The arrival of the mothers and up to Machu Picchu

Our mothers finally made it to Cusco in one piece last Monday morning. We showed them the sights of the town, and were up bright and early the following morning to catch our Agatha Christie style train to Aguas Callientes ready for our trip to Machu Picchu. The train was amazing - a three hour journey through the Inca Valley, with some pretty amazing scenery. We had breakfast served in a very precise and elaborate fashion, and gazed out the window contentedly.

Arrived in Aguas Callientes (literally translated means ´hot water´ because of the thermal springs there) to bright sunshine and settled into our hotel. Aguas Callientes is described by Lonely Planet as being the ´ugliest most over priced small town in Peru´ which we don´t think is strictly fair. It´s overpriced for sure and very touristy, but is nestled between giant steaming jungle covered hills, and you can´t go too wrong with a backdrop like that.

The next day we were up at 5am. Adrian and I put our lazy mothers on the bus, and set off up Machu Picchu. We got up there in 50 minutes and met them at the top. It´s a crazy amazing place up there, definitely worthy of a photo or two! There was also a Bollywood movie being filmed while we were up there, with extras in heavy make-up and feathery costumes running around all over the place.

Adrian and I also clambered up neighbouring Huayna Picchu for the best view of MP, and were very proud of ourselves when we realised we´d made the steep climb in just under 30 minutes. We must be fitter than we thought!