Greetings from Machu Picchu

Hello Parents,

We are writing to you from the beautiful mountain top of Machu Picchu. We arrived yesterday just after sunrise when half the group hiked along the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) overlooking Machu Picchu while the other half went straight to Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, for a separate hike. The second group hiked up Putu Kusi which is straight across from Machu Picchu. We climbed ladders up the rock face, and after facing some of our fears and sweating a lot in the jungle like heat, we reached the top and had a great view of Machu Picchu. We all needed some rest, so after the two groups reconvened, we had some time to relax before heading over to a fancy-shmancy hotel to see the beautiful orchids and birds. Famished from our active day and loooong garden tour, we all filled up on pizza and hopped right into bed for some much needed sleep.

This morning, we all "slep in" until 730, and after a good breakfast and some tea and coffee, we got on a bus and headed up to the beautiful ruins of Machu Picchu. Our tour guide Juan Carlos led us through the magnificent Incan stone work while we took in the fantastic views of the mountains around us and the rich history of the site. After a yummy box lunch next to the old incan draw bridge, we had some time to explore Machu Picchu on our own. Machu Picchu is a breathtaking sight to see and we all are so lucky to have spent the morning there. We are now having some time to rest and relax before heading over to the hot springs that give this town in the valley beneath Machu Picchu its name. After that we will all have dinner together and board a late night train back to our "home" in Ollantaytambo. A day and a half in Cusco and a few hours in Lima remain until you are all blessed with our smiling faces. While we can't wait to get home and see our families, we are surely enjoying our last days here in Peru.

Hasta Luego,

Annabel and Xandie