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Day 2
We were woken by the cry of cockerels early, even before the target time to rise of 5:30.
The porters brought us cocoa tea - a couple of fresh leaves in hot water, followed by a bowl of warm water for washing.
Breakfast was a sort of porridge, quinoa with apple, followed by omelette with potato. We left the site at 6:50. It was distinctly chilly as we climbed gently through forest.
This second day was by far the hardest. Although we only walked 11km, it was mostly uphill and some if it was very steep. So from around 3,000 metres we climbed to 4,200 metres.
The photos don't do it justice because not only do they not show the true steepness of the path but they give no indication of the impact of the altitude. Our guide at the front, Freddy, took it really steadily stopping every 5-10 minutes. Each time we set off again after a short break you felt ready to bound up the steps. But after half a dozen your legs went to jelly and you struggled for breath.
We were following a small stream uphill and the moisture
allowed a variety of plants to grow. The trees were covered in moss and it reminded me very much of the similar vegetation I had seen on Mount Kilimanjaro on a geography field trip many years before.
We came to an open site where some walkers were having a late breakfast, four women were selling water and drinks and llamas grazed.
From then on we were out in the open, the temperature rose and the path steepened - we were on the Inca pavement which had been in place for over 400 years.
We then could see our goal, Dead Women's Pass, a 20th century invention from the outline of a women's face and a large boob. It was only one of a few places the Incas found to cross the barrier posed by the Andes.
We reached the top of the pass at 12:30 and had a well deserved rest. Martin bounded up the hill like a mountain goat to take pictures of the breathtaking views.
He had very kindly offered to take my day pack for that day which, although relatively light, made a big difference. I felt a bit of a cheat
until I remembered having him on my back when we tramped through the New Zealand native bush in the 1980s.
We then descended 700 metres to our campsite. I found the steep descent certainly as difficult if not more so than the going up.
We arrived at the campsite at 2:15 and had lunch straight away, asparagus soup followed by chicken, potatoes, vegetables and rice.
We then had a siesta with fantastic views across the valley.
That evening JJ introduced the porters to us and we reciprocated. They almost all came from the same remote village, one of two supported by Condor Travel. Most were in their 20s but two were older, the oldest being 51.
We went to bed early, ready for another 5:30 start and two more passes to climb - though lower than Dead Woman's.
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