Here is the complete itinerary of our trip to Peru and Bolivia, which included Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and La Paz.

May 14, 2009 (LA)

• Departed Los Angeles at 2.20am (TACA)
• Arrived at Lima International Airport at 3pm
• Overnight at Pay Purix Backpackers Hostal; picked-up from airport. Checked in, walked to store about a mile away for food. Took local bus back.

May 15, 2009 (Lima, Cusco, Ollant & Aguas Calientes)

• Arrived at airport for Cusco departure at 5.30am. Flight was delayed until 9:15 due to fog.
• Departed for Cusco around 9:30am; Arrived at 10.30am (LAN)
• Things to do in Cusco:
  1. Took bags to Hostal Amaru and dropped them off

Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) in Lima is relatively new and modern airport with adequate facilities. Aside from those with destinations in Lima, anyone planning a trip to Machu Picchu will likely have transit here. Those going to Machu Picchu will fly from Lima into Cusco on one of the many flights provided by either Taca or LAN, the two main carriers running flights to and from Cusco. Both are good airlines with solid reputations.

The airport is located about 30 minutes from Miraflores and 20 minutes from downtown Lima. There are a few budget hostals nearby for those who just want an overnight, but there is really nothing to do or see near the airport.

Facility wise you will find a decent selection of fast food (McDonalds, Papa Johns, Starbucks etc..) some cafes and snack hops, just as you would expect in an international airport. Before departing your flights you will need to pay an airport tax, which you pay after immigration. I believe the fee was $12 for domestic and $32 for international flights per person as of May 2009. There are also cell phone rental booths in the airport.

There are two types of people who visit Puno. People who go there to see the lake and then go right back where they came from, and people who go there on their way to Bolivia. As such, getting from Puno to La Paz is fairly simple and well traveled. It's also not completely safe and everyone is advised to do some homework and keeps their wits about. Think you're too smart a traveler to get into any trouble? Seen it all before? Hell I took a mini-bus in the Middle East and nothing happened to me! Well, tell that to people who were abducted on the road to La Paz. There was even a movie about it on Lifetime, we saw it 2 days after we got back!

Andean Explorer

Whenever we plan a trip, how we will get from here to there is always a big part of our planning. As such when deciding where our next trip should be, the first thing we look for is whether the country has train service. Not only does it make getting from place to place convenient, but there is no better way to see the countryside. As I am sure any train fan would agree, there is something magical about riding a train, no matter where it takes you.

Woman in Front of Church	Tracks along the river and beneath the mountains

Everyone who visits Machu Picchu will encounter Ollantaytambo, but many will probably miss it. Ollantaytambo is most famous as being the end of the road between Cusco and Machu Picchu, making it the closest town to Machu Picchu where you can catch the train. When we booked our trip, we assumed Ollantaytambo was simply a jump off point to Machu Picchu and planned only to stop there for enough time to transfer from our bus or taxi to the train to Aguas Calientes. Luckily for us, we arrived a few hours earlier than expected and were able to see this wonderful town. Of all the places in Peru we wished we had a bit more time, Ollantaytambo tops the list.

Ollantaytambo town square.

We were initially interested in visiting Pisaq because it is famous for having a splendid Sunday market, where local people travel from communities across the region to trade. After visiting many days in many countries I had certain expectations about what the market itself would be like. I expected to find a fair amount local produce, a few people selling meat, and considering that this was a town frequented by tourists as a side trip for Machu Picchu, a lot of crafts. My expectations about the Pisaq Market itself were true for the most part, but the town, its location, and the mood of the market blew me away. Visiting Pisaq was both an exciting market experience and a time to reflect on life in the High Andes.

When you look at photos of Machu Picchu you often see a large steep lump of granite in the background. At a glance, it just looks like a rock that perhaps only rock climbers could reach the top of. However, that rock is actually Huayna Picchu (or Wayna Picchu) meaning "Young Peak" in Quechua is a sacred mountain for the Incas. In fact, even though you cannot see it in photos, there are ancient terraces on the face of it and even a few buildings. And yes, that is amazing and even when you see it you still can't believe that someone could accomplish it. Oh, and did I mention how steep it is? Did I mention that there is a trail that appears to go vertically right up the side? Well, there is, and that trail is how you climb Huayna Picchu from the ruins and Machu Picchu.

Huayna Picchu with Machu Picchu in foreground.

How do you enjoy a town that is really little more than a tourist stop? Keep looking up. If you want a great place to stay a few nights near Machu Piccu, Aguas Calientes really isn't it, you are much better off in Ollantaytambo, a surprisingly amazing town.

My travel companion and I arrived in Aguas Calientes Peru at about 11pm via the 20:35 Backpacker train from Ollantaytambo. The train stops right in the center of town on the main street, which is actually the train tracks. We got off the train, walked about 50 feet and saw our hostal,the Hostal Machu Piccu.