I arrived in Cuzco on Wednesday after three somewhat uncomfortable flights. Everything went smoothly until I got to Lima. The good news: they only lost one of my bags; the bad news: it was the one with all my stuff in it. But at least I did have an ample supply of school supplies to give to orphans, maybe they would trade me for some clothes and a toothbrush...

I was promptly picked up at the airport by Julio, who would be my guide and contact for a good part of the trip. I spent my first day doing a lot of sleeping and drinking coca tea, an Andean cure-all tonic made with coca leaves. Quite refreshing and energizing. To my surprise I slept well that night, until a woke up at 5am to the sound of a man screaming through a megaphone. I was a bit alarmed, as I naturally thought that maybe ´La Revolucion´ had begun. Turns out he was just out to sell some fresh pineapples and mangos. Still don´t know why he had to do it at 5 in the morning with a loudspeaker, but I guess whatever to make a buck.