Day 2 began by wakening up to a fresh cup of tea delivered direct to our tent by the porters. In the cold misty mountains this was a lush wakening. There are no washing or shower facilities on the Inca Trail, but in true fashion we shared some bowls to wash ourselves. We had our…
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Day one came to a close in the surreal wee mountain settlement at Hatunchaca. It was misty and in the middle of nowhere. It was exactly what you should expect on this type of trek. The whole way along the trek, it felt magical and special. The first day was easy, bit like a walk…
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On the first day, the slow rise up the trail was scenic rather than historic. It was a nice start to the trail. Yet I was keen for some Inca Stories and Sights. And of course there are archaelogical Inca ruins all the way and stories in abundance… Then late afternoon, following a steep climb…
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It was a late lunch on day 1, as we wanted to make some ground and gain height by lunch time, as dinner would be at our campsite and final destination of the night. So we made the trek up to Patabamba for lunch time, it was late afternoon, maybe around 3 pm by the…
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After leaving Ollantaytambo, the bus veered us down mud and rock roads not wide enough for 2 vehicles, but just about ok for the bus. Here the driver had to squeeze through the gap as did the oncoming van. Nice Cuzco and Peru flags at the front of the bus there by the way. This…
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Names of settlements themselves conjure up emotion by their very mention. Even just saying Beirut or Baghdad for instance may conjure up images of war, despair and death. The mention of Sydney or Paris conjures up glamour and richness. So what to make of those excellent wee names that often are forgotten. Ollantaytambo is one…
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It’s one of the world’s most famous hikes and as fate and spontaneity would have it, I felt I was embarking on something special. The reason being, the four day Inca Trail that I had booked would see me finish at Machu Picchu, on Christmas Day. The perfect Christmas and the most fantastic Christmas present.…
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It was a funny old day and in the end a well worthwhile trip. Morning began for me with a 6am start in Loki Hostel, La Paz. This meant I would miss the free breakfast that day, as it doesn’t start until 7am. I got a sharp taxi ordered from hostel to bus station (I…
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It’s one of those towns you end up in because of something else, and although it is a real town, I couldn’t help but get an artifical vibe from the murky gushing river settlement known to the world as Aquas Calientes. Those with a knowledge of Spanish will of course be aware that Aguas Calientes…
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