Plan of the day is to join up with Alan and other students to hike to the four closest Inka ruins to Cuzco: Sacsayhuaman, Qenko, Pukapukara and Tombomachay, with Tombomachay the most farthest. It's good that our plan is to take a taxi to Tombomachay, then hike backwards to Cuzco. Since I already did Sacsayhuaman (the closest to Cuzco), I can skip it and walk back to Cuzco myself.
So, we are supposed to meet at 10:00am. I am 15 mins late myself, because of that stupid window update keeps me in the internet cafe. Not that I plan to update my window the last minutes, but I do not really have a choice. It occurs when I shut down my windows, it just automatically does some updating and give me a warning: do not unplug your computer! It is installing 14 updates, I am like, come on, why now, why now... I finally get there at McDonalds at 10:15am, apologize to everyone for being late. 8 of us take off to Tombomachay in two taxis. OK... let see if I remember everyone name: me, Alan (from UK), Nicole (from Houston, Texas), Lindsay (from Minneapolis), Jessica & Jeremy (from Quebac), Jerome (the Swiss) and Liz (she seems to be from France or Quebac also). Soon enough, we pretty much split into two groups: French speaking and English speaking groups. I am in the latter, of course, along with Alan, Nicole and Lindsay.
It is a good hike, we walk some off the beaten path too and get to the Templo de la Luna. There is this huge rock on a small hill, it is cool just to sit there and the horizon in. We somehow miss the third ruin - Queko. But you know what, I am so done for the day and satisfied with what we have seen. I don't really care anymore. We must have hiked over 4-5 hours. Start at 10:30 in the morning, when I get back down to Cuzco, it is already 3:30pm. Alan, Nicole and Lindsay spend another hour at Sacsayhuaman.
I have my first McDonalds meal, I am so hungry when I come back down, and since I am supposed to wait for them there, I might as well just eat there. It is bloody experience though, in Peruvian standard. A quarter pound burger meal (large) costs 13.50 Soles. I mean with that price, I can get a 4-6 courses meal in many local restaurant. But anyway, now I am affirmed that McDonalds no more.
My legs are sore but this is a good practice for my Machu Picchu trip. I have not gone home to rest, instead, I wait till 7:30pm to meet up with everyone again for dinner and drinks out. We have a big group (15-20 people) this time. At the end, half of us go to a pub to have some burger and sandwiches, the other half go onto have a drink at a trendy restaurant/bar. We later join them again (sort of). It is another good evening, I have really enjoyed the company of this group of people. Oh... by the way, we have a new student in the house. Her name is Amy, from Holland. Every week, there are some new students we meet in and out of the Spanish school, and I would introduce myself again and again. I find that there is something interesting about this process - to introduce myself repeatedly to different people. Through that, somehow I feel like I am more affirm about who I am and what my goal is in South America. Very strange!
Anyway, off to Toray. More late.
Photos here: Day 19
