I finally had a little time to edit some trip video highlights (below) from my last year when I had the opportunity to take my parents around Asia. Some of the places that we went were the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It was such a pleasure to be able to show them around and just have them relax and enjoy. I look forward to the next time that we can do this together. We're not getting any younger, so doing as much together, especially traveling around the world is something very important to us.
Petronas Towers - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Khao San Rd. Bangkok, Thailand
My parents raised six kids and always worked and provided for us, so I was very happy to be able to do this for them because they truly deserved it. =)
Singapore Flyer - Singapore
Enjoy this quick 3 minute video, and feel free to connect with me if you need any budget travel tips, or ways to stay active when you travel. Never stop exploring!!!
So technically, the first day of Summer in Morzine/Avoriaz France is around July 15th. Not sure if this is the exact date every year, but your best bet is to contact the Tourism Office in the heart of Morzine to get the correct information. When I visited the tourism office in Morzine, the people there were very helpful and kind.
Tourism Office in Morzine, France
I wanted to write a little post on this because I was in Morzine a few weeks ago to film the Spartan European Championships, and when I booked my accommodations for the event prior, I booked it in neighboring Avoriaz not knowing that it was literally atop the mountains about 20 minutes away from Morzine. The view from Avoriaz is amazing, but it was a small hassle to go back and forth to Morzine for the Spartan Race event. One reason why I think most people stay in Avoriaz is because the hotel rates were much cheaper, at least during the time I was there in July.
If you do not have a car and you need to get back and forth from Morzine to Avoriaz, the best way is to use the LIFT called "Telepherique Avoriaz Prodains", or just go to the Tourism Office in Morzine and let them know that you would like to take the LIFT to Avoriaz, and they will help you.
Bus Schedule to Avoriaz Lift
To get to the Avoriaz Lift, you can take the city bus from either the Pleney or Office de Tourism bus stops. Just ask the local people around the area where the city bus picks ups, but you should be able to see them from the street. The cool thing about the city bus is that it is completely FREE! I highly recommend that you get an updated bus schedule for bus departure and arrival times.
This is how the city bus shuttles look like =)
Once the bus picks you up, it will take about 50 minutes to get to the LIFT to Avoriaz. The city bus will drop you off right in front of the lift which is super convenient. Just go straight to the ticketing window and the lift tickets start at around 6 euro, it's much cheaper to get R/T lift tickets. I also recommend that`you find out the times of the lift as this changes depending on the season, as well as the weather. Once you are on the lift, it only takes about 10 minutes to make it up to Avoriaz.
R/T Lift Ticket to Avoriaz from Morzine
If you are not sure where your hotel is in Avoriaz, just simply ask the ticketing agent when purchasing your lift ticket, and they can help you and might also be able to provide you with a map of the hotels in Avoriaz.
Inside the Telepherique Avoriaz Prodains, "Lift to Avoriaz"
Once you arrive in Avoriaz, there is also a little train that`can take you around the village, so if you have a lot of baggage, then this might be very helpful to you as Avoriaz does not allow vehicles around the village area. Avoriaz isn't that big, so if you just have a backpack like I did, I just walked to my hotel.
Anyways, hope this helps, and have fun! Morzine/Avoriaz, the French Alps are amazing! So many activities to do in Avoriaz, great`shops and restaurants, and of course the view is epic!
Getting to Morzine from Geneva Airport Switzerland:
The best airport to fly into to get to Morzine is the Geneva Airport in Switzerland. There are shuttles that you can take from GVA to Morzine, the prices are from 20-50 Euro. I used a company called AlpyBus, you can book their shuttles here. FYI, you should book your shuttle online 2 days in advanced. You can call them if you are not able to book online 2 days in advanced, but it will be more difficult to find availability, and trust me, you don't want to call last minute and miss your flights!
One of the best things about working out is doing it with friends!
I've been based in the Philippines to expand my cause-related media project here in Asia, but in between the film work and family time, I try to keep my fit on which is difficult sometimes when you don't have a set schedule, especially while traveling.
When I finally get a workout in, it's always good to invite people to workout with you. When I did T25 Total Body Circuit (a few weeks ago), I invited some friends and we had a blast! And although the workout was only 25 minutes, trust me....we still got our butts kicked!!
My buddy Daniel was kind enough to invite us over to his condo to get this workout in, I think next time I will bring some swim shorts to take a dip in the nice pool!
Here's a quick video of our workout, and if you need some extra motivation and accountability (I know we all need it sometimes), then feel free to message me for some free online coaching and advice! Looking forward to meeting you =)
This is a late post, but on Valentines Day 2018, my girlfriend and I hiked up Mount Manalmon and Mount Gola, the TWIN PEAKS in San Miguel, Bulacan Philippines. The hike was actually pretty easy and perfect for beginners, and the views were spectacular!
I know that I haven't been blogging as much as usual, but I assure you that I am still here! =) I am currently in the Philippines working on some video projects, and I will most likely be in Asia for a total of 4-5 months.
So what am I doing here for that long you ask?
Well, I pretty much travel all year long filming obstacle course race events and at the end of the year, I really try to focus more on filming cause- related projects such as mission trips, charities and even adventure tours focused on getting people active. The donations that I have received from my OCRTUBE media pursuits go 100% straight into these great causes, and it just makes what I do much more meaningful =).
With "Save Payatas" Family
So far the toughest challenge for me has been getting on a consistent workout plan because lately I've just been on the go all the time, I mean all the time. Most days I find myself just going out for a run and doing push ups and burpees along the way. When I finally slow down, I love to use my Beachbody on Demand app and really get in a good workout. Sometimes I will try to find a nearby gym or outdoor park to workout in, but it's just been too crazy, I would much rather workout at my hotel or airbnb.
Workout Online Anytime, Anywhere - Free Beachbody on Demand Trial
All in all, it's the beginning of a long journey here in Asia. I will try to at least blog about one or two times per week to keep you guys updated specifically about my health and fitness journey during my travels. If you want more on my OCRTUBE project and what I do "behind the scenes" with my PayOCRforward missions, then simply go here: www.PayOCRforward.com, and of course you can watch my obstacle racing videos by clicking here.
This blog here is primarily focused on how to be and stay active, having an entrepreneur mindset, and of course, my travel adventures, so if you're into that, stay tuned =)
Also, if any of you would like to join me online and workout with me while I travel, just send me a quick message and I can add you to my free mobile app group for motivation and accountability. Trust me, I need it too, so let's stay active together! =) All fitness levels and goals are welcome, I have something for everyone!
Safe travels and stay active my friends!!
Live, Eat, Travel, Work anywhere around the world!
For me, success is happiness, and being able to live life on my own terms. Success is not about monetary goals, it's more about knowing that the more wealth that you create, the more you can ultimately make a big impact whether it be giving back to a charity, church, your family, or even yourself.
Do you want to make an impact?
Making a difference in this world is not for everyone, but making a difference for you....well, most people would agree on that. But how do you do that right?
Through my years "on the job", I was always searching for the BEST business opportunity, the best way to make money, and even the fastest way to earn it. I learned a lot, what not to do, what works for me etc. Now, I cannot say that I am an expert, but what I can do is share with you what I've done and how it can benefit you.
Network Marketing. Yeah, let's go straight to the point. This is my sole source of income, and I believe that it is the best type of residual income out there, other than buying into a franchise which most people rarely even have the income to make a half million dollar investment to succeed.
The first time that I was introduced into the network marketing industry was through a company that developed consumable products such as soap and laundry detergent. They were a great company, and I loved the people and the camaraderie, but I just wasn't passionate about the products. Yes, the products were amazing, but not enough for me to get excited to share them with my friends.
Many years passed by, and I kept searching for other business opportunities, not necessarily network marketing businesses, but just anything that I can try my luck at. I've dabbled in online casinos, travel concierge services, nightlife marketing, eCommerce, affiliate marketing, and even day trading. But guess what I went back to? Network Marketing! Why? Because it works! And here's why:
It's all about finding a product or service that you love and use. It's not about the selling, it's about the belief. Is it something that you would share with your family and friends? If not, then it's not a product or service that is right for you. Do you believe in the company's ethics code? That's very important too! It's also about educating yourself about the Network Marketing industry itself, and how it works, what makes it legit etc. There is a reason why network marketing is a WHOPPING billion dollar industry, and why it also creates more millionaires than any other industry out there. Do you know why?
Because it's a PEOPLE BUSINESS. It's about people helping people. It's about building relationships, making friends, camaraderie, helping people because you love doing it, not because you can make money from them. That's where people fail in this industry.....they make it all about money, and that's the worst thing that you can do. People aren't stupid, they know if they are trying to be sold to, that's where most people fail, they're doing it all wrong!
The people who are successful in network marketing are true professionals who came from nothing and learned the ropes, and the one's that you see flooding your Facebook feed with annoying products and fake posts, well......those are the amateurs.
We were born to network and meet new friends
Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
Ok, for all of you who are not "people persons", trust me, I know where you are coming from. I can be anti-social at times (well maybe a lot ha ha), but we're human, we need human interaction, I know...it sucks lol =). But what I've found in what I do with network marketing is that, you can impact lives without even talking to people. I have learned many ways to do this, but one of my best avenues for success have been from blogging, and I am not even a writer, I'm actually terrible at it, but it is the best way that I've learned how to express myself and connect with others. Do you relate? Trust me, there's something for everyone in this industry, and I'm here to help you find what works best for you!
With technology these days, you can potentially build a multi-million dollar business from your smartphone or laptop. Training systems are at your finger tips 24/7! There are so many ways to connect with people without doing the traditional old way of home meetings and using a white board....yuck! This may be great for people who love being in front of people, but I've met a lot of people like me (hates being a salesman), and it's all about finding your strength and running with it. As technology changes, so does the network marketing industry, and mind you, for the better!!!
So how can you use this as a vehicle to success? Here are my success points to using today's Network Marketing business concepts as a vehicle to your success in anything that you want to do:
- Find a company that has products and services that you love
- Make sure that the company has integrity and has good ratings with the Better Business Bureau
- Start small by just learning about the industry, the long term benefits, and incorporate the business into your lifestyle
- Don't sell, do share
- Start a blog about anything that you love, and incorporate online banners and links from the products that you love and use from the company that you have chosen to partner with.
- Don't change who you are (NO, NO, NO!!!), use the products and services to enhance your life and share it
- Be consistent. If you make it part of your life on a daily basis, it will be organic with your network of friends. Don't do "sudden burst" business posts, like all of a sudden you're a business consultant yeah right, that's fake....just be upfront with people and let them know that you are testing the waters and don't be afraid to get their opinions.
- Your job is still a priority while you are just getting started with a new business, but treat your business like a business, and it will be a business. Treat it like a hobby, and it will always be a hobby.
- Believe in what you do, get rid of toxic people in your life. Find true supporters and surround yourself with people who want "REAL" (and I quote) real success for you.
All the above is what I've personally done with my network marketing business and it has allowed me to expand my ideas into other business projects that I am passionate about. You may not like the idea of network marketing as a financial vehicle, and that's ok, this was the vehicle that I used and love and what has taken me to the next journey in my life. If you choose network marketing, or you are on the fence about it, feel free to message me, I can help. If you decide to go another route and choose a different vehicle to help you with your success, then that's great too! It's all about respecting and supporting each other, and I'll be honest, there just aren't enough people doing this. Keep moving forward, and I hope to see you somewhere around this beautiful planet =)
Thanks to Network Marketing, I am able to travel the world and pursue my passion in filming
obstacle course racing events, it's been a blessing!
I'm going to make this post really quick, but I am almost finished with my 2+ month road trip from the east coast of the USA to the west coast, to the Blue Mountains in Canada and back to Florida. When I'm done, I will have driven over 13,000+ road miles!
One of the things that I've found that most people struggle with during long road trips of one week or more is how to stay awake and active on the road, and so I just wanted to share what I did during my 2+ month road trip.
1. When you stop at a rest area to take a potty break, try parking at one of the parking spaces furthest away from the restrooms. From your car, jog or even lunge all the way to the restrooms, do your business, and jog or lunge back to your car. Once you get back to your car, do 15-30 burpees, or 50 jumping jacks. Stretch if you have time.
2. When you stop at a gas station to pump gas, this can be the "burn out round". When you are filling up, choose an exercise and do it for as many reps as you can until your gas tank is filled up. Ideal exercises would be: push ups, squats, jump squats, pulsing squats, pulsing lunges, plank holds etc. (choose one) Try going for as many reps as you can, or even holding a plank for the whole duration, which isn't that long at all, but it's all about staying active on the road =) *Please note that you may have some people looking at you like you are weird, but guess what, you will probably never, ever see them again. But also, you never know, you may inspire someone to get back into shape too =)
3. When you stop by a gas station for a potty break. Go ahead and do your business, find a parking spot and do a Inch Worms around your car. If you have time to do extras, grab a backpack and do some squat thrusts, or open up your car door, stick your feet up on one seats and do decline push ups to failure, that will wake you up!! =)
So this is just some of the things that I did that didn't take a very long time, but it kept me awake and of course kept me active. You can always do more, but the key is to get to your next destination, so these small things can help you get there safely while keeping the blood flowing! =)
Sometimes I enjoy taking my time and I will even do full workouts at a rest area. I especially enjoy getting on my smartphone, finding a good spot around a picnic area and logging on to my Beachbody on Demand fitness app and doing a quick T25 or Insanity Max 30 Workout, I'm always wide awake after a full workout.
So Camelback Mountain in Phoenix AZ was such an amazing hike. I met up with some friends who live in the Tempe area and they were pretty much my mountain tour guides for the day =)
The one thing about Camelback is that even though it is considered a very difficult double black diamond trail, there is a lot of foot traffic, especially on the weekends. If you don't like a lot of crowds, it might be best to hike it during the week.
The route that we took was going up the Echo Canyon Trail to the top, and down the Cholla Trail. And for some reason we still had enough energy to do it again, so we went up Cholla then back down the Echo Canyon Trail which totaled about 5.5 miles. Most people go up the Echo Canyon Trail and back down.
I highly recommend that you try to get there as early as you can because the parking at the trail head is very limited. I had to actually circle the neighborhood for about 10 minutes before a parking spot was available. Here is the address to the Echo Canyon Trailhead:
Echo Canyon Trailhead (Camelback Mountain)
4925 E. McDonald Dr.
Phoenix, Arizona 85018
(602) 261-8318
Located within the Phoenix Mountains Preserve in Phoenix Arizona, the Summit Trail on Piestewa Peak is one of the most popular trails which overlooks the City of Phoenix and surrounding areas. The 2.3 mile trail is considered difficult and recommended for experienced adventurers or motivated beginners.
Address:
Phoenix Mountains Preserve - Piestewa Peak
2701 E Squaw Peak Dr.
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Although it was pretty hot when I started hiking a little after 10am, I still had a great time hiking. There are some shaded spots so that you can take some breaks. I recommend getting there early to beat the heat, and don't forget to bring some water and a light snack!
After your hike, take a little break and head on over to the Trailhead Bike Cafe for some Cold Brew Coffee or cold beverages!
Feel free to check out my quick video below, I also included my short hike up the Tempe Butte, also known as the "A" Mountain. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to message me =)
"A" Mountain Address:
100 S Mill St.
Tempe, Arizona 85281
It's so funny that I just now heard of the term "overlanding", which is word used to describe off-road camping. I've been doing this for years now, and are you telling me that it's cool now?? =) I thought it was pretty cool before! =)
I was introduced to this concept of "roughing it" when I started to travel a lot on the road to film various obstacle course racing events in North America. I was looking for the most economical way to travel without spending a lot of my hard earned cash on fancy hotels. I was at a race one weekend, and someone asked me where I was staying, and I told him that I'm not sure yet, I haven't booked anything, and he said why book when you have an SUV like what you have here?
I was like, sleep in my truck? Are you crazy!!!
The funny thing is that I couldn't find any accommodations that was within my budget, and that was near the event site, so I ended up sleeping in my truck that night.
I woke up and said, wow, that wasn't that bad, and I saved some money, now I can eat a steak ha ha!! From that point forward, I ended up getting more creative and learning about really using the resources that I had to save me the most money to take me to the next destination. I bought camping supplies, a cooler, some workout equipment, and I officially became an OVERLANDER! A minimalist now for almost 3 years, this way of travel was just right up my alley, and I loved it.
OVER TWO YEARS LATER
I'm still traveling the roads as a nomad, saving money, and enjoying the outdoors. My overland vehicle (which is a lender vehicle mind you) is not all decked out with a TEMPUI tent on the roof, but I am keeping things simple. I occasionally book rooms at budget hotels, hostels and Airbnb's when I need to get some work done with some fast internet, but you will mostly find me at camp sites.
The fact that I love working out with nature as well, just makes this lifestyle perfect for me. Thanks to my Beachbody on Demand Digital library, my gym comes with me everywhere!!
I will be on the road starting from Florida (tomorrow), and heading to the west coast as far as California, and then up to Canada, and then back to Florida before heading to Asia mid-November. The plan is to visit various state and national parks during the week, and then work on film projects on the weekend. I will also be working my online coaching business because heck, without that, I would not be able to travel all the time =). Besides, being able to help people while I am going through my own life journey is priceless! I still can't believe that I help people get fit for a living by using my smartphone, it's so surreal!
Anyways, my trip begins tomorrow morning after I spend some quality time with my daughter today! She is still in class as I am writing this post =) I will also be stopping by north west Florida to see my parents for a day, but after that, the adventure begins, so excited!! =)
So if you see me on the road, camp site, working out, race event etc., feel free to hop on and hop off with me. Life is not so much about the places that you visit, but the people that you meet along the way.
So there are a lot of ways to visit the Sacred Valley, and although I feel that the best way to experience Machu Picchu is by partaking in one of the 1-11 day treks, there are far easier ways for the non-hikers. If you are the adventurous kind like myself, there are about 6 off the beaten treks to take, anywhere from the Inca Trail (1-4 days), to the Salcantay Route - 5 to 8 days (Mount Salcantay reaches up to 20,500 feet high), to even the Lodge Trek where you rough it during the day, and sleep in lodges at night (7 to 11 days). I didn't have that much time unfortunately, but I just wanted share with you my little journey on how I visited the Sacred Valley, and how I did it on a budget. If you're rich with FAT POCKETS, then that's great, take me with you because I would love to go back! One day I plan go back and do the Salcantay Route!
I arrived in Lima, Peru via bus from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Of course you can fly, but like I said before, I do things on a budget so that I can travel 7+ months out of the year. You can of course fly straight into Lima which I will do next time, but I actually had a film project in Ecuador, so that is why I was there. Ecuador was amazing btw, if you ever go there, you must visit Banos!
From Lima, you can either fly or take a bus to Cusco, which was once the capital of the Inca Empire, and now the main hub to Machu Picchu. I took the bus and it ran me only about $28 USD, which I booked via a website called Busbud.com. It took 21 hours, so if you don't have much time, you may want to fly. You will find various bus companies, but I chose CIVA because it was much cheaper, but still had good reviews, and it ended up beating my expectations. CIVA also has different categories of buses such as ECONO, SUPER, and if you have a little bit of extra money to spend, EXCLUCIVA is where it's at! Just FYI, the buses in Peru are known to sometimes be better than a lot of the airlines! I mean, the buses will feed you up to 3-4 meals depending on the distance. You'll be lucky to get pretzels from an airline these days! I don't mind taking the buses because you are able to see more of the country, and I really enjoy seeing different parts of the places I visit. With flying, you miss out on a lot of amazing scenery.
Cusco ended up being a lot bigger than I expected, which I really didn't like. I gravitate towards the smaller towns and villages. Although I didn't care for Cusco as much, there is still plenty to do, and activities to book prior to visiting Machu Picchu. One thing that I wasn't able to do, but wished I did was visit Rainbow Mountain. It's about 2-3 hours outside of Cusco, but definitely worth the trip if you have the time. Just to warn you, the trek is about 6 days if you want to do it the right way, and get this, some people say the level of difficulty is MUCH higher than trekking up Machu Picchu! There are also one day treks to Rainbow Mountain, but I only recommend that if you have limited time.
Rainbow Mountain - Photo Credit: Forbes
GETTING BACK ON TRACK
From Cusco, the goal is to get to Aguas Calientes, which is the main town at the bottom of Machu Picchu. Yes, it is that tough to reach Machu Picchu, that's why it's one of those places that you have to visit. There is NO DIRECT way to visit the Sacred Valley, it's a journey, and one that you can customize yourself.
I recommend buying your Machu Picchu Tickets at least a week in advanced!
Okay, so prior to Cusco, I originally purchased a train ticket to get me from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, but come to find out, the train station that I booked with (Inca Rail) was about 2 hours away in a place called Ollantaytambo. I think there is a rail company in Cusco (Peru Rail) that goes from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, but not sure, if there is one, it is definitely going to be pricey, because the train option is not cheap, unless of course you're rich =).
Ollantaytambo is where most of the 4 day treks start from. The best way to get to Ollantaytambo if you are on a budget is to take one of the combi buses (local passenger mini vans) from Cusco. Yes, you can take a taxi, but you will get ripped off. Even if you find a good deal with a taxi ($20-40), it WILL NOT beat the price of only 10 soles ($3 USD) if you take the local mini van. Again, the ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo is about 2 hours. There is also a bus that can take you from Cusco to a stop called "Hydroelectrica" just a bit before Aguas Calientes for about $30+ R/T (you can probably find cheaper rate at $20 I heard), but you still have to trek about 2 hours to get to Aguas Calientes, the trek isn't that difficult, mostly flat dirt and gravel road.
To get to the combi mini buses in Cusco, they are located at the corner of Ave Grau and Calle Pavitos. There is no specific time they leave, they try to fill up the buses to make more bang for the buck. The mini buses leave as early as 2:30 am daily, no reservations needed, just show up with your 10 soles!
From Ollantaytambo, I took the Inca Rail to Aguas Calientes, and this was the most expensive part of my journey, it was about $116 R/T, and that was the cheapest (Executive Ticket). Inca Rail does provide a complimentary beverage, snack, and a piece of chocolate for the 55 minute or so journey. If you chose a different ticket such as the Presidential, I think you get a fancy meal, and some cocktails.
Ollantaytambo is a really cool place, I would stay here over Cusco, they even have their own National Park (costs 70 soles, about $20 USD) and various hikes.
The Inca Rail dropped me off right in the middle of Aguas Calientes, where it was only a 5 minute walk to my guesthouse that I stayed at which set me back only $17 per night (Don Andre). Yes, there are some fancier places to stay, but my ass isn't going to be in the hotel, my plan was to explore, not to admire my bed linens.
Have a better Machu Picchu Experience, get in shape before hiking up!
Now if you read this far, you saw that I recommended that you purchase your Machu Tickets at least one week in advanced right, well I didn't ha ha. I actually purchased mine the day before. Here's the reason why. The main website (see above) that you purchase the tickets from is really crappy, and what I mean by that, it is very difficult to navigate, and if you are not spanish, the website does not work very well in english. I even tried to book my ticket in spanish format, but it still didn't work. Come to find out, it was my Visa Card. They only take certain visa cards, and mine happened to be the wrong one =) At that point, I tried booking with a ticket agency just to get it over, but even they were horrible to deal with, and charged outrageous booking fees, up to $20 more than what the original tickets cost. So what did I do? As soon as I arrived to Aguas Clientes, I went straight to the offices of the Regional Directorate of Culture, and I bought my ticket directly from them, with no fees! Just FYI, they only take cash, so make sure that you have some SOLES, or get some at an ATM which is near the main plaza. There is also an office in Cusco where you can purchase your tickets directly as well, that is if you are having issues with the website. But again, please do not do what I did, because you might not be so lucky. Get your tickets at least one week in advance =).
I recommend getting the Machu Picchu + Mountain Ticket, it only costs $61
There are two mountains to choose from, either one is great!
The mountain views are amazing, and you get some serious extreme exercise!
I recommend spending at least two nights in Aguas Calientes because depending on how you make it to Machu Picchu, you may need some time to recover.
SO YOU FINALLY MADE IT TO AGUAS CLIENTES!
Aguas Calientes is where most of the 4 day treks end up before heading up to the hike up to Machu Picchu. If you are doing the same thing that I did, you can start hiking up from Aguas Calientes (the hike from Aguas Clientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu is FREE). The hike is about 1 1/2 hours on average if you are taking your time, or you are out of shape. It is pretty much straight vertical with some flats that crossover some of the shuttle bus double tracks. If you do not want to do the hike up from Aguas Calientes, you can take the shuttle bus which is about $10-12 each way. Be warned though, there is a long line for the shuttle buses no matter if you have a shuttle ticket or not. Let's put it this way, it was faster for me to hike up and down versus waiting in line for a shuttle.
I purchased the Machu Picchu + Mountain Ticket (Montana Mountain or "Old Mountain") because the more popular one "Huayna Mountain" was all booked up way before I started looking at tickets. If I am not mistaken, the Huayna Mountain is shorter but steeper, and has some actual ruins, versus the "Old Mountain" is longer, still very treacherous, but without any ruins atop the mountain. The average hike time to the top of the "Old Mountain" is about 2-3 hours. If you are in pretty good condition, you can do it in far less time, my buddy and I did it in exactly one hour.
If you are not doing a multi-day trek to Machu Picchu, I recommend doing the hike up from Machu Picchu, then one of the mountain peaks, the Inca Bridge, the village, and then hike back down to Aguas Calientes. After that, you'll be craving a CusQuena Beer, maybe a few of them!
And that's how I did Machu Picchu on a budget. You don't have to spend a lot of money to see this "Wonder of the World", you just have to be adventurous, do a little bit of research, and be willing to be independent of tour companies to save some cash. If you have any questions, feel free to message me, but most of all, go out and explore, it's a beautiful world out there! =)
