So last you read Anna Banana and I arrived into Cusco complete with a touch of altitude sickness, we were met by the lovely Sarah Pausina (my kiwi mate from Brisbane whom I will refer to as SP from here on in) who had kindly searched the town high and low for accommodation and suitable eateries to satisfy our ever healthy appetites. We spent 2 nights in Cusco trying to breathe and researching ways to get to Machu Pichu hopefully without having to take out loans! It was so expensive, its times like this when being a tourist is not cool at all. SP and I were keen for some hiking action too so investigated options for doing that, it can get stressful with all this organising, felt like I needed a holiday after all our hard work!
Township of Cusco in the South of Peru, 3,350 metres above sea level. No wonder we were feeling the effects of the altitude. The chest goes tight and its kinda difficult to breathe. Those in the know take coca leaves to aleviate the effects and the locals have the opposite problem, their lungs are accustomed to this height so they feel the effects when descending to sea level.
We seemed to have developed a theme of dessert desperation! Our days for some reason were much happy when there was talk of a postre (dessert) stop!
Can you find the Military dude? Illegal pic taken in the centre of Cusco, apparently you´re not meant to take photos of them. How radical am I! ha. What would John say SP????
One of my favourite sights. You see this everywhere, women of all ages carrying babies on their backs in hand woven cloths, you know I have many more photos like this....what with the obsession and all.
SP and Anna Banana catching a few Zzzzz´s on the 5.37am train to Machu Pichu! Sorry girls, this is too priceless not to share!
After the train journey we arrive into Aguas Calientes (where you can then walk or catch a bus to Machu Pichu), action paction at 7.30am with tourists mad for some Machu Pichu action.
SP hooning up the 1.5hr ascent like the ´Road Runner´ towards Machu Pichu, Anna Banana and I almost passing out doing our best to keep SP in sight. There was the option of taking the bus but the $12US put us off, besides it was a good opportunity to work the BUNS OF STEEL!!! 
SP and I atop WaynaPichu 2720 metres above sea level with Machu Pichu in the backdrop.
The ´See I was there Postcard shot´, Machu Pichu and WaynaPichu in the background, we hired a guide to give us a zooming 1.5hr tour around the ruins, very interesting and nice to have a bit of history under the belt!
Postcard shot from the past of how WaynaPichu looks when all the trees are cleared from the mountain, you´ll notice it resembles a face, apparently this is no accident, the Incas chose their site for building Machu Pichu with this in mind. Was there human intervention or is this a natural phenomenom?...... (you can see how it looks now, above & below)
View of WaynaPichu and Machu Pichu. We hiked upwards another 1 hour from Machu Piccu to WaynaPichu (and almost died!!) to get a view over Machu Pichu from nearest high platform. They only allow 200 people per day up to WaynaPichu, apparently the mountain is starting to erode due to all the tourist traffic.After our Cusco and Machu Pichu stints were over SP and I farewelled Anna Banana who was to start her return home to Sweden and headed off on a 4 day 3 night trek into the mountains of Choquequirao complete with Jyeguel (our AMAZING, helpful, interesting and patient guide), Wilfredo (our 5 star dining cook) and Willie (our hardworking horseman who I swear never went to sleep, he was at the tent waking us at 5am with a cuppa tea, had the mules loaded before we´d even brushed our teeth and hooned past us on the trek with his 2 mules a backpack and doning a pair of sandals on his feet!)
Group shot atop Choquequirao with our guide, me, our cook, Sarah P, and our horseman on our second morning, yes we were up in the clouds. Amazing days!!!!
Our magical cook Wilfredo and his kitchen assistant our horseman Willie preparing our lunch on the first day. 
Breakfast on our final day!!! Pancakes with Dulce de Leche (caramel) in the design of a Dolphin!!! Yummo. The food was amazing, better than restaurants even. On our last night we had a buffet dinner! Can you imagine camping and having all the luxuries of restaurant dining!
Jyeguel giving us a lesson on how to chew Coca leaves to help with the altitude and its effects on our bodies.
Willie our 18 year old horseman loading the Mule up with all our supplies. The Mules eyes are covered with this cloth while the load up takes place to prevent the Mule from freaking out and bucking. At night the horseman sleeps by his mules on the lookout for bats which try and attack the Mules and he sleeps with the cloth over his eyes, a Peruvian belief for protection from ghosts.
Jyeguel hooking up the free and natural shower! This was amazing, I felt like Tarzans Jane showering in the wilderness!
Amazing waterfalls flowing into this gushing river, totally breathtaking! And might I add that my little friend SP has somewhat of an obsession with rivers and waterfalls, I swear she hyperventilated at the very sound of running water. Again SP, what would John have to say?
One of the 3 Condors we spotted whilst Hiking, these puppies are amazing! Apparently they aren´t that easy to spot either.
Jyeguel telling us about the offering of Coca Leaves to the Gods, the offering is made on top of the mountain to ensure the land is taken care of. 
Stolen aerial shot of the Choquequirao ruins.
The Artistic shot taken at the Choc ruins.
SP and Jyeguel overlooking the mountains of Choquequirao (just call me the paparazzi!)
Moo Cow searching for greener pastures
The 2nd artistic shot, we seen so many vibrantly coloured flowers! I was in heaven.Right so I think that about brings me to the end of this edition of the blog! And thank goodness for that, it was starting to eat into my precious postre (desert) time. Peru has been truly amazing, so glad to have come and were very lucky to have had such great company and amazing times!
Till next time :)
Heres some video action of Jyeguel teaching us how to chew coca leaves, SP is particularly amusing! ......SP I wonder what John would think about the effects of coca leaves, could you find out and get back to me
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