kjp

This is from an email. If you´re not interested in my bodyly functions, don´t read on!

Now is the first time that I´m sitting at a computer for hr or so (I´ve had brief times at freebie hotel internet). Went horse riding earlier this afternoon, but came off. OK, nothing broken, just a bit sore and don´t feel like wandering around. Apparently my saddle wasn´t on tightly. My clean clothes get back in 1.5 hr, so catch up on internet stuff.

I´m in Cusco at the moment (got back yesterday from the Inca Trail). Tomorrow we go to the jungle. Inca trail was a really great 4 day bushwalk, however, I found it particularly tough. For a few days before the start of it, i´d had a bit of diahorrea (sp?). The afternoon before, I basically vommitted up everthing from that day and the previous day as well. Also, I hadn´t been having 3 full meals since ?? for a while sometime (not full appitite). On the evening before the inca trail start day, vomitted up half a bottle of water with hydrolyte as I was drinking it. Excellent.

In the tour group there are 8 people plus guide (quite cohesive group). all are pretty social. (incidently, 6 are women...) anyhow, of the 8, 1 doctor, 1 training doctor, 2 experienced nurses. After a bit of talking with them, got some drugs from the doctor and that stopped the sickness. in the morning of the first day (4am like). felt better, had half a roll from b´fast. but feeling slightly better, but so that´s a good enough sign. Walk for 6 hrs in the morning / early evening, but then vomitted lunch when we got to camp. The guides and cook were really good to me - getting me to drink teas of celerary . mint . and something else (good for stomach apparently). But for the entirity of the 4 days, could not eat anything in full. typicallying having about 1/3 the standard size plate. and then I usually just ate anyhting the consistency of baby food / rice / simple veges. First day I felt that i didn´t have the normal power in my
legs, especially uphill. the Second day is a walk from 3200m (?) up to 4200m up and was quite difficult. made it in the end, but slower than the rest of the group. But I did the uphill bit in a bit over 4 hrs, so I haven´t anything to be ashamed of. Bit less than 1.5 hr download (very difficult, as is all on uneven stones but all wet due to mist and slight rain, and some werer very steep). Got into camp as the rest were eating lunch. But then when I had my lunch, could only eat the liquid part of the chunky soup and a tiny bnit of bread... Was safe though. Two guides for the group - one leading, one tail end charlie. so he was with me all, which was reassuring. groups were coming in several ours latter after I´d had arvo kip. 3rd day was a little steep up but mostly flat and several very cool inca ruins, so ok for me. fourth day (yesterday) was very early (pre light) start to get to Machu Picchu. spent the morning there
- amazing place. that lunch - I had soup which I finished all of, which I´m happy with. Dinner last was out at trendy restaurant (I wouldn´t usually go there if it was in Oz, but here it´s cheep so go with the rest of the group**), and ate most of a burger, but not all of salad and chips (I felt hungyry, and then full, unlike previously when I just could eat anything). Not local food, but wanted something Kevin stomach friendly. In the few days of the inca trail I´ve lost a fair bit of weight (too thin)... So I´ll trying to fatten myself up. lol. Apart from my illness, the inca trail was excellent excellent great walk. The food served up was great (unfortuntely I had to abstain from the yummy bits). Gucci camping.

** although tonight I´m planning to not go out with them as they´re going to another ´´expensive´´ place, but I found a tiny local place nearby at lunchtime, so want to go back there.

I have some great photos, but I can´t seem to get them off the camera. I still have serious space issues, onto my fifth of 5Gb for the entire trip - still 3.5 weeks to go.. eeek. I´ll be deleting some tomorrow on the flight.

Keyboards over here have crazy punctuation!

Hmmm, my mp3 player is still charging. So, some more: going back in time a bit. Before Cusco (the first time) was Puno, on the edge of Lake Titicaca. There was one night homestay which was great. We (myself and the other bloke on the tour who I´ve been sharing hotel rooms with), stayed with a family of three (mum, dad and son). Although son (10? yo) was youngest of 8? or 9? - others having moved out married etc. Life for them is very simple, farming. Electricity for lighting in the rooms and one very old portable radio. Kitchen / eating area very small, simple food. But great to share meals with them. Evening of that night was dress up in local traditional clothes, and trad dancing at local hall. Good fun. Yes, there´s photos - stuck at this stage on the camera. Afternoon coming back on one of the reed islands, was interesting. Also that afternoon went to xx? can´t remember name, an incan burial ground near Puno with all the
burial structures. Interesting and scenic.

IF you are interested (get it), for your information, there´s pretty much nothing surrounding Machu Picchu other than cliffs.