We pulled into Cusco, Peru after a long drive from La Paz. The campground was fully saturated with water and it was a mosquito and rut infested cold wet hell. Wanting to escape the high life of Cusco, we thought we could try the rumored 'back door' entrance to Machu Picchu via the Sacred Valley. Curt had been to the ruins in the past, so this was just a special trip for me.
We set out in the morning with the intention to do the 300km round trip tour and be back in time for dinner. Unbeknownst to us, not only was it rainy season, but also it was the year of El Niño and so rain was in a massive overabundance. And just to add a little fun to the day, the road was under going construction.
We set out in the morning with the intention to do the 300km round trip tour and be back in time for dinner. Unbeknownst to us, not only was it rainy season, but also it was the year of El Niño and so rain was in a massive overabundance. And just to add a little fun to the day, the road was under going construction.
We made it as far as Santa Maria before the road just would not participate. Sure we had driven past many places where the road now lie 2000 meters below on the valley floor, we'd been hit by falling rock slides, crossed many overflowing rivers, nearly pushed over the edge by oncoming buses, but now standing in front of us was a pile of rock 30 meters high.
A bit disappointed, we turned around to go back. On the way the road gave a demonstration of its power; a landslide had fallen on the rear of a platform truck killing 8 people riding on it. Total round trip time for us was 2.5 days.
A bit disappointed, we turned around to go back. On the way the road gave a demonstration of its power; a landslide had fallen on the rear of a platform truck killing 8 people riding on it. Total round trip time for us was 2.5 days.