Ladies and Gentlemen, the Moment we´ve been waiting for....

It could easily be said that Machu Picchu is sold out to tourism. The masses que to be the first one to enter at 6:30 A.M. Come mid-morning there´s a line outside the cafe as tourists wait for their caffeine fix and a quick panini. The over-priced refreshments are situated next to the fine export shop selling baby alpaca and vacaña woolen fashion items for nothing less than $100, and located after that is the Machu Picchu hotel costing $1000 a night.

The excavation work Machu Picchu has received is so extensive, that the vast majority of what is seen today is not original. A work man who has been reconstructiong the site for 25 years told us only 30% is original Inca work.

But as you enter, as you witness the first golden glimmers of sun, majestically shine from behind the guarding mountains, as you observe the city, built in such a remote region, you cant help but be in awe, of what was first a vision, created and brought to a reality, by Peru's strongest civilisation.

And what we see today only helps us understand more details of their life, their strength and their beliefs.

The city takes its name from the mountain beside it, but it is Wayna Picchu which is in the typical photo of the city. It is possible to climb Wayna Picchu and from there see, that like every other Inca settlement, their construction symbolises an animal. Machu Picchu resembles the condor.

Wayna Picchu itself takes the shape of a human face peering up to the sky. Its peak being the nose, the chin- clearly visible to the left and the forehead and eye, further away from the city, to the right. Fascinating.

We spent a very happy day there. Morning is the best time, as birds fly around, before it gets too hot and more and more tourists arrive as the day goes on. To offer some variation to our photos we took a group of friendly finger puppets. Great fun.

Aguas Calientes

From Cuzco you must travel through Aguas Calientes to reach Machu Picchu. Named so for the hot water springs at the top of the town.

Aguas Calientes is surrounded by mountain peaks, giving the illusion it´s higher than 2410 meters.

The horizon, not at all horizontal, hovers high above, making the 4 hour train journey here spectacular with menacing jaggered cliff edges meeting the aqua green river which splashes calmly then races into white water along side huge boulders.

A small town packed thick. River and railroads pushing between restaurants and hostels that accommodate the worldwide hoards visiting South Americas most famous link to history.

A thunderstorm drenched the pueblo, offering force to the rivers and atmosphere that brings people to the street smiling in a way contrary to England!

City of the Incas

The plane circles the city around the mountain peaks before it swoops into Cuzco exposing the poverty on the out-skirts that might otherwise be hidden. The taxi drive didn´t overly interest me. We got a hostel outside of the main plaza. Then after dropping off our bags we walked wondering what we might find.

As we made our way through it´s European cobbled streets and old colonial buildings, we turned one corner and unfolding in front of us lay the Plaza de Armas, the biggest in the country, a massive cathedral as well as other grand buildings, wall the square with the central fountain and the butterfly walks.

This place is amazing. It´s European atmosphere extends for the diversity of the place. All kinds of different restaurants can be found here. As if some kind of machine has cut and paste this city here, plonking it in to the Incas mountains. Surrounding, are mountains which people inhabit. Their lights at night could be mistaken for stars, although there aren´t as many ¨stars¨ as there are homes.

Not only is it stunning here, it has great shopping! Something I´ve been waiting for. Tomorrrow we go to the Sacred Valley for the day, for this is really the Inca kingdom, and there´s much to learn here.

Jungle is massive!

3 Days in Cumaceba Lodge in the Amazon jungle, has taught me I´m not a jungle girl! I had the strong sense that everything in all directions is living and breathing. It is dense with life, fascinating and un-nerving. I feel strangely threatened by it all.

Our first afternoon we went by boat to an animal sanctuary. The sloth is my new favourite animal. It has a peculiar balance of ugly and cute, moving so slowly, with a permanent expression of a smile. Long arms, legs and claws allowing it to climb trees well, if not in slow motion. Although he didn´t demonstrate this to us. He fell from a very low branch and landed backwards. When he was picked up and sat in the sitting position, he fell forward and pissed himself, like he´d been out all night and didn´t have the energy for dignity anymore.

The marmoset monkey was amazing. Like a tiny human in some ways, and like a baby as he lay contently in my arms! Friends of mine may be surprised to hear of me interacting with animals. Don't get too excited, it didn´t last that long, I didn´t bond with the snakes and toucan.

For sunset we went down river to where the Amazon meets with another river, and dolphins come up for air at this time. There were plenty until we got in for a swim, then they mysteriously disappeared, cant blame them, they´re supposed to be smart aren´t they?

I declined the opportunity of a night trip to sit in the canoe listening for nocturnal animals. My paranoia rose as the sun went down. The tour guide didn´t help when he brought one of the tarantulas, which were just roaming free on the walkway to MY BEDROOM, into the drinking area. When it jumped off him, I jumped onto a chair, for the second time that day. The first being when the snakes were let loose. I promptly went to bed after that, unable to calm my imagination.

Early next morning we walked through the jungle in sweltering heat. We were shown how to drink water from tree branches, termite nests which are used as mosquito repellent, as well as monkeys, frogs, lizards, butterflies and working ants carrying big leaves. We finished the trip with a visit to a tribe. An comfortable forced atmosphere. The three men wearing traditional clothes, the others were all women, hardly clothed and hardly a smile between them. They painted our faces, we danced with them and shot targets through wood like a massive pea-shooter. The best bit was Rach and I playing with the blow and arrows.

That evening I managed to relax a bit more with no tarantula sightings and a few beers. We played music and chatted.

We woke in the morning to find four bats above our beds! And then we went piranha fishing! After fishing others decided to swim. I stayed firmly on-board with my make-shift rod and Rach joining me at the front of the boat with the guitar.

Down the River

We´ve helter-skeltered down the Andes and landed in the Amazon basin. Contrasting heat, environment and atmosphere. I waited eagerly for the cargo boat to get moving to entice the breeze to flow. It was sweltering, but as we waited I spotted dolphins and flying fish to ease the time. I wondered what other creatures might be lurking around.

3 Days and 2 nights on board the cargo ship. Although it cooled by night the midday heat crawled over me, sucking my energy, paralyzing me as sweat wept from every pore! Snoozing in the hammock was the only thing I was capable of. It was great really being forced to do nothing. Spending time talking with travellers and locals, reading , writing and taking photos of the dense green on either side.

Our first breakfast was coupled with another dolphin performance, then we chugged further towards the rio amazonas, stopping occasionally to trade with small communities that inhabit the banks. At other times a small boat is taken to shore where people, babies, rice or monkeys embark for the cargo.