Peru, adrenaline & giardia...

G'day bloggers... Jon here. Afraid it's my turn again. The blog seemed like a great idea, and still does i guess, but when it's your turn to tap away with two fingers on a computer that is likely to crash at any second whilst everyone else chills out and drinks nice coffee... it becomes a bit of a chore. OK... moan over... let's begin.

I am following on from Claire and Bolivia. As already mentioned, we chickened out of chancing our arms with the road blocks and opted for the flight to Cuzco. Despite an early start this went very smoothly. The hostel in Cuzco proved to be a winner - newly done up room with mezzanine level. Posh! In honour of this we spent the majority of the day wrapped in very comfy rugs watching classic movies (including Jaws... yeah!). Following day we wandered around the sights and watched a variety of processions. Really really nice place with llama products to purchase at every turn. Next day we headed into the Sacred Valley, on a day trip to Pisac. Yet another (huge) market, which was initially met with frowns by myself and Andy as the ladies bought scarves, rings, and necklaces, but we quickly got into it and spent most of our time haggling for ¨art¨- much good cop/bad cop later - and one large canvass each was obtained. The evening was spent at a briefing for the Inca Trail and lots of packing.

So, the Inca Trail.... Day 1

We met up with our group at the early hour of 0550 and set off for the start, a 2 hour drive away. All were massively reassured of what was to come as a monster breakfast was served, which was touted to be a ¨quick snack¨. Our group was a good mix: father and son Swedes; 2 American girls; a Kiwi; and a couple of young Brits - all led by 2 fantastic guides, Paull and Amilka. The days walking was a fairly steady 5 hours through pretty villages and ruins, with a heart rate raising climb at the end (which Andy and I thought would be good to stride out... sweat inducing to say the least). Greeted by applause from the porters (we thought we were really special 'cos we went so fast, then realised the next day that they always do that) and tents already set up. Amazing! Within 5 minutes there were ladies selling beers, and within 15 there was fresh hot popcorn and snacks served in our mess tent. Heaven! The evening meal was a breath taking 3 course meal (with at least 4 different mains to choose from), made even more ridiculous given the fact that they carried everything, including the oven!!

This was the general gist of the whole trip: 19 porters woke before us; carried all our food and tents really fast; prepared awesome food; and never failed to smile the whole time. Incredible.

Day 2

My night was slightly marred by coming down with, at that point only suspected (later confirmed by my personal gastroenterologist - Dr Nick Bosanko - many thanks), Giardia. Messy. But hey ho... As helpfully pointed out by the elder Swede, ¨s**t happens on the Inca Trail¨. Woken by the porters offering bowls of hot water to wash with, this was actually heaven according to Gill. The icing on the cake, literally, came when we gathered around to present the birthday boy of the group (younger Swede) with a freshly made and iced cake! In the middle of nowhere!! Then we set off for a hard days walking - up Dead Woman´s Pass. 2 and a half hours up hill. The rain started early in the day and did not let up until day 4. I think it was half way up that Gill announced that this was no longer heaven and that she was never camping again. Bless her, she carried me emotionally the entire day and luckily the porters were able to carry my bag. Andy and Claire were the racing snakes of the group and pushed the pace the entire day up at the front of the pack. We should have been greeted by breathtaking views at the top of the pass, but with the cloud and rain obscuring the view and my burning desire to push on to the next toilet we plodded on. Pity. All apart from from me lunched on gorgeous morsels whilst i was given a special Incan drink to help with my bowel issues. Walked on for another few hours stopping at a few ruins on route. Still raining. Got into camp, and again the tents were all there ready and popcorn followed shortly thereafter. Awesome food and lots of card games due to the rain outside, followed by bed.

Day 3

Commenced with hot water. Always a good start. But still raining. Gill reconfirmed that she was never camping again. My previous days special tea must have done something as things were looking up for me. Nice. Made nicer by an easier day of walking to follow, albeit in the rain, mainly downhill with ruins on route. Culminated by a visit to Winawayna - really cool ruins next to the campsite. The promised Day 3 hot shower was tragically only tepid, but it did the job. More great food and lots of cards (Addendum - being day 3, most had picked up the card game we learnt on day 1... but not Claire... I have never seen such card incompetence! Sorry Claire...) in a mini night club serving beer. Surreal but really good fun. Prior to bed we had a goodbye to the porters ceremony with the handing over of very very well deserved tips.

Day 4

(In case you were wondering I am finally on fully solid food at this point...)

This was it, what we had all been waiting for... the day of Machu Pichu. Early start - 0400 - no hot water and it was still raining. You can probably guess Gill's sentiments regarding our situation. Moral soon lifted with fresh pancakes and coffee however, and we set off. The first goal was the Sun Gate - the main viewing point of Machu Pichu - where all gather to watch the first of the sun's rays to hit one of the wanders of the world. Complete white out. And still raining! Moral dropped. Really dropped. Much positive self talk and hopeful words from our guides and we again pushed on. It worked... the sun came out halfway down the track to Machu Pichu. There she was in full glory. Spectacular. We had a fascinating tour around the ruins, a bit of free time to wander, then on a bus to Aguas Calientas. We said an emotional goodbye to our leaders over lunch, then headed off by train and bus back to Cuzco. Straight to bed after eating in a secret destination.

Slept very well...

A relaxing few days in Cuzco was cut short by talk of more road blocks, so we booked a night bus to Arequipa for the same evening. Very pleasant Easter Sunday in Cuzco with good coffee and cake and processions around the square.

Arrived in Arequipa (nearly didn't as the locals had a mini riot about the standard of the bus) the following day and checked in to a hostel with penguins in the title and pictures of them everywhere. Really nice place though, made all the better by the fact that we could check in early and catch up on a few hours shut eye. Later strolled around the lovely sights of Arequipa, went to a museum with an Incan mummy in it and booked up our tour for the following day.

Following day we commenced a 2 day tour to the Colca Canyon. We were greeted by our mildly manic guide Irene and set off on the drive to the canyon, stopping a lot (maybe too much) on route. A huge buffet lunch was followed by a lovely walk to some pre-incan burial caves up a hill. Then the highlight of the day - hot springs at dusk with waitresses serving beer. Heaven was re-discovered. Dinner was followed by much local dancing. Andy's natural panpipe rhythm and associated pelvic thrusts were the highlight for me.

Another early start, and we drove out to the condor viewing point, via churches and more dancing (bit early if you ask me). We saw approx 6 condors swoop overhead. Really really stunning. Then set off back to Arequipa, with a few more stops on route. Spent the evening with a take out pizza watching Notting Hill. Nostalgia.

A well deserved lie in, followed by a stroll up to the look out point. Not much to look out upon (may have been in the wrong place). Then an incredible luncheon of the specialty of the house prawns. And lots of them. Washed down with pisco sours. Very pleasant. Then went to the Santa Catalina Convent - huge place, almost a mini town. Interesting. Then spent nearly 2 hours in the LAN office bringing our flight to BA forward... we got there in the end. Then on to another overnight bus to Nazca.

Think the bus was driven by a drunk or someone with little experience. Cornered at serious speed. Still alive to tell the tale we headed for the Nazca Lines airport to board a 6 seater to view the breath taking Nazca Lines. 45 minutes of stiff banking turns and lots of G force was slightly hair raising but brilliant (Claire's stomach took a turn for the worse, but the plane was so loud we didn't hear a thing!). Then onwards again, on a very hot bus and taxi to Ica and Huacachina - a small oasis town surrounded by sand dunes. A crazy day full of adrenaline was followed by a long siesta by the hostel pool and a relaxing evening.

Someone came up with the idea of climbing the huge sand dune overlooking the hostel prior to breakie. Half way we all thought we had bitten off slightly too much, but we all got there, and were rewarded by fanatastic views. Then a chilled morning prior to more crazy adrenaline packed activity.... Sand-boarding and sand-buggying. BRILLIANT! The buggying half was essentially us being hurled around massive dunes by a half crazed driver in a ridiclulously powerfully motored vehicle. REALLY BRILLIANT! Then the boarding bit was us laying down on a bit of MDF and flying down dunes the size of ski slopes. REALLY REALLY BRILLIANT!! One commando roll by Andy, a grazed elbow for me, much screaching and breaking by Gill and swearing like you have never heard by Claire and it was over. We came back down to earth helped by many pisco sours and beers back at the hostel.

Another lazy morning was spent beside the pool prior to heading to Lima on a measily 5 hour bus ride. Highlight of the bus was ¨bus bingo¨. Claire was robbed... having clearly ticked off all her numbers and correctly pushing her light on whilst exclaiming ¨BINGO¨, a local scallywag jumped up and also proclaimed victory. The stupid bingo hostess then said they should draw lots.... they are not the rules! Needless to say poor Claire lost, and waved goodbye to her prize. Gutted. Arrived in Lima. Quick stroll around the Miaflores district and then to bed.

Morning spent in Lima seeing the sights: plazas; churches; changing of the guard. Then back to Miaflores. Lima has a lot of smog. Bit of shopping with bargains a plenty, then evening wine, nibbles and dinner.

A hurried packing session in the morning was followed by a taxi ride to the airport for our plane to Buenos Aries...

That is where i finally finish. Again, very verbose. Apologies. I also apologise for frequent mention of my bowels, but for me it is my lasting memory of days 1 to 3 of the Inca Trail! Love to all. Not long to go now...