Bouncing ride to Aguas Calientes (just below Machu Picchu)
Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Tue 29 Jun 2010 01:58
Up early and drizzling rain, we started off at the train station in Cusco,
to catch the train to Machu Picchu but due to the rain earlier in the year
they are running buses for 2 /3 of the trip to Ollantaytambo where we
connect with the train. While we knew this, we lined up with others and
piled into mini vans to head off, so we bounced out of the car park. Much to
the discuss of an English girl and German Girl sitting behind us who had
been partying until daylight so no sleep. These two made for good
conversation as they have been in Peru teaching for 3 months and now
finishing so heading up with us to see the ruins, they are also out to have
fun, but my hat goes off to them as they did not have Spanish yet arrived to
teach and learnt rapidly for 3 months., teaching 2 grade and all subjects,
and they will do it again.
So we rattled swayed along in the minivan, often clinging to the cliffs with
over hanging drop offs to our left, but the views as the clouds parted and
sun appeared briefly where amazing. The boys play spotting different animals
and new things as we go along, Sean has started a log book which he draws
pictures of what he seeing, and sticks in pictures from handouts etc. The
road went from ceiled, to rocks, to dirt and winding through villages with
no room on either side, it made it clear why they were using the mini vans
etc no big buses.
We arrived at this make shift station as the drizzle came down and we waited
with many others, and then into the train which wound us along the river
reminding us of the river run we did in British Columbia a couple of years
ago by train. The boys as you would expect love the train, and it gives us
time to do some home schooling exercises with Sean. On arrival at Aguas
Calientes we found our hotel nice but at the top of the town, no taxi's here
so we lugged up the packs and kids up the streets steep, and cobbled.
We are in the jungle with this small town with towering cliffs on all sides
and peaks in green rising above us.
Stay tuned.