Walking in the footsteps of the Incas (2 April)

We were picked up from the hotel at 7am and were taken to km 82 to begin the hike. We were actually very lucky to be doing the Inca Trail because it only opened on April 1st following the January mudslides so we were only in the second group of hikers to do it. We had a group of about 20 porters who carried all our tents, food and 6kg of belongings so we only had to carry a small rucksack with camera, coat, pisco and sun cream, etc in. These guys were only small, carried 25kg each and pretty much ran the trail while we walked! They were ridiculous!! Day 1 wasn´t too bad. we walked about 2 hours in the morning and stopped for lunch where there was a dining tent with table and chairs. We had soup starter and chicken and rice salad for main and was really good, plus I had a shot of pisco for inspiration. Was really impressed by the standard of food and facilities! The afternoon was uphill with quite a few steps but once the 9km to camp had been reached we were able to relax with a nice lukewarm beer. Foolishly I neglected yo where suncream again so got burned again. Retard! We had another dece 2 course meal for dinner, before the chef appeared with a birthday cake. It was one of the group´s birthdays that day, and somehow the chef managed to make a birthday cake inh the Andes at 3000m. It was incredible.

Day 2 was a b****! We were climbing up 1200m in 6km, mostly up 600 year old uneven steps, it was savage! Everytime you thought you´d come to the end of the stairs you´d turn the corner and see another flight of stairs in front of you. By the time we reached the summit - Dead Woman´s Pass at 4215m - my legs were f***ing killing!! Schills and I represented the English well and were always at the front of the group. Just realised that I haven´t actually mentioned the scenery up there...it was incredible! It was so surreal to be so high up amidst the moutains and clouds. I have a s***load of pictures which all probably look the same and don´t do it justice, but the views were amazing! Having climbed 1200m, we then had to descend 1000m to our second camp site. This was a whole different type of pain and so the knees were suffering that evening. Even more tragic there was no one selling beer at the second camp site so we had shots of pisco, before a rum and tea nightcap before bed at 8pm. Crazy times!

Day 3 was the longest hike of the trip at 17km long. This was very up and down, and although steep in parts it was relatively easy and enjoyable. We´d been very lucky with the weather until this point with only the occasional rain shower in the day. Weather in the Andes is very changeable, they are said to often experience "4 seasons in a day" so as soon as you put your rain coat on the the blazing sun comes out. It was ridiculous! We spent a lot of the day walking through cloud jungles which were cool, and really surreal being amongst the clouds. The afternoon walk was downhill and there weren´t too many steps so I ran about the last 8km, knowing that the final campsite, and bar, were close.

I was second at the site after Schills, and after talk of showering we sacked that idea off and headed to the bar with the other lads at 4pm. We had a couple of expensive beers and shot of pisco before Schills suggested the idea of all putting 20 soles in and buying a litre of rum. We foolishly agreed and by 6.30 we´d drunk 3 litres of rum between 6 of us and were battered. Porters were sent to escort us back to the campsite for dinner because it was dark, but walking back was easier said than done. I fell off the trail not once but twice and absolutely trashed my knees. The fall was like 20m and i even took another guy with me the first time. Apparently I ended up landing in another campsite, but I have no memory. Then as soon as I got back on to the trail I was down again within about 30 seconds and Schills jumped after me this time. The guide then banned any further drinking that night. Schills and another lad went back to the bar after dinner, but I didn´t make it. I woke up in my tent all confused and so went for a wander round the site in my boxers. Then I couldn´t find the tent because it had been moved, I attempted to climb into a tent with a middle aged German woman and her daughter before being escorted back to my tent by a porter!!

We were woken at 4am for the final 6km walk to Machu Picchu. Schills and I were both still drunk and it was raining so this wasn´t a fun morning, despite it being the supposed highlight of the trip. There were also a lot of steep steps again. Long! It was also cloudy so the views weren´t quite picture postcard. By the time we got to Machu Picchu we just wanted to go back to the hotel, we were fed up of walking and seeing ruins, but we tried to make the best of it. After numerous photos, and ´free time´ we got a bus to the local town of Aguas Calientes where we had more time to kill before the train and bus back to Cusco, arriving at our hotel at 8ish.