Day 4! Machu Picchu!!!!!

20/10/09

Well we all got woken up at 330
id had a really bad nights sleep, must have been excited!
I got ready in the tent and supprisingly i was the first out and sat down to breakfast
bread and jam
we set of from the camp in the dark at 420ish to the checkpoint
we arrived and were 3rd in the queue
evryone was sat around snoozing waiting for the gate to open at 530

Ollie gave me a massage and i gave him one in return
felt much less tense!

when the gate opened and we finally got let through after the other groups our guide at the from Eduardo started to run, ollie and dan behind him did too so i did aswell
we ended up leavng the group behind and us 4 running the last day of the inka trail!!!

we overtook the other groups and after a really tough run uphill the whole way we arrived at the sun gate
dripping in sweat we celebrated and all felt really proud we´d got there first
we went and sat down on a wall waiting for machu picchu to appear from the mist anbd cloud when the sun came over through the sungate
all the rest of the groups and the rest of ours arrived
we sat and ate snacks and sang along to queen on dans ipod!

we wached as the sun slowly appearver the sun gate
very slowly shapes started to appear throught he cloud
as it gradually cleared we could see the most beautiful view of the valley and machu picchu
it was spectacular!!!
we stopped for a while to take it in
then we walked down the mountain to the ruins
i felt so exhausted and my legs felt like a mixture of lead and jelly, it was sohard to walk
we were so elated when we finally arrive at the ruins
we took group photos and had a group hug

all hot and bothered we went to a cafe to cool off
then marcello our main guide gave us a tour of the ruins
we were all really tired and the sun was really hot so as soon as he finishd we dived into shade

maddy lou and i got the bus to aguas calientes straight away and found an internet cafe to chill out in
we all met up at 215 to pick up out dufflebags and get the train to ollaytaytambo
realised i never got my hat back from the porters, my favourite grey ski hat1!! bum!!

i sat next to maddy on the train and we had some lovely chats and ate chocolate and crackers, yum!
got off the train after 2h ish
were waiting for our bus to cusco when a whole load of kids gathered around us
dan was arsing around and doing a really good orangutang impression
made all the kids and us laugh
i couldnt sleep on the bus so felt exhausted when we arrived back in cusco
we arranged to meet in the lobby at 830 to go for dinner

marie and i went and showered
she wasnt well so she didnt come out and paul was too tired to come out but the rest of us met in the hotel looking all clean and pretty and sweet smelling!!
we headed off to the plaza and up th e hill next to mcdonalds where my laundry is we found a restaurant calleed Kusikuy which served traditional peruvian food for tourists

we all sat at a long table by the fire and ordered drinks
i got spaghetti bolognaise and it was bloody yummy!!
the rest got steak or alpacca
they also got one cuy between them to try
so funny
the look on mary´s face when it came out!!
fair play though everyone tried it
dan dan and ben even ate the brain and eyes!!! yuck!

we were all a bit tipsy and mixed with the tiredness meant i was the first to hop into a taxi back to the hotel!! we´d been up for over 20hours!
such a fab trip!

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Part of trip: South America

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