La Paz and Biking the 'World's Most Dangerous Road'

On Monday we took a 3 hour local bus journey from Copacabana along the shores of Lake Titicaca to La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia. The bus journey was as eventful as always... our bags were strapped to the roof (wrapped in our potato sacks!) and the bus itself was very cramped and smelly. This may have been something to do with the chickens that were brought on by some of the locals (and which made Ash nearly jump out of his skin!). At the small town of Tiquina we all had to get off the bus and take a short boat trip across the Lake whilst the bus itself was loaded onto a barge and floated across the river!

After another hour on the smelly bus we began our descent into La Paz, which was breathtaking. The city is nestled in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by huge snow-capped mountains (one of which is 6,402m high). As we travelled down into the city centre, we could see the buildings literally spilling down the mountainsides from the 4,800m altiplano to the valley floor some 800m below. La Paz also holds the title of 'highest capital city in the world' at 4,000m which is as high as some of the tallest mountains in the Alps. In the afternoon we wandered the streets and absorbed the culture. Our hotel was situated right near the Witches Market which sold some bizarre looking herbs and potions, along with dried llama foetuses which the locals bury under their porches for good luck. We were both a little disgusted!

On Tuesday we were up early to go mountain biking down the 'World's Most Dangerous Road', a trip that Ash's sister had bought us as a Christmas present. We chose a company called Gravity Biking for their excellent safety reputation. After a 50min bus journey up and out of La Paz we arrived at our starting point, 4,800m high up on the Andean Altiplano. We were given helmets, gloves, buffs, and protective clothing and each had a full suspension Kona mountain bike. After a safety briefing and an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth) of 97% proof sugar cane liquor (plus a small, highly unpleasant glug for ourselves!) we began our downhill biking. The road itself is 64km long, descending from 4,800m to the Yungas jungle region at 1,100m. The first half of our biking was on tarmac, which we hurtled down at speeds of around 35mph, through a drugs checkpoint (!) until we reached the off-road part, the so called 'World's Most Dangerous Road' which continues down to the Yungas and the town of Coroico. The road is aptly named. At its narrowest point it is only 3.5m wide, is dusty and full or potholes, not to mention a sheer 600m drop off the side! There was a fatal automobile accident on the road every 2 weeks until March 2007, when the Bolivian Government decided they should build an alternative tarmac route because there were so many casualties! This decision was good for us as it meant we had the road pretty much to ourselves although it made the ride no less hairy!

The off-roading was steep, twisty, fast and flowing and made for excellent mountain-biking (or so Ash said!). The scenery was also beautiful although we didn't have much chance to look at it as we were both concentrating hard on not biking off any cliffs! There were some sections of uphill which were particularly hard work at 3,500m, but Ash blasted them. At one point on the uphill Ash started off at the back, rode with Bi for a while and then shot off, passed the 16 riders in our group in front, then some from another group, and sat waiting smugly at the top! As we descended further down it began to get much hotter, dustier and more humid. Bi, whilst enjoying the downhill bits wasn't too happy about the uphill, especially in the altitude and in the heat. Our group all had previous mountain biking experience (expect for Bi) so she did extremely well to keep up! We arrived at the bottom just after midday and had lunch in La Sende Verde, an animal sanctuary. A local volunteer showed us around the sanctary and we saw many monkeys, ocelots, coartis, macaws and a boa constrictor. As we sat eating our lunch a squirrel monkey jumped onto our table and stole a piece of bread! We returned to La Paz in the late afternoon, arriving back around 8pm where we both collapsed into bed. Ash has properly had his South American mountain biking fix now!

Unfortunately Wednesday was a bit of a write off. Bi woke up very unwell and remembering how unpleasant it had been last time in Ecuador we thought it was better to be safe so Ash phoned a Doctor recommended in the Lonely Planet guide book. Poor old Bi went back into a private hospital for two nights suffering with E-Coli food poisoning! Ash bumped into someone from the bike ride and he, along with the rest of the his group were all also sick. Ash was lucky not to become ill despite having eaten the same as everyone else! We were meant to fly to Sucre (second and judicial capital of Bolivia) this morning but with Bi in hospital that was not to be. Ash went into the City centre this morning to change the flights and was amazed to see that the flight had been cancelled due to a 24hr strike in Sucre... what amazing luck.. we would not have been going anyway! We think someone must be watching over us... although it is terrible Bi has been sick twice, on both occasions we have been somewhere where we have had access to good private medical facilities. Fortunately, Bi was not quite as ill as last time and after two days in hospital she is much improved and hoping to be out on Friday morning for our flight to Sucre. She has doctors orders to put on weight (having unintentionally lost 8kgs in 4 months) and has been advised to eat a piece of cake and some chocolate every single day.. seriously!! That is not something she thought she would ever hear in her lifetime but we are sure that once we hit Fiji and New Zealand getting back to normal will be very quick and easy for the both of us!! In any other circumstances we would now think that enough is enough but as we only have 7 days left in this part of the world (before we reach safe-eating Chile!), of which 4 days of that is a tour, we are determined to see out our time here in Bolivia.

Lake Titicaca

On Thursday, after getting a LOT of washing done, we took a bus 7 hours south to Puno. Puno is a large town on the north shore of Lake Titicaca, which situated at 3,800m is the highest navigable lake in world. We stayed in a little homestay called Kusillo's Posada, run by the most charming lady, Jenny. She greeted us with a big kiss and hug everytime we entered her house... we felt properly mothered! She also cooked an amazing breakfast. We spent the afternoon wandering around Puno which is not a pretty town but it was still interesting to absorb the local culture.

On Friday we were up early to spend the day on Lake Titicaca. We boarded a small boat at the port and headed 30 minutes to our first stop, the Islas Flotantes (the Floating Islands of the Uros People). These people live on islands made by cutting and layering the totora reeds that grow in the lake. The islands are only two metres thick and bolted to the lake floor with ropes and eucalyptus posts! The houses on the islands are also made from the same reeds and every two weeks they have to physically lift each house and replace the reed foundations beneath because they rot! We were invited into one of the houses and it was simply one room with blankets, a small tv and a little light which the owner proudly turned on by attaching two wires together. All the cooking is done outside and as far as bathroom facilities are concerned, well, there are designated areas on each side of the island that they rotate each month to keep the balance! The Uros people have wider noses and larger hearts and lungs as a result of living at high altitude with less oxygen. They do suffer from rheumatism from walking barefoot on the damp reeds but they try to combat this by eating the roots of the reeds. We were offered a taste but respectfully declined! We took a reed boat ride through the floating islands and were entertained by some little Uros children in full traditional dress who had come along for the ride.

From the Floating Islands we headed 2 hours further out into the Lake to visit the Isle Taquile. We didn't travel a great distance (34km) but the boat moved at about 4mph so it took a long time! That said, it made for a very tranquil journey sitting on the roof of the boat soaking up the sun. On Taquile we walked around the island amongst pre-Inca terraces and small ruins and saw the unusual practice of males knitting. Apparently it only occurs on this island, but they are recognised by UNESCO as being some of the foremost weavers in the world. After a dismal lunch overlooking the lake (did we expect anything less?!) we boarded our boat and returned to Puno in time for the sunset.

On Saturday, we were again up early and took a 3 hour bus across the border into Copacabana, Bolivia. We were so happy and relieved to be on a proper tourist bus for the border crossing which was much smoother and less frightening than the one we experienced from Ecuador to Peru! No smuggling activities on board this time! Our first few hours in Copacabana were spent trying to find somewhere decent to stay. Our pre-booked hotel did not remotely live up to the review in the guidebook so we quickly left and checked in and out of 3 other hotels before finally finding somewhere acceptable. Accommodation here is pretty basic, dark and dingy, but then it is only 1 pound 50 a night!

Copacabana is a fairly small, rustic and slightly touristy town located on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca at 3,800m. It is the gateway for getting a boat to the Isla Del Sol. In the afternoon we wandered the town, visited the beautiful moorish cathedral and witnessed one of the most bizarre rituals we have ever seen... the colourful Benediciones de Movilidades or the Blessing of Automobiles. The vehicles were lined along the front of the cathedral and adorned with flowers. The priest visited each vehicle one by one, read prayers and sprinkled holy water over the whole car (inside and out) and even under the bonnet. The owners then poured coke, wine and beer all over the vehicle (we are told as an offering) and had photos taken with their cars before setting off firecrackers around the vehicle. This happens at 10am and 2.30pm every day! In the evening we had a nice meal and returned to the hotel where Bi had to sew up the holes in Ash's socks. We can't buy new ones because they don't make 'em big enough for his feet out here!

Today we took another (slow) boat 2 hours to the Isla Del Sol. The island is quoted as one of the highlights in Bolivia, and is the fabled birthplace of the Inca Empire. We were dropped off on the north side of the island and after fumbling around to find the right path, we took a stunning 3.5 hour, 11km, 4,000m high walk across to the south side of the island where we caught the boat back to Copacabana in the afternoon. The island lived up to its reputation and was by far the most beautiful place we have visited on Lake Titicaca. The views reminded us of the Cornish coastline in places and in others, the Greek Islands. We stopped for a hearty lunch of bananas and crackers at the highest point of our walk (we'll never want to see cream crackers again after this trip!) and took in the views. Bi suffered a little with the altitude on some parts of the walk today and was breathing like Darth Vader so we took it easy. It's weird that the effects come and go instantly and without rhyme or reason. We returned happy and a little sunburned. Tomorrow we take a public bus (gulp!) 3.5hrs to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia.

Into The Amazon

It's May 21st (we are now 4 months into our South American Journey) and we have just returned from another fantastic experience, 6 days in the Amazon Rainforest.

On Friday we were up early, collected from our hotel and taken to the office of Pantiacolla, the company we chose for our trip. We met with the rest of our group (total of 8 with a guide and a cook) and boarded our freezing cold, rickety bus for an 8 hour journey out of Cusco, over the Andes and down into the Cloud Forest where we stopped for the night. For most of the way the road was completely unmade, very narrow and bumpy with steep drops off the side and constant switchbacks that had our stomachs churning. In many places the road was subsiding and eroding off the edge of the mountain side....a sight we have become quite used to now! Along the way we stopped to observe the magnificent views across the mountains from 3,530m, we visited some ancient pre-Inca burial tombs and stopped for breakfast in the colonial village of Puacartambo (colonial... but still looked like it could be in Egypt). As we descended off the mountains we travelled through many different successional forests starting with the Andean highlands, through the Elfin Forest, the Montane Forest and finishing in the Cloud Forest at an altitude of 1,600m. We stopped at a small wooden observatory to watch the bright red male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock birds perform (competing against each other to attract a female) before walking a few kilometres to our first lodge, the San Pedro Lodge. As we walked we spotted several Woolly monkeys swinging through the trees above us. It was a great welcome! The lodge was rustic but charming and there was no electricity except for a couple of hours during the evening while our dinner was being cooked under a pergola. We had a wood framed cabin with walls that were simply made from mesh to keep the insects out....Bi's concern was that this might not be effective in keeping Jaguars out! Inside were two beds enclosed in the all important mozzie net with a few complimentary resident cockroaches scurrying around. We were lulled to sleep that night by a huge array of sounds from the forest and then the sound of torrential rain!

On our second day, Saturday, we were up at 5am and back on our rickety bus for a two hour journey to the small village of Atalayo (at 650m altitude) where we boarded our motorised canoe and navigated 8 hours down the turbulent Alto Madre De Dios River towards the Manu reserve zone. Along the banks of the river, Caiman sat silently and very slyly watching, turtles lined the logs that protruded all over the place in the river and we saw a vast variety of very colourful birdlife. We reached our lodge, the Yanu Lodge just before dark. It was a series of wood cabins set amongst the trees and hidden from the river bank and lit only by candles which was very atmospheric. In the evening we plastered ourselves in deet, donned our head-torches and went on a night walk with our guide, Darwin who had grown up in the Amazon. We spotted many different bats, frogs and insects which neither of us have seen the likes of before (and perhaps hope not to again!). We were particularly enthralled when our guide found a giant tarantula nest and gently teased it out with a stick.... it wasn't happy at the invasion but we were captivated! Despite the awful humidity we again had the pleasure of falling asleep to the most amazing night sounds. Monkeys, birds, insects and the sound of snapping branches all played part of a very loud chorus.

Early on Sunday morning we headed further downstream into the heart of the Manu Reserve Zone, a strictly protected area. We continued to spot all manner of birdlife, more caiman and more turtles. Just as lunch was being served in the canoe someone spotted something on one of the beaches as we sailed past.... it was a jaguar! The engine was cut, we dropped our plates of food (not that we were enjoying it anyway!) and sat and watched as it casually made its way along the beach, finally disappearing into the jungle behind. It is quite rare to see a jaguar so it was a proper treat! We arrived at our lodge for the next two days in the early afternoon. Again it was very rustic but very charming; something you might expect to see in a Tarzan film. It was also very hot and humid which was not so charming! The humidity hovers constantly at or just below 100% which meant that our clothes and beds became quite damp and would not dry. Within one day our belongings started to smell like mildew.... something we were warned about before we left. Words cannot describe Bi's face as she climbed into a damp sleeping bag or when she had to continually put on her sweaty damp shirt and mildew smelling socks! She has firmly decided that she is not a 'Jungle Jane'!

In the afternoon we donned welly boots and took an extremely sticky and hot walk through virgin forest down to Lake Salvador, one of the beautiful lakes of the Manu basin. The sounds of the forest continued to captivate us whether it was the constant buzzing of the insects around us, the bird noises above or the roar of Howler Monkeys off into the distance.... they sound like a wind tunnel and can be heard up to 5km away! The trees were enormous with massive wide bases and towering 40-50m towards the sky, all competing for their share of the sunlight. At dusk, the group took a catamaran tour of the lake except for Ash who returned to the lodge alone, due to stomach issues (a continuing theme on this trip!). On his way back he jumped out of his skin when he thought he heard a growl close by. Fortunately it turned out to be a strange bird call and not a hungry Jaguar! It is quite dark and dense below the canopy so it is a little unnerving as you don't know what you might stumble across.

Monday was officially 'Monkey Day'. In the morning we were up at 4.30am for another catamaran trip on Lake Salvador to try and spot Giant Otters. There were none to be seen but we did see plenty more caiman, beautiful birds and howler monkeys chilling out high in the trees! We returned to the lodge for breakfast and then filled the rest of the day with numerous walks through the forest and a visit to another Lake called Otorongo where we were treated to an amazing display by Squirrel Monkeys. About 30 of them leapt and swung around the trees about us, with some clambering down the trees to peer at us. They were very inquisitive! We also saw more Spider, Howler, Cappucin and Wooly Monkeys (one of which had a tiny baby clutching it's stomach as it leapt from tree to tree) and we also had a rare siting of a group of Coartis, a type of raccoon that our guide said he sees only every 2-3 years.

On Tuesday, day 5, we began our long two day trip back to Cusco, heading back down the Manu River and back on to the Alto Madre De Dios River. We were originally meant to catch a small plane out of the Amazon from the Boca Manu airstrip but there have been ongoing arguments between the flight operators and the tribe that owns the land that the airstrip is situated on. Consequently there were no flights and we had no option but to return the way we had come and so instead of a 50 minute journey back to Cusco it took us 24 hours by boat and bus. It was quite an arduous journey because it was upstream and uphill and just before arriving back at Atalayo to connect to our bus the canoe became lodged on rocks. Ash and the other blokes had to get out in the middle of the river.. despite caiman and piranha and push push push! They were soaked but Bi reckoned they desperately needed the wash!

Our 6 days in the Amazon was topped off very nicely by a refund for the missing flights and this will now pay for our 4 day Bolivian Salt Flats tour in a few weeks time. Tomorrow we are back on the road again as we head south to Puno near the Bolivian border to visit Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world.

Chilling Out In Cusco

We have had a few lazy days in Cusco compared to our normal vigorous travelling itinerary! We have been really lucky with the weather but the last few days have been freezing cold, perhaps contributing to our desire to relax in a warm hotel room watching movies on the Cable TV! Yes we have Cable TV... a real luxury for us!

The day after we returned from the Inca Trail we went for our as of yet most expensive meal out in South America. We went to the 'Inka Grill' on the main Plaza with a lovely couple from Sydney that we met on the Inca Trail... it was their honeymoon! We both said that was the sort of silly active honeymoon we would do! Ash dined on his first Cuy (Guinea Pig!), deliciously basted in chilli, garlic and rosemary. It tasted halfway between chicken and duck for those that don't wish to try it for themselves!

Apart from that we have spent the last few days planning our itinerary for the next few weeks, doing LARGE amounts of laundry, cleaning our bags which were completely caked in filth after 3 months of travelling, and eating at the same two restaurants for lunch and dinner! We have found 2 great places so we are making the most of the opportunity to put some weight back on before we head to Bolivia after our trip to the Amazon. We have also been to the Coca Cafe which serves many different products made from coca leaves, including cookies, chocolates and delicious coca tea with lemon and honey... all good for helping with the altitude.

Yesterday we mustered some energy and took a tour around Cusco's main cathedral and visited the 4 Inca archaeological ruins close to the city. The cathedral was beautiful and contained an interesting take on 'The Last Supper'. Jesus and disciples were painted sitting down to a feast of Guinea Pig and Chicha (Corn Beer)! We also visited the Qorikancha museum and saw more freaky shrivelled Inca mummies!

Afterwards we headed up several hundred metres above the city and walked around the ruins of Sacsaywaman (amusingly pronounced 'Sexy Woman'), Q'Enqo, Tambomachay and Pukapukara. From Sacsaywaman there were really great views across the whole of Cusco. Inca history is shrouded in mystery and a great deal of it seems to be based on assumption because nothing was documented by the Incas other than through the symbols they created and which historians are still deciphering. We have heard somewhat conflicting stories from different guides but it is nevertheless fascinating.

We're off now for our daily 3 course set lunch (bargain for 2 pounds 50 each!) in our favourite Cusco restaurant, Granja Heidi. Later on today we head to a briefing on our Amazon trip before heading out early tomorrow morning. We will be back with more stories in a week!

Trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

We were up super early Thursday morning for the start of our 4 day Inca Trail trek. We started at 'Kilometre 82' and trekked 46km to the famous lost Inca city of Maccu Picchu. We went with a company called S.A.S Travel (renowned for their great food) and had a group of 10 (mostly Brits and Aussies) supported by 2 guides and 18 porters. We had a really nice group of all ages and we got along really well.

After a 2 hour minibus journey and a breakfast cooked by our porters we arrived at the starting checkpoint along with many other groups at the altitude of 2,380m. Getting off the minibus we were completely mobbed and surrounded by women trying to sell us 'essential' wooden walking sticks and hats...they were like mosquitos and very persistent! When we finally escaped, we grabbed a snack pack and went through a few ticket and passport formalities at the checkpoint as the numbers allowed on the Inca Trail are strictly regulated. Following a photo under the 'Camino Inca' sign we began our trek.

The trek to the first campsite was very gentle and we were given a break practically every 20 minutes. This was not what we expected and made us a feel a little guilty when we saw our small but incredibly fit porters run past carrying 25 kilos of weight each! The trail was dusty and at regular intervals there were locals who had set up stalls selling chocolate bars, cactus fruits, soft drinks and a pink corn beer called Chicha which the porters drink... our guide referred to it as the South American Red Bull! It was a beautiful but hot first day as we wound our way up through the valley and past small villages alongside the Urubamba River (which flows into the Amazon), stopping in at our first Inca Archaeological site called Llactapata. After an explanation that had Bianca falling asleep (!) we stopped for lunch. The porters had set up 2 tents, one to cook in and one for us to dine in, and we were given a hearty 2 course lunch. We continued our trek to the first campsite point at 2,800m past the last small village of Wayllabamba. On the first day we walked a total of 16km and we found it to be a very easy day. On arrival at our campsite our porters had set up all the sleeping and dining tents and had hot bowls of water waiting for us to wash ourselves in, along with cups of tea, biscuits and freshly popped popcorn! We rested a little and in the evening had an absolute feast for our dinner, way beyond our expectations and rivalling any restaurant we have been to.

We were woken early on the second day by our porters delivering a cup of sweet tea and hot bowl of water to wash in. After a hearty breakfast of pancakes and a delicious quinoa porridge with banana we began the so called 'Inca Challenge' day, the hardest day of the trek and 16km long. We started our way up through a beautiful cloud forest that was rich in vegetation and birdlife. We continued upwards to the highest point on the trek Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4,200m where we waited nearly 1.5 hours for the rest of our group to catch up! With all of the trekking that we have been doing in the Andes we found it to be relatively easy, but of course our porters were carrying our 6kgs of luggage! We headed downhill for an hour, had another superb 2-course lunch and continued a further 2.5 hours to our next campsite at 3,800m via the Inca ruin 'Runkuracay' with views over the Pacaymayo river valley. It was a really cold and misty night, made easier by another slap up 3 course meal in our dining tent and a special tea given to us made from black tea leaves, lemon, orange, cinnamon, pieces of apple and pineapple, topped with copious quantities of golden rum. Ash and the other blokes indulged!

The third day was nothing less than spectacular and the 10km we walked that day was our favourite part of the trail. We were again woken up with hot tea and omelettes for breakfast. We walked as a group along a trail with scenery that was straight out of Indiana Jones or King Kong... thick jungle, narrow stony winding paths with steep drops down the mountain-sides, with beautiful Inca ruins embedded in the slopes around us. We walked through Inca tunnels carved through the rocks and visited numerous archaeological sites including Sayacmarca, Huiñay Huayna and one of our favourites Puyupatamarca just beyond the final pass for the day at 4,000m and high above our campsite. The views were simply breathtaking. We descended through the cloud forest and arrived early in the afternoon to our campsite at Wiñaywayna (otherwise called the mini Machu Picchu) at 2,700m. We spent a couple of hours relaxing in our tent with the door opened to spectacular views over the valley beofre visiting the Wiñaywayna Inca Ruins situated next to our campsite. They were spectacular, the best we had seen at that point, with steep terraces, stone houses and temples, amazing hydraulic systems and more great views across the mountains. It was a treat that when we visited we had it all to ourselves. After our ritual of tea and popcorn in the late afternoon and another fantastic dinner that night we all retired early as we were to be up at 4am for our trek to Machu Picchu the following morning. No sooner had we zipped up our tents a torrential downpour started and we had the most amazing thunderstorm that ripped and echoed through the valley. We could feel the thunder claps vibrating through the ground as we tried to sleep, praying that we wouldn't be flooded out as the campsite was on a terraced slope!

By our good fortune the storm had abated by 4am the next morning and our tents were still dry. After a quick hearty breakfast we made our way in the dark along with many other groups to the final checkpoint on the trail. From here we climbed our way up to IntiPunku, the Sun Gate and entry to the city of Machu Picchu. It was a lovely walk traversing through high jungle with bamboo groves, over wooden bridges and steep Inca steps. Overnight the high mountains had been dusted with snow which made for a beautiful backdrop. At about 7am we passed through the Sun Gate and had our first view of the lost Inca City of Machu Picchu and the very steep mountain behind, Wayna Picchu which was all completely tourist free at this point. To be finally sitting in front of this hugely photographed Inca city was an amazing feeling and very exciting. It was a truly spectacular sight and finish to our Inca Trail which we captured in numerous photographs. We spent the morning leisurely walking around the ruined city and then rather energetically topped our visit off by climbing Wayna Picchu for a different view of the city. With only 400 people allowed up the mountain a day we just made it at numbers 389 and 390 respectively! The trail was exceptionally steep and narrow, almost vertical in places with cliff edges. The climb was hard, sweaty work but well worth it for the views.

At midday and having been at Machu Picchu for 5 hours we took a 30 minute bus down to the small touristy town of Aguas Calientes. This is where people who don't wish to (or cannot) walk the trail or were unable to get a place can take the bus up to the Inca city. We had several hours wandering through the town and saw the local Mother's Day festivities. At 6pm we took the PeruRail backpacker train back to Ollantaytambo (1.5 hours) and connected onto a bus back to Cusco (a further 1.5 hours). We were all very smelly, dirty and desperate for a shower having only washed with baby wipes for the past 4 days! The hot shower was blissful, and climbing into a clean, warm bed was heaven!

The whole trip was fantastic and a real memory to take away. The whole operation was flawlessly run and the porters were simply amazing. They did absolutely everything for us which was lovely but actually made us feel a little guilty that someone should have to wait on us in such a fashion. We tried to make up for it by being as undemanding, appreciative and friendly as we could, sharing our snack packs with them on the hills (which they gratefully took and in truth deserved a lot more than we did). One porter was 65 years old and running past us with a huge 25kg pack on his back. They really were exceptional.

We now have 4 days relaxing Cusco as we await our 7 day trip into the Amazon Rainforest (our engagement present from Ash's parents). Tonight we are meeting up for a celebratory dinner with an Aussie couple from our Inca Trail. We are heading to the Inka Grill restaurant where Ash will be induging in a Roasted Cuy..... Guinea Pig in English!!!!!