Machu Picchu and bit of other stuff.

After Lago Titicaca, the Gringo Trail takes you northward (If you're heading in a south/north direction that is) to Cuzco. Now I'm not sure what it is like on a bus, but on a bike the ride into Cuzco is lovely. The land becomes mountainous again while remaining verdant, unlike the barren altiplano. Fortunately we have a reccomendation for biker friendly accommodation from the ever helpful Jeff at Norton Rats Tavern, Plaza de Armas, Cuzco (I have to give him a plug as he has been helpfully responding to my sometimes silly questions about overland biking in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia for over a year now in preparation for this adventure). So it's pretty much straight in, parked up and unpacked. Right from the go, it's hard not to like Cuzco and as my amiga, Kirsty, discovered just recently also, it's a great place to chill out. We have plans of bike maintainence, much needed Spanish lessons, time out, and I'm going to cash in the leaving gift from my work, J2Design, a one night stay in Hotel Monasterio, a converted monastery (hence the name) luxury hotel. All this and of course a trip to the famous Machu Picchu.

So first up it's chilling out and playing tourist. We pop into Norton Rats Tavern for a pint and burgers, nothing like living it up with the locals. But hey, Jeff's been there for over 9 years now so that must count for almost being local. Whilst there, we happen to meet a rather amuzing and energetic Canadian mountain biker, by the name of Timmy. Over the course of our week in Cuzco, we run into Timmy quite a bit, and as I'm writing this, almost a month later, we have to thank Timmy for two particular tips he gave us of riding KLRs and motorbikes in general. I won't bother you with what they are but we used both today to get us through some rather tricky terrain which you can read about in a blog entry regarding volcanoes in Ecuador.

Next was getting the Spanish lessons in. In total four hours. Two hours before Machu Picchu and two after. They were good and we tried to tie them in with the Spanish lessons that Mike had on his MP3 player, although these tended to make me fall asleep. I think I managed to learn one or two more words and sometimes I can now even string half a sentance together. Maybe I should take another few lessons and see if the elusive grammtically correct sentance will happen for me.

Onto bike maintainence. Oil changes, normal and fork. As usual, I get chatting, just for something different, and don't finish the basic tasks until it's dark. When I get home (where ever that may be) I'm going to have to make sure that my home has a garage with good lighting, just so I can finish the bike maintainence. Mike's done an oil change and some other lubricant change, don't ask me, I know nothing about BMWs, except that he is finished long before I am.

It looks just like the photograph!

So then the 'highlight' of this entire adventure, a visit to Machu Picchu. We've decided to be skin flints and opt for the cheapest train fare up there, which for us, with our own tranpsort, isn't a problem as it leaves from Ollytatambo rather than Cuzco, and it's only $48 return. So we pack up one ruck sack between us, leave our panniers at Casa Grande, the hostel we were staying at, and head up to Ollyatatambo. I have a rather organised (for once) suggestion of checking to see if there are still tickets available for that night at the Cuzco train station. That's where our little plan comes unstuck in more than one way. There are no tickets left for that night. Despite being low season, the trains are still packed. A quick discussion and we're on the next cheapest ticket, $58, and still leaving from Ollytatambo. One problem solved. Next problem, my carburetor decides it's blocked again. So I keep stalling. For C***ts sake! Ok, so it's my fault for not noticing that that fuel hose is deteriorating rapidly and flaking off into the useless fuel filter, therefore blocking the jets, but hey, what am I, a motormechanic! Fortunately we ride past a motomechanic's and arrange to leave the bike there for a bit of TLC. So it's two-up on the BMW to Ollyatambo. We'll get to Machu Picchu eventually.
It's a lovely ride up there. We're only pulled over by the police once, asking to see the bike's documents, which of course, are handily located in the pannier back in Cuzco. But Mike's fake driver's licence seems to do the trick as does answering that 'No, I'm not Mike's espousa, rather his novia'. I'm not sure what the facination with Mike's and my martital status is, but the topic comes up even when we just stop for petrol.
Ollyatatambo is a rather lovely little town with Inca ruins and once again, my reccommendation would be to catch a train from here rather than Cuzco, just because you get to see so much more of the country side getting to Ollyatambo.
So the big day's arrived. We're off to Machu Picchu. The rather slow, rickety 8:40am train gets us to Aguas Callientes just before 11am, then it's a dash for the 20 minute bus ride to the entry of the ruins. Followed by a few minutes of frustration trying to buy the tickets to get in, lining up to get in, then being told that we actually need to fill in some details on the tickets, so having to go back to some desks, fill in our names and passport numbers and some other bits and pieces, lining up again, then we're in. We're in, behind what seems like thousands of other tourists. Unesco world herritage estimate that the site can only cope with 200-500 people a day, without sustaining damage. Today they were obvioulsy taking no notice of this number. Over 400 alone did a two hour trek to the Moon Temple, within the site, and the place was still packed. Mostly with large groups following umbrella wielding guides arround. We didn't hire a guide, maybe we should have, but just eavesdropped on a few groups we were passing. We also had two guide books. I have to say, that although dissapointed is probably not the right word, I wasn't as 'blown away' as I thought I'd be. I think it could be that we've all seen the photos of the site, and they inundate you in Cuzco. Every travel agancy's window has the photographs plastered up. But it does have to be said, it does look exactly like the photos, and I still manage to take over a hundred myself (not quite as many as whale watching but the subject in these photos aren't moving this time).
One benefit of being disorganised is that we couldn't get the normal train back to Ollyatambo, it of course, is fully booked. We have to catch one an hour later. That gives us an extra hour in the ruins. It also gives Mike the opportunity to chat to a Peruvian, on holidays with his father, who seems to know a lot about the history of the Incas. We learn more about the site in 10 minutes of talking to him than reading the guide books and eavesdropping. Plus we have the place to ourselves almost. We start to get a feel for 'magic' that draws thousands there every year.
This particular day was also happened to be Australia Day, so hence the photo of me with the Aussie flag in a restaurant in Aguas Calliantes in my photo section.

Back in Cuzco, the KLR's has had some TLC, more than I bargained for. It's clean, the guy has replaced the broken mirror and it didn't stall once on the way back to the hotel.
Time to check into our luxury accommodation for the night.
Suprise, suprise, there is no parking for one clean/one dirty motorbike. I don't think they'd do for having us just park up in the lobby. So its quickly back to Casa Grande who are rather excited that two of its guests are staying at the poshest hotel in town, before returning to more familar surroundings, and we're parked up. I just drag my bin liner covered dusty backpack with me back to the posh place. You can just tell the concierge doesn't want to go near it, but it's his job to take it to the room. It's weird being back in a hotel of this class (Something I had to get used to with my work) and I think my poshest English accent makes an appearance. But the dusty bike clothes give me away.
After bouncing around the enourmous bed (The size of two doubles together without the split down the middle - god knows how they found sheets to fit it though as most other hostals can't find sheets to fit a standard double in South America) for a few minutes, it's off for another two hours of Spanish lessons. We're taught how to ask for food in a restaurant including how to ask what comes with the dish. Something that Mike remembers still but I forgot as soon as we walked out of the classroom. Memory like a sieve. So dinner is the usual blundering through mostly in English and a few hand actions. Although to be fair, the staff can all speak reasonable English. We arrive 15 minutes after our reservation at the hotel's restaurant, only to realize that we've missed the night's traditional entertainment, yep - those panpipes. What a shame!
Then we have the quietest night's sleep we've had since who knows! I'm not sure about the oxygen enriched rooms that they claim to have to help with the altitude, but it was still good. And a bath, I'm not normally a bath person, but I have missed them since leaving England (And no smart comments, I've been showering) so I get to have a lovely long bath with bubble bath and all. Got to love those little bottles of posh shampoo, shower gel, conditioner and moisturiser they have in the hotel rooms.
A bit of a mix up checking out of the hotel in the morning leaves us a little dissapointed (They wouldn't let us stay for free the next night! :0), but overall it was fantastic gift and much needed bit of luxury. Back to Casa Grande and our affordable budget!