Hole-free pavement, complete set of drain covers, buildings that aren’t falling down, loads of other tourists and even Tarmac roads!!! Tourist hot spots are usually my nemesis but this place is pretty cool- not just a gateway to Machu Picchu but a worthy place to visit in itself. Even the plentiful tourist shops are actually quite interesting. I get the feeling if my mum and sister were here a cattle prod would be required to leave the shop. 



It’s a good job I find this place cosy as well. We’re here for one reason and one reason only. To climb Machu Picchu. Trouble is walking up mountains is tough. Walking up mountains at high altitude is unbelievably tough. Walking up a mountain at high altitude with a nasty cold and the Devils cough (which has clung to me since Bolivia like chewing gum to an old school desk) is possibly silly to attempt (although not enough to stop me). But then, riding into the equation once again is more wonderful, glorious food poisoning. Yep that’s right, food poisoning round 2. Also, this time, not just me ,oh no. Shahd as well. That’s more time than would be ideal staring up at the porcelain goddess. This means Machu Picchu is probably going to be a train half way there job and rainbow mountain isn’t looking possible. ☹️

Never mind, while we await full recovery we did a city bus tour. This ended up with possibly the most amusing photo of this trip. We listened to the elderly man who was the last something or other in Peru who blew smoke in my face for good luck (really helped my cough), then had a photo with him and a child was thrusted towards me to hold:

We look like the worlds weirdest family