When in Cusco

OpEd I am currently on my third day in Cusco, Peru, and I have to admit I’m still not quite acclimated just yet. I was warned that the landing was going to be rough because of the airport’s location (altitude and proximity to the city center). “You may throw up,” I was told.

Luckily, I didn’t. However, I was not spared of the other “health issues” that I have been warned to expect. I currently have a cold, thanks to the temperamental weather. When the sun decides to make an appearance, its impact on the skin can be detrimental. It is advisable to put UV protection on for obvious reason. When it is cloudy, however, it can get very cold.

According to my host, “It does not matter what time of year you come, it is ALWAYS hot if you are in the sun and COLD, COLD, COLD when you are not in the sun.” During daytime, locals and tourists alike have in handy a sweater or a jacket. At nighttime, the temperature drastically changes – it gets even colder. Adding to that, there is no such thing as central heating in Cusco, so it is recommended to “dress for the occasion.”

Below is what my host’s recommendation on how to deal with Cusco’s weather: “Dress in layers. Avoid getting caught after dark without a jacket or warm sweater, the temperature goes down as soon as the sun drops. Vests are great for the constantly changing weather, Use warm blankets. I recommend warm pajamas and using socks at night. A scarf is very nice [to have handy] all year long.”

He also said: “I highly recommend you do not wash your hair at night, if it will not dry quickly. Sleeping with wet hair will make sleeping hard and uncomfortable.” I followed just that and only took showers when the sun was out.

Even so, sleep deprivation is another issue that I have been battling for the past three nights. As it is, my frequent travels have wrought havoc to my “biological clock,” so I never travel without my “sleep aids.”

But, even the strongest sleep aid combination is not helping. I find myself waking up every three hours, leading me to try traditional ways of falling back to sleep – watching a movie, reading a book, “counting sheep,” etc. The other night, I became so frustrated that I ended up taking another dose of sleep aid just to get a few hours of shuteye.

Apparently, I am not the only one having this problem. Stefano Boetto, who is the general manager of a boutique hotel called Casa Cartagena here in Cusco, said he is very much sleep-deprived. “I get about three hours of sleep every night,” he said. This is quite shocking because he’s been living in Cusco for five years! Go figure.

Before I came to Cusco, my host warned me that “Cusco is 11,000 ft.” above sea level and “about 50 percent of our guests suffer something from the altitude. Mostly headaches, shortness of breath, nausea and a general feeling of discomfort are the problems. However, throwing up is common as well.”

Sans the throwing up part, which I had already mentioned, I have experienced all of the above “ailments” to some degree. And, my stomach has been having all sorts of issues as well. According to Stefano, this, too, is a common problem among travelers who come to Cusco. “A lot of our guests suffer from indigestion, so it is customary that we offer coca tea,” he said. “It helps calm the nerves.”

Other than the aforementioned “challenges,” my trip to Cusco so far has been wonderful. The locals are nice and generally hospitable in answering questions despite the language barrier. So, expect to be reading more about my trip to the Southern region of Peru in the near future.

For now, below is a five-minute video showing a bird’s eye view of the city of Cusco taken during my flight on Peruvian Airlines’ landing in Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.

Internet connection in Cusco is also a tricky affair, so you might have to come back later to watch the above video. As of this article’s publication, the video is currently at six percent upload (1282 minutes remaining).