Jan 2007

Well... after an interesting 17 hour bus journey from Ica we finally made it in Cusco 2 hours late. We were then greated by a taxi with no electrics, the only way to start it was point it down a hill and hope the engine kicks in. The actual city itself is something like 3000 meters up, it takes a few days to get used to it. The first day I was panting from just walking the stairs.´The city hasnt too much to offer, its mostly used as a transit point for the numerous trails and stuff.
We´re staying at the Point which is actually better than the one in Lima, its only like 10 soles (1.50) for a litre and a half of beer, quality!!
Anway, on the third day we started the 4 day Inca trek up to Macchu Pichu, bascially this big ass Inca ruin which they built about 3,500 up on the edge of a cliff. I wished they´d built it on a beach or somewhere flat.
The first day wasn´t too bad, nice weather, gradual ascent. The campsite wasn´t too bad, basically a garden in one of the villages on the trail. However the toilet... I ain´t gona go there, all I can say is thank god for Imodium. Just before we all went to bed the guide decided to warn us about bears, pumas and big feck off spiders, sweet dreams.
I woke up the next morning remembering that I hate camping. I really dont see the fun in it. Why people enjoy sleeping in tents I´l never know.
The second day was the worst though, a straight 5 hour ascent to 4,125 metres, abuot 12,000 feet, i.e. the height sky divers jump from. I got some wicked views there though, you could see right down the valley when the clouds shifted. By the time we reached the top however it started to get a little damp which made the 2 hour descent a little tricky as the rocks got slippy. Ended up at the second campsite at about 1pm, only there was absolutly nothing to do there, and I mean nothing. Again rediscovered that camping sucks.
The third day wasn´t too bad, except for the heavy rain which never stopped, I wish I´d brought a better poncho. It was all down hill which made it pretty good, pity you couldnt see much due to the rain. Also Chris discovered the meaning of ´false economy´when his 7 quid ruck sack failed making all his clothes soaking wet, passport sodden and his ticket in pieces. It was hard not to laugh. When we reached the campsite we again had 5 hours to kill only there was beer and cards, i.e. poker with match sticks and crachers.
The fourth and finally day was by far the best. After 2 hours we reached Macchu Pichu, pity about the clouds but they gradually cleared.
The group we were in was 7 strong, not including the guide, there was the four of us, a German called Roland and Kiwi called George.
The guide took us round the ruins, was quite strange that no one actually knows what it really is, its all theories from Aliens to a Royal Retreat. Me and Previn discovered some holes which we felt had to be used from something.
We think we came pretty close here.
I managed to get some pretty good shoots of the ruins, heres just one but I´m going to add the rest on facebook.
After a couple of hours however Claire decided she wanted to do a nuddy shot with the ruins. Decided best to leave them to it, turned up 10 minutes later to find 2 very concerned secruity guards, one girl trying to dress herself and the other one promptly saying, ´crap they´ve called the cops´. Was one of the funniest things I´ve ever seen, we promptly had to make a quick dash off the ruins and hide our camera and memory cards. Absolute quality!!
We´re due to fly off to Iquitos in the Amazon tomorrow, but got a big night out tonight for my birthday bash. Anyway, addios all.

After the joys of Guano and the slum called Pisca we headed to Ica, but more specifically an Oasis to the South. Wow!! The hostel had a pool so pretty much lived there.
The whole place was surronded by dunes to height of Canary Wharf. Ended up taking a buggie ride on this V8 monster up the dunes to watch the sunset and go sand boarding. Basically a plank of wood which you lay on and bomb it down the dunes.
The picture below is of the oasis we were staying at

Also made a new friend

We all decided to go out and managed to spent more in one bar than most people earn in a year.

Anyway, I´m keeping it brief, I´m having a quality time.

After a few days in Lima we decided to move on and so headed South to this place on the coast, thinking it´d be some stunning beach resort. Instead it turned out to be one giant slum with a park in the centre.
The hostal was funny ´Gran Hostel Belen´, actually came with its own bed pan, which my Chris though was for stewing.
The one good thing was the Guano islands, but my God did they stink. They´re these islands a couple of miles off the coats which are a wildlife haven and are periodically mined for guano, i.e. bird shit.

After that we were treated a drive though the desert in a mini-bus courtesy of its own bullet holes. Went to the coast, my god it was beautiful, all you could see was sand and blue ocean, the below picture should show it.

Ended up swimming in the Pacific, got stung my urchens, Claire ended up taking a knife to them, which was fun. Got them checked out Mum and they´re fine now.

Well, finally made it, after 2 days of travelling, 3 in-flight movies and 2 hours playing blackjack on the plane. The taxi ride was interresting, I swear they could give schumi a run for his money. My God the place is so cheap though, like 2 pounds for a meal and beer. Limas not a bad city but we aint gona remain here much longer, probably heading south tomorrow.
We arrived in time for a big festival, celebrating the founding of the city, I think. Which meant Lima centre was rammed, Police everywhere with AK´s and amoured cars with 50 cals on, they wouldnt let us have a go though. Ending up watching the changing of the guard at the Presidential Palace which resembled somthing out of a Monty Python sketch. Tourist info told us to go watch this horse parade only there wasn´t any horses in it, don´t think anyone noticed though.
The hostels pretty good, now manged to get a group of 4 of us, all the way till the Amazon. Heading down to Pisco tomorrow, i.e. made famous for the Guano fields in the 19th century, (finally something from my degree has paid off), then off to the Nasca lines and to the Inca trail for 4 days, ending up on Macho Picho.
Haven´t quite figured out this blogging stuff so ure gona have to bear with me on it.