Greetings all. You may notice a few more mistakes in this update and a different voice. That´s because although each entry so far has been signed off Kerry and Peter, Kerry has been doing all the writing.
After we arrived in Cusco and realized that it is the rainy season and the chances of having rain all four days of our hike on the Inca Trail was likely, it took a little convincing on my part to make Kerry believe that this was a good idea.
We went to the informational meeting the night before our departure. We met our guide Aldo and he filled us in on how our next 4 days would progress. He also stated that the last trek he went on it rained day and night for the entire 4 days, and that we should be prepared for the same. We also recieved our sleeping pads and sleeping bags. Which made Kerry and I both wish we had brought our own as the rentals were HEAVY!
The next morning we meet in a square in town at 5:45am in a light rain. We boarded our bus for a two and half hour drive to the begining of the trail. Once we arrived, we were descended upon by 30 women trying to sell us everything and anything we needed for the next four days. Broom handles (aka walking sticks) water, gum, chocolate and of course indivdual cigarettes. We began the trail in brillant sunshine. The trail at the begining was Andean flat. Which means to everyone else in the world uphill. We proceeded for about 2 hours at a slow steady climb to a small village where we took a break. Here they were also selling gatorade, water, beer, soda and chocolate. They also had a ¨bar¨ selling corn beer or checha. Which none of the tourists took part in but each of our 11 porters quickly slammed a beer, still with 20 Kg of weight on their backs, before continuing their sprint up the mountain. After this short break it began to drizzle as we continued up with an occasional down, but never flat.
We arrived at another town about an hour later and stopped for lunch. We were entertained at lunch by some chickens. We also came to relaize that were weren´t going to be recieving typical camping food. Gido, our cook, put out 6 different family style plates. Soup, rice, salad, beef stew, and vegetables. Of course there was mate de coca. Basically Coca leaves in hot water. Yep the same leaves used to make cocaine. They are legal in this region of Peru. They are said to keep you happy, motivated and prevents altitude sickness. (Our guide later said the only reason the Inca Trail and MachuPichu exsist is that the Incas chewed a lot of coca leaves.)
After a break we began our uphill climb again. This time we were entertained by pack horses coming both up and down the trail. At one point, Kerry and I were stuck in a horse traffic jam with neither the horses going up or down wanted to pass us. Kerry was very excited, ¨she loves horses¨. After a short steady climb we arrived at ¨the test¨, which was a 1km long hill which was very steep. Kerry and I flew right up the hill. I may have forgotten to mention that everyone on our trip except Kerry, myself and an 19 year old guy from Hungary got a porter for their personal gear. Which meant Kerry and I were carrying backpacks which were 10 and 14 kilograms respectively. (about 20 and 28 pounds) . We then proceeded to wait for about 35 minutes for the last member of our group. At least it was a beautiful vista.
As we continued up the trail we arrived at the first Inca ruins. LLactapampa was a small circular building that was used to over look farming terraces below. The site had been reconstructed just the year before. The farming terraces below seemed much more impressive.
After another hour of climbing up hill we reached our campsite. When we arrived the porters had already erected our tents for us. As well as the kitchen tent and the dining tent. After settling in our tents we were proded out for happy hour. Which consisted of tea (more coca tea!) and popcorn. Just as we finished our popcorn we were brought a typical ¨tea¨ which was apples, mint and rum. It was quite tasty. No sooner did we finnish our tea and it was time for dinner. Another 5 course meal! Well fed and well hydrated we turned into bed at the late hour of 8pm.
That night as well as the rest of the nights it rained all night long. We were awaken the next morning at 5:30am by our guide Aldo who quickly passed in two cups of tea into the tent. After packing our bags we enjoyed pancakes and quinua porage for breakfast. Once we finished eating we hit the trail for what was going to be the longest day. After we left the porters did our dishes, packed the tents and packed their own bags.
The second day was an up and down day! We began by going up steadily for 1.5 hours before we reached the last village on the trail. We sat at the village watching the lamas graze and the locals set up shop, selling gatorade, water and food. For what I thought was a fair price considernig they had to carry all the goods up the trail for a day! We waited there for nearly 2 hours waiting for the rest of our group to catch up. Then it was off to Dead Womens pass. It is the highest point on the Inca trail at nearly 14,000 feet. Kerry and I set off at a slow but steady pace. We found that we could go a steady pace without stopping but if we pushed ourselves for even one or two steps it took our wind and we had to stop and rest. After nearly two hours of slogging up hill we reached the summit of the pass. We pulled on some warm clothes and began to wait for the rest of the group. After about an hour which we were entertained by a crazy Argentinian who wore a pirates hat had a balloon sword and screamed MachuPicchu alot. It began to rain quite hard. We slipped on our new 5 dollar ponchos and began the the brutle descent. We both quickly decided we would rather be going up hill. There were thousands of rock steps that descened quite steeply. Not only did we learn quickly that we didn´t like going down hill we also learned that our new ponchos weren´t waterproof. We arrived at lunch in what seemed like 12 hours drenched, tired and with quivering legs. After waiting, and nearly starving to death another two hours for the rest of the group to arrive we were served lunch. Again a 5 course affair. Quickly after lunch we began another 2 hour climb, and after quick descent we arrived at our second campsite.
We quickly ate our dinner and all were in bed by 7pm. We awoke some 12 hours later and had a short 4 hour hike to the final campsite. The hike was easy going and quite enjoyable. The rain had subsided a bit, but we were still veiled in a cloud for most of the day. We reached a fork in the trail which was about 20 minutes from the campsite. We choose to go the long way which took us to an amazing ruin. It was a huge terraced area that was literally built into the side of the mountain. Each terrace was about 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. They were used for farmnig. The terraces themselves were amazing, not to mention the stairs to access them. Our guide also told us that each terrace is composed of three layers. The top layer is top soil which the incas carried up from the river valleys, some 3,500 feet below. Then below the top soil is a layer of sand and clay. The final layer is made from fine stones and rocks. All built in order to create proper drainage and moister levels for the crops. Amazing!!! Oh yea the terraces were also angled in a way to capture the most sunlight throughout the year. The incas were smart!
We arrived at the final campsite. Which wasn´t really a campsite. There was a disco, hot showers, bar and a museum. Nearly all the people who hike the inca trail stay here the final night. So in the rainy season, which it is now, there are nearly 200 tourists plus nearly 200 porters who support them at the campsite. Needless to say we didn´t get much sleep. Especially because of some Argentinian that kept yelling Machupichu!
We awoke our final morning at 4am with a view of the moon and a few stars. Our first sightings of the trip. We quickly ate breakfast and packed our bags. We hit the trail about 4:45 and walked all of 5 minutes to a check point. Here we waited in line until 5:30 when the checked our tickets and let us onto the final 1.5 hours of the trail. The sunrise was amazing and gave us a glimpse of some of the mountains that we hadn´t been able to see the day before. It was quite spectacular. The trail really was realitively flat for the first 40 minutes. We were the second group to hit the trail so we had 200 people stomping on our heals, so the pace was quite fast. The last 20 minutes of the hike was a good climb. The final 100 yards was nearly verticle. Once we arrived at the top we were at the sun gate! Which gives you the first glimpse of Machupichu. We had a spectacular view with the sun just starting to hit the mountains behind the lost city. After waiting a short time for the rest of the group we began the descent to MachuPichu. We arrived in the farming terrace portion of the city. It was only about 7am and there were very few people at the sight. Just to see where the city is located is very impressive. Imagine the steepest run you have ever skied, or a cliff and then imagine people building a city at the top of it 500 years ago. It is really amazing!. Then as you enter the city you become even more amazed. Each building is perfectly built using stones. The stones are all shaped and placed together to fit perfectly, without any gaps or spaces. The sun temple was the most impressive of all as each stone was cut into perfect squares. The two windows of the sun temple are also placed so that on the winter solsitce, June 21st here, the sun passes directly through one window onto the center of the room. Then on the summer solstice December 21 the sun passes directly through the other. There are also so stones carved into the floors that point to the four cardinal directions. The city was amazing. No words fully justify how impressive it is. Just when you think you couldn´t be more impressed it is pointed out that the entire city is shaped like a condor. With farming terraces used for flowers forming the head and then the main farming terraces and the city, or as our guide called it downtown forming the wings. The incas believed that the condor is the gateway to a new life.
All in all the trip was amazing. The lost city of MachuPichu was beyond comprehension as to how it was built and survived for the last 500 years. It is definitely one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Kerry and I have now settled in with our family that we are staying with here in Cusco. We begin our second round of Spanish classes tomorrow.
Here is a link to a few of the 200 pictures we took on the trail.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1Fcs2LRqxdq
Go Giants!
Peter & Kerry
Peter
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