Today we left early and caught a public bus – for 7 hours to Cusco. The bus was an experience all right! One stop only for snacks otherwise had to use the loo on the bus – pretty disgusting and you needed to bring your own paper. I quickly learnt in Peru that you brought your own toilet paper with you wherever you went! The loo stank so bad you almost didn’t drink any water for fear of having to use it! We arrived in Cusco in the afternoon and since we felt a little unprepared – compared to the others – for our hike we went shopping. We brought a Columbia day pack, 2 canteens and Josh brought a pair of zip off trousers for hiking – none in my size unfortunately! All we need now to complete the picture is hiking poles – oh wait that’s right we have hired some, along with a sleeping bag and blow up bed for the hike! We all went out for dinner that night, and I couldn’t eat it all so took it home with me, only to give to the dog who smelt it and started following me – he looked like he needed it more than I did! Home to bed by 10pm as we had to get up at 5am. In order to hike the Inca track you have to apply for a pass at least 3 months in advance and they only issue out a certain number of passes per year and at any one time – to protect the path. Hence it was only 8 of us going on the Inca track and the other 5 would be going on the Lares track – another route in Peru in the mountains and they would catch a train to meet us at Machu Picchu. We are all together tomorrow though for some Inca sight seeing.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Day 5: Wednesday 31st August
Today we left early and caught a public bus – for 7 hours to Cusco. The bus was an experience all right! One stop only for snacks otherwise had to use the loo on the bus – pretty disgusting and you needed to bring your own paper. I quickly learnt in Peru that you brought your own toilet paper with you wherever you went! The loo stank so bad you almost didn’t drink any water for fear of having to use it! We arrived in Cusco in the afternoon and since we felt a little unprepared – compared to the others – for our hike we went shopping. We brought a Columbia day pack, 2 canteens and Josh brought a pair of zip off trousers for hiking – none in my size unfortunately! All we need now to complete the picture is hiking poles – oh wait that’s right we have hired some, along with a sleeping bag and blow up bed for the hike! We all went out for dinner that night, and I couldn’t eat it all so took it home with me, only to give to the dog who smelt it and started following me – he looked like he needed it more than I did! Home to bed by 10pm as we had to get up at 5am. In order to hike the Inca track you have to apply for a pass at least 3 months in advance and they only issue out a certain number of passes per year and at any one time – to protect the path. Hence it was only 8 of us going on the Inca track and the other 5 would be going on the Lares track – another route in Peru in the mountains and they would catch a train to meet us at Machu Picchu. We are all together tomorrow though for some Inca sight seeing.
