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How the Inca Trail nearly finished us off....................
The Inca Trail....the reason why we came to South America in the fisrt place. A 4 day hike down the original Inca Trail, so donning our 11kg backpacks ( we´re British, no porters for us!), our trek began!
We knew it was´t going to be a leisurely stroll, but the first day went well. We kept up with the rest of the group (most being softies and opting for a porter to carry their stuff). The hills were difficult and the alitude made it a little more so but we really enjoyed it.
Our campsite was in a beautiful location and our tent looked out over a stunning view of the Andes with a glacier back drop. And it´s here that IT started!
We both became very sick! Not the ideal location to get a stomach bug, but clearly our bodies thought we needed more of a challenge! It lasted all night and well into the next day. Day 2 being famously the worst and most difficult day of the trek. We had to climb upto 4200m whilst vomiting, dehydrated and having not eaten for nearly 24hours.
Our task was near impossible, and the guides did not think that we would be able to make it and suggested that we go back on a horse and go to hospital. The mountain we had to climb was huge, and for a fit and well person is a 5 hour hike just to the top. Our guides insisted that we had a porter to carry our backpacks, which was a smart move.There was no way we would be able to carry ourselves and our stuff up a mountain!
But, this was our dreamtrip and we refused to give up. Our guides were amazing and incredibley supportive, and after consulting the coca leaves and pacha mama, we continued. Our magic tonic was coca cola. Somehow, on only a small bottle of Coca Cola, we climbed a mountain! To say out bodies were weak would be an understatement, many tears were shed, but we made it. Juan, our guide was exceptional and got us safely to camp that day ( we even over took one bloke who was fit and well!).
With Deadwoman´s pass over with (how appropriately named), we felt much better and were able to tackle the rest of the trek independently. Day 3, we were feeling better, carried our own backpacks and had a great day. We were still weary, but we made it on our own ( and with the help of coca tea and coca cola!).
The scenery was spectacular, and was everything we thought the Andes would be like. We had to descend 3000 steps which were about 3ft high! Which is a killer on the calfs. We saw amazing Inca ruins, went through tunnels and hiked through the start of the Amazon Jungle!
Day 4 - the whole reason we put ourselves through this, the final hike to the Machu Picchu....well, we should have hiked, but given that train loads of tourists arrive at about 6am. We got up at 3.50am, ate and then literally ran 6km, with our backpacks, passed the Sun Gate,to Machu Picchu..under an hour!Apparantly, this normally takes 2 hours to do.
But it was well worth it. Our first sight of machu Picchu was breath taking and far exceeded our expectations! We could not believe that we had made it!
Since we had got there so early, we had the opportunity to climb Wanipicchu (which is the huge mountain on the right of the picture!). Stupid? yes!The climb was horrific and vertical, but the view was brilliant and not one that everyone gets to see as only 400 people a day are allowed up there.
Our time there went so quickly, but we were far from disappointed. It was more spectacular, more stunning and more preserved that we had expected. It definately was worth the 4 day trek to get there!!! We´ve dreamed about coming here for so long, and now we have done it!
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