The Inka Trail

---

Well we are back from the Inka trail, with a few stories.

Firstly the bad points, if anyone is reading this and thinking of doing the Inka trail don´t book it with Marlon´s House, APU travel or Jisa tours. It was the rainy season (which we knew) but all of the tents leaked meaning that our sleeping mattresses and sleeping bags got wet in the night. Miles sleeping bag was not good enough to keep him warm, so he was cold every night. There weren´t enough tents so one of the travellers had to sleep in the tent with the 2 guides. The food was awful. It was often cold, the portions were too small and three of us were ill during the trip. A young polish woman had food poisioning on day 2, Miles had diarreah during the last night and I got food poisioning during the last night. I was sick and had diarreah and only got a few hours sleep, so on the final day when we reached the highlight of the trip, getting to Machu Picchu, we were all tired, and for Miles and me feeling rough too.

However despite all these problems the actual trek was excellent, and we met some great people. We had mixtures of very sunny and very wet but when we got to Machu Picchu it was clear most of the time and we got some excellent pictures. Machu Picchu was bigger than I expected and was fantastic. The photo´s will appear soon I hope. Chris and I purchased walking sticks to take some of the pressure from our knees and they were a good buy. Even though we walked for hours each day my knee and ankle didn´t ache at all.

After the trail we all filled in questionnaires, all saying the same things about the tents and food, and agreed to meet up the following day in Cusco to go to the travel agency. The four of us went back to our lovely hostel (San Blas) and slept for 12 hours and then had a hot shower. We have vowed never to go camping again. I didn´t eat anything for 36 hours but have had a few rolls, and a sandwich since we have been back in Cusco and feel OK. Miles still has an upset stomach - he may try to see a doctor.

A day later and we have been to the travel agency and after a few harsh words managed to get 120 US Dollars back. We also got the 10 US Dollars tip back that we gave to our guide (Boneth). When we were filling in the questionnaires we said how good she was and she sympathised with us about the tents saying that it happens all the time and that the travel agency do nothing. However when we got to the travel agents we found out that she said the polish couple were trouble makers and that we got sick sick because we drunk hot chocolate and rum! The night that I was sick I didn´t even drink that - I had a dodgy bit of chicken!

We each picked a name to buy Christmas presents for, so I am off now to buy Christmas presents for my chosen person. We are in Cusco until Christmas Eve when we fly to Lima for Christmas. As a belated birthday treat to the others we are booked in a 4 star hotel for 2 nights. Hopefully their computers will have the facility to load our pictures.

Love to you all and have a good Christmas.

Love Tina

---

Photos

Resting
This was lunch on day 1 - and some people were already tired!

The end of the trek
Do you think Chris has put on any weight?