View at Picasa One of the last and best shots of Machu Picchu, as the sun goes down it gets ready for another day.19-Aug-2009 22:13, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 7.1, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 400

Introduction: Peru is a vast country, the 28th largest in the world, with desert on its coast, the andes for its backbone and vast jungle inland to the East. Famous for its Incan ruins, we also visited the less travelled archeological North for evidence of pre-Incan cultures including the Chimu and Moche. A fascinating country that kept us occupied and entertained, we loved every minute.

Local name:	Republic of Peru	Flag:
Population:	29,546,963	Life expectancy:	70.7
Size:	494,208 sq mi	Currency:	Nuevo Sol
Capital:	Lima	Capital population:	8,180,000
Language:	Spanish
Religion:	Roman Catholic 81%, Unspecified or none 16%.

When we went: 22nd July to 24th August 2009

Where we went: Crossed overland by bus from Loja, Ecuador to Piura, Peru. Bus straight to Chiclayo for a few days, then a bus to Trujillo for more ruins. Amazing Linea bus to Huaraz for a hike or two, then on to Lima for five minutes before heading straight to Pisco by bus then short taxi for Isla Ballestas. Another bus to Ica and short taxi to Huacachina for a couple of days. Taxi back to Ica, and then bus to Nazca, flight over the lines and then overnight bus to Arequipa. Bus to Cabanaconde for the Colca Canyon, then back to Arequipa before taking a bus to Cusco. Bus and colectivo to Cachora for the four day Choquequirao hike, then colectivo and bus back to Cusco. Colectivo to Ollantaytambo, then train to Aguas Calientes. Bus to Machu Picchu, then the same in reverse back to Cusco. Bus from Cusco to Puno, boat around Lake Titicaca and the floating islands of Uros, before finally taking a bus over the border to La Paz, Bolivia.

Where we stayed:

• Hostal Mochicas in Chiclayo – Our first hostel in Peru, clean and friendly but more of a hotel. No Wi-Fi, one internet computer you can pinch the RJ45 cable from. Double room with private bath, no breakfast, 45 soles for the room.
• Casa de Clara in Trujillo – A converted house in a safe area. Clara is a bit of a tyrant. Wi-Fi and good outside communal area, not for a party. Breakfast available. Double with shared bath, 40 soles for the room.
• Casa de Jaime in Huaraz – Exceptionally cheap and very Jewish hostel. Not that clean, still being built. No internet, built in tourist agency, if you cannot read hebrew then don’t bother! Twin with private bath, no breakfast is 24 soles for the room.
• Hostal De Los Inkas in Pisco – Great hostel with Wi-Fi and even a tiny pool. Breakfast available. Excellent rooftop communal area with pool table, Hi-Fi and more. Friendly and recommended. Double with private bathroom, breakfast not included, 50 soles for the room.
• El Huacachinero in Huacachina – The most expensive and recommended hostel in the area, not worth the money. Very clean and stylish, with swimming pool and a great bar, still not worth the money. Staff could be friendlier, no internet. Double with private bathroom and breakfast, 110 soles for the room.
• Hostel Salvatierra in Huacachina – Basic and cheap hostel with large and not exceptionally clean rooms. Pool and pleasant communal area. Budget recommendation. Internet cafe, not free. Double with private bath, no breakfast, 40 soles for the room.
• Arequipa Backpacker’s Hostel in Arequipa – Great hostel with Wi-Fi and even a tiny pool. Breakfast available. Excellent rooftop communal area with pool table, Hi-Fi and more. Friendly and recommended. Also try Like Home Bed and Brakfast. Double with private bathroom, breakfast not included, 50 soles for the room.
• Pachamama in Cabanaconde – Great hostel with excellent home pub like communal area with very cheap and basic clean rooms. No internet. Hot showers. Double with shared bathroom and upgraded breakfast (excellent), 12 soles per person.
• Andes de San Blas in Cusco – Great hostel/hotel in the artisan area of San Blas. Good breakfast and rooms, friendly, with Wi-Fi downstairs. Generally hot showers. Recommended. Double with private bathroom and breakfast, 60 soles for the room.
• La Casona de Ocampo in Cachora – Great rural hostal in the middle of the knowhere that is the start of the Choquequirao trek. Very friendly host will arrange horses and guide. Twin with shared bath and breakfast, 15 soles per person.
• Hostel Number One in Aguas Calientes – Hard bargaining secures you a perfectly acceptable room for the night, no complaints but not much to complain about. Double with private bath, no breakfast is 20 soles per person.
• Hotel Europa in Puno – Great and cheap hotel with Wi-Fi in the room and friendly staff who can organise the tour and bus out again. Good rooms, optional breakfast not great. Double with private bathroom, without breakfast, 20 soles per person.

Things we saw: Carefully excavated immense and ancient pre-Incan ruins from several cultures. Amazing pottery and art said cultures. Pisco devastated by earthquake. The most expensive fertilizer in the world, bird poo. Sea lions. Machu Picchu & Choquequirao. Snow capped mountains. Condors. The floating islands of Uros.

Things we did: Flew over the Nazca lines. Hiked twice the height than Ben Nevis in one day, anmd 20km along in 35 degrees. Hiked to Churup Lagoon in Huaraz. Sand boarded down huge sand dunes in Huacachina. Visited Isla Ballestas, the poor man’s Galapagos.

The Food: Mostly the usual deep fried shenanigans, but also ate Ceviche, raw fish marinated in lime juice with chopped onions. Beautiful. Many juices.

The Drink: Pisco Sours! Pisco with raw egg white, yum. More beer and rum. Started drinking Coca tea.

Top five things to remember: Arriving over the Machu Picchu ridge to see the city spreading out before us. Taking a donkey back down from Choqeuequirao. The twenty six pyramids of Tucume. The sunset over the desert in Huacachina. The crystal blue air at 4,700m at Churup Lagoon.

The not so good things: A man on a bus standing up and shouting for two hours solid to sell some hand cream. Eating a hot chili. Buggering up the knee again on the Choquequirao hike.

Blog posts:

• Gallery: Pre-Incan Indiana Jones trekking in Chiclayo and Trujillo!


• Gallery: Hiking Huaraz and Penguins on Isla Ballestas (Very Poor Man’s Galapagos)!


• Gallery: Boarding in Huacachina desert and Flying over Nazca


• Gallery: Amazing Arequipa and Colca Canyon Condors!


• Gallery: Guide to Hiking to the Lost Incan City of Choquequirao and an unexpected Horse Trek!


• Gallery: The Amazing Lost Incan City of Machu Picchu


• Gallery: The Wonderful Floating Islands of Uros on Lake Titicaca, Puno!


• Gallery: The Amazing Lost Incan City of Machu Picchu

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Strike a pose! View at Picasa Strike a pose!23-Jul-2009 20:14, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 6.3, 83.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 200	What do you think? Could I be a musketeer? View at Picasa What do you think? Could I be a musketeer?23-Jul-2009 22:23, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 55.0mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 200	Lynette checking to see that they’re doing a goob job and not missing anything important. View at Picasa Lynette checking to see that they're doing a goob job and not missing anything important.24-Jul-2009 17:10, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 6.3, 28.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100
Our smiling faces overlooking the Tucume ruins. View at Picasa Our smiling faces overlooking the Tucume ruins.24-Jul-2009 21:03, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 28.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400	Same view, same couple, same sun blinding us. View at Picasa Same view, same couple, same sun blinding us.26-Jul-2009 19:31, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 400	Lynette and I in front of our death buggy that careered over the dunes with a complete disregard for human life. View at Picasa Lynette and I in front of our death buggy that careered over the dunes with a complete disregard for human life.01-Aug-2009 22:40, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 28.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400
Our last shot of a great experience and an exceptional place that is Huacachina. View at Picasa Our last shot of a great experience and an exceptional place that is Huacachina.01-Aug-2009 23:42, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 7.1, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 400	My favourite, the astronaut! And no doubt the source of many extra terrestrial Nasca theories! View at Picasa My favourite, the astronaut! And no doubt the source of many extra terrestrial Nasca theories!03-Aug-2009 22:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 5.6, 73.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400	The captain of our plane, a cheery chap who probably has a running competition with his peers over the record number of sick bags filled a week. View at Picasa The captain of our plane, a cheery chap who probably has a running competition with his peers over the record number of sick bags filled a week.03-Aug-2009 23:09, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 9.0, 28.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 400
The 3 musketeers plus guide about to set off. View at Picasa The 3 musketeers plus guide about to set off.29-Jul-2009 14:35, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 22.0, 28.0mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 400	Bit more exciting pose View at Picasa Bit more exciting pose29-Jul-2009 17:47, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100	Does his bum look big on that? When they scratched their faces, they appeared to be waving ) View at Picasa Does his bum look big on that? When they scratched their faces, they appeared to be waving )31-Jul-2009 15:08, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 400
Us, very cold – muscles in faces are quite frozen here and it’s hard to keep eyes open due to the wind! But happy after a lovely day trip! And there were PENGUINS!!!!!!!!!!! View at Picasa Us, very cold – muscles in faces are quite frozen here and it's hard to keep eyes open due to the wind! But happy after a lovely day trip! And there were PENGUINS!!!!!!!!!!!31-Jul-2009 15:36, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 400	If you’re scared of birds (Maxine), look away! View at Picasa If you're scared of birds (Maxine), look away!31-Jul-2009 15:21, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 7.1, 65.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 400	My gorgeous wife, with the volcano El Misti in the background. View at Picasa My gorgeous wife, with the volcano El Misti in the background.04-Aug-2009 20:18, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 35.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400
Beaming smiles, a hot shower is just around the corner, with the layered vista of Colca Canyon behind. View at Picasa Beaming smiles, a hot shower is just around the corner, with the layered vista of Colca Canyon behind.06-Aug-2009 17:58, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 400	The job might not pay much, but the view certainly beats an office wall. View at Picasa The job might not pay much, but the view certainly beats an office wall.07-Aug-2009 16:22, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 45.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400	Lee and I in the obligatory triumphant pose in front of 6km high mountains. View at Picasa Lee and I in the obligatory triumphant pose in front of 6km high mountains.06-Aug-2009 15:26, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 9.0, 28.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 400

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The smiling couple, at the zenith of our Choquequirao trip. View at Picasa The smiling couple, at the zenith of our Choquequirao trip.12-Aug-2009 21:28, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 6.3, 28.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 400	The happy crew at the bottom of the downhill; now all that is left is about 1,500m of up! View at Picasa The happy crew at the bottom of the downhill; now all that is left is about 1,500m of up!13-Aug-2009 17:25, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 6.3, 28.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 400	The obligatory pose; there are quite a few of these so I apologise in advance! View at Picasa The obligatory pose; there are quite a few of these so I apologise in advance!19-Aug-2009 17:43, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400
We were also offered this emotionallly unstable chappy, sadly without eye protection. View at Picasa We were also offered this emotionallly unstable chappy, sadly without eye protection.24-Aug-2009 17:29, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 65.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400	Finally, our destination, Isla Uros Manco Papac. View at Picasa Finally, our destination, Isla Uros Manco Papac.24-Aug-2009 16:03, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 38.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400

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