Day 13

Sunday 14^th November 2010

Last night we met our group. They seem like a good bunch. We had a pre-tour briefing and then went out for dinner. We also met our tour leader, Paul. He claims to have been doing this job for years but you’d never know it. He waffles and dithers his way through!!! Having forgotten most of the printed info he should have given us he went on to give us an overview of Lima, claiming that Lima is a very safe city on the whole, street crime has declined and we shouldn’t worry about kidnapping as he has only had people on his tour kidnapped once!!!! I personally feel that is something to worry about – collectively we comprise 6 Brits, 6 Aussies and 2 Kiwis – I guess that’s quite a large ransom!!! Co-incidentally we no longer have the monopoly on being the honeymooners as there are 3 honeymooning couples in our group.

We had a very early start this morning (5.30am!!!). The rest of the group have headed to the jungle. We, however, have flown with to Cusco for a couple of days free time.

Needless to say we did not have breakfast prior to leaving the hotel at such an ungodly hour so were delighted to discover a Starbucks in the airport. We grabbed a coffee and pannini with a couple of other members of our group and found ourselves a table. There was a jacket draped over the back of one of the chairs – assuming someone had left it by mistake and would pop back when they realised we settled down to our breakfast. Some 15 mins later a lady came over, indicated the jacket on the back of my chair and announced ‘I am sitting here, that is my jacket, I have reserved this place’. Slightly stunned I got up and said ‘OK, What are you German?’. Imagine my surprise when she replied in a slightly confused fashion ‘Yes, I am German!!!’. I was so shocked that the stereotypical German behaviour was no longer confined to sunbeds in Spain and had followed me all the way to Starbucks in Peru I had to clarify, ‘ Really, You ARE German?’. ‘Yes’, she replied – so I let her have the seat – what further argument did I have? She genuinely did not seem to understand the link between her nationality or her actions, nor the ridiculous situation given that there were some 10 spare seats in the place – just not the one she had reserved. So she sat down with Franky, Mark and Amey to enjoy her coffee and I found myself another table!

The view from the window of the plane was truly stunning. Firstly we were flying over miles of barren desert as Lima is actually located within a desert (the second largest city in the world to be found in a desert, the biggest being Cairo). The terrain changed as we headed upwards over the Andes.

 

Cusco means ‘navel’ or ‘belly button’ and is the original centre of the Inca empire. It’s a small city of 380 000 people and gets 1 million tourists a year as it is the step off point for the Inca trail and lost city of Macchu Picchu.

Cusco is also at an altitude of 3500m of 11 000 feet and boy can we feel it. The advice on arrival is to sleep (something Franky was delighted about!), avoid rich food, alcoholic drinks, smoking and exercise. However, Paul had helpfully arranged an orientation walk for 10am as we arrived!!! We checked into our hotel which is very comfortable with a beautiful view over the city and the back of the cathedral and then had a slow meander around the town square.

This afternoon we have taken the advice and stayed in the hotel, reading and sleeping. We have also tried the local ‘Coca’ tea which apparently helps alleviate altitude sickness and only contains trace amounts of cocaine (!?). It is legal here in Peru, a complementary supply is available courtesy of our hotel in reception, but it is not to be exported!!!!

At 6pm we decided to head out for a bite to eat. The highest Irish owned Irish pub in the world is only 200m from our hotel so that is where we were headed. Worryingly by the time we arrived we both had pins and needles in our fingers and toes and were feeling completely spaced out – further symptoms of the altitude. It is a great little pub – good food and good company. I wish I could tell you what the beer was like but we have actually taken the advice and not touched a drop, sticking to the soft drinks.

So at 8pm we have come back to the hotel, puffing and panting the 200m back up the hill. We’re planning a quiet night in with a film on the lap top and a Cadbury’s fruit n nut – we know how to live it up!!!! Hopefully we’ll be a little more acclimatised tomorrow.