El Peligroso Platano Trail and Machu Picchu

(The Dangerous Banana Trail)

In a bid to save money myself, John Henry, Emma and Jono set off on an epic journey to Machu Picchu with no guide, limited money and a lot of luck on our side.

We headed from Cuzco to Santa Maria by mini bus, we squeezed in and saved our selves ten soles each. The four hour journey up the mountains was pretty bad, my first real experience of altitude sickness, it was awful - Jono was prepared with sick bags but thankfully we didn´t have to use them. We arrived safely after many a winding road. The nice lady from Lorenzos showed us the way to a hostal costing 8 soles each (2pounds) Bargain. Lots of snack buying and card playing later it was time for bed ready for the long, long walk tomorrow up to Aguas Calientes.

Up at 5.30am.

The hardest part of this trail according to the trusty Lonely Planet was finding the start, we asked a few locals and they told us to tag on to one of the tour groups... That would be way to easy, so we asked a couple more and the epic second day began.

All was well, it wasn´t too hot, we were definitely onthe right road and we walking at a good pace, we even went past the tour group who passed us at the start. After an hour of walking with no tour group following us we started to wonder whether we were actually on the wrong road (the tour group were pretty speedy) then we saw some work men up ahead and decided that as long as we follow the river we will make it, wrong road or not.

As we turned the corner to catch up to the work men we saw the effects of the landslides earlier this year, a hill of rocks and more rocks and men with helmets trying to clear the road that was once there (now we knew why the tour group didn´t come this way). The workmen saw us and indicated that we were ok to walk or you could say climb up. It doesn´t sound bad but walking round that corner to the huge pile of rocks was soul destroying, we´d walked for about 2.5 hours and we really thought we would have to turn back it was that bad.

So up we went, clambering on all fours trying our best not to fall, trip or stumble with the men pointing the way. We some how made our way to the top after ditching our walking sticks and with lots of help from the locals. That was only the start we then had to get round back on to the road. Three of the workmen came with us to make sure we were ok, offering a hand to pull us up,steady our balance and just help us make it round. As we walked we noticed the vertical drop that we were having to walk round with one man attached to a rope for safety at this point the guy said to me ´muy peligroso´ very dangerous! But we made it! The men walked us all the way to the road even when it was safe to leave us and... gave us all a banana each for our efforts hence the name ´Peligroso Platano.´ The locals that helped us were fantastic and we surprised when we gave them a tip - the best, most helpful people we´ve cxome across because without them we would have had to turn and walk all the way back.

Everything after this was even harder, it tookso much energy climbing up the landslide and trying not to fall we were all shattered and when we came to a gorge in the middle of the road it was time for a break. Lots of coke was drunk, nerds we eaten and all we could do was laugh.

We found our way overthe gorge and continued to walk, taking our shoes off to cross rivers and taking breaks when we met a welcomed area of shade. After four hours and the water bottles were running very low (somuch so we were only havinga sip an hour) we came across a restaurant, Jono ran up and stocked us up on water and pepsi. More walking and river crossing.

After five and a half hours we were flagging, a cement truck went passed and we all put our hands out for a lift, he signalled for us to get up the hill, 1 sole later we were on the back of the cement truck - yes we hitched a lift! The roads up in the country are not built for trucks that size and each corner left us all a bit shaky holding no to the truck and eachother for fear we could just fall off, it was fun though and we looked extra cool rolling up to Santa Teresa on the back of cement truck.

A plate of chips and juice later we headed up to the hydroelectric plant to start the next part of our walk. When we got there we had to queue to go across the river on the cable car (which we were warned not to go on and use the bridge, one problem the bridge was no longer there). Me and JH went first, sat in this little basket being pulled across the river when it stopped, we just stayed there waiting for the guy to carry on pulling us... that was scary.

One hour walk to the railway. Check point, signed in and then headed to the track.

We walked past all the people waiting for the train, a few even whispered ´thoes guys aren´t walking are they´ yes we are! We knew it was safe to do as the guy at the check point said that the train was ´muy caro y caminar tranquil´ very expensive and the walk is tranquil. We were met by signs ´PELIGROSO NO CAMINAR´ haha. Off we went down the track for three hours, the train went past us, it was so slow we would never have got hurt you could move out of the way. It was a lovely scenic walk but we knew we had to walk fast to avoid walking the dark. Along the way three other travellers caught up, there were then seven of us when it started to get dark.

Walking through the pitch black and seeing Aguas Calientes was one of the best feelings after almost ten hours of walking we were done for the day. HOT shower, dinner and bed!

Up at 4.20am.

We went and got in the queue for the bus up to Machu Picchu the first being at 5.30am and we were eager to get there quick as only the first 400 are allowed to walk up Waynupicchu. We made it, I was number 62 for the 7am entrance.

Machu Picchu was amazing, walking around an actual city, bumping into alpaca with no tourists it was so peaceful. We found the entrance to Waynupicchu and headed up. So tiring. Jono counted 1480+ steps, we were literally crawlingup then by the top, it was vertical. So worth it though, the views were fantastic, the surroundings were out of this World and were ultimatley what made Machu Picchu so amazing.

We wandered around the old streets, peeping in what would be houses and guessing what the buildings would have been but we all knew that we couldn´t stay long as we had a long journey all the way back to Cuzco ahead of us. At 11am and having spent five hours at the ruins we headed back.

First came the railway walk but this time we hadto walk fast as we knew had to get a bus at 3pm from Santa Teresa, it was a killer and I actually didn´t think we would make it having only eaten a piece of bread each and power walking the heat. WE made it to the station and walked the one hour to the cable car in the sweltering sun, I don´t know how we did it but we made it, completely shattered and just wanting to get back. It did feel nice knowing that we didn´t have to walk another step.

We got a taxi to Santa Maria, the guy ripped us off a little but by thispoitn we were all beyond caring and we made it up when the bus (local mini bus) was only 20soles each back to Cuzco. We thought we were home free. We thought wrong. A lady got on the mini bus and was trying to hide a package in a plastic bag, under Jhs seat (this bus only had 6 seats so there was limited space). We tried asking what it was but with no joy so we just left it. Then the police started following us with the blues on and Jono kicked the bag away from us. The police continued to follow us and it was really strange because a lorry moved out of the way for us but then wouldn´t let the police past, very weird. We were all relived when the pòlice finally got past us.

5 hours later we arrived in Cuzco. Back safe and sound.

It wasn´t the end, the lack of food and water on the journey had completely shattered us out. We immediatley went to get soemthing to eat but Jh had to leave to be sick and then Jono felt sick so he stepped outside. Me and Emma came out to locals saying ´Emma, Emma, Emma´ Jono had collapsed! He was ok but took a bumpto the head on the cobbles. Lots of coco tea (with heaps and heaps of sugar) later we were all in the commonroomat 11.30pm enjoying our pizza but all feeling a little sick at the same time.

So there you have it, an epic adventure to Machu Picchu and all we could say at the end was ´think of all the money we saved!´

Full English Breakfast this morning and curry for tea...

We deserve it, don´t you think?