Hey guys,

Just a quick update on the travels....

We are currently in Cusco (gateway to Machu Picchu) and have just arrived back from a 3 day tour of Machu Picchu and the sacred valley of the Incas. Set off on day one, very early on the bus and stopped at various little towns, where we walked around the local markets amoungst rugs, jewelery and crazy women with llamas!

After that we hiked up to an Inca ruin site in Ollabamba and had a guided tour ofd the area.

Then headed to our hotel in Aguas Calientes on the very overpriced train and arrived in a town with possibly more restaurants that tourists!

Went out for food...interesting!

Got hassled by about 10 different restaurants before we finally settled on one after telling a lot of lies in order to escape the clutchesof the other 9.

Food was good and cheap, hotel was very nice- it has become a novelty to have our own room and ensuite bathroom.

Next day got up at 4.45...fun...got bus to Machu picchu to see ´sunset´

Ended up seeing a whole lot of cloud and rain! Had a guided tour for 2 hours and it absolutel.y hammered down. Neither me or the guide were prepared for the rain (john however, was fully equipt in batmanesque poncho).

Got soaked and sat in the outdoor cafe (only one) wet and cold and still without views.

Eventually though the weather cleared and the result was amazing...as you can see from the pics!

Heading to Puno on 12th to see lake titicaca, and then on to Arequipa to see Colca Canyon (deepest in world).

From there we hope to leave Peru for Chile, where we head to San Pedro de Aticama to do a 4 day tour of the Bolivian salt flats.

We will thern make our way down to Santiago where we fly out to new zealand on 29th April.