Peru Tour, 2013.
Peru is a country located in western South America. It is bordered by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
The country features a variety of landscapes, including the Andes mountains, the Amazon rainforest, and the coastal desert.
Peru was home to several ancient civilizations, most notably the Inca Empire, which was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire, and Peru became a Spanish colony. The country gained independence in 1821.
Spanish is the official language, but many indigenous languages, such as Quechua and Aymara, are also spoken. Peruvian cuisine is renowned for its diversity and flavours. Popular dishes include ceviche, lomo saltado, and ají de gallina. The country is a major exporter of minerals, particularly copper, gold, and silver. It also exports agricultural products like coffee, asparagus, and quinoa.
In 2013, I went on an escorted tour of Peru. My dad had always wanted to go to Machu Picchu, but for health reasons, he never got to go. After he died, I asked my Doctor if I could go, and he told me I could but to go sooner rather than later as my health may cause me problems that would prevent me from going if I left it too long.
I went to my local travel agent and booked this escorted tour immediately. I went there partially to fulfil my dad's dream, but I was delighted I went. These stories are all about my journey in Peru, the places that I went to, and the people that I met there.
Today, I flew from Heathrow in London to Lima in Peru via Madrid in Spain with Iberia Airlines. Getting to the airport was easy. Tony, a friend of mine, took me to Heathrow, and because of a clear run, we were there an hour before we needed to be.
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My flight from Madrid to Lima was uneventful, but as usual, I could not sleep on the plane. After twelve and a half hours in flight, the plane landed in Lima, and I was glad to get off and arrive in Peru.
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After a long flight and long day yesterday, today felt like a lie-in when getting up at 7 am. After breakfast, I went for a short walk around Miraflores before leaving the hotel around 1 pm to begin our journey to Chincha.
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Today we set off early to take a boat trip out to the Ballestas Islands, a protected area that is home to Humboldt Penguins, Peruvian Pelicans, Peruvian Booby, Neotropic Cormorants, Inca Terns and Sea Lions.
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Today, we set off early for a long drive down to Arequipa. We passed back through the sun-baked, arid desert plateau we crossed yesterday.
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This morning, I ate at the breakfast buffet and drank one or two cups of Coca-Cola tea, which I had gotten used to on this trip.
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Today, we travelled from Arequipa through the Colca Canyon to Chivay. We passed through many small villages in the rugged volcanic landscape, where farming was still the primary source of work and a way of bringing money into the local economy.
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Today, after a breakfast buffet and lots of Coca Tea, I joined the coach, ready for the journey to Lake Titicaca. We retraced our route out of the Canyon, passing strange-looking moss that can live for 500 years, and when touched, it felt more like a rock than moss.
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After breakfast today, we left the hotel for the short drive through Puno to the pontoon, where a boat took us out onto Lake Titicaca.
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After breakfast and the obligatory coca tea, we set off this morning for Cusco. It will be a long day in the coach. Our tour guide, Rosario, overslept this morning and was met by a rousing cheer when she climbed on the bus ten minutes late.
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After a good breakfast buffet this morning at our hotel in Cusco, we set off for a tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
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I woke up today very excited; this was why I came on this trip. Today, I would be going to the place my dad always wanted to go but couldn't because of his health. It was the day I would visit Machu Picchu.
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After yesterday's long day, I was glad to have a lie-in this morning. After breakfast, at around 8:30 am, I sat in the lobby, just watching people coming and going. One of Peru's biggest football teams stayed in the same hotel as us, and I talked to a few of the players in the lobby.
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Today, I joined a few others on another short tour of Cuzco to a few buildings we couldn't see previously because they were closed due to the bank holiday.
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