Yeah, I know it’s been a minute and I’ve been super inconsistent since I started doing these again, but it’s because I was very busy with school. Since finals are all done now, I’m hoping to put more of these out.
The episode starts off in Pine Ridge where everything seems peaceful until a Sporix attacks. All of the sudden, Zayto starts hopping from roof to roof until striking the sporix. The other rangers minus Amelia show up as well and Javi finishes it with a Stego Fury Strike. The rangers demorph and grab the sporix. It also turns out that the rangers are trying to see how fast they can take to destroy a sporix beast. Amelia shows up and apologizes for being late. It turns out that she’s actually filling in for Jane who is on vacation so she has a lot of work on her plate. The rangers all go their separate ways, with Zayto and Aiyon taking the Sporix back to base.
At Buzz Blast, Amelia is completely running the show. She gets a call from Jane who is in a hot air balloon with J-Borg. Jane asks if Amelia can run the office for a few more months since she wants to extend her vacation. Some boss you are, Jane. Amelia is glad for the offer, but her face shows she isn’t sure she can do it.
At Dinohenge, Ollie is on the phone with his mom who is working in Japan. Zayto, Aiyon, and Solon are looking at a solar system in hopes of finding Rafkon. Ollie tells them that they may find an answer in library books about stars. Aiyon says that this “Lie Barry” person sounds shifty. Ok this made me laugh a bit. Ollie tells him it’s a building and gives him the address.
At Area 62, Slyther wants to go into Void Knight’s secret room since he’s destroyed and can’t prevent him from going in. Mucus is about to slam a wrecking ball into the locked door. She rides on it and slams herself against the door turning her to slime. The door is also unharmed. A picture of Void Knight then pops up on the screens and he calls out for Mucus and Slyther, who are shocked he is still alive. Mucus calls him an imposter when a new Sporix Beast named Bitscream comes out of the computer. Void Knight says his plan requires something from the rangers.
At the library, Aiyon who is holding a ton of books on astronomy is walking out with Javi and Izzy and he asks them if they wanna help. Izzy turns it down since her astronomy test is next week. I’m sorry, who the heck takes astronomy in high school? Seriously I haven’t met a single person who did. Izzy’s phone rings with the exact same ringtone as my grandmother. It’s Fern! She picks it up but can’t hear anything due to what seems to be a jammed signal. Her phone becomes all pixelated and Bitscream pops out of it. The three rangers morph. Aiyon takes a hard hit. They keep fighting the sporix. They use a bunch of power ups and get very close to finishing him, but he ends up teleporting away. Aiyon finds his books all dirty near a destroyed flower shop. The owner sees his destroyed flower cart and cries very realistically. He begs the rangers to fix it and Javi uses a power up to do so. There’s something off about the owner though. Bitstream then pops out of a security camera and grabs Javi’s Fix-It Dino Key and leaves.
At the base, Amelia is upset that Buzz Blast’s servers are down. The rangers are also curious why the villains needed their fix it key. Zayto highlights that they can’t even use it without a Chromofury saber. They even have Void Knight’s saber in the base. Javi points out that Void Knight could still be alive, as he’s usually the one that gives orders to them. The rangers plan to investigate. They plan to find security footage of Bitscreem. Amelia then finds out Buzz Blast’s backup server is down too, and has to leave base to go there. The rangers find the footage and also see the flower shop owner turn into Slyther. Mucus and Bitscreem go to him and bow down to someone on a tablet, who is likely Void Knight. As Izzy is about to leave to tell Amelia, she sees a familiar pixelation on the computer. She tells the rangers they should try to destroy Void Knight’s Saber before anyone can use a key with it. Bitscreem who is spying from inside the computer is worried that the rangers will go through with it, as Void Knight needs his saber. Aiyon is hesitant but Izzy says it’s ok. She quickly closes and covers up the computer. The rangers get confused by Zayto realizes someone was likely listening to them. Izzy tells them what’s happening and they realize everything Izzy said is only bait to lure out Void Knight.
Back at Area 62, the villains are coming up with a plan to get the saber back.
Outside Dinohenge, the rangers set up dynamite to destroy the saber. Amelia is hesitant to believe Void Knight is still alive, but leaves to take a call. The rangers all begin going over the plan in a scripted manner. Amelia takes charge and tells the rangers to hide. She gets another call and picks it up. Slyther and Mucus show up and Bitscreem starts listening to Amelia. He pops out of her phone and grabs Void Knight’s Saber and teleports away. Javi is mad at Amelia and she says she had to take a call. The rangers now don’t know if Void Knight is alive. The villains confront them and the rangers morph up. Mucus and Slyther leave and Bitscreem teases the rangers saying they’ll never find him. Zayto tells Solon to send the T-Rex and Cosmic Combo Raptor Zords. He forms the T-Rex Cosmic Megazord. Zayto uses Cosmic Gateway to enter the computer to face off against Bitscreem. He blasts him but finds out Bitscreem can reboot himself. Zayto uses the Cosmic Gateway Strike to finish him and destroys him, even though it was just established he can reboot himself. What?
At Area 62, an unmorphed Void Knight has his Saber back, who is happy to have his powers back. He grabs his helmet and tells his comatose wife that the wait is nearly over.
The rangers are examining the computer until it suddenly explodes. The Sporix comes out, but Void Knight comes in to grab it and leaves.
At Buzz Blast, Amelia apologizes to the other rangers and confesses that she has to choose one responsibility, between being a ranger and running Buzz Blast. She calls Jane who is just waking in to tell her she needs to step down. Jane gets her attention from behind to Amelia’s surprise. Her and J-Borg start talking about their trip and how their hot air balloon was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. Their footage inside their camera bag then turns to dust from the heat of the eruption. They walk away and Amelia tells them it’s good to have them back. Zayto says it’s good to have Amelia back too. The episode ends there.
Yeah this episode was kind of so so. It’s the first episode of the season, yet a lot of it felt very fillery. There was really nothing new to come out of this. We know Void Knight was still alive because of the finale of season 1. Not much else went on. Bitscreem was a solid monster of the week though and he actually gave the rangers a hard time. I also thought the Megazord fight was pretty cool, even though Bitscreem’s rebooting ability got retconned like 5 seconds after it was established. I don’t know, I really don’t think highly of this episode. There should’ve been more that went on, especially since this is a season premiere.
This episode’s rating, is a 4/10.

Hey Reddit Fam!

So I filed electronically back on 2/15... See image below
https://preview.redd.it/ol40jzba9s1d1.png?width=718&format=png&auto=webp&s=10884423dfb4aa233e899b87385583e2281f2745
I received the "usual" letters everyone gets about unable to verify online on 3/29. My local office shut down "Walk In Saturdays" early due to the ongoing line outside the federal building with hostile people. Contacted IRS 4/10 per letter to schedule an appointment.
Had to drive 2 Hours away, just to Verify In-Person on 5/1...
My Transcript have only updated one time since 2/15. On 5/15 when I contact the Toll Free number; The wait time was an hour wait! So I continued to wait lol..
Finally I reached a LIVE agent; The IRS Rep asked me if I went to verify in person. "I told her yes I did" Then she places me on hold for 10mins to verify that I "Indeed went to verify".
To only come back on the phone to mention that it well take 9 weeks for an update. From when my transcript was processed on 5/13. She told me not to call back until 7/15.
I'm just lost for words at this point.

https://preview.redd.it/t28wn1cd8s1d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=340b1bdca55a3f5f0e985f73184c6529a6c06d27
B020
The UNITED STATES NAVY JUDGE ADVOCATES GENERAL'S CORPS began but DID NOT CONCLUDE the TRIBUNAL of ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND, whom the OFFICE of MILITARY COMMISIONS has CHARGED WITH TREASON FOR WEAPONIZING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT against PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP and the INNOCENT PROTESTORS who VISITED the CAPITAL PEACEFULLY on JANUARY 6. March 26, 2024.
The United States Navy Judge Advocates General’s Corps on Friday began but did not conclude the tribunal of Attorney General Merrick Garland, whom the Office of Military Commissions has charged with treason for weaponizing the Justice Department against President Donald J. Trump and the innocent protesters who visited the Capitol peacefully on January 6.
As reported previously, U.S. Special Forces arrested Garland on January 28 in Maryland, following his return to the U.S. from Poland, where he had been cowering and remotely directing the DOJ, hoping patriotic justice wouldn’t chase him overseas. As has been the case with myriad Deep Staters, Garland felt an uncontrollable urge to return to the roost, Washington D.C., and dropped his guard just long enough for White Hats to scoop him up. Once captured, the weaselly man who had often stoically insisted his Justice Department was impartial and equitable, devoid of bias, regressed into a heap of sniveling flesh, bewailing his predicament and asking Jesus to “please kill Donald Trump,” an odd request considering Garland is Jewish.
Garland’s lawless rule led to the wrongful incarceration of numerous patriots, but he couldn’t stomach five minutes behind bars. In pretrial confinement at Camp Delta, Garland had proclaimed his innocence, screaming, “Let me out of here,” while insisting he had only ever enforced the letter of the law, crossed every ‘t,’ and dotted every ‘I.”
JAG, however, contended that Garland bent the law to fit the Deep State’s sinister agenda and, when necessary, invented new rules aimed at eroding the Constitution and depriving citizens of their rights and freedoms. Garland had naturally refuted that allegation during an early interview. According to Garland, he had claimed he was simply an appointed official tasked with punishing felons, among them the J6ers and President Trump.
Vice Admiral Darse E. Crandall’s opening statement at Friday’s tribunal painted Garland not as an administration lackey but a puppet master who pulled Biden’s strings. He contended that while a reclusive Biden hid in his basement, Garland, Antony Blinken, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the late Lloyd Austin steered the nation toward destruction.
Garland, who had chosen to represent himself, was handcuffed to the defense table and peering over his eyeglasses as the admiral informed the 3-officer panel that JAG wanted Garland to hang for his crimes against America and its people. JAG had advised detainee Garland to display proper courtroom decorum; unruly outbursts would be met with a swift, harsh rebuke.
His opening remarks were succinct: “I am innocent of all charges. President Joseph R. Biden appointed me as Attorney General of the United States. I dispassionately applied equal justice to all and shall be vindicated.”
Admiral Crandall argued that Biden’s naming of Garland attorney general in March 2021 was merely ceremonial and that corporate entities and foreign dignitaries vetted him for the role as early as January 4, 2021. He called his first witness, President of the European Council and Bilderberg member Charles Michel, to the stand.
Real Raw News learned Monday that JAG arrested Michel on espionage charges on February 5. He had agreed to testify at Garland and other Deep Staters’ tribunals in exchange for a 25-year prison sentence. We have no information on his arrest and situation beyond what is described in the rest of this article.
Michel supplied his backstory and academic and work history and identified the defendant by pointing at him.
“Mr. Michel, you’ve met detainee Garland before today, haven’t you?” the admiral queried.
Michel nodded. “Only once.”
Garland straightened in his seat as if an electric charge had passed through him. “This is a set-up; I swear I’ve never met this man in my entire life.”
“Detainee Garland, we’ve discussed this. You can redress the witness once I’m finished,” the admiral said. “Now, Mr. Michel, how and when did you meet the defendant, and what were the circumstances of the meeting.”
“I met Merrick at his house in Maryland to inform him he would likely be the next Attorney General in the United States,” Michel said.
“I’m an educated man, Mr. Michel, but this confounds me, so correct me if I’m wrong. You’re a Belgian citizen. What in the world would give you authority to promise detainee Garland anything?” Admiral Crandall asked.
“I was more a messenger,” Michel replied.
‘Deliver whose message?” the admiral asked. “Who told you to speak to the defendant?”
“I was told on a video call with a man who looked very much like Barack Obama and Jean-Pierre Lacroix,” Michel replied.
Lacroix, a French national, is the under-secretary-general for Peace Operations for the United Nations.
“At the same time?” said Admiral Crandall.
“If you mean, were we all on the call simultaneously, the answer is yes,” Michel said.
“Why did you qualify your mention of Obama with ‘looked very much like’?” Admiral Crandall probed.
Michel shrugged. “As I understand things now, based on rumor and innuendo, not any real proof I’ve seen, Barack Obama might have been dead long before that call, and the person perhaps pretending to be him was just some man in a mask. I know there’s a man running around pretending to be me, so why not him, Obama, too.”
“And now, in retrospect, do you not have the same concerns about Lacroix?” the admiral continued.
“Him I’d met before, entirely unrelated. It was the real Lacroix,” Michel said.
The admiral reached for a pitcher of water and poured a glass. “Why Garland? Was there an impetus for wanting him to be Attorney General over anyone else?”
“Because he had the credentials and already hated Donald Trump and Trump’s supporters and political allies. He was the perfect choice. Trump and his people represented a disturbance, you see, a schism in the order of things. Merrick was told he’d be appointed prior to our meeting’; my job was seeing him face to face, getting a read on him, and making sure he understood that Trump was to be put in jail, made ineffective, or even killed,” Michel said.
“You tell an illuminating story, Mr. Michel, in which shadowy foreign figures influence presidential appointments and dictate U.S. policy. It’s all cloak-and-dagger. Besides your word, have you any proof to substantiate your claim?” the admiral said.
“The only physical proof I had is what you already have,” Michel responded.
“Then let’s take a look,” said the admiral. On a large screen he broadcast a recording of Michel’s video call with Obama and Lacroix, whose faces appeared side by side. Obama did most of the talking.
“Mr. Michel, Merrick Garland will be expecting your visit. He understands you are our emissary. We expect you to reiterate our message to him: once confirmed by the Senate, he will use the full weight of the Justice Department to hunt down every insurrectionist at the Capitol. And with the FBI at his disposal, he can once and for all deal with Donald Trump and his family,” Obama enunciated each word slowly.
“And, Monsieur Michel, you report back, let us know if he has trepidations,” Lacroix said.
“We do not expect that to be a problem,” Obama said.
“I understand completely,” Michel said in response.
The admiral faced the panel. “Army Cyber Command evaluated the clip. They say they’re 98% certain the voice is Obama’s, but only 76% the face is really his. But whether or not that’s the real Obama and Lacroix is largely irrelevant. What’s important is whether the defendant agreed to this unnatural union of forces determined to weaponize the DOJ for political gain.”
He continued: “Mr. Michel, what did you personally tell detainee Garland, and what was his response.”
“I told him that both Obama and Biden wanted him as long as he pledged to eliminate Trump. And he told me he planned to do that anyway, that getting rid of Trump and his MAGA would be his capstone achievement,” Michel said.
“Was there any concern, Mr. Michel, among you and your associates that he wouldn’t pass muster. I mean, a president appoints, but the Senate confirms.”
Michel waved his hand dismissively. “Confirmation was a formality. The result was never in doubt, Admiral Crandall.” Michel wore a sinister grin.
“No further questions at this time,” the admiral said. “Detainee Garland, you may cross Mr. Michel.”
Garland cleared his throat. “I’d like to approach the witness.”
“Mr. Michel can hear you just fine from where you’re sitting,” the admiral retorted.
Garland said, “You claim we met at my house. You’re a liar. I’ve never seen you before today.”
“The detainee will not badger or antagonize the witness,” the admiral chimed in. “Consider this your first and final warning, detainee Garland.”
“If, as you claim, we had this imaginary meeting. Where in my house did we meet? Can you describe my home’s interior?”
“Merrick. Remember, when we met, you asked me to call you Merrick, not Mr. Garland. I only saw a hallway and your sitting room. I sat on a burgundy sofa facing a bay window overlooking a dead garden. You were at a desk, oak, if I recall correctly. You were proud of it and said it belonged to your father. Behind you was a bookcase that stretched from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. You grinned at hearing you would have unilateral control of all domestic matters of justice,” Michel said.
Garland appeared uneasy, wobbling on his feet. “Thi..this is entrapment. You rehearsed this. You, Admiral Crandall, or your people must have raided my house and told this man, whom I’ve never met, what was inside. I’d like a recess and access to a law library please.”
“Well, I’ll grant you that request, detainee Garland, and see you get the books delivered to your cell. This tribunal will resume at 0900 on Monday morning.”
The admiral ordered MPs to escort Garland to his cell and instructed the panelists to not discuss the case among themselves or with anyone else without his explicit instructions.
I am expecting to receive notes on Monday’s proceedings this evening.

Trip Report in May: Lima, Cusco, Pisac, Machu Picchu

• We went on May 12th 2024.
• We don't speak Spanish but learned basic words to come by.
• I suggest you get some Sol currency from your home country before arriving. We took 400 Sol with us.
• I saw some posts suggesting BCP ATM to get cash, I would recommend against it. We used Cajero Banco de la Nacion ATM and we were not charged extra fees (although limit is 400 Sol).
• You can use credit card in most restaurants in Lima, Cusco, Pisac an Machu Picchu.

Lima:

• We bought SIM card in Lima airport from Peru SIM before leaving the free zone. Only passport required. 80 Sol for 5Gb/1week. I suggest you get more than 5G if you are going to browse the internet during your trip.

How to recharge Peru SIM:

1. Install Mi Cuy App
2. Choose "Peru SIM" from multiple choice question in the beginning.
3. Use phone number to login and your passport number as password.
4. Personally, none of my cards worked to recharge the SIM, I tried both Visa & Master Card).
5. There is an option to recharge but texting a WhatsApp number were they send someone to you to recharge it but I didn't explore that option.

• Stayed: 1.5 days (2 days ideal).
• We used Uber in Lima with no issues.
• We stayed in Miraflores, I would have stayed in Barranco but there were more options in Miraflores.
• Explored: Miraflores, Barranco, Centro Histórico.
• Before booking a restaurant check their opening hours. A lot of restaurants allow reservations half an before closing which can be frustrating.
• Tips: Book restaurants in advance, locals dine around noon. Tried: Isolina (100 Sol/person, good vibe, food okay) and Al Toke Pez (30 Sol/person, not worth >30 min wait). Other recommended spots: Jose Antonio, Cerveceria Del Valle Sagrado, Don Fernando Restaurant, La Petite France, Central, La Mar, Maido, Osaka.
• Bars: La Noche De Barranco, Juanito De Barranco.
• Walk/Visit:
  • Miraflores: If the sky is clear, go to Parque Del Amor and walk on Mal. Cisneros.
  • Barranco: Walk on Av. Almte. Miguel towards Parroquia La Santisima Cruz, Bajada De Baños, Bridge of Sighs, C. La Ermita, Biblioteca Municipal, Museo Pedro De Osma.
  • Centro: St. Martin Square, Jiron de la Union, Lima Main Square, Basilica & Convent of San Francisco, Mercado Central & Chinatown, Larco Museum.

Cusco:

• Stayed: 3 days (2 days for altitude acclimation).
• We used Uber in Lima with no issues.
• Some recommend you go directly from Cusco airport to Ollantaytambo (2 hours drive) to acclimate better to altitude, we didn't do that.
• Regardless how many days you are planning to stay, if you are visiting museums in cusco or planning to visit Archaeological sites. Consider buying "Tourist tickets" in cash at some sites entrances or in Cusco from "Boleto Turístico Cusco" Av. El Sol 103, Cusco 08002 ,Peru), I added table below but for more or updated details check here
• YOU CAN NOT get Tourist tickets from "COSITUC CENTRAL OFFICE" outside the Centro area. It's just management office.

CUSCO TOURIST TICKETS AS OF MAY 2024

• To acclimate to the elevation, consider the following tips: drink coca tea, avoid alcohol, eat light meals, and rest for the first two days.
• I took half a 25mg "Acetazolamide" pill from a pharmacy in Lima twice a day without consulting a doctor, but you should consult a doctor before doing so. Stay hydrated, and expect more frequent visits to the washroom due to the medication.
• Stayed: Airbnb near San Blas Market (east part quieter).
• Walk/Visit:
  • Explore San Blas Market square, walk east until the end of C. Carmen Alto, then walk up and take a right on C. Tandapata, then up on C. Pasñapakana to reach San Blas Viewpoint (great at sunset). LIMBUS RestoBar looks cool.
  • Explore the city center: Plaza Mayor de Cusco, Museo de Arte Religioso, Museo de Sitio Qorikancha, Plazoleta Espinar, Plaza Regocijo, San Pedro Market.
• Best prices for souvenirs I found are on C. Hatunrumiyoc & open market in Plaza Regocijo.
• Shopping: None of the shops have unique merchandise. Compare prices at multiple places, especially shops outside busy zones and away from the Marriott.
• I doubt that any pure Alpaca wool is sold in these shops, so price items based on their quality and softness unless you are certain it's pure Alpaca.

For food spots, I recommend:

• Pachapapa for dinner (better call and reserve if you're arriving after 7 PM).
• Sepia Cusco for a nice lunch (they have a great courtyard).
• Qura for breakfast or lunch.
  
• I heard Pizza is very good in Cusco, so you should try it.
  
• I liked Alpaca meat more than Cuy.
  

Pisac trip:

• To enter Pisac Archaeological site you need to buy a Tourist ticket circuit 3 which cost 70 Sol/Person. You can buy it in cash at the site entrance or in Cusco from "Boleto Turístico Cusco" at Av. El Sol 103, Cusco 08002 ,Peru more details here here
• We only visited Pisac from towns around Cusco to hike down from the Archaeological site, which takes about 2 hours. Our trip was short, and we wanted to focus on this hike.
• If I had another day, I would have also done the Rainbow Mountain hike. For Rainbow Mountain, consider staying in Tinki the night before to start the hike early, as it gets cloudy later. Tinki is 2.5 hours from Cusco.
• Most agencies offer group trips for around $50 USD/person and private trips for $120/person. We didn't want to visit multiple towns, so we hired an Uber driver (outside Uber) with a good car for 200 Sol for the whole trip (Cusco-Pisac and back), which was cheaper than any agency. We left at 7:30 am and returned by 2 pm. We took food and water to avoid stops on the way to Pisac except for view points of the sacred valley.
• A cheaper alternative is taking a public colectivo from 28 Puputi St in Cusco to Pisac, then a taxi from Pisac town to the top of the Archaeological site (25 Sol one way). Some posts said taking Collective can be dangerous so avoid this if you are not an experienced traveler.
• The hike itself is great. Although the car takes you to the top, you still need to climb for about 15 minutes before heading down. The altitude can be challenging, so take your time.

Machu Picchu
Booking Machu Picchu site tickets

• Which ticket to buy for Machu Picchu? If you just want to visit the site choose " Circuit 1,2 + Inca bridge" or "Circuit 1,2".
• Circuit 1 is half circuit 2. Take circuit 2 unless you physically can't take around 50 stairs.
• You have to provide passport number when you book the ticket. They will check your passport when you arrive at the site.
• We bought Circuit 1,2 + Inca bridge ticket two months before the trip. You can try to book it directly from the government website Gov website but we couldn't find available tickets "Cerrado" there so we bought it from the Joinn us site which worked the same for the same price
• Don't believe posts that say Joinn Us is a scam. They say that because they have not received the tickets in the email. This is because tickets are not sent to you by email. It would be available on the site on side menu under "tickets" or "Mis entradas". You can download the tickets from Joinnus site.
• If you are not able to buy Machu Picchu tickets online, you have to be in Agaus Calientes the morning before your visit to buy the tickets.
• You don't need to print your tickets.

Booking a ride to Machu Picchu:
To arrive to Machu Picchu from Cusco you need to:

1. Take a bus from Cusco to the train station as no trains leave from Cusco center (Except one, see below).
2. Take train a to Aguas Calientes.
3. Take a Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu site OR hike up dusty mountain road for 2 hours swarmed by buses with no much room.

Steps 1 & 2 are included in train tickets from Peru Rail or Inca Rail. A few things to note:

• The main difference between Inca Rail and Peru Rail is step 1. Inca Rail provides a bus ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (2 hours + traffic), then a train to Aguas Calientes (1h 40min). They ensure you reach Aguas Calientes, so no need to worry about connections.

IncaRail

• Peru Rail offers a bus ride from Cusco to Poroy station (30 min) and then a train to Machu Picchu or from San Pedro (5 min) in Cusco center.

PeruRail

• We chose Inca Rail's "The Voyager Bimodal - light" option, which includes a bus ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and then a train to Aguas Calientes in the lowest-cost cabin. The 2-hour bus ride was pleasant, and the cabin quality was good. Paying extra for the 1h 40min train ride isn’t necessary. If I had known about Peru Rail's San Pedro departure, I would have chosen that.
• Arrive at the station half an hour before boarding. Our Inca Rail bus left early to beat traffic as everyone was present.

For Step 3: Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

• Only one bus service runs frequently, about every 5 minutes.
• Tickets can be bought in person, where you'll need to stand in line, or online at Consettur.
• We bought tickets online to avoid lines, which weren't bad during our visit on May 16th.
• The round trip costs $24. I don’t recommend hiking up the mountain.

Note: According to EyeWitness: Peru travel book, there’s a cheaper way to get to Machu Picchu if you're on a strict budget. You can take a bus from Cusco to the Hydroelectric station and walk for 3 hours beside the railway tracks to Machu Picchu.
What time is best to visit Machu Picchu

• If you are doing circuit 2 (which you should as it's the longest hike in Machu Picchu) Temple of the Sun is only open between 1PM-4PM. Temple of the Condor 10am-1PM, Pyramid del Intiwatana 7am -10am.
• We didn't have a preference, but because we left Cusco at 8:30 am, we arrived Machu Picchu at 1PM. We took the 2PM time slot as we wanted to leave the next morning. No regrets.
• We didn't hire a guide (you don't need to hire a guide regardless of what other posts say). There are three things you need to know: 1) Follow signs for Circuito 2. 2) Make sure you don’t take the “platforma inferior” turning that happens 250m into the walk. Take "Platforma Superior". 3) If you bought the Inca Bridge ticket, know where to turn to see it. I found this travel blog helpful blog.
• I used google to read about the different sites.

Aguas Calientes

• We stayed at Gringo Bill's Hotel. It was decent, but I’d avoid hotels on the main streets due to noise. I didn’t like Aguas Calientes much (we stayed one night). If I had more time, I would have planned a same-day return trip to Ollantaytambo.
• Some posts mention the hot springs in Aguas Calientes, "Baños Termales (Machu Picchu)." It's more like a public bath and not really worth it, but the hike there is nice.
• Be cautious with food in Aguas. Many highly-rated restaurants are actually bad. I met a cook who worked there and got the inside scoop. Stick to safe food—avoid raw food and fish, and ask for well-cooked meat, especially burgers. Check the lowest and most recent reviews on Google.
• We ate at Ponchos, and it tasted good without making us sick. However, we had pizza at Pueblo Viejo, and I’ve had better frozen pizza.

After Aguas Calientes, we took the train and bus back to Cusco, then flew to Lima the same day. Flights from Cusco to Lima are often delayed, so check your flight history if you're on a tight schedule. We left for Lima Airport on a Sunday morning, and the roads leading to the highway were blocked, taking an extra hour to reach the airport.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. Next time, I would stay for two weeks and follow the EyeWitness: Peru travel book's two-week itinerary. I would also definitely do the Salkantay hike.