Jungle Excursion Puerto Maldonado

 The morning after Machu Piccu we caught an AeroCondor flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. Was quite a shock to jump on a plane in Cusco and then get off the plane in Puero Maldonado with humid, high 30°C weather! Within minutes we were taken by a funky "jungle bus" to a long boat and then for about 2 hours down the Rio Madre de Dios to the lodge. 

Not sure what we were expecting on this jungle tour, but definitely wasn't private cabin / huts, super nice meals (e.g., fresh avocado with most meals) and a swimming pool!

      (to be continued)

Jungle Excursion (Day 8)

 To set the geography, Lima is in a desert region that runs along the coast (i.e., near sea level). Cusco is several hundred miles inland and in the Andies, which run north south (roughly paralleling the coast) at anywhere from 3000 to 6500 m elevation. 

As you go further east, you drop back down from the Andies to only a couple hundred meters elevation and the climate turns to Amazon jungle hot and wet. Cusco had a very hot sun and comfortable days, but quite cool evenings (jacket and even touques were worn on occasion).

   (to be continued)

Peru & Bolivia Machu Picchu 2

 We had a couple hours in Aguas to tour about, shop, get lunch, etc. before catching the 3PM train to Cusco.

And the train trip turned out to be very nice. We had maybe purchased better tickets (?) and seemed pretty high end. And there was a fashion show on the train! Quite humorous!

We got back to Cusco around 8PM and checked back into the same hotel. I think we then did some visits to the church, a museum and an art gallery around the Plaza and then a nice Mexican place for dinner. But was also a long day and returning to the same hotel with hot showers and getting our luggage was relaxing.

   (to be continued)

Peru & Bolivia Machu Picchu (Day 7)

 And good practice for Mel who really doesn't like heights  I was a hero as well and carried Mel's pack since she wasn't feeling well (this came to be more of the norm by the end of the trip!).   

After coming down from Wayna Piccu, it was a little after noon and we found the ruins to now be overrun with people. We toured about a little bit more and contemplated life 

We felt fulfilled and ran from the crowds  and took a bus back down to Aguas Calientes 

      (to be continued)

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