Hatun Wasi Urubamba

... final group meal at a pizzeria, a few of us went to the thermal baths (not as hot as in Baños, but still nice) for a couple hours before catching our train then bus back to Cusco. <br><br>That´s all for my Inca adventure. Today finds me in Arequipa, and I´ll be here until tomorrow night as well. I´ll try to write a quick entry about it before leaving. After Arequipa, I´m hustling my way to Santiago to catch my flight on the 5th. <br><br>Hope all´s well with everyone back home!<br><br>Hasta luego,<br>Dan<br>

... br>7;30am, Stop in Ollantaytambo to get Coca leaves and some of the magical black rock that helps release the alkaloids and enriching chemicals from the leaves when it´s chewed like a hamster in the side of your cheeks. looking forward to this part.;-) <br><br>9;00am. Breakfast buffet at extortionate price, wolfed down a mad mix of cold brockley, scrambled eggs on toast and fruit with yoghurt. pray to god this doesn´t give me the *****. Can´t recall ever eating ...

... remember, was 60 years old but still enjoyed the mountains and carried as much as any of the others.<br><br>We would usually be woken at 5.00am, just as it was getting light, with a cup of Matte tea made from coca leaf. It is not our tea of choice but it is not possible to get Earl Grey around here. I only managed to drink it on the first day as my tent mate threw it all over my sleeping bag and mattress on the second morning which certainly managed to get me out of bed quickly. In ...

... the river. We got acquainted with the town and had a look at the hot springs (a bit dirty looking so no swim) and then in for an early night.<br><br>Up at 3.30am for a 5.30 bus to make sure we were in the first 400 to get the pass for the Wayna Picchu mountain, which is apparently the best view of the ruins. And it was, after an hour of vertical climbing!! I ...

... and that they still live on the same grounds (in separate houses), but that she wants nothing at all to do with the hotel. We also talked to another guest that was staying there that she was treated rudely by the lady as well. At least it wasn't just us! We walked all the way to town (quite a long way!) and ate at a place called The Muse, Too. Serves comfort food from all over the world. And the most amazing OJ I ...

... day: Yesterday we were hiking on the Pisac ruins and Amy asked if this was the Inca Trail. I said no, the Inca Trail is a 4-day hike to Machu Picchu that we are far too out of shape to do and she said "Well, the Incas walked here, and it's one of their trails, so I'm walking on the Inca Trail!" Then today while we were walking through the salt pans she said we were walking on the Inca Salt Trail. So if anyone asks, you know two people who have hiked the Inca Trail and the Inca Salt Trail. Sort of.

... and living in luxury. It takes a lot of talking to piece together the real story of what types of options there are for you. I gained more information about alternative forms of travelling, mainly the use of combi's (small buses) and inter-city buses that are used primarily by the residents. Last week teamed up with some Israeli from the hostel, and we cruised to Urubamba. <br><br>Urubamba is a nice little city, surrounded by masculine mountains that shoot out of the ...

... is a spring here and the water is laden with mineral salts. they have channeled it into hundreds of clay pans and evaporate the water off then collect the salt which is used for cattle licks. Tomorrow Im on the local bus again to Ollantaytambo and I might stay a coupla days before Machu Picchu. Just gotta sit and work out tonight where I wanna be for the next few days before the jungle. I have to be in Cusco on the 5th for flight early on the 6th.

... then headed for the afternoon Sunday School that Jose started. This was an amazing experience. Many of the kids arrived at 2:00 or 2:30 even though the doors don´t open until 3:00. The Sunday school teacher was late so Jose told Erin to lead the kids. She did a great job. She sang with them and even managed to teach them a new song that they then performed for Jose when he returned. Many of the kids had written letters back to my ...

... realized I was snapping some pictures so he started pointing things out to us and even stopped so we could take pictures. Sometimes he even had us get off the bus for better pictures. What a guy!<br><br>We then hit an internet cafe and after finishing this we will go find our wives. Later this afternoon (3:30) we catch a train to Cuzco where we will spend the night.<br>