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Aguas Calientes

Quick facts: Launch point for Machu Picchu; GPS: -13.155137, -72.525964; GMT-5; Altitude: 6787′

Aguas Calientes – We arrived into Cusco at around 05:30 and I opted to get dropped off at their partner hostel. I waved goodbye to Peru hop as this was the last stop I would make with them. After doing some research about where I would go to breakfast I got a car and headed to this place that was highly rated. Upon arriving and waiting until it was supposed to open I cam to find out that Google had it wrong and they weren’t going to open for another hour.

So after that disappointment I was going to walk back to the hostel while doing some sightseeing but luckily only a few blocks away I found the Maytaq Wasin hotel, which had a breakfast buffet for a very reasonable price. Not only was I able to eat from a great selection of choices but I was able to charge all my devices while doing so. This turned out to be a good alternative and I felt lucky that I didn’t miss out in the end.

After breakfast, I had to make my way back to the hostel. It was only a 10 minute walk and once I got there I was able to take a shower at the hostel. I felt much better after the shower and was ready to head out to the train station. I caught a car to the Inca Rail station and checked in for the train early just in case there were any hiccups. Right next to the station is the Santo Domingo Church (Iglesia De Santo Domingo), so I went to check it out quickly as the only thing I was interested in seeing was how it was built on top of old Incan ruins (Coricancha) which are still visible.

Shortly after 10:00 they started loading us into the shuttles and after being switched around a few times I finally got one and we were off. The shuttle ride is part of the “Bimodal” version that Inca Rail offers. It is slightly nicer than the standard route and includes a shuttle ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. From there we transferred to the train and headed to Aguas Calientes. Each leg of this trip lasted about 2 hours. The train ride was a nice change as the windows were large and panoramic so we could easily look around at the scenery. Also lunch was served with a few options for drinks as well.

The train rolled into town on time and after unloading I found my hotel on the map and made my way there. Luckily AC is small so it only took a few minutes to walk there. After checking in I looked for a place that I could get a massage. I noted a couple and went to look for a winner. I walked around for a little bit and even though it was second on the list I chose to go to Otto’s. This place was awesome! Before starting they give you a foot bath and let you soak for a bit. Afterwards I had my massage and the girl was very attentive, asking if the pressure was ok etc. The price for the hour long massage was only S/100 or about $30 USD. Quite cheap if you ask me.

When I was done with the spa it was time for dinner and again I turned to TripAdvisor. Just down the road a bit was the highest rated place for dinner so I went there, Full House. I sat out on the deck seating near the water which was a nice setting. While I ate several times today I decided to have a lighter dinner. I ordered the pumpkin cream soup. It was pretty good. After dinner I went back to the hotel and went to bed early to catch up on some sleep.

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Copacabana

Quick facts: Main Bolivian town on Lake Titicaca; GPS: -16.165433, -69.085385; GMT-4; Altitude: 12671′

Copacabana – After coffee, packing and heading out to wait for the Bolivia Hop bus at 07:00 it finally came and we were back on our way to Copacabana. The drive back out of La Paz was long and slow as we wound up the crowded city streets. This time there was more to look at because on the way in it was too dark to see anything.

We arrived back at the Strait of Tiquina after a couple of hours and crossed on a ferry again. While we waited for the bus to cross we had about 15 minutes to find something to eat from one of the street vendors. I got a couple empanadas to try and waited for the bus. We were herded back on the bus and were on our way to Copacabana. After about an hour we arrived at Copacabana and disembarked.

With a little over an hour to kill I went back to the restaurant near the drop off point and had a llama sandwich for an early lunch. At 13:00 the group got together to board the boat for the Isla del Sol tour. The boat ride takes about 1.5 hours to get over to the island so it isn’t a quick ride but it is a scenic trip.

Once we arrived at the island almost everyone got off to do the hike as there wasn’t much else to do for such a short tour. The hike was pretty straightforward but it was nice. About half way through there was a small restaurant where I got a lemonade and relaxed while I enjoyed the view of Lake Titicaca. After the rest stop I continued on with the hike which at this point was all down hill. Luckily at the end I got done right before a mule train was heading up to take supplies to the locals and didn’t have to wait for them to pass. Within 10 minutes or so we were called to board the boat and head back to the main land. The ride back was the same route with not much new to see.

Once we got back to town there was not much time before we had to board the bus and make our way to the border. Fifteen minutes later we were at the border where we had to grab our stuff and go through customs. Once I had my exit stamp, which was much easier to get than the entry stamp, we had to walk over the border to get back into Peru. After everyone had been processed they called our names off to tell us which bus we were supposed to get on since one was heading to Arequipa and one was heading to Cusco (which was mine).

After I got my bus assignment and got my seat we were headed north. Almost three hours later we stopped in Puno. This stop for dinner is a little late in my opinion but there may have been a reason for this even though a later start out of Copacabana seems like it would’ve been a better way to go. I wasn’t really hungry so I skipped dinner and just hung out with a few of the people that were eating.

The guides gave us an hour for dinner which wasn’t enough and along with my group there were quite a few people also not done eating just in the same restaurant by the time we were all supposed to be back at the bus. Needless to say we weren’t at the bus on time. It may have been more like 45 mins later that we were on the road.

I was once again able to get the lower section of the bus which has better seating allowing for more reclining and spacious seats. Even with the additional comfort it still isn’t great and although I was able to fall asleep I can’t say that I slept well.

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La Paz – Day 02

Quick facts: The seat of the government of Bolivia, but not the capital; GPS: -16.49572, -68.13355; GMT-4; Altitude: 11975′

I woke up and had breakfast at the hotel. After getting ready I headed out to catch the walking tour I had arranged. We met our guide in front of the San Francisco Church for the 10:00 tour. The first stop on the tour was the Witches Market (Mercado de Las Brujas). We went into a store where the guide told us about the significance of the mummified baby alpacas that could be seen in the store. They all died from natural causes and are sold so that people can burn them which they believe will release their souls back to pacha mama. The store sold spells, potions, and other oddities. It was interesting to see but only as a curiosity.

From there we walked through the city until we got to the next big stop. This was San Pedro prison. This is a prison that is a rarity on its own. There are no guards inside the prison and only the exterior is patrolled by police. It’s essentially anarchy but somehow it apparently works as the prisoners have established a working system to take of themselves and their needs. At one point there were even tours that were conducted until some tourists were stuck inside and embassies were involved.

The next stop we walked to was Plaza Murillo. This plaza is surrounded by several of the governmental buildings. Even though La Paz is not the capital of the country it is the seat of the government. The President also used to live in one of the building but no longer does due to safety concerns. We left the plaza and walked towards Jaen Street (Calle Jaén). This is a cobble stoned street that is representative of historic La Paz. It is also where the tour office is and the end of the tour.

After the walking tour I went to this place called, Sillpichs, for lunch that the tour guide suggested. I had the trancapecho special which is a sandwich with beef and fried eggs. It was pretty good. After lunch I walked around a mall that was nearby to kill some time before the next tour I had scheduled to go on.

Back at the San Francisco Church I met up with the next tour guide for the 15:00 cable car (Mi Teleférico) tour of the city. This was a pretty cool tour. Even though the walking tour wasn’t very physically challenging, the cable car tour allowed us to cover a lot of area of the city without any issues. The guide told us that they chose the most efficient route to cover as much as possible with the fewest lines taken.

We started at the central station and took the red line up over the cemetery to the ridge over the city. From there we walked over to another witches market which is supposedly more authentic and where the locals go unlike the one this morning which is very touristy. Afterwards we went to the silver line and rode that along the ridge down to the yellow line. This line goes over a military training area that is also nearby the new presidential residence. We connected to the sky blue line briefly before getting onto the white line. That took us to the orange line which brought us back to the central station where the tour ended. This cable car system is pretty cool and there are only a few of these in use around the world. Considering how long it takes to get around the city by car this is definitely a great alternative.

After the tour was finished I took a car to this place called, Restaurant Alaya, which was recommended by the tour guide. I ordered the fritanga per the recommendation of the guide also. The food was good, and the place looked like a spot for locals, so I was happy with the recommendation.

After dinner I got a car to go back to the hotel but there was a lot of traffic and it took him a while to arrive. After getting picked up he deviated from the suggested route and the traffic kept getting worse so after a while he said he thought it would be faster to just walk. Since it wasn’t really that far to begin with I figured that was the best option since if I had walked from dinner I would’ve been to the hotel already. It took maybe another 10-15 minutes to walk to the hotel from where I got out. It was interesting to see how busy it was getting as it got later into the night.

At the hotel I hung out, got ready for bed and fell asleep watching some animal show on TV.

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Tiwanku

Quick facts: UNESCO site; GPS: -16.557655, -68.676141; GMT-4; Altitude: 12675′

Tiahuanacu – I woke up and had breakfast and coffee up on the roof of the building. It had a nice view of the city and some mountains. After eating I got ready and walked to the central cemetery where I had read I could catch the bus to my destination, Tiwanaku. Google said it was only 15 minutes or so but what it didn’t tell me was it was all up hill. Fortunately I have been in higher altitudes for the last several days and it wasn’t so bad. I got to the cemetery and found the so called bus station. This really is just a gaggle of minivans that display their destination on a sign on the front window.

I walked around until I found one with Tiwanaku on it and got a ticket which cost 15 bolivianos. The only other people people waiting were a German couple and we talked a little bit while we waited for more people to show up as the driver wanted 10 people before he would leave. This was about 10:00 and had I been there an hour or two before it probably wouldn’t have been a very long wait. After some time we all decided to just pay the difference so we could go which turned out to maybe less than $15USD for me to get there. More than I was planning on paying but still not much considering I didn’t want to waste all morning waiting for no one possibly.

The drive out of the city was about the same as it was in and it look us almost an hour just to get out back up to the altiplano. Another 30-45 minutes later we finally arrived at the ruins. Turning off the highway we drove past Pumu Pumku on the left as the driver headed to the center. Upon getting dropped off we all headed to the ticket window and got tickets. The ticket includes all of the ruins and museums. While the weather was nice and sunny I decided to get right to it and headed for the ruins while the German couple went to the museum.

I spent the next couple hours walking around the pyramid, the ruins before it started to get cloudy and then rain a little. I didn’t want to miss Pumu Punku so while the rain picked up I hurriedly made my way back over there. By the time I got there it was coming down more and quite windy. I started to walk around the area, taking pictures and then the lightning started. I got some pictures of the “H” blocks I had seen on Ancient Aliens and figured that was enough. I headed back as it started to hail a little and went to see the museums inside where it was dry. After going through both of the museums it was clearing up again and the sun was coming out.

By this time the site center was almost dead I was a little concerned that every had bailed and it would hard to get a ride back into La Paz. I grabbed a coke and waited for one of those vans to come by. Before too long I flagged one down and got a seat. He told me we was going to wait for more passengers and that I had more time to see things. He showed me a shortcut back to Pumu Punku so I went back.

This time it took 1/3 of the time and I walked the site again more leisurely taking more pictures and also got to see the rest of the area I thought I was going to miss the first time around. I got lucky and I’m glad I had a second chance. There wasn’t a ton more to see there but I got to look at the “H” blocks more closely and that was cool. It’s amazing to me that those people could do such precise work with limited tools in the time they built this complex. I’m no expert but do have a limited knowledge of manufacturing and I’m not sure how I would do it today with modern tools easily.

After walking back to the center and waiting a little while longer he collected enough people and we were on our way back to the city. Being as it was later in the day, by the time we got close there was already even more traffic and the driver suggested to those of us wanting to get back into the center of town to take the Teleferico, or cable car, as it would be quicker. He dropped us off at the station and for 3 bolivianos I got a ticket. Two quick stops later and I was back in the center. This cable car system they have here is pretty cool, and I’ll get to see more tomorrow as I have a tour of the city on it.

Back in town I grabbed a car to the restaurant I found online, La Casona, for dinner. Here I ordered one of the local specials although I don’t remember what it was called it was really good. It was a cut of pork with some fat, potatoes, and a half cobb of the large corn they have down here. The corn by itself was filling but the pork was delicious!

After dinner I walked back to the hotel and called it a night. I don’t have an early morning tomorrow but its been go go go and its been exhausting!

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La Paz

Quick facts: The seat of the government of Bolivia, but not the capital; GPS: -16.49572, -68.13355; GMT-4; Altitude: 11975′

Nuestra Señora de La Paz – Today was more about getting things done than any sightseeing. Although I did manage to get a few things in along the way. I woke up and had breakfast and some coffee and then the alpaca hand took me over to see them in their pen. It was pretty funny to see them all corralled together and watch me as I got closer and closer. I took a bunch of photos and even got to see a vicuna that was roaming around outside. I then headed back to my room, got ready and then met the driver as he pulled up. He drove me to the meeting point in Puno and I waited for the bus to get us all who were waiting there.

From Puno we drove to the Bolivian border which took several hours. This is one of those times I knew was going to be difficult but luckily I was prepared for it more or less. I got my exit stamp from Peru and walked across the border to the Bolivian side and that’s when the fun began. In order for an American to get a visa at the border one has to provide these papers: itinerary while in Bolivia (in English and Spanish), hotel reservation confirmation, bank statement, passport photo, $160USD for the fee, and the one thing I either didn’t see or thought they would provide us with on Peru Hop was the proof of transportation. I had to print the bus info off and luckily it was easy to do and only cost S/5. I had read some bad stories of people getting to the border and not being prepared and spending a lot of money to get what they needed to I tried to have everything and a backup copy just in case to make it go as quickly as possible.

Once I got the visa, which is good for 10 years, I grabbed my stuff and Peru Hop turned into Bolivia Hop and they took me and a few others to Copacabana. This is a little town on the coast of the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. We had several hours there as they schedule a large chunk of the trip to stop there for people to do a day tour of a nearby island or like me to have enough time to get through immigration. I missed the tour so I’ll do it on the way back when I won’t have to mess with the paperwork. I had a late lunch at a restaurant right where we were dropped off before going for a walk around the town since I had plenty of time to kill. While I was walking around I got a Bolivian SIM card for internet and got to see some sights. It’s a nice little town but I don’t think I would want to spend too much time here.

The meeting time for the bus was at 18:00, we loaded and we were off to La Paz. From Copacabana it was a really bumpy ride with nothing to see really as it was dark most of the ride. We did stop along the way to get off the bus and take a boat across the strait as they have no bridge to connect to the two sides. That was interesting, and something I haven’t done in a while. My boat’s name was Titanic. Haha.

After more bumpy roads and nothing to see we got into the La Paz area. This is when I first got to experience traffic in La Paz. Let’s just say that it is not fun. It took us more than an hour to get from the outskirts to the center of town at 22:00 at night. When we finally arrived at the end of the journey the ones that were left got out and they walked us to our hotels. Mine was close but luckily I was checking things myself because they tried to drop me off at another hotel with a similar name. Mine was around the corner a little and I got there on my own. I checked in, went to my room and hit the rack.

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Puno

Quick facts: Capital city of the Puno region; GPS: -15.84057, -70.02794; GMT-5; Altitude: 12636′

Puno – This morning I actually got to sleep in a little but not much. The bus was scheduled to leave at 05:45 with a pickup time at my hotel from 05:30-05:45. Even though the pickup was just around the corner, same as the drop off, the shuttle came for us at 05:15. This was a waste of time as I stood around for 30 minutes waiting for the bus to arrive. Oh well.

All said and done we left on time so that was good because there’s a tight schedule today for sure. The drive from Arequipa to Puno is almost half the same as yesterday and that was a surprise because it seems like it was out of the way but I was told that the roads aren’t very good so they go the long way which is actually faster. When we got close to Juliaca I text the owner of the alpaca farm, Fundo Chincheros I made arrangements for the night with and told him I’d be arriving at 13:00 in Puno and asked for his driver to pick me up since they’re a ways out of town. We arrived into Puno on time and after a short wait, the driver showed up and took me to the farm. I found this place through the tours offered in Puno as they have a half day tour to come and eat lunch and look at their alpacas. In order to maximize the limited time in Puno I opted for a night there so I could get a few hours in the afternoon and then some more time in the morning before having to catch the bus again. It was cool to see all of them and while I didn’t get much interaction with the alpacas it was really fun to see them in a little more natural state at the farm. I even helped the ranch hand herd them over to the hacienda as he was getting them ready for the lunch tour group to show up. He told me the farm has about 50 alpacas and there were about three of those that were less than a year old, one was maybe a month old.

The driver took me back to Puno at 15:00 so that I could make the pick up time for the Uros tour I had planned. The shuttle arrived and our group headed down to the port on Lake Titicaca to get on the boat to take us out to the floating islands that are supposedly only found in this region. Not only in this region but in this small area of the lake outside of Puno.

This tour is only two hours but it is pretty cool. The Uros people have been living freely on these islands that they made out of what they could find in the lake, which is not much, mostly some light dirt/root system that they cover with grass as the top cover. We got a little history lesson and were shown some of the local fish and birds and then were told about the fish that were imported back in the 40’s, namely Canadian Trout. We then were given some time to look around the island and inside of their huts before they tried to sell their souvenirs which now totally fund their way fo life. It was a little disappointing to see they weren’t living like they had any more but they do subjectively have a better life now they can afford medicine, luxuries, etc. After the few people that wanted to ride on one of the newish traditional boats returned from their quick ride, we went to another island were we could get a passport stamp from Lake Titicaca. That concluded the tour and we headed back to Puno.

I found a restaurant that was ranked highly on TripAdvisor that had Peruvian food, Mojsa, so I decided to go and try It out. When I arrived there the only thing that I saw that sounded appealing was cuy (guinea pig). I had planned on waiting until Cusco since I was told they have it there and it was common, but I figured I was in the right place and right time now since if I waited and missed it in Cusco I would miss out totally. When the dish came out it looked more like any other dinner which was fine but I was almost disappointed because the few other places I saw it on the menu was very recognizable. This restaurant was more upscale than those others so they prepared it more in their style. Dinner was really good and if I didn’t know what it was I wouldn’t have been the wiser. It is a fatty meat so there is quite a good flavor to it as I like fatty meat of all kinds!

After dinner I called the driver and he was close by. On the way back to the farm he stopped and said something but I didn’t understand what he said and then a couple minutes later this lady came over and said she was the owner’s girlfriend and that his father had just died so he wouldn’t be there when I got back to the farm. The owner came over to the car and I gave him my condolences and he apologized, but there was nothing to apologize for! It just goes to show that you never know what’s coming and one should make the best of what time they have on this planet!!! The driver took me back and I went to bed immediately as it was getting late and I was exhausted.

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Colca Canyon

Quick facts: One of the deepest canyons in the world; GPS: -15.61105, -71.90581; GMT-5; Altitude: 12345′

Cañon de Colca – Today’s start is the earliest of the trip so far, 02:30, because the tour bus picks us up at 03:30 in order to get to the canyon at the appropriate time. It’s about a 4 hour drive from Arequipa to Colca Canyon with a few stops on the way for sightseeing.

For the first few hours obviously it was pitch black. A little after the sun started to rise we got to the highest point of the trip for a quick stop, Patapampa Pass also known as Mirador de los Andes. The elevation here is 16110′ and was a spectacular view with the mountains, a volcano that just started to erupt a little and the sun getting it’s start to the day. After another quick stop a minute down the road for everyone to get some pics of the now obvious volcano going off we were on our way to Chivay.

In Chivay we stopped for a somewhat typical breakfast of bread and jam and I had some coffee as well. I also tried this warm drink they had that is made from quinoa and fruit for a little sweetener. I asked what the drink is called and was told it’s just called quinoa. From there we made another stop for about 15 minutes in Yanque to see the little shops and locals that had their animals out. Our Peru Hop guy told us about these people before getting in to Arequipa and asked us not to partake with the hawk handlers because he felt it is abusive to the animals. He didn’t say anything about the alpacas and they were so cute so I got a pic with one of them. While I was trying to get my pic the alpaca wasn’t cooperating and the lady kept saying, “Look Tomas” in Spanish and moving his head towards the camera. It was pretty funny. I think it was worth the few Soles the lady asked for, maybe I’m an animal hater?!?!

From there it was a short drive to where we were actually going for the tour, Cruise of the Condors, which overlooks the canyon. We could see the canyon for most of this section and it is impressive. Only a few decades ago were roads built to make this trek even possible so I’m happy I could see it so easily. Instead of just getting dumped off at the lookout spot and turning around our guide suggested we do a little hike to the lookout. I’m glad there weren’t too many people objecting because I was all for it. He did have a half route option and there were a few people who opted for that instead.

The hike was not very long, but at this altitude it was not a stroll in the park! From the first over look we could see some condors at the main overlook at the end so the guide suggested we move on. Then after about 1/4 of the way a couple of them flew past us and perched back where we just were so I ran back and got some photos. They were a little scandalous as the birds were making out or something so I only took a few and then ran back and joined the group again. From the second look out point those two started to fly around and were quickly joined by several other birds. I counted 6 total, but even one would have been cool enough. As the majority of the condors centered around the end and final lookout I tried to get there quickly not knowing how long they’d linger. I didn’t get far before walking the rest as I’m out of shape and was out of breath. Once at the end I had time to rest and was able to watch the birds go back and forth from sitting to flying around. Although there were quite a lot of people there I was able to get some decent shots but would’ve loved to been able to use a much longer lens 🙂

We might have spent about 30 minutes total at this lookout before heading back to Arequipa. While this might seem like a lot to do for just some birds it was definitely worth it in my opinion. I wish I could have more time as I’m sure it would be awesome to trek around in the canyon. One last thing we did before heading back to the city was stop at some hot springs. We were given about an hour here and it was great. I hopped from one pool to the next spending maybe 10 minutes or so in each. After the hottest one I went for a dip in the river which was cold but felt great. Once more in the hottest pool and then back into the river before having to get out and change to get back onto the bus.

Before actually heading back we also made a stop for lunch at a place in Chivay. It was already crowded by the time we got there but it was one the tour usually stops at so they had a table already reserved for us. The food was good and there were many things to choose from. The typical foods of the area were: alpaca, chicken, beef, and if you were lucky some trout ceviche. There were also some desserts to choose from so I tried the flan.

The ride back to Arequipa was long but this time the sun was up so we were able to see much more than on the way to Colca Canyon. The best part about the drive back were all the alpacas, vicuñas, and mountains that were all over. It’s a beautiful area for sure. We arrived back to Arequipa and I got dropped off at the hotel at maybe around 17:30. I went out briefly to get some cash for the next leg and then went back and hit the rack early since it would be another early start, just not as bad as this morning luckily.

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Arequipa

Quick facts: Capital city of Arequipa region; GPS: -16.39879, -71.53693; GMT-5; Altitude: 7661′

Arequipa – The bus ride into Arequipa was less than comfortable but it could have been worse. We got into the city a little after 05:00 in the morning and luckily the room I got was just around the corner. I checked in and tried to go back to sleep for a few hours.

I woke up around 08:30 and went upstairs onto the roof to have breakfast. It was mostly clear and sunny and had quite a view of the city from up there! Arequipa is surrounded by three volcanoes which was something to see.

After breakfast and getting ready I headed out. I wound up at the local alpaca museum, Mundo Alpaca. There were several people waiting at the door to greet me, one girl gave me a tour around the place. She explained some background on the different kinds of animals and how their hair is used for textiles. They had a little pen of about 10 animals so you can see them up close and even give you a handful of grass to feed them. After the tour there is a store to sell tourists stuff. I didn’t feel pressured to buy anything and it was a good intro to learn about these animals. It was cool, I liked it and it didn’t cost anything.

Leaving Mundo, I walked to this restaurant called Picanteria La Mundial that the girl had suggested for lunch. It was only 15 mins away and the walk wasn’t too bad. I had a hard time deciding at first but then when I looked around and saw that a lot of people had ordered the special of the day I went with the crowd and was not disappointed. I’m not exactly sure what it was called but it was pretty good. It was a soup of some sorts and had meat and veggies and maybe squash too.

After lunch I called and scheduled a massage for later. Until then I had some time to kill so I caught a cab and headed over to Yanahuara. This is a cool park because it looks over the city and had these white arches with writing around them. The city is well known for this white rock that is used all over to build things other than just these arches.

I didn’t have a whole lot of time here but enough to grab a lemonade and charge my phone in a nearby cafe before making my way to the spa. I found this place Beya Spa on TripAdvisor and while they weren’t the best place I can’t really complain because an hour long massage only cost S/70 (~$21).

It was early evening by this time but I was already pretty tired and ready for bed so I headed back to the hotel and crashed to be ready for the early start in the morning.

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Nazca – Day 02

Quick facts: Locals built runways here for aliens; GPS: -14.82759, -74.93705; GMT-5; Altitude: 1710′

Today is when I officially kick of the ancient aliens tour; I’m going on a Nazca lines flight with Aeronasca. I have heard several people say they wouldn’t go up in one of those planes if someone paid them to. I’ve been on many small airplanes before and don’t see the issue but I guess there were problems back in the day. I decided not to get a real early flight so I could have breakfast before since I like my routine. I ate at the hotel and then caught the shuttle at the hotel (the owner of the hotel happened to own the flight tour company too) to the airport at just before 10:00 for a tour flight at 10:00-10:30. As I would have expected given the time frame and how relaxed he was driving, we were rushed through security and onto the plane for a not on time departure.

Once in the air it was only a minutes before I could start seeing lines in the ground. We were flying in a Cessna 207 and although the plane was full with 6 passengers the windows were large and it was easy to see the ground. For most of the flight the pilot would fly by one of the lines, dip the wing down quite a bit so the one side could see and swing around and do the same for the other side.  The flight lasted about 30 mins and we probably saw maybe 15-20 different drawing type lines and tons of the straight lines. At the end they also swung by the aqueducts and the castle. I didn’t feel unsafe at all on the flight and given what I know about small planes even safer probably than the big jets. The lady at the hotel warned against eating breakfast or even having coffee but I did not feel sick at all afterwards. I wanted to go find a bumper sticker or something that said, “I survived a Nazca lines flight.”

After the flight I looked around a bit at a couple of the small shops near the airport and waited for the shuttle to return. Some of the people on our flight went to Mom’s cafe in town and I decided to join them for a quick lunch. The food was good, I tried some different empanadas and not too long after finishing the shuttle came back by so I jumped on it and I went back to the hotel and hung out for a little while. I mostly worked on some planning for later and wrote a little for the blog. It was about 16:00 by the time I called my guy and even though they’ll tell you 5 or 10 minutes it almost never is. So after 30 minutes he showed up, drove me to Rico Pollo again for an early dinner since I was catching the Peru Hop again at 18:45.

This time around instead of being experimental I decided to try some of the chicken which everyone was eating last night and raves about in most of the reviews. It was pretty good and while chicken is not my favorite as long as it’s not all the time I do enjoy it. Mom’s cafe was basically next door and also the pickup spot for us catching the bus. I waited around for about 45 minutes before the bus showed up pretty much on time and we all loaded. This leg of the journey is one of the few that is an overnight ride. It left Nazca right about 19:00 and will arrive in Arequipa at 5ish in the morning.

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Nazca

Quick facts: Locals built runways here for aliens; GPS: -14.82759, -74.93705; GMT-5; Altitude: 1710′

Nazca – The next morning I got up and tried to have breakfast somewhere but most places didn’t open until 07:30 or 08:00 so it was a little later than I would have liked. I found a place near the beach and ate quick so I could get back to my room and get ready to catch the next leg.

I opted to skip this part with Peru Hop and the bus company I did find only had one bus going to Nazca, however it left at 09:45. So because of that I couldn’t go on the Ballestas Islands tour which would have been cool as it’s called the poor man’s Galápagos.

I caught the bus with no issues and made a bee line for Nazca. I decided to do this because I was much more interested in seeing the Nazca lines than going to Huacachina for a day like I would have if I had followed the Peru Hop itinerary. The bus ride went by pretty quick and I was in Nazca before too long even though it was several hours later. From the bus stop I caught a taxi and went to check in at my hotel.

After checking and getting some laundry started I walked around Nazca a little. There are a few things to see here other than the lines but really I wasn’t interested in them and decided to take it easy instead. After having dinner at this place called Rico Pollo, I went to the Nazca Lines Hotel and checked on the tour/light show that the hotel offers. The English show started at 19:30, so I just waited around the 45 minutes or so looking at the photos and enjoying a Pisco sour.

At 19:30 the guide came and got the group. We started by looking at the big scale model that is in the lobby, pointing out where the lines are, why they are there, and some of the history behind them. After that he took us to see the outside of the room where Maria Reiche lived for the last 25 years or so of her life. She’s an interesting woman and it was cool to learn a bit about her and what role she played there in Nazca and with the Lines themselves. The main attraction though is a light show in the planetarium and the guide talks more about the history and how the lines were discovered. Over all it was worth the hour and S/20 for the ticket even though he never collected them. I’d do it over again. By the time the show at the planetarium ended it was getting late so I caught a taxi and went back to the hotel and went to bed.