Run through the Jungle

I have decided to post my Machu Picchu experience in two halves. The way there and actually being there.

As I have said I was unable to do the classic Inca Trail due to government restrictions on the number of people who can go and has pushed the waiting time to May.

A few people I met at the hostel and some people I met at a travel agency and I booked a tour which took an alternate route.

The first day our group met, we had Yanish and Livia (an Israli/American couple) and Aaron and Megan from Phillidelphia both lovely couples and a lot of fun. Also Ewan a Canadian guy from up North. We along with our guides caught a local bus, which (mum do not read this) was one of my scariest bus rides yet. Packed to the brim with people and bikes on top, on a mountain road with shear edges and roadworks. I felt at every minute as if we would plumit off the side, especially since we had a near collision with a truck which nearly resutled in our driver getting beaten up with a rock.

We made it in-tact to our destination. Where we unloaded our bikes and had a 5 hour downhill ride which was a lot of fun. It felt great to be back on a bike, even though after 5 hours on rough roads with no suspension and a mens seat meant my bottom bits and arms were in a lot of pain. It had the special peruvian touch of bits of peoples bikes including pedals and cranks falling off at different stages.

However we did ride through some of the most remote Peruvian towns I have seen, where kids wave and chase your bike and chat to you while you ride. Which is a great experience!

The next two days involved hiking through the jungle. The first day being a killer with 18Kms uphill, and in the steaming jungle we were all sweating like pigs and covered in mossie bites. That night we stayed in some kind of shed with beds, in this dead arse town where the town drunk walked in at 6am. For what we do not know none of us could make sense of him. The next day we hiked for 15Kms most of which was flat but we had a few river crossings in a basket and pully system which was fun. We hiked to Aguas Calientes which is the town close to Machu Picchu, where we made the most of 4 for 1 happy hours.

Although I make it sound crazy and scary we had a great group and we always made the most fun of situations. Food was pretty good too.