Friday 15th October - Train to Lake Titicaca

Posh train to Lake Titicaca. Wonderful old-fashioned carriages, and we were not confined to our seats - there is a bar with seating area, and an open carriage at the back. Stunning scenery, from lush fields with crops, livestock - Llama, Alpaca and even Vicuna, to lakes with pink flamingos, and women in local dress shepherding their herds. Really lovely, nice service, good meals and wine etc. Again, regaled with a band, a fashion show, and Pisco Sour-making demonstration. I enjoyed every minute, but Patrick was not feeling great, and could not get comfortable in the seats which were designed for smaller folk. Booked into the Camino Real Turistico, and after a quick wander, feeling the high altitude (c. 3800 metres), gave up and went to bed.

P. Sad to leave the Pariwana. A friendly, fun place.

Live music in the waiting room, Peruvian canned music on the train - not much silence allowed. 9 hour 10 minute train ride chugging up to 4000m.

We stopped off for a buying frenzy en route!

Altitude sickness is not fun!

Thursday 14th October - Cuzco

Took cab to Tambo Machay, with intention of walking back via various ruins to Sacsayhuman and to Cuzco. Beautiful morning turned into rainstorm. Cold and thoroughly wet, we sheltered in a cave/fissure in a hill, with the wind whistling through it, as though the gods really resented our presence. Eventually gave up, walked down the longest set of steps to a good local restaurant halfway down the mountain. Sat guiltily watching local women doing some hard work rebuilding steps that had been washed away by the previous year's floods. The women here are obviously as strong as the men and there is certainly no discrimination against women doing the heavy work.

Wednesday 13th october - Cuzco

Helen's birthday, and funeral. Thinking of all the family, and really wishing I could be there. I know Mark and Tony would ensure a really good send-off for Helly.

Off to Koricanchi Museum and a couple of local museums of folklore. Also visited a church in the Plaza des Armas.

Had dinner at an Italian dinner in the square and watched a young band play.

Tuesday 12th October - Machu Picchu

Up at 5am to get the bus up to MP again, to wander on our own with fewer people around. Got as high as we could on MP itself (beyond the Watchtower), and contemplated crossing to the Inka Bridge, but the path was horribly open, and I had done enough clinging to the mountain side with one eye closed against the drop. We walked down the steps to Aguas Caliente, through the cloud forest, which was lovely. Lots of bird life and butterflies. Stopped at the MP museum, which we really should have visited before going 'up' (no one told us about it!). Had a wander around the attached jungly gardens, which was lovely, especially as we were accompanied by a big dog who took it on himself to show us around, even sticking with us as we walked back to Aguas Caliente via the campsite and butterfly house. Got train back, entertained by the stewards/stewardesses doing a model show, performing the Inti Raymi dance in full costume (a mishmash of Inka midsummer celebrations and slightly later Christian stuff). Back to Cuzco and to the Pariwana.

Monday 11th October - off to Machu Picchu

Train ride to MP, through some incredible scenery - Sacred Valley, all lush green and looming mountains. Train dropped us at Aguas Caliente. We checked into Sanctuary Hotel, right on the roaring river, and got the bus up to MP. We hired a guide who gave a very interesting explanation of how MP is considered to have been a centre of government, intellectual thinking, mystical gurus. Books have also suggested it was a trade gateway to the jungle on the other side of the Andes, with their greater choice of food, medicinal plants etc. The guide obviously loved it, and said he never got bored as he got great spiritual strength from the place. I on the other hand, was simply scared of the heights. I thought I would be ok after years of skiing, but this represented the type of open spaces that make my knees literally crawl... We had to go down some steps that at first looked as if they were on the edge of an abyss, and I'm ashamed to say I nearly sat down and wept. Vertigo is no fun. However, it was a wonderful experience to see the sheer scale and imagine how the stone was cut by hand, and fitted together so exactly. Skill you cannot imagine nowadays, even with the all the power tools B&Q can supply. Wonderful to be higher than the swallows darting around, but I have to admit that although the guide recommended we climb Wayna Picchu, I did bottle it.

Quiet evening in town and early night before an early morming tomorrow.

Saturday 9th October - Cuzco

Wanted to go horse riding around Sacsayhuman (Sexy Woman as Patrick calls it, along with Oliver Tambo for Ollantaytambo...). Arranged it, and was collected by taxi from Cuzco. Asked Patrick to see me safely on horse. Nice lady persuaded P. that a strong enough horse was available for him, and P. agreed - crazy fool. Apparently we were to venture off on our own. A few commands from me persuaded my horse he had a rank amateur on his hands, so he started barging into Patrick's horse. The young boy gave up and starting hauling Santiago, my horse, by a leading rope. Patrick had to follow - at this point I started to doubt the wisdom of this arrangement. It has been 30 years since I rode a horse, and Patrick has had a couple of outings, 20 years ago. Then it started raining - hard. An hour later, we were at the highest point. Both cold and miserable, and so were the horses. Patrick's had a mind of its own and simply picked the easiest route, and kept dropping behind. I was very concerned that the horses would bolt for home soon....We bailed out and caught a bus home.

Went to a gig at the Municapal Hall - Jaime Guardia and Pepita Garcia. Made the mistake of running up two flights of stairs - 6 minutes to recover!

Move to Pariwana tomorrow, yay!

Friday 8th October - Cuzco

Tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Corrao, Chincheros. Coach tour of the Sacred Valley. Lots of very high, very impressive Inca ruins, interspersed with shopping opportunities. How many textiles are there available to buy! Surely there is an overstocking situation here?? Good day though. Back at the hotel, Patrick put up with me wallowing in the Facebook entries. Difficult not being with the family at this time. Hotel de la Jeunesse deserves a mention for the being the most run-down hole we have had the mis-pleasure of staying in. Broken tiles (earthquake damage), dirty paintwork, scruffy kitchen and eating area - yuk. We have booked into the Pariwana Hostal for last day before Machu Picchu, and afterwards.

Jilll did major shop and kitted herself out Peruvian stylee.