Lima, Cuzcu & Machu Picchu

[cirqueboy]

I have been reading a lot of terrific Trip Reports here, all of them very entertaining and it has inspired me to attempt to do the same.

I have the very fortunate position of travelling all the time for my work, mostly to huge cities. Although I am based in Sydney, I probably spend less than 2 months at home out of each year. The rest of the time, home is where my work takes me. For the last 18 months, it has been South America. When not working, +1 and I have a couple of days to take off on a little escapade or sometimes longer breaks that have us expanding the adventures further.

From mid January to the end of February, we were based in Lima, Peru. We had a few days off and so did what anyone who comes to Peru does, we went to Machu Picchu.

It was a crazy idea really. Finish work at 11pm on a Sunday night, catch an early flight the next morning to Cuzco, transfer straight to the Hiram Bingham Orient Express for the journey to Machu Picchu. Stay Monday night at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, explore the Ancient City on Tuesday, catch the Hiram Bingham back to Cuzco on Tuesday night, stay at the Monasterio in Cuzco the same night, catch another early morning flight back to Lima Wednesday morning and back at work by 1pm.

Simple enough, or so we thought

 

[cirqueboy]

Monday 18 February, 2013

We climbed into bed after a long day of work at just after midnight, setting the alarm on the iPhone for 03:00 using the one that screams GET UP NOW!

Anyone who has been to Lima, or any South American capital city, will certainly know that traffic is a major consideration when attempting to travel from a downtown hotel to the airport.

We had a 05:20 flight from LIM-CUZ. Traffic not so much of a big deal today. We timed it well, up at 03:00, leave hotel 04:00, arrive at airport 04:30, check in at the premium desk (we are flying LAN), through the very nominal security check (wish it was like this in the US) and arrive at the boarding gate at 05:00, just in time to catch the bus out to the tarmac.

Flight: LA2025
Aircraft: A320
Seat: 1B
Flight Time: 1hr 20 min

I don’t remember the flight. I sat in 1B, +1 is in 1A, we fell asleep before take off and woke on touch down. With just carry on, it is off the plane very quickly and into the arrivals hall. The first task is to find some transport and pronto. We have 1hr 15 mins to get to Poroy, the station the train leaves from.

Coming into the arrivals hall, there are several transport companies all spruiking their wares. We happen across a guy who is very fluent in English. Not a big problem for us as +1 is fluent in Spanish and I can get by most of the time. Pretty easy really, $40 US from the airport to Poroy and $40 US from Poroy to the Monasterio the following evening. We exchange cell numbers, I hand over the cash, grab a receipt with all the details and we are all good.

Walking out from the terminal to the car park and it hits: Altitude. We are at 3400m (11200 feet). I knew it could be an issue, but having spent most of my life at sea level, this was unexpected. It’s not so much the lower level of oxygen but more how the landscape is so different. It’s cold, wet, humid and very green. Like Singapore, reversed.

We get into a beat up old mini van for the trip to Poroy. Our driver Juan is a very sweet guy around 60ish who has quite obviously spent most of his life on the land, making extra pesos by driving tourists around and probably doing anything and everything to feed his family. Face rugged, fingers thick, dirt under the fingernails from yesterday’s crop work, he gives us a huge, some teeth missing smile, and welcomes us into his van.

And the adventure begins. We don’t take the main streets, Juan says his way is better. He didn’t say shorter, just better. And so it is. We journey through all the backstreets, up insane hills I thought his 20yo beat up van would never make, dodging people going about their daily lives, kids on their way to school, women in traditional Peruvian dress preparing the day’s market, men hanging out on the side of the road shooting the breeze.

We make it through another insane corner and look down. Wow. An enormous valley just opened up as we take the corner and before I have a chance to even point the camera it is gone. More insane corners and we are on the main road to Poroy. 10 minutes later, and here we are. Poroy Station, Cuzco, Peru.

 

[cirqueboy]

Poroy, Cuzcu – 0800

“Good Morning and welcome to the Hiram Bingham Orient Express. Can I offer you a glass of Champagne”

Well, of course.

We sip Champagne at an hour that I usually associate with Christmas Day. Today also feels like Christmas Day, and so we rejoice, standing on the platform waiting for the train to arrive.

After some time, quite some time after the train was supposed to arrive, we receive the news:

“Due to quite a lot of rain in the mountains, it is unsafe for the train to depart Poroy today”

Sigh……

“However, it is possible for the Hiram Bingham to depart from Rio Sagrado and continue the journey to Machu Picchu. We have arranged a bus to take you to Rio Sagrado. Please follow me and board the bus.”

Ok, so onto a bus it is. We jump into a little 24 seater, are greeted with Cocoa Tea to assist with adjustment to the altitude and we go. 1.5 hours through the Peruvian Andes, taking more insane turns and more insane views of this spectacular country. Throughout the journey all I want to do is stop to savour the moments, the places we passed through, the opportunities we missed, the people we didn’t meet.

We arrive at Rio Sagrado, get off the bus and onto the train.

Oh My God.

I had fantasised about an Orient Express trip for most of my life. All of those fantasies were about the Paris to Istanbul trip. I never thought (or knew) that another version of that famed journey existed. And here I am, about to board!

We are greeted by name as we embark and are shown to our seats by our personal steward.

“está todo en orden Senor?”

“Claro”

We sit and take in the complete luxury we have just discovered ourselves in.




Throughout the next 3 hours we travel through the valleys of the Andes, taking in amazing vistas, eating amazing food, drinking amazing wine and even singing with the band in the club car.

 

[cirqueboy]

Some of the spectacular views on the journey:

 

[cirqueboy]

 

[cirqueboy]

And so we arrive in Ollantaytambo, the base camp for journeys up to the Ancient City, and I am depressed.

A tourist trap full of bars, hotels and poor people trying to sell fake and cheaply made versions of Peruvian creations. I know that if we had the time today, we would discover a hidden gem behind the tourist traps and engage with an old Peruvian woman who has been weaving fabric for more years than I have been alive. Alas, today was not the day for that discovery. Our guide and bus to the top was far more urgent to them than discovery was to us. Onwards and upwards we go.

Like the trip from Cuzco airport to the train, we weave and wind through some very serious turns, looking out the window and I silently wonder to myself what would happen if our driver got it wrong….

We arrive, into another stupid tourist trap. Our hotel is just outside the gate to Machu Picchu and it is thronging with people, from every nationality you can imagine. But that is not our concern today. Within minutes, we are whisked inside and seated in a reception area for hotel guests. (Those not staying at the hotel tonight are treated to an afternoon tea followed by a tour of the Ancient City).

We are shown to our room, mountain view terrace.

It Is Incredible!

 

[cirqueboy]

Totally wiped out from a combination of 3 hours sleep, early morning champagne, more champagne, a 3 course meal match with wine and desert wine, we crash as soon as the bellboy closes the door. We sleep a wonderful sleep, infused with light mountain air and pouring rain.

Later we wake and decide to take the offer of the outdoor Jacuzzi from several hours ago. Bathed in robes, a concierge escorts us complete with flash light and umbrella, through the jungle to a Jacuzzi. Here we are, pouring rain, 5°C in the shade and sitting in a Jacuzzi with a temp of 30°C sipping champagne.

In the middle of the Jungle, 3500m above sea level.

We come to our senses after around 15 mins and realise that we have acclimatised to our surroundings and things are starting to get a little insane. +1 picks up the phone and asks for help. A few minutes later and our friendly concierge is back. I can sense he is laughing to himself about these sliiy Gringos…… All is well.

And so, the rest of the night was a terrific meal in the restaurant, desert delivered to our room, summarily polished off and an amazing sleep 3500m above sea level listening to mother earth unleash a phenomenal rain storm.

 

[cirqueboy]

Tuesday 19 February, 2013

We wake late, around 11:00 and stumble around for a while taking in the amazing view whilst attempting to make it breakfast before 12:00. Like most of our timings, we get there at 11:45 and the lovely staff indulge us in our lateness. We finish our breakfast just in time to join the trip to the Ancient City at 13:00…..

What ensues for the next 3 hours is the most humbling experience of my life.

Macchu Picchu is incredible.

Period.

Please enjoy the photos because they will never ever encapsulate the spirit of this place.

 

[cmon0005]

Great Trip report!! looks awesome!

How was the LAN flight and associated WP benefits?

 

[cirqueboy]

And then the entire reason for our trip ends L

We have a feeling of loss inside of us, a loss that we can't explain.

What we do have is the feeling inside us of what the ancient Incas had in mind when the city was built, the new life they wanted to create. The simplicity and perfection they created. That’s what stays with us from a mere 3 hours, an insight into ourselves and about what is important in our lives.

The planes, trains and hotel rooms mean nothing.

 

[cirqueboy]

We take the train back to Cuzco, arrive at Rio Sagrado, get on the bus and travel through the darkness to Poroy Station.

And we are met by…….. No one.

Our pre-booked transport didn’t show up, despite numerous calls from me and the train manager. No answer.

Yet, like everything else on our trip, the gods and the beauty of the person came through. Javier, the train manager, drove us to our hotel in his car! We had the most amazing conversation during the 45 min drive. He is such an awesome guy, making sure we were ok and that we made it to our hotel, no problem for him.

We get to the Monasterio in Cuzco and immediately I feel claustrophobic. It’s an old Monastery turned hotel. They play on the 16[SUP]th[/SUP] Century theme quite heavily with Gregorian Chant piped throughout the hotel. We arrive after the Lobby Bar and room service has finished. Our only option is a Baileys on ice in the garden, as long as we are ok with -5°C!

We booked a room that was supplemented with oxygen to aid sleep. Cuzco is a bit higher that Machu Picchu so we thought it would be a good idea. Worst night’s sleep of my life. I am sure that we would have done better without it.

Regardless of the unfortunate end, the day was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

 

[cirqueboy]

Wednesday 20 February, 2013

Time to leave the magic of the Andes and back to the car horns and impatience of the Big City. We check out and jump into another beat up old mini van to the airport.

Check in is a disaster.

It very foggy in Cuzco this morning and every flight in is delayed by several hours, which means every flight out is also delayed by several hours. There are at least a thousand people crammed into an area made for 200. And everyone has bags.

We spy an electronic kiosk without a line and take a chance. Trying to do electronic check in when you are not a national of the country is usually fraught with danger. Yet magically on this occasion it works. Boarding passes print straight away, preferential boarding included! We just pray that we actually have a plane to get on.

There are two airlines that fly to Cuzco, LAN and Star Peru. Most of the locals and the backpackers take Star Peru, it’s about ¾ cheaper than LAN. On the down side, Star Peru apparently doesn’t have ILS equipped aircraft, so when it’s full of fog they can’t land.

Luckily for us LAN does, our plane lands, we board and leave a thousand people behind wondering why they wanted to save 50 bucks…..

 

[cirqueboy]

Great Trip report!! looks awesome!

How was the LAN flight and associated WP benefits?

It's a domestic flight, so no lounge. Priority desk check in only at major airports (doesn't exist in CUZ). Check in agent in LIM recognised OWE straight away. Our pre-assigned seats were 15A/B. She moved us to 1A/B without even asking. We only had Carry On so can't comment about bag tagging, but given the rest of the recognition/service, I'm sure that would have been par for the course too.

One thing to note in Sth America is that every traveller must be prepared to show itinerary and passport just to get inside the check in terminal. If it's new for you, don't be offended, just do it and move on. It's the same as having to have your receipt scanned just to leave the supermarket

 

[cirqueboy]

Looking back on this trip 1 ½ months later and thinking about the 30+ flights, 20 odd hotel rooms and the countless people I have engaged with since then, one thing comes back again and again.

It doesn’t matter what you do, how many flights you take, how many hotels you stay in or how many countries you visit.

What matters is how many people did you treat as your equal?

 

[dk4]

Thanks for the report.

There are two airlines that fly to Cuzco, LAN and Star Peru...

TACA Peru also flies LIM-CUZ several times a day, which AFFers in Lifemiles will appreciate pricewise! And they do so with a C (Business) cabin.

I think that Peruvian Airlines also flies this route.

 

[cirqueboy]

Thanks for the report.

NP

TACA Peru also flies LIM-CUZ several times a day, which AFFers in Lifemiles will appreciate pricewise! And they do so with a C (Business) cabin.

I think that Peruvian Airlines also flies this route.

Not 100% sure about that. Peruvian abandoned the route late 2012, we looked at them and then went LAN, but may have started again. No TACA flights on the day we travelled, at least none I saw on the info screen. It was all Star Peru & LAN (15 flights delayed that morning!)

 

[dk4]

Not 100% sure about that. Peruvian abandoned the route late 2012, we looked at them and then went LAN, but may have started again. No TACA flights on the day we travelled, at least none I saw on the info screen.

:shock: Interesting... a quick look at the TACA website for next Tuesday shows 6 TA non-stop flights LIM-CUZ (operated by Trans American), and over at Peruvian there's 3.

 

[Major]

What an incredible place. Truly majestic. Really enjoyed the TR...thanks

 

[IGetAround]

On a similar note, I've often found that the price of an international ticket to/from Cuzco is the same as an international ticket to/from Lima on LAN. Fantastic TR, I love visiting Peru.

 

[BindiBratz]

Wonderful to be taken back to such an amazing place . . . I have a myriad of magical memories of MP and Peru too. Thanks for taking the time, a great read..!!!