Pumpernickel on Tour   … in South America

Wednesday 24 September 2014

For the 388 kilometres from Puno to Cusco we treat ourselves to a luxury bus –

We head straight for the Hotel Marani where I stayed the last time and are in for a big surprise – the hotel has changed name and ownership and belongs now to a sort of chain – and they charge triple the price! I’m also annoyed that they quote me in US dollars; we are in Peru, are we not? What a disappointment. We find accommodation elsewhere, close to the Plaza San Blas, which is not bad but nothing to write home about.

At the tourist information we enquire how we best get to Machu Picchu, where to buy the entrance and the train tickets (there is no road to Aguas Calientes at the bottom of the Inka City). We could organise everything ourselves, like I did in 2010, but it would cost us another day, so we decide to splash out and book a tour. Although it’s already 19.00 hrs, the agency can sort out all the documents that evening and we can set off the following morning – that’s worthwhile the additional cost, we think, and the price also includes accommodation in Aguas Calientes and a professional tour guide.

On our stroll through Cusco’s back streets we stumble across a typical eatery where we seem to be the only foreigners – the food is cheap and plentiful.

 

Thursday 25 September 2014

The next morning we leave our laundry with a Lavanderia near our hostal.

And walk via the Plaza de Armas –

– to the tour agency, where we just have to board the bus – it’s that simple.

We follow the river towards the climb to Machu Picchu.

We cannot wait!