The Inca Trail

So here we go the start of the first big thing of my Sth American Trip the Inca Trail 48km going up and down a few ikle peaks - ikle yeah right!!!! Well as I am writting this you will have realised that yes I did make it in one piece and I did not give up although at times it seemed like the easy option - if I see that many steps in that space of time again I think I will die!!! hee hee!!

So we were picked up at 8am from the hotel in Ollantatambo for a 45min bus ride to the start of the trail.........this day is only 5hrs of walking and is apparently a real easy way into the main trail........really OK then its official when I have to do Dead Womans Pass tmw I think i am going to die, its only 4200m above sea level!!! We did make it today all the way in the average time that we were given so that is pretty cool. I was however the last back to camp (this is the start of a pattern!!) with Dave who, bless him, did wait for me!!! So we had a´noon tea which was pretty filling seeing as we had dinner only a few hrs later - we have a good cook - i like!!! ;-)

We played cards before dinner with Jack and the 2 guides, Mario and Jesus which was fun always a good way to pass time!!! hee hee!! I think we all passed out after dinner as we have a 5am start tme and it is the toughest of days so I have been told!!!

So I am still not to sure how I made it through today, but I did and my main aim is still to get to Machpicchu in one piece!!! ;-)

We started at 6.30am with the plan to get to the camp site by 12ish so we can eat and do the optional 3hrs walk so we can have a lie in tmw.........hmmmm we will see ;-/ So when Dave, Kylie and I get to the first check point everyone else had already gone but hey we still did it in the average time so not to bad!! Then came the hard part the first part of the climb to Dead Womans Pass, man this is tough there are sooo many stairs its untrue and I am starting to struggle thats for sure and the altitude is def not a helping factor...........boo!!! We are now nearly an hr behind the average and the extra walk is not looking likely but hey we push on. So now the next part is to get to teh top of dead womans pass - I have never been so happy to see a mountain in the shape of a nipple getting bigger and bigger!! It is however still a real struggle - next time i go to tthe gym I am taking my backpack that will help with the training!!! So we filnally make it to the top and its just pass 12 so the optional walk is no longre really an option but hey at least its all downhill from here..........So we finally made it into camp at 2pm only 2hrs after the last of the first group..........oh well who needs a laty in tmw anyhow!!!

Today we started at 5.30am with no brekkie to try and get some of it done while its still cool and no sun. So we have 2 more peaks and 2500+ stairs to walk down!!! Oh joys - remind me why am I doing this again!!!?? Oh yeah its a great experience hee hee!!! The first peak we climb today is Runkuaqay which although shorter than Dead Womans Pass its sooo much steaper.......yeah!!! ;-) The funniest is that the stairs are soo steap I can just about get my leg up on them hee hee - yes you are all laughing now - laugh at the short person!!! ;-) There are a fwe archaelogical sites today which make for a nice break and its real cool to hear all about the history beind what we are walking and how they are trying to perserve it all. So its downhill (yeah you hear from me) to Chaciqocha where the campsite is laid out for brunch, i was the first one there!!! Yeah i sort of cheated as there is an extra 100 steps that are optional so up Dave went and Jesus told me the stories behind it - bargain!!! Now off we go again to the last peak this is meant to be the easiest - yeah!! So off we go to Phuyupatmarca which I do agree was the easiest as not quite so many steps!!! ;-) Now we have the 2500+ steps going down which U do enjoy a lot more makes it all soo much easier but this is the last for the day so we take it easy with Jesus and he tells us soo much about different things from the plants to Inca history it was fab.........got to the campsite in time for lunch and then had a real nice hot shower, I sooo needed it!!!! Shared a nice Chiliean bottle of wine iwth Karen played some more cards with others from the trail in different groups thart we all started chatting to had dinner headed back tot the bar for a few cold beers and then bed by 10 as tmw we are up at 4am to get to the sun gate to see the sune rise!!

So we are now on the last day of the Trail and its a pretty straight ish walk to Machupicchu.......we leave the camp site at 5ish as the gate opens at 5.30am and its best to be near the front to see the sun rise - its raining and cloudy like that is gonna happen but hey nice to get there early honest!!! Some of the views we did manage to get though we fab and def worth it thats for sure. When we get to Machupicchu we meet up with Ybone, Denise and Denvar who where not on the trail with us and got our passport stamped - I think I will treasure this one as it actally means something to me!!! We then go on a tour of Machupiccuhu and hear all about the history and the ruins it was really very interesting and the views where breathtaking, I am so glad I made it and got to have this excperience it was amazing ;-)

So the only downside is we now find out outr train is not til 7pm so we have walk around and Kaz, Ant Dave and I go down to see if we can get an earlier train - to no surprise it wont happen so we all wait around til the train at 7pm, we saw lots of tour groups going and we are still there!!! So we finally get back to Cusco and our hotel at 11pm but hey at least we get a lie in tmw and its New Years Eve!!! .-)

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