Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hi everyone,
I´m writing to you from the side of Lake Titicaca in Copacabana, Bolivia. First impressions of Bolivia are that it's a fairly poor country but the weather is spring-like and the most expensive thing on any menu is 40Bolivianos (£4!).
The point of this blog is to tell you all about the Inca Trail. We booked it in August and it sells out up to five months in advance so we had high hopes. The trek itself is a four day, three night adventure and while it is only 26miles long it feels considerably longer due to the altitude and the mammoth uphills and the treacherous downhills. Added to this virtually the whole trail is made of uneven stone and cobbles which means almost every step requires a fair amount of concentration!
This words of this blog are nowhere near as important as the photos. I´m basically just going to ramble on about what we did and the impressive things we saw but I think the pictures are pretty cool so if you´ve only got 5 minutes stop reading and click on photos!!
Day one began with us being picked up from Cusco at 5:20am and after we picked up the other 14 members of our group we headed towards 'KM82' where our trek would begin. We made a brief stop for breakfast and Kate bought a pair of high-tech walking sticks (these would prove to be the best purchase of the trip so far!!) and at 9:00am we arrived at our starting point. After a group photo at the starting sign (it´s famous…apparently)we were off and walking. Even at the starting altitude of 2570m we were both easily out of breath. An 'easy' five hours was all that we were expected to walk on day one according to our guide, Juan. At the time it seemed very difficult but now we both look back and think just how easy that day was. The highlight of day one was much of the plant-life and also the amazing sight of Mount Veronica which was in sight for the majority of the day. I don´t know why but being in view of snow-capped mountains just seems to make me happier. At our camp that night we both had a beer with our new pals and took in what was an amazing view of mountains, waterfalls and wildlife.
The highlight of the trek on day two was the hike up to dead-womans pass which lies at an altitude of 4,201m. In the day you only travel 12km but you climb over 1,100m in altitude…it is an absolute killer!! The huge climb means with each meter the air gets thinner and everyone had to stop every 30/40yards to regain their breath. It sounds ridiculous but honestly, EVERYONE had to stop repeatedly, it really was a challenge. Upon reaching the top we quite literally chilled out as the old saying that you experience four seasons in one day on the Inca trail proved accurate. The other old saying that what comes up must come down also proved annoyingly true as we began our first downhill and it was very, very hard!! One and a half hours later we arrived at camp and nursed our aching knees and I suffered big-time with cramp all the way up my right leg…not cool!!!
Day three was the most pleasant in terms of challenge but, never content with making things easy, Kate proceeded to fall down a hole and badly graze the top of her leg. She already had aching muscles and this certainly did not help!! It did however, enhance the accomplishment when we finally got to camp at the end of day 3…we weren´t even the last to arrive!! Over dinner that night we, as a group, decided to get up at 3:00am the next day so that we´d be the first ones to reach the Sun-Gate to see the sun rise over Machu Picchu. We ate our final dinner and hit the hay (or more accurately the gravel on which our tents had been erected) at 9:00pm ready for a long day tomorrow.
Difficult though it was to get up it was definitely worth it. Although when we arrived at the Sun-Gate it was heavy cloud within ten minutes the fog had lifted and there it was….Machu Picchu. I think almost everyone will have seen pictures of it but seeing it in person really takes your breath away. It's the most picturesque thing I've seen on this trip and this trip hasn't been short of amazing scenery!! I hope the pictures do it justice!!! We strolled around the site and enjoyed the tour but both of us were tired and so after we´d enjoyed the view and the architecture it was time for something else we both enjoy…a nice cold beer!! We got the bus down the mountain and unashamedly ordered our first beers at 11:30am! Our train wasn't till 6:45pm so I think you can guess how the rest of the day went! In my merry stupor I slept virtually the whole 4-hour journey home and then for the whole night when back at the hotel!
We both thoroughly enjoyed the trek and it was without doubt incredibly challenging. We'd both recommend it to anyone. We did it with a company called PeruTreks and they were excellent. Despite the uneven surfaces and difficulty breathing I think the most dangerous thing is to watch out for the Porters who come flying past you on the trek. These guys carry 30kg each (compared to my poultry 8kg) and they do it running the whole way in flip-flops!! They really were quite amazing and we've never in our lives been so happy as to give a tip. Every day when we arrived at our camp or at lunchtime they were there with the tents made and our lunch/dinner ready.
So, basically, if I haven't been clear enough here is what I´d like to be the message you take from this blog…QUIT YOUR JOBS…COME TO PERU…DO THE INCA TRAIL!!! You won´t regret it, and you'll never forget it either!!
A belated Peru summary:a country very well set up for tourism, with a few excellent, fun stops throughout the country. A country and an unforgettable set of excellent experiences well do-able in a 3 week holiday (once the flight cost is taken care of). We loved it!
Best hostel: Kokopelli´s (Mancora)
Best place: Inca trail
Best beer: Cusqueña
Best steak: a few honourable mentions...but still not a patch on Colombia
We both hope everyone is well and enjoying the first day of December…time really is flying. Hope you all enjoy the pictures and Kate will be back soon to fill you all in on the end of Peru and the beginnings of our fourth country, Bolivia. Feel free to comment, always great to hear from you all. We´re off to spend £8 each on a three course meal…what´s that?…you hope we choke on it…that's not very nice….quit your jobs and come see us for Christmas!!
All the best, Joe and Kate.
- comments
McGav I'm just sitting at work having my lunch, which is also a 3 course meal: Starter: Scotch broth Main: Tesco Cheese and Onion sandwich Dessert: Muller Peach and Apricot fruit corner And it cost me a grand total of only £2.31. So I think we both know who's won this round... Cracking blog once again, Inca trail sounds brilliant, some quality bagging action! Though I do find myself wondering why you took 8kg of chicken in your pack, you probably would've been a bit less knackered if you'd focused on carbs... Though maybe you felt that would have been chickening out? Were you feeling hen-pecked by your bird at the time? Whenever I'm feeling like that I tend to just duck away somewhere, and you and me Joe, we're birds of a feather. If you need to get away, I hear Turkey's nice this time of year..anyway, I'll leave you alone for now, you're probably goosed after all that... Actually one more question, when you were walking, was the terrain quite flat and open, or was it part ridge? Much love, McGavsky x x x
Pete A-MA-Zing! Awesome blog again Joe. McGav keep them coming...I'd love to see Casey's pun-hating face! Good to see your going with the 'alcohol prevents altitude sickness...probably' policy, a sound course of action methinks. Look forward to the next blog, enjoy Bolivia! Pete
hamish Love it! love it! love it! the poultry gag that is! loving the bloggs guys, although sitting in a literally freezing aberdeen, not seeing the sun for days at a time and up to my neck in marking, im a tad jelous of u 2! it is at this point i would usually make sum crack about u missing ardtoe but by the looks of it i really dont think ud care and quite right to! there is every possibilty that i wont get a job next year (particularly if i dont look to hard!) so i may be forced to go on a bit of holiday for a while and catch up with u lads! keep the bloggs comin, and try do sum more fashing! p.s im off to palestine for new year for 11 days, should be interesting!