Peru Day 1 - Arrival in Cusco

I'm in Cusco, Peru! I really don't understand why the flight schedule is so difficult to get here but I left Knoxville 11am yesterday and finally arrived at the Cusco airport at 6.10 this morning. I had a 5 hour layover in Lima overnight so I tried to get as much sleep as possible on the flight to Lima but was awake all night in Lima. But while buying water and coca candy I made a new friend from CA who was on a flight to Cusco just a few minutes after mine.

View of the snow covered Andes Mountains on descent into Cusco

Cusco is at 11,000 feet so altitude sickness is a very big concern upon arrival.   I've been very nervous as to how I would react so I bought coca candy at the Lima airport and started eating it on arrival. Monica and I shared a taxi from the airport and came to my hotel first to drop my bags. Immediately upon arrival the offer us coca tea. It is made with the fresh leaves of the coca plant and helps to relieve the effects of sorocha (altitude sickness) and it tastes a bit like a plain green tea. It does help to allow your lungs to open and you get more oxygen to your system.

Coca Tea at the Loreto Boutique Hotel

Because it was so early in the morning I couldn't check in so Monica and I dropped our bags and went to the San Pedro market then decided to get a massage. I paid s./ 20 (about $6) for an hour massage. It was nice. Then we tried a local restaurant called Greens Organic for lunch and that was that... the rest of the day is a rest day. The plan is to rest, drink lots of water and get acclimated. I've signed up for an afternoon tour tomorrow.