It was a early morning bus ride at 0520 to get to km marker 82, to begin our 4 day hike through the Andes. our tour was booked with PeruTreks.com and even though it was early we were really looking forward to our adventure.
Day 1 saw us hiking 12km at around 2900 meters through beautiful forest and amazing snow capped mountains, some topping 5000 meters plus. Our guide was taking it leisurely with us as the Chaski porters jog along the route ahead of us carrying packs between 18 to 25 kg`s. these guys are veterans of the mountains and consider it an easy job compared to farming at home, keeping in mind plowing is still done with oxen and all work is very labour intensive and done by hand.
The guide keeps us informed as we go on the Inca culture, the ruins and the plants they used un medincine up here, picking them and describing there uses as we go.They have herbal contraception, antisexdrive plants used on boys between 16 - 20 to control the population (maybe a idea for europe) and herbal asprine.
as we hike up the path we`re almost run over by a group of lama`s but we try and jump out of the way as they approach at a gallop, or thats what i think, but Graham and I both move in opposite directions which didnt help. Thank god the Lama`s stop just in time to look at us with a look in their eyes that can only mean `any time guys`. some hours later we catch one having a bath in a river looking generally disturbed by us looking. but then again, they have been domesticated since pre inca times.
when we reach our camp we find out it is 5 star camping here. Everything is catered for. We have breakfast with fruit, pancakes and toast after we are waken up with tea and coffee delivered to our tent. we feel a bit bad as the Chaski porters carry all the food, tents etc. and we just carry our clothes and sleeping bags and mats, but i just dont think i would be able to do itwithout them as it is not an easy hike.
The second day we hike up 1300 meters from a height of 2900 meters to 4200 meters on a steep Inca stairs for about 3 hours straight in the burning sun. we see great scenery, walking through a forest with trees and plants we have never seen before. unfortunately I pick up a bit of a belly cramp but my hubby turns out to have some chaski qualities as well as he carries by backpack aswell. Its really a saviour i can say. when we finally reach the top we have the most amazing views from both sides of dead womans pass (its called after the face of a lady which you see in the rocks and not because some woman died there).unfortunately we have to get down aswell which turns out to be as equally challenging.
On arrival at the camp we are received with all the graces as the chaskis clap for us as we walk in. we havent figured out if this is sincere or sceptical as they pass us on the way at high speed after packing up the camp after we leave and set it up before we arrive.
we were asked to pick a group name by David our guide, and as it turns out we have a very varied nationality group. there is the Swiss family with a Mum who turns 50 on the trek and wanted to do this for years and her husband, 2 sons and daughter. There are two british girls as well as the couple from manchester on their honeymoon too. the American girl and scotish guy also on honeymoon. there is also a dutch couple and a canadian girl. it turns out that all have a good sense of humour and the name was decided as `the big fat american tourists` as its so funny to hear our guide say it in public.
I must say that we find alot of things really funny in the evening but the first evening we had beer guy who appears to have brought beer up the mountain, and the second evening we are all still at bit drugged up as we are thought to climb the mountain Chaski style as we are given Coca leaves and some brown substance which looks like hash to chew on which fills you with energy and numbs your face.In the morning we wake up again at the bottom of the tent as there erected on a bit of a slope with the inside of the tent frozen. a true indication of a cold night.
Day 3 see`s us decend a lot on the trail made by the Inca`s through the mountains brings us past 5 different Inca ruins. David the guide explains that the Inca`s used one of the ruins as a big freezer warehouse to keep Machu Picchu supplied as the humidity down there is so high the the food doesnt last long. On the other Inca site they have lots of terraces which are used for aggreculture and growing of medicinal plants. On the trail we are facinated by a spider which turns out to be a tarantula, and a deer and lama`s who have no fear of humans.
Tomorrow we will see Machu Picchubut first dinner and singing out group song for the Chaski`s written by upcoming singer song writer Graham Fitton. W must state it was a unique work of are and the tune contains no plagerism.It goes as follows
Its a long way to Machu Picchu,its a long way to roam, ``with out your chaski``
Its a long way to Machu Picchu, to the greatest ruin we know , ``with dave and Jimmy``
Goodbye Cusco City, Fairwell Dead Womans Pass,
Its a long long way to Machu Picchu, and our tour end`s there.
Dutch Jeroen makes a speach in spanish which the Chaskisseem to really enjoy. they are such shy people who dont look at you, and so hard to judge. we hit the sack early as we have to get up early the next morning at 0400 to arrive in time for sunrise at Machu Picchu!!
