After camping, noisy hostels and budgets, budgets, budgets, we have been very excited for our first splash out on luxury: the Andean Explorer. This train from Cusco to Puno takes ten hours and winds through the beautiful scenery of the Andes, complete with an observation carriage, a three course lunch and afternoon tea service and full bar. Hurrah! Upon arrival at the train station, we realised that we didn't fit the normal demographic: we were the only people boarding the train who had backpacks rather than suitcases and we were the youngest by about twenty years. We were also the only people making an effort to speak in Spanish to the staff (bloody Americans). Backpackers splashing out is obviously a rare thing... The journey was amazing: - The scenery: Stunning, changing as we made our way towards Puno, mountains and rivers, markets and small towns; awesome to ride in the observation car! - The food: Sooooo good. Breakfast toasties, hot chocolate, salmon rilette, beef bourgignon, chocolate pudding, mini sandwiches, endless teeeeea - The cocktails: Lethal! It may have been the altitude though, as we climbed to over 5,000m above sea level on the way We also sat and read, slept, chatted and settled in (with my Spanish phrase and verb books a couple of times!). A much more comfortable journey than taking an overnight bus! We were greeted by our hostel transfer service at Puno station and didn't even need dinner, we'd eaten so much. A marvellous day!