Pre-dawn, Plaza de Armas, Cusco. Ominously rumbling stomach. Some nervous anticipation to go with it. This was it. I was off on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu after a seemingly endless process of planning and saving. Although uncomfortable, I consoled myself that I was not the worst affected member of our group as a really nice English girl, Kath, was white as a sheet and very sick with food poisoning. She had bravely decided to attempt the four-day hike with the hope of recovery along the way. Her boyfriend, Ian, looked on nervously - worrying that he was responsible for talking her into it. This put things in perspective for me as I boarded the bus with my group. I told myself again that, if I wasn´t sick to the point of charging off to
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