TRIP ADVICES FROM SCHOOLED TRAVELLERS TO NEW TRAVELLERS
Putucusi - Aguas Calientes Cuzco
Potocusi is Quechua for “Happy Mountain”, is a round-shaped mountain located on the opposite side (northeast) of the Urubamba (Vilcanota) River to Machu Picchu in the Cusco department of Peru. Reaching approximately 2,560 meters (≈ 8,500 feet) above sea level at its peak, the mountain offers epic views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding Urubamba River Valley.
Putucusi, Machu Picchu (“Old Peak”) and Huayna Picchu (“Young Peak”) are considered apus, or holy mountains, by the local Quechua people.
How to get there?
The path lies just 5 minutes west of Aguas Calientes following the train tracks along the Urubamba River, once you get to the end of the rail road youll find an advertaisment that says welcome to Potocusi, right after that you must keep in mind that the way up will be long and tagh but its worth to reach this mountains top, specially if the next day you are going to enter to Macchupicchu.
Further info
- Putucusi is the challenging 1.5 hour vertical trek up the mountain.
- Approximately 1700 wood and rock steps.
- Take watter, fruite, your camera and a joint.
- From december to april is the rainning seasson, it might be closed.
- No matter what, you just keep on walking like Jhonny Walker, what you are doing is not another easy walking tourist thing, this is the real deal!
Cuzco city - Aguas Calientes - rail road - Putucusi
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How to get to Aguas Calientes without paying the 100 dollars for the train?
Yonathan , how can you advise the tourists to don't pay the train ticket to Aguas Calientes? Can’t you see that it's a priceless income to your country?
I get this question all the time when I'm with my group of tourists travelling around, and the answer will always be the same... Fuck the income get your trip on!
So here’s what you do...
How to get there
Take a bus from Cuzco city to Ollantaytambo,Ollantaytambo its a Inca city, try to catch an early bus ( 9 or 10 am)so you can have time to visit the ruins and get shocked by the hydro-system the Incas built centuries ago.
Stay the night there, then the next day take a combi from ollantaytambo to the kilometer 82, check the times because there's one bus in the morning and one in the afternoon, you need to be in the kilometer 82 very early, because the walking takes at least 6 hours, the kilometer 82 is the very kilometer from which the famous Inca Trail starts, until now you'll be spending less than 20 soles only in transportation, the hotel and food it’s up to you, there are many cheap hotels around ollantaytambo.
Once you get to the kilometer 82 same deal, just keep on walking like Johnnie Walker, this time following the rail road, be careful with the train when it comes it could kill you, besides that and the timing on which you must start the hiking ( 9 or 10 am) there’s really no other warnings left to obey.
Further info
- Do not, I repeat do not start walking from the Kilometer 82 at 4 or 6 or 5 pm, it is a nice landscape but during the night it will give you the chills.
- take at least 2 liters of water, fruit and a light, it is key to have a light just in case it gets dark and you can't see the rail road that is your only guide to get to Aguas Calientes, leave the joint for later, you must hurry now.
-The road it’s ok and safe, so don't pay attemption to all those who tell you that is not a safe road, they just want you to pay for the train ticket.
-Always keep in mind that raining season starts from December to April, always.
- Once you get to aguas calientes people will look at you like if you were nuts, don’t pay attemption and keep on walking.
- All the cheap hotels are on the market side so don't cross the bridge that will take you to the most expensive and touristic side of Aguas Calientes, just look for a fare hotel price near by the train station.
-check the train arriving and departure times so you can know if theres a train comming or not, take a watch with you too.
-check the train arriving and departure times so you can know if theres a train comming or not, take a watch with you too.
Formula
Cuzco City - Ollantaytambo - kilometer 82 - 6 or 8 hours walking - Aguas Calientes - Hotel - hot shower - joint - food - bed time.
PDT
Now , lets keep it real, the only way you won't be paying for the train its if you are willing to come back the same way you arrived.
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How to get drunk in Cuzco without spending a penny?
This is probably the cheesiest advise you can get from a Tour Leader, but lets face it, everyone in a certain momment of life had been short of money, and dying to get drunk, lucky me, when I was in that boat I also was living in Cuzco City, and discovered that if I get to main square and walk arround the diferent discotecks sourrounding the area arround 8 Pm, many guys will hand me free drink tickets, just to visit them discotecks in the hopw that after having my free screw driver, Cuba Libre or Sprite vodka I will pay for more.
But nooooooooo that part of the bussines wasn't in my plans, so I went to the othere bar and the othere and the other bar.
I swear if you ever tried to get drunk siping wine in the supermarkets, this is exactly the same! so here's what you do...
Formula
Walk around Main Square arround 8 Pm - looking tourist (wear a NorthFace or Columbia jacket, if you don't have one take random pictures at everything that shines) don't go to them they will come to you offering this free drink tickets
Sloncha, prost, Campay, cheers My friends!
Formula
This is probably the cheesiest advise you can get from a Tour Leader, but lets face it, everyone in a certain momment of life had been short of money, and dying to get drunk, lucky me, when I was in that boat I also was living in Cuzco City, and discovered that if I get to main square and walk arround the diferent discotecks sourrounding the area arround 8 Pm, many guys will hand me free drink tickets, just to visit them discotecks in the hopw that after having my free screw driver, Cuba Libre or Sprite vodka I will pay for more.
But nooooooooo that part of the bussines wasn't in my plans, so I went to the othere bar and the othere and the other bar.
I swear if you ever tried to get drunk siping wine in the supermarkets, this is exactly the same! so here's what you do...
Formula
Walk around Main Square arround 8 Pm - looking tourist (wear a NorthFace or Columbia jacket, if you don't have one take random pictures at everything that shines) don't go to them they will come to you offering this free drink tickets
Sloncha, prost, Campay, cheers My friends!
So you are in Buenos aires and don't know what to do?
If you are just about to go buenos aires Capitol of Argentina, let me announce that you are just about to be blessed and coursed for life. blessed for being in such beutifull place on earth and cursed because once you go back home you'll miss it every single day!
So, first thing you must do is know that Buenos Aires might be known worldwide by tango, Carlos Gardel, BBQ ,wine and beutiful ladies, but let’s keep it real Buenos Aires its a city that never sleeps, make sure you don’t miss any party, check this party web site, here you’ll find a list of all the partys from Monday to Sunday, remember one thing, in Buenos Aires the night life starts from 2 or 3 am and lasts till next day 3 or 5 pm in the afternoon, haver fun and say hi to the obelisco from me.
Quito - Ecuador
For all those who are travelling with a lonely planet it’s a fact that you might’ve already read something about Quito, but besides it’s ethnic Andean attractions let me tell you... quito could easily compete with Buenos Aires referring to night life and city style, to wear off any doubt stay in La Mariscal ( Pink Zone) this is a tourists neighborhood surrounded by discos, bars and also very good gourmet restaurans, I won't shout out any advertisement to the different bussinnes I enjoy in this area, all you need to know is this two names: La boca del lobo and Cocobongo.
Formula
Get to Quito - pay 25 cents of dollar for the trole bus (tran) - stop in Mariscal station( this will take at least 1.30 hr. to get there from the bus station) - get to La Marisca - look for a Hostel (7 to 9 dollars share room) - go to Plaza fosh in the night and wait for your wave to surf…You can thank me later... cheers!
Montañita - Ecuador
Just a few places around southamerica can reach and handle the type of open minded and party vibe environment you can taste in this amazing beach! not only the place makes you feel in your early teens but also the cheering inhabitans of this fisherMan community that since 15 years ago had been surprising and exiting tourists from all over the world, not only for the waves you can surf but also for its carnaval party life style, I highly recommend to don’t spend much money in accommodations since you’ll be partyng from day to dawn and you’ll never know where are you going to ended up the night! take that for granted...
Another tip is that in the main street you can find everything at tourists prices, but if you walk in the opposite direction you might find a hotel that has rooms rated from 4 dollars the night, the name is South point and if they dont have room right next to this is a house that also rent rooms, they both have a grate view from its balconies. Once you drop your bags grab a beer ( 0.70 cents of dollar or 1 dollar) and cheers for the youth!
PDT.
If you are in Mancora wandering if you must go to Montañita or not, do not, I repeat , DO NOT waste time in wanderings and get your tan ass on a bus to Ecuador, let’s put it this way:
''Mancora it’s a little shanty town in the middle of the desert , Montañita is the paradise in the middle of planet earth''
So you wanna go to Ecuador but crossing the frontier is getting you worry?
Everytime I'm crossing the frontier from Peru to Ecuador I find some tourists with pale faces, this is because the bridge you have to walk to cross from the messi Peruvian border to the well organized Ecuatorian border it's like a shanty town full of thieves.
Don’t bother in crossing this bridge, this is what you do in order to have a peacefull trip all the way up from Peru to Guayaquil with no huzzle or buzzle in between:
Get the straight bus from Mancora to Guayaquil, if you wanna safe a significant amount of money then take a bus from mancora to Tumbest, once in Tumbes look for the bus enterprise named CIFA, this is an Ecuatorian bus company that has direct buses from Tumbes to Guayaquil, the only 2 times you will be steping out of the bus is in the Peruvian border and also in the Ecuatorian border to get your stamps, after this you can relax listen to local music and watch the fields of banana placed on the sides of the road.
Oh yeah, and once you get to the bus terminal in guayaquil take the trole bus (tran) or pay 7 dollars for a taxi straight to the 9 de Octubre Hotel, its a good Hotel with king sized beds, 32 inch TV screen, elevator for when you come back shit faced, nice sight to the center of the city and is only 12 dollars the night!
Oh yeah, and once you get to the bus terminal in guayaquil take the trole bus (tran) or pay 7 dollars for a taxi straight to the 9 de Octubre Hotel, its a good Hotel with king sized beds, 32 inch TV screen, elevator for when you come back shit faced, nice sight to the center of the city and is only 12 dollars the night!
Brasil - this will save my day
My first impression of Brazil wasn’t good at all, unluckily or not, I started paying attemption to the inequalities between groups of people since early age, and thruth be told Brazil it’s a very classist country, poors and riches had never being so apart from each other, and all that happiness you see on TV its pure tourist propaganda.
In the middle of my shock I remember a story that a friend of mine told me when I was in Cuzco, he told me about a hippie island named Arembepe, remember the name Arembepe, the story is related to Janis Joplin and Mick Jagger and their trip to Brazil
In the 60’s, Jannis Joplin went to this island located 2 hours south of Salvador de Bahia, she stayed there long enough until the authorities of the place discovered that she had a great amount of drugs like LSD and EXTASY, she notice about this on time and throw all her supply to the river, the same river on which the local people used to go bathing was filled with this alucinogenous substances, some distance away a lady wanted to drink some water from this same river and got the trip of her life, she didn’t die but her behavior put in evidence this story that now gets to you by 40Downtown, so heres what you do…
Formula
Get to the most classists cities in Southamerica: Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, then go to Salvador de Bahia, From the same Bus station of your arrival take a Bus to Arembepe it’s well known as a hippie community, they have a school for them children and also they dance Capoeira every afternoon, sounds like free lessons for me!, they also organize parties on which you can join and feel no boundaries between those who have and those who don’t. There’s also Good Macoña and Cachaza for free!
Buenos Aires - San Telmo
Where ever you go in this city you’ll always find shiny smiles and cool people, besides the not common beauty spreded on man and woman, this for sure will be the complement for every day of your staying in this stonishing city, but let’s put a feet back on the ground, with so much to do and see the budget might get shorter and shorter, so the best place to stay is a neighborhood name San telmo.
San Telmo owns that Argentinian touch of lay back and cheering vibes that keeps the whole country rocking, in this place you’ll find an antique market every Sunday , little bars with a grate History behind, cheap mini markets and also a market ( like the once in Cuzco) from which you can buy your ingredients to cook in your Hostel and also Plaza Dorrego a place that has always something to offer, you’ll get from a tango show to a poet telling you the value of true love on a Sunday afternoon over a bottle of wine, or simply get carried away by watching people walking by before you.
Belive it, you’ll fall in love with Buenos aires and if you wanna stay longer in a not spensive, safe and lay back atmosphere San telmo is DA place!
Ridin' Wild in Cuzco
Sundays will forever remind me of those crazy times on which me and some fellows will drink a bottle of Italian Grappa, smoke a joint and rent wild horses to ride the open fields of green in Sacsayhuaman.
Sacsayhuaman it’s a circuit of Inka ruins, some tourists go there in a bus and visit the ruins from place to place, not breathing the freshness of the air or even sharing a drink with locals, if you are completely the opposite to the just described, rent a horse and visit this part of Cuzco that for sure will welcome you as a mother does to a wild child, so heres what you do:
Sacsayhuaman it’s a circuit of Inka ruins, some tourists go there in a bus and visit the ruins from place to place, not breathing the freshness of the air or even sharing a drink with locals, if you are completely the opposite to the just described, rent a horse and visit this part of Cuzco that for sure will welcome you as a mother does to a wild child, so heres what you do:
Get to Cuzco city, take a taxi to SACSAYHUAMAN, remember its SACSAYHUAMAN , not sexy woman, the journey will take 7 minutes, once you get there ask for the horses, friendly people will show you the place from which you can choose your personal adventure pal, or like they call it...Horse.
20 soles will pay for the whole party, and if you feel like eating trout after the ridding get to
pisigranja remember (pisigranja) you can go fishing your own trout there and eat it drinking black beers and discover that all the rules and regulations from the city are just a way to keep people slaved to the system.
You gotta fight! for your right! to paaaaaaaaarty!
