So we finally made it out of Bolivia! The end of our week & ½ confinement in Santa Cruz actually got much better, mainly because we changed hostels to a cooler, quieter, Israeli-free one, with hammocks in the courtyard and best of all, a resident Toucan. Also managed to go to a football match which had an excellent atmosphere - it was the South American equivalent of a UEFA match between Blooming of Santa Cruz and a Uruguayan team. Lots of trumpets, drums, fireworks, confetti and flags - couldn't believe it when we saw riot police with shields on the pitch to protect the visiting team as they entered the field!

As some of the roadblocks started to cease and the national situation gradually improved, the 'Wave' started heading to La Paz (to our delight) for Passover....our next destination, anywhere but La Paz! Instead we opted to head straight to Cuzco in Peru, and will hopefully revisit other parts of Bolivia in a couple of weeks when things have calmed down more. Taking the unprecedented luxury of a flight on this continent, it was with glee that we covered in a few hours the desert and mountains that would usually take us 3-4 days to cross.

The fact that Cuzco lies at 3326m was largely lost on us until we landed. It was if the pilot just flew up a very big hill and parked on the top rather than descended - our ears didn't even get a chance to pop on landing! Being this high had an immediate effect - felt light-headed and frighteningly out of breath just collecting our luggage! Classic signs of altitude sickness, but they say you need a day or 2 to acclimatise.

So we are now based in the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent, the original capital of the Inca empire. Its a very beautiful town with amazing old churches and old buildings of huge slabs of stone, plus its surrounded by Inca ruins/sites and loads of archaelogical stuff. The locals are postcard perfect - quite small, dark, with brightly coloured clothes, felt hats and children bundled to their backs. Plus there's llamas and alpacas galore. On our 3rd day here we were lucky enough to witness the annual procession of Dark Christ - Lord of the Earthquakes. Pilgrims from the surrounding villages flock to Cuzco for the parade - we couldn't get enough photos.

Unfortunately we've not been able to do justice to the town yet as we've both been knocked sideways with bugs - vomiting, severe diarrhoea, cramps, headaches, hot & cold flushes - you name it, we've had it! Something to do with either dodgy food/water or the climate, or both. Its very bright and hot by day, but drops to freezing at night (complete extremes), which came as a shock to the system (especially as only last week in Bolivia we were too hot at night to sleep sometimes!).

Apart from our ailments (K = 4 days, J = 1-2 days!) the only other downer has been the re-arrival of some of the 'Wave' here in Cuzco. Couldn't believe it when we saw several hundred Israelis waving their flag, singing and dancing in the main square. We took refuge in a cafe to find it had been overthrown...by more Israelis! It has been said that "the Army messes you up" - well their example of really not giving a damn about anyone or anything around them takes some beating - quite unbelievably rude. If only we could meet some nice ones to alter our opinion! That same night, non-stop between midnight and 6am, we were constantly reminded that a big group of the 'Wave' had checked into our hostel. Given their noise and our constant toilet demands, it was not a good night!

Next up is hopefully a 4 day hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the 'Lost City of the Incas'. Health and bottoms permitting!