21 August: Mantanay to Aguas Calientes

This morning was a crazy early wake up, 05h30 in the cold! Again, I didn't sleep particularly well although I had double the clothes on as the night before. Urgh, and I feel so trapped in a sleeping bag. I don't even like having blankets tucked under the mattress when I sleep. In hotels the first thing I do before getting into bed is freeing all the blankets they insist on tucking in, pinning you to the bed! Plus, even I am too long for these Peruvian mattresses.

Anyway, today's walk was quite beautiful with some of my favourite style of vegetation: overgrown, shaded with mossy stones along a river. It was quite ethereal. And we even crossed the river on stepping stones. Loved it :)



I was having a marvelous time ... and then it got more and more suburban as we headed into Yanahuara. We stopped here for lunch and played a local game called "Frog".

From there it was off to Ollantaytambo to meet up with our Tour Leader and catch the train to Aguas Calientes. I slept for a lot of the train ride.

Was fabulous to arrive and be able to shower! The we had some free time before meeting up again. It is a small town geared entirely for tourists going up to visit Machu Picchu. It is very weird to have a train track running where the street should be.

This evening we all met up for a very brief walk to the town square and then headed off to an early dinner because we've decided to get up at 2am tomorrow to try getting a stamp to go up to Huayna Picchu. Apparently they only allow 400 people per day to walk up and you have to be on one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu to get a stamp. So we'll be up early and queuing!