Thursday, July 31

Location: Cuzco, Peru

Today's weather: 20°C, Sunny

Today I flew from Manaus to Cuzco. The flights were a nightmare. Because my plane left Manaus at 4am, I had to be at the airport at 2am (no sleep that night). The flight went to Santa Cruz in Bolivia. I changed planes to catch another flight to La Paz (Bolivia), and eventually caught another flight to Cuzco. I arrived in Cuzco at 10:30am local time (one hour behind Manaus).

The arrival at La Paz was the most interesting. The altitude is about 13,000 ft, and although there wasn't any snow in La Paz a few nearby peaks were covered with snow. The temperature was 22°C – but it was such a change from the 35°C of Manaus that I had to wear a jersey, and was still shivering!

On my arrival at the airport in Cuzco, I asked about hotels and was recommended one that cost $US13 per night, and guided to a taxi that would take me there for $US2. The hotel (actually called a hostel) was pretty basic – but it gave me a room to myself, was very central, and had hot (luke warm) water. I have since found that there are cheaper hotels nearby at $US5 per night, but I honestly can't be bothered moving – and I think they lack the luke warm water. At least where I am feels safe and I've made friends with several of the other people staying here.

The taxi ride to the hotel was also quite interesting. We passed a big statue of Pachacuti Inca – the ninth Inca, who was responsible for rebuilding Cuzco as a major centre. In another street, I saw several llama grazing on someone's lawn. The cars in Peru are generally quite old. My taxi cab was a 1975 Toyota Corona, with dents and fading red paint. The cars are basically similar to those that you would have seen parked around a student campus five years ago.

After arriving in at the hotel, I decided to take a walk around the central city. The hotel was next to Plaza de Armas – the historic centre of Cuzco. The area was the centre of the city under the Incas, but is now surounded by Spanish colonial buildings and baroque churches dating back to the late 16th century. The walk was interesting – I spotted many old Inca walls used as the foundations for newer buildings, and also had a look at the people. Most of the people in Cuzco are Peruvian Indian, and many are still wearing traditional costume. Unfortunately, the high altitude and lack of oxygen took its toll. I wasn't yet used to the environment, so the walk left me feeling breathless and with a sore chest. I also had the beginnings of a slight headache.

Back at the hotel, the cold (now 13°C) really started getting to me. I had to put on my jersey, a thick jacket, and then climbed into bed so that I could catch up on sleep. There I shivered for about two hours.

Afterwards, I started talking with people in the room next to me. Their names were Janice and Karen, both from the UK – and Janice was busy heating up water and noodles on a small camping stove that she'd set up on the small porch in front of our rooms. Janice and Karen were spending a few weeks in Peru and planned to walk the Inca Trail. Although Karen was feeling quite sick, due partly to the altitude and to something else that she'd caught. It was wonderful just being able to talk in English for a while. Afterwards, while Karen rested, Janice and I found a small Irish Pub. We entered it on the basis that an Irish Pub in Peru would be interesting. Just to make it an multi-cultural event, we were served inside by an American. I was disappointed to find there wasn't any Guiness, so had to drink a Peruvian lager instead.

I returned to the hotel, and promptly fell asleep thanks to the long night before, aided by the influence of the alcohol. Janice had warned me that the altitude and lack of oxygen makes for vivid dreams. I don't remember what mine were – just that they were a little strange.