The Inca Trail!

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In Cusco we began to prepare for the Inca Trail. We were getting porters who would carry our stuff but our bags couldn't weigh over 5kg as health and safety regulations mean that the porters can't carry more than 25kg. So we had a briefing about the trek and packed and weighed our bags.

Sunday 20th April
Today we went with a guide on a tour of the Sacred Valley. We saw many Inca ruins and the guide was very informative. The places we went to were very beautiful and interesting but my mind was on the Inca Trail which we started on Monday. We stayed overnight in a beautiful little town where they still live in the original Inca buildings.

Monday 21st April - DAY 1 of the INCA TRAIL
Today is the day!! We set off at 8.30 and drove to 82km, the beginning of the Inca Trail. We met our guides and the porters took our bags. We got our passports checked and set off! Many porters passed us carrying huge amountson their backs, they were amazing. The first few hours were fairly easy pleasant walk and when we arrived at lunch the porters had already set everything up and applauded as we entered the camp! They had a big food tent set up with tables and chairs in, I really wasn't expecting this, it was unbelievable! We got a 2 course lunch before setting off again. In the afternoon there was a bit of uphill and it was raining and so I was pretty miserable. At camp the porters had set our tents up and we got afternoon tea and then dinner.

Tuesday 22nd April - DAY 2
We awoke to the porters offering us tea and coffee in our tents and a bowl of hot water to wash in, the service is incredible! Tash had been very ill during the night and still wasn't better. After breakfast the porters introduced themselves and we introduced ourselves to them. At 7.30am we set off on the second day of the Inca Trail, 13km altogether, 9km uphill to Dead Woman's Pass, a notouriously difficult day. Unfortunately Tash was extremely ill all day. She really struggled walking and Becki and I stayed ay the back with her, walking slowly and encouraging her. We had some of the assistant guides with us and they were great. They helped her along and eventually carried her up the last bit. I have never seen anyone so ill, I was really worried about her. We were walking through lovely forests and up steep Inca steps surrounded by beautiful mountains. The morning was sunny but it did rain heavily at times. It was a tough walk up Dead Woman's Pass and I was glad of the slow pace and stopping frequently. We made it to the top though. Then it was steep downhill for two hours into camp. We eventually made it and felt proud of ourselves! Tash took some antibiotics and went to bed whereas I had lunch. Tash reappeared few minutes laters saying she thought she was having an allergic reaction to the tablets. Her face was swelling up and she had a rash. Luckily we had Vanessa, a nurse on our trip who gave her some tablets to get rid of the reaction. I took Tash to the toilet and suddenly she felt really bad, sick and faint and she thought her throat was swelling up. Panic or what! I was so scared. I ran off to get Vanessa who was worried about her. Thankfully Tash calmed down and the swelling went down. We kept her upfor a bit and then she went to bed. What a day! I had been so worried and really hoped Tash would be better tomorrow.

Wednesday 23rd April - DAY 3
Tash felt much better today and could manage the walk. It was a beautiful day all day and i really enjoyed myself. I walked at my own pace and felt quite fit going up the steep hills and steps. The walk was lovely, mainly along the mountainside with rolling but jagged green mountains everywhere. We saw more Inca ruins and had a long descent into camp. Today was more how I expected the Inca Trail to be, lovely sunshine and narrow paths along the mountain. We camped at a nice site, our tents were on a steep terrace overlooking the mountains. That night we presented the porters with their tips because they weren't coming with us to Machu Picchu. They had been absolutely brilliant and I was very grateful to them. We all had complete respect for them carrying all that stuff and so quickly along the paths. Went to bed prepared to get up early for the sight we had all been waiting for for a long time.

Thursday 24th April - DAY 4
We got up at 3.30am! It had been raining all night and was still very cloudy. We went and waited in the dark at the gate to get to Machu Picchu.We were the first group there which was good. At 5.30 it opened and we set off walking. It was a half an hours walk and then clamber up some steep steps to the Sun Gate. Here we had our first view of Machu Picchu. It was from a distance and still misty but the sun was rising and the mountains behind were red. It was great. We continued down for 20 mins until we were actually there! But it was incredibly misty, noooo!! We waited a while and the mist began to clear. Julio, our guide took us round the ruins explaining about them. The place was amazing, I couldn't believe I was there. The city at the top of a mountain completely surrounded by other green spectacular mountains was beautiful. The sun was shining now, it was hot and there was no mist at all. After the tour we got time to wander round ourselves. Unfortunately we couldn't climb Wannu Picchu, the big steep hill to the right in the photos as there are only a certain amount of people allowed to climb it a day. But I did get some wonderful photos of the lost Incan city so I was happy. I looked exactly like it does on the postcard photos! We didn't get that long there as we had a train booked home so I headed down the windy road to Aguas Calientes on the bus. There we had lunch before getting the train and a bus back to Cusco.

An eventful trek but a brilliant ending! Now we are in Cusco for a few days relaxing and I had a full body massage this morning to get rid of my achy legs.

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