A swing through South America

LIM-CUZ LA2356
A320-200 Y+
CC-BFX

On time

In this trip report Y+ will indicate Premium Economy. LA don’t have J for domestic and most short-haul intra Sth America, even though it’s technically the same as Eurobusiness so they could call it that. But I guess they have integrity. Take note European airlines.

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Middle seat blocked. The other advantages of Y+ are some snacks are offered, extra legroom and the first hold bag is included. When I booked Y was about AUD90 and Y+ AUD175, so I’d say it’s a no brainer.

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Everyone loves a 767.

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There’s two more following us out!

2D images can’t do justice to the scale of the vertical relief of the mountains.
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We then hit a fairly thick cloud layer until finals.

This was the only way to track location.
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At one point it said one minute until arrival and we were still in cloud, which for an arrival in mountainous areas makes me nervous. Always reminds me of this:
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Fortunately the flight time remaining updated to show 8 mins and then a couple of minutes later we popped out visual below the layer.

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Light rain, some vegetation and then some houses on the outskirts of Cusco.
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After landing and pulling off the runway there were these two jets just sitting on a taxiway. Engines running. Strobes on.
Even after we disembarked I could see them from the terminal still in the same spot. I wonder why?
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Had free airport pickup from my Cusco hotel so easily found the person with my name on a sign. Such a nice feeling knowing it’s all taken care of as every second dodgy looking male is ‘taxi’, ‘taxi’, ‘you need taxi’…

I try to lace my ‘nah mate’ with as much scorn as I can muster, but I don’t think it works in a foreign country. 🙄

They have this little replica stashed in a corner in the baggage claim area.
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Dropped stuff at the hotel and then went for a (slowish) walk to end up at my briefing for the Machu Picchu trip the next day.

Old town is quite nice.
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So the day trip I had booked was advertised as approx 0630 hotel pickup; vehicle transfer to Ollantaytambo; train to Aguas Calientes; shuttle up to the world heritage citadel; English speaking guide on site for the two hour tour; then travel in reverse, with return to hotel around 2030.

So that was all on the itinerary but pick up was listed as 0440-0500 and return 2300-2330. This annoyed me greatly as I have a tour the next day to Rainbow Mountain with a 0330 collection from hotel. Made my displeasure known and used the exact words that this is a bait and switch probably so you can book me on cheaper train times. They apparently went back to see if there was an earlier return option. I looked it up independently and actually knew before the tour rep came back that there were no earlier returns for sale.

WCMO: this kind of nonsense. Yapa Explorers are one of largest and well known Machu Picchu tour organisers so not sure why they’ve done this. The other three people on the same tour as me were still flying in so they got the itinerary sent to them via WhatsApp at 1910 that evening (after the tour office closed at 1900 - they are equally p’d off as they had dinner reservations for 2100)

Guess I was just purchasing a bundle of rights…

Took myself off to the Llama Cafe for dinner.
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Irish llama yeah?

Food was good. Service was great.
Then back to the hotel and prep for tomorrow.
 
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