Machu Picchu - Because 2 posts aren't enough

So as Stu says yeah I had a feeling that this would be the place (7 bloody countries) I think I had waited my time very well. Before we came away a friend of a friend had a very impromptu wedding where she invited people 2 weeks before and had a great little wedding. I thought this was an amazing idea and was considering the pros and con's of getting married before we came away. I spoke to Stu about this and he said that it would be lovely to have this trip as our honeymoon but wouldn't it be better to be able to say that we got engaged in some far flung beauty spot not Staly Vegas?!!!!!

Point taken, I also discussed this with my mum (who had to go and make her already pristine bed so she could steady her nerves) and my older sister Ali who gave me the very good advice that all a boy really has to do for a wedding is the proposal and if Stu wanted it to be somewhere different I shouldn't take that away from him. (Great advice sis).
So I dropped the idea of going on an 18 month honeymoon and just went on a great holiday.

While we were in Antic I happened to stumble into the many jewellery shops 'just to look'. One of them had the perfect ring unfortunately it was being sold as the wedding ring with an absolutely hideous engagement ring. It was taking away a little of the surprise element but Stu thought it much better to be able to present a ring that not only fitted but one I would like too. So we spoke with the girl and just bought the one. So that was Guatemala, CENTRAL AMERICA. I knew it was there, I knew where it was but I had to forget it. Easier said then done.

Fast forward to Machu Picchu, we went the wrong way, I was happy to keep going and look at the site from the other side and you know just look around but Stu was adamant we had to go back and up to the top straight away. Not old did he know he was asking at Machu Picchu but he knew exactly where abouts too. So back we went to the Gate House unfortunately by the time we had gone and come back there were a few people there so further up we went. I was knackered and probably protesting just a little at the extra height, but up we went.

We took our obligatory photos with Stu standing behind me. He spoke about how it had taken us a while to get here but we made it in the end and that while we were here he wanted to ask me something. Cue the butterflies, and the nerves, I turned around Stu was on his knee with a ring box in his hand. Yes there was 3 pleases as every girl should have and yes there was a "Yeah Ok", and yes there was a boob hug and yes there were tears. So there are your 3 yes' to the 3 pleases.

We stood there for a while beaming, yes it was better than Stalybridge, no it wasn't in a posh restaurant with nice clothes on, (I was in short trousers socks and hiking boots!!! not very me) but it was perfect and very us. I did have to scrape the chipped red nail varnish off so I could take photos of my hand and show it off without the classy nails.

The rest of the day was in a bit of a bubble, we petted llamas, of which Stu took 54 photos of (I think he may have had a thing for them). We decided that we had to celebrate. Down to the cafe just outside the site, I decided that if they had champagnes that we would partake, even if we don't really like it but it situations like this one must sacrifice!!!!! They did and I had a small bottle which I saved and will be placed on a shelf in every home that we live in. Stu had a beer. It was about 9am but we had been up since 4.15am so it was aloud.

When we came back to Aguas Caliante I rang my mum, who was being allusive and unreachable. Sometimes she can't hear her phone and she doesn't answer calls from private numbers so i sent a text message saying that i had some good news and that she had to answer.
I rang again and Grace (little sister, I say little she is about a foot taller than me and going to be 20 soon but she will always be my little sister) answered asking what my good news was. I asked here why she was reading mums text messages and that I couldn't tell her till I told mum. She pushed and I told her, at which point she screamed for
 Mum, who may have been up straightening imagined wrinkles from her bed.

When I told mum that we had gotten engaged she told me that she had been watching Momma Mia all day and crying and that she knew that something was going on. Mothers intuition eh? She asked to speak to her future Son-in-Law, who when he came on the phone after the obligatory "yes I will take care of your daughter" told her that my family was mad but that it was ok that so was his!!! (Before he took the phone from me he asked if she could just email him!!!)

We stayed in our little bubble for the rest of the day wondering round. We met people that we had been hanging round with in Cusco who asked how the day was going, I answered
"oh yea ok, just got engaged". There were a few girlie squeals (exactly what you need when you are newly engaged and away from your real friends) and Stu thrusting forward my hand to show people.

So I am now an engaged lady, I changed my relationship status on facebook, told all the friends, and we called each other fiancee. No longer can Stu say "wait till you are asked" when I discuss our wedding, and when I go home I will be aloud to not only touch but try on the dresses in Ali's wedding dress shop. Wooo hooo.