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Published: March 21st 2008
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Sunday 16th Not a good start for the Inca Trail. Have been ill nearly all night - crosses mind to drop out, but the Trail was the highlight of this trip, so rest whilst others visit Incan ruins, and then the bus is off. We meet Henry who is to be our second guide - think both Wil & Henry are going to provide some laughs/encouragement for us. I'm feeling pretty drained but the first day is supposed to be the easiest and I'll just take my time. We give our duffel bags (max 6kg, inc sleeping bag/mat) to the porters, load ourselves up, work out my walking sticks, and then Wil gets us all to pose for photos. We take more photos under the sign at the start of the Inca Trail. It's a really hot day (we find out later, unusually hot), but the going is flat to begin with (and Linda got through after some debate). After about 1.5 hours heads uphill. I'm feeling pretty rough by the time get to the first stop, but feel better once I've thrown up (nice!). Henry is great - have to inhale rubbing alcohol, gets me to sit still, insists I
drink more water/Gatorade, and waits for me whilst I clean up in the toilets (ah, squats, hate them!). He stays with me as we head up a steep hill, taking my bag for the last 5 minutes - nice surprise at the top, the rest of the group is waiting. 5 minutes further on is another archeological site, which Wil explains (I've not taken much of this info in, head never with it). A bit of downhill and it's lunchtime. Don't manage much, but 'must have a bit'! Bedding rolls are then laid out and we have a 40 minute rest before heading up/down again. At some point Wil shows us what we're doing tomorrow - looks worringly steep, but I guess we just keep going.
About 430pm, I'm the last at the campsite (we started walking about 11am). Sharing with Shilpa tonight - we set up our tent, find the 'meditation room' (as Stuart soon says: wouldn't want to meditate too long in there) - yes, we're talking about toilets. We have 5pm tea, then are introduced to our 19 porters/chefs (name, age, marital status), then we introduce ourselves (name, country, sometimes marital status). Amuse ourselves stargazing and
seeing what odd tricks our cameras will do, before it's dinner time. Nice food, not eating so much still! Into the thermals and into the sleeping bags... Is much warmer than I anticipated.
Monday 17th OK, so I'm lying in my tent, fully clothed (multiple layers), want to sleep, but it's only 6.30pm and we don't have dinner til 7. Today has been a long day but a major part of the challenge has been completed - we hiked the highest point of the Inka Trail, 4200m+, and are now back down at about 3500m where it's pretty chilly.
We were woken at 6am with a cup of coco tea... although as we'd gone to bed about 830/9, had woken 530! Managed to ignore any nightly calls of nature as quite a trek up to the nasty squat toilets! By 630 we had to be packed away (thermarests, etc - we can't carry much), then breakfast. Ate more than yesterday which was great. By 745 (bit late) we're en route (half the porters have already gone with the tents - they work fast), 15 minutes later jumpers are already off and I'm back at the tail-end of the
group. Today is the deadly 'day 2' - it's notorious, at least 70% uphill at high altitude. The first 'hour' takes me 1.5 hours - Wil kept me company for the last half hour so that went faster. 'Hour' 2 took 2 hours - kept wondering where the famous toilet stop was (and where Wil had got to as he was coming shortly after stop 1, but didn't see him). Finally found it - making friends with 3 Argentinians en route who decided to keep checking if I was drinking/breathing enough/walking in a zig-zag! Kept alternating with Shilpa. Arrived finally at stop 2 - found Wil, AND a baby Llama born today. Buying some more Gatorade (so sick of it), set off on 'hour' 3. This takes another 2 hours but is psychologically easier as we can see Dead Woman's Pass and just have to keep heading for it. 1.55pm, I make it to the top. Really cold up there - lots of cloud in the other valley, but by the time I put my warmer clothes on it has blown away. Been really blessed by the weather today. After the heat of yesterday, a dry, cloudy day for the
uphill struggle was needed! Take some photos, 15 mins later Shipa arrives. More photos, go up to the highest point then head downhill. Careful not to go too fast! 340 I arrive back in camp. Few cheers but most people are dozing! We get lunch - nice - and first meal have been able to eat in full for a while. Wil recommends dip feet in the stream to stop tingling - do but it's REALLY freezing so none too long. Psyche up to face the toilet and find they are western style. Hallelujah! Back for chats then it's tea-time: cheese/apple pasties and more coco tea. Is 6pm by this time so have since 'made' my bed and written this. 10 mins to dinner. Dinner was excellent again - didn't quite finish it but slowly taking in more. Again, to bed straight after dinner. It's really cold at this campsite (we're at about 3500m), so into the thermals/layers, etc again. Is western style toilets here, which makes for a nicer stay for us all...
Tuesday 18th Day 3 of the Inca Trail covers the most distance. We start the day with 1.5 hours of climbing to 3700m (start about
745am). Today it has chosen to rain, but I'm sure you can't count as having trekked properly unless you trek in the rain. Unfortunately have also picked up the cold that's been circulating this morning - thankfully put flu meds in my bag, so that helps me get to the top. We stop halfway up for another Inca site. Getting soaked through by this point - my expensive raincoat doesn't seem to be up to it. Put on my $4 plastic poncho and that seems to help keep the water soaking through. Wil sticks with me for the last half-hour to the top, then we start heading downhill. Another brief uphill to another site, then it's through some picturesque tropical areas to our lunch stop. Another good meal! Nearly everyone is rather damp.. Aside fromm maybe Staurt who swears by Gore-Tex only (I'll get that next time). Spend much of the afternoon on my own, taking photos of flowers, more Inca sites, and listening to pacy music on the MP3. Around 3pm, we arrive at Winaywayna, our final camping site. Sit around chatting for a while as the rain has stopped, and we can see Machu Picchu mountain, although not
yet the city. Decide to have the S/8 shower, with the smallest hire towel ever (captive market!) - not a lot of pressure but it helps warm me up and feel a bit cleaner, although largely putting the same clothes on! In the single tent tonight - bit of contortionism required to lay everything out. Another good meal and we pay our tips to the porters, they sing us a song in thanks, and it's off to bed ready for a 4am start.
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