Peru

We have a overnight stay here, just prior to the Inca Trail hike. We just managed to see the impressive ruins situationed right next to the town.

The Inca engineering is very impressive. Especially when they didn´t use the wheel for any practical purposes and we´re still in the bronze age.

Their sophisticated calendars and knowledge of agricultural is also impressive.

Cusco is a lovelly small city, in Central Peru. The form ancient captial of the Inca Empire, it has built over the top of ancient Inca buildings by the Spanish. It has a strong Spanish Colonial feel and look even today.

Like most of Peru and indeed South America -- there are many Catholic Churches.

We had little time to explored today, as we are off to do a very short visit to the Sacred Valley), prior to starting the Inca Trail hike.

After the Inca Trail hike, we return to Cusco for three nights - two days.

More about Cusco soon...

Yes, finally -- the Inca trail 4 day hike is over!

First, let me say that I enjoyed the hike very much -- overall. There was a couple of times when I felt sick and unwell to a point when I thought I wouldn´t make it to the final day.

Machu Picchu was fantastic! Although, after three and 2 hours of hiking...you are pretty tired. So a little dazed by the time you get their early on the fourth day. But, I still managed to take a few photos and some video footage...something that I didn´t do on day two of the hike much (for reasons outlined below).

It was great fun when I was not felling sick. On the first day, in the late afternoon I was feeling a little sick. The next morning I was sufferring from nausea and had no energy. I had little to eat for breakfast and was half-dead when I got to ¨Dead women´s pass¨.

The afternoon of the second day, I was much better, but the weather turned nasty -- very wet and cold too. Climbing up approximately 1,000 metres plus in the cold and wet is not fun! But, I carried on up to the summit...when I reached it I was very cold and had to put more warm clothes on, as the descent down was slippery and the weather was very cold. Going downhill, although much much easier, was very tricky and highly dangerous, as one small slip could mean that you could have and nasty accident -- very easily a fatal one down deep cliff or a long steep rocky slope!

Because I was feeling poorly and the weather so wet, I didn´t take many photos. I didn´t take any video footage either. My Digital SLR cameras got a little wet in the downpour too...but I managed to dry it out...no damage (it´s still working fine!).

The third day was much easier for me...as I was happier and healthier. So there were no problems. Mostly downhill, we drop some 1,000 metres to the final basecamp and it´s the spot where all the Inca Trail hikers and converge prior to gettings to Machu Picchu.

Oh, I do like the little stamp they put into your passport at the beginning and end of your hike...a nice reminder of those good and not so good times on the trail!