• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Home  >  Trip Reports  >  Day 4: Machu Picchu + Aguas Calientes to Cusco on Peru Rail
Trip Reports

Day 4: Machu Picchu + Aguas Calientes to Cusco on Peru Rail

Matthew Klint Posted onNovember 28, 2009December 13, 2016 1 Comment

Day 0: Introduction: My quest for Machu Picchu and why I chose Mexicana + Avianca + LAN Peru

Day 1: Los Angeles to Bogota via Mexico City on Mexicana + Bogota to Lima on Avianca

Day 2: Lima to Cusco on LAN Peru + Cusco

Day 3: Cusco to Aguas Calientes on Peru Rail + Climbing Putucusi Mountain

Day 4: Machu Picchu + Aguas Calientes to Cusco on Peru Rail

Day 5: Cusco to Lima on LAN Peru + Lima + Lima to Bogota on Avianca

Day 6: Bogota + BOG-MEX-LAX on Mexicana in Elite Class

————-

When I need to get up at a certain time, it is usually necessary to set multiple alarms to go off beginning about a half hour before I need to roll out of bed. I am not a morning person and not one of those people who can jump out of bed immediately when the alarm sounds. After oversleeping and missing my Air New Zealand flight from Hong Kong to London last fall, I have become paranoid about setting at least three alarms when I must wake up at a certain time.

I really had to force myself to get out of bed at 0330 (after being jarred awake by alarms at 0300, 0310, and 0320.  But once I am up, I usually perk up quickly, no matter how sleep deprived I am.

With my rendezvous only 15 minutes away and a ten minute walk from the hostel, I threw on some clothes, decided to skip the sweater (good choice), and made sure I had all my “necessities” in my small backpack, most importantly a 3L bottle of water.

The weather was cool and damp outside, with a layer of mist permeating the air. I hiked down the road, turned left down the bus path, and met Shereef at a small park a few hundred yards down the road. I was only about five minutes late…

Good thing he had a flashlight because it was pitch black outside with street lights few and far between. It was rather serene walking down a Peruvian road at 0400 and we soon came to the trailhead and began our climb up. We were not the only ones on the trail: we spied lights behind us and lights ahead of us. The trail was a primarily steep steps zig-zagging a little bit to mitigate the effects of the precipitous climb.

About 0450 we made it to the top and were amongst the first to join what would soon become a long snaking line for entrance into the park.

Hyanu Picchu is the mountain you always see in pictures jutting up from the ruins below it. In an attempt to preserve it, only 400 people are allowed to climb it each day. This was the reason behind the early morning hike. Once in line to enter Machu Picchu, you are given the option of choosing the 0700 or 1000 climb up Hyanu Picchu. We chose the early hike and got slot number two and three. And I had worried that I wouldn’t be one of the first 200 up the mountain…

The park opened at 0600 and being one of the first visitors in the park, we had a few minutes to take unobstructed pictures of the ruins without any people getting in the way. While the sky was overcast, the sun was just beginning to peak out over the eastern horizon and it appeared that the clouds might be blowing north.

After another queue at the entrance to Hyanu Picchu, we began climbing it a few minutes before 0700. While the climb was difficult, I did not find it nearly as bad as the climb earlier in the morning or yesterday. We made it to the top in 40 minutes and took in some absolutely stunning views of the valley around us.

Clouds had completely ensconced the Machu Picchu ruins when we reached the summit, but as we sat and waited patiently, the clouds moved on and Machu Picchu was revealed in sunlight. A true Kodak moment.

Then things got bad. Suddenly it felt like my hands were on fire—literally on fire. They burned to such an extent that I found myself profusely shaking them. Writhing in pain, I noticed two growing circles, one on each hand. While climbing up Hyanu Picchu I had often grabbed on to vines, branches, rocks, and embankment for support. Apparently, I received a couple mosquito or spider bites and was not responding well to them.

Trying to be a tough guy, I told Shereef not to worry about it and that I was going to climb down but he did not have to come along. The view truly was spectacular and he elected to stay up for a while longer. I bid him goodbye and rushed down the mountain as fast as it was safe for me to do so. I made it all the way back to the entrance of the park (stopping briefly to snap a few more pictures) where I had spied a clinic when I entered earlier in the day.


The nurse did not speak English, but I showed her my hands and she nodded and pointed to a chair behind me. I sat down and a doctor came out and asked me in English what the problem was. I explained to him that my hands were burning and he stated that it looked like mosquito bites had caused the problem.

An injection, oral tablets, and topical cream were prescribed and I was told to drop my pants, as the nurse pointed to my butt. I chuckled as the nurse made sure to open the needle in front of me and stated, “New. Clean.” The shot was relatively painless and I swallowed a couple pills and applied some topical cream immediately after. Rather sad that I don’t know what the heck they put in me. Why is it that we tend to trust people wearing white coats?

I sat down for a while and waited to see if the antidote would work. It didn’t. 45 minutes later the burning was still there and still at the same intensity. The doctor seemed puzzled and prepared another shot, this one directly into the vein on my forearm. Whatever it was, it must have something like benodryl in it because I was ready for a nap about 25 minutes later. The burning had also subsided a bit (unless I had just gotten used to it).

The bill for my visit to the clinic was 45 soles (15 USD) and I paid it with my credit card. I do have international coverage with Blue Cross, but the nurse was unable to reach Blue Cross at the number on the back of my card. How convenient (for Blue Cross)….

I took the bus back into Aguas Calientes and took a two-hour nap in the lobby of the hostel. When I awoke, my hands were still burning, but not nearly as badly as a few hours ago. The train was scheduled to leave in about an hour and a half so I decided to get some lunch around the corner: I had not eaten since the previous evening.

I selected a little pizza parlor and was invited to join a couple of retired Australian guys “on a three week holiday from their wives in South America.” They were from Gold Coast and we had a nice chat about Australian tourism, history, and politics. Chance encounters like this are one of the reasons I love traveling. Memories are built not only though seeing places but through meeting strangers like this and sharing meals and conversation. 

I stayed a bit too long at lunch and had to run to catch my train. I made it with about three minutes to spare and lo and behold, found Shereef seated next to me—completely by chance. We had not even discussed the train ride back to Cusco/Poroy. My hands were still burning a bit and the “Business” Class cabin (same cluster of 2-2 only now with a table down the middle) seemed even more cramped than the Backpacker train.

I knew a small snack was served but I did not expect the linen tablecloth and menus. There was no choice, but I found the snack tasty, despite having just polished off a pizza. Two empanadas, one with meat and one with cheese were served with a choice of soft drink and coffee or tea and orange cheesecake. Not too bad, though not worth the $23 premium for the “upgrade.”

 

The journey seemed to take much longer go backing to Poroy, perhaps because my hands were still bothering me. I swallowed a couple more pills, re-applied the anti-histamine lotion, and tried to keep my mind off the hands. Shereef helped a bit by reading passages from the book he was reading, The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It’s an eye-opening book…

I reached Poroy and said goodbye to Shereef and met my Canadian friends in the station lobby. They had a driver waiting for them and I hopped in with them for the ride back to Cusco. After dropping off their luggage, we ate at trendy restaurant in Cusco’s Plaza De Armas that reminded me of AOC near the Grove in West LA: one of my favorite eateries. I thought about ordering guinea pig, but it was double the price of just about everything else on the menu and I felt like chicken so I ordered the Peruvian chicken dish. It was so-so—chicken chunks in a marsala style gravy with white rice. I could have gone for another pizza…

I hailed a cab to take me to my hostel, “The House of Carola” (yeah, sounds like you know what) for the evening. Turns out it was more of a home stay. A little old lady who spoke very little English opened the door and seemed shocked to see me. I showed her my confirmation printout and she scratched her head, poured me a cup of tea, and told me to hang on.

I sat at the kitchen table for about ten minutes while I presume she prepared the room. She shouldn’t have bothered: it looked the sheets had never been changed when I pulled back the bedspread. A generous assortment of hair—all different lengths and colors—greeted me. Yuck. The private room and bath was only $10, but I guess you get what you pay for. I slept on top of the (most likely filthy) bedspread with my clothes on. A bright fluorescent light on the patio outside my door kept me awake for a while (I guess it was too much trouble to install curtains on the window), but I finally fell asleep. The benadryl tablets probably played a role…

No pictures of the hairy sheets.

 

Previous Article Giving Thanks for United Airlines
Next Article Day 5: Cusco to Lima on LAN Peru + Lima + Lima to Bogota on Avianca

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • United Airlines Pago Pago Trip Report

    Trip Report: United Airlines 787-9 Diversion To Pago Pago

    January 25, 2023
  • Middle East Adventure

    Introduction: A Middle East Adventure Many Times Over

    December 12, 2022
  • Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge Review

    Review: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge Doha (DOH)

    November 22, 2022

1 Comment

  1. Mr. Bean Reply
    December 10, 2009 at 12:52 am

    Finally have a chance to read your trip report.

    That’s a pretty strange reaction to mosquitos. However, you said you’ve been to India and didn’t mention anything similar happening. I guess those must be some especially vile mosquitos down in MP, huh?

    “Why is it that we tend to trust people wearing white coats?”

    The job is tough enough as it is. Add in distrust and it’s the most frustrating type of patients to work with.

    Hope you’re feeling better!

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Recent Posts

  • Waldorf's take on eggs Benedict with truffle sauce and caviar
    Extending Hilton Diamond Status For Three Stays (Or Less) January 29, 2023
  • Review: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea January 28, 2023
  • American - Delta JFK Incident Pilot Analysis
    A Veteran Commercial Airline Pilot Analyzes American – Delta Runway Incident At JFK January 28, 2023
  • Pre-Boarding With Children: How Old Until They Are Too Old? January 27, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Casting Couch? Kuwait Airways Forces Prospective Flight Attendants To Undress For “Research Purposes” January 4, 2023
  • Spirit Airlines Captain Runs Out Of Cockpit After Woman Yells “I Hope Y’All Crash And Die!” January 17, 2023
  • SWISS First Class Awards Bookable With United Airlines MileagePlus January 5, 2023
  • United Airlines 2023 Status Extension
    United Airlines Quietly Extends MileagePlus Premier Status…Again January 14, 2023

Archives

January 2023
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Dec    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners.

 

Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.