Canyons, Mountains & Vineyards

[RooFlyer]

So jealous ...

 

[Jacques Vert]

So then it is back to Arequipa for another night. On the way down to Arequipa, +1 was sneezing with ever increasing regularity; signs of things to come?

So overall thoughts on this tour.

Positives: Excellent guide, good driver, beautiful scenery, the condors were awesome, good lunches.

Negatives: That hotel, great location but everything else horrible. The "short tour of the city" was not what I would call a tour. Carlitos' additional short treks did not eventuate. In fairness to Mr Carlitos, he had heard of the issues at the hotel and came to our hotel in Arequipa to personally apologise. We also mentioned that the short treks did not happen and he immediately refunded the additional funds in cash.

 

[Boca68]

Amazing photos @Jacques Vert

You got lucky with the condors. We only saw one for about a minute when we first arrived and then from some distance.

 

[RooFlyer]

Did you get the impression that the hotel was usually like that, or was something unusually amiss?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Did you get the impression that the hotel was usually like that, or was something unusually amiss?

Mr Carlitos was very upset as to what happened and stated that he was going to ask the hotel for a refund. Our guide commented that the guy who was in charge seemed to be new (at least to her), so I guess it may be that the manager was away or there a new guy in charge. Carlitos has promised to update me when he gets a response from the hotel owner, so I'll pass that on when, and if, it eventuates.

On a good day I'ld rate the hotel as 3 star, on the day we were there it was about -1, and the location as 5+

 

[Jacques Vert]

Amazing photos @Jacques Vert

You got lucky with the condors. We only saw one for about a minute when we first arrived and then from some distance.

Thank you Boca. The glare on the camera screen made it very difficult to see what you were capturing in the photos so it was very much a case of point the camera in the direction of the Condor and just click, click, click.

Somehow managed to get a couple of good ones and thanks to +1's editing skills we had a good result.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I have this sudden urge to visit Colca Canyon

Does that mean we have been somewhere RooFlyer hasn't? OMGx2. That's got to be a first.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Back in Arequipa it was time for dinner.

We decided to head into the city, about a 15 minute walk, and have a look around:

 

[Jacques Vert]

As +1 was not feeling well we decided to eat early. Our guide for the Canyon had given us a recommendation for a restaurant called ChiCha: Arequipa | CHICHA

 

[Jacques Vert]

LA2104/2063

These were more award flights using QFF points. Latam do fly direct from AQP to CUZ but when we were booking our tickets there was no availability on the direct flight. Therefore we had two flights: LA2104 (AQP- LIM) & LA2063 (LIM - CUZ).

This was an even better deal than the flight to AQP mentioned above. This one cost 7,000 points + $A3.65 in taxes per person.

These domestic flights are an all economy layout but as a Latam member I was able to select an exit row for the first flight.







No food or drink service but you can pay if you wish...


I didn't manage to snag the exit row on the second flight and by this time +1 was feeling very unwell, so I got put on camera duties.

There were some nice views in the early part of the flight:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Approach to CUZ:







On arrival +1 is feeling extremely unwell. No, not altitude sickness but flu-like symptoms and a raging temperature. When we get to our hotel she goes straight to bed and stays there.

Next morning I call the Doctor who arrives within 15 minutes accompanied by a nurse.

Diagnosis: an URTI with a risk of developing Bronchitis so he prescribes an antibiotic and a number of other medications. He is happy with her oxygen levels so altitude not really the issue (but wouldn't be helping either).

 

[craven morehead]

On arrival +1 is feeling extremely unwell. No, not altitude sickness but flu-like symptoms and a raging temperature. When we get to our hotel she goes straight to bed and stays there.

Next morning I call the Doctor who arrives within 15 minutes accompanied by a nurse.

Diagnosis: an URTI with a risk of developing Bronchitis so he prescribes an antibiotic and a number of other medications. He is happy with her oxygen levels so altitude not really the issue (but wouldn't be helping either).

Bugger !!

 

[Jacques Vert]

BTW, thanks to @Fifa for the recommendation on taxidatum.com

We pre-ordered a taxi to pick us up at the airport in Cuzco and the chap was waiting for us outside the terminal. They even give a senior's discount. Cost from the airport to our hotel was 20 soles.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Once +1 was stabilised I headed out to take care of some business.

For Machu Picchu you need train tickets, bus tickets and entrance tickets. I purchased all of these on-line in advance as well as a guide (more on that late).

You can of course walk from Aguas Calientes (the town at the bottom of the mountain) up to the entrance of Machu Picchu but that's not for us. Takes about an hour and a half they tell me. The bus tickets can be purchased in Aguas Calientas although I am told that there can be queues at peak times. You can also arrange them through travel agents although at least some agents add on a commission.

If you book on-line through Consettur as I did you receive a booking confirmation form by email and then you have to go and pay/collect the real ticket in Cusco (or AC). You can do this at Interbank (Avenida Sol 380, Cusco) or at the company's main office Avenida Infancia 433, Wanchaq, Cusco (Opening hours: Monday- Saturday 8am - 12:45pm, 3pm - 6pm Sundays 8am - 12:45pm).

I took a taxi to the main office (15 soles return). If you choose this option, be aware that they only accept payment in US Dollars, and only in cash.

After picking up our bus tickets, I stumbled across some celebrations for the festival of the crosses...

 

[tgh]

Memories memories……..

 

[Jacques Vert]

Our hotel in Cusco is the Esplendor in Calle Union @ San Pedro:








The room was quite small but it was clean. Quite a few stairs around this place, no lift (that I could see) to the upper floor. No bar and while there is a restaurant with a limited menu, most guests used room service as the restaurant was cold and uninviting. In fact, if you wanted to eat in the restaurant you first went to reception and they would call the service staff who would arrive a little later and turn the gas heater on and take your order.

Why did I choose this place? Well you may remember a few posts back that we stayed at the Ramada at Lima airport where we joined their loyalty program to get a reduced rate. They currently have an offer where for 2 paid stays you get enough bonus points for one free night.

It's only about a 10-15 minute walk to Plaza de Armas and the price is reasonable. I'ld rate it as being equivalent to an Ibis. I had thought about staying at the J W Marriott but $$$$$$!

 

[tgh]

I have just been scrolling through my pics, memory lane , …….muchos envy Jacque..

South America is the most atmospheric country and my best trips have been there

 

[Jacques Vert]

Next morning it's up early to catch the 0640 Expedition train from Poroy to Aguas Calientes. We pre-ordered a taxi through taxidatum and it turned up right on time. Fare to Poroy was 35 soles. +1 is feeling better as the drugs start to work.

I booked the train direct through Train from Cusco to Machu Picchu, Puno and Arequipa l PERURAIL and chose the cheapest train as the times suited. Fare was $US65 per person, each way. The three other trains from Poroy that day were 2 Vistadomes ($105 & $115) and the Hiram Bingham ($US450).

BTW, I met some people who had taken both the Expedition and the Vistadome and they said there was really very little difference.





The waiting room at Poroy Station after they turned the heaters on:




Our attendants:



Heading to MP:




It's started to rain...









Again the band comes out to welcome us (TDKWIA)

 

[Jacques Vert]

GUIDES

IME there is a lot of misinformation about the need for a guide and the new entrance times.

Most sites, many of which are travel agents, state that it is compulsory to have a guide to visit the citadel although when pushed they will advise that a guide is not required on second and subsequent visits. That's not to say a having a guide isn't a good idea but we saw no evidence of it being compulsory; nobody checks and even if it is a rule (and enforced) there are plenty of "guides" hanging around near the entrance.

In our case, we decided to take a guide on the first visit anyway and had pre-booked a private guide online some months ago. This turned out to be a good decision. Our guide met us at the train station exit, escorted us to our hotel to drop off our bags and returned shortly after to take us to the bus and up the mountain. She also reminded us that there are no toilets inside the citadel so you need to go before you pass through the entrance gate. (Toilet charge 2 soles.)

Of course she then gave us the tour (booked for 2.5 hours, she gave us nearly 4 hours), and came back down with us on the bus and pointed us towards our hotel. Given +1 had been so unwell the previous couple of days, there is no way that she would of kept up with a group. Our guide went slow and steady, making sure +1 was OK.

 

[RooFlyer]

Many places I will go without a guide. MP was not one of them. It's such a special site, unlikely to be visited again, so max out the experience for a few bucks. I returned the next morning ( as a hedge against bad weather the first visit) and then pleased myself.