Thursday morning we had a flight from La Paz to Cusco,
Peru. I can recall very few times that I
have been more ready to leave a place than I was La Paz. After two long days in the high altitude, my
body still had not adjusted. I woke up
Thursday feeling worse than ever. We all
made it to the airport from our hostel despite being squished into a minivan
with our entire luggage. Yes, all 12 of
us with our luggage fit into a van a little larger than a typical minivan. It was a clown car if I ever saw one.
The plane ride to Cusco was short, but eventful. For most of the flight the pilot flew parallel to the Andes Mountains. We got off the plane and I could certainly tell a difference in the way I felt, still not 100% but a large improvement over La Paz. It probably also helped that I took an altitude sickness pill and an Imodium a couple hours prior.
The weather in Cusco was gorgeous when we got there, sunny and 65 degrees. A van took us directly to our hotel, which is by far the nicest we have stayed in thus far. We all had a bit of time to wind down in our rooms before heading out to explore the city. Thursday was the day of Corpus Christi, so the entire town took part in a celebration by the city’s main square. I do not know a lot about the holiday and why it is celebrated by the Catholic community, but the square and the several blocks surrounding it were packed. I have never seen so many people in one place at a time. There were parades, band processionals, and street carts on every corner that lasted all day and into the early evening. It was quite the experience to witness all the celebration.
I tagged along with a group for lunch, even though eating was the last thing I wanted to do. I ordered pasta with chicken and was able to choke down my first meal in three days. Although my stomach was still upset, I felt like I had a lot more energy. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around, visiting markets, and enjoying the scenery. Cusco is a beautiful city located in a valley of the Andes Mountains. Everywhere you look you get a view of the mountains and the buildings that are built up on them. It is similar to La Paz in that way. What makes it better than La Paz in my opinion is the lower density and cleanliness of the city. Cusco is much more geared towards tourism than La Paz. In some aspects, I really enjoy that. More people speak English and I feel more comfortable as a traveler. That being said, any town that thrives off of tourism often loses the authenticity that makes traveling fun. At this point in the trip, though, I am ready for some familiarity; so, I am soaking up the tourist atmosphere.
There were a couple hours of down time before we met for dinner; I decided to take advantage of it. I had the best shower I have had the entire trip. There was great water pressure, hot water, and plenty of space to move around in. I was even able to shave my legs for only the second time this trip. Additionally, the sink in our bathroom was clean and held water, so I was able to wash my last round of laundry. Sink laundry is so much easier than shower laundry. It’s funny the luxury that I live with daily that I take for granted. I know I have said this many times already, but that’s why I love to travel. The struggles… the unfamiliarity… it is humbling.
((the next day))
Amanda and I both woke up today (Friday) feeling the altitude sickness yet again. It is so frustrating. One minute I feel pretty good and the next it hits me. Going on day four I can say that I am ready to be done with anything and everything related to high altitudes. We went down for breakfast with the rest of the group and ate, but decided to go back to the room and rest for a few more hours. You are not supposed to push yourself with altitude sickness, so we are taking it easy again today in hopes that we will be rested up for Machu Picchu tomorrow.
We ventured out for a couple hours to get lunch and shop at a few markets. It wasn’t long before Amanda had exhausted all her energy, so we headed back to the hotel to rest again. I could have stayed out and about by myself; the city is safe enough. I didn’t really want to be by myself and I had no way of contacting anyone else in our group, so I rested with Amanda at the hotel until dinner time. We watched TV and were fortunate enough to find a channel that had sitcoms in English. Several episodes of Will and Grace, Two and a Half Men, and Friends helped pass the time. Honestly for as much as we have been on the go, I really needed this afternoon of down time. I could have done without the altitude sickness though.
The plane ride to Cusco was short, but eventful. For most of the flight the pilot flew parallel to the Andes Mountains. We got off the plane and I could certainly tell a difference in the way I felt, still not 100% but a large improvement over La Paz. It probably also helped that I took an altitude sickness pill and an Imodium a couple hours prior.
The weather in Cusco was gorgeous when we got there, sunny and 65 degrees. A van took us directly to our hotel, which is by far the nicest we have stayed in thus far. We all had a bit of time to wind down in our rooms before heading out to explore the city. Thursday was the day of Corpus Christi, so the entire town took part in a celebration by the city’s main square. I do not know a lot about the holiday and why it is celebrated by the Catholic community, but the square and the several blocks surrounding it were packed. I have never seen so many people in one place at a time. There were parades, band processionals, and street carts on every corner that lasted all day and into the early evening. It was quite the experience to witness all the celebration.
I tagged along with a group for lunch, even though eating was the last thing I wanted to do. I ordered pasta with chicken and was able to choke down my first meal in three days. Although my stomach was still upset, I felt like I had a lot more energy. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around, visiting markets, and enjoying the scenery. Cusco is a beautiful city located in a valley of the Andes Mountains. Everywhere you look you get a view of the mountains and the buildings that are built up on them. It is similar to La Paz in that way. What makes it better than La Paz in my opinion is the lower density and cleanliness of the city. Cusco is much more geared towards tourism than La Paz. In some aspects, I really enjoy that. More people speak English and I feel more comfortable as a traveler. That being said, any town that thrives off of tourism often loses the authenticity that makes traveling fun. At this point in the trip, though, I am ready for some familiarity; so, I am soaking up the tourist atmosphere.
There were a couple hours of down time before we met for dinner; I decided to take advantage of it. I had the best shower I have had the entire trip. There was great water pressure, hot water, and plenty of space to move around in. I was even able to shave my legs for only the second time this trip. Additionally, the sink in our bathroom was clean and held water, so I was able to wash my last round of laundry. Sink laundry is so much easier than shower laundry. It’s funny the luxury that I live with daily that I take for granted. I know I have said this many times already, but that’s why I love to travel. The struggles… the unfamiliarity… it is humbling.
((the next day))
Amanda and I both woke up today (Friday) feeling the altitude sickness yet again. It is so frustrating. One minute I feel pretty good and the next it hits me. Going on day four I can say that I am ready to be done with anything and everything related to high altitudes. We went down for breakfast with the rest of the group and ate, but decided to go back to the room and rest for a few more hours. You are not supposed to push yourself with altitude sickness, so we are taking it easy again today in hopes that we will be rested up for Machu Picchu tomorrow.
We ventured out for a couple hours to get lunch and shop at a few markets. It wasn’t long before Amanda had exhausted all her energy, so we headed back to the hotel to rest again. I could have stayed out and about by myself; the city is safe enough. I didn’t really want to be by myself and I had no way of contacting anyone else in our group, so I rested with Amanda at the hotel until dinner time. We watched TV and were fortunate enough to find a channel that had sitcoms in English. Several episodes of Will and Grace, Two and a Half Men, and Friends helped pass the time. Honestly for as much as we have been on the go, I really needed this afternoon of down time. I could have done without the altitude sickness though.
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