Cusco or bust!!

5 Dec 2006
Wouldnt you know it. We rush into Peru cos we decide to speed the trip up a little... and theres a bloody strike on. So no busses... For two days! Doh.

This sees us moping around for the day. We are too late to get a ferry out to the reed islands. They sound pretty commercial anyway. It is frustrating to do nothing, especialy after yesterdays similarly uneventful actions.

In the Eve Lupo and Clem say they have found a taxi driver who will barge us through the road blockade early tomorrow morning, and get us to Cusco. It wont be cheap though. 300 Soles, so 75 each.. ie NZ$36.. almost an entire days budget. On the basis that we really dont need another nothing day, and that it could be a n adventure we decide to go for it.

The next mornin gwe are up early. Our taxi is supposed to come at 7.00. So we wait. And wait. And by 7.30 we realise hes just another unreliable local who plain aint coming.

Unamused we flag down a few more cabs. Most say no, or charge even more. Then the 5th car says yes.. and for 250 Soles! We waste no time in juming in.

And what a bloody let down! We passed a ute with 8 policemen clad in riot geer and machine guns, so it looked like it might get juicey.. BUT NO. Not a single blockade, or protester to be seen. Five hours later we were in Cusco, with nothing but tired arses to show for it. The driver typicaly tried to chrge us more upon arival, but Sara told hime in fluent angry spanish where to go. (back to Puno I guess).

So at 1pm we were finaly in Cusco, the most touristy city in South America, and next to everybodies highlight... Machu Picchu..