It was no Spring break but it was luxurious: Cancun, Mexico

Having finished our G Adventures tour, we were now on our own.

After just five weeks of non-stop touring of South America we thought a beach break was just what we needed.

Somewhere to rest and relax but also somewhere to plan our next step and you can't get much more fun in the sun in this part of the world than Cancun, Mexico.

Much to Brad's disappointment it wasn't Spring Break time, but it was a luxurious start to our Central American adventure.  Beware the posers on the beach though!

Cancun, Mexico

Lots of posing on the beach, Cancun

We checked into an all inclusive hotel, ME Melia.

For most Aussies, the concept of an all inclusive hotel is a little foreign and I had to do a fair bit of research on them before I left home because they seemed too good to be true, but they're not.  Basically an all inclusive hotel means all food and drink (including alcohol) is provided.

Yes, you will pay more per night than a regular hostel/hotel but it means you don't have to worry about your budget as you go and can just simply gorge and enjoy your stay.  I'm not talking about just a sandwich at lunch and one course dinners either.  You are served three course meals if you want them from four different restaurants and can choose your preference of drink, everything from beer, wine, cocktails and spirits from countless bars.  Don't be suss on the waiters that are trying to 'upsell' you either, it won't cost you anything but an extra few pesos tip.

The down side of an all inclusive is you don't want to leave the premises! This means you're not really getting out and about to discover other establishments.  We wanted to explore the area so we had to forfeit a couple of meals and drinks to do so.

ME Melia was certainly a massive change to the accommodation we had become accustomed to on this trip.

ME Melia, Cancun

One of the highlights of Cancun and one I definitely recommend is diving the Underwater Museum.

Getting ready to dive the Underwater Museum

The Underwater Museum is a series of sculptures placed underwater off the coast of Cancun near Isla Mujeres.  Artist Jason deCaires Taylor made the underwater installation from PH neutral marine concrete to attract marine wildlife as an artifical reef.  The sculptures are inspired by local people and the aim of the museum is to lure tourists away from the damaged coral reef so it has time to reflourish.

Don't worry if you don't have your dive ticket either you can organise a 'resort dive' which involves a brief shore lesson before heading out with a guide.  It is advisable you know how to swim though unlike the Chinese couple we had on our boat who panicked and ended up swallowing too much water, throwing up and nearly drowning.

Underwater Museum, Cancun

Underwater Museum, Cancun

Another day trip from Cancun is Chichen Itza which is where the famous Kulkulkan Pyramid lies, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.  Chichen Itza is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico and when you're there it definitely feels like it.  It was probably even more busy when we were there given it was just a few days out from the end of the world, according to the Mayan calendar.

It was great to see and tick off the bucket list but was nowhere near as impressive as Machu Picchu.  If you are considering a visit, don't do an organised tour.  What should take 2-3 hours to get there ends up taking about 7-8 hours due to several stops on the way including to an overpriced tourist-trap shop.  This means you get to Chichen Itza late afternoon when it is at its busiest time and you only have an hour to look around.

The roads are very well signed and sealed so either rent a car or take a public bus which leave regularly.

Chichen Itza

If you do rent a car you can visit the cute little town of Vallodilid situated between Cancun and Chichen Itza and also one of the many cenotes in the region at your own time.

Mexico is famous for its cenotes which are natural pits or sinkholes beneath the earth resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock.  There is evidence to suggest that cenotes were sometimes used by the ancient Maya for sacrificial offerings.

I would recommend getting to Chichen Itza quite early to beat the tour bus crowds and stop by Vallodilid and a cenote on the way back.

Suytun Cenote, Yucatan Peninsula

Cancun has some of the most amazing beaches and bluest water I have ever seen, however if you're looking for any trace of Mexican culture here other than trinkets at souvenier shops then sadly you will be disappointed.  It is very Americanised with kilometres of big hotel resorts blocking the view to the beaches from the road.

Once you're on the beach however and your being served a tequila sunrise every hour than all that doesn't seem to matter.

Cancun, Mexico

Crossing the Bolivian border

After three weeks it was time to say adios to Peru.

That involved getting off our bus and walking by foot over the border and through immigration to Bolivia.

We didn't encounter any issues but think we saw a shady backroom deal made involving two Columbians and an official.  The officer took the two men into the room for all of five seconds then proceeded to tell them something in Spanish with the word dinero (money) and then did a slit throat action with this hand.  It was very suss indeed but they got through and continued onto Bolivia and continued their journey on the same bus as us.

At the Peru and Bolivia border

Just across the Bolivian border we stopped in Copacabana for lunch.  I wish we had more time here, it seemed like a great little hippy town where backpackers pause for a few days or weeks on their travels to busk on the streets and meet like-minded travellers.  It was also the first time we got to experience how cheap living on the Boliviano (BOB) was.  At the time we were there AUD$1 was the equivalent of 7 BOB.

To get to La Paz from Copacabana, we had to cross Lake Titicaca at the Taquina Crossing.  This involved getting off our bus and onto a passenger ferry but then watching as our bus was ferried across on a rickety barge before we resumed our journey on the other side.  Watching it precariously positioned on that barge and a little off keel I am glad we took the passenger ferry and were not still on board the bus as it crossed the lake.

Copacabana and the Taquina Crossing

About three hours later we made it to La Paz, Bolivia's capital and largest city.  La Paz is also the world's highest capital at 3400 metres.  We had reached the end of our South American journey and with only 24 hours in the city we were determined to make the most of it.

La Paz, Bolivia

Having heard that Bolivia was ridiculously cheap and La Paz had some great markets the first thing we did was hit the shops.  With alpaca blankets, bags and jumpers aplenty and beanies for as cheap as AUD$1 this was our one stop shop to buy friends and family at home a little momento.  Brad also got the cheapest haircut of his life, the equivalent of AUD$2.90.

La Paz, Bolivia

The Witches' Market is also worth a squiz for charms, potions and herbal remedies but more interestingly for dried llama foetuses which are used by indigenous peoples as a sacred offering to Pachamama or Mother Earth, worshipped in the Andes.  It's believed making sacrifices to Pachamama will stop volcanoes from erupting.

Dried llama foetuses

If you're struggling with the altitude and didn't get any diomox from the travel doctor before you left home, you can also get your coca leaves here too.  The leaves, the same ones used to make cocaine, are a popular remedy among Andean locals and chewed all the time.  We'd already tried the leaves in Peru and they taste pretty awful so I would recommend modern medicine in this regard.

You probably won't get any of this stuff through customs though so maybe stick to window shopping while you meander through the market's laneways.

For those who have read Marching Powder, you will be familiar with La Paz for one reason, San Pedro Prison.   The book was written in 2003 and based on Australian-born traveller Rusty Young's experience living inside the jail for a few months.  He wasn't convicted of a crime, was just travelling through South America and heard of illegal tours being conducted by inmates, in particular English drug trafficker Thomas McFadden, inside the jail.  Intrigued he bribed the guards to stay to record the story.  At San Pedro Prison, women and children of inmates are allowed to live there, coming and going as they please.  Cells are sold as real estate with the richest inmates living the best.  Inmates run restaurants and shops inside the jail and companies like Coca-Cola provide sponsorship.  The jail is also a hub for cocaine production and violence and murder of inmates particularly against rapists and child molesters does occur.

Due to the popularity of this book and the notoriety of the jail to tourists, the Bolivian Government shut down the illegal tours.  Despite this we tried to organise a tour while we were in La Paz however were told that it would be impossible but the government may consider it in another month or two.  So if you are travelling to La Paz soon and you are interested in getting inside the jail, than it can't hurt to ask.

Be warned though, we attempted to take photos outside the prison and were pretty much threatened by an armed guard with arrest if we did.  It was in no thanks to a lady selling goods nearby that kept screaming at us and caught the guard's attention.  Needless to say, we just wanted to visit the jail, not become an inmate ourselves so we kept the cameras away and promptly left.

We only had such a short time in Bolivia and wish we had longer particularly to cycle Death Road and visit the Salt Flats but we will be back one day to explore this unique country a little more indepth.

Bolivian Amazon from the air

Lake Titicaca and the floating islands

Puno was our base for exploring Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,812 metres.  Puno is also known as the folklore capital of Peru from its wealth of art and culture, particularly dance.

Folk dancing, Puno

But for me, Puno will always be known as the place I ate guinea pig.

It was a really hard decision.  As a child I had guinea pigs as pets.  Bubble and Squeak, Vegemite, Peanut Butter, Sugar, Salt and Pepper.  Okay, yes they were named after items you eat but in our household guinea pigs were adored and played with not bred for consumption.

But I was in Peru to experience their culture and Peruvians eat guinea pigs so after much internal debate and putting it off for weeks I bit the bullet and the poor little guinea pig.

It was delivered whole, deep fried and splayed on the plate.  Teeth and claws still attached and visible.  One bite was all I needed to tick it off my list.  It had a slight fishy taste but only because I think the oil it had been fried in was used to cook seafood.  Other people have told me it tastes a little like pork.

Tasting guinea pig, Puno

About a half an hour boat ride from Puno on Lake Titicaca are the famous floating islands.  Man-made and remade over time by the Uros tribe from Totora reeds which are found in abundance in the lake.  Majority of the people no longer live on the islands, instead preferring the mainland so it felt like the floating islands were more like floating tourist markets.  Although very commercialised it was interesting to hear how the people used to live.

Lake Titicaca's floating islands

We then had to endure a two hour boat ride to Tequile Island for lunch.  I say endure as it was the slowest boat with a very old engine so it couldn't risk going anymore than a snails pace.  It may have taken just half an hour with a new engine.  The only interesting fact about Tequile Island is the men are the knitters unlike most other parts of Peru and the views of the lake from the main square are worth the trek up the hill to the town.  I wouldn't go out of your way to visit here though unless it is already part of your itinerary.

View of Lake Titicaca from Tequile Island's main square

A further painful boat ride from Tequile Island, we arrived at Armantani Island and our homestay for the night.  We weren't really sure what to expect but a group of the local community welcomed us with open arms at the dock where we were introduced to our host 'Mamas'.  They then opened their homes and lives to us, complete strangers.  Given that their native language is Quechua, they spoke little Spanish and we spoke even less so communicating was really hard and made our time there quite awkward.

The community filled our time with a couple of games of 'football' on a new field, most likely the benefits of their tourism industry, pulling weeds from potato patches and playing dress-ups in traditional costume and singing and dancing with a local band.

Football match on Armantani Island, Lake Titicaca

Traditional dress on Armantani Island, Lake Titicaca

We were most concerned about eating the local food on the island as we had heard stories of tourists getting sick.  'Mama' Ana preparing the food on the floor of our host kitchen didn't do anything to allay our concerns.  Although the conditions were pretty unhygienic we had no issues and were served a feast of 'truche' or fresh trout, corn and potato by our hosts.

Armantani Island, Lake Titicaca

It was always going to be hard to beat an experience like trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu so it was just unfortunate we visited Lake Titicaca while our recent high was on the wane and we were sore, tired and sleep deprived.

It wasn't one of the highlights of my overall trip or of Peru, however don't discount it if you love immersing yourself in the culture of other countries.  For me it felt just a little too pre-packaged for the tourist trade and lacked that authenticity which would have made it a little more memorable.

Trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Wow, what an experience!

Machu Picchu

If you ever have the chance to trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, please don't even hesitate a moment, just do it!

You will be challenged, you will sweat up a storm and it will leave you breathless but at sunrise on the fourth day it will also take your breath away.

It all started in a little town called Ollantaytambo, the picture perfect base to begin the trek.  And what better way to prepare ourselves than to do another trial trek to an old Inca storehouse nestled in the hills.  We couldn't help but stop at the top, not only to get our lungs back but also marvel at the view of the valley below and ponder what was to come.  It was made even more special by a visit by a local stray nicknamed Sandy.  Like a local guide, Sandy followed us up the hill, sat beside us while we breathed in the vista and then made sure we made it safely again to the bottom.

It was a really beautiful moment.

Ollantaytambo and surrounds, Peru

Day one we were ready, pumped even.

But it goes without saying that each one of us at some stage had that thought, wondering if we could do this.

It was by far the easiest of the days, an easy pace of about 11 kilometres stopping very regularly, almost frustratingly so. I think a lot of people in our group were almost disappointed by how easy it was but being warned by friends who had done the trek, I knew the worst was yet to come.

Day one of the Inca Trail

We were told that our porters could only take six kilograms per person of our belongings and the rest was up to us but were warned the heavier our personal backpacks the harder it would be, so we packed light. We were prepared with just one change of clothes and more importantly toilet paper and moist towelettes as there would be no showers. That's right you heard me, four days and no shower.  I highly recommend hiring a walking stick and an extra layer of bedding to sleep on other than what is provided, trust me.

Day one of the Inca Trail

Day two and the day I had been dreading, the 12 kilometre trek to Dead Woman's Pass.

It doesn't sound tough but when you are going up large steps for majority of it to an altitude of 4215 metres, it is. It was such an amazing feeling reaching the top though, knowing that the worst was over and we could now just stop and enjoy the views. The photos are limited because we were trying to conserve battery over four days but also because concentrating on breathing was priority.

Day two of the Inca Trail

I need to point out at this point that our porters are absolute legends and some of the fittest and strongest people I know.  While we were puffing and panting at every step, struggling with the little backpack we had, they were running past us carrying 25 kilograms each to set up for lunch and dinner and camping for the night.  You can't really appreciate it until you see it, but salute to the porters.  Our trek would not have been the same without them.

Day three, 16 kilometres and the longest day of them all.

It was even longer for Brad who woke up with a stomach bug.  Being sick at home with easy access to a toilet is hard enough let alone being in a different country and on a trek miles away from a hole in the ground. The toilet situation was one of the worst I have ever experienced in any country I have visited and to this day the smell still haunts me.  Yes as westerners we are not used to squatting but seriously, I have never seen so many people able to miss a hole in the ground.

Back to the trek.  It rained just about the whole day but apparently for the start of the wet season we were lucky with just one day.  This to me was even more challenging than the climb to Dead Woman's Pass.  The views which are apparently quite spectacular on a fine day were blanketed by fog so all there was to keep our minds busy for the nine hours or so was keeping the water out of our eyes and watching one waterlogged foot step in front of the other.

Day three of the Inca Trail

Saying that though, Inca ruins started to appear along the trek along with lucky breaks from the downpour, which reignited our desire to keep going.  A special cake prepared by the chefs was a nice little sweetener to end the day.

Day three of the Inca Trail

Day four, this was the day we had all been waiting for.

We started in the dark, trekking early enough to get to the Sungate to witness the full beauty of Machu Picchu in the early morning.  Only 500 people are allowed to trek the Inca Trail at any one time but on the final day it feels like a lot more with everyone trying to be the first to get a peak of the magnificent ruin.

The vista is truly spectacular and the closer you get as you trek down to it, the better it becomes.

The trek to the Sungate, day four

Once you are inside Machu Picchu, it's hard to comprehend its size and apparently some of it is still not yet uncovered.  It's a pretty amazing place and one that thousands of people choose to pop the question at each year.  A beautiful couple on our tour from Sweden are now engaged to be married because of its magical aura.

Machu Picchu

They allow 2000 people to visit the site of Machu Picchu a day so 1500 of those take the easier option and get the train and bus there.  If you do, just keep in mind that there are 500 dirty, smelly, tired, hobo trekkers who have just spent three and a bit long days getting to the site so maybe avoid pushing and shoving them if you can.

In hindsight, I believe the trek made the experience and the beauty at the end all the more spectacular and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Machu Picchu town

Peru.... from Lima to Cusco

If you take the advice from guide books at face value, Lima is not a very inviting city for tourists and is quite dangerous to wonder the streets.  We were pleasantly surprised that Lima has a whole lot to offer tourists and going with our guts, we felt really quite safe.  Granted we only had two nights there but we crammed as much as possible in with the time we had.

Lima, Peru

In those two days I received a random hug from a flower lady on the street, we watched model shoots down funky lane ways, we marvelled at the amazing architecture while hearing about it's rich history and we drank cervezas while the sun set over the ocean.

It doesn't sound too bad does it?

Lima, Peru

Don't miss the view from Love Park on the oceanfront at Miraflores and make sure you visit the Church and Convent of San Francisco with the main attraction being the catacombs.  The remaining bones are an eerie sight as you walk through the dingy maze beneath the church.  It's believed as many as 75,000 bodies were interred here.  The convent's Harry Potter style library is very cool too.

Travelling south from Lima, we tasted our first ever Pisco Sour in, yep, Pisco.  We got the tour of a winery and how Pisco used to be made using old school clay urns and foot stomping to crush the grapes.  Nowadays it's a little more boring being distilled in factories.  Pisco itself is an acquired taste and not one that really grew on me.

A Pisco distillery, Peru

Huacachina is where we motored over sand dunes in muscled-up dune buggies with a driver who thought he was in the dakar rally.  After losing our stomachs quite a few times sand dune bashing, we hit the slopes with our boards.  We weren't quite game enough to actually stand up but if the amount of sand I had in my pants by the end was a measure of how much fun we had, then we had a whole lot!

Sandboarding at Huacachina, Peru

While we didn't really want to part with over US$100 each for a flight over the Nasca Lines, if you are really into the mystery of the ancient geoglyphs in the Nasca Desert you should definitely consider it.  However there is a viewing platform where you can spot two designs at a glance which was enough to satisfy our curiosity.  The lines, believed created between 400-650 AD, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

We experienced our first night bus from Nasca to Araquipa which was surprisingly comfortable.  Peru's bus system is world class with attendants serving you food and drinks and reclining chairs that put the comfort level of flights to shame.

Sights of Paracus and Nasca, Peru

Araquipa is at 2380m above sea level and it was here we started to feel the altitude again.  It's a beautiful old city with Spanish colonial streets but it is here we also started to see the rich mix of its population with many indigenous groups from the Andes brightening the streets with their colourful materials and traditional dress.  We also started to learn some of the history of the Incas including human sacrifice of children to ward off volcano eruptions and deforming skulls to make them conehead-shaped for prestige.

Araquipa, Peru

Araquipa was also our base for a trip to Colca Canyon.

Sometimes I think the less you know about a place the more it blows your mind and Colca Canyon was certainly a highlight.  Getting there we reached a height of over 4900 metres, the highest of our journey and the most knocked around we felt.  We didn't do any physical activity at this level but it was amazing how tired it made you feel.

On the way to Colca Canyon, Peru

Chivay, settled in Colca Canyon is a little gem with a market place full of tradition but also with the locals capitilising on the bus loads of tourists that descend on this tiny town.  It's hard to say no to a photo with one holding a cute and cuddly baby alpaca for a coin or two.

Chivay, Colca Canyon

You will be awestruck by the view as you drive the scenic route to catch a condor or two in flight in the canyon.  This in particular was never on my bucket list but I was amazed at how excited we were to actually catch a glimpse.  I have since added it and ticked it off.  We also had a trial hike, 8 kilometres through the valley at altitude to test our abilities ahead of the Inca Trail.  It was breathless in the beginning but we did better than we thought.  The trek ended with a dip in some natural hot spring pools which made the effort worthwhile.

Condor spotting, Colca Canyon

Another night bus and we made it to Cusco at 3400 metres above sea level.  The countdown to the Inca Trail had finally begun and still feeling the affects of the altitude as well as dodgy street food we decided not do any of the optional activities like quad biking, white water rafting or horse riding although I have heard they are awesome.  Instead we rested up and prepared ourselves for the adventure of the Inca Trek to come visiting the Inca Museum to gain a bit more insight about the culture.

Cusco, Peru

Cusco itself is a beautiful old town and worth exploring on foot and the Choco Museum and its chocolate fondue is highly recommended for a great pit stop along the way.

Choco Museum, Cusco

Next stop, Inca Trek to Machu Picchu!