We have uploaded lots of pictures from Peru (Cusco and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu), here is the link -
http://picasaweb.google.com/aruchi
Photos from Quito and Galapagos will be available on the same page in a few days, so keep checking.
If you watch the slideshow, increase the transition time so that you can read the captions and enjoy the pictures. Feel free to post your comments.
**Update: Quito and Galapagos photos have also been uploaded.
If you are interested in visiting Peru or Ecuador/Galapagos, you may find this entry on our experience helpful.
If you are a citizen of India or any other country realistically portrayed in the Indiana Jones movies, you need to have a visa in hand before you can board the plane to either Peru or Ecuador. Citizens of most western nations can get one upon arrival though. My rants on this grave injustice and the unnecessarily painful paperwork process deserve their own separate blog. Later perhaps.
However, Galapagos cruises and Inca trail permits (everybody needs one) tend to sell out months in advance. So you gotta book them before you even book your flights. April being a shoulder season we were able to do so just 3 months before the trip. Making arrangements for the Inca trail is easy - you just pick an outfitter (we chose SAS), tell them your travel dates, pay some advance to buy your permits. And you are done. Costs about $450/person. Galapagos on the other hand needs a bit more research, which was done by our friends we went with (thanks Nandu!). We did all our Galapagos arrangements through an agency in the US, Untamed Path Adventures. Costs about $2500/person. Both the Inca trail and Galapagos cruise can be booked locally in the last minute too, but you should be extremely lucky and also be flexible with your schedule. Air tickets with TACA costs about $700/person, for USA-Peru-Ecuador-USA.
This was our itinerary, 2 weeks is far too short :-(
Apr 3: San Francisco to Lima, Peru
Apr 4: Lima
Apr 5: Cusco
Apr 6, 7, 8, 9: Inca trail to Machu Picchu
Apr 10: Cusco
Apr 11: Fly to Quito, Ecuador
Apr 12: Quito
Apr 13: Fly to Galapagos, board yacht
Apr 13-20: Galapagos cruise
Apr 20: Fly to Quito
Apr 21: Fly back to San Francisco
Outfitters:
1. Inca trail: SAS Travel Peru. Highly recommended.
2. Ecuador and Galapagos: Untamed Path Adventures USA. Highly recommended.
3. Galapagos Boat: Aida Maria. Could've been better for the price.
4. Airlines: TACA. Cheap and reliable.
Best:
1. Siestas after lunch
2. Inca trail
3. Galapagos snorkeling
4. People we met!
Worst:
1. Airport fees!
2. Cannot flush toilet paper
Tips:
1. Learn spanish
2. Don't forget your sunscreen and bug spray
Wishlist:
Amazon basin and rainforest, Lake Titicaca, Cotopaxi climb
These are some mundane shots from the streets of Peru, but stuff that I found interesting enough to stop and take pictures of anyway. You dont get to see these everyday, well, north of the equator atleast. Click on the pictures for enlarged views.
Mobile moneychangers in the Miraflores district, Lima, Peru.
These guys walk around with loads of currency. I almost mistook them for traffic cops at first!
Cola truck, San Blas neighborhood, Cusco, Peru.
Inca Kola is a popular local drink. Tastes like Dr. Pepper spiked with cough syrup!
Do you.. Yajuu?! Cusco, Peru.
Streets often have both spanish and quechua names in Cusco, which was the capital city of the Incas. After the invasion, the Spanish razed the old city and founded the current one. Hence many buildings such as this have the original Incan stone base with brick and mortar on top.
Another example of bilingual street names. The apostrophe is pronounced as a 'click' in Quechua, the language of the Incas. Quechua really doesn't have a script, and is still banned in schools. But it is the main language of the Peruvian Andes, and is widely spoken around Cusco.
Bata shoe store, Cusco, Peru.
This seems to be a common sight in south america, which was strange to me since I always assumed Bata was an Indian brand (not my fault - every street in India seems to have a Bata showroom, Bata even sounds like the Hindi word for son 'Beta', so I thought it was just like Tata!). Turns out it is a 'Czech' brand, now based out of Canada! Prff.
Inca trail to Machu Picchu, late afternoon, Day 1.
We came across this soda stall after hiking through 10Kms of wilderness, and they take plastic money! There would be nothing but the trail for the rest of the trek.
Well, that's it for now. Teaser pictures of Machu Picchu coming up tomorrow. Hasta Manana!
This clip was taken at lunch break on the 1st day of our hike to Machu Picchu on the Inca trail, which passes through some remote Andean settlements.These kids love the camera! They were so adorable we gave away our ration of snacks to them on the spot.
