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Hello All!! I all better now! Altitude is no longer a problem! Leigh and I are both here, he is in charge of photos so I dread to think what you are going to see!! Well, since we last updated you we traveled in a massive yellow truck from Puno to Cusco where we are now. The journey took 7 hours and for lunch we stopped at a petrol station where this clever truck had compartments that held tables and cooking equipment for us to make lunch!! That evening we arrived in Cusco which is a lovely place. We wish we could spend some more time here! We went for dinned in an Irish pub, aptly named Paddys! They had run out of Guinness though so Leigh was a little upset! We then went back to the hotel to pack exactly 5kg into our bags for the Inca Trail!! As you can imagine, I was getting nervous as it sounded very difficult!! We started the Inca Trail very early the next day, Friday. We drove to the start and stopped to buy walking sticks, (a god send! I am having trouble remembering how to walk without them), and some Coca leaves, (also a god send but in a whole different way!!). The first day wasn't too bad. We started the trail and our porters ran, yes RAN, ahead with 25kg each piled high on their backs. These people were incredible. They went ahead to sent up our lunch which we though would be a sandwich affair! But there was a big tent with a long table and stools, we were then fed hot soup followed by a big buffet main course! It is the best we have eaten since we left!! We were at our camp by 3pm drinking beer and looking at the amazing landscape of the Andes! The following day.....i nearly died! It was so so so so so hard! Our camp was at 3000 meters and we had to climb to 4200 which was up hill all the way! Very steep and lots of steps! It took us 5 hours! Altitude started kicking in towards the top and we were all forced to take tiny tiny steps! Once at the top, it was another 3000 steps down to camp! We were exhausted by the time we got there but our porters soon made us feel better with coca tea and popcorn followed by some hot rum and cinnamon concoction!! Brilliant! The next day was longer but not as hard. We climbed 2 passes, the first 3950 meters and the second 3650. We explored Inca ruins and took loads of photos!! We were the slow group as we were taking so much time looking around! Our guide, Marco, was lovely and helped us out when we were struggling and telling us to get a move on if we stopped too long! Leigh had Spanish lessons with him too!! The camp this night was different as everyone on the trek had to stay there before going to Machu Picchu the following morning. There was a bar her and we spent the evening on a balcony over looking the mountains with a few beers and then had a leaving party with our porters. It started with giving them tips and then they sang us a song about the Inca Trail and one of them got me up to dance! Thank god the others weren't too far behind and I had the camera so there is no photographic evidence!!!! The following day was a horrible 4am start, helped by the porters who wake us up with Coca tea in bed!! (well tent!). We trekked for 1 hour to the sun gate and were disappointed as is we so foggy we couldn't see any thing. We continued down for another hour towards the Machu Picchu sight and along the way Leigh had his photo taken with a Lama! He cant wait to show Billy and Stew! In the end the trek paid off as we were sat just above the ruins and slowly the site emerged from the mist! It was very early so there was hardly anyone there. The whole experience was magical! I just hope the photos do it justice!! We spent a while looking round but is soon became overrun with tourists so we all headed down to the hot springs for our first wash in 4 days!! Not sure what was more dirty though, us of the water!!! We are now back in Cusco and have a free morning, hence being able to finally update you all!! We are off horse riding this afternoon!! All Leighs idea!!! And then this evening we are all going out to dinner in a restaurant called Fallen Angel were the tables are fish tanks!!! Since we have been climbing mountains a few things have happened back home! Congratulations Billy and Marian on the birth of little Indianna. We hope it all went ok (?) and you are all doing ok, we would love an update and a photo!!! Also, congratulations to Jiff!! Engaged to Em, brilliant, well done mate, please give us a full update!! Tank you to Shell and Stew for your messages too, it is lovely to hear about u all!!! Well, this is it for now, we are off to the jungle tomorrow so wont have any communication for a while!!! Love and miss you all loads, Gemma and Leigh x x x x x x x x
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