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Published: February 5th 2006
The heavens Shine on Cuzco
Found a run down little Bar, with a tiny terrace, half-way up mountain that
heads to Sacsayhuman(sexy womans) ruins. Didn't make it to the ruinsI had been anticipating my arrival in Latin America for a number of years now. Always being intrigued, as a young scholar, by the rise and fall of the mighty Inka culture, among others. And the constant political and social unrest that has bickered the whole continent over the past century. With it's recent past being littered with so much fighting and guerilla warfare. I think we all know the latino's are very passionate people. It's that passion in it's varying forms I was also looking forward to seeing. The mad football fanatics, the salsa and tango enthusiasts. The colourful and vibrant architecture. Would 3 to 4 months, on the quickly noticeable gringo trail, with fairly poor spanish; be sufficient time to delve into the psyche, personalities and cultural diversities that are uniquely Latin American.
Knowing that I must meet my Bro before xmas in Buenos Aires, I decided to set off first for Peru. Giving me six weeks to travel through Peru and Bolivia and down onto BA. A relatively short length of time considering the size of the countries. I must admit I was slightly nervous at the prospect of doing this first six weeks on my own.
Commencing Camino De Inka
Here's the Super-Trekkers looking super pumped for the 4 tough hiking hilly days ahead. L-R Doc Ravi, Dan"Kevin Arnold" Reigel, Craig "I can't walk anymore" Johnson, Moi, French "this pasta's cold" girl, Benoit y Karen Geez, it's South America remember. Land of lawlessness; kidnappings, muggings, and poverty. I'd heard stories firsthand where people had been robbed at gunpoint for camera's and chump-change. Or how getting from one place to another can be a huge mission in itself. With shoddy dangerous bandit filled roads and backpacks mysteriously disappearring off so-called reputable buses. How many of these stories that I had heard been a true account of reality in South America? Or was it just a slight exaggeration of days gone by? Mishaps that happen only to the very unlucky or unaware. Along with those horror stories, came three times as many glowing reports, recommendations and general enthusiasm from people, getting excited for me about my trip.
The big day had arrived, after a slight delay, on the 16th of November 2005. My first steps on South American soil were in the Lima International Airport, which remained as close as I got to the city of Lima. Deciding to fly on straight to Cuzco that same day. It was after my 16hr flight delay in Madrid that left me feeling unable to face the reputed harsh city of Lima. Where I would have to pretend I
Chicos
A couple of the lads hanging out up in the mountains of the Inka trail. was the hardened traveller who was not to be messed with. In my current fatigued state I knew there was no way I could muster enough energy for that kind of showmanship.
Now, however, I am in my happy place. Sitting in the beautifully sunny and tourist packed lively main square of Cuzco. The sun is shining and the taxi's are beeping at every passing tourist in sight, Just to let them know they're around. My now Irish complexion is starting to burn. The sixth young local child in the last twenty minutes is approaching me as I write. Here it comes! The same old routine.
BOY: Hola
ME: Hola! Que t'al (how are you)
Boy: Bien, de donde eres? (good, where are you from?)
Me: Australia.
Boy😞thinking)....Oh, Australia. Capitale Canberra, Prime Minister Yohn Howard. Population veinte million. Si?
Me: That's right.
With the quick and usual routine done with. It's time to offer me a chance to buy his worldy possesions. Usually finger puppets or small books of varying nature; English/Spanish dictionaries and books with tales of Inka folklore. I could do with a dictionary, let the bartering begin!
ME: How much for the book?
BOY: Ahhh...8 soles
Mountain Of A Man
Another unreal vista dotted along the way on the early days of the trek. ME: NO! That's too expensive. 5 soles!
Boy: seven!
ME: Six it is, no more!
BOY: Okay!
ME: I only have a 10 sole note.
BOY: That's okay, give me the note. I will go get change. You can hold onto my books.
ME: RRRRRRIIIIIIIIGGGGHHTT.......
The boy scurries off with my tenner, while I hold onto his small collection of books as collateral for the 4soles(1 euro) he owes me. Time ticks by.....Where is that kid. Nowhere to be seen. Getting a little nervous. [It's only one euro you say! It's more than that. It's about not getting swindled by one of these little entrepeneurs with their measly facts about a few different countries. Harsh? Maybe. But after talking with some new local friends, I had my doubts about the claims of hunger alot of these salesman would make. My new local amigo's telling me that circumstances weren't as bad for these kids as they'd make out. Mainly just trying to get a bit of cash for their next Nintendo game. I came to find later on that the Bolivian people are much more worse off, and tend to have a lot more pride when it comes to putting a
Buena Vista
Another unreal vista dotted along the way on the early days of the trek. hand out.]
.......And here he comes. I give him his books back. And he hands me 3 soles change. "Three", I proclaim."My friend, I thought we agreed on six not seven?" "Si," he replys,"But one sole commission for getting the change." What! "Cheeky bugger! No not Che Guevara, cheeky.. Oh nevermind. Adios"
Ofcourse the main reason we all venture to this part of the world. The much photographed centuries old Machu Pichu and the Inka Trail. I myself hadn't done much hiking before. The somewhat treacherous Mt Coolum being one of my toughest summits. With a hangover I might add. And this was to be no exception, with a large night out, getting the head down around 4.30am to rise at 5.45am for a mad dash (no shower)down to the square to reconn with my group. I can't believe I'm arriving to do this 4 day hike, hammered, with that great old fiesta smell. My group's gonna love me. I met my group, 3 sepo's and 3 frenchies. And our guide Isaac. Everyone was surprised with how lightly I was packed(had they guessed by my shabby appearance that I'd only made a quick pack up, in two minutes after
Stone of Solitude
Sometimes you just got to stop and take a moment to contemplate la vida. waking up, and didn't have a clue what was in there); with my small daypack and a couple of jackets. Them with their large backpacks. What the heck they got in there?
We set off and were pretty fortunate with the weather the first two days, with only short stints of light showers. It amazes me how efficient the porters are. Some carrying upto and beyond 50kg on their backs. And they always shoot off ahead of us, having the camp and food all prepared by the time we reach them. I was really surprised at how I was enjoying the hiking. It was a real buzz, with the blood pumping and sucking in the big ones at high altitude. There really was some great scenery in the mountains, with Inka temples and ruins dotted along the way. It was on the third day after a hard pass, that Craig from San Fran hit the deck with exhaustion and dehydration(so everyone-including Doc Ravi from New York-thought). So I, being the top guy I am, offered to carry his monstrous-who knows what the heck it's filled with- backpack down the other side of the mountain. When Craig said he might
Inka Ruin
You can see a few hikers making a descent from the Inka site perched high on one of the mountains. Eerily foggy have to take me up on that offer, I was cursing my stupidity. What was I thinking? Surely everyman for himself in this tough game. No that's not right, we have to stick together. All for one and one for all. It was us against THEM. ["Them" being the mountains and ofcourse the other hiking groups as we found out on the final days trek. With a quite nasty incident of hike rage occurring after the four days began to take it's toll on a very lovely couple from the deep south of Alabama. Poor folk.... they'd had a tough go of it. I'm sure their 27kg of luggage they got the porter's to carry had been a solid burden on their conscience. And the poor dear missus had clumsily taken a few tumbles over the few days. So on the final approach to Machu Pichu, where most were excitedley anticipating the immenent arrival into one of the great wonderful sites of the world. Our Alabaman fellow friend was quietly bubbling with rage. And when the mild mannered and lovable frenchmen of our group, Benoit, innocently preposed(in a french accent ofcourse),"excusey me, do you sink es possibil for me to-pass?"
Made it to Machu
Pretty amazing place in the world. Such an unreal feeling. The clouds were pretty bad on arrival. Only to part and have the sun come beaming down on the ruins as we watched from above. To which our american friend violently responded with his elbow flared back threatening Benny's face," JUST BACK UP! JUST BACK IT UP! YOU CAN'T PASS!" RIIIIGGGHHTTTT...... It definitely wasn't the Machu Pichu way.]
So we needed to stick together. I tossed Craig's pack on my back and started off before the others as it was starting to rain a little. Doc Ravi gave Craig one last lookover, handed him some rehydration sachets and some other unidentifiable drugs, and followed me down the mountain. Isaac, our trusty guide, told us to wait at the next Inka ruins which were about an hour's walk down the wet slippery mountain. Him and Fredrico (cheif porter) would stick with Craig. Doc Ravi and I scooted down the mountain and arrived at the next ruin and began to wait in the rain for the rest of the group. We joked around for twenty minutes, i was bragging about the fact that Craig's pack was really a piece of cake. Yet quietly looking forward to when he took it back from me on his impending arrival down the mountain. Only to then look back up the rocky path from which we had come to see, Fredrico
We All Made It
Great work Super-Trekkers. Look at all those Inkas in the backdrop charging his way down the path, with Craig's lifeless 6ft4in 90kg frame draped over his back. What in the world's wrong with Craig? His he conscious? Looks like I'll be holding to this pack for a little longer. We were so shocked and concerned for Craig that we failed to get any footage or photo's. And how about these porter's? They really are remarkable. I spoke with Fredrico later, and we figured out that he had probably done the trail over 600 times, and it really bored him. I felt safe in their hands after this episode anyway. They ended up getting 3 other porters to comeback with a stretcher, and carried Craig through some pretty tricky caves and terrain another hour onto the the next lunchsite.
That probably was the only sour note on our Inka trail experience. The Doc said it must of been some kind of very unlucky bacterial infection. Craig was miraculously back on his feet by the end of the day. The whole trail and Machu Pichu was fantastic, I'd recommend anyone and everyone to do it.
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Kyles
non-member comment
Brilliantly written!