Journey towards Machu Picchu

Once again we got up early to begin our next tour. This was more of an independent package deal. Train ride, hostel and tickets into Machu Picchu all for one price. I would highly recommend going through STS Travel if you are headed to that part of the world. We started out zig-zagging up the Cuzco valley and got many different angles of the city in the morning light. The train ride was nice and we had a crystal clear day to see the mountains in the distance.

At one point in the journey the train stopped to let hikers of the Inca trail out. Turns out you can start hiking on the trail at a couple points, but all of them require you have a permit. And they are hard to come by. I think they sold out 3 months before our trip.

The 4 hour train ride eventually came to a halt in Aguas Calientes. A little town jammed into the hillside at the base of the climb up to Machu Picchu. Apparently this tourist town has expanded so much over the years that it is starting an erosion problem from over-use. It is possible that the Peruvian govt will start limiting visitors to MP area.

The area itself was beautiful. You could easily tell it was now a sub-tropical climate compared to the higher altitude earlier. Epiphites dotted the hillside and down in the valley. Orchids are a type of epiphite as well as bromalids. Aaron and Angie wanted to stay in town so just Kristof and I wandered down the road towards a little botanical garden.

Along the way we had some Inca Trail Porters book past us with full packs. They can really move!


The single reddish flower was the only blooming orchid we could find in the garden. Wrong time of year I guess. The twisted root was being used as edging along the walkway. How creative is that?

We had planned to visit a waterfall in the area as well, but the weather had a different idea. It started to look dark and dreary so we headed back. And not too soon. We got caught in the rain and made it back just in time. We found Aaron and wandered around the covered market while trying to dodge the sheets of rain sliding off the tents.

That evening Kristof and I went up to the hot springs just at the edge of town. The springs weren't quite as hot as the ones I was at in Costa Rica, but the atmosphere was nice. All of a sudden the lights went out...and stayed out. We hung out in the springs for a while and took a nice candle lit walk back to the hostel. Just in time for dinner too. Angie and Aaron were not there. So we ate without them. With candle in hand we went upstairs to our rooms. That is when we found out Aaron wasn't doing very well. Likely he wasn't going to Machu Picchu. Don't know what he ate, but I was hoping i wouldn't get the same thing.

The candlelight thing was nice for a while, but try to pack, shower, read...all by candlelight. Yeah. Annoying. I like electricity. Needless to say we were also not able to charge my camera battery. Grump.