MACHU PICCHU

Getting up early was not really an issue (I was grouped with couple of American guys, and they were up, which got me up as well …ie.we shared a room).
By 5:30am, there were approx 600-700 people lined up for the bus, and the street was alive with vendors, and tourists full of anticipation…..A dozen buses arrived, and quite efficiently (surprisingly), the masses got transported to the peak, and then through check points to the ancient Inca ruins.

I have to say, that once I was at the top, I realized that the strain of last few days (flights, altitude sickness, all-day bus ride, 4am start) have taken their toll, and even though this has been a goal of mine for nearly a decade, I was not as excited as I should have been …. Don’t get me wrong ….quite a spectacular place ….. but the tour I was on had to return by 11:00am, so it only gave us few hour to enjoy Machu Picchu.
By 10am, the place is packed with tourists (maybe 2000 plus), and I starched out on the lawns, and had a little nap … only to wake up in time to return to Aguas Calientes (by return bus).

I have to add a side note … as far as a tourist destination goes, in my experience (and I’m up to 60 countries covered in past decade, or so) Machu Picchu is one of the most difficult places to get to … from Lima … one needs to get to Cusco (20+ hour bus ride, or plane at 5am), then there is a monopoly on the trains that go from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (5hrs, approx US$50, which at peak season, are usually sold out days ahead).
Then there is also the 30min bus to get from town, to the peak!! (at US$7 each way) …and a day pass to Machu Picchu is also quite expensive, at US$45.


So here I am, after few hours at Machu Picchu, and I’m contemplating another 10hr bus ride back to Cusco …. Thinking … Im really not ready for that .. an decide to abandon the tour, organize a room, have lunch, and make my way back in afternoon, to watch the sun set over Machu Picchu…. The way I look at it, I did not travel half way around the world (again), for a few hours here … I will leave when I am ready!!!
Glad I did, by 2pm, all the morning tour groups have cleared out, and there is a total of no more than few hundred people wondering around, and now the Lamas have moved closer to the edge, where they can be photographed with the ruins in the background.

How I get out of Aguas Calientes is another issue … with which I will deal with tomorrow, or day afterwards!! All depends on when the trains are available (the prices range up to $300 for return trip, so one can get the train .. it all depends on how much you want to spend)…. One thing I know, is that as a destination … I wil probably never come back to Peru again.