Today is a 10 hour train trip on the Andean Explorer from Puno to Cusco. This is a fantastic train trip, and the 10 hours flies past. The train is extremely comfortable, with armchair style seats, and a table for the included lunch (also delicious). The staff are very professional, and in-seat bar service is provided throughout the journey.
The first town that the train passes through is Juliaca, which is something of a frontier town in the region. The local market, which sells everything from laundry powder to car parts, spills onto the train tracks, and only moves when the train comes through. Juliaca is also the counterfeiting and smuggling capital of the region, if not Peru. Like many of the towns that the train passes through, Juliaca shows the lack of infrastructure in Peru. Garbage is strewn throughout the streets, and the windy location simply moves it from one point to another.
As the train approaches Cusco, the scenery becomes greener, and for the most part follows the river through the valley.
The riverbanks are also impromptu tips for modern rubbish such as plastic bags and bottles, and mars an otherwise beautiful landscape. The amount of rubbish becomes progressively worse as the train approaches Cusco, and the only upside is that it provides a source of food for the many stray dogs.
