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31 March 09
Inca fever has hit! TOMORROW IT BEGINS (finally!!).
I am sitting in our hotel room in Ollantaytambo anxiously waiting for tomorrow to come. At 8am, we will be picked up and taken to 'kilometre 82' where we will begin Day One of our hike - the classic Inca trail. BPPOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Some 42 kilometres, reaching altitudes of up to 4,200m - YESSS!!!
I never thought this day would come. Surprisingly, I'm not nervous at all. I just want time to hurry up so I can start walking already! BRING IT ON!! (let's see how excited I'll be on Day Three!! - LOL). We can SO do this!
Sorry for skipping ahead - today was a full-on day, with a guided tour of various Inca-ruin sites including Qoricancha, Saqsahuman (sounds like "sexy woman" when pronounced - he he), Pisaq and of course, Ollantaytambo. Definite Inca trail training. That being said, it's incredible to hear so many people complaining about having to walk today. I feel like saying, "you're starting the Inca trail tomorrow, so get used to it! Did you expect to be flown around?!" I just don't get it. People baffle me.
Anyhow, it really is amazing (and confusing) how these ancient people moved rocks weighing sometimes up to hundreds of tonnes over mountains and then cut and assembled them into perfect walls, etc. I guess we'll never know for sure, although the guide suggested they used metal or wooden rollers, like the Egyptians and chisel-like tools to mould the rocks… Pfft! I don't know. It's super impressive though. Tim is adamant they had the help of Caterpillar trucks…
AND it should be considered the TIME it must have taken to build these cities - generations and generations of Incas I'm sure. Just imagine starting something as a youngster knowing you'd never see the final product - pretty tough.
Every new set of ruins I see, I am more and more impressed. I can't get enough. I cannot even BEGIN to imagine how I'll feel when I set my eyes on Machu Picchu the first time… (again, hearing people say they've seen "enough ruins" really bothers me as they just don't realise how luck they are. Makes you wonder what the hell they're doing on this tour… STOP YOUR WHINGING PEOPLE!)
Oh! I FINALLY had a hot shower tonight (more excitement!!!). Our hotels in Puno and Cusco lacked the hot water required to thaw out sore, icy feet and to wash hair *cry*. Dirty hair and cold feet - two things I hate. BUT I'm pleased to say I've finally been able to wash my hair. Unfortunately I don't have my straightener with me as I wasn't allowed to bring it on the Inca trail (something about there not being any electricity?) so, lots of mermaid-hair photos to look forward to! Ha ha ha
Tim and I have bought up big for the trek - walking poles (I know, how professional of us!), torches, coca leaves, coca bars, chocolate…and WATER! They say chewing on coca leaves gives you energy - we will see!
INCA! INCA! INCA! I can't wait to see Machu Picchu! We're gonna smash this walk. No problemo :)
P.S. Should we be concerned that we start the trail on April Fools Day??!!
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