&
by several indian communities. Save for my small group of four. it is to be a trail devoid ofother tourists.
()ur Lares trek begins at 330011] after a hair-raising two-hour drive
from (‘usco to the pretty village of
Lares. From there we climb steadily in the rarefied air and through increasingly arid terrain while our three porters and a cook power ahead to set tip camp and prepare delicious food including sweet
pancakes. llama meat (tasting of
pork) served with maize and watermelon. Such foodstuffs are a
luxury to the villagers. To stave off
hunger and fatigue. the locals chew coca leaves and consume copious quantities of a maize-based. brown coloured homebrew called ‘quicha‘. I feel slightly inebriated after drinking a large tumbler of the highly alcoholic tipple and am assured that the essence from the yellow flowered lloripondio herb is even more potent.
Before starting our steepest climb to a chilly lakeside camp situated at 42(le. our guide introduces us to several local villagers. All have tanned faces. weatherbeaten by the elements. The men wear ponchos while the women are dressed in their traditional. long ‘polleras' skirts. Their children. shy in our presence.
1 12 THE LIST 1 f Feb—3 Mar 200:3
TRAVEL
~ MW.
firms:
. ’....”‘;§‘ . A? ,. i I vi 1 play in filthy rags. What follows is an eye-opening experience. As we are led into a family‘s mud. stone and straw constructed home. all is pitch black until my eyes grow accustomed to the dim interior. Guinea pigs (for food) squeal in a comer where alpaca and llama skins serve as bedding while wood smoke
GUINEA PIGS (FOR FOOD) SOUEAL IN A CORNER WHERE LLAMA SKINS SERVE AS BEDDING
stings my eyes. Placing some fruit in a bowl as thanks for their hospitality. I leave. convinced I‘ve just witnessed a dwelling not dissimilar to a lhth century Scottish blackhouse. As I depart. I hear children learning to count in the lncan tongue of quechuan.
()ver the next 72 hours we trek through many such communities. all surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery within which
villagers undertake backbreaking work in steeply terraced fields. During the final l5 miles ofour trek. through a lush green landscape. the view is constantly punctuated by government funded. ridiculously bright blue outdoor toilets erected outside the homes of villagers. There is little sign of other amenities.
1 turn to leave Machu Picchu just as the rain starts and the mist descends as if to cloak the city once again in a veil of mystery. Still pondering the hard lives of the villagers l have met. I hope that these poor but proud people can forgive indiscretions more readily than their ancestors.
Flights from Glasgow to Lima with KLM cost around £660, tel 0141 353 2224. Flights from Lima to Cuzco with LanChile cost around £160 return, www.lanchile.com. Accommodation: If you book a trek on either the Inca Trail or Lares Trek with SAS Travel, all transport, meals, equipment and accommodation to and from Cuzco should be included. Nearly all hotel and hostel accommodation is in Aguas Calientes (prices start from approx £12 per night).
Cheap flights, nautical adventures and Sunday roast
I Scotland's low cost airline continues to raise the bar this week with an array of impressive flight deals, ready to bloom this spring. Look out for direct flights to Gran Canaria from Glasgow starting at £63 (one way) from mid-April. Look out too for flights to Geneva (pictured) and Faro flying during the same month from Edinburgh. Proces start from around £67 (one way). Check out www.flyglobe span.com.
I An emergenw plan to assist the tourism industnes of countries ravaged by the Asan tsunami was adopted at a special session of the World Tourism Organization Executive Council on 1 February. Tourism experts representing 42 countries, the private sector and several international groups are putting together a comprehensive series of activities intended to restart the region's economically vital tourism industry, stalled since the tsunami struck. See www.world-tourisrn.org for full details.
I Thomas Cook continues to widen its area of expertise as it launches its newest title, 8&8 France 2005. a well researched guide for those new to and familiar with the area. Check out all the Cook guides from bookshops, online at www.momascook publishing.com and at Thomas Cook travel shops. Other top picks to land on the List doorstep include the Cook's budget guide, Europe by Rail, and the well devised Drive Around collection.
I Virgin Atlantic has announced it is offering passengers a traditional roast every Sunday on all flights leaving the UK. Passengers travelling from the UK in Premium Economy and Economy will be offered roast chicken as one of the three choices for their main meal followed by a traditional crumble f0r dessert. See wwvirgincom/atlantic for full details.
I Visit Scotland continues to shine this month as it prepares for the launch of SeaScotland in March. The latest in a host of websites, this project focuses on water-based activities, nautical adventures and coastal routes throughout the country. Check these pages for up-to-date information as it comes in. In the meantime see www.visit scotland.co.uk.