Hola from Lima!
First of all: people are right- the capital of Peru really is a shithole... at least at this time of year.- The whole city is covered in a cloud of mist. You can´t see a thing! After 8 weeks of traveling I have finally made it to the ocean and now this! Oh well, you can't in 'em all... I'll just leave the city again tomorrow and that's that. Just stopped here anyway, because it would have been too far to go all the way up north in one day.
Now to more exciting stories!
Things in Cusco got pretty crazy- I left of telling you, that I would meet up with the boys; that was the second day in Cusco. I went to the bar to meet them, when somebody screamed my name. And there were my girls from Salta, who I didn't even know were in Peru, let alone Cusco!! After that of course we got wasted worse than ever before- in Cusco you get one free drink, whenever you enter a club as a big group, so we ended up going to I think six different clubs, got totally drunk and didn't pay a single Sole!
Well, the next day was basically wound-licking and making big plans for going to Machu Picchu the next day. The train there and back costs over 140 US-Dollars, although it's just a two hour trip, so a total rip off for tourist! We decided, WE don't need the train...
We left at ten in the morning for St. Maria, a small pueblo in the middle of the Sacred Valley. The trip there already took us almost 6, instead of 4 hours... arriving in St. Maria we discovered, that the climate there was like in the jungle- hot and humid (mosquitoes!!). Good thing, I brought my big heavy backpack with sleepingbag and warm clothes...
Next, we had to hire a collectivo (taxi for many people together) to St. Theresa, as there was no bus. We arrived there another 2 hours later, at about 6:30 p.m. After each eating a family-sized pizza, we tried taking a taxi to "the powerplant", where the traintracks to Agua Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) start. The problem was, that there had been a landslide on the road, and the taxi couldn't pass. By now it was dark and looked like rain, and the locals warned us about snakes and more landslides. Apart from those dangers, we only had two flashlights for five people, and the drop next to the path was pretty steep...
We started walking, anyway (we had rum and coca leaves- what could go wrong?!) and about half an hour later, we actually made it to the train tracks. That's when it started raining.
We found shelter next to an empty building along the tracks, but it kept on raining even harder. I walked around the corner of the building, as the wind was coming from infront and found a huge, dry tent!! What luck?!
So now we had a decent shelter and waited, until the rain had almost stopped. By now it was about 11:30 p.m., still dark, still two flashlights and now wet and slippery train tracks.
We continued our journey, pausing only for essential things (rum), balancing on the tacks over bridges that crossed rivers about 100 feet deep (did I mention, the tracks were wet and we only had two flashlights?!). Good thing we had rum, otherwise, we might have been scared.
After about another two hours of walking, we arrived safely in Agua Calientes. It was about 2 a.m. by know and we decided, that it was too late and wet to put up a tent. Since we didn't have anymore water, Will and I walked into town and bought very expensive water (and beer) at the only disco in town, which took us another hour. Coming back to the campground where the others were waiting we discovered, that they had made a new friend: A somewhat mad sheep which kept trying to rub it's head on us, no matter how many times we tried chasing it away! We tied it up, in order to have at least 10 minutes of peace, before it was time to start climbing up the over 1000 steps to Machu Picchu. Of course, we untied it again when we left. The liberated sheep came charging after Pim, knocking him staight off his feet! Laughing so hard, we could barely walk anymore, we continued our journey. We yelled at the sheep and tried chasing it away again, but it actually followed us ALL THE WAY up to the Inka-site!!! André said, it was to give me strenghth for the last part of the way (by now, Freddie was carrying my backpack), and he was probably right. We made it up to Machu Picchu at presisely 4:50 a.m. and were the first ones there that day!
At six we were admitted in and got straight in line for Waynapicchu, another mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, on which only 400 people a day are allowed to climb. Great. More stairs. But getting to the top (it must have been around 8 a.m. by now) it was worth it- the clouds passed and gave way to amazing views of the Inka-site (pictures soon on facebook!!).
Climbing back down was actually more stumbeling, as by then we were going on 26 hours without sleep (and we didn't have anymore water, either). We looked around Machu Picchu for about another hour, and left the site at about 11 a.m. BY BUS!!!
After a quick snack in Aguas Calientes we got on the train to Ollantaytambo (which is only 33 dollars compared to the 77 to Cusco), and from there we squeezed into a cab to Cusco, in which we slept all the way (even Will, who was sitting in the trunk!), much to the amazement of the driver.
Back in civilization we treated ourselves to a huge (and expensive!) dinner, showered and went to bed for a 14-hour sleep!
The next day was the last day in Cusco, which was spent reading, eating and relaxin in the sun!
Then our ways parted.- Will, Freddie and Pim went for a motorbike tour in the mountains, André headed for the coast for some sandboarding, and I left for Arequipa by myself, in order to trek the Colca Canyon.
Arriving in Arequipa was rather a dissapointment after beautiful Cusco, but it was ok.
I walked the canyon myself, without a guide (and even without a tourist ticket, thanks to my talents as an actress- "I must have forgotten it in my big backpack, but I did buy one, honestly!"), having received instructions from a hostal-owner in Cabanaconde. It was a three day, two night trek down the canyon, to the "oasis" and back up again, about 3500 feet (the deepest canyon in Peru, I think, even in South America.)
After the hike back up I decided, that I had done my share of trekking for this country, and that it´s time to head up north to a beach!!!
Well, and here I am in Lima, resting for one night after a 15 hour bus journey.
Tomorrow it will be another 18 hours on the bus (I´m getting an expensive, comfortable one, though!!), and then I will be in Mancora, a beautiful beach (according to the locals) near the Ecuadorian boarder!
I will keep you posted, but don't be disappointed, if you don't hear from me the next couple of days- I'll be soaking up some sun!!!
Love you, thank you for your emails and hasta luego!!!
First of all: people are right- the capital of Peru really is a shithole... at least at this time of year.- The whole city is covered in a cloud of mist. You can´t see a thing! After 8 weeks of traveling I have finally made it to the ocean and now this! Oh well, you can't in 'em all... I'll just leave the city again tomorrow and that's that. Just stopped here anyway, because it would have been too far to go all the way up north in one day.
Now to more exciting stories!
Things in Cusco got pretty crazy- I left of telling you, that I would meet up with the boys; that was the second day in Cusco. I went to the bar to meet them, when somebody screamed my name. And there were my girls from Salta, who I didn't even know were in Peru, let alone Cusco!! After that of course we got wasted worse than ever before- in Cusco you get one free drink, whenever you enter a club as a big group, so we ended up going to I think six different clubs, got totally drunk and didn't pay a single Sole!
Well, the next day was basically wound-licking and making big plans for going to Machu Picchu the next day. The train there and back costs over 140 US-Dollars, although it's just a two hour trip, so a total rip off for tourist! We decided, WE don't need the train...
We left at ten in the morning for St. Maria, a small pueblo in the middle of the Sacred Valley. The trip there already took us almost 6, instead of 4 hours... arriving in St. Maria we discovered, that the climate there was like in the jungle- hot and humid (mosquitoes!!). Good thing, I brought my big heavy backpack with sleepingbag and warm clothes...
Next, we had to hire a collectivo (taxi for many people together) to St. Theresa, as there was no bus. We arrived there another 2 hours later, at about 6:30 p.m. After each eating a family-sized pizza, we tried taking a taxi to "the powerplant", where the traintracks to Agua Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) start. The problem was, that there had been a landslide on the road, and the taxi couldn't pass. By now it was dark and looked like rain, and the locals warned us about snakes and more landslides. Apart from those dangers, we only had two flashlights for five people, and the drop next to the path was pretty steep...
We started walking, anyway (we had rum and coca leaves- what could go wrong?!) and about half an hour later, we actually made it to the train tracks. That's when it started raining.
We found shelter next to an empty building along the tracks, but it kept on raining even harder. I walked around the corner of the building, as the wind was coming from infront and found a huge, dry tent!! What luck?!
So now we had a decent shelter and waited, until the rain had almost stopped. By now it was about 11:30 p.m., still dark, still two flashlights and now wet and slippery train tracks.
We continued our journey, pausing only for essential things (rum), balancing on the tacks over bridges that crossed rivers about 100 feet deep (did I mention, the tracks were wet and we only had two flashlights?!). Good thing we had rum, otherwise, we might have been scared.
After about another two hours of walking, we arrived safely in Agua Calientes. It was about 2 a.m. by know and we decided, that it was too late and wet to put up a tent. Since we didn't have anymore water, Will and I walked into town and bought very expensive water (and beer) at the only disco in town, which took us another hour. Coming back to the campground where the others were waiting we discovered, that they had made a new friend: A somewhat mad sheep which kept trying to rub it's head on us, no matter how many times we tried chasing it away! We tied it up, in order to have at least 10 minutes of peace, before it was time to start climbing up the over 1000 steps to Machu Picchu. Of course, we untied it again when we left. The liberated sheep came charging after Pim, knocking him staight off his feet! Laughing so hard, we could barely walk anymore, we continued our journey. We yelled at the sheep and tried chasing it away again, but it actually followed us ALL THE WAY up to the Inka-site!!! André said, it was to give me strenghth for the last part of the way (by now, Freddie was carrying my backpack), and he was probably right. We made it up to Machu Picchu at presisely 4:50 a.m. and were the first ones there that day!
At six we were admitted in and got straight in line for Waynapicchu, another mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, on which only 400 people a day are allowed to climb. Great. More stairs. But getting to the top (it must have been around 8 a.m. by now) it was worth it- the clouds passed and gave way to amazing views of the Inka-site (pictures soon on facebook!!).
Climbing back down was actually more stumbeling, as by then we were going on 26 hours without sleep (and we didn't have anymore water, either). We looked around Machu Picchu for about another hour, and left the site at about 11 a.m. BY BUS!!!
After a quick snack in Aguas Calientes we got on the train to Ollantaytambo (which is only 33 dollars compared to the 77 to Cusco), and from there we squeezed into a cab to Cusco, in which we slept all the way (even Will, who was sitting in the trunk!), much to the amazement of the driver.
Back in civilization we treated ourselves to a huge (and expensive!) dinner, showered and went to bed for a 14-hour sleep!
The next day was the last day in Cusco, which was spent reading, eating and relaxin in the sun!
Then our ways parted.- Will, Freddie and Pim went for a motorbike tour in the mountains, André headed for the coast for some sandboarding, and I left for Arequipa by myself, in order to trek the Colca Canyon.
Arriving in Arequipa was rather a dissapointment after beautiful Cusco, but it was ok.
I walked the canyon myself, without a guide (and even without a tourist ticket, thanks to my talents as an actress- "I must have forgotten it in my big backpack, but I did buy one, honestly!"), having received instructions from a hostal-owner in Cabanaconde. It was a three day, two night trek down the canyon, to the "oasis" and back up again, about 3500 feet (the deepest canyon in Peru, I think, even in South America.)
After the hike back up I decided, that I had done my share of trekking for this country, and that it´s time to head up north to a beach!!!
Well, and here I am in Lima, resting for one night after a 15 hour bus journey.
Tomorrow it will be another 18 hours on the bus (I´m getting an expensive, comfortable one, though!!), and then I will be in Mancora, a beautiful beach (according to the locals) near the Ecuadorian boarder!
I will keep you posted, but don't be disappointed, if you don't hear from me the next couple of days- I'll be soaking up some sun!!!
Love you, thank you for your emails and hasta luego!!!
