Dispatch from Machu Picchu (by Sergio)

Machu Picchu was awesome! Jess is a little sunburned though. When the bus took off it was raining and jess was wearing a poncho we bought for $1. I think it was made from the same plastic as a hefty bag. We pretty much headed straight for Huaynapicchu when we found out they only let 400 people in per day. We were among the first to the top but found it a little crowded so we went down a few levels and found a nice spot to wait for the clouds to part. It got clear and hot by the time we left the ruins. I took tons of photos. We picked up a handy sim card reader that is about the size of a flash drive and are now able to upload photos. Check the blog Jess only has one up so far, but we´ll work on it more from Cusco.

Dispatch from Cusco, Peru

We´re in Cusco now! Took a one hour flight from Lima today. Flew into Peru (2 flights, six hours later) from Honduras via El Salvador yesterday. Stayed in Miraflores last night and I was surprised how modern that area was. My mouth was watering from all the streetside cafes displaying their sweets. I really like Peru so far!

We´re staying in a charming hostel up on the hill, about one and a half blocks from the main plaza. We had a tasty lunch not too long ago; ceviche, sweet potato, tamales, vegetable quinoa soup, and coca tea. Alpaca and guinea pig are staples here.

All alternative trails heading to Machu Picchu (at least, those that connect with the Inca Trail at some point) are completely full. One of the alternative options is to do a mountain biking/jungle trek that takes about 4 days. $150 covers transportation, three days of meals, three nights accommodation, mountain biking, hot springs, entrance to Machu Picchu, and round-trip bus and train travel. That seems to be a good deal as everything is organized and taken care of. However, we'll most likely take the train to Aguas Calientes and from there take a bus to the site early in the morning.