77km to Machu Picchu

The next destination for Beth and I was Cusco, from which we decided that we were strong and capable young women, enough so to do the 5 day Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu.....

Day 1 

Waiting in Cusco for the bus for a good hour in the freezing cold, where the only people who are about are people coming back from nights out, people going to Machu Picchu and one man selling big slices of cake.

After a 3 hour drive we stopped somewhere for breakfast and started the walk up into and around the mountains mainly on a windy road with many a horrendously steep short cut.

We stopped for lunch on the top of a hill. I was so impressed with the food; all the time they were carrying all the food and gas and everything on the back of a horse, and we ate like kings. And then had a good hour para la siesta!

The afternoon was a lot more chill, 4 or 5 more hours to our campsite which was inbetween these huge mountains and a big old glacier, and absolutely freezing. 

Lots more tasty food, then to bed at 8 trying to stay in the tent.

Day 2

After a night freezing and trying to sleep, we woke up at 5 and started walking bright and early. This was the hardest bit, 4 hours of straight uphill up really steep hill. It was really hard!

The top was so beautiful though, we were at 4 thousand-something and inbetween two glaciers. See photos.

The rest of the journey was all down hill on a really rocky path, definitely thought I was going to fall over and crack my head open a fair few times...

The afternoon felt really long, maybe because we were less motivated and took a lot of snack breaks. A nice cool beer was well deserved when we got to our campsite on the side of a mountain though,  with lots of tasty food and Yanif, everyone's favourite Israeli card game.

Day 3 

This walk was really nice and chill through the rainforest, a lot of landslide and steep drops and rivers to be crossed. After lunch we got the afternoon off walking and went to some volcanic thermal baths, the closest thing to clean I had been in a long long time (but it wasn't going to last long).

That evening there was a bonfire and a bit of a boogie around it...

Day 4

This is the first time in my life that I considered getting up at 7 to be a lie in. The morning consisted of walking along a dusty road in the boiling hot sun through this valley with hydroelectric industry. After walking for about 3 hours we gave up and hitched the restof the way and arrived atthe same time as the rest of the group who all had really long legs.

The rest of the day was a beatiful walk along the train tracks from Hidroelectrica to the Machu Picchu town of Aguas Calientes. At this one point we had to cross a bridge over the river, with train tracks and huge gaps  inbetween the wooden planks, above a huge drop into the river. Fearing for our lives, we bravely continued on. Then half way through, we saw 2 Peruvians casually walk on the footpath on the side of the train tracks which we had not seen. I almost fell off from laughing.

Because I walk slowly I lost my 3 chums I was walking with and went a different way to Aguas Calientes. When I got there I couldn't find anyone for ages and was just walking around this town hopelessly, really sweaty and hungry and tired.  Then I found them and we sat on the pavement for a few hours waiting for everyone else.

That night I had a shower and slept in a bed, I don't think I have ever appreciated those two things that much in my life.

Day 5

The big day. We woke up at 4 and started the walk in the dark to the entranceof Machu Picchu. It was a really peculiar situation, about 50-60 people waiting in the dark with flashlights and then being let through this big metal gate after having our tickets and passports checked, walking over this huge bridge and then the steps. Oh the steps. There were 1772 really steep steps. I have never sweated so much in my life. And then, arrived at the top after almost one hour of climbing we had to queue up to the next entrance gate behind all of these tourists who had just hopped off the bus up, all looking nice and clean and fresh and made up. 

Oooh I very almost lost my rag. Beth actually accidentally on purpose bumped into this one girl who was fully made up, wearing a tiny dress and was just being really irritating.

When we got up there (after a few more steps just for good measure) it was really foggy to start off with but then it cleared up and it was beautiful.

Our guide Walter gave us a wee tour and then we said goodbye (he was really great). Then, more steps? Yes indeed. After sitting down for a bit, I climbed Montaña Machu Picchu, which took twice as long as in the morning and the steps, which were even steeper, so much so that you had to go on all fours to be safe sometimes, really took it all out of me.

But it was really worth it, see the photos. And the way down also really left me in pain. 

Then, why not do another one? With everyone we climbed to the sun gate where the Inca trail enters Machu Picchu. And then, we were going to play hide and seek but I think no-one could any more, so we just walked down the 1772 steps back to Aguas Calientes. Ow ow ow.