Day 11 (19-Dec-15) Puno - Cusco

OMG!!! It’s finally here…. Didn’t think I’d ever get there, and not too sure that my physical and mental state as a quinquagenarian is anything to write home about, but there you go! We were scheduled to be collected at 07:15 for the short transfer to the train station for the journey on the famous Andean Explorer across the Altiplano to Cusco, so alarms had been set for 06:00. Again, we did not succeed in sleeping through the night, so we were already “up and running” by 05:15hrs. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

 

Quentin ended yesterday’s blog entry with a cliff-hanger – the poor boy was suffering from serious stomach pains, with fluids hurling from all orifices. This galvanised me into forcing some powerful medications down his throat (blocker & antibiotics). I’d also managed to force him to eat some chicken soup and dry toast late night. These remedies, and a little TLC, seemed to do their job, as Q woke up a lot fresher this morning (and I do mean fresher!), though very weak.

Following another breakfast with our baby alpaca and some last minute packing we set off on time for the train station. I wasn’t too sure what to expect during the train journey, and had no idea about the extent of luxury that would be feted upon us. However, from the moment we boarded our carriage, it felt like we had passed through a time warp and emerged as pampered aristocrats during days of the Raj! Not only was our carriage decorated throughout with cedar wood panelling, we were each assigned our own plush lounge chair around a table covered in full dining service sets, with a chandelier dangling overhead! Departure was at 08:00hrs sharp, with morning coffee and tea served shortly thereafter.

 

Of course, it didn’t take Simon long to introduce himself to our fellow travellers in the same carriage (and by the end of the train journey to all other passengers in all other carriages). At this point Quentin and I decided we must escape the carnage that was sure to follow these lively introductions. Fortunately, our seating arrangements were not merely limited to our lounge chairs but we also had access to a bar lounge in the next carriage, as well as a viewing deck in the last carriage, so the two of us quickly headed to the bar to catch up on e-mails and make some phone calls to loved ones back home.

 

The train ride took us through some of the most stunning scenery, with mountains rising on our left, right and centre. We also passed through a number of towns, with local markets encroaching right onto the railway line. Market vendors would simply retract their tarpaulin awnings just as the diesel locomotive reached them, and would then setup shop again after the last of the carriages passed by. Whilst Quentin and I stood in the viewing carriage to witness this close shave with mass carnage, the majority of our fellow travellers decided to join us, realising this refuge was the perfect retreat to escape Simon’s attentions. We were also entertained by a music troupe playing Andean music on traditional instruments, and treated to performances by a petite dancer in local costumes.

 

Lunch was served at 12 o’clock sharp and consisted of a gourmet three course meal, washed down with a bottle of local bubbles as part of the birthday celebrations. Shortly thereafter, we passed through La Raya, situated at 4313m; the highest point on the railway track to Cusco. Here the train stopped for 15 minutes to allow passengers to alight and confront the wave of street vendors and market stall holders that open just as the train arrives. Everywhere, we were greeted like royalty and not only did I feel like the birthday girl, I also felt like a queen.

 

On leaving La Raya the landscape changed dramatically, with the “plain” Altiplano disappearing behind as we descended into a lush, verdant and highly cultivated landscape. Interestingly, all rivers that we crossed on our way to La Raya flowed opposite to the direction of travel, while thereafter, rivers flowed in the same direction as the train. The weather also changed dramatically, from sunny and dry to cloudy and wet. Clearly the terrain at La Raya formed a physical barrier between weather dominated by the Pacific Ocean to the west and weather created by the mighty Amazon Basin to the east. During the descent into Cusco, we were entertained by another group of musicians and dancers, and were even introduced to the fine art of making Pisco Sours. At around 15:00 hrs I was also treated to a very public Andean rendition of “Happy Birthday”, and was presented with a potent cocktail mix that I was supposed to suck through a straw in one go while everyone sang! All I can remember was that it was a very sweet and thick concoction that, no matter how hard I tried, I simply could not suck down quickly. We continued our journey into Cusco and arrived at the station at around 18:30, on the way encountering heavy rain downpours. We then made our way to the hotel for a quick shower followed by a visit to the Limo Restaurant in the centre of town, right next door to the unassuming cathedral. The restaurant did not disappoint, and by the time we left the place to return to our hotel, after walking through yet more rain, we were all still truly full of the experiences of the day.