Puno to Cusco

Tuesday 8-12-2008
I woke up this morning to Rachel begging desperately to “go down”. She had a terrible headache and a bloody nose. The altitude was too much for her. I packed everything up while she slept and then went to see if Alex and Pat were ready to go. Only to find out Pat had been sick all night and could barely get out of bed! This was terrible, as we were supposed to get on a bus in ½ hour to get to Cusco. I quickly ran across the street to the travel agent to see if there might be any flights instead. She said the only flight from Puno to Cusco was at 7AM – we had already missed it and had no choice but to get on the 8+ hour bus. Pat was sick, Rachel puked on the floor of the hotel lobby and again on the bus and I had a massive headache. Only Alex was okay and he really stepped up, carrying luggage, getting water, anything I asked. The bus ride was a tourist trap from you know where. We stopped every 1 ½ hours at “valuable sites” which were really just junky road side tourist trap shopping spots. And I had to pay 21 Soles apiece for the “privilege” of getting out at each of these horrible stops. At our lunch stop, I frantically looked through my Insight Guide book and found a hotel in the Urabamba Valley, rather than the one I had booked in Cusco, as I wanted to get everyone as low as possible. I was able to get 2 doubles in the Sonesta Posada – described in the book only as an old Monastery and rated 2 stars. Well, I figured, as long as it was low. After the bus pulled into the station in Cusco, we were met by a taxi driver and proceeded to drive 1 ½ hours further into the Andes. I sat in the front seat, and it was scary! Our driver was flying along the mountain curves, passing slow buses and driving in the left lane. All this in the dark. We made it to the Sonesta Posada and it was wonderful!!! We were placed in “non-renovated” rooms but they were fabulous. The door to the boys room was about 5 feet high – it was originally a room for a novice monk or priest – we are guessing. Pictures will be posted! Pat went to bed after breathing some oxygen and the kids and I ate dinner. The day ended okay – but it was a long one!

Click here for pictures: Sonesta Posada