Oh my God how many steps!!!!!!!!!
Trip Start
Jun 26, 2006
1
94
119
Trip End
Feb 28, 2007
Agua Calientes,
Peru
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
We got a taxi to some house were we were issued with our pack lunch...then we had a short walk to the train station. Our guide made sure we were on the train and knew where to get off. We then had about 3 1/2 hours to enjoy the scenery. Was a cool journey....the first part of the journey involving switchbacks, where the train kept changing direction to get up the mountain....then it was through the sacred valley. We managed to get breaky on the train thankgod....couldnt have hiked all that way on an empty stomach! Was yummy too smoked beef and cheese sarnie....did panic when we thought the price might be in dollars not soles.....but it was soles...thank god....would have made it one hell of an expensive sandwich!We arrived at kilometer 104...our starting point at 9:45....just as i was visiting the loo having queued up for hours
a. view of cusco from train
! I just managed to finish and get off the train in time! Our hike began by crossing the rive on a cool wooden bridge...we then had to register at the first check point and get ready for the off....i was very apprehensive about what was to come....but it was too late now!
We stopped to check out a small ruin, where are guide explained about inca building and showed us the route we were gonna take....looked a long way up! Then we were off. Walked at a nice slow pace....our guide led to start and we were shcocked at how slow he walked and how he kept complaining it was too hot!! Think he was just trying to make us feel better! Eventually he let us set the pace and stayed behind....occasionally stoppping to tell us something interesting. The walking was okay to begin with...steadily uphill.....with amazing views of the river below. It then started to get a little tougher.....more and more steps...and the heat was increasing....still with regular breaks, lots of water and a reasonable pace i was quite enjoying it! Our guide kept complaining we never let him rest!!! Eventually we could see the place we were heading for...a small lodge and the next checkpoint....still looked a long way! The next part of the walk was really cool....we hiked through a deep part of the jungle....which was a lot cooler and wetter. It felt amazing to be that deep in the jungle.....passed a beautiful waterfall and crossed several wooden bridges....going downhill...knowing it meant more uphill to come
b. Start of our inca trail
. The last bit was quite tough.....lots of steep steps....until we reached the ruins of Winay Wayna...where we were faced with even more steps to the top of the ruins. I wasnt allowed to rest...so plowed on....lots of steps!! Eventually made it...a little after Neil and Americo.....and was allowed to rest! We sat at the top admiring the view while Americo told us all about the site and various funny stories....and i stuffed my face with choccies from my packed lunch...i was starving...its hard work this hiking lark! After our well earned break we continued on to the checkpoint...wasnt far...and there we had another rest for lunch...what was left of my lunch anyway!! Fully recharged it was time to move on. Only problem was the clouds had gathered and it looked like rain...so we got our waterproofs on ready for the downpour....but it never happened! It seems whenever we wear our rain stuff it stays dry! The next stage of the trail was fairly easy....we had joined the Inca trail proper....well the 4 day one anyway....i happen to think the 2 day is way cooler! It was gentle ups and downs....much more pleasant....well to begin with anyway! Americo had warned us the last 10 mins of this part was steep uphill.....so when uphills started to appear we asked is this the uphill and he would reply no, its just a little uphill....where starting to get very worried about how bad this last uphill was going to be! The uphills kept coming....till we ran into everyone else on the trail resting....wondered why till i turned the corner and saw the last uphill!!!
c. me struggling up hills!
! Was a steep long set of stairs! I decided to be brave and just power on up them, ahead of everyone else....after all it was the last up! They were dodgy steps...and pretty tough....but we were there before we knew it...and at the top were rewarded with the most amazing rainbow ever!!! Was so clear...never seen anything like it before. Then it was a short walk to the sun gate. Were hopeful of seeing something...the clouds had pretty much cleared...but nothing prepared me for the view we were about to see! Ive seen the pictures but they just dont compare. You cant see anything of Machu Pichu till you enter the sun gate itself...and then there it is.....in all its glory. We couldnt have asked for a better day.....it was so clear....and so impressive! Words cant really describe it....you just gotta go there!We sat and enjoyed the view for quite a while....recovering and taking far too many pictures. Then it was time to finish the days hiking. We walked down...yes down finally...to the site...where we stood and took it all in for a while. Even Americo who must have seen it a million times, couldnt take his eyes of it all! It was then time to leave for today anyway....and head down to the town for a well earned beer and some food. I was feeling really good....i hadnt found it that difficult and it was definately worth the effort, so when Americo suggested we walk down the steps....which he assured us was only about 25mins we stupidly agreed. The bus was expensive...and we thought we might as well finish the job properly. God we wished hadnt! It was a bloody long way.....words cant describe how far! Steps all the way down the mountain.....they went on forever and ever and ever....till i couldnt feel my legs anymore. I somehow made it to the end of the steps.....god knows how. Neil thought it was unbelievably hard....so god knows how i managed it! Think even Americo had forgotten quite how far it was! At the bottom i thought we were there but oh no....we still had 2km to walk to town
d. deep jungle
! I have no idea how i got there.....i was the walking dead....Americo said i looked drunk! It was just that bit too far....still we made it....i demanded we go to the nearest restaurant and get a beer. I had damn well earned it!!! Americo wanted us to go find the hotel....but we managed to keep him quiet by getting him a beer too! God that beer tasted good....even if it was rubbish Cusquena! While we drinking it, Neil worked out that it must have been at least 500m down the mountain from Machu Pichu and at least 2500 steps....now thats a lot of bloody steps!! I eventually managed to pry myself off the chair and stumble uphill...yes more uphill to our hotel.....was cheered up to see it was a very nice hotel....even if Americo had only found out which one it was 10 mins before! We had expected a dodgy little place but no it was nice ensuite place....where we enjoyed a lovely shower and a rest before having to head back down the hill for dinner. Dinner was cool....a set menu of typical food.....i had tomatoe soup....neil salad....yes you heard right....then we both enjoyed beefsteak. No beer for us....wasnt included and we were far too exhausted. So as soon as we had eaten we headed off to bed....another early morning ahead of us!The next morning we were up at 6am, breakfast at 6:30 and were on the bus to machu pichu...had to get there early to avoid the tourists and we were glad we did. Our tour lasted about an hour and a half....and Americo was really good, he knew we had already done the Sacred Valley and City tour....and so he didnt tell us all the stuff we already knew. He showed us all the main sights....the cool sun dial and sun pyramid and my personal fav the condor temple.....where they used to take the dead for their spirits to be taken away on the wings of the condor....such a cool thought. We managaed to avoid most of the tourists.....only having to wait once for another group to finish. Then our tour was over....we arranged to meet Americo later back in town, and we were free to wander
e. oh my god how many steps!
. I was too sore from yesterday to want to wander anywhere....so we headed to the cafe for coffee!! After a very enjoyable coffee....we decided we really should go and see some more of the place.....had hours to waste before our train back. Americo had suggested we hike up the īsmallī mountain behind Machu Pichu....yeah right....it might have been only a 45 min hike but it was uphill!! Steep uphill too! So instead we decided to climb to the top of the sight....was hard going but the view was worth it.....we could have sat there and soaked it up all day. We had fun watching the hoards of tourists pouring in.....trying to take pics of the llamas...or lawnmowers as they were known in Machu Pichu....but instead scaring them away! Then we decided we had had enough and headed down to find the bus back to town, it was getting far too busy and we needed a beer! The bus down took 30mins and seemed a long way...no wonder we thought it was a long way yesterday! A little lad...who we had seen yesterday.....jumped on the bus screaming...and then proceeded to beat the bus to the bottom of the mountain....by running down the very steps we had walked down yesterday....and he made it no probs. Couldnt believe it....he only looked a little hot too!! Had to tip the little guy....we knew how hard it really was!!
Back in town, we wandered a little, trying to kill time....the shops were all stupidly expensive, so we headed to the reastaurant. What else could we do? We drank a few beers and shared a pizza and fries. Then it still wasnt time for the train so we played cards and chatted to Americo...he seemed to enjoy watching and chatting to us. It made him laugh, the poor guy must have been so bored sitting around on his own! Then it was finally time to get our train....Americo walked us to the train....he had to wait another 30mins.....we said our goodbyes....sad to see him go....he had been such fun....and then it was back to Cusco. Wanted to sleep, but we ended up talking to an American and a German lad, about rubbish.....when it turned to politcs and girls....i had had enough and pretended to sleep leaving the guys to their conversation....was glad to finally arrive back in Cusco around 8pm....tired but happy!! An amazing trip.....that i would recommend to anyone!!
