Hanshin Neji Mexico Blog: I went on a trip to Peru!

Hello everyone! This is Yamasato from Hanshin Screw. It's been a year and four months since I came to Mexico. Time really flies; it feels like time passes so quickly just by looking this way and that. I think it's because I'm living each day to the fullest (lol). Today, I'd like to share my experience of a week-long family trip to Peru! I was so moved to see Machu Picchu, and since South America is so far from Japan, I don't get many opportunities to go there, so I wanted to share it with you all through this blog. Sorry this isn't about screws at all!

The reason we went to Peru was because my wife and daughter's visas were about to expire, so they needed to go abroad and then return to Mexico. Since we were already there, we decided to go abroad together. We looked for countries we could fly to directly from Mexico, and found the USA, El Salvador, Colombia, and Peru. The prices were reasonable, and we figured we wouldn't get many opportunities to see Machu Picchu! So we decided on Peru.

Travel all the way from Mexico to Machu Picchu in one go!

We left our home in Querétaro and traveled straight to Machu Picchu Village (Aguas Calientes). I really wanted to see Machu Picchu this time, but the advance tickets available online were sold out three months in advance. We were aiming for the same-day tickets (actually next-day tickets), of which only 1,000 are sold daily, so we wanted to get to Machu Picchu Village as early as possible. It's located in a remote area; you take a bus to Mexico City, then from Mexico City to Lima, then a plane from Lima to Cusco, and finally arrive by bus and train. We left our home in Querétaro at noon, so it was well over 30 hours of travel! (laughs) I'm amazed the kids kept up with us.

April, when we went, is considered the low season with a lot of rain. In fact, it rained almost every day during our stay in Machu Picchu. Perhaps because of this, next-day tickets were still available even on the night we arrived, as long as we weren't too picky about the route. However, we preferred Circuit 2, which offers a panoramic view of Machu Picchu from above and allows you to walk through it, so we decided to line up early the next morning to buy tickets.

Our prior research online suggested that numbered tickets were distributed early in the morning, and that we would need to return at the time indicated on the ticket to purchase the entrance tickets. However, on the day we went, we started lining up at 5 AM (we were 26th in line), and the ticket office opened at 6 AM, allowing us to buy tickets for the next day right there! A crucial point to note is that everyone in the group, even children, had to be present. When we inquired at the ticket office the day before, we were told it was okay for children not to be present, so we didn't bring them. However, when it came time to actually buy the tickets, they had to be there, so we rushed back to the hotel to bring them. (The hotel was at a high altitude, about a 10-minute uphill climb from the ticket office, and we were quite out of breath!) In any case, we were thrilled to finally be able to visit Machu Picchu!

Our main concern was the rain. It had been raining every day, and it was pouring rain during the day that day as well. Those who went to Machu Picchu the day before us apparently couldn't see anything because of the clouds. However, only God knows what the conditions will be, and we're just a bunch of people who decided to go to Peru a few weeks ago on a whim, so we didn't think we had the right to complain.

So, that day we went to a local restaurant, ate Peruvian food, and bought raincoats (about 5 soles = 250 yen) just in case.

Finally, we're at the Machu Picchu ruins!

The day of our Machu Picchu tour. We had tickets for 9 AM entry, so we arrived at the bus stop for the bus from Machu Picchu village to the ruins at 7:30 AM. We had planned to hire a guide locally, but thanks to my wife's negotiation skills, we arranged for a guide named Alex while waiting for the bus. It cost 150 soles. He seemed incredibly suspicious when he approached us, but his actual work was very thorough, he was very considerate, and he was incredibly good at taking photos and videos. I'm so glad we hired him.

As for the weather, it was sunny only that day! Even the guide was surprised. I think there must be someone in my family who's incredibly lucky with the weather.

Arrival at Machu Picchu
As soon as you enter the gate, that view unfolds before you. Words can't do it justice, so please enjoy the photos below.

It seems that only the kings of the Inca Empire lived here, built 600 years ago. I was struck by the incredible mystery and romance of why they would build a town on top of such a mountain, and how they so meticulously cut and stacked stones to create houses, even arranging them to mark the summer solstice. The fact that they were a civilization without a written language adds to the mystery, as we don't know much about their technology or how they lived.

After enjoying Machu Picchu for about two hours, we headed outside. Most people take the bus back, but since it was only about an hour and a half down the mountain, we decided to walk! We took breaks along the way, but it took about two hours to descend. It seemed quite hard for my wife. However, even looking at Machu Picchu from below, you can't really tell where it is. It was probably designed to be difficult for enemies to find. In fact, Machu Picchu remained undiscovered even when the Inca Empire was occupied by the Spanish, and it remained in its original state until it was discovered in 1911.


I was more tired than I expected that day, so I decided to stay another night in Machu Picchu village.

Travel to Cusco

The next morning, I traveled to Cusco. I had bought a ticket for the 8:30 train, so I arrived at the station around 7:30 and waited. As expected, there was an announcement of a delay. The reason? Traffic congestion. I thought, "Why traffic congestion on a train?!" but it seems this railway is shared by two companies, INKA RAIL and PERU RAIL, and since it's a single track, trains have to wait for oncoming trains at a certain point. I think that's probably why it was delayed. Considering the delay on the way here as well, I think you should allow an extra 1-2 hours in your schedule.

Cusco
I only stayed here for one night, but I wished I could have stayed another. The city is small and compact enough to walk around most places, but it's incredibly beautiful. I've never been there, so I don't know, but the scenery that unfolds before your eyes is like something out of medieval Europe.

Highly recommended restaurant: Pucara
The Sopa de ajo (garlic soup) is incredibly delicious. And it's run by a Japanese chef. This restaurant was recommended to us by someone from Makita, the power tool company, who used to live in Peru. It's incredibly delicious! We ordered garlic soup and xxx to share among four people. The prices were reasonable, and we were very satisfied.

Alpacas everywhere!
Just like Machu Picchu, Cusco is all about alpacas. You'll find shops selling clothing made from alpaca wool, souvenirs like keychains and figurines, businesses where you can take photos with baby alpacas for tips, and even alpacas for meat! The city is overflowing with alpacas. As many of you probably know, alpaca fabric is incredibly soft!