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Published: June 12th 2008
I Got to Lake Titicaca there at the beginning of June. Was with a tour group of 20 people. It was a 2 day trip with an over night on an island with a local family. I stayed with a family with 4 other tourists. A Belgium guy, An Aussie & A Pol, & another yank. They got us all up to the town hall and we had a big barn dance kinda thing. It was great crack dressing up in the Pancho´s and the girls all got into there big mad dress´s and stuff. The island´s were something else as well. The air is so clear because of the altitude and the sun is just belting down all day and with the reflection of the water and the shortness of my memory i managed to forget to put sun cream on again, which was in my pocket all day, and needless to say i came out looking like odd. Ive never managed to get my lips burnt but sure i can now tick that off the list now. so theres only a few spots i still have to get burnt and there kinda the places i really don't plan on
getting burnt if ya know what i mean. But it was a great trip and met some cool people who have been on some crazy trips all around south America and central America.
I'm just after completing a Trek on my way up to Machu Picchu. As the Inca Trail needs to be book at least 4-6 months in advance during June,July & august i had to find an alternative trek. So I picked a called Salakantey. This was a 5 Day and 4 Night trek. We covered 86 km in the first 4 days reaching a height of 4600m above sea level, and then on the final day we hit Machu Picchu. Every started with a wake up at 5am with Coca Tea and then we hit the dusty trail at 6. most days we were walking from 6-10 hours. Its probably the most difficult trek to Machu Picchu but it was amazing. It was more scenery than the Inca trail which i kinda prefer. We were trekking through Jungle, Mountain Glacier Peaks, through Valleys, through farm land & over rivers.
I was with a group of 15 and then 2 Peruvian Guides. 2 Canadians, 4 Yanks,
2 Aussies, a Spanish lad, A polish girl, A Chezh girl & 3 Belgium heads. It was the perfect group and we all got on great. a range of fitness levels & speed and it was a big group so meant we walked a tad slower which gave me plenty of time to admire the scenery. Now Ive seen quite a bit in my day but these Andes are what its all about. Cracking stuff, the photos just haven't got anything on what they really are.
Also i managed very well and the altitude wasn't a problem and all was going well until the last 2 km before the small touristy village at the bottom of Machu Picchu. and on the flat train sleepers are where the problems set in. With 2 km left my knee decided to pop and make things a little more exciting. So i couldn't walk and needed to get these big walking polls. & then i got filled up with pain killers and hobbled the rest to Aguas Calientes. Then Machu Picchu day started with a double Painkiller and a 4 am wake up. The i hobbled around on one foot for 15 km
at 45 degree incline up and down all day. But Luckily my Belgium mate wasn't exactly linford so he was a tad slower than me so we kept the pace all day getting pass out by everyone.
The trek was amazing and something I'm always gonna remember even the people ill always remember we just had the best 5 days ever and so many funny memories.
Ive been in contact with some of the other dts students who are also coming to Oxford, New Zealand in July so im getting real excited and i cant wait to get out there but still got another 3 weeks to look forward to. Im leaving Peru tongiht and im going to start making my way down towards Brazil to meet Laura & try out this brazilian surf and salsa.
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Sarah
non-member comment
AH--beautiful scenery! It looks absolutely amazing--so jealous right now :)