The trek

So I have returned from walking the Inca trail and seeing Machu Picchu. As you can imagine it was a once in a life time experience. The tour group I went with was super fancy, and in the end I found that I probably could have gone with something a lot more bare bones and cheaper and been happy. That being siad, the whole thing was like treating myself. I only carried my personal gear, sleeping bag and sleeping pad (which actually apparently has a hole in it and did not fair well for my sleep). No tent, no food, nothing else. Everyone else but me hired a porter to carry their stuff. Did I already mention that? Anyways, everyday when we got to the lunch point, the tent was up and the food was ready in 10 minutes. Same for dinner, this time including the tents. I got one all to myself 'cuz three people wanted to share another one. And when we talk food, we're talking like good food. Every meal except breakfast (which was always ready when we woke up pretty much), there was an appetizer soup followed by four or five different dishes. 18 of us, including the guides, never finished all the food that was set before us. There was even a tea time every day with hot drinks, cookies and popcorn. Ridiculous I know. By the way I found all the Americans I had been missing up to this point in Peru. Turns out they pretty much all fly to Lima, connect to Cusco (staying in hotels of course), see Macchu Picchu by bus or maybe the Inca trail and then they get back on a plane and fly home. I'm not saying this is bad, it's just different. And by that, in this case, I mean it sucks. Just an opinion. Hard to get to know a place when you never leave the bubble of American creature comforts. Even on the trail.

This is not to say the hiking wasn't hard. We did approximately 30 miles in 4 days which for me is a lot. Last night my legs were jello and stepping slightly wrong and having to correct meant pain. Today they still hurt a bit. And it was all worth it. Especially the scenery and the ruins. Man, those Incas were crazy. I can only assume they started some of their constructions hanging from ropes, that's how vertical the crags are atop which they built some of their temples and buildings. Their descendants, the Andean people, are equally impressive. Each day the porters for our group would stay behind to clean up camp, then pass us at a jog along the trial to setup the next stop. The maximum load they can carry is around 60 pounds. I guarantee you most of them broke this law with more weight. Their ages ranged from 16 to 70. Chew on that for a while. Especially given the fact that some of the trails were so steep that people in the group (not me of course, I have immaculate poise) actually had to use their hands to continue the hike. Like I said... Daaaaaang!

With this little intro I'll give a brief (I promise) synopsis of each day. Also pictures of course. You really should check out all of the pics on my dropbox. Email for details. I ended up taking just under 600 photos in those 4 days and I have trimmed in down to just under 200. Still a lot.

Day 1

- got picked up at 5:20 am (early I know)
- ate breakfast just outside of Ollantaytambo in the area known as the Sacred Valley (of the Incas, duh)
- had to go through the first checkpoint to enter the 'park' and show our passports. They don't play around with this Inca trail stuff.
- Began hiking along the sacred valley, lots of wicked cool looking boulders.
- Got to know my guides Reuben and Rojelio. We would become confidants on the trip because I actually spoke some Spanish. Turns out latin dudes have an affinity for women's bee-hinds. tunrs out they like to point them out often. Who'da thunk?
- Veered off in another valley, stopped for lunch. Dozed after lunch and upn waking asked myself the question 'Where am I?'. Good question, should be asked often I feel like. Helps keep you grounded. The answer on this particular day was in a far away land hiking a trail made by people around 400 years ago to the secret rligious center of their society. Flippin' sweet.
- Crossed the creek at the bottom of the valley and entered a new microclimate, that of the high jungle. Immediately humid. Veered into another valley. Lots of valleys on this trip.
- Passed another checkpoint. Found out my bag weighed around 30 pounds. You know, like makeup and stuff. And my video camera. and my climbing shoes.
- Right before arriving at camp (we didn't have to 'make camp' remember) We saw the sillohette (?) that gives dead woman's pass its name. Sort of an abstract version of a woman lying down, with her boob right up next to her chin. No actual dead woman. The girls on the trip were relieved.

At this point I should start Day 2. I should also provide a smidgeon of the beautiful pictures I have taken. (I actually really like photography and it might be worth gettting a good camera if I keep traveling, which I will. This one is pretty baller for now.) I am done with blogging for tonight. I have been sorting through pictures and doing this for over 2 hours. I'm gonna eat and then go out with some people from the hostel. You will have to wait until Sunday for the next installment. I apologize.