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Published: October 23rd 2009
Hello my lovelies,
We have just completed our second big adventure. . . . an enormously long and arduous trek through the mountains to Machu Picchu.
We met up in Cusco - a group of twelve - people we were to get to know very well over the next six days! I was very nervous about this part of the holiday as it involves walking up and down hills and vallies at altitude for on average 5 hours a day and is not recommended for "novices".
Our fellow travellers were four Germans, two Americans (mother and son), two Mexicans, and another two Brits. The Germans and the Mexicans all turned out to be very fit and completely at home walking at altitude. The oldest in the group (one of the German couples) had both done a lot of mountain climbing - Mont Blanc, Everest (!!!*****##!!) etc so this was a stroll in the park for them!
On day one you had the choice of a two and a half hour stroll or a five hour hike to the lodge. Ian chose the latter and I of course the former - no point in wearing myself out before the start!!!!
Unfortunately Ian didn´t realise that he was in the process of going down with a nasty stomach bug and by the time he reached the lodge he was feeling very ill indeed! He went straight to bed and developed a fever and of course diarrhoea! So while I had a lovely meal of poached salmon with capers he had dry toast - I guess them´s the breaks!
Luckily the guides are very prepared for this kind of thing and Ian was dosed up with antibiotics etc.
The first lodge was in the most beautiful setting imaginable. Right next to the Salkantay glacier and surrounded by dramatic mountains its brown adobe walls and grass roof made it blend beautifully into the environment. The weather was perfect and the glacier looks stunning against a bright blue sky.
The next day was an acclimatisation day with a five hour walk uphill to a glacial lake at just over 4000 metres. So I went with the group leaving Ian in bed back at the lodge. It was taxing to say the least but I made it! There are two guides and one walks at the front, the other at the back, and then the muleteer with the horse carrying oxygen, first aid and our packs bring up the rear. So it is impossible to get left behind - though you can arrive five minutes after the others - as I sometimes did!!! At the glacial lake we saw a condor and an eagle and the weather was glorious! I came back down full of the joys of spring and proud of my achievement! Ian was feeling better so we were ready for day one of the trek!!!
This was the really tough day - six hours treking including four and a half hours of ascent to 4900 metres. It was damned hard but we all made it to the highest point where there was much back slapping, hugging, high fiving etc. And unusually no-one had bad altitude sickness - though you do notice that breathing is pretty hard work up there!
The rest of the trek should have been the same only easier if I hadn´t gone down with Ian´s stomach bug!!! This was more difficult as it wasn´t possible for me to spend a day in bed like Ian - basically I had two options: walk or go on the horse! I have only ridden a horse once before and didn´t much like it - and this was up and down very steep hills - bugger! So, feeling like death, I got on "Locero" perhaps the most placid animal ever and we set off. Every now and then I had to get off when it got very steep so I probably rode two thirds of the way and walked one third. It was a horrid day and I went to bed as soon as we got to the lodge!
Managed the rest of the trek without incident. Enjoyed the lodges - all in breathtaking remote settings completely inaccessible by vehicle. Wallowed in the hot tubs, ate huge amounts of food and thoroughly enjoyed the company of our travelling companions. Ian and I particularly got on with the Mexican couple and with the younger of the two German couples. As we got to know each other there was lots of teasing - nice nice people.
Didn´t come across any other trekkers on the way, but lots and lots of locals moving themselves and their goods by horse, mule and donkey.
It was very tough. . . would I do it again? Only once enough time has elapsed so I´ve forgotten how hard this time was!!! But it does make me want to do more walking holidays though not perhaps quite as hard as this one!!!
So the day before yesterday we got to Aguas Calientes - the nearest town to Machu Picchu and stopping point for all visitors to MP. And it is the ugliest shithole you´ve ever seen in your life! It makes Magaluf look classy!!!! MP has gone from being relatively unknown to being the hottest tourist destination on the planet in the course of 15 years and as a result Aguas Calientes is one huge building site cum tourist tat shop cum pizzeria!
Fortunately, we are staying in a stunning hotel at the end of the town with huge grounds, its own tea plantation, orchid garden, avocado orchard - set in the cloud forest. It is built as a series of tiny red tiled white walled houses each with a working fireplace. The gardens are filled with humming birds - and other birds too but its the humming birds that are truly gorgeous. Not only are they beautiful irredescent colours but when they stop flapping they stay for a second with their wings out before suddenly folding them - it makes them look like they are clockwork creatures - very cute!!!
Yesterday we went to MP and it was wonderful - immense, majestic and rather full of tourists of course! We had the option of walking up a hill nearby to look down on the site - two hours walking and 700 metres of ascent. I declined - I don´t have to prove anything to anyone any more and besides my legs are killing me. Ian sprinted up with the Mexicans and young Germans and they all came back fresh as daisies!
Yesterday afternoon our friends left to go back to Cusco while we are staying on for another two nights in order to enjoy a bit of rest and relaxation in our lovely hotel. Built a log fire in the hearth of our room last night and enjoyed an an aperitif before going off for dinner. Everyone raves about Peruvian food but we ate much better in Ecuador . .. less sophisticated but good quality homely peasant food. Here in Peru it looks better but frankly doesn´t taste as good!
We have booked for a double massage today - where we get massaged side by side. The rest of the day will be spent looking at humming birds and enjoying the lovely surroundings.
Hope you are all well and having fun too!
Lots and lots of love
Alli and Ian x x x x x
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Neil
non-member comment
Wonderful
What a lovely account of such a great adventure. I would have opted for Dobbin as well, I think. MP must be a great highlight, despite the tourists. But wonderful to stay up there in the hotel for R+R. Have a great trip back down to reality! You'll want to know that Nick Griffin was parachuted into Strictly as a surprise guest after a stunning performance on Question Time. He came second behind Jack Straw in the Tango.