Finnish-Indian on the move: Machu Picchu with diarrhoea

What yesterday was supposed to be originally:
Waking up early and heading by train to Aguas Calientes, where Machu Picchu is. From there we were supposed to go on a guided tour in Machu Picchu and from there to a hotel in Aguas Calientes, which has beautiful gardens, eucalyptus sauna and rooms in little cosy cottages. The next day we would have got up early, headed to Machu Picchu at sunrise and enjoyed the rest of the morning at the hotel. In the afternoon we would have headed back to Cuzco by train.

What yesterday was like due to train strike and other reasons:
I woke up before the alarm clock (a bit after 5 am) and had a runny tummy. I didn’t even have breakfast as my tummy didn’t feel that good. Our local guide came to pick us up from the hotel and we were taken my car to the train station. We took the train to Aguas Calientes. Opposite us was a couple from Chile, whom we talked to on various issues. I vomited on the train in the toilet and felt awful. They offered some food on the train but apparently it came out.. We arrived to Aguas Calientes and took a bus to go to the top of a mountain, where Machu Picchu is. I vomited on the bus in a plastic bag.. Something I haven’t done since I was a kid… I got to see Machu Picchu but was feeling too weak to join the guided tour. I heard the first parts but then sad on a stone feeling awful while Kaarle joined the tour for the next 1,5 hours. I just sat that same time looking at tourists. A few local guides came to ask me was I okay, and also mentioned there was a doctor in the area. I anyway tried to manage. K came to fetch me at the end of tour. I thought I would have had some energy to walk around in the area then, but all I needed was a toilet. Diarrhoea started from this point and lasted the whole day. To make the day perfect, K lost his camera lens cover during the trip. I tried to someway survive the journey back to Cuzco with the help of diarrhoea pills.

We had to therefore come back to Cuzco on the same day because of the train strike. Our tour operator arranged us a hotel here, which belongs to the same owner as the Machu Picchu hotel we would have stayed at. This one was apparently more expensive, but we didn’t have to pay extra. The hotel was very fancy, an old Spanish colonial mansion although I would have preferred the beautiful gardens and cosy cottages of the other hotel.. At this hotel, we had a bedroom with a massive bed, hot water bottles in the beds, complimentary minibar with drinks and snacks, entertainment centre, gifts (bottle holders) and a massive bathroom. Compared to our previous Cuzco accommodation, this was not freezing cold and we had a good night’s sleep. I woke up once with diarrhoea again, but since this morning I’ve been okay. Funny thing is tonight we are back to the previous Cuzco accommodation in our cold hotel and same room, because the upgrade was only for the one night, which was supposed to be in Machu Picchu. Well, this place is okay and the view is actually better. At least the internet works here! In our fancy hotel, there was supposed to be wireless internet, but it didn’t work properly.. Today we have had a free day here in Cuzco and have visited a few museums. In the evening we will go and see some local dance show. Tomorrow morning early leave to Puno, a town near Titicaca lake, which we will see on Wednesday.

If you have had energy to read all this text, below are some photos :)