Hi all, I am back... I am doing this in 3 installments since it is a lot of info, lots o pix and my trip was in 3 different parts...
Peru: With "Active South America" was PHENOMENAL and I would highly suggest this trip to anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Travel… stuck for 3 hours on the tarmac in Aspen due to winds making me miss my flights to Lima… got a hotel in the Houston Airport and worked out and tried to stay sane… Highlight; wearing an Obama t-shirt (all I had) at the George Bush Memorial International Airport… finally got out of Houston and to Lima at midnight and found I had 3 flights from Lima to Cusco instead of a direct flight… begged many people for help and finally a wonderful woman named Allison helped me so I left 1 hour later than expected 5am and arrived 2 hours earlier AND she put me in first class for the trip YAHOOOOOOOOO….
Machu Pichu… We started in the town of Cusco and I literally got off the plane and onto a bike for a 1.5 hour mountain bike ride then a great picnic lunch in the woods and a 3 hour hike. Despite the strike by the farmers re the government wanting to charge for water causing a change in our plans since they put rocks in the road to block tourism we had a great day…Our guide Arturo was great and we have 9 people on this part of the trip (5 will go the Lares Trail and 4 will go the Inca trail to get to Machu Pichu)… The ruins around Cusco and the back country just out of town is unbelievable and like Aspen you are in the middle of no-where just minutes out of downtown.
Day 1 of the Inca trail which was much easier than expected with 6+ hours of hiking and lots of pit stops. We arrived to our tents set up with hot water and soap to wash with and then GREAT Gourmet food throughout. Our group consisted of 11 people, 2 guides for the trail along with Arturo and 20 porters carrying everything from the tent to food and tables… the oldest porter is in his 60s and they carry 27 kg and run in front of us so they can have it all set up for us when we get there… the weather was awesome with off and on cool and sunny spots with rain only when we were on pit stops.
Day 2 of the Inca trail started with waking up to Peruvian flute playing and warm water to wash with and tea brought to the tent. After an incredible breakfast we hiked through rain forest with rivers/water falls etc and then went over "dead woman’s pass" which was high and more challenging than the previous day. The hike down was also challenging and I fell on the rainy slippery steps 4 times (I hate going down). There was more mist and rain that day but GREAT ruins.
Day 3 of the Inca trail was a "easy" hike downhill for 3.5 hrs (did I mention that I personally don’t like going downhill and there were thousands of stairs)… I didn’t fall this day but my knees were pissed at me. Before dinner that night we saw AWESOME ruins right near where we were camping.
Day 4 of the Inca trail we woke up to cake for breakfast (how they made that in the middle of no-where was a mystery)… then a fast hike to the sun temple to try to get there before sunrise and a leisurely hike down to Machu Pichu. Machu Pichu was spectacular and started in clouds then cleared later. It was so massive with incredible architecture. A sight to see. Then a train ride back to Cusco for a sleep in a dry bed, toilet in the room and a shower!... Of note, some Inca rules; 1. don’t be lazy, 2. don’t lie and 3. don’t steal.
Next installment includes the Amazon/Rain Forrest and the last is of Lake Titicaca... until then... love to you all!
Peru: With "Active South America" was PHENOMENAL and I would highly suggest this trip to anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Travel… stuck for 3 hours on the tarmac in Aspen due to winds making me miss my flights to Lima… got a hotel in the Houston Airport and worked out and tried to stay sane… Highlight; wearing an Obama t-shirt (all I had) at the George Bush Memorial International Airport… finally got out of Houston and to Lima at midnight and found I had 3 flights from Lima to Cusco instead of a direct flight… begged many people for help and finally a wonderful woman named Allison helped me so I left 1 hour later than expected 5am and arrived 2 hours earlier AND she put me in first class for the trip YAHOOOOOOOOO….
Machu Pichu… We started in the town of Cusco and I literally got off the plane and onto a bike for a 1.5 hour mountain bike ride then a great picnic lunch in the woods and a 3 hour hike. Despite the strike by the farmers re the government wanting to charge for water causing a change in our plans since they put rocks in the road to block tourism we had a great day…Our guide Arturo was great and we have 9 people on this part of the trip (5 will go the Lares Trail and 4 will go the Inca trail to get to Machu Pichu)… The ruins around Cusco and the back country just out of town is unbelievable and like Aspen you are in the middle of no-where just minutes out of downtown.
Day 1 of the Inca trail which was much easier than expected with 6+ hours of hiking and lots of pit stops. We arrived to our tents set up with hot water and soap to wash with and then GREAT Gourmet food throughout. Our group consisted of 11 people, 2 guides for the trail along with Arturo and 20 porters carrying everything from the tent to food and tables… the oldest porter is in his 60s and they carry 27 kg and run in front of us so they can have it all set up for us when we get there… the weather was awesome with off and on cool and sunny spots with rain only when we were on pit stops.
Day 2 of the Inca trail started with waking up to Peruvian flute playing and warm water to wash with and tea brought to the tent. After an incredible breakfast we hiked through rain forest with rivers/water falls etc and then went over "dead woman’s pass" which was high and more challenging than the previous day. The hike down was also challenging and I fell on the rainy slippery steps 4 times (I hate going down). There was more mist and rain that day but GREAT ruins.
Day 3 of the Inca trail was a "easy" hike downhill for 3.5 hrs (did I mention that I personally don’t like going downhill and there were thousands of stairs)… I didn’t fall this day but my knees were pissed at me. Before dinner that night we saw AWESOME ruins right near where we were camping.
Day 4 of the Inca trail we woke up to cake for breakfast (how they made that in the middle of no-where was a mystery)… then a fast hike to the sun temple to try to get there before sunrise and a leisurely hike down to Machu Pichu. Machu Pichu was spectacular and started in clouds then cleared later. It was so massive with incredible architecture. A sight to see. Then a train ride back to Cusco for a sleep in a dry bed, toilet in the room and a shower!... Of note, some Inca rules; 1. don’t be lazy, 2. don’t lie and 3. don’t steal.
Next installment includes the Amazon/Rain Forrest and the last is of Lake Titicaca... until then... love to you all!
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