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Published: September 6th 2006
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Only one more week of high altitude was to come. Thank god for that as we were getting tired of struggling around hilly towns and had forgotten what it feels like at normal altitudes. Cusco is the old Inca civiliasation´s capital and is extremely picturesque, mainly because a lot of the buildings are built on huge Inca stone. The Spanish, having wiped the Incas (with a lot of help from European diseases) from the face of the planet, wanted to do the same with everything Inca. However, they came unstuck when it came to the massive foundations of the city. The city today is even supplied its water, by underground waterways installed by the Incas. All a testamony to the ancient civilisation´s skills. We were in Cuzco mainly to go and see the ultimate Inca discovery, namely Machu Picchu. First we would have to battle our way through the mass of Peruvians trying to sell us things or offer their fantastic tourism service. It is, without doubt the most un-endearing quality of Peru. For some strange reason they seem to think that having said 'No Gracias´, what I actually meant was 'walk along with me and harrass me for 5 minutes´.
I aint no ladder expert or nothing ...
.... but I think this is a little bit dangerous!! Also, someone seems to have told them that by doing that, I am more likely to buy their product or service. Crossing the border I overheard one Gringo say to another "oh god, Peru, its so frustrating to travel in". I Didnt think much of it at the time but he was bang on.
A trend began to form in Peru. We seemed to get ripped off a lot (or at least fell victims to an attempt). Of course there was the Pony Express, hilarious as it was, it was not the bus we booked and paid for and the way it was leaning to one side when it was stationery worried me a little! The lady in our hostel quoted us some incredibly high prices to get us to Machu Picchu ..... including the train to nearby Aguas Clientes, a bus to MP and a guide while you are there. Doing things that way, not only is expensive but you are herded along with hundreds of other tourists into MP which to us would have taken the edge off of it somewhat. We wanted to get to Aguas Calientes, spend the night there and get up super early
Aguas Calientes
Taken during our crazy climb. in the morning to see MP before the cattle train turned up. Thankfully we managed it, and we even managed to milk a much cheaper way of doing it out of a tourist information place. A bus to a town half way, and then a train cut the price to get to Aguas Calientes by half!! It still cost us $50 each mind you, on a train route that the locals pay $5 for!
Aguas Calientes turned out to be much more of a town than I had expected. I liked it there, lots of little bars and restaurants, some thermal baths and completely surrounded by huge green mountains. No snowcaps there like we had been used to, the tropical climate having covered the mountains in vegetation.
We soon found out about a trek up to a peak from town that gives you a distant view of MP, only an hour long. Our hotel told us it was a well made trail, so we thought it was best to go up there in the last couple of hours of sunlight as it was really hot and we thought we might get a nice sunset. We were also told there
Finally made it!
The view from the top ....on the left is the road up to Machu Picchu and on the right is part of the complex itself. We thought someone had set fire to it at first!! But the fire is on the mountain behind it. were ladders on the lower section. What we imagined were 10 rung ladders to help us up particularly steep bits. What we got were the biggest ladders we have ever seen up near vertical faces!! Now, the first one, also the biggest, was 109 rungs high and stood at the bottom gazing up, thinking "it cant be the correct way up", "surely a guide and a saftey harness are needed for this". Then we saw people coming down and realised that it was the correct way. OH DEAR. Not wanting to be defeated we took on the challenge despite Lynny's wobbly legs when she goes up a ladder (and thats an understatement). We now knew why we were told that you cant do the trail when its wet ..... those ladders would be suicide. The rest of the trail was steep with some precarious looking drops on the edge of the path. Two things went wrong: The trek was more like 1:30h! and we were told the wrong time for sunset! In hindsight, it was complete stupidity on our part but when going up there and thinking you are nearly at the peak all the time, its perhaps understandable that
What a choice!
We were gutted that we had remembered our own stuff when we saw this fine selection. we ended up a little unstuck shall we say. The top was very high and we made it to see the view (not sure if it was all worth it though). Unfortunately, we ended up having to the last 30mins of our adventure in the dark! Of course this included the ridiculous ladders. Thankfully, the moon was bright and I had a torch on me! Obviously realising the importance of having a torch whilst backpacking I somehow managed to pack 3 before we left. My trusty Mini Maglite was in my jacket pocket (courtesy of secret santa last year!) and saw us home safely. Not before some very difficult moments though and its an experience we both never want to happen again.
Anyway, the next morning we were up at 5am, catching a bus to Machu Picchu. I have always imagined MP covered in mist, adding to its mystery, and thats exactly what we got. You couldnt see past 10ft when we arrived and it was just a matter of sitting and waiting for the sun to rise and burn away the mist revealing MP and the incredible setting it was built in. Its a really mystical experience and
Shrouded in mist
When we arrived at Machu Picchu, it was dark! and the complex covered in cloud/mist. It was exactly how I wanted it as I had always imagined watching the mist clear. exceeded all our expectations having seen soooo many photos of it before. To my disbelief, when the mist completely cleared, we noticed a tour group already inside the complex with a guide ........ great idea guys!! Look around it while the mist is there so you basically see nothing and then once it was clear, you can try and ruin all who have patiently waited above's photos! You couldnt make it up. We explored it for a few hours, the masonry is amazing with Solstice alignments in the sun temple and water systems that still work, such was the skill with which they were made. A few hours was enough and we left just as hundreds of people began to swarm it, the train having arrived from Cusco. Im so glad we decided to stay overnight and get there for sunrise. If we were on that train, it would have been a different experience altogether.
The afternoon was spent at the local thermal baths as we were shattered ...... despite the fact they looked like dirty piss water. Then it was back to Cusco for a few days of general eating and drinking! Not to mention our first baked
bean in 4 months! ;-)
Gray x
Happy hour = 4 for 1 .... get in!
Lynny x
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Yuck !
Cant believe you can rent swimwear! Thats rank! :-P The views are amazing! Its like youre sitting on a cloud!! Love the llama pic, lol! The ladders look well scary! Theres NO WAY you would have got me going up them!! xxx