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Published: August 5th 2006
Machu Picchu
As the clouds were starting to clearSo much has happened in the last week I haven´t had the time to update as I would have liked, sorry for the delay.
My last week in Cusco was spent laying in my hostal fighting with all my might and a few prescription drugs (that you can get by just walking into a drug store and telling them that your throat hurts) to ward off the cold that was threatening to keep me from hiking the Inca Trail. By Thursday I was feeling much better and able to get up and walk slowly about town making plans for after Machu Picchu. Mike flew in early Friday morning and we spent the day wondering around town, visiting the market and just hanging out. That evening we had our briefing for the trip and we were told to be ready to go by 6:30 the following morning.
There were four other people in our group, two friends from Ireland who were traveling the world together and a brother and sister from Scotland. I had heard the trail was pretty difficult, the second day being the hardest where you have to summit two passes that are both over 12K feet so
I knew the hiking was going to be hard but I was not prepared for how delux the rest of the trip would be. We were responsible for carrying our own packs, sleeping bags and pads but the company provided porters who carried all the other equipement - the tents, the food, etc. Every day about 1 we would arrive to a campsite where the porters (who practically ran the whole trail with at least 45lbs on their back, I wish I had a picture to show you, it was truly amazing) had set up a tent and were cooking our lunch. After lunch we would head on and by the time we came to our campsite for the evening the porters had already arrived, set up our tents and were getting our dinner prepared. I have to admit it was pretty stinking nice after a hard day of walking to drop our packs and set down to a hot, three course meal without having to worry about pitching a tent and getting camp set up. The second day of hiking was very difficult as we started climbing right away, but harder then going up was the coming down -
thousands and thousands of stairs after the first pass only to have to go right back up and do thousands more stairs after the second pass. The last two days were quite easy with only a half day of hiking, one the third day we were able to go visit a few other Inca Ruins and on the morning of the fourth day we made it to Machu Picchu. The enterance into the city via the trail is supposed to give you great views but our view was blocked by thick clouds and we coudn´t see a thing. Thankfully the clouds cleared around 10 in the morning and we were able to see the full city. It really is amazing the vastness of it all, go see it if you ever get the chance.
That afternoon we took a train back to Cusco where Mike and I stayed the night. The following evening we caught a bus to Copacabana, Boliva and spent one day on Lake Titicaca before finishing this leg of the journey in La Paz, Boliva. Mike left early this morning and I, so far, have spent the day shopping for a new camera to replace the
Freddie - Our Guide
He played the flute for us while we rested one that was stolen somewhere between Cusco and Boliva (according to Mike it´s a right of passage when traveling in South America - everyone gets their camera stolen here). Tonight my bus leaves for Cochabumba, Boliva where I will be for the next month working with International Teams.
I realized today that I have been here for almost one full month already, I miss you all greatly and thank you so much for your prayers and responses! Much love, Molly
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Micah
non-member comment
WOW!
What an amazing journey! Thanks for sharing the pictures and detailed stories. Sounds like you've had the "D-Lux" set-up with those guides setting up tents and cooking for you (no raw tomatoes or lettuce though huh? :)). Love you and miss you much!