060802 - CUZCO, PER

A great city. Even though there are a little bit too many tourists around. Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of the city as we were more involved with "la vida nocturna" (nightlife) which was a lot of fun. In one attempt to take advantage of all the sightseeing things there are we actually went and bought a "tourist ticket". It allows one to enter 10 sights in Cuzco. But, as you might guess, the first place we went to, it wasn't valid at all. So we let it be, and headed back to the hotel for some rest...

060801 - MACHU PICCHU (early in the morning)

without words... truly amazing

060801 - MACHU PICCHU (later the same day)

060731 - AGUAS CALIENTES, PER

060730 - On the way to Cuzco, PER

We wanted to start off nice and easily with a good breakfast and some coffee. The day before we were being told that boats leave frequently back to Copacabana. But as we see almost have the island stumbeling down towards the port we stop one campesino and he tells us that boats only leave in the morning and late afternoon. So we join the human chain and get to the port just in time to enter a boat before leaving. Almost 2hours later we are back on main land. We get a bus ticket and head out of Copacabana around 1:30pm. 4 hours later we arrive in Puno, PER. From there we want to go directly to Cuzco. But no buses leave before 8pm. So we stroll around the city. Enjoy some juicy grilled chicken and are back at the terminal just on time. The ride to Cuzco should take that long and as soon as 5am the next morning we arrive. For an instance we stop, rest... and continue to our next destination.

Since Cuzco is the main point from where people leave to go to Machu Picchu we want to take a different road and safe some bucks. So we take a bus to Ururu and from there to Ollyantantambo. We arrive around 11am and feel like being run over by a truck. From here a train goes to Aguas Calientes, aka Machu Picchu Pueblo. The cheapest fare (Backpackers Noche) is already gone so we take the next best thing and looking forward to leaving at 12:30pm. Bu wait: we don't have any more money!!! I run back to the village (the train station is a little out of town) and start looking for an ATM. There is one... But to my luck it is out of order! I head back to the station and now it is Hamster's turn to find a place where he can cash in his travellers cheques. He manages to do so -- and finally we are the proud owners of a train ticket for the 12:30pm train.

As we come back the guy at the train station tells us that the train has been cancelled (due to little amount of passengers) and that we have been shifted to a later train, leaving at 3pm. So once more we head back to the town looking for a coffee, keeping us awake.

Around 5pm we arrive in Aguas Calientes, check into a hostal (we are lucky: most hostals charge 25 USD; we manage to find one for 50 Soles (around 16USD) and go out for dinner. As there are many happy hour offers the night continues longer than any of us expected...

060729 - Isla del Sol, BOL

Early in the morning we head down to the port where a boat brings us togehter with millions of other tourist over to the island.

060728 - COPACABANA, BOL

Around 3pm we leave La Paz again and get on the bus. And are amazed at the sheer number of gringos that is on board. We figure that we are now offically on the "Gringo Road" now. As Copacabana is the starting point to set over to Isla del Sol in the Titicaca Lake many people go there. You might be wondering: "Copacabana, wasn't that in Brazil?" Well, it is. But there's also a place in Bolivia. The beach is not as white-sanded and there are no cute women wandering around... But it sure is a nice hangout. Even though there are tons of tourists. We try to check the restaurants for a reasonably cheap dinner, but cannot find any. Best thing you do in those kind of situations? Head over to a local market. As we enter all heads turn around.. 2 white gringos, here?!? Well, it is always fun. We enjoy some fancy pasteles and api (a corn based, steaming hot served beverage).

060727 - COROICO, BOL: MTB-Single-Track-Ride

After being on the "World's Most Dangerours Road" and getting a taste of the downhill experience I decide to do another run. The guy at the agency tells me the most beautiful and most challenging ride they can offer will last around 4 to 5 hours. Well, it turns out that we only need 2hours 20mins setting a new record. And yet I had three accidents flying off the bike. ;o) But it was fun!
Returning to the hostal Hamster and I pack our stuff and head back again to La Paz.

060724 - The "El Chorro"-Trail: On the Inca-Tracks

The tour starts early in the morning. Well, at least we thought so. The day before one of the guides at the agency tells us to show up at 8:30am. As we get there in time Adolfo, the friendly owner of the agency, tells us to come back in 30min since we have to wait for another person. Well, at least this gives us some time to get breakfast and wake up with a strong coffee. As we come back the guy still isn't there and we have to wait another half hour to 45mins before we can hop in the van who brings us to the starting point of the tour. On the way there we pass through El Alto, the used-to-be-suburb which grew into a big city itself and symbols the hopes for a better life for many bolivians who arrive here from the plains or somewhere else from the Altiplano. We also pick up lunch and get all the groceries for the trip.
Around 1:30pm we are finally on the trail and make our way over the mountain. 5,000 meters. First time anyone of us (Hamster and I) has been on this altitude. My heart is pumping fast and I can feel my legs getting tired. Slowly we make it to the top and enjoy the amazing scenery before we descend. We pretty much fly down the mountain because we left so late. Around 5:30pm we set up the camp... in the freezing cold. Roberto (our guide) and Lorenzo (the carrier) prepare hot coffee and tea, but it takes around 2hours to do dinner because the little burner is somehow operating wrongly. The night is even colder than expected cause we are still somewhere around 4,000 meters. Not Hamster nor I sleep very well and are eagerly looking forward to hot coffee first thing in the morning. As we crowl out of our tent Roberto and Lorenzo have already set up the "breakfast table" and give us a good start into the day. The sun rises slowly, but with every inch it climbs more over the mountains we are warming up. Within 3hours we are in the jungle and spend the night at a campsite. The Hamster and I decided to take a swim in the nearby river. And what wonder: the water is ice-cold. I'd say about one inch. ;o) After freezing to death last night this time we cannot sleep because it is too hot. ;o) In the morning we leave early. Hamster and I decided to shorten the track a little. It is actually a 4-days-tour but we want to make it in 3 days. Me, because I want to do a MTB-ride the next day and Hamster basically wants to sleep in a good bed and enjoy the great 'desayuno al ranchero' at the Kory Hostal. But our poor guides are just not on the same page with us. We arrive around 4pm at the small town where we are supposed to spend the night at. We ask around for a driver who can bring us to Coroico for a reasonable price. We get a good offer: 60 pesos. The woman runs to get her husband, the driver. He comes, confirms the offer and walks over to his pick-up to fill it up with gas. He comes back and what-o-wonder start complaining about the price: "You know, gasolina is so expensive. I cannot drive you for 60, but for 80 I'll do." We get angry and get into a arguing conversation. Bottom line of which we basically start walking. We actually hope that the guy will catch up with us in his car to come back to his inical offer. But he doesn't. So we walk. And our poor guides as well. In the next village we wait for them, totally soaked in sweat with the big backpacks on their shoulders. First thing Roberto does is asking a local guy to give us a lift to bridge where busses leave frequently to Coroico. The guy brings us there -- and all of the sudden starts arguing about giving us a ride straight to Coroico since there are supposedly almost no more buses. We don't care. And around 6:30pm we finally enter into Coroico checking into our favorite hostal. Later we meet up again with our guides and throw a few beers and dinner as a thank you for the past days.

060721 - LA PAZ, BOL

Being back in La Paz we hook up with one of Hamster's friends from Tarija who spends his semester vacation in the city taking a class at the University. He lets us stay with him at his grandparents place which is really awesome. Thanks again, Esi!
We spend the nights dancing in fancy clubs and need the next day to recuperate in order to get ready to go out again. Unfortunately, this way, we do not get to see so many things of the city. But La Paz seems fairly safe, police officers patroling the area everywhere you look.
On Saturday evening, while I am still feeling kinda sick, we go and have dinner at a grill place. Hamster and I are starving since we haven't had anything to eat all day so we're really hungry and order a big plate which comes with a collection of everything. As it turns out it literally meant everything: a cow's udder, intestines, heart, liver and what do I know. Well, I was brave and tried a little bit of everything which wasn't really the smartest thing to do. Afterwards I felt even more horrible than before and was fighting not to throw up. Not only during the night but all of the next day as well. I didn't wanna see any meat for the next week. Disgusting! ;o)

060719 - COROICO, BOL

A great hang out place as we ended up staying there 3 nights and even though it was more than quiet and at some point seemd kinda dead we enjoyed our time there. We can also proudly recommend the Kory Hostal for the best breakfast ever served in Bolivia, Desayuno al Ranchero. Awsome!

060718 - The World's Most Dangerous Road

As we are getting up early for the hopefully exciting MTB-Downhill experience I still feel more than funny in my stomach and my head keeps ringing like St.Paul's Cathedral's bell. But we have the tickets and there is no return now. As we have to be at the meeting point at 7:30am which is a few blocks down from our hostal we hope to get some breakfast that is supposed to be available as early as 7am. But it turns out that the cook gets to the kitchen around that time - so there is actually somebody there, but breakfast is only to be prepared now. We wait about 15min and as we do not see any bread, marmelade nor coffee turning up, we decided to go to the meeting point. There are already more than 50 people waiting and as it turns out we are three groups this day, each compiled of around 20 anxious first-time WMDR-drivers.

As pictures say more than 1,000 words now I'll let them speak:

Well, from my personal impression, it was a fun ride but could have been a little bit more "dangerous". Our guides took really care of us and there was never a real dangerous situation.

The final destination though, Coroico, was said to be really laid back. And it was. So we decided early to remain there a few days, see how we would like it and eventually extend our stay there.