The South America Chronicles - Cuatro

I can confirm that we did finally make it to Cusco, and if anyone needs any information on the Lima Airport - I´m you man. We haven´t hit the Inca Trail yet - that starts tomorrow morning - but we did just have a good 3 days in the Sacred Valley....

After checking in with out Inca Trail guides after touching down in Cusco, we jumped onto a local bus over to Pisaq at the head of the Sacred Valley. Pisaq was a nice little colonial market town, with lots of stalls around its little square, on which our hotel was set. There really wasn´t much in Pisaq, just lots of friendly locals and a relaxed atmosphere. There was a good cafe also situated on the square - which was probably just as well as there weren´t a whole lot of other options that appealed. Though my pursuit of a meal of Cuy (Guinea Pig for those of you not in the know) was foiled again - we spotted a place earlier in the day that even had the poor little fella´s on display in a hutch, but when I turned up there for dinner it appeared that the place was only open for lunch. So my furry four-legged friends had another escape. But I will catch up with them, oh yes I will....

The next morning we walked up to the Inca ruins that overlook Pisaq. It wasn´t a long walk (only about 45mins), but it was a steep one. And our worst fears were confirmed, all our altitude acclimitisation had been lost in the Galapagos. But despite a lot of huffing and puffing, we made it to the ruins and nearly had an hour wandering around them all to ourselves - the tour buses arrive later in the day I think. We then bused it further down the Valley to the town of Urubamba, which at first seemed like a mistake to stay at. However, despite a frustrating hour walking around the town looking for our accomodation (it had changed both its name and its location!), we found that we became very fond of Urubamba over the next two days.

One day we took the short trip up to Ollantaytambo where we walked around the really impressive Inca ruins - a multitude of terraces up a steep slope, on the top of which had some stones so large it is a wonder they got them up there at all. The other day we bus/taxi´ed it up to the site of Moray - what was effectively a ´greenhouse´ the Inca´s built to test different crops at different climatic conditions. There are three sets of circular terraces, which apparently give the affect of simulating the different environs that would have been in the Incan terriority - from the mountains down to the sea. This way the Inca´s could test different crops before planting them on a larger scale - a pretty smart lot those Inca´s. We then walked the 10km or so back to Urubamba - which in hindsight might not have been a great decision. Though walking along the Andean ´puna´ (grasslands at altitude - we were at about 3300m) was pretty cool (we even spotted a Condor) - it didn´t have a great affect on my health. Only just coming right from my other gastric joys, I started to feel very average on the walk down - feeling weak and having very sore ears. I´m not sure whether this is due to the altitude (which would seem odd as I spent 2 weeks at at least these levels and didn´t have any problems), or the result of the ear infection I picked up from snorkelling in the Galapagos. Whatever it is, my ears are still very sore, as is my chest - not how I wanted to feel with the Inca Trail trek beginning in less than 24 hours. It appears that my body wasn´t quite ready for these travels to the developing world. And in a bizare twist - Anna is feeling good. But enough of the misery....

We ended up really liking Urubamba and had two of the best meals I think we will ever have for mains that cost US$10 each. I´m not sure what the chefs are doing in this town, they should be in michelin star restaurants in London charging 20 times the amount. It certainly isn´t what you expect to find in a dusty town like Urubamba. And after dinner each night we got to take one of the many tuk-tuks that parole the town. They will take you anywhere in the town for just 1 Sol (around US$0.30) and were lots of fun. We are really getting the hang of this South American transport ´system´. It seems shambolic and unorganised from the outside, but it just seems to work. Changing from one bus to another, or to a combi taxi (basically a van cramed with as many people as possible) or tuk-tuk, it always seems to go seamlessly. And the drivers are always helpful and always make sure you get off at the right place or get onto the right connection. And it is all ridiculously dirt cheap. Makes you wonder with all the technology, etc how we can get it so wrong so often (London-goers probably best you don´t read this).

We are now in Cusco, ticking away the afternoon and preparing for our 5.30am pick up tomorrow morning. We´ve picked up the necessary supplies - toilet paper (tick), snickers bars (tick), chewing gum and lollies (tick), water (tick). And now we get to go back to our room and work out how we are going to fit what we are taking into one small backpack - cue plenty of bickering tonight I think....

I am sure I will post an update in 5 days or so to let you all know how the trek went. I expect watching the sunrise over Machu Picchu will more than make up for the toils.

P.S. And it seems you can´t fly away to any corner of the world these days without missing out on some news. Congrats Craig & Suz, it seems that the new house hasn´t been the only thing keeping you up late at night!

P.S.S. And just to allay your fears, Anna and I are still together now that we are travelling by ourselves. However, a book or cards have become quite useful at dinner times....