Approach to the airport is similar to Juneau in that they thread the needle between the mountains. Unlike Juneau’s approach there is no death defying 90 degree turn to align with needle.
Staying at a nice place in the “Old Town”.
Started the anti-altitude sickness pills. Acetazolamide and Aleve. For fun and interest I bought an oxygen meter that clips onto you finger. In Fairbanks my saturation was around 95%. Here it is around 86-87%. That’s resting. Evidently one needs to get worried below 75% and really worried below 60%.
Got in about 1pm and other than walking a few yards for lunch I’ve been holed-up in the hotel. It’s recommended that for the first day one does as little as possible.
Dinner tonight was chicken soup. Highly recommended by waiter here as the perfect first dinner at altitude. I guess the grannies of the world were right.
I leave early in the AM for the train ride to the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. I’ll spend the night there and head up MP in the morning.
Special altitude sickness prevention chicken noodle soup:
