to the fact the city has exclusive access to Machu Picchu), Cusco is more expensive compared to other places in Peru, and so a shoestring budget will have to be put on hold. However, it is a must-see for those travelling to this country, and is chock-full of beauty, history, and tradition. I just wish I had spent more time there.

Iquitos and the Amazon Jungle

Visiting the Amazon jungle was everything I had anticipated and more. I only had a superficial impression of the place, but I guess I can't reasonably expect more from a 2-day trip. When I look back though, it feels so much longer - I can't believe how much I packed in.

On arriving at Iquitos I was surprised to get off the plane to heavy rain. After living in Lima for so long, which is permanently devoid of the stuff, I was most unaccustomed and terribly unprepared. But it wasn't a horrible England-type shower - it was warm and smelled fresh, and was actually quite pleasant after being cooped up on a plane for 2 and a half hours.

So after the inevitable long wait at the baggage collection area (seriously, why is it always my case that comes out last?!), I was very excited to get my adventure started, wheeled out my suitcase to the pick up lobby, and welcomed the sight of a man holding up a white card with my name on it. It was already dark so for the half hour journey to my hostel, I did not get to see much of the city. However, I did get an eyeful of dirty road water as a car drove past and whipped it up at just the right angle for it to fly through the driver's open window and into my face. I was worried I'd go blind but I seem to be alright so far.

The hostel, Golondrinas, I had booked beforehand, and for a mere 20 soles (£4), I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. It scored major points for its pool, and it didn't take long before my bikini was on and I was jumping in. As well as that though, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and I was out like a light when I crawled into bed in anticipation of the upcoming 2 days.

Jungle lodgings

In the morning I was up bright and early ready for my guide to pick me up from the hostel at 9am to take me to the jungle, where I thought I would meet the rest of the group. However, as it turned out, I had my own personal jungle experience on account that I was the only person who had booked up for those days. The only time I was a bit apprehensive about this was on the first day when we went out for a hike and I followed the man I had met earlier on that day into the deep jungle whilst he was armed with a machete. As it turned out though, the machete was to cut down the pesky branches that got in the way and not to carve me up, so I did come out alive. 

The day and night hikes were phenomenal. The size and colours of the butterflies were astounding, and they were everywhere! I also saw some of the biggest moths I've ever seen in my life. By night the wildlife was a little different. The guide, Ashuco, was pointing out spiders the size of my palm running into the undergrowth, but I was less interested in that than the frogs by the waterside. There were everything from the tiniest yellow ones to the hugest bright green. I was having a great time posing with my amphibian friends.

As well as these hikes, the trip was filled with other amazing activities - we went early morning piranha fishing (and I was pleased to have been able to catch 7 of them - despite the fact most were tiny), swam in the Amazon river (occasionally getting peeks of the pink dolphins we were sharing the water with), visited a local jungle village, and went on boat rides to admire the breathtaking scenery and watch the sun set. 

Catch of the day 

Look carefully and you'll spot a parakeet

Boat rides on the Amazon River

But I have to admit, the highlight for me was visiting Monkey Island, mainly because I have immense and indescribable amounts of love for the little hairy critters, and as a result, was absolutely bursting with excitement at the idea of having actual physical contact with them. I wondered if they might be shy, but they were anything but. On the island were a range of different species - capuchins, spider monkeys, woolly monkeys and more.

I was melting anyway as they bounded over to me and held my hand, rested on my lap, or climbed on my head, but I was almost a liquid mess on the floor when I saw a spider monkey, Susie, walk over with her 2-month old baby clinging to her chest. It was maybe a little bigger than my hand, but not much, and I had to resist with every bone in my body the temptation to grab it and run. However, although the baby was outrageously cute, I think my true soft spot was reserved for Tintin, the woolly monkey, who liked to hold and lick my hand and would clamber up so I could hold him. And he truly was the woolliest thing.

There were sloths as well as monkeys

Handling an anaconda is also an option

Tintin and me

Playing with some of the monkeys

Even though I was only there for 2 days, I feel I did and experienced so much. The dream would be to go back some day and spend longer there, maybe going a little deeper into the rainforest and getting a less touristy experience. The city itself I wasn't enamoured of, so I wouldn't be too bothered about visiting Iquitos again. But as an entrance point, it's probably one of the easiest and most obvious solutions for anyone wishing to go to the Peruvian Amazon.

I feel a little sad that the trip I was looking forward to so much is now over, but my melancholy is abated when I think about my trip to Machu Picchu with my boyfriend in 3 weeks time - and I'm guessing that will be equally as spectacular. 

Goodbye for now sweet Amazon - I'm sure we'll meet again.

Jiving in the Jungle

Today I'm super excited and itching to leave tomorrow for my weekend in the Amazon jungle. Mostly prepared but, being disorganised before I came to Peru, I neglected to remember to bring the essential hiking clothing, and so now have to make do with the few things I have. Fortunately I remembered to bring a rain jacket, which is probably a must when visiting the rainforest, and also my hiking boots, which have served me very well in the past when trekking the Brecon Beacons and Mount Kenya, but I am a little concerned that I am going to have make do with wearing my jeans and cumbersome jumpers, as my good gear is usefully sitting at home, in England, tucked away in my wardrobe. Ah well, nothing can dampen my excitement about playing with monkeys, swimming with pink dolphins and boating down the river.

With everything booked and now paid for, I am raring to go. Flight. Check. Taxi. Check. Hostel. Check. I am now suffering the familiar palpitations I normally get before a flight - well, before using an airport to be more precise. I am always so paranoid about missing a piece of documentation or arriving 30 seconds too late or some other such disaster occurring that every time I travel, I see the airport experience as a huge scary black smudge in my mind, obscuring the usually amazing holiday that awaits beyond.

In fact, last year, when holidaying with my friends, it got so bad in the car on the way to the airport with me constantly checking I had my passport and boarding pass (about every 20 seconds on average), that my friend actually took my bag away from me. I'm not sure what I thought would happen in a zipped up bag in a moving car on a motorway, but such is my fear.

So, providing everything goes well and I do in fact manage to get on the plane, I will be travelling to the more northerly Iquitos, the world's largest city that cannot be reached by road. It is Peru's largest jungle city and so very popular with rainforest-hungry tourists (like me). The tour I have booked is only two days long, but absolutely packed with activity from morning til night. Among other things, I will be holding anacondas, fishing for piranhas, and visiting a local tribe.

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, here I come....