From Lima to Cusco

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After 22 hours on a coach your bum develops an unbelievable feeling of numbness that I have never quite experienced. Although it was a luxury coach, it swayed from left to right constantly along these winding roads and it was hilarious trying to use the on-board toilet as you were constantly being thrown forwards and backwards. I didn´t have a good night´s sleep despite the comfortable reclining sofa bed chairs. To make matters worse the on-board food was no better than Subway and strangely, they entertained us with a string of apoclyptic films which included World Trade Center, the Poseidon Adventure and Harry Potter 3!! Its only saving grace was the magnificant views of mountains, valleys and rivers along the way which were incredible, I couldn´t stop taking pictures! Incidentally, every time you get on a bus here in Peru they video all the passengers in the event of an accident or in case the bus gets hijacked (apparently quite common here).

We finally arrived in Cusco 3 hours overdue and were relieved to be safely picked up by Javier from our hostel who spoke good English. It was nice to get settled in a warm, homely hostel and I was looking forward to a good night´s sleep in a proper bed. We had just enough energy to have a quick walk around the centre of Cusco. Cusco is named after the Quechua Indian word q'osco which means ´navel´ and was once the foremost city of the Inca Empire. Its an amazing city and is situated in an Andean valley at an altitude of 3300 metres above sea level and is the undisputed archaeological capital of the America´s. At night as you look out from the central plaza you can see spectacular views of all the lights of the city encased within the valley. It was my first time at such a high altitude and I found it really difficult to breath, especially when exerting myself up some of the steep paths in Cusco.

It takes a few days to acclimatise to Cusco so all newcomers are encouraged to drink coca tea which helps prevent ´soroche´ - altitude sickness. It works by increasing the absorption of oxygen in blood. Alternatively, you can chew fresh coca leaves but I was told that it leaves rather a bitter taste in the mouth! That night we went for pizza at a place called Chez Maggy´s. It gets very cold in the evenings in Cusco so the warmth of the restaurant with its wood burning oven and a glass of wine was the perfect antidote.

Cusco is a wonderful city and is a real treat for the senses. Dotted along the streets are Cusqueño women wearing traditional dress with their trusty Alpaca beside them, hoping to attract tourists to have their pictures taken with them for a few nuevo soles. The smell of street food wafts by as you walk along the Quechuan-named streets and there are lots of wonderful shops filled with a miriad of Inca'esque trinquets and alpaca garments - walking around Cuzco is breathtaking (literally!). There are so many local people selling their wares on the streets as well, from postcards, paintings, jewelry and hand-made hats and scarves. Cusco is renowned for its many streets lined with originally built Inca walls which contrasts with those built by the Spanish conquistadors (often referred to here as the Inca-pables!)

We had of course come to Cusco to see the lost city of the Incas, Macchu Picchu. Each year hundreds of thousands of travellers come to Cusco to acclimatise to the high altitude (for at least two days) before making their way to Macchu Picchu. On our first day in Cusco we explored the town and by the afternoon we had already booked our Inca trail to Machhu Picchu, which was due to leave early the following morning. That eve we had to be packed and ready with our bags for a 4.30am pick up which would take us to the start of our trek. The easiest way to see Machhu Picchu is to take a train from Cusco to a nearby town and then get a bus, but we decided to go for the challenging option and do a 5 day alternative Inca trail trek all the way to Macchu Picchu, which takes you through mountains, waterfalls and tropical rainforest - it really was the adventure I was looking for. This was not a trek for the faint-hearted as we would be walking at high altitudes and up and down many steep paths, but at the time we had no idea of what a challenge the trek would be....

My first hurdle was that my laundry was not returned in time for the trek so I had to manage with the little clean clothing I had. My biggest concern was that I was down to 2 pairs of white knickers which is probably the worst situation you can be in when you´re about to embark on a 5 day trek, so I improvised and took along some sanitary towels!!. My second hurdle reared its ugly head on the coach on the way to our starting point when I noticed that my camera battery was flashing. The thought of getting to Macchu Picchu and not being able to take a picture of myself there almost made me want to cry!

The Trek we booked was called the Salkantay trek, so named becuase it runs beneath the magnificent Salkantay mountain which stands at an impressive 6,271m/20569ft, and is one of the highest and most stunning in the Peruvian Andes. It is considered a moderate trek and the 2nd most popular hike in the region and was recently named among the the 25 best Treks in the World.

After a 2 hour drive west of Cusco, we arrived at a village called Mollepata, where our trek begun. We started our first day with breakfast and a quick´getting to know the group´session. The group consisted of a Dutch couple, a Belgian couple, a German couple, two Spanish guys, two Israeli guys, one English girl, an Australian guy, and finally a Brazilian guy. It turned out that they were a fantastic group of people to hike with, intelligent, fun and full of adventure, and we really did bond over the 5 days.

Our first day involved a lot of walking on so called ´Peruvian flats´(as the guides called them) but were actually undulating paths that were anything but flat. We stopped for lunch at a place with a fantastic mountainous backdrop and then continued to walk for the rest of the day. That night we camped below mount Salkantay. It was a very cold night and my sleeping bag was ill-equipped for such low temperatures. Despite my many layers of clothing I was kept awake by the cold and didn´t get much sleep. Nonetheless, it was well worth it to be camping in such an incredible place and to be able to observe hundreds of stars dotted in the clear sky that evening.

The second day was dominated by the impressive´Apus´of Salkantay and Huamantay mountains, as we passed through the high Puna landscape of the Andes. This day was the toughest physical challenge I have ever experienced. It was an amazingly steep climb up to the Salkantay pass which reached 4600m. It was very strenous, difficult and challenging due to the high altitude, and I had to stop many times, but fortunately I was lucky not to suffer from altitude sickness. I had to constantly drink water and refuel on bananas and the occasional Snickers bar. Food tastes amazing when you under so much physical exertion! When we finally reached the top of the pass we experienced the most amazing views of the snow-capped peaks of the Salkantay and Huamantay mountains, it was such a fantastic reward after all our hard efforts. It felt like such an achievement to make it to the top and we patted ourselves on the back, cheered and took pictures of the group together. It was quite a relief to then start trekking downhill, but as we realised, walking downhill has its own challenges and puts a lot of strain on the knees. It was at this point that my camera battery died and I had to rely on my trek mates to take pictures for me (and of me) along the way.

After a hearty lunch we set off again and after a few hours we started to enter the rainforest. The flora and fauna begun to change and it gradually became warmer and everything suddenly became lush and green. It was a fantastic part of the trek as we experienced this sudden transition from mountains to rainforest as the terrain gradually transformed. It was that afternoon that I got caught in a torrential downpour in the jungle which was fantastic. Although I was wearing a waterproof, my legs were not covered so I got absolutely drenched. At one point I just stopped and stood in the rain and embraced this amazing sensation of being in a torrential downpour in the rainforest - it was quite exhilerating! By the time we arrived at camp, everything was wet and we were all a bit damp and tired, so we really appreciated our bowl of hot soup that evening. Getting wet in the rainforest was all part of the experience and anyway, we weren´t suprised, September marks the start of the rainy season here in Peru. That night my sleeping bag disappeared but fortunately one of our guides, Edwin (a very popular name in Peru incidentally) lent me his slightly damp bag and instead, he slept inside some sort of store room.

It was on our trek that we were first introduced to the Quechuan religion. The Quechuans believe in ´Pacha Mama´which stands for ´mother earth´. So, for many Peruvians, every time they have drink, they always pour some of it on the ground first, in respect of Pacha Mama.

On the 3rd dayof the trek we descended into the warm cloud forest of the rainforest and passed many beautiful waterfalls and exotic plants and trees. We saw many fruit-bearing trees including banana trees amd papaya and coffee plantations, and also saw lots of lizards and humming birds. It was a very hot day and we stopped for a short break along the way and then had a quick game of football which was pretty impressive considering all the walking we´d been doing. We then walked for a bit longer and were then very relieved to get a ride to Santa Teresa where we had a nice lunch together.

After lunch that day we visited the hot springs, warm waters renowned for their healing and restorative effects. There were 2 hot pools and one cold pool and our bodies welcomed the relaxing effect of the waters. We also had our first shower in 3 days so we felt extremely clean and refreshed after trekking for 2.5 days (up until then I was surviving on baby wipes, which were my saviour whilst camping). Unfortunately though, when you come out of the pools the mosquitos head straight for you and we were attacked my hundreds of them. We all got badly bitten by the mossies as we had no protection on our skin after coming out of the water (why does no one warn you about this!!). On the following day I could hardly see the clear patches on the bottom of my legs. Not only had I been badly bitten, but the bites had swelled to proportions that I have never witnessed before. It doesn´t matter what you use against these tropical mossies, they always win!

That evening, joined by other trekking groups, we had a special meal and were treated to a dancing show by Peruvian children. It was a lovely evening and a real treat after all our hard work. This was party night, so after dinner, we all headed to the local nightclub, where I got to experience my first taste of salsa dancing with authentic Peruvian men! Incidentally, they might well be hot-blooded, spicy latinos but they can´t all dance. But those that can dance are very good. Naturally, I´ve done a bit of Salsa before, but this was full on high-intensity dancing at high altitude. My heart took a thumping but it was well worth it to get the chance to do some hot salsa moves with authentic local latinos. And for those of you that know my dancefloor habits, it wasn´t long before I was taking the lead and they were following MY moves. I just can´t be led for long on the dance floor......

Along the entire trek we passed many villages and local people who greeted us with friendly words and smiles. We passed small stalls where we would replenish our water, Inca Cola (yellow fizzy drink, urrgh) or food supplies. I just wished that I´d had more things to give to the many young children that we passed along the trek, who were very poor and would have welcomed a delicious piece of chocolate or a small toy. Also, along the way, the running joke was that, after completing a section of the trek, that we should offer a sacrifice to Pacha Mama, and for some reason I was always suggested as the one to be sacrificed!! Also, I made the most of my knowledge of songs from around the world, and sung Inematov (a Jewish song), Durme (a Brazilian song) and of course Girl from Ipanema, which I can sing (well most of it) in Portugeuse. So I provided my own unique entertainment for the group....

The fourth day was dominated by walking along the rushing white water of the Rio Urubamba. On the way we witnessed the mother of all waterfalls and also saw a small village that had been damaged by an earthquake several years ago. We also crossed several risque bridges and then begun a walk along a neverending railway track which took us to Aguas Calientes (hot waters) which has a hydroelectric plant. The town is also known as Macchu Picchu Peublo (town) and is the nearest town from which you can either walk or catch a bus up to Macchu Picchu.

We settled into our hotel, had a well-needed hot shower and met for dinner. It was our last meal together that eve so we thanked and said goodbye to our chefs for all the wonderful meals that they had lovingly prepared along the entire journey. We all exchanged email addresses that eve to ensure we could keep in touch and exchange photos of our 5 day trek to Machhu Picchu. We all slept like babies that night.

The next day we met at 4.30am. The aim was to get to Macchu Picchu very early to enjoy and experience it without too many tourists around. One group set off to catch the 5am bus, whilst the rest of us, who were either brave souls or gluttons for punishment, set off to make the veritable ascent up to Macchu Picchu, which was a very steep climb that took about an hour and a half to complete. Although very challenging, it was a fantastic experience as the climb up started in darkness and gradually the light of the sun emerged and hit our weary bodies. The atmosphere at this point was incredible - it was eerie, surreal and mystical all at the same time. On the way up with my small rucksack, I came across a half-empty large bottle of water. Due to the fact that I had not brought enough money with me on the trek, I was very short of water and it was like someone had left it for me. So without hesitation I picked up the bottle. Altough it made my steep ascent even harder, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief to know that I had extra water supplies and that I would not get dehydrated.

On Tuesday 30th September, just after 6am, I finally arrived at the ancient and sacred lost city of the Incas, Machchu Picchu!! After spending the last 4 days hiking (with more walking still to come) it made arriving at Macchu Picchu so worthwhile and satisfying. You truly do appreciate it more when you work so hard to get there. Part of me couldn´t quite believe I was there and that I´d finally made it!

I know it sounds like a cliche, but for those of you who have been to Machhu Picchu, I think you´ll agree (and most people say this) that it looks just like the postcard picture. It never disappoints. It is immense and its amazing construction demonstrates the intellect behind its creation. I felt such a strong mystical atmosphere when I was there, particularly when we were at one high point and we were surrounded by clouds and we could feel the mist on our faces.

After meeting up with the group, our guide Edwin took us on a very interesting guided tour of all the different areas of Macchu Picchu. He explained their purpose and significance and took us through the history of its discovery. He explained how it was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls and took us to its primary buildings, the Sacred district - the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. The second area is known as the residential district where the lower class people lived, and the third is the royalty area containing a palace that existed for the nobility. There were agricultural, military regions (as well as a quarry) and a sacrifical site. And everywhere around you, you can see the traditional agricultural terraces which typifies Macchu Pichhu and symbolizes the shape of the Inca cross. I walked around the entire site and was completely mesmerized by the whole experience, it was just incredible.

Interestingly, Machhu Picchu (means´old mountain´in Quechuan) is shaped like a condor, which signifies peace. And even more interestingly, when you take a typical picture postcard of Machhu Picchu and turn it on its side, the peaks of the city resemble the face of a man, apparently the Inca King Pachacutec, a very significant figure in Inca history.

After our guided tour, at around 9am, we said goodbye to our guides and thanked them for our 5 day trek. We were then left to enjoy Machhu Picchu at our own leisure. As more tourists were beginning to arrive, most of us headed for Wayna Picchu (´young mountain´). This is another mountain you can climb, and is well worth it, as from the top you get the most spectacular views of Macchu Picchu. It was a very steep and challenging climb up to the top of Wayna Picchu and is not particular safe, so I took my time and stopped several times to give my lungs a chance to recover. It was a sensational treat for the senses when I reached the top and I was in the company of many lizards and cute humming birds. I sat up there for several hours, and I had a long chat with the guy at the top who was a sort of patrolman. I them did one more walk that day to another site, called Templo de Luna, which just about finished me off. It took me 2 hours in total to get there and back, where I saw a caverna (like a house), a cave and some other various ruins.

By the time I got back to Machhu Picchu, they had let the LLamas out to roam about and it had a completely different feel about it than earlier in the day. The sun was still shining brightly and I sat on my own for a few hours just soaking up the sun and the atmosphere and wrote my diary for the day. I had been there for 10 hours and I was tired, thirstly and hungry. I didn´t want to leave, but I knew I had to face the hour long walk back to Aguas Calientes. The journey back was tough as I had no energy left in me. Despite already being very late, on the way back I walked down to the river and soaked my weary feet in the cold river of the Urubamba for 15 minutes. I very nearly missed my train back to Cusco and had the whole group and my guide worried that I´d fallen off a mountain!!

(Unfortunately I am unable to attach any additional photos at this stage as the process of attaching photos is slow and laborious here in Peru Anyway, enjoy the blog and more photos are on the way!)

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Photos

Me and my Llama
The Llama didn´t spit as it mistook my purple fleece for a fellow Camelid.

View on the way to Cusco
Its a picture postcard view!

The local Cusqueños
Just a typical day out with the locals, and the family pet the Alpaca (incidentally a very delicious meat, I´d recommend the tenderloin).

The beautiful central Plaza of Cusco
The altitude here makes is truly breathtaking!