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Published: August 14th 2008
This should really be called the Inca trail, Machu Picchu and Huayna Piccu and what was I thinking when I packed for this and do people really wear the same clothes for 4 days???????
First, let me tell you, I apparently have chronic overpackers disorder. I am admitting it now, I overpack! I think it goes along with be prepared... for rain, snow, a heat wave, a tornado, a plague, the second comming and a bad case of digestive upset. Fortunately none of these things happened, which left me and my porter holding the bags, quite literally!
Second, if one desires to do adventure treckking, do it when you are like, say 18 and not in your mid 30's to 40's. You may think you can still do these thingsbut while your brain says yes, your body will rebel at every turn and I do emphasize EVERY! Remember day one is only the beginning!
Third, don't try to prove you are just like those 18-20 somethings...YOU ARE NOT!!!! Don't even try!!!
Fourth, when asked, do you want to go an extra 4 Km's on top of the ten hours you had already hiked primarily up hill, your
answer should be HELL NO. Don't be a lemming, just to be nice! Just say NO!
Fifth, Do NOT hike 53 KM's on two sprained ankles go on a mad dash to get one of the 200 tickets to climb Hyanu Piccu (The big mountain behind Machu Pichu in all the pictures) and then insist on doing it on day four the morning after doing the 53 km's.) Take the cowards way out and just buy the postcard!
Sixth, Coco leaves are not a drug. They are a horrible nasty thing to chew and should be avoided. Be sceptical of any thing that the guide says cures everything from toe fungus to altitude sickness to bad breath. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Seventh, There is probably a reason why our group ran our of oxygen on day two. Perhaps you should ponder it.
Eighth, Stay away from the Chicha....very bad!
Ninth, that Cusquena, Gatorade and Snickers bar had to be hauled all the way up the mountain and is probably worth the $17 USD they want for them.
Tenth, nothing tastes as good as a $5 Snickers bar!
Bring extra money! Or if desperate your Visa card!
And for the bonus, downhill can be worse than uphill. Don't get excited when the guide informs you that your first two hours are uphill followed by five downhill. It is a ploy to make you feel better and you are more likely to hurt yourself and land on your rear going downhill, not to mention sprain your ankles.
And your last thing to ponder is this. If there is a four day Inca trail from Ollytatambo to Machu Picchu and it is over mountains and a one day rather flat one trail starting and ending in the same place, why would anyone want to spend four days in the same clothes?
The answer to the last question is not so you can buy the stupid "I survived the Inca Trail T-shirt" and not be a complete fraud, it is because despite the "gringo killer" steps to the Sun Gate, the Dead Woman's Pass (which almost lived up to it's name), the scenery, both natural and man made (other Incan ruins) along the way make the trail both interesting, diverse and quite honestly breathtaking. There is nothing quite
like walking through cloud forests and mountains and watching the mist burn off the peaks while the snow covered mountains dot the background. Parts of the trail are reminiscent of high desert while others are covered in lush vegetation. It seems that very little (less than 10%) was flat and that you spend the majority of your time climbing up or down stairs. The trail is a place to meet and get to know new people. Our group got to know each other quite well over the four days. It is a place that tests your resolve to continue and leaves you with an innate sense of satisfaction when you actually make it to Machu Picchu and a supreme sense of dissappointment when you look around and see that the Incan fascination with steps didn't end at the trail.
Machu Picchu itself is for the most part restored. You can clearly see how the people lived there, grew crops, worshipped and stored their food. The site reflects the high quality masonry work of the people who built it along with the respect they had for the "mother earth" (they built around sacred stones and incorporated them into their buildings).
For The Cash Strapped
and because of the rather expensive nature of the goods, this innovative shop takes visa. It really is everywhere you want to be!While not as ornate as Chichen Itza or say Angkor Wat, it is beautiful none the less. The craftsmanship is amazing.
As for Huaynu Picchu, in order to get tickets, it requires a mad dash ( I am not kidding here, this could be an Olympic event). I do not suggest it for those afraid of heights, passing on small steep steps with no guard rails or those who are pre weakened from the Inca Trail. But having done it, it did give me another perspective on Machu Picchu and another sense of accomplishment. If you had asked me if I thought I'd be doing this a year ago, I'd have said no way, ask me if I would have passed it up now and my response would be the same, no way!
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terry
non-member comment
very Funny!
Your blog has given me quite a laugh. I did the Salkantay trail in July 2008.I am 52 years old and your words are so spot on! And hilarious . I got a kick out of it. Terry