So the last time se wrote to you all we had just arrived in Cusco, Peru which is a beautiful city. The city is full of history, a bit touristy but you ccan avoid that easily. Here we are staying in the nicest Hostel yet! iT has fantasticv iews over te city! We speant three days exploring the city and the set out on our four day Jungle Trek to Machupicchu!
We started our four day trek getting picked up from our Hostel at 8am, in a group of 9 people (a family of 4 Koreans, 2 Americans, a Swedish guy and us!). The minibus ride took 4 hours going up into the mountains until we got dropped off, put our cycling gear on and cycled down the mountain, with sheer drops either side. There were lovely views with a slight drizzle, clearing as we descended. We cycled for about 4 hours, had a quick beer and continued cycling through the jungle, where everyone’s legs got attacked by mosquitoes (I have about 40 bites, which are very itchy now!). The ride was up and downhill, but the majority was downhill...great fun! That evening, after cycling for 8 hours we had dinner a few beers and crashed out ready to be up at 6am the next day.
On the second day we had breakfast at 6am then set of trekking through the jungle, picking and eating lots of mangoes on the way (couldn’t get much fresher...and I must say the best mangoes I have ever had...MUM´s YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED THEM!!!) In total I think we had about 8 each on that day. After trekking for 4 hours uphill, we stopped off at a familiar house, a few monkeys entertaining and fresh coffee that they grow from their plantations. After we continued for a couple of hours, had lunch and then set off on one of the Inka Trails, beautiful views, but we where walking along a thin track with 1500m drops on one side...quite scary!!!! A few more mangoes and mosquito bites later we stopped off at another familiar house, passing lime trees, banana trees, avocado trees and then arrived at some hot springs at about 4pm. They where much needed as our muscles were aching, anyway we plunged into all different temperature pools, chilling out in a valley between huge mountains...so beautiful! After about an hour chilling out we walked a few hours more and arrived at our hostel at about 6pm, very tired and hot!
On the third day we got up a little later, having breakfast at 8am, then walking through water falls, huge gorges and beautiful scenery. We had lunch at a lovely little restaurant, sitting under a huge avocado tree, which where picked a sliced for our lunch! Our aim was to walk to Ascallientes, the town at the bottom of Machpicchu. The only way to get there was to walk along the old train tracks (at this point we had very tired legs and the Koreans where finding it difficult to keep up...haha). We arrived at the town at about 4.30pm, slept for a few hours, had dinner and went to bed ready for the final day up to Machu Picchu.
On the fourth day we woke up at 4am, ready to trek at 4.30am. We set off in our group in the pitch black up the mountain to Machu Picchu. It took about 1 and a half hours, so got there for about 6am, for sunrise. However as the cloud was so low, we couldn’t see the sunrise and hardly see Machupicchu. After about 1 hour the clouds cleared and Mach Picchu was revealed...so beautiful, tranquil and just an amazing thought of how the Incas made this their home back in the 1200s.
Just after lunch we came down the mountain, had some lunch and got the train back to Cusco, arriving back at 10pm last night.
We are feeling very tired today, had a lovely fresh fruit breakfast and scrambled eggs.
The Koreans we met on the trip invited us to visit South Korea, which we are thinking of doing once we get to China. The dad was such a good laugh and a lecturer at Seol University. The first thing he said to us was ´Korea is the best country because I live their...ha´, and also he said his wife is the best cook in Korea, so sounds like a good reason to visit!!
I hope this gives you a little insight into our exhausting but spectacular last 4 days. We have only got one more week in South America, which we have loved so much so far, so diverse and beautiful.
We are going to stay in Cusco for three more nights and thenhead to Santiago, Chile ready for our flight to New Zealand on the 13th of December.
Love to you all
Hamish and Hannah xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
27 °C
26 °C
So far we have been to Sao Paulo (which was an eye opener!!!). The Grand Prix was on so we went down to the track to watch it on a big screen with all the locals, they were all shouting for Massa and we were quitely supporting Hamilton. We met some young Brazillian guys there who spent a year studying in Brighton, which was random, but we were all happy with the outcome. The atmosphere was fantastic, the sun was shining and the beer (yes Hannah is now a beer drinker) was 60p!!!!!!!! 
