Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

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Left for this trek at 4am, wasnt in the best of moods as most of you know Im not a morning person and I wouldnt call Nik a delight in the morning.

Got taken to this dingy part of town and got on a really crap bus and loads of locals got on ' starting to think we were ripped off.

Slept for most of the journey then we arrived to the starting point of our trek. The guide started talking to us and again we thought we were screwed as we couldnt really understand him. Had to go in to a restaurant to have breakfast then we started to met our group.

Everyone seemed really nice, here they are ' Tamaia and Hilary ' Kiwis, ´Stuart´ Ozzie, ´Stav´ Israeli, ´Wale´ French, ´Kaitlin´ American, ´Rowgun the English Gentleman,´Case the crazy dutchman´, ´Manuél´ spanish, ´Fabiano´Brazilian´and not much to say Úrsula´ from Korea.

Turns out we were not at the start of the trek and the whole group had to be crammed into two trucks to get there. Interesting!!

Should have already said but the trek is 72km and we had to walk this in 5 days - oh my god - dont think we really thought this through. We had horses, donkeys and mules - definitely on a budget tour ' carry our rucksacks and we just carried the necessities, but it still killed.

First day we had to walk about 5 hours and only stopped for lunch and one or two short breaks. The weather was crazy ' went from boiling hot to rain to hail and then to boiling hot again. Then when we arrived at the place we were to camp it was very cold.

Put up our tents and then got ready for dinner ' I mean we piled on as many layers as we could as it was freezing. Got to know everyone well over dinner ' had so much fun as everyone was such a laugh.

Had an early night ' was so cold. We shared with Kaitlin. Nik didnt sleep because she was so cold and I couldnt sleep because I was so cold and couldnt breathe because of the high altitude.

Next morning we were dreading more trekking but got going at about 6am. Gt woke at 5am with coco tea which helps with the altitude, then breakfast and we were off.

It was so hard I cannot explain. We had to climb a mountain and once we were at the top we were 4800metres above sea level. We struggled and I was nearly the last one at the top as I sat down alot. I could say I was admiring the beautiful view but I would be lying in part as I was shattered.

Once we were at the top it was mostly up and down the rest of the way which we found much better.

By the time we got to the camp all I wanted was fanta, strange I know but oh well. So luckily this place had a tiny shop which happened to have fanta which I split with some of the guys on the trek.

Was not as cold this night, so coped much better. Nik and I had a tent to ourselves, so stretched out more. Not that we can complain because 3 guys had to share every night of the trek and they were all quite tall, gutted boys, he he!!

Oh my god, completely forgot to mention earlier but the toilet situation was rank. First night had to be one with nature, the second night was much worse. It was a tin tent with a massive long drop 'hole. Most people missed this huge hole so try and imagine it was disgusting!!!!!!! Nik even thought she was going to fall in at one point and I was certainly not going in after her, friendship or not.

Third morning was so much better, although was in utter agony in our feet and legs. We started walking through the jungle. Was a good walk all day but we were all getting eaten alive by the mosquitoes - crazy how many times everyone got biten.

However, spent the afternoon in some lovely hot springs so cant complain. Then we had quite a nice camp that night, it even had electricity so we had music. Cant complain, love a little bob marley.

Clearly we all were starting to cope well with the trek as most of us decided to have a few drinks over dinner then played some cards. Was so funny, we were playing bull shit. After dinner, which by the way was the only meal the entire trip which Nik and I really enjoyed, we played more cards and started drinking more. Then we all sat around the campfire whilst we drank and played some interesting games. It was really sweet at one point though because the Israeli guy, stav can play the guitar and the first song he played was ´Creep´ by Radiohead which for those of you who dont know is my pedros favourite song ever. I loved it but did miss you even more at that point pedro.

Anyways, too soppy so moving on . . .

Everyone got quite merry and one of the cooks from our tour asked if we wanted to go to a discoteque (bare in mind we were in the jungle in the middle of no where). Anyway, everyone was all for it especially nik so I was persuaded. Also, keep in mind we looked like crap, or I did any way.

It was so funny, we walked five minutes and came to this house which turns out to be the club. We walked in and it was basically a living room with a disco ball in the middle and was packed with crazy peruvians dancing. When we walked in they all went mad (happy mad though). Some of the guys took pictures so when we get them we will put them on facebook. Really funny night over all, danced alot, dont know how because our feet were in agony but oh well.

Next morning we had to walk to the town aqua caliente where we would all be staying in a hostel for the last night. As Nik and I hit half way we thought that was it but how wrong could we be. Had to walk along a train track for the last half which reminded us of the film ´stand by me´ but after singing for a while it soon got tedious and we were so happy when we got there.

Then just as our luck was in we got taken to our hostel which was seperate from everyone but ours was at the top of the bloody highest hill in the town. Was not happy. Nik told the guide that we were not coming back to get our backpacks so the guide got one of the cooks to bring them instead. Harsh I know but we were so grateful, Dont judge us as you would have all done the same.

It was so nice in our hostel and so nice to see a bed, toilet and a shower. We went for our last meal that night which was quite nice and then a few of us went for drinks afterwards. Not a late one though as we were all quite tired after the night before.

FINAL DAY - MACHU PICCHU.

Had to be up and at the meeting point by 4.30am. Then there was abit of a problem when we met because one fo the guys, Stav, was told the night before that he had to pay an extra $80 for the entrance to machu picchu and the train home which was utter bollucks. So, he was arguing with the guide and then we were all arguing it because he shouldnt have been told the night before and it should have been included in the original price. In the end it all got sorted so we set off.

This is the ridiculous part. Remember I said that Nik and I had trouble understanding the guide (who by the way was useless for information - we were better off with a guide book for the trek). Well, we thought he said there wasnt alot of walking on the final day but we were very much mistaken. We had to do the final part of the Inka trail which was an hour long walking up some steps of the mountain to machu picchu. Oh my god I believe we nearly died but when we made it to the top I kissed and cuddled almost everyone as I was so chuffed for both of us. It was such an amazing feeling, what an achievement.

We sat down for a few minutes and we looked on at the pathetic losers who did the 30km Inka trail or didnt even do the trek and got a bus. PATHETIC People!! We rocked!!

Machu Picchu was pretty cool, got more info out of the guide for the half hour tour around there than the 5 days we spent with him.

What can I say other than we treked to Machu Picchu, loved it!! We had the best group ever and although it was hard it was god damn amazing!!

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