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Published: December 24th 2007
Amazing amazing amazing....even if it was like Duke of Edinburgh. We have had a great four days full of all sorts. We packed our bags ready to go. For those of you who know about my D of E days it was all feeling rather too similar and close for comfort. The difference being this time I had a boyfriend that was more than willing to carry the main rucksack with clothes and sleeping bags in I am sure I will hear about it in days to come...in other words my own personal porter. We awoke at 5am ready to be collected at 6am and it was tipping it down....great we thought. It took us 3 hours by bus to get to Km82 where we were starting. The bus took us through some remote little villages where all of the houses were made of mud bricks and fields ploughed with 2 bulls like a story book. Also the children waving to us on the way to school where they must have to walk at least a mile. We stopped off at a little village called Ollytambo where we could buy our final bits and pieces which was really pretty with cobbled streets. Luckily at this point the rain had stopped. We arrived at Km 82 and set off on our trek. We had 12 in our group who all turned out to be great fun and made the 4 days in the end.
The first day was nice and easy walking and the weather was great. Porters carried all of our camping kit and food for the next four days. They were incredible each carried about 30kg´s and always had a smile on their face and the food they served was brilliant 3 courses every night and lunchtime and afternoon popcorn. The first night camp was very sociable and overlooking a glazier. Day 2 we woke up to rain and the day of the longest walk of 12km but we were climbing from 2800m to 4200m and back down to camp at 3800m. So a day typical of D of E and made more like D of E as Dean wanted to be the first to camp. Well that we were by just under 2 hours. The walk was quite hard and up up up but an enjoyable challenge with some amazing scenery despite the rain. At 3800m on the way up I have never been so pleased to see a lady in the middle of nowhere selling a twix. It may have been 90p but we gobbled them up, we had forgotten how good they taste. Onwards and uupwards. It was hard but good until I slipped over on the way down, although was amusment for some. We then had all afternoon and evening at camp. Woke up for the third day soaking wet which was not the best....and a big climb once again first thing . On the third day my camera also died of what seemed to have been altitude sickness. I was gutted I thought I don´t believe it I am going to walk all of this way and see one of the best sites in the world and have no camera to prove it.... however with a little Tlc over dinner and some warmth it got a second wind. The third day was great with some Inca sites, walking through the rainforest and getting absolutley soaked...what more could a girl want from a holiday. No seriously it was great fun. After a celebratory meal with our guides and porters we had an early night as it was a 4am start. Well it rained and rained through the night.....great we thought but we had an amzing sun rise and the most beautiful day overlooking and around Machu Pichu. Dean decided to run to the top and was the third man there out off about 120 but of course the first Welsh man!!!! It was incredible and even more enjoyable knowing we had walked there. We were so lucky with the weather. An incredible experience.
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Mum
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Well Done
Congratulations you made it - also, better than D of E as the weather was good at the end! It usually rained always!! Hope you get better weather on your next stages. Really enjoying your entries. xx