So, the first objective is to get myself to Cuzco... And as has been a bit of a constant theme through Bolivia, finding fuel is often a bit of a challenge... Here in Peru they often dont have higher octane fuel at all which is not too much of a problem for my bike (again the fuel injection technology can compensate quite well). Another issue is that the low octane fuel (84) is "leaded" which will destroy the catalytic converters in the bikes exhaust system... But thats the only option, so thats what I use... And on many occasions Im filling up from little road-side shacks with fuel in 20gal plastic drums being poured into the bike through a funnel with a bit of fabric used to "keep the lumps out"! ... Its primitive but effective :))
And along the way there was another little Peruvian "Chola" who needed a ride into town. It was just another of those random, spur of the moment choices that happen along the highway :)
So, I made it to Cuzco one afternoon and after having dodged the rain for most of the day, the last half hour of riding was in the pouring rain... I didnt really mind too much because it gave the bike another rinsing and Im happy to have it washed as much as possible for the moment to try to get as much of that insidious salt off from my ride on the Sal de Uyuni.
But, it was a bit tedious waiting in all the congested stop-start city traffic as I manoeuvred around and tried to find a place to stay for the night... They have no gutters on the roofs of all the buildings, and in the narrow cobbled streets, you just get plastered with the water pouring off the roofs!
But, I eventually got that sorted out and then set about finding some food and having a chat with some of the seemingly infinite supply of tourist agencies here in Cuzco (Its a VERY touristy town!)... And, it seems that Ive been being a bit optimistic in my loose plan of going to Machu Picchu in a day or two and then riding on!
First issue is that I really cant ride the bike all the way up there, and even if I rode it up to near the little tourist town at the base, I couldnt get all the way there because the road is still out, and itd be a lot of rough road ... And Im getting a bit tired of re-welding my pannier racks every day or two (happened again on the Uyuni ride!)... So, its not too hard to decide to go with a tour from Cuzco... Next question is which one?
It seems that there are a range of options but they are three to eight days long...
The longer options are all based on hiking "the Inca Trail" for various distances. The shorter options are either based on train or bus access (and it seems a bit of hiking?) to the tourist village at the base of the mountain... The train option consistently costs US$250 or more, and the much less common bus option seems to be possible in two days but not recommended, and costs $US150 as a minimum...
Hmmm, Well given that it takes longer than Id hoped, I decide Id better "get right on it" and rather than spend any time in Cuzco (which looks like pretty much any other tourist city Ive seen down in these parts) Ill start the "journey" tomorrow morning... So, I make a semi-random choice about the tour agency... But I try to "get close to the source" so to speak by booking with one of the agencies that actually owns the vehicles that they use rather than one that just "resells" seats. And I make sure Ive got all the details of whats included and whats not written on the receipt... Apparently the tour operators here are notorious for "not delivering" on all the smaller details... We shall see if Ive made a good choice or not later I guess.... But, for now its a 3:30AM in the morning start for a long drive :)
And Im up at 3:30am and waiting for the bus which shows up at 4am due to a couple of other clients not being ready on time... Apparently these two young girls couldnt resist going out and getting hammered last night despite the obviously early start. And we dont actually "get under way" for another half hour as well for reasons that are obscure to me and all the other clients (14 in total) but seem important to the driver and his mate... But for that half hour and the next hour or two as well, we all have to listen to a pretty constant stream of profanity and vitriol from one of the "hung-over" girls who is constantly winging and whining about just about everything in her world!... Hmmm not off to a great start here!
But, after an hour or so of driving, the "ranting" seems to quiet down and as the sky slowly lightens up I slowly get to see more of the beautiful country-side we are driving through... On a very very windy climbing (but paved) road.
Then at about 8am we reach a small town and we are told its a fifteen minute stop for breakfast. We all get out and find coffee etc from little tourist restaurants or road-side stalls. And lots of the tourists instantly light up cigarettes cos its been more than an hour since they had one...
Coming from Western Canada where smoking is not that common any more, Im constantly surprised at how many young people in educated countries smoke... It seems that well over half the people from Europe still do it, and upwards of 80% of people from Mexico, Brasil, Chile, Argentina etc.. And of course 100% of the Israelis and middle eastern countries.
... To me its a disgusting habit because it really effects by-standers... There is of course the health issue (though I really dont mind what other people choose to do to themselves), but really, its just a very unpleasant smell for everyone in the area!... Its pretty much like having to sit in the same room as a skunk... A skunk whos smell will eventually cause you cancer at that!
And I cant recall having EVER met a smoker who had any idea of how far away you can smell it and how annoying it is for non-smokers... They all think the non-smokers are being "super over sensitive", and "Its my right to smoke" etc...
But I also dont EVER recall having met someone who stopped smoking who wasnt "amazed" at how far away you can smell it and how annoying it was, and how you can instantly tell if someone else is a smoker from the smell of their clothes, and how much it had effected their senses of taste and smell etc...
Its quite the perfect object lesson in "Perspective" for those who can appreciate it :))
... But, Ive gotten off on a bit of a rant of my own there, so back to the story at hand...
After an hour or so of "just hanging around", we finally catch sight of the bus driver who comes over to the bus and when asked about the supposed "fifteen minutes" tries to blame the tourists for not being there... Hmmm No, Im not buying that and I tell him so with a smile (which he sheepishly returns) Its about what Id expect though, so no big deal :)
And, we are back on the road again but now its a dirt road... A very windy and bumpy and steep and narrow dirt road that goes for another three hours or so.
And then we are in another small village somewhere and we stop for lunch which is OK given the distance from civilisation :) But this time, we are hurried along a bit after about 45min... The driver has been chatting with the locals, and apparently the rains that got me soaked yesterday have been bringing down the land-slides again and we are going to have to take a longer but still passable route rather than the usual shorter route... This effects the drivers own schedule plans (Id guess about getting back to the city) so now hes all "rush rush" :))
Back in the bus and off we go... The new road is even steeper and windier and bumpier and narrower. It isnt long before we are doing three point turns to get around the hairpin bends... And then we are doing the negotiate and back-up to a wider bit to let on-coming vehicles past etc... And then we are having to get off the bus and push to get it through the steep and very muddy bits and small landslide piles of mud and rubble on the road... Its definitely deteriorating!
The poor little tourists on the bus who are not used to these sorts of roads are "having kittens" over the conditions and what seems to them the very real possibility that we are all going to plunge down the side of the mountain and die!... And true enough, if we went over the edge thats probably what would happen, but there are really only a few metres of road that concern me at all, and in reality there is nothing I can do about it and getting all up-tight about it doesnt change anything... I made my choice when I got on the bus... And anyway, the driver really does know what hes doing because he does this sort of trip five times a week all year round!
... But, it certainly makes for an entertaining bus ride, and all the tourists will have another great story to share with their friends and grand children etc about "The crazy road they went on that time when they went to Machu Picchu!" :)))
Thats quite the steep slope this road is cut into...
This truck really did nearly "go for the big one" :)
... Plenty of room to pass :)
Stream/road... all the same thing really.
Is that bridge really strong enough to support us??But, eventually we came to a place where the bus could not go... Too many large rocks fallen on the road, and a really big land-slide just around the corner.
So, all the tourists got off the buses (there are several here at this "blockage" now) and had to hike for a Km or two to buses on the other side of the blockage... More fun and more stories to tell...
But the new bus only goes a half hour further or so and then stops to let us off. this is where the road has been washed away by the flooding of a few months ago.
...Road, What road?From here we have to cross the river on a "cable-way" and then hike to a train... So down a trail we go to the cable-way where there is a line-up of tourists. After about an hour of waiting, its our turn, and three at a time we are crowded into a little basket and across the river we go!
And then we are hiking again through banana and coffee plantation along the side of the river.
Im in the last group across, and our guide (who met us at the cable-crossing) seems to be in a bit of a rush and I ask him why... But he says "no rush" and we just move along as before...
But, It turns out that there is a reason to hurry! There is a train that goes from a few Km ahead up to the tourist village that we want to catch... And there are not many departures of this train... And the last one for today is very soon
Now the guide knows this but he doesnt give us any details, so we dont speed up... And it turns out that myself and the last three others in my group miss that last train!
So, now we (including the guide) have to walk along the rail way to the tourist town... This is not great but not that bad either for me... though, a couple of the tourists are quite unhappy about it. We ask how long it will take and there are a couple of different answers from different people... two to six hours is the range!!... (something "fishy" there!)
Our guide gives the "Two hours" version and off we start...
...
...
Three and a half hours later, in pitch black, and in the pouring rain, we finally arrive at the town and find the rest of our group who did catch the train...
None of our little group including my-self are feeling very good about it all, especially the fact that the guide consistently miss-informed us about "how far and how long" at every step of the way... I have no idea why he would choose to do this when it just makes it harder for everyone...
If I know its four hours long (and not "just a bit more") then I can buy some food and water, and I can watch my feet for blisters in rented boots, and I can change my clothing layers, and I can pace my-self... and I dont get disappointed and pissed-off with my guide who is consistently lying to me!
... But that seems to be how things are done around here!
So, we all survived but it was unnecessarily unpleasant because of the poor communication...
And we are now at the base of the legendary Machu Picchu...
Just one more story for the grand children I guess :)
