Kali´s Hitlerian Death March

Trip Start Oct 23, 2008
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Trip End Dec 18, 2008


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Where I stayed
Marlon´s house
(Cusco hotels)

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Friday, November 28, 2008

We spent one day in Cusco enjoying the beautiful city -- We had a Thanksgiving dinner of burgers and beers -- called our families -- Kali got ice cream from McDonalds - yep it tastes the same (only a little better)  -- and we left at 7am for our Machu Picchu jungle tour.   We spent about an hour in the van with our 6 other group members plus guide as we drove up a mountain to 4300m yes.... thatīs nearly 13 000 feet.  Kali got sick in the van.   We then donned helmets and biked 35km downhill -- through the sun and rain -- past rock slide clean up crews -- to 1400m and a small hamlet of Santa Maria.   We played cards, drank a few beers with the group, ate dinner and fell asleep by 9.  

We awoke the next morning at 6am and I found a green parrot sitting on a banana tree in the courtyard.  After a quick breakfast -- we headed out into the jungle on a 22km death march over moutians -- spine tingling crevaces -- past coca fields, mango trees, avocado and banana trees -- breathtaking views and steep precipices around every corner.  After 9 long hours we arrived at some hot springs -- we soaked our sore and tired bodies for a couple hours and then took a bus 15 min. to Santa Theresa and our hostel.    We ate dinner and fell asleep. 

The next day we hiked for four more hours along a river and a railroad track -- this day was pretty mellow -- to Aguas Caliente.  We checked into our hostel.   We tried to climb a mountain to get a view of Machu Picchu -- but after 20 minutes it started pouring down rain which made the rocks and ladders very slippery and unsafe.  We went back to the hotel and went to sleep, got up for dinner, and went back to sleep.

We awoke this morning at 3:30am and ate breakfast and caught a bus to Macchu Picchu.  

Along our travels over the last few months, weīve met several people who thought that Macchu Picchu was overrated.... those people are liars and haters.   It was amazing.   Words can not truly describe the majesty and grandure of this city -- the craftsmanship -- the natural beauty -- the inginuitive designs.   Our tour included a guided tour which was informative and then we climbed Waynapicchu -- which is the big mountain you see in all the photos -- that too had ruins and more views of the city.

In all the four days were incredibly exhausting but truly a once in a lifetime experience -- we didnīt get back to Cusco until 10pm and some of us didnīt get to bed until 5am -- which is another story for another time -- but it was an incredible, incredible tour.

We saw our friend Ross again the next day -- he was pretty sick from something he ate or drank -- I actually drank tap water a few times now, i canīt believe that Iīm not sick.  

Weīre heading off to Puno and then Bolivia -- only two weeks left -- gotta keep on keepinīon
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