You can never read too much!

I have always loved to read and before a trip, I scour the internet reading other blogs and doing google searches for the area I am about to visit. You can never read too much!  So last night I was surfing the web and reading about the park entrance to Machu Pichuu.  Evidently it opens at 6:00 am and that it is normally foggy until around 10:00 am. People arrive early and a line forms before the park opens and you need your passport to enter along with a properly filled out ticket. There are no restrooms inside the park , only outside the gate and you must have Peruvian money to use them. Once you enter the gate, there are luggage lockers to the left for a small fee and the park does not allow packs that weigh more than 11 pounds into the main area. So if you are hiking with a larger pack you must check it. The really cool thing that I found out is next to the luggage lockers,  you can ask for a special stamp from Machu Pichuu for your passport. No cost to do it but if you don't ask, they do not offer. Once inside the park, there are no benches and they recommend bringing something to sit on because the bugs are fierce.  I am bringing my light weight camping towel and my bug spray.  There is an additional hike that you can purchase to hike Waynu Pichuu.  Only 200 people at 8:00 am and 200 more at 10:00 each day. The mountain goes straight up and will take 90 minutes to two hours and the reward will be the view!  The description tells you it is not for people who are afraid of heights. The walk is steep and there are cables in the mountain to assist the climber and sheer drop offs. You are only allowed one walking stick in the park and it must have a rubber tip on it. Some of the blogs I read suggested you buy a box lunch the night before entering Machu Pichuu in Agua Calientes because there are no snack bars within the gates. It is a sacred area and you cannot smoke cigarettes (loved this!) and you will not be admitted if you are drunk. Probably a great idea considering all the cliffs and lack of hand rails!
Ending the day , we will board a train back to Cusco and again- small packs only weighing less than 11 pounds (5 kg). Anything larger must be put on the luggage train and collected later. You have to show id to retreive it. I also read that on the way back to Cusco,  it suggested seats on the right side of the train to get the best views of the river and scenary.
So , you can never read too much! Imagine reaching the entrance to Machu Pichuu only to discover that they won't let you in because you left your passport at the hotel/ hostel !  And knowing the bathroom needs change was an important tidbit me. Another tip- carry your own toliet paper. You will either be offered one square for your 50 cents or none at all. When I travel, I always try to assimilate their lifestyle but I bend the rule on this one!
I feel more confident when I travel if I do my own research.  I often google the area and  change my search to images. I love getting a glimpse of what the town looks like before I arrive, especially train stations.  They often look like Musuems to me .
My other tip would be to get currency for the country you are visiting. Atm machines are not on every corner and there are lots of places that will not take a credit card, for example- the bathrooms! I have been with travelers who wait until they arrive at the airport of their destination, only to find that the atm is out of money. The other thing I have learned, ask for small bills. It is very difficult to use the larger ones.  It is frustrating to have their currency and not be able to use it. The other misconception is that you will be able to walk into a bank and Exchange US dollars for local currency.  You won't.  You have to have an account with the bank in order to do that.
I always put my money in several places and never flash large bills. I have never gotten pick pocketed (yet!) but it can happen, so be smart.
That is it for today,  let me know what you found surprising or better yet- share your travel tips!