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Published: August 14th 2007
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The Budget cattle were prodded onto a bus once more and whisked away to the sacred valley of the Incas. We started with the Urubamba vallley where we blocked out our guide Julio´s drone, to take photos of the amazing panorama of Cusco, once the foremost city of the Incas. Built in the shape of a puma, this charming city, 3326m above sea-level, was colonised by the Spanish, who mistook ´Cusco´(meaning´navel of the earth´in local Quechan) to mean ´little dog´(in Spanish). We then sidled through a long dark cave before heading back to the bus.
Next stop was the llama farm and weaving centre where we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a range of llamas and alpacas. Well, as close as they would let us anyway! Traditional weaving techniques were on show, and beautiful alpaca products were on sale in the classy, high-priced shop on site.
After another uphill climb and tedious history lesson about the ruins at the top, we set off for the small town of Pisac for lunch, and a look at the markets. A parade was taking place that day which was an exciting cultural surprise. Dance troupes dressed in
colourful, local styles competed with Peruvian brass bands for the attention of the crowded streets. With limited time in this pretty little cobbled town, we ate from street stalls before hitting the market to stock up on jumpers and hats for the imminent Lares trek.
The doubts about our ´budget´experience were mounting, and each time we were rushed through an attraction, or loaded onto a tourist bus with our Cornettos, we wondered whether this was real travelling as we knew it.
Still more attractions to pack in, the local corn brewery was next. A red plastic flag at full mast signified to passers-by that the brew was up, and in they came for a bit of leisurely drinking. We accompanied our free taster with the local drinking game. Players had to to throw small coin-shaped pieces into the slots of a unit a placed a few feet away. The highest possible score was available for getting your disc into the mouth of a brass frog perched on the front, but this was a fiendishly difficult challenge.
Next, Ollantaytambo, where yet more ruins awaited us, atop yet another load of steps! Not even needing to discuss it, we
bunked off and made a beeline for a ´freshly ground coffee´sign. We then said our goodbyes to most of the group (as they were off to do the Inca trail) and returned to Cusco for the night.
So, the time had come. Our big trek in the Inca Heartland was upon us. Our guide Wilbert met with us early doors, having already briefed us two days earlier. There were only six of us, compared to the twenty-odd who had booked the normal Inca trail which leads you directly to Macchu Pichu. Our trek would have fewer ruins, but a little more culture and wildlife. We jumped in the vehicle and made our way to a local market for breakfast and supplies. It is recommended to bring a few presents for the local villagers, and this can range from bread rolls to coloured pencils. We also bought some coca leaves. These are used to make cocaine, but when chewed can help to alleviate altitude symptoms. There were no psychoactive effects; you´d have to chew so many for that, and they are revolting!.
We then went on a long drive through windy roads in breathtaking countryside until we eventually stopped
for lunch by a stream. The porters and chef set about making a range of hot dishes while we lolled about on the grass. They laid the table with tablecloth and set out handwash bowls with little soaps and towels. It was really perfect! After a tasy meal, we were urged to our feet, and got on with the real job, hardcore trekking. Now, for anyone who hasn´t been at three and a half thousand feet before, let´s make it clear that it´s not even all that easy to breath when you´re standing still. This was to be a real test of character.
We stopped repeatedly to give bread and pencils to grateful villagers. We cooed at all the llamas and alpacas, and we took in the impressive surroundings. The afternoon proved to be a real humdinger; we reached the destination shortly before nightfall. Or, at least, most of us did. Chris, having plunged ahead to call a horse for poor Izzy who was suffering from altitude sickness and seeing stars, managed to walk straight past the campsite. When we arrived there, we were told that he had gone for walk. We were gobsmacked that he had decided to
walk even further than necessary. But then we realised the real surprise - the porters had simply let him walk straight by! Anyway, we settled in for a cold night, wearing nearly all of the clothes we had brought. We had tea at about 6.30, dinner about 7.30, and then took an early, bitterly cold night. Four thousand feet camping in the middle of winter is a sobering experience. Thank god for minus five sleeping bags!
The nexy day we were woken with hot coca tea, delivered to our tent and after brekkie, we set off at eight, ready for the hardest day of the trek. The morning would consist of two very difficult passes. David, still finding it difficult to breathe, chickened out and took a horse. The animal belonged to, and was led by a seven year old local boy who made his way up and down the mountainsides with enviable ease. Louise soldiered on all the way. The views were stunning, with a deep blue lake set in the mountains after the first pass, and sweeping valley vistas at every corner. We had a fabulous lunch with about eight different platters, cooked up by our excellent
staff. We chowed down hard and regrouped, before starting off down the path. The second half of the day was pleasant, with lots of flat walking along the mountain fringe, David plowed on this time, refreshed, and set the pace. We stopped to visit a local house where we asked the family questions about their lives, played with their cat, watched their guinea pigs scurrying about, and gave out balloons. This was a true cultural exchange, and it made the day. We finally arrived at our campsite for the night. David played football with a young local lad (whacking the flat ball far too hard really) before the mealtime marathon began all over again (this was all on top of a bag of snacks we had been allocated that morning). We had another early night.
The third and final day was fairly easy going. We spent most of the morning making our way up to some ruins, and received a concurrent lesson about the Incas, by our warm and competent guide Wilbert. We went down from there back to Olleytetambo for lunch before taking the scenic train up to Aguas Calientes. We spent a pleasant evening there, taking a
dip in the local hot baths (another steep climb, typically) and eating pizza. We didn´t stay up late because we were aiming for a Macchu Pichu sunrise!
We arrived a little late to see this newly appointed man-made wonder of the world at sunrise, but it was so foggy anyway that it hardly mattered. When it did emerge from the mist, it was simply incredible. We snapped photo after photo, from every angle, and then we took a lengthy tour around many of the different rooms and buildings. After a while we stopped for a long rest on some grass, and waited while half of the group, astonishingly, went scampering up a scarily steep hill (Wana Pichu). The view from up here was meant to be unbelievable, but it was a bridge too far for us lazy gits! After some time, we took the bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch and a spot of shopping and waiting around. Ultimately we caught a train back to Olleytetambo, and then a taxi back to Cusco. We shared the back seat of the cab with Aussie Jo, and sang our hearts out to eighties classics pumping out of the driver´s stereo.
The next day we got a few things done in Cusco and finished off our time in this part of Peru with a night out dancing.
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Claire
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Wow!
Wow, you lucky things guys! The trek sounds amazing, if a little hard going, but sounds like you did alright for a couple of lazy gits! Hope you're enjoying your last few weeks of travelling to the max - weather sucks here!