PERU. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2009 This was an interesting holiday as we spent some time in the more touristy part of Peru and then flew up North to an area where there were far fewer tourists. We started off in Lima where stayed a few days visiting the Catacombs and Pachacmac ( a very large pre inca site). A long bus drive Nasca (flight over the Nasca lines) and onto Arequipa where we spent 2 nights to acclimatize for higher altitude. We soon found we could not walk quickly up the slight slope to the centre. Monasterio de Santa Catalina is well worth visiting. Bus onto Chivay (hot springs) and the Colca Canyon(Condors) going over the top where the altitude is 4,910 meters, busy chewing our coco leaves to wade off altitude sickness. On to Puno by 6 hr bus ride in time for a very large festival with dancing and floats passing through the streets over three nights. We then went by boat on Lake Titicaca to stay on one of the islands in a ‘home stay’. Our travels took us to Cusco, a nice little town but just full of tourists and tourists shops but a staging post to travel towards Machu Picchu. Yes, Machu Picchu is a wonderful and interesting place to visit, just amazing and not to be missed. Onto the North of Peru for stays at Chiclayo (provincial town off tourist trail), Chachapoyas ( Kuelap, the northern answer to Machu Picchu), Pimentel (reed fishing boats and new friendships) and then onto Trujillo Chan Chan sites). The long distance buses in Peru are first class, just like being in business class on a plane.