Almost Ruined- Machu Picchu

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The train from Ollaytantambo to Aguas Calientes took about 2 hours, and it probably could have been walked in 4. It was rocking around from side to side like crazy, so was practically impossible to sleep. We arrived at 9.30pm in a mad panic as we had to find somewhere to stay, buy our admission tickets for Machu Picchu, book bus tickets, and have something to eat and actually sleep before 4.30am. So seven hours. Wow talk about short on time. First of all we rushed to the bus ticket windows, which were closed. Damn. We made it back to the special office to buy admission tickets to Machu Picchu. That was also closed. Annoying people were harassing us outside the doors of the office trying to make us stay at their hostels. We were trying to shoo them away whilst hammering on the doors. We had been told it would be open until ten, and it was still quarter to. Thankfully someone came and answered the door and we let out a sigh of relief. For once luck was on our side, and we were able to pay around 60 soles each for being students as opposed to the normal admission price of nearly twice as much.

One task complete, we set out to find something to eat. We settled in a pizza place in the main plaza where we ordered a pizza for 30 soles, around £7.50. After eating we asked one of the owners where there was somewhere to stay. We had originally planned to stay at Puira hostel but it seemed to be miles away. As time was ticking we didn't really care where we went as long as there was a bed. The lady from the restaurant took us around town from place to place until she found somewhere still open, and willing to give us a bed for 20 soles each. What a bloody bargain. Considering this is the last stop before Machu Picchu it is meant to be really expensive. A night in a dorm at the hostel we had been planning to stay at would have cost more than that, and here we were with a double room with private bathroom. Admittedly it smelt like Luke's rugby bag, but it was a bed.

The room also had giant sliding windows almost door sized, which were unsecurable. The lock on our bedroom door didn't work, and the front door to the hotel (slash shop) that we were staying had a similar unsecured sliding glass door. So we were a thief's dream, but fortunately we made it through the night without any disturbances. We managed to get to bed before 12 but with the horrible thought that we would have to get up at 4.30am.

We woke the following morning, and after a quick shower were out of the door by 5. The best thing about this room was that it was literally outside the bus station. It was completely tipping it down and pitch black. We braved it with our rain macs and ran down to the bus station to purchase some tickets up to Machu Picchu. We wanted to get onto the first bus up as only the first 400 people entering the site get the opportunity to climb Wayna Picchu, the mountain that towers over Machu Picchu. Fortunately after queueing for a long time, we managed to get onto one of the first buses.

The climb up the mountain in the bus would have possibly been a bit more unnerving if we were properly awake. The rain was torrenial and the roads were so windy it was a miracle the buses could make the turns. We eventually made it to the top in about half an hour, and we were waiting outside the gates for the site to open at 6am.

We were fortunately in the first 400 so we were provided with a stamp on our ticket that allowed us to enter Wayna Picchu at 7am. There are only two climbing times, 7 and 10 so we went for the earlier one hoping the weather might clear up. As we approached the base of the mountain, the weather was worsening. The rain was horrendous, and we'd already been told by another couple back in La Paz that the climb was steep and scary. Apparently tourists have died climbing up here, and this is not a surprise at all.

The beginning of the climb is relatively easy around the wide base of the mountain, the only hardship being the fact that it is mostly steps. As you climb higher the steps become narrower and not step-shaped, more like jutting out rocks here and there that you have to climb up on hands and knees. There are hardly any provisions for holding on, and for the most part you have to just rely on balance. However, in the rain this was practically impossible as there were waterfalls cascading down the side of the mountain. We were thinking that there might be lanslides with the sheer amount of water coming down, especially as most of the passes are purely formed out of mud.

At the highest point of the mountain there is a temple, and this is the reason for the climb. We wouldn't even like to guess how many people died building this temple, as you can see from the photographs just how steep the mountain is (the tall one directly behind Machu Picchu). In total it tool us around an hour to get up which was good considering the torrential rain. About five minutes from the top we heard the rumble of thunder. We were a little scared as it seemed as if the whole thing was going to slide. We made it to the top to the vieiwing point to see Machu Picchu, and we saw absolutely nothing. It was only possibly to see clouds which although not in the least bit surprising considering the weather, was extremely disapponting. At the top we stood and laughed at our own misfortune, but decided to quickly head down as this was not one of those storms that you could wait out.

The walk down was quite scary as the rocks were really slippy, but we made it back safely in around half an hour. We were completely drenched through, and it was clear that there was no chance of this storm passing. Our second wonder of the worls was a complete disappointment. We couldn't even see the ruins through the clouds/mist/fog.

By 9am we had had enough so decided to head back down to Aguas Calientes. We didn't have a proper change of clothes and we were both wearing soaking wet jeans. Obviously the place where we had stayed the previous night was not not really somewhere we could return to, not being a proper hostel. We ended up having to buy some happy pants as they were the cheapest trousers available in town. Again whilst we were bargaining for a good price one of the sales assistant pulls up her top and starts breastfeeding. Seriously, is this something they do to scare the tourists?

We eventually got our trousers for a semi-reasonable price and then dressed in a mis-match of various other clothes ventured from restaurant to cafe trying to wait out the 9 hours before our train. We even went to the station to try to get onto an earler train, but it was going to cost an extra 60 dollars for the two of us. We weren't prepared to pay that so returned to town for an extortionate hot chocolate and a game of chess.

After outstaying our welcome at a cafe by watching a film on the netbook (but it was justified due to the rubbish hot chocolate) we noticed the sun coming out. It was about 3.15pm and we contemplated going back up to Machu Picchu. We ran to the tourism office where we were told we could go back up! Great news. We had to pay another 14 dollars each for more bus tickets, but it was going to be worth it. We laid out our admission tickets to dry as good as possible while on the way back up- they had got soaked last time.

Half an hour later we were back inside Machu Picchu and it was worth every penny. The views were completely amazing, and to top it all off we saw two rainbows. We hurried up to the guard's watch tower where we could take some good photos. Our climb was halted for a few moments when we got trapped behind a herd of llama who are surprisingly agile and quick despite their calm appearance. Eventually we made it up there and it was fantastic. The site was quiet as there was only half an hour left until closing time, which meant we could get some good pictures with the added bonus of the rainbows.

We caught the bus back down and had a pizza whilst waiting for our train back to Ollaytantambo. We caught the train back but had not yet arranged any transport to get back to Cuzco. Fortunately there were hundreds of people waiting for us when we got off the train all trying to get us on their buses. We decided to catch the same bus as the couple we had met the day before, whilst waiting for the train.

On the way back some kids in the street were playing with fireworks, and were throwing them at our bus. Not really the Christmas spirit. We arrived back in Cuzco just before 12, and were tucked up in bed soon after that, eagerly awaiting Christmas day.

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