Cusco

At 5:30 am arrived to Cusco. The taxi driver gave us a bad impression right away. First he said 3 soles, and when we got there, he said 8. At the end gave him 6. What a bustard. Every time I say to myself that I'll never do it again, but it still happens, although I am getting better at arguing, not that I enjoy it. The hostel is huge, it holds 206 people. Our dorm has 10 beds and costs 26 soles per night, which is expensive. But it's a really nice hostel. Extremely clean, very organized, big bar/breakfast area, every day activities like movies/poker/yoga/city tours, have nice hot showers, clean washrooms, nothing broken, and super nice beds with feather blankets ... the only thing is that it's noisy, and it's so big that it's hard to find somebody to talk to. I like smaller hostels better, but I still stayed here to get a new experience and to get out of my comfort zone. The hostel is full of teenagers which makes me a bit sad, there are only a few people my age or older :STried to sleep until 12, but it was impossible, so much noise. People getting in and out, some of them still pretty drunk from last night and were either crying or laughing, I couldn't distinguish. Got up to eat breakfast and took an hour long shower, finally! That was my first one since the Colca Canyon :) That day just stayed in the hostel in the sun. Read the guide book. Everything is so expensive ! This is the most touristic city with triple prices. For most of the ruins the entrance is only with a touristic ticket which is over $40! And there is some religious ticket for churches and stuff. I decided that I've seen too many ruins and churches, and not going to spend that much money on them. Walked around the city with Nikky whom I've been travelling with since Huacachina. Went to Inca museum which didn't require the touristic ticket. No more museums for me! It's like churches, you've seen one, you've seen them all :) Went to the market, bought some eggs for breakfast, and I dropped them :( too many bags and without handles :( Then went to eat. I ordered 1/8 chicken. The plate was HUGE !! It was like 1/2 a chicken. I had to ask for another plate, cause I couldn't handle all of it on one plate. Also had a fresh strawberry juice. I took half of the meal to go.It's freaking cold at night. So in the market bought hat, scarf and a sweater. Such a good quality, super cheap, and made 100% out of Alpaca wool (kind of llama). In the morning in the dorm everybody was gone! I didn't hear a thing. How did 10 people managed to get out without me waking up, I don't know ! Nikky did wake me up at night :) She came back completely drunk, for some reason, she was shoving her guitar between my bed and the wall; climbed to my bed, then walked around the room, and feel asleep on somebody else's bed :) Oh yeah ... and now she broke the eggs :)

SOMEBODY ATE MY CHICKEN IN THE FRIDGE !!! :S

In the evening met Yuna in the hostel. We did the Huaraz trek together. This was soooo exciting , and soo cool to see her again !!!

Later at night went to get a massage. This city is full of massages. There are by my count at least 30 of them all in the same area. That's all you hear when walk down the street, "do you want a massage, massage, massage". That was the worst massage ever ! Well ... it only cost 20 soles (~$7). They were talking all the time, didn't know the structure of the body, did 10 strokes on 1 side, 3 on the other, and rubbed my butt a lot :)) NO TIPS !!Few days later got another massage with recommendation ... much much better :)

Going rafting 3 days !! super exciting !!!!
36 people, 30 of whom are Israelis. hm ... I wonder how that's gonna be like. At first it was very strange, nobody to talk to. 4.5 hours ride till the river, I thought it won't be that much fun. When we were changing beside the river into the wet suits, some people started approaching. Were given 1 dry bag for 3 people, so I shared it with one couple from Denemark who didn't speak with me all the time. I think the girl might have been jealous :)In total 6 boats, 2 safety kayaks and a cargo boat began the ride.First day did only level 3 rapids, as a "preparation" for the next 2 days ... oh oh! Flipped the boat 2 times as a practice. First time somebody hit me with a peddle in the leg where I hit it rock climbing, huuuurrttss !!! and 2nd time with a peddle in the hand ... grrr !! Now if I ended up under the boat, I was swimming from it like crazy! like in some kind of a panic state (that's after being stuck under it for 15 seconds in Colombia). In the campsite got talking to more and more people. But it's still hard, the Israelis group together, and don't let anybody in. Good thing I know Hebrew, so I understood most of it, and practiced it too. But for ex 1 girl from UK was alone non Hebrew speaking in her boat, and good luck, nobody talked to her at all !! We were given 1 tent for 4 people. The tent is tiny. I looked into it, and no way I would be able to sleep in it stuck like a sardine. Found 3 guys from US. 2 of them are actually sleeping outside ... yiippiiiii .... I'm moving tents !! :)) Washroom is funny. We're all supposed to go into 1 place. They actually bring some toilet seat, and powder, so it won't stink. And way way before that, they put a paddle into the sand with a hamlet on it. If there is hamlet on the paddle, it's free, if it's on the ground, it's busy :) There are so many mosquitoes. I was heavily dressed with pants, thick socks and a coat, with repellent under the pants, and face. So I was ok. But some people either didn't care or I don't know what's wrong with them, they were RED !! EVERYWHERE !! Went to sleep after a tasty tea time and a dinner at 8 pm :)6 am wake up, but didn't get out until 8. people are so slow !!! The food is great in this place ! I think it's the best food I've ever had while travelling ! :)This day was great! So many rapids. They're short but dangerous. We had to walk around 3 times, because those sections are non runnable. This is the 3rd most run river in the world after Africa and Chili, and the most dangerous. There are many holes, many rocks, and a lot of places where the water runs under the rock, so if it takes you there, you get stuck and die. The rapids are very technical. Forward, stop, right back, inside, forward, high side left, attack !!! COOOOLL !!! In one rapid, one of the guides was standing on the rock and throwing the rope to the boat to switch it's direction, otherwise it will end up in rocks and get stuck in there.This day we flipped a boat on purpose on a level 3 rapid. There is a hole in the middle of the rapid (where the water turns into itself). All the other boats bypassed it, and we decided that we want to flip. One girl didn't want to, so she went on a cargo boat. This is considered to be safe, because there are no rocks, and a flat comes very shortly after the rapid, so you're swallowing water only for a few seconds :) INSIDE !!! the boat got stuck in one place, then we were getting out, and everybody thought that we passed it, but nope, it let go, and flipped :) Although it was a short rapid, it still feels like a long time in the water, when you don't know what's happening to you, and get a breath of air before something sucks you under.In the evening we were playing games on our campsite. 1 game where everybody stands in a circle with a paddle and depending on the number of whistles steps right left or around to catch the other paddle. 2: spin around 15 times and run to the water and around the peddle ... hm ... I was NOT running ! I ran until the water and slowly slowly went around it. A few guys did end up in the water :) 3: One guy does a plank, and a girl climbs on top of him (back to back) and tries to put a stick in the ground. The furthest one wins. 4: circle of guys and girls, run in opposite directions, and on the whistle supposed to find your partner, and the guy jumps on the girl at the back. The last one to find one's partner, or if the girl falls is out. In the last game there was a big plate with water, and a ball in it, and we were supposed to blow it to reach the other end. 1, 2, 3, SPLASH into everybody’s faces!!!! it wasn't really a game :))After the games more and more people and all the guides started talking to me ... wooowww !! too much attention !!Israelis smoke ALOT !!! At the end of the trip I asked why, and they told me that in the army if you smoke you get cigarette breaks, so everybody starts smoking :S They're also funny. In our boat, the guide would say a word, continue talking, and the Israelis would pick up on that word, and start singing a song completely ignoring the guide and whatever he's saying :) They sing a lot !!! :)) Most of the guides by now know quite a lot of Hebrew. It's so funny hearing them saying things ... "lama lo?", "kadima!!" ... :)) Not that they like them. Israelis are known to be very cheap and rude. So most of the guides fight for their passengers, to have non Israelis to get some tips and avoid confrontations.

The next morning, we did a wake up jump into the freezing water. I was supposed to make a step and jump, instead I made a step and slipped and fell, and hurt my thumb :( Couldn't feel it for a long while. But it's ok now.That day we tried to flip the boat twice in a hydraulic. Once we didn't have enough power to get to it, we tried 5 times with no luck, and once we made it. Everybody fell except me ... I guess I just didn't want to fall :)) And once we got stuck in a hydraulic ... that was unexpected! We were rowing and rowing very very hard, and the boat would just stay in one spot, then I felt it going backwards as it sucked us in, and all of my side of the boat fell out. But that was the best fall ever. After 2 seconds I was calmly breathing and floating down the river, while the other 2 guys were freaking out, I don't even know why. We swam to the shore and waited for the boat ... it's not coming !!! Where is the boat??? Oh here it is! Why did it take you so long guys?? Apparently the boat got stuck in the hydraulic, and the 3 people and the guide who remained there, were jumping from left to right to top to back for 3 minutes to stabilize it until the boat got in the right angle and spit them out :)At the end of the trip people were discussing how much tip to leave. Most Israelis agreed on 10 soles (=$3). I got frustrated! I told them that the guides risk their lives for our safety, they work non stop from 6am - 8pm, they're so nice, the cook just the best food, and they deserve more than that. I think they got it up to 15 soles :S

that's it folks :) as my facebook status said "it's ooooooveeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr :((((((((((((((( "

Off to Machupichu. It's so expensive !!! To trek there is much cheaper, but I can't walk anymore. I heard that second day is 8 hours only up ... no no no noooooooo way i'm doing that. Even if it's not up, I need a break ! Instead I bought a train ticket. That's the way to go :) They do repairs to the train tracks right now. So I need to get by myself to a town 1.5 hours away, from there another bus 1 hour, and then a train another 1.5 hours. Got to the town of Aguas Calientes at 10 pm. On the train heard some English, and asked a girl if she has a hostel, she doesn't. Ok, here we go together for a search for a hostel. That was easy, you just got out of the train, and people attack you with "hostel, hostel ... ". Asked how much, the guy said 20. Give it to us for 15. ok. Alright. But when we got there, it turned up to be 20 again. Argued and argued, and got it down to 17. Couldn't fall asleep. There was noise and light, and around 12:30 we were sleeping, with a wake up at 3:20 :S There are only 400 tickets given daily for the mountain Waynapichu from which there is a view to Machupichu. And the office opens at 6am, so need to get there on time to get the tickets. Started the walk at 3:40. It was scary! We knew that we're going slow, so we started the walk before everybody else, and at that time there was nobody outside. Completely dark. What a perfect opportunity to get mugged or even worse!! Got to the gate in half an hour, and the guards assured us that it's safe to hike up. The girl who I was walking with (Maddy) stopped even more than I do, which was very unusual. She's 20 and seems fit. A bunch of people passed us, and I was getting scared that we won't be able to make it, and it was about the time for all the buses to start going up. But we made it up at 5:30 before the buses, and there was a huge lineup already. The gates opened up and we went in. There weren't too many people, so got a change to get pictures of the actual ruins and not the people, and with the llamas. Later on there were a lot of whistles when people tried to approach the llamas. The ruins were ok. I guess they're impressive. I'm just not a ruins kinds of girl. At 7 started the hike up to Wynapichu, another hour up (that's the mountain that's seen in the background of Machupichu pictures), oh, that's steep. The views were nice from above. On the top there were some caves through which we had to almost crawl through. Stayed on the top for 2 hours to enjoy the view, relax ... and what is there else to do anyways?? When we got down, laid on the grass and took a short nap. At the ruins met John, Matt, Holly (the US guys from rafting), and Nikky. They all did the trek together! :) On the way down I lost all of my energy. I thought I was going to faint. I don't remember the time when I felt so tired. I thought if I'd sit down, I won't get up anymore. When I did sit down though, I started shaking ... omg !! the train back is only at 9:45 at night, and with all the buses, I'd be back in Cusco at 2am. How am I going to make it??This town is full of crooks. Everybody tries to cheat the tourists. It's the worst that I've ever seen it. Had to fight so much that I think it already became a second nature. Everything here is double or triple the prices. Went to a restaurant that didn't charge service charge (only in Aguas Calintes), but charged tax !! Alright then. It's 10% tax. I look at the bill, the bill was 110, and 10% tax was 20. WAITRESS !!!! One girl didn't have cash, so she paid with MC. At the entrance they said it's ok, but when the time came to pay the bill. Oh, we don't accept cards ... here we go again! At the end machine had worked, but they charged her $5 to use it. When we got to the street, walked about, all the waiters, attack us to get in. Walked pass that restaurant again. look look at our menu. I just told the waiter "we don't like your restaurant, you have a bad service".At night took the train and the bus back. Everybody had an arranged transportation because of the tour. I found one bus, and asked how much it is, the driver said 20. How 20??? I took a combi here for 10, and you tell me 20?? ... Oh, the buses are much more secure than the combies... bullshit! It's the same, and the buses ALWASY cost less than combies. I turned around and went to look for a combi. Found one, he said 15 ... No, I'm not paying 15, I got here for 10. Ok 10. He only had 1 space left, so he took me. After driving for 20 minutes, we stopped. What happened? Oh strike! The farmers strike because of shortage of water. We drove around and around, trying to get to Cusco. Stopped and backed up 10 times. I was going crazy, so tired, not comfortable, and couldn't fall asleep. At the end, we tried all the routes, and stopped somewhere at 5 am because the driver said that there is just no way to cross. I slept for an hour, I got on the floor of the car, and put my head on the seat, that way I was a bit more comfortable. At 6, we got out of the car, and walked passed the cut trees and stones on the road. It was ok, only 20 minute walk until some town where the strike didn't happen. Another combi came. 15 soles to get to town (it's like 20 minute drive) ... screw you! I'm not going! It amazed me how all the Peruvian got in, and thanked so much the driver. Me and 2 other people started walking. At the end the combi stopped. Somebody figured out some group discount, and when we got to Cusco, we didn't even pay! Strange. I was back at the hostel at 7:30 in the morning feeling like a zombie. Cusco looked very different at that time. There are no tourists on the streets, only locals hurrying to work. Slept until 2, but that didn't help much. Later on I heard from the US guys that they came back to Cusco only at 5:30pm after 25 km walk!! In the evening I knew that all the guides from rafting came back, so went to a night club. Night clubs are the best in here! One in particular has salsa which very very good dancers. I haven't danced that much and that good since Toronto, and then they put just the best music (well, at least for me). So I couldn't stop dancing!! OMG! I just love that song!! :)) Danced till 4, I think it's time to go to sleep :)
Figures, next day I got sick.
While booking a ticket to Bolivia in the terminal, ran into the guys with whom I did ice climbing in Huaraz

p.s. links to some songs that I like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHgnebZ_jYo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmu-TNp1UNw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbjj1CmnF6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCmleGX12dA

pix at http://picasaweb.google.com/evadikushin501/Cusco#