Near Machu Pichu - alternative access by road

Just a reminder that we are still travelling, and are nearing Machu Pichu. Expectations are set very high, like the prices on the way, so we will see how what we will see tomorrow will meet the expectations. About that later, but this is just to tell you that we are taking the 5.30 AM bus to the entrance to the site, hoping for sunrise and no rain.

Getting as far as to Aguas Calientes (named so because of the hot spring here) which they try to rename to Machu Pichu town, was an adventure itself. It took us 1 full day with another "normal travel time times 2" experience.

Well, firstly, my Karlis and Roberts did not know when they will reach Peru, neither I had planned to join them last year, so booking a hike through Inca trail was not on our minds. Thus, when we decided to get to Cusco, nearest city, and see Machu Pichu, it was too late to book the hike. They say 2-4 months in advance are required.

Another surprise when we finally got to Cusco - the train tickets were priced like those in Norway or Denmark... With a comment of course - for "forigners". Locals can travel for much less, but even for them its too expensive expect as we understood one train named "local". They say that as of June another company will be offering more connections Cuzco - Aguas Calientes and thus maybe the prices will be brought down, but now with 3-4 trains a day, and monopoly on the route the Chielan company that privatised it has been ripping off tourists. Guess a very good business strategy if they plan to sell it when monopoly situation is ended. But, it just contributes further to the image that was slowly built up while we travelled down the coast - as a tourist you pay up to 10 times more than normal price. As one bus driver told us, wanting to charge 50% more on the ticket - "You have dollars - so pay more!". This attitude seems to continue its life sucessfully in some parts in Cusco as well.

So, to avoid supporting the monopoly on the train (at least one way, as we are returning by train), we decided to do the alternative route. Interesting, that practically nobody in Cusco wanted to talk about it! But if you want some nice mountain views, travel with locals on thier buses and minibuses, there is an excellent route:
1. Cusco - Santa Maria by bus, that will cost you 16 Soles (we paid more, as went to Urubamaba first...). Some 6-61/2 hours bus ride.
21. from Santa Maria to Santa Teresa another 2 hours in a minivan 10 Soles, or taxi (5 persons) 15 soles. We went on the last one, as they could not get the minivan full. Driver was great, and careful.
3. Finally, from Santa Teresa you have the option to walk all the way to Hidro (hidroelectro station) and then to Aguas Calientes another 2 hours on the railway that is practcally not used, or take a combi (minivan) or taxi to Hidro and then do the walk. Here we again encountered "peru time" concept. Everybody said you have 2 hours walk to hidro then 1 hour on the railway. We took taxi to hido and it takes 30 minutes, so it was hard to believe that the walk is only 2 hours...., and we can confirm that from hidro to Aguas Calientes it is almost 2 hours if you walk rather fast, and dont take too much time taking pictures. So, instead of 1 hour we were met with 1 hour 50 or so walk to the hostel.

While it does take longer, we had fun. The fun part maybe guys will disagree with especially when my "bus carma" and regular waiting at roadblocs did work this time, and our last taxi leg to Santa Teresa was 5 hours instead of 2, but I bet they had fun when we were coming down from the pass over the 4000 m (and I think at one point even higher) and could see my scared face when we were deriving when pavement ended... Anyway, we reached the end destination without problems and have to admit the driver was very careful. Bet he should have been - because the bus was not near new and one had to be impressed by the maneuvering skills of the driver especially on the land road and the curves.

Views however compensated the scary part. And at night, when we were waiting for the tractor to clear the way for the cars on our last leg, the moon came out, and the weather cleared a bit, and the light play, the jungle (or as Karlis says - could forests) looked fantastic. The roadbloc was also the place where we got chatting with locals waiting to pass, and they told that the tractor had to come and do the clearing work at night (we were there at 10pm) because during the day the owner of the land (banana and coffee plants) on both sides of the road was sitting there and not letting anyone clear the road as it would damage some of her plantations. When they wanted to try - she would throw stones at the tractor, so they gave up, but did it when the woman went to sleep. Wonder how her face looked like this morning...

Well, after sleep in Santa Teresa, the walk on the railway, we got to Aguas Calientes. Do not trust the Lonely Planet description - the ugliest town in Peru... This is one of the liveliest and colourful towns we have seen (not counting the bigger cities like Cusco and Trujillo). Its not even that overpriced, if you manage to get accomodation for 15 Soles (some 7 USD) a night. So, if you decide to travel here - now you know the alternative route, that makes it cheaper, but longer.

With this note I will end, as we have to get up early and that would not be my normal wake-up time... 5.30 bus sounds a bit too much for holidays! But, hope it will be worth it.