Cake, Chocolate Cake and Cards then CUSCO


A rainy day of cards and cake eating. Something I hadn't done in ages and it was good to finally be able to eat food again.


A pretty savage over night bus journey. Palpably on the tourist route, next destination CUSCO! The bus was full, full of people like us. Sadly, it felt a bit like a Club Med 18 - 30's. Strands of conversation people talking about partying and all the coke they had taken in La Paz. Can't help but feel quite sad that with all this area has to offer, Andean spiritual mysticism, conquest, exploration, nature, landscape, textiles, stone carvings, comida, this place has it all, yet these days it's little more than an ambient backdrop for cheap thrills and traveller kicks. Unfortunately I'm one of those travellers. I hate myself right now. 


I was in Cusco a few years ago and I kind of hated it. Blasphemy! Sorry, I know it's a bit of a traveller's holy grail being the gate way to the Inca trail, all the archeological sites in the area and of course the main event Machu Picchu. It's just a shame to have to share it all with so many hoards of people, gushing about how great it is. I think travel can be quite personal, I like to be stuck in my own head with all my thoughts and musings and not have to listen to the profound effect it had on someone I only just met. Whatever.


It's beautiful, don't get me wrong. But I was working for an NGO that was nothing more than a tourist info point and after precious few days of not getting paid and attempting to answer middle-aged traveller's questions when I knew absolutely nothing, being treated like shit by the clients and management alike, I was a bit sick of the place. Where to turn to? The night life was crap. In London at least you can escape the daily grind if you're not happy by going out, there are so many great places to escape to at night in London, but I was stuck in the Andes. Unimaginative club scene and too much of a division between tourists and locals. And, yes, all those backpackers who have made it to this part of the world just to snort a ton of cocaine. Yawn.


Didn't really feel like I was going to get much out of the experience.


With a constantly bad stomach and not appreciating the massive drop in temperature each night I stayed in to smoke, watch crap American tv and drink tea.


I fled, I fled fast, at the time I never planned on going back, only, I never made it to Machu Picchu so here I am, night bus Puno - Cusco.


Strange.

Source: marksblog94.blogspot.com

I really hope I don't bump into my old boss!