The Inca Trail
And Machu Picchu
Oh-My-God (like Janice in Friends). What a trip this was! It is very difficult to describe all the feelings that go hand-in-hand with a trip like this one. Where to begin...
We started early on Day 1 (6am pick up). Our group consisted of Joaquin, our super cool Guide, and two women who should have stayed home or taken the bus. Geez they pissed us off. Two old american university lecturers who were way too old to come along, but decided they'd have a go anyway. But we'll skirt past this issue until later.
The trek was highly demanding, especially on the knees. I have come to the surprising realisation that I would rather climb any mountain than have to come back down it. This was sooooo hard on my legs, my poor knees need some serious therapy after this trek, but it was all so worth it in the end.
Day 1: piece of cake. We walked about 14km all up, some climbing and downhill parts, but generally fairly easy. Food was tops. We also had porters who carried everything for us, from tents and food to our packs and sleeping bags. Each porter was carrying around 25kg each, which blew me away. I was in awe every time i saw them run past us to the next pitt stop, where they'd be waiting all set up with out tents, food ready and smiles all round. Wow.
Everyone warned us that Day 2 was hell, but i actually had a great time climbing all those 15km worth of mountain paths and steps. We reached an altitude of 4200m at a place called Dead Women´s Pass, which i thought was named so because of the many women who died trying to get past it, but Joaquin the knowledgeable guide informed me that it's named so because of the silouette of the mountains at this point. It looks like a woman's profile, lying down, with a breast in the air complete with an erect nipple. I thought naming this place ¨Sleeping Woman's Pass¨ would have enticed more people to sign up for the trek, but maybe scaring tourists away was the original intention.
Anyway, despite the intense demand on our legs and lungs as we climbed further and further up the mountain, I really really enjoyed it and was very proud of my achievements. Grant did not enjoy Day 2.
Day 3 involved travelling mostly downhill, but my legs were cactus from the huge Day 2, so i did not have a good time going down the 2000 odd steps. Grant had a wonderful time on Day 3.
And Day 4 saw us rise at 4am so we could be at the Sun Gate 15min uphill from Machu Picchu well before sunrise. And when we finally got there (about 45min from our camp site), my jaw dropped. Literally, and exactly like they do in cartoons. DROPPED. I was almost in tears, it was so beautiful. When i saw Machu Picchu before me I couldn't believe i was actually there. It was worth EVERY drop of sweat, every downhill step i took to be there and then.
We spent quite a while just sitting there staring at this magnificent site when we were reminded by Joaquin to get closer so we could catch the sun hitting the uppermost section of the place. After a well-informed tour we were allowed some time alone to explore, which we did, but slowly, because we were so tired from the collective days of intense walking. By the time we left, all the poor souls who chose to catch the bus over (instead of the trek) were lining up to come in. The crowd was massive and i was so glad that we got to have the place to ourselves before the herds arrived. It certainly paid off to have made the pilgrimage by foot. We got to see a Machu Picchu that the rest missed out on. There are no words to explain what we saw as the sun rose. Only those who've trekked know the feeling.
Anyway, long post, but there was lots to share with you. By far my greatest adventure yet.
Maz xxx
Oh-My-God (like Janice in Friends). What a trip this was! It is very difficult to describe all the feelings that go hand-in-hand with a trip like this one. Where to begin...
We started early on Day 1 (6am pick up). Our group consisted of Joaquin, our super cool Guide, and two women who should have stayed home or taken the bus. Geez they pissed us off. Two old american university lecturers who were way too old to come along, but decided they'd have a go anyway. But we'll skirt past this issue until later.
The trek was highly demanding, especially on the knees. I have come to the surprising realisation that I would rather climb any mountain than have to come back down it. This was sooooo hard on my legs, my poor knees need some serious therapy after this trek, but it was all so worth it in the end.
Day 1: piece of cake. We walked about 14km all up, some climbing and downhill parts, but generally fairly easy. Food was tops. We also had porters who carried everything for us, from tents and food to our packs and sleeping bags. Each porter was carrying around 25kg each, which blew me away. I was in awe every time i saw them run past us to the next pitt stop, where they'd be waiting all set up with out tents, food ready and smiles all round. Wow.
Everyone warned us that Day 2 was hell, but i actually had a great time climbing all those 15km worth of mountain paths and steps. We reached an altitude of 4200m at a place called Dead Women´s Pass, which i thought was named so because of the many women who died trying to get past it, but Joaquin the knowledgeable guide informed me that it's named so because of the silouette of the mountains at this point. It looks like a woman's profile, lying down, with a breast in the air complete with an erect nipple. I thought naming this place ¨Sleeping Woman's Pass¨ would have enticed more people to sign up for the trek, but maybe scaring tourists away was the original intention.
Anyway, despite the intense demand on our legs and lungs as we climbed further and further up the mountain, I really really enjoyed it and was very proud of my achievements. Grant did not enjoy Day 2.
Day 3 involved travelling mostly downhill, but my legs were cactus from the huge Day 2, so i did not have a good time going down the 2000 odd steps. Grant had a wonderful time on Day 3.
And Day 4 saw us rise at 4am so we could be at the Sun Gate 15min uphill from Machu Picchu well before sunrise. And when we finally got there (about 45min from our camp site), my jaw dropped. Literally, and exactly like they do in cartoons. DROPPED. I was almost in tears, it was so beautiful. When i saw Machu Picchu before me I couldn't believe i was actually there. It was worth EVERY drop of sweat, every downhill step i took to be there and then.
We spent quite a while just sitting there staring at this magnificent site when we were reminded by Joaquin to get closer so we could catch the sun hitting the uppermost section of the place. After a well-informed tour we were allowed some time alone to explore, which we did, but slowly, because we were so tired from the collective days of intense walking. By the time we left, all the poor souls who chose to catch the bus over (instead of the trek) were lining up to come in. The crowd was massive and i was so glad that we got to have the place to ourselves before the herds arrived. It certainly paid off to have made the pilgrimage by foot. We got to see a Machu Picchu that the rest missed out on. There are no words to explain what we saw as the sun rose. Only those who've trekked know the feeling.
Anyway, long post, but there was lots to share with you. By far my greatest adventure yet.
Maz xxx
posted by Ms B @ Saturday, July 22, 2006
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