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This week has been amazing probably my favourite week of the whole trip so far, but its been so difficult. It started off so early last sunday had to be up at 3:50 to be ready for the bus to take me to Mollepata where we started the trek, it took about 2 and a half hours and we began trekking at around 8 in the morning the first day wasn't too bad we had a few really steep climbs but they didn't go on for too long and the second half of the day was mostly flat it wasa only 19km that first day. We arrived at the camp at about 5 and when we first got there it was warm so we sat by the river at the bottom of one snow capped mountain and had a beer, but i was so tired from the early start and the walking that i went straight to sleep after the dinner though, and by that time it was absolutely freezing, it was so cold that night that i had to sleep in my thermals in my sleeping bag, i cant believe the difference in temperature to when i done the last trek one month ago.
The second day was another early start at 5, and was supposed to be the toughest day of the trek, it was 21 km and included the ascent to the peak of the moutainous pass at 4650 metres 200 more than i went to before, it actually wasn't too bad though and we reached the pass really quickly, but as if we hadn't done enough walking already me and a few of the other boys tried to walk to a glacial cave that was about another 400 metres up and another 2 km away, we didnt realise how far it was at first and after about half an hour we realised it was impossible for us to get there. That afternon wasn't to bad mostly downhill but at times that is actually more difficult than the up because of the loose rocks and the impact on your knees. We reached the camp at about half 5 and it was much lower than the previouys night about 2800 metres and we had quite a few beers to celebrate what we thought was the hardest day over with.
The third day was the easiest in terms of walking, only 14 km and mostly flat, and we finished the trek by 2 and had luch at the camp at this point some people began to suffer from the disatance in the group and we were offered an option either another early start at half 4 and a 22 km trek or to get a bus then a train to the next camp. Me and 6 others dicided that getting a bus would be like cheating and went for the option of wlaking this was an amazing decison the trek on that 4th day was the most rewarding in term of sceneray but it nearly killed us off. We also made a stupid decison what seemed like a great idea at the time at the time, but having had an easy day of treking we played a full fottball match against some locals and our guides, we did win 10-3 but it was so tiring and at close to 3000 metres probably wasn't a wise decison.
So the fourth day was tough 22 km and climbing over 1000 metres today but somehow we pushed through and made it to Aguas Caliantes in the quickest time our guide had ever done, we got to see Mach Picchu from the top of one mountain quite far away and at about half way through we had a wash in a waterfall, it was the best day of the whole trek, but havinf already done 54 km and played football it was tough and the last 6 km along the old train track were really hard just because our bodies felt like they were going to fall apart and the blisters were just getting bigger and bigger. We made it and had a good shower and a bed which was much needed, but we had a ridiculously eçarly strart and 3:45 for the climb up to Machu Picchu over 1200 steps the next morning.
These steps seemed like a strole because of the last few days but when you cant see a thing because its pitch black its far more difficult, anyway we set off so early because we needed our tickets to Wanna Picchu (its the big mountain you see at the back of all the famous photos of Machu Picchu) and we were there at 6:00 when it opened we had a 2 hour tour aroud the ruins and it was really good then climed the Wanna Picchu mountain it was a bit of a shame because we had had 4 glourios days of sunny weather but on this day when you needed it, it was rainy and really cloudy so the views werent very good, but luckily the clouds clearded just long enough to see the spectaular view right over Machu Picchu and to get some photos then we climed down, this was really dodgey because the steps were so steep and so sliperary beacuase of the rain, then we walked around Machu Picchu a little more and back down all the steps to the bottom and Aguas Calliantes again, it was such a good feeling to finally have completed the 84 km but my body feels like its broken i dont think it really understands whats happened and im still so tired, i slept almost all day yesterday and im doing almost the same today, but we have arranged for our guide to take 6 of us boys to his house for a proper authentic Peruvian home cooked meal tonight it should be amazing and im really looking forward to it. Then off to Equador witha few of the other boys that i met on the trek tomorrow but its a 24 hour journey to Lima and then a 38 hour journey to Quito to i won't be there til Wednesday.
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