Monday 2nd May:
Where else at a quarter to eleven on a Monday morning can you singalong to Twist and Shout performed by a Peruvian windpipe group......answer on the Andean Explorer between Cusco and Puno. The Explorer left Cusco at 8am for it's ten hour trip across the Andes to Puno, and it's close to the lap of luxury, with all but the alcoholic drinks included. Comfy chairs and an observation car, open at the back for grabbing those all important scenic shots.
Although I could probably cycle faster, or if not me then David Graham, this is a great way to see the beautiful Andean countryside as well as a few towns, as the train follows the road most of the way, including across the altiplano.
We dawdle down to the observation car, swig a glass of Bucks Fizz and enjoy the folk show. They're good, and I am obviously a babe magnet as I get pulled up twice to participate in the proceedings, one a solemn offering to Pacha Mama in which I'm required to arrange three coca leaves, and kneel before the other travellers in supplication, and the second time to do some Grandad dancing with a masked babe. The musicians are pretty good and I even buy a CD, 40 soles.
We stop at the high point, La Raya, 4,310 metres ASL, and yes there's a craft market where we stop for ten minutes. It's in the middle of nowhere and they're all set up just for ten minutes, but then of course there's the train travelling the other way, so they get 20 minutes of sales. I'm sneaky, and with my 1,000mm of optical and digital zoom I get some good shots of the lady with the llama and the baby lamb, and it doesn't cost me a sol, yeah!
Back on the train and lunch is served three courses, almost with silver service and a considerate Chilean Merlot, and I've got to say, LG, Life is Good.
So where were you Grandad when Leicester won the Premiership? You'll never believe it but we were crossing the altiplano by train between Cusco and Puno in Southern Peru. Chelsea 2, Spurs 2, and that's all Leicester needed for the fairy tale to be completed, Spurs can no longer catch Leicester.
And so another sight to behold, on the outskirts of Puno, a town named Juliaca where the train track runs tight between a market, not just a few yards but at least a mile, and where after the train has passed by stallholders bring their awnings out again. I've seen pictures of this in India and Bangladesh, and that's exactly where this resembled, amazing. There were even ladies with their wares spread out between the rails, fruit, books, magazines.
Where else at a quarter to eleven on a Monday morning can you singalong to Twist and Shout performed by a Peruvian windpipe group......answer on the Andean Explorer between Cusco and Puno. The Explorer left Cusco at 8am for it's ten hour trip across the Andes to Puno, and it's close to the lap of luxury, with all but the alcoholic drinks included. Comfy chairs and an observation car, open at the back for grabbing those all important scenic shots.
Although I could probably cycle faster, or if not me then David Graham, this is a great way to see the beautiful Andean countryside as well as a few towns, as the train follows the road most of the way, including across the altiplano.
We dawdle down to the observation car, swig a glass of Bucks Fizz and enjoy the folk show. They're good, and I am obviously a babe magnet as I get pulled up twice to participate in the proceedings, one a solemn offering to Pacha Mama in which I'm required to arrange three coca leaves, and kneel before the other travellers in supplication, and the second time to do some Grandad dancing with a masked babe. The musicians are pretty good and I even buy a CD, 40 soles.
We stop at the high point, La Raya, 4,310 metres ASL, and yes there's a craft market where we stop for ten minutes. It's in the middle of nowhere and they're all set up just for ten minutes, but then of course there's the train travelling the other way, so they get 20 minutes of sales. I'm sneaky, and with my 1,000mm of optical and digital zoom I get some good shots of the lady with the llama and the baby lamb, and it doesn't cost me a sol, yeah!
Back on the train and lunch is served three courses, almost with silver service and a considerate Chilean Merlot, and I've got to say, LG, Life is Good.
So where were you Grandad when Leicester won the Premiership? You'll never believe it but we were crossing the altiplano by train between Cusco and Puno in Southern Peru. Chelsea 2, Spurs 2, and that's all Leicester needed for the fairy tale to be completed, Spurs can no longer catch Leicester.
And so another sight to behold, on the outskirts of Puno, a town named Juliaca where the train track runs tight between a market, not just a few yards but at least a mile, and where after the train has passed by stallholders bring their awnings out again. I've seen pictures of this in India and Bangladesh, and that's exactly where this resembled, amazing. There were even ladies with their wares spread out between the rails, fruit, books, magazines.
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