Machu Pichu has long been on the sacred journey wish list and the opportunity came to tour Peru with my daughter, Clare in 2004. She was working in Ecuador on the staff of an educational environmental programme in the Amazon jungle run by Global Vision International ( www.gvi.co.uk ). During one of her breaks we took back packs and bumpy buses from Lima to Cuzco, Machu Pichu to Lake Titicaca and La Paz.

Gateway of The Sun

Despite heavy tourism Machu Picchu is still an awe-inspiring spot. One can't help but wonder at the inspiration that drove the construction of this city among the Andean clouds. The most energetically potent part of the ruins for us was the Temple of the Sun and the 'sun hitching post' used to time the solstices and equinoxs.

Aries Full Moon from the Isle de la Sol, Lake Titicaca

The Sun theme continued when we visited the Isle de La Sol on the full moon. This was the mythological birthplace of the Incan sun god who journey in search of the 'centre' for the empire before founding it at Cuzco. Energetically Lake Titicaca reminded me of the opposite pole to Lake Manarasovar and Mt Kailas in Tibet - a basic energy to balance the crown. Interestingly both are associated with the energy of Shamballa.

Aesthetically the island 'floats' in its high altitude lake with a mystical crispness - the thin air and the huge stone steps combine to produce plenty of rest stops affording stunning views.

Reed boats ply the waters between the Isle de la Sol and Copacabana reminiscent of the Kontiki that Thor Heyerdayle hypothesised made long sea voyages from South America.