A travel blog of a journey that I started in 2010 and I don't know when it will end ...

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

To Cuzco… To see Machu Picchu

The journey from Copacabana to Puno has been very long ... 15 hours throught secondary roads bordering the north of the Lake Titicaca. We stamped out of Bolivia in Yunguyo. We could not get the stamp of the entrance to Peru... the immigration office was without electricity.

At the border that we realy cross, we changed the bus, and divide all of us in one van and one bus that will take us to Juliaca. I had to go in the van. We were much faster than the bus for these bads roads.
When we arrived at Juliaca we find the road blocked with stones on the road. The driver tried to go across the fields until he reached the next bridge that gaves access to the city. This bridge is blocked by hundreds of farmers protesting for the mining companies that wants to install factories on their land.

We crossed the river by foot with the backpack on, and walked a kilometer to found the bus that is drives us to Puno. After we cross we saw that the farmers start to burn tires on the bridge ...



We had to wait for the other bus ... I choose to read while we waited... and three hours later they arrived.

During the short ride to Puno they told us that the following two days there will be a major block of the roads in Juliaca and Puno, and if we take a bus the same night we could get out of the block. They can fix the issue of entry stamp and book a bus ticket out. So they offer all for 90 Soles to Arequipa with the entry stamp, not a good deal...

I wanted to go to Arequipa, so I agred ...
When we arrived at Puno Seemed that there was no tickets for all us... but they finally said that there were no problem.

As we was waiting to put the stamp of Peru at the passport in the hall of an hotel, I meet Lorena, and Rocio (Andalusia) and Vero (Murcia). They came wih the bus and they tell me that that they had been atacked with rocks and some glases has been broken while they were waiting to cross the protest...
Arequipa is their last option to take too...

So, after 15 hours by bus, we took another bus for 10 hour more ... There are five people on our bus that hasn’t got the tiket! They had to sleep on the corridor. So we paid 90 Soles for a 40 Soles worth bus ride, and no space for all of us!
At 8 am we arrived at Arequipa, first I want to stay some days ... but I change my mind on the bus ... I want to go to Cuzco and Machu Picchu...
So half an hour brake to jump on to another bus, 13 hours more!
The group that we came from Bolivia are the three Spanish, one Irish and me.
The bus trip is long but entertaining ... the conversations are very interesting, and inside the bus is getting very hot and willing to have a bed to rest.
Finally we arrive at Cuzco. We stayed in a hostel for gringos who wants to party, but with a super comfortable bed!
The spanish girls had book already a tour, the Inca Jungle Trail (the budget option in the Inca Trail that leads to Machu Picchu and you have to have to book months in advance).
The Irish man don’t have more days and he dicides to take a direct train to Aguas Calientes to visit Machu Picchu in one day.
The Kimberlys (the three Spanish) has arrange a meeting with the agency of tourfor explain how are the rules of the tour. I decide to join them ... The company is worth it! So after paying the tour, we enjoy a beer at the bar (like in Ibiza) and after a short sleep, we start the Tour.

The first day is a bike day, and we arrive at Santa Maria, perfect to rest.


The second day we walk in some parts of the ancients Inca trails that lead us to some perfect Terms baths before arriving to Santa Teresa where we spend the second night. We spend the lasts energies dancing ... And we wanted to go back at the place we were staying the door was closed!... we had to wait...


The third day we Canopy, we drop hanging from a cable at 150 meters on the highest point... pure adrenaline! And at the evening we walk to Aguas Calientes where we spend the night.



I am having a realy good time with the Kimberlys!
At 3:30 my alarm clock rings. The true is that I haven’t slept much, but I want to go up to Wayna Picchu and only the firsts 400 can do it. At 4 am the door where it began the ascent to Machu Picchu. Many people, I am one of the first fifty. The Kimberly takes the bus.
I get the stamp that allow me to go up to Wayna Picchu at 11AM, just after the guided tour which includes the jungle trail.




We do the guided tour and then I go to Wayna Picchu with one German of the tour. Very nice!
I can say that I found Machu Picchu a magical place, this city built on top of this mountain has a charming hard to explain. Just before a week of the celebration of the hundred years of the rediscover of the lost city, now one of the most tourist South America ...



I go down to Aguas Calientes and I meet there the Kimberly and the rest of the group. We return to Cuzco by train ...
We return to the Party Hostel... Today we want to be there for the party.
The next day I get up with a cold and sore throat ... So, bed time.
With Kimberlys I spend the next day walking through Cuzco, and at night they return to La Paz to continue her volunteer work.
I've spend a couple of nights to do bed. I switch to a quieter hostel.

The last day in Cuzco I meet with Anna!! I go faster than her. She has just arrived at Cusco and wants to go to Aguas Calientes next morning. We have a nice talk about what we have done ...

I am going to Lima at noon ... I have 20 hour bus ride...
I already miss the Kimberlys ... Happiness guaranteed

Some photos
2011-06-Cusco (PER) https://photos.app.goo.gl/6RKEscqoz8bJTgGe8
 
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