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Published: March 29th 2007
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"From the city of Cusco there are two roads or royal highways which are two thousand miles long, one goes along the plains and the other along the mountain tops. In order to make them the way they are, it was necessary to raise the valleys, cut the stones and roads and humble the heights of the mountians." (Pedro Clezo de Leon)
It was the cold shower, fresh from the pounding Urubamba river, that began the adventure. The Australian was inside his tent, examining blisters from the third day's walk and listening to the conversation outside.
"What's the time?" the German asked. The American glanced at his watch.
"Ten to four." The conversation drifted on to the shower and the invigorating effects of the icy water. The plan was forming.
"You know what would be awesome?" the American said, staring out at the majestic Andean mountains that ran as far as the eye could see. "What would be awesome would be to see the city now, a day before everybody else." They laughed together and a natural silence filled the moment. Inside the tent, the Australian heard the seed being planted and added the first
drops of encouragement.
"Let's do it," he said, visualising the adventure, weighing up the potential problems. "We can do it."
The other two shifted side to side, stared into the tent and then at each other. The seed had been sown. The adventure had begun.
The three changed back into their wet, dirty hiking gear and after organising an alibi with a fellow group member, uncovered the unknown track ahead and the various checkpoints through a somewhat suspicious group of porters. Slinking their way through the campsites, where other hikers were slowly filing in from the longest of the four day trek, they found the track and crept up to the first checkpoint. Surprisingly it was empty, and the possibility of success increased. The gate was locked shut but after investigating further the trio discovered an old fence that leant precariously over a twenty metre drop. With surging adrenaline and erratic nerves, the three slowly scaled the fence and landed on the other side. They were alone on the Inca Trail, with Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, only two valleys away.
The first few hundred metres were slow as the campsites
were still in sight and the possibility of being spotted was very real. Taking turns, each of the three adventurers made the dash throught the open sections, staying low to the ground to minimise the chance of failure. Before long, they curved around into a neighbouring valley and could move freely. As they set out on a steady jog, with adrenaline powering their tired limbs, the three young men were calculating time and distance. It was just after four, giving them less than two hours of light. The guide had told them that the walk from the campsite to Machu Picchu was one and a half hours away. They surged forward, slowing only at sharp corners to lessen the sound of their approach to potential checkpoints. After 25 minutes of running, all were beginning to tire. Sweating profusely and breathing heavily they paused to check their map and catch their breaths. The American looked at the map awhile before addressing his companions.
"We're around the corner," he whispered excitedly. The three glanced at each other and continued, bouyed by this surprising news. Within five minutes they reached a steep stone staircase. The German, leading the way, reached the top
before motioning to the others to stop. The other two merged into the forest. They re-assembled and dejectedly weighed up the possibility of being caught by security at the last stage. The Australian stepped forward and ascended the peak of the stairs, where a large stone wall seperated him and the people on the other side. He leaned in, trying to catch what was being said. Suddenly, he caught a few words and using hand movements, explained to the other two, who could barely be seen, that the words were in fact English. There was hope.
The Australian rounded the corned and walked confidently out on to the Sun Gate, the viewing platform where hikers on the Inka Trail first lay their eyes upon Machu Picchu. An older American man and his son were there, taking pictures of the famous city. The Australian took in the sight before him, the glorious splendour of a setting sun casting soft light over the ancient city. He ran back to the stairs and yelled to the others to join him. In a moment, the three stood at the Sun Gate, soaking in the magic before them and revelling in their success.
And after taking a few group photos, the man and his son left the platform to return to their plush hotel that lay aside Machu Picchu. The three travellers laughed, yelled and embraced before settling in to behold what would be the highlight of their travels and one of the most memorable moments of their lives...
The experience above was truly magical and finished what was an amazing trek and an incredible journey on the 45 kilometre Inka Trail through the Sacred Valley. The terrain was lush and spectacular but provided every walking challenge imaginable, with pre-dawn starts and an average of 7 hours hiking each day. Our group varied in age, ethnicity and volume (I admit to wanting to beat the annoying Canadian couple with my walking stick after their 754th question to the guide. The highlight coming from the girl who asked the guide at MP if the room that housed the sun-dial had a roof!😊, but we all bonded well and despite some language barriers, ended the trail as a tightly formed team. The weather was kind to us on all days except for the third where it rained consistently for 6 hours but
thankfully the clouds cleared and the sun shone for our adventure.
On the final day, I was overwhelmed by the sheer majesty and mystery of Machu Picchu. This feeling could not be replicated by travelling to the Lost City by train. Walking the Inka Trail gave one an immense feeling of humbleness and an incredible appreciation of the history and legend of the area. In fact many experts believe that the trail served not only as a road but as a route of pilgramage to the sacred city. To follow in the footsteps of Incan royals, caravans of Kings, soldiers, farmers and llamas, was an unforgettable experience. Here, amongst the most spectacular scenery I have witnessed, there are incredible stories hidden in the deep jungles, legends born from ancient ruins and elaborate royal highways and mysteries lost in the whisper of the winds...
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shana
non-member comment
hello hello
hello dale, this is shana.......wow great photos!!!! have loads of fun, take care n hope to see u soon in nepal ;- )