# I'm off to Peru on Sat, see you all in one month!



## a1Matt (3 Dec 2008)

Well the title says it all.  Meeting a friend out there and staying at her family home in Lima as a base.  Then will do excursions throughout the month.  Hoping to do the Inca Trail culminating in Macchu Piccu. A few days by the sea. So on and so forth.

Then a day in New York on the way back.  Gonna head to Lower Manhattan and just hang out.

I am starting to get really excited now. How excited exactly? Probably about this much...


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## LondonDragon (3 Dec 2008)

Lucky for some hehe enjoy Machu Picchu  can I fit in the luggage?? hehe


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## a1Matt (3 Dec 2008)

Thanks Paulo   

Did you know if your small your probably could fit in the luggage! When flying to South Am. they let you take nearly 60kg!


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## LondonDragon (3 Dec 2008)

a1Matt said:
			
		

> they let you take nearly 60kg!


Guess you would have to pay a lot of excess baggage! hahaha 
Have a good one


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## Themuleous (3 Dec 2008)

Nice one!  Very jealous.

Sam


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## a1Matt (3 Dec 2008)

Don't be jealous! Hopefully you will get to go as well one day  ....A UKAPS trip to the Amazon is not an impossibility 

I know that Peru meets Brazil at its Southern most point. I contemplated doing a jungle trek through there to check out the Amazonian flora and fauna ...but it is not an easy route, and I have no trekking experience, so I figured the week trekking I have planned in Cusco is already plenty enough for me.  I'm taking my mask and snorkle and reckon I should be able to create an opportunity to check out some fishies at some point  

EDIT - if anyone can recommend a snorkelling area\spot within a few hours of Lima that would be awesome...


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## Spider Pig (3 Dec 2008)

Lucky to have that amount of time there. Thinking of going to peru next summer. My friend told me that you can sort out some good excursions, such as into the amazon, on the ground in cuzco. but we're only going to have 2-3weeks tops and so probably go with a tour- bit pricier unfortunately. Bet the inca trail will be good fun.


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## GreenNeedle (3 Dec 2008)

a1Matt said:
			
		

> Thanks Paulo
> Did you know if your small your probably could fit in the luggage! When flying to South Am. they let you take nearly 60kg!



Of course he's small.  He's Portuguese.  they are all small 

Enjoy Peru.  Wish I could do something out of the ordinary

AC


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## a1Matt (3 Dec 2008)

Spider Pig said:
			
		

> Lucky to have that amount of time there. Thinking of going to peru next summer. My friend told me that you can sort out some good excursions, such as into the amazon, on the ground in cuzco. but we're only going to have 2-3weeks tops and so probably go with a tour- bit pricier unfortunately. Bet the inca trail will be good fun.



I am very lucky! Although this trip has been on the cards for over 5 years! It took this long to be able to wangle it so that I could get a month off AND so that my friend was there at the same time (as she lives in England).

The waiting should be worth it 

It is taking me over 24 hours to get there, and even longer to get back, plus I expect to have to take it easy for a week so that I can acclimatise myself to the altitude (some people adjust quicker, but I know from experience of visiting Mexico that it takes me at least 4-5 days to stop going dizzy).  I've planned my inca trail trek for the last half of the holiday so that I will definitely be capable of doing it.  Bearing all that in mind I wouldn't want to go there for less than 3 weeks.  and my friend doesn't go for less than 2 months at a time!

We're pre buying the train tickets to Cusco as that gets very expensive at short notice near XMas (it is not cheap to start with). But we'll hire the guide, donkeys, tents,etc once we are there. My friends bargaining\blagging powers are legendary in England, hopefully she has the same power in her homeland!

If you do go next year pm me and thoroughly pick my brains first


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## Graeme Edwards (3 Dec 2008)

When out in the jungle, think Ukaps nature aquarium style photos. We want to see textures, jungle, moss, logs, rocks, ravines, valleys, water.

Your going to have a great time. Make sure you post the pictures up. And nice one for getting up the Inca trail. They are closing it for 40 years apparently, or for a very long time. Let the natural habitat recover from all you pesky tourists.

Be nice to nature  8) 


Enjoy!


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## Spider Pig (3 Dec 2008)

Have you booked the inca trail part yet? I heard that there are limited spaces and it gets booked up well in advance.

It's a pity that we won't have more time to play with as it's nice being able to do things off your own back as you get a better feel of the place. Did it in Cuba and had a great time. 

We're looking at South america in general but peru looks the best place to get a good taste of the place. Another option is Argentina, but I think that the political situation there is still a bit uncertain and you also have to travel large distances, which isn't great when you only have a short time.


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## a1Matt (3 Dec 2008)

I haven't booked the Inca trail part yet.  Which for a while I was decidedly nervous about.  All the guide books stress how this is vital due to limited spaces - some say booking a year before is recommended.  My friend however says she know people who have just pitched up and had no problems.  She says its only foreigners that need to worry, locals are fine.  I told her that her friends probably went a few years ago and it is more strict now, but she won't have any of it.

Then I realised that I have not a hope in hell of getting her to book it gave up arguing the toss and was instantly very relaxed - what will be will be   

You are so right.  We are slaves to our daily schedules.  I took a month off work once before and moved into an Ashram to get a good break from the day to day.  Oh yes, the Ahram was at the foothill of the Himalayas in Rishikesh, India   
When I was leaving after my month the yoga teacher I had there said to me 'going so soon' and I said a month was all I could get off work.  He was gobsmacked! Just phone them and ask for another month or three, you are only just starting to get relaxed!  Just goes to show how different cultures have different atttitudes to time.


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## Spider Pig (3 Dec 2008)

Apparently there is another trail that isn't as restricted but is just as stunning. Doesn't go to machu pichu but goes to other ruins. Goes a bit higher and is harder though. Will try to have a look for it.


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## GreenNeedle (3 Dec 2008)

a1Matt said:
			
		

> You are so right.  We are slaves to our daily schedules.  I took a month off work once before and moved into an Ashram to get a good break from the day to day.  Oh yes, the Ahram was at the foothill of the Himalayas in Rishikesh, India
> When I was leaving after my month the yoga teacher I had there said to me 'going so soon' and I said a month was all I could get off work.  He was gobsmacked! Just phone them and ask for another month or three, you are only just starting to get relaxed!  Just goes to show how different cultures have different atttitudes to time.



My Portuguese wife thought I was joking the first year of us being together when I suggested a weeks hols visiting her parents.  she said she wouldn't go anywhere for less than a month or it wasn't worth doing.  After explaining about jobs and responsibilities we eventually settled for 2 weeks but she still thought I was trying to fool her. lol.  Her mother took 3 months off work with no probs in the second year and stayed with us 

Just goes to show that it's not just in far away places that cultures are so different.

Still jealous  

AC


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## LondonDragon (3 Dec 2008)

Yep most portuguese people take month long holidays, I usually go to Portugal for the whole month of July or at least 3 weeks of it hehe


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## a1Matt (3 Dec 2008)

Spider Pig said:
			
		

> Apparently there is another trail that isn't as restricted but is just as stunning. Doesn't go to machu pichu but goes to other ruins. Goes a bit higher and is harder though. Will try to have a look for it.



If you could find the name that would be really good. 

I'd still aim for Macchu Piccu as I have been told that if you approach on foot at sunrise it is jaw droppingly beautiful.  (Much like the Taj Mahal which I saw at sunset and was frickin unforgetable!)  

Always good to have a backup plan though 



			
				SuperColey1 said:
			
		

> My Portuguese wife thought I was joking the first year of us being together when I suggested a weeks hols visiting her parents.  she said she wouldn't go anywhere for less than a month or it wasn't worth doing.  After explaining about jobs and responsibilities we eventually settled for 2 weeks but she still thought I was trying to fool her. lol.  Her mother took 3 months off work with no probs in the second year and stayed with us
> 
> Just goes to show that it's not just in far away places that cultures are so different.
> 
> ...



Good point about the far away places.... The Spanish have their siesta as well.  Not quite a long holiday, more like a mini holiday every single day


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## GreenNeedle (4 Dec 2008)

And don't forget the French who are permanently on holiday...I mean strike 

AC


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## Spider Pig (4 Dec 2008)

just be glad that you're not in america with a generous 2 week holiday allowance, although I understand that they get a lot more national holidays. Yeah, most places seem to be more relaxed about holidays. Met a couple from New zealand who got an extra month off every year to do charity work. Would be great if we had something like that over here.


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## a1Matt (4 Dec 2008)

Spider Pig said:
			
		

> just be glad that you're not in america with a generous 2 week holiday allowance, although I understand that they get a lot more national holidays. Yeah, most places seem to be more relaxed about holidays. Met a couple from New zealand who got an extra month off every year to do charity work. Would be great if we had something like that over here.



Thats true, the Yankees really get stiffed when it comes to holidays.  I've spoke to some of them about it when I was in Orlando last month and they didn't mind at all (must be all those extra national holidays). Very bizarre if you ask me!

I work for a charity full time already


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