I
woke up not feeling well this morning on my 6th day in Peru and the
beginning of my big trek of the Inca Trail. I only slept two hours last night
because of the ruckus next door. At 5:00, I ate breakfast but there was nothing
really good. There was no cold milk for the cereal and not much else. While
eating, I talked with this couple from Australia and told them about my travels
there. I saw Jenn again and said good morning. My bus showed up at 7:00, and I
wasn’t feeling well. It really sucks to be sick on a trip. I sat in the back of
the van and took a nap. About an hour and a half into the drive, we stopped in
a small town. Of course the locals were swarming us with goods for sale. I went
inside and got a Red Bull and some coca leaves, and outside I got a walking
stick for the trail. I was talking with a young man from Denmark named Mike.
He’s part of my group. He then told me about his travels in Australia and
Central America. I had to go exchange some money because I was running out of
soles, so I exchanged $20. A half hour later, we piled back into the van and
headed toward the starting point. The members of our group were: Alejandro and
Carla, from Miami (though they’re Argentine), Brett from Canada, Mike, and
myself. Getting to the starting point was murder because we kept having to back
up for vehicles. But, we got there at about 11:00 and it took awhile to
organize everything. I got a water bottle and I had to pay to use the bathroom.
Anyways, we all put our hands together and we were off! We took photos in front
of the starting point sign, and then we had to wait in line to show our
passports. In line, I met a very cute Argentine girl named Malena. It took
awhile for us to get through the line because Brett had a temporary passport,
and it was a whole big mess. He said someone stole his bag on a bus in Quito,
and it had his passport in it. We were there for like a half hour while
everything was sorted out with Brett. We went across the bridge and that’s
where we began our trek. I wasn’t feeling well, but I’m going to finish this
trek regardless of what happens. The entire trek is 4 days and is about 25 miles.
Alvaro (our guide) told us that the record time from the starting point to
Machu Picchu is 3 hours and 45 minutes. So, we’re taking it easy. Alvaro told
us about the various plants and how the Incas used them for tea and medicinal
purposes. The first stretch was uphill, and I wondered with my cold how I’d
handle tomorrow. I’ll be climbing almost 5,000 feet. All along the way I kept
snapping tons of photos and I had my eye on a beautiful glacier high up in the
mountains. I’m such a glacier connoisseur. I’ve seen glaciers in New Zealand,
Iceland, Greenland, and now Peru. At the first rest stop, I got a can of
Pringles. They were 7 soles: much more than what I’d pay in Cuzco. I saw Malena
again and I got a few photos with her. We had about five minutes to relax and
then we continued on. Five minutes up the trail was the lunch area. I was a bit
tired, so I lay down for a few while lunch was being prepared. In the bathroom,
though, I noticed that they have “squat toilets.” Professor Carthew showed us a
slide of one he saw in China. However, I’m not sure if I’d ever use one. For
lunch I had chicken with tomato sauce, chicken soup, and rice. I also had a cup
of coca tea, which is really good with a splash of sugar. I then hung out with
the Argentine girls again. They’re all very nice! After lunch, we continued our
long journey toward the lost city of the Incas. Even though I wasn’t feeling
well, I was in the lead a good part of the way. During one stretch we had to
climb a very big hill. It was a bit tough, but nothing compared to what we face
tomorrow. We have to climb over 4,000 feet tomorrow! So, I hope I feel better
by then. While hiking, I could not keep my camera off because it is such a
beautiful landscape. I could see why the Incas established their land here. We
then visited a site called Llactapata, which looks a bit like Machu Picchu and
was an important place for Inca ceremonies. I had wondered why Inca buildings
had no roofs, but Alvaro told us that Inca roofs were made of bamboo and things
like that; stuff that would not last very long. After a few minutes, we went to
a “ruin” that wasn’t really Incan because most of it had been restored. The
place had been restored with concrete, and the Incas did not use concrete to
build any of their dwellings. I took a photo that distinguishes the Inca and
the non-Inca sections of the structure. The walk was still another two hours
and tough, even though tomorrow will be much, much harder. Along the walk I saw
a local woman working on a farm. People live in the area and make their living
from all the people that hike the trail. I got to the camp at about 5:00 and
felt very worn out but relieved. The owners showed us the hut filled with
guinea pigs and we then went up and put our stuff in our tents. I was relieved
to have my own tent because I don’t want to get anyone else sick. I took some
photos with a woman in Andean attire while wearing my alpaca fur poncho. At
6:00 was “happy hour” with cookies, crackers, and tea. I’m having a lot of fun
already, even though I’m not feeling well. At 7:00 dinner was ready and I ate
chicken and rice, and a cup of coca tea. It was all very good. Although I’m
mentally prepared for the great walk tomorrow, I’m not sure if I’m physically
prepared because I have a bad cold. It could be dangerous hiking at high
altitudes with a bad cold, but I’m confident that nothing will happen. After
dinner, it was very dark and the property had no lights, so it was difficult
walking up to my tent. I washed up and then lay down, thinking of what it’s
going to be like tomorrow. So, I better rest up because I have a lot of walking
to do tomorrow! So, I better rest up because I have a lot of walking to do
tomorrow! See you after my second day on the Inca Trail.
Today
was my 7th and probably the toughest day of my Peruvian adventure. I
woke up at 5:00 and I felt even worse than I did yesterday. My nose was all
stuffed up and I was wondering if I was able to climb 4,000 feet today. So, I washed
up and got dressed and the porter brought me a cup of coca tea. Afterward, I
went to the hut and had breakfast (desayuno): French toast and rice cereal,
which was very good! I dressed really warm because I was worried about getting
even sicker on the trail. After breakfast, we met our porters, who carry all of
our gear with the exception of what we need during the hike. We will be
expected to tip them at the end of our journey. We took some photos and then we
were all ready for the toughest part of our trek. We started out on mostly flat
ground and the scenery was amazing! It was getting warm out, so I took off my
raincoat. The incline got steeper and we kept walking up and up until we
reached the checkpoint. There, I realized I had lost my Icelandic wool hat. I
was really upset and the store I left it at has no telephone. Damn, why didn’t
I just buy one here! I don’t understand why I bring stuff from home when I can
buy most of it here for very cheap. Alvaro said he’d check to see if it was
turned in while I continued ahead. I met a pretty girl from Australia named
Natalie. I kept hiking up and up, past the 3,200 meter mark, and because I’m
sick I was stopping for breaks every five minutes. While walking up the
seemingly never-ending hill, I met a pretty Aussie lady named Helena. You’d
never believe she’s 53, because she doesn’t look a day over 35. She’s here with
her two kids (who are young adults). We started walking together and we had
some good conversations. I kept on snapping photos while admiring the beauty of
the Inca Trail. Some stretches were very difficult and my heart was pounding. I
got a bottle of water for 4 soles (it costs 1 sol in Cuzco) but it was the only
money I spent today. It started to rain a little, so I slipped my raincoat back
on. As I kept going up, the views were getting more spectacular and the
achievement even greater. At about 11:30, we reached 3,800 meters. I was far
behind the rest of the group because I was taking it easy. At our rest stop, it
started to rain very hard. I put on my rain pants and gloves, but I had no hat
so my head was soaked. I feared getting pneumonia with the combination of my
flu and the rain. I rested for about 10 minutes or so before Helena and I
started to head higher. The vegetation started to become sparser and the air
was getting thinner and my heart beating faster. I wasn’t feeling well, but I
kept telling myself: “I’m going to make it!” We saw alpacas in the distance as
we kept going higher. By the 4,000 meter mark, I was stopping for breaks every
two minutes because of the oxygen-poor air. The final 200 meters was probably
the most difficult and I was soaked, but my eyes were fixated on Dead Woman’s
Pass (the highest point). At that time I was stopping almost every minute for a
break. Higher and higher I went and at 1:30, after some of the most difficult
and demanding walking I’ve ever undertaken, Helena and I made it to the pass.
At 4,215 meters (13,776 feet) it is the highest altitude I’ve ever been at
outside of an airplane. We celebrated with photos and Helena and I gave each
other a very big hug. I relaxed for a few minutes to celebrate my big
accomplishment. The thing that makes it even more remarkable is that I’m not
feeling well. It will really be something I can tell all my friends about. This
is perhaps a preparation because another of my dreams is to climb Mt.
Kilimanjaro. Hopefully I’ll feel well when I do that climb. At the pass, I
shook everyone’s hand and said congratulations to everyone who made it up
there. I couldn’t trade an experience like this for anything! After 10 minutes
at the top, Helena, Alvaro, and I started the long trek down to the campsite.
It was very relaxing compared to the trek up. However there are a lot of stony
steps, so it was stress on the knees. Helena was complaining about her back
hurting, so I promised her a massage for when we get to the campsite. About
half way down to the campsite, I looked back up at the pass, and I realized it
gets its name because it looks like a woman lying on her back. The landscape is
very spectacular, and I snapped a photo of a beautiful waterfall. Two hours
after our descent, at 3:15, we were at the campground. Lunch was ready when I
got there, and I had maize (corn) soup, and spaghetti. I wasn’t really hungry,
so I didn’t eat much. I then went and looked for Helena, but she saw me about 5
minutes later. She came to my tent and I gave her a very good massage. She also
promised me one for tomorrow. Afterward, she gave me a nice long hug and she
went back to her tent. I then fell asleep for about an hour and it started to
rain. My shoes and socks were soaked because I left them outside of my tent.
Brett woke me at 6:00 for “happy hour.” We had the same stuff as yesterday:
cookies and tea. I’ve been drinking manzanilla tea because it’s good for when you’re
sick. Afterward, I just hung around in the tent for awhile while dinner was
being prepared. I ate braised beef, rice, and chicken noodle soup, and then had
another cup of manzanilla tea. After dinner I just sat with my group and we
just chatted. My socks were wet because of the rain earlier, and I tried to dry
one of them by putting it on top of the heat lamp but I ended up burning a hole
in it. It’s another one of my notoriously stupid moves. I’m not sure what I’ll
do about tomorrow because I have no clean socks and nothing will dry out here
because of the constant rain. Tomorrow is our longest day of trekking. We’ll be
on the trail for about 9 hours. On the following day we’ll be at Machu Picchu!
At about 8:00 I went and lay down. I had a hard time resting because I’m not
feeling well. It sucks being sick on a trip, but I’m having a great time either
way. See you tomorrow after another night’s rest.
My
8th day in Peru was another special one. I woke up at 5:00 and still
didn’t feel well, but I was ready for my third day on the Inca Trail. I started
off with coca tea as usual and then packed up all of my stuff. It appeared to
finally be a nice day today and the view was incredible! There’s a waterfall
right above our campsite that looks straight out of New Zealand. I then went to
the hut for breakfast. There were omelets, but I only had two bites because I
don’t like eggs. I also ate pancakes, but they weren’t all that good. The only
thing I liked was the hot chocolate. After breakfast, we were ready to go. We
had to walk in groups, so I couldn’t walk with Helena today. Just gazing up at
the other trekkers I could tell it was another steep climb. Alvaro talked about
the various flowers and plants that live along the Inca Trail. I had more
stamina than I did yesterday, but the hike up was very tough because the stairs
are made of stone. Yesterday we saw no ruins, but we saw our first ruin 15
minutes into the hike. The old Inca tradition was to take three stones from the
area and place them in this place at our highest point today (3,900 meters). We
stayed about 15 minutes and then continued the tough trek up. Even though I’m
still sick, I was ahead of some members of my group. About an hour after visiting
the first ruin, we made it to our highest point. I then climbed another hill
and I placed my three stones. There were stacks of rocks much like what I saw
in Iceland. I climbed down and took a breather while I ate my chocolate bar.
Every morning, Alvaro has been passing out snacks for on the trek, and they’ve
really been helpful. It started to rain and I’ve been so annoyed with the rain
because it’s been raining like crazy. My boots and socks were soaked yesterday.
Next week I may head to Arica, Chile for a few days, and that’s the driest
place on Earth. It hasn’t rained there in like 400 years. We started to head
downhill a bit. Our next stop was another spectacular ruin. I saw Helena and
gave her a big hug. We stayed there for about a half hour while Alvaro talked
about King Atahualpa and the Inca population, which at its peak numbered around
13 million and that they lived as far north as Colombia. I took a lot of photos
and we walked around the ruins before continuing on. As we headed down the hill,
we passed another ruin that we had seen from the previous one. We kept heading
up the hill and we stopped for lunch at around noon. It had stopped raining and
the sun was out. For lunch I had vegetable stew and rice, and for like a
dessert we had maize pudding (I think that’s what it is). By the time we were
finished it started to rain again. I was having some fun throwing large
boulders into the creek before we continued our trek. We were at about our
halfway point for today. I was hiking up another huge hill while it was dumping
rain. My head was soaked and I was irritated with all of this damn rain. I
usually accept the rain while traveling, but not during a trek while not
feeling well and carrying a heavy backpack. The stairs were also very tiring. I
caught up with Helena as I was walking and we walked through a series of
natural tunnels. After hiking a long way, we were at our final pass. Some of
the groups were staying the night up there. I was thinking Helena was staying
and I couldn’t get the massage she promised, but she said she was going to the
same site as me. Later on, I learned that in the morning, the people staying at
that campsite were getting up at like 3:00 AM and hike in the complete darkness
to Machu Picchu! We waited up there for a few minutes before making our final
descent: a total of 1,000 meters in two hours. On the way down, we visited
another spectacular ruin, but I didn’t take any photos because it was pouring
down rain. One thing I did notice is that the Incas were superb at building
drainage systems to allow rainwater to flow out. As we kept walking down, it
was slowly getting warmer because of the lower altitude. My knees were starting
to give out because of the stony stairs. Helena told me she felt the same way.
It is because the stairs seemed never-ending. I was also noticing that the
vegetation was changing as well. As we were getting closer to our campground, I
saw a formation of terraces that were built by the Incas. I had a chance to
walk over to them, but I was too tired and it would have taken an extra half
hour. I kept walking and walking for what seemed like hours until we finally reached
the campsite. I gave Helena a big hug for her achievement. I think we’re all
proud, because not many get to walk the famed Inca Trail. She went to her site
and I went to mine. My site is up a hill. As I went back down to the area near
the restaurant, I saw a rainbow over the valley. It was a very pretty sight. I
sat with Carla for awhile and then went to see Helena for my massage. She’s super
good! And I felt relaxed afterward. I gave her a big hug and then her daughter
showed up. I took a photo of her before heading off to the restaurant for happy
hour. There was the same old stuff: popcorn, tea, and things like that. I just
sat with the group and it started to rain again. I then had some fun showing
off my alpaca fur poncho to everyone. At 8:00, dinner was ready. It was a big
feast tonight. There was pizza, mixed vegetables, rice, etc. Alvaro bought us a
bottle of wine as his treat to us. I only had a small amount of wine and I
didn’t eat too much food. The chocolate pudding for dessert was absolutely
delicious! After eating, it was time to tip Alvaro and our porters. We all
agreed to tip 150 soles (about $50). Earlier the cashier tried to rip me off
because of my $20 bills had a seemingly microscopic tear in it, and she tried
to gave me 110 soles instead of 120 (the current exchange rate is about 3 soles
to $1, and I wanted to exchange $40). We had a big ceremony and we thanked them
for all their hard work. These guys carry so much everyday on the trail,
including chairs, propane tanks, food, and sometimes even people, on their
backs. One girl got very sick earlier, and the standard procedure on the Inca
Trail is to carry people out, not send in a helicopter. I then took photos of
the different kinds of insects I saw. Some of them out here are so huge; like 3
or 4 inches long! I showed some of the photos to Aliyah and Helena. After
hanging out for a few minutes longer, I went up to my tent. We have our
campsite up on a hill, so it’s more walking we have to do. With all the hills
I’ve hiked up, I probably could have climbed Kilimanjaro. There was music
playing down at the restaurant, so that kept me up for awhile. So, tomorrow we
reach our final destination: Machu Picchu. It will be such a rewarding treat
for such a fabulous hike. It’s another of my 100 Travel Goals. I have to get to
sleep because I have to be up at 4:00 AM. I’ll tell you about Machu Picchu
tomorrow night!
