Twenty seven hours of flying halfway around the world in 3 days, four overnight stays in 3 hotels, two 30-minute taxi ride, a 3 & 1/2 hour long train journey, a 25-minute bus ride, 4 hours of walking and climbing; that’s all I had to survive to see Machu Picchu.

plane approaching Peru

I was going on vacation to Costa Rica and I decided to make this side trip to Machu Picchu since I would be in the same continent anyway and I may not have another chance again.

First of all, I got myself a yellow fever vaccination from the World Health Organization agency in Manila two weeks before I traveled and was issued an International Certificate of Vaccination. This is a requirement of the Peru immigration especially when visiting Cusco or Machu Picchu. Ten days from the date of vaccination is the minimum length of time allowed before entry to Peru.

yellow fever card

Here is the summary, details later. I …

1. bought myself a round trip ticket from Manila to Lima transiting in Amsterdam via KLM.
2. booked an overnight stay at Mercure Hotel in Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport.
3. booked an overnight stay at Ramada Costa del Sol at Jorge Chavez Airport in Lima Peru.
4. bought a round trip ticket from Lima to Cusco via Taca Airlines .
5. booked a 3day/2night stay at The Garden House Hotel in Cusco City.
6. bought a round trip train ticket to Machu Picchu via Peru Rail (inclusive of the guided tour of the citadel).
7. printed the booking reservations, trip tickets, and e-mail communications from all of the above.

It was the middle of October, one of the better months weatherly speaking, to visit Machu Picchu. My KLM flight left Manila at 10:55 a.m and arrived in Amsterdam at 6:30 p.m on the same date, but with the time difference of 7 hours, the flight was actually 13 hours long. My luggage was checked-in all the way to Lima, which meant I need not worry about it while in Amsterdam.

Schipol Airport

Mercure Hotel

This hotel is convenient for passengers who have long overlays in Amsterdam before their next flights and need a private place to catch some sleep or freshen up. Also for transit passengers who would need a visa to enter the Netherlands.

However, Mercure Hotel often could not accommodate walk-ins, so advance reservations either online or by phone is recommended. They require a travel ticket for the next day (if you are not allowed to enter Netherlands and neither have a transit visa you could only stay less than 24 hours at the airport), a passport and a credit card. Rate is 85.00 euros per day or night depending on your check-in time. There are also other options like Yotel, Hotel M or Sheraton Amsterdam Airport. I chose Hotel Mercure mainly because of its location.

KLM Business Class

However, the lounge closes at 11 pm and no passengers are allowed to stay overnight inside. This is where the convenience of having a room at Mercure, comes in. The lounge opens again at 4 am to accommodate new arrivals and returning passengers like me who delights in taking advantage of everything free they offer.

Flying to Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima from Amsterdam took about 12 hours and 30 minutes of non-stop flight. Upon arrival, I collected my checked-in baggage.

KLM Lounge

I was scheduled to fly to Cusco the next day via Taca airlines which was not an airline partner of KLM.

Lima Airport

For me, this was much cheaper and even safer than leaving them for 3 days in a hotel room while I travel to Machu Picchu. Additionally, there is an option to store smaller baggage in lockers but since my suitcases were too big for them, they stayed on the open racks along with the other travelers’. I was issued a ticket and payment would be made (in dollars or Peruvian soles) when I claim my items after three days.

With my hand carry in tow and again my online reservation and confirmation e-mail, I checked in at Hotel Ramada Costa del Sol which was just across the street from the terminal exits of the Jorge Chavez International Airport. The location of this hotel was perfect as I had an 8:55 am flight to Cusco the next morning but I needed to be there at least 2 hours before my flight. Just a few yards away, it saved me from worrying about checking in late and saved me transport expenses as well, plus I had a restful night of sleep.

Cusco Airport

The following day was the highlight of my trip in Peru. It was the day I was going on a Trip to Machu Picchu.

The Garden House had arranged for my transport to and from the Poroy Station where I would journey aboard the Hiram Bingham Express train. I left the hotel at 7:30 am and was at Puroy Station by 8:00 a.m., which was just right because the train leaves at 8:35 a.m. I had enough time to confirm my reservations, present my tickets and identification to the desk persons.

Hiram Bingham Express

I spent another peaceful night at Garden House, had a wonderful home-cooked breakfast the next morning and was taken back to Cusco Airport to catch my return flight to Lima.

Jorge Chavez International Airport

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The Garden House Hotel in Cusco is a family owned hotel run by sisters Ceci and Doris Sanchez. I stayed there for 3 days and 2 nights when I had my trip to Machu Picchu.

Garden House interior

It is very different from the commercial hotels I had stayed in. It is a warm and cozy house not a cold concrete building. It is not “touristy “nor “businessy”. The whole staff would make you feel at home. The proprietor would take care of you with a personal touch and always making sure you’ve got all you need. Aside from that, the hotel is very clean… clean like a home and not too expensive.

Doris was in London at the time I stayed in their hotel but I had the pleasure of meeting Ceci, a very kind person who took very good care of me during my stay.

patio with its ethnic decor

I availed of the hotel’s complimentary Cusco city tour an hour after I arrived at Garden House. Being 30 minutes away from the city, the hotel makes it a point to facilitate the transport of their guests anywhere in Cusco. I was also provided with a local cellular phone free of charge, so I could call them in case I needed something while away from the hotel or I got lost in the city.

After a quick freshening up, I was taken by taxi service arranged by Ceci to a meeting point in downtown Cusco where I joined other tourists going around the city on and off a small tourist bus, where ever our efficient English speaking tour guide led us.

Unfortunately, I did not have time to acclimatize and I got the dreaded altitude sickness while on the second half of the tour.

cusco street

The terrible headache that I’ve got was getting worse every minute and I felt like vomiting. With just one more spot to see, I opted to stay on the bus while waiting for the group to finish.

While there, the bus driver was kind enough to give me two paracetamol tablets with a cup of warm coca tea. I felt a little bit better and tried to keep my eyes closed hoping the touring party would soon be finished and I could go back to my hotel.

I survived the waiting without any vomiting incident. Since Garden House is not within the tourist bus’ circuit, our tour guide hailed a taxi and personally escorted me back to the hotel. He said it was his duty to make sure I got back safe and sound or Ms. Ceci would kill him. The rest of the group were one by one deposited by the tourist bus to their respective hotels within downtown Cusco.

guestroom

A few minutes later she was back with an oxygen tank connected with a mask which she gently placed over my nose and mouth and guided my hand to keep it in place. She told me to keep breathing the oxygen for at least 20 minutes while she cooked me some warm soup.

She was back soon, with the soup. My headache had subsided and I was able to eat the wonderful concoction she made me. After another round of oxygen theraphy, I felt much better and was able to freshen up before retiring to bed.

common room

Ms Cecillia Sanchez

The second day of my stay at Cusco was spent journeying to Machu Picchu aboard the Hiram Bingham Express train. The Garden House took care of my transport from the hotel to Poroy Station where the train journey begins and ends. I was also picked up from the station later that night after coming back from my Trip to Machu Picchu.

The Garden House Hotel

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Center Court of Pavillion Mall

Monorail Bukit Bintang Station

Riding from Bukit Nanas station, I got off at Bukit Bintang, walked down the stairs and voila! I am at the famous Jalan Bukit Bintang intersection.

Left and right are big malls – Pavillion, Lot 10, Fahrenheit 88 (formerly known as KL Plaza), Starhill Gallery, Sungei Wang Plaza, Kenanga Wholesale City, Low Yat Plaza, and Berjaya Times Square.

In betweens there is an array of jet set boutique names that any shopaholic could wish for — DKNY, Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Dunhill, Versace, Christian Dior and Salvatore Ferragano.

But I wasn’t there to shop… more on looking around and capturing anything that my photographic eye would fancy.

fahrenheit mall

starhilll gallery

pavillion crystal fountain

Chinese New Year stalls at the Pavillion's ground floor

My timing was perfect. On display in front of the Pavillion were the United Buddy Bears, a collection of identically sized 2 m teddy bears with raised paws, made of fiberglass, each one handpainted by an artist from their home country and lined-up alphabetically.

United Buddy Bears

Their mission, so I’ve learned is to deliver the message of tolerance, peaceful co-existence while raising funds to aid children’s relief organizations in every country they visit. The bears had been exhibited in different countries since 2002 and Kuala Lumpur was its 23rd stop.

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Peru, Philippines, Poland

UK, USA , URUGUAY

New Zealand, Netherlands, Namibia

There are too many to feature here, and these are the only ones which I was really interested to take pictures of.

Jalan Alor

Jalan Alor is a mecca of street food hawkers and a food adventurer’s paradise. A must-try for anyone visiting the Bukit Bintang area. I was told by the hotel front desk that it opens at 4 pm. So after some hours of exploring the mall, I went straight down the road to find Jalan Alor.

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It’s just a short distance walk from the Pavillion. If you are coming from the Bukit Bintang station, turn left on the first corner after going down the stairs and find Kentucky, the friend chicken. Behind that is Jalan Alor.

Jalan Alor

Don’t be taken aback if you see those plastic tables and chairs amidst a not so clean surroundings, complete with the bustling and going of people and cars and other vehicles all over the place. I was told some of the best meals come from this street.

jalan alor food stall

The place had just opened when I arrived. Usually it starts to get packed with tourists and locals alike from 5pm till 10 pm.

Jalan Alor

Even then, I was asked by every stall I looked in, to order from their menu, which was quite confusing as I had to decide in the middle of everyone near-shouting at me their especialities while pointing at the picture on their walls of the dishes they offer.

I settled for the last stall, asked if they have some crabs and was asked to choose from a container which one I liked, then it was weighed to determine the price (MYR 80/kilo), and I watched while my 0.7 kilograms crab was being cooked with my preferred pepper and oysters sauce, right in front of me. Lovely.

live crabs

I also ordered chinese fried rice to go with it. I had read somewhere not to forget to try the famous Jalan Alor barbecued chicken wings, so I didn’t and ordered some too. Perfect.

barbecued satay chicken wings

I decided I want them for “take out” or “take away” as their way of saying it. I had a sumptuous meal at Din Tai Fung at Level 6 of the Pavillion just a few hours ago. After having 6 of those succulent Xiao Long Bao (steamed dumplings) and filling Dan Dan Lamian (noodles), I carried with me the Sauteed Garlic-Spinach which I didn’t touch at all. I planned to have that for dinner.

din tai fung

I didn’t have to wait long. In less than 30 minutes everything was packed in those ubiquitous disposable containers and I was ready to go.

I went back to the hotel, had a relaxing bubble bath and an hour later, in the comfort of my room while enjoying the view of the Petronas Towers through the window, I ate at leisure, delighting in every bite and savoring every flavor in my mouth of the undoubtedly without question, definitely and certainly the best meal I ever had in Kuala Lumpur.

pepper crab and chicken wings

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Petronas Towers at 9 pm. I left my hotel room, went ouside just to take this picture. I can’t help it. It’s awesome.

Petronas Towers at night

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View of the Petronas from the East Wing of Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur at 7am and 7pm respectively.

Day and Night

At the foot of the Petronas

*******

So I was in Machu Picchu.

Dream come true? Yup, because I had been wanting to get here at least once in this lifetime.

Machu Picchu

Planning the Trip to Machu Picchu

So how did I go about it?

First, I planned my trip and after a very serious brainstorming with Google, I decided I am ready to conquer Machu Picchu. Second, I arranged my schedule, then booked my flights, hotel reservations and the train trip to Aguas Calientes (you can book the train online via perurail.com, the only railway company operating trains to Machu Picchu).

Basically I had to get my butt and the rest of me to Lima, Peru first. From Lima, I had to fly to the city of Cusco, the first and foremost connection to Machu Picchu.

Cusco Cathedral

Downtown Cusco

Lima to Machu Picchu

Hiram Bingham Express

Peru Rail's ticketing office at Aguas Calientes

souvenir shops at Aguas Calientes

Buses to Machu Picchu

Bus Route to Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu Lodge

That made us all scramble to the nearest WC at Machu Picchu Lodge as the journey around the ruins would take at least 3 hours.

Main entrance to Machu Picchu

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side stairs by the agricultural sector

The Machu Picchu Ruins

Overview of Machu Picchu

From the main entrance, climbing up would take you to the Watchman’s Hut which has a spectacular view of the ruins below. This hut was used by the Incas to oversee both the Agricultural and the Royal sectors.

Watchman's Hut

Inca hut by the terraces

The Priests Residence also known as Ñusta Palace

Our guide led us in a roundabout way from the Watchman’s hut going down to the Old City Gate.

Note: the walking and climbing paths around the ruins are mostly carved stone steps or flattened ground that even candidates for the Biggest Loser would find the place not too difficult to navigate.

Old City Gate

Our Tour Group

view from the Dry Moat

The Dry Moat

Temple of the Sun

The Royal Tomb

The Mummy

Ceremonial Center

Ceremonial Center from below

Water System of Machu Picchu

water duct

The Quarry

Sacred Plaza

Temple of the 3 Windows

The Principal Temple

The Chamber of Ornaments

The Intihuatana Pyramid

The Intihuatana

Mizdi in the Middle

Main Plaza

The Two Huts

Two huts and the trail

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Temple of the Condor

Wings of the Condor

Head of the Condor

Wrapping up

way out by the terraces

the Llama

So there you go… or there I went. From the main entrance to the exit point, I walked, I climbed, I sweat… and stopped once in a while to catch my breath (and take pictures). But every step is worth the effort. Every climb is worth the try. Every sweat is worth wiping and don’t forget to bring a bottle of mineral water, because kiosks there you wouldn’t find.

Me at MP

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