Tipitopi times

Time seems to be passing in strange ways on this holiday – finishing the trek, for example, feels like a distant memory when in fact we were in Machu Picchu just 3 days ago. Looking through my photos it feels like we’ve been away for months, but in a good way.

Our day in Machu Picchu was very chilled out. Jorge spent an hour or so walking us around the highlights and expanding our brains with his, seemingly never ending, list of facts and stories. A big part of me wanted to walk more of the trek with him as he is just SO knowledgeable, but as I said before it’s hard to walk at a pace other than the one you’re comfortable with and they were going slow!

We made it!

Machu Picchu was discovered by an American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911; it’s hard to imagine, looking down at the well known site, what it looked like after it had been left to the jungle for 400 years. He called it the ‘lost city of the Incas’ and named it Machu Picchu after the mountain it rests on (it literally translates to ‘big mountain’, with Wayna Picchu next to it meaning ‘little mountain’). The place is sacred as I mentioned before but once again the ingenuity of the people who lived here astounds me. The Sun Gate for example (where we entered the site on Monday), is in direct line with the Sun Temple meaning twice a year, for the winter and summer equinox, the first sunbeams will travel through the gate and into the temple.

Under the Sun Temple

Magic. Elsewhere huge rocks have been carved to exactly mimic the mountain ranges behind and somehow, on top of a mountain, there are natural waterfalls which have been channeled to create more baths. Jorge showed us the Intihuatana stone, ie hitching post of the sun (or sundial), a cross shaped piece of rock which at midday on the equinoxes has no shadow whatsoever. Each point points perfectly to the points (too many points) on the compass, the east and west points also correlating perfectly to those protective mountain ranges I mentioned before (and therefore the gods). Even a seemingly unimportant rock in the middle of a courtyard which you’d presume had just fallen there at some point was actually Inca design, depicting the southern cross in the sky and once again displaying the exact points on a compass. With modern technology all this seems very easy to work out – but this site was built in the 1400′s …no pocket compasses back then!

The Southern Cross

The site is split into 2 levels with the upper levels for the higher classes (or Royalty) and lower for farming and regular people. Jorge showed us around most of the upper levels as ‘that’s where all the important stuff is’. I particularly liked the Temple of the Condor (though I still can’t see it – like one of those magic pictures! Natural rocks formed wings which the Incas shaped, then added an eye and beak to the floor which was used for sacrifices) which you could walk underneath and behind down a tiny narrow channel. Apparently a mummy was found here which initially led people to believe it was a holy place but they now think it was more likely to be a prison as there are human-sized niches to the left and right. An accused citizen would be shackled into the niches for up to 3 days to await the deliberation of his fate. He could be put to death for such sins as laziness, lust, or theft. Bad times!

Can you see the resembalance?

From here Jorge left us so Iain and I began to ascend to the top of the site to visit the Inca bridge (had never heard of it before). The hoards of people were hard to deal with after having so much of the trail and many an Inca site to ourselves so after battling half way to the top we gave up and sat in the sun to enjoy the view. After a while some familiar northern accents somewhere behind us caught our attention and then fortuitously Kath and Sophie also turned up so we took some group shots. The latter had attempted to get to the bridge but been turned off by narrow paths and steep drops so turned back. The remaining 5 of us who hadn’t seen it yet set off and were soon back into old habits and reminiscing about the trail…

“Was that really only yesterday?? Feels like days ago!”

The Inca bridge lies to the west of the site and is basically another entrance. Having never heard of it we had no idea what to expect and were honestly a little underwhelmed. The trail here hugs sheer cliff face (looks terrifying!) until a gap of about 6m bars the route. This gap is covered by two tree trunks which form the bridge. We couldn’t get close as it was shut off for safety reasons but I think we’d all been expecting something a bit more Indiana Jones. Ah well.

The Inca Bridge

It was back to lie in the sun and enjoy the view after this before taking a few more photos (read a lot of running back and forth up steps which would have killed me 10 days ago to get the right picture for Iain’s panoramic shots). We then decided to explore the lower levels which was probably a bit of an error – so many stairs down only to come back up again…and some of them gave the ohmygod steps a run for their money!! We did spot some lizards though which was pretty cool, and stumbled across the astronomical pools and explored an Inca storage house. The latter took a bit of limboing to get to as a water pipe stretched from one to the other but the cool air inside and views out the window was worth it. On the way out Iain accidentally knocked the pipe and realised it wasn’t actually attached to anything…so it was just there to stop people going in then? Oops! That probably explains the strimmer and other random tools in there then; not exactly ye olde Inca garden shed after all!!

Out of bounds

The main trouble with Machu Picchu is you’re not allowed to take food or drink inside and there’s only 1 cafe available at the entrance which is usually jam packed full of people. As we’d arrived before 7, by 1pm the sun and rumbley tummies encouraged us to make tracks back to the town below. The queue for the bus was far longer than the previous day and we were all a bit miffed when a man pushed in and then called over 6 of his friends to take the last remaining seats. This annoyance was short lived though when we past their broken down bus shortly afterward. Karma my friend, karma!

We wandered around Machu Picchu town for the afternoon, stopping for yummy Mexican food and a bit of shopping (I decided against an ‘Inca trail survivor’ t-shirt) as we meandered to the train station for hour 2 hour journey back to Ollantaytambo. The train track took us back along the trail and at many points we looked up (the roof had windows – useful!) at the mountains to sites we had camped, lunched or simply walked through. All too soon we past a familiar looking red sign depicting the beginning of the trek and the place we had begun just 5 days previously. It was off the train, onto a bus and back to Cuzco. Phew!

The last 2 days have been mainly free time and we’ve used it to explore this amazing city, catch up on sleep and enjoy Corpus Christi, a huge fiesta which used to be celebrated throughout the whole of Peru but is biggest here. Fifteen saints and virgins, organized in several processions, arrive from different places to the cathedral of Cusco where to came to “greet” the body of Christ, sixty days after Easter Sunday. The statues are so heavy that some take 20 men to carry them and from the pained looks on their faces this still isn’t enough! The centre was packed with people, colour and noise as each church paraded its Saint to the centre. Jorge showed us his, Saint Christopher, the patron of travellers and I couldn’t help wondering if Saint Anthony was depicted amongst them. As a child my mum went to a Catholic school and often had to pray to him, the patron saint of lost things, to return an item she’d temporarily misplaced!!

In addition to the procession of Saints, Corpus Christi is just like every other festival, all about food! Stalls on every corner and many in between offered Peruvian delicacies…mainly Coy, or guinea pig to you and me. Jorge had promised this festival was *the time* to try this special dish so we’d all held back from ordering it previously (not that some took much persuading!) The traditional way, from one of these stalls, means you’re given a variety of meats (including coy, chicken, pork, intestines, liver etc) with potatoes and vegetables. I’m sure you’re all pulling faces but it looked pretty good. Sadly (for me at least) we didn’t have it this way, instead Jorge ordered it as a starter for all to share in the nice restaurant we visited for our last meal. Not quite how I’d imagined but ah well, still tasted good! Not sure I’d have wanted a whole one though, will stick to alpaca!

Our last day in Cuzco was also the time Iain and I cashed in our birthday IOU’s to each other. Woop woop, present time!! In Iain’s case it was time to hit the skies as we went paragliding in the Sacred Valley while I was treated to a snuggly llama wool jumper. Gotta love delayed birthday pressies!

So that’s it for most of our tour. We’ve done our shopping, packed our bags and had our last round of Pisco (in Cusco at least). Today we head back to Lima where I’ll be meeting up with some of the AC crew then tomorrow it’s Paris, London, home. Really have had the best time, and it feels like we’ve been out here far longer than 2 weeks. Peru is a great country, rich in culture and colour with lovely people, made all the better by our wonderful tour guide Jorge and the company I got to share it with.

Reality is going to hit hard I think, time to plan the next adventure to help me through it! Any ideas?

Inca trail day 4: the finish line

The giggle alarm (i.e. Lynne and Lindsay) went off at 4.30 and the official porter alarm at 5am by which point I was dressed and almost packed (sorry Iain!). It was our last day of the trail and I was equal parts sad that it was ending and totally exhausted which made me come over all emotional. Bleugh. I’d spent so many days trying to keep up with the 2 front runners, wanting to experience this amazing once in a life time trek with my friend, that I’d knackered myself out. It’s been like being the baby all over again, trying to compete with my siblings who were older and more experienced than me. The realisation that it was the last day and I wasn’t going to be able to keep up was all too much. I probably could have just asked him sensibly to slow down a bit but pace is so important here and going slower (or faster) than you’re comfortable with is difficult. Saying that after 3 days of ‘getting through it’ Jorge told us to relax and enjoy today. “No rush, no worries, take your time.”

Puffy eyes!

At the top of the mountain sunrise began at around 6.30 and this morning our dinner tent was packed away leaving the breakfast table open so we could enjoy the beautiful views around us. We even had hot chocolate and…I kid you not…pancakes!! Winner! As it was about -2 everyone shivered in coats and hats but personally I think the view was worth it. As this was our last time all together we took it as an opportunity to thank the porters who had worked with us and give them each a tip. Lynne presented Julian, the chef, with his and thanked him for the incredible food which had kept us all going. Kath then thanked the head porter (who represented his team), saying she was just in awe of their strength, agility and spirit as they had always been smiling and joking together. Lastly Christine took her turn to thank Edwin, our waiter, who had been so patient with us being in the way of him setting the table as we played cards, wrote journals and whatever else. There was also a big round of applause for the poor guy who had had to deal with the toilet.

Last breakfast

One last group photo and we were off pausing first to explore Phuyupatamarka, with its spiritual baths. There’s a fresh mountain channel which runs right through the middle of about 4 or 5 baths overlooking Machu Picchu mountain. Again amazing architecture but you wouldn’t catch me bathing there – brrr!! After this Jorge stopped holding us together and asked Iain and Lindsay to wait at the terraces we could see across the mountain range. At one point they paused to delayer (you begin the morning in top, fleece, coat, hat, scarf and gloves and slowly strip as you and the day warms up) and I almost caught them up. It seemed as though I rounded the corner they saw me long enough for a quick wave before setting off again. Not fair! Some times I don’t handle situations well and this is a good example. I’d been too sad this morning to accurately word why I was upset and I was too cross to do it now. I understand about setting your own pace but this was the last day – why didn’t these 2 want to walk with their friends and enjoy this experience with the people they’d come with? For me company is such a huge part of life and who you share it with really matters, so I just couldn’t fathom why they wanted to rush through everything with someone they’d only met a week ago rather than, just for this one last day, take their time and enjoy the experience with people they had (in some cases) known a life time. I just didn’t, and still don’t, get it. I tried to explain but Lindsey’s ‘I was right’ set me on edge and I’m sad to say I didn’t handle it well. Katy strikes again. They did slow down but the mood was tense and not how I’d imagined spending the last few hours. By the time the others caught us it was slightly better and then attempting to photograph one of the thousands of butterflies broke the tension. We crept up on one sat on a leaf, cameras at the ready…Iain gently nudged the plant to try and encourage the insect to open its wings but then whooosh, it was gone and even my super fast shutter speed wasn’t going to catch it. Darn!

No butterfly!

15 minutes later we reached the terraces and heard a loud whistle behind us. “We’re just ignoring that” said Lindsey “and it could very well be for us!” Turns out it was as 2 minutes later a loud yell from somewhere in the mountain said ‘hellloooooooo!’ It was Jorge telling us not to go any further. So we didn’t. We paused here for a good half an hour as the view of the valley below and mountains above had us all transfixed once again. It was also a chance for more group photos as a nice Canadian pair offered to take some for us.

It was more downhill to our last lunch spot on a hill called Wiñay-Wayna (Forever Young) and the last Inca ruins before Machu Picchu. Everyone was quiet today, tired and pensive so after a little exploration (Lindsey got told off for sitting in a window – jokes!) we all sat on the grass and soaked up the sun before our early lunch at 11.

You pack a lot into these days!

We said goodbye to the porters and Jorge set the pace for the last part of the trail, along some narrow paths with steep drops to one side and sheer rock to the other. Trees and vines obscured the path from view and it occurred to us we were looking out on a world which couldn’t see us. It’s kind of nice to be anonymous and lost sometimes. Jorge had been talking for the last day about the ‘oh my god steps’ – the same ones which made Iain’s friend Anna cry when she came to them. We rounded one last corner and Jorge exclaimed ‘oh my god, oh Jesus, oh no’…we’d reached the steps.

Ohmygod steps

Hmm, methinks you may have bigged this up a bit Mr Jorge! Yes they were steep, almost vertical, narrow and uneven, but they only last a minute – in fact the record for climbing them is an impressive 11 seconds. We launched ourselves up through the gate at the top expecting to have reached the end of our journey. Nope!! It was a further 20 minutes of updulating before Jorge barred the way. “As we began together, so we end together. Congratulations to you all, you have conquered the Inca trail. Welcome to the Sun Gate!’ We’d made it! We walked through the large stones, rounded the corner and there it was, Machu Picchu itself. Some guy said ‘you went the wrong way, from this way it’s only an hour to get here’…whatever you say bud, I don’t think the site would have been nearly as spectacular or appreciated had we not had the journey to get there. The feeling of achievement and relief is unparalleled. Everyone once again sat quietly to enjoy the view, chuckling at the day trippers panting as they reached Intipunku, the Sun Gate from the other direction – wooses!

Jubilation hit as we descended towards Machu Picchu and I found myself encouraging those climbing up “you can do it, the view is worth it!” People looking at us asked how far it was to go – I suppose we must have looked so tired and dirty they were worried as to what was to come! “4 days from where we started!” we replied joyfully. “Oo have you done the trail?? Wow! Congratulations! Well done you!” It was such a euphoric feeling, even our aching muscles didn’t stop me slipping down the path and singing once again. It was especially nice to be walking in the opposite direction to the Intipunku arrows we had seen for days. Been there, done that! We were not entering the city today, instead pausing to have one last group photo at the ‘postcard viewpoint’ then heading down to the bus with aircon and comfy seats!!!!

We were full of good intentions to go out and explore Machu Picchu town before dinner but as soon as the weight was off our feet it was quite plain we weren’t going anywhere. Showers and Inca Colas awaited us and after dinner everyone went to bed – we’re getting too used to being asleep by 9pm and up at 5.

Day 5: The end.

It’s Tuesday now and the last day of our tour. Showered, rested and refreshed we have boarded the bus back up to Machu Picchu to see the sunrise. Others would have camped at Wiñay-Wayna and set off in the dark to reach the site before dawn but Explore! have done this whole trek slightly differently to any literature I have read. Each day has been broken into manageable chunks and we now get to explore our prize feeling slightly more alive and a lot cleaner! Sophie has also rejoined us (having been unable to walk the trek due to a torn ligament in her knee) meaning we can all experience this last morning together. Just as it should be.

This has been without a doubt the most adventurous thing I have ever done. My legs and shoulders ache, I’ve taken over a thousand photo and probably bored you all to tears with epically long blogs. Many have done this before me and there are many more to come, but today we seven are intrepid explorers, the champs who came, saw and collapsed!

Well done Inca chums, we did it!!!!

Asta mañana amigos x

Inca trail day 3: my mental mountain

As if today wasn’t hard enough, I just wrote this whole blog and then managed to somehow delete it. It really wasn’t my day.

It all began with another 5am start, so we could reach the mountain summit ahead of the ridiculously hot sunshine.

 

Heading UP! Can you spot Speedy and Legs leading the way?

Everyone was ‘feeling the trail’ by this point and it took a while for aching muscles to warm up and spirits to lift. The path was steep and we were climbing from 3,850m to 4,200m in 2 hours. Christine and I managed it in 90 minutes, Iain and Lindsey in just 45!!! I’m still astounded at how fast those 2 are, neither one wanting to be outdone by the other, though still not as impressive as the porters who scramble up and down those paths like mountain goats with packs 4x heavier than mine! For most of our group the first pass, Warmiwañusca (or Dead Woman’s Pass – so named because the rocks form the shape of a woman lying down, the pass being her stomach then a rounded hill up to the right being the breast and above that the chin, nose, eyes and forehead) was a euphoric moment. It’s such a huge climb and the highest point of the tour at 4,200m that you can see why conquering it is a high point, but for me it just wasn’t; all I could see was the 2 further hills we had ahead of us that day and I was tired. This was my mental mountain and it took some climbing I can tell you. Even the sunrise and stunning scenery couldn’t make up for what lay ahead – it was barely 8am and we weren’t stopping till 4.30.

Jorge texting at the top; perhaps he was a little underwhelmed too!

Over the next hour we dropped 700m to our 2nd breakfast site (chased by all sorts of buzzy things) where most enjoyed a siesta in the sun and I dunked my head in the fresh mountain stream to try and snap myself out of my negative thinking. We all enjoyed another scrummy meal (how do they do it??) and all too soon it was ‘vamoose’ for our last up section of the trail, climbing almost 500m to the second pass. What did these Incas have against bridges?! Or zip wires?? Or….”When are they installing the escalators Jorge?” I asked. “Next year” he replied “Okay, I’ll stay here till then” “Good plan” says Jorge “me too!”. I wish! Half way up to the second pass was Runkuraykey, a tiny Inca post house and our last chance to get photos of Dead Woman’s Pass and our lunch spot.

The sun was brutal and we were all struggling. Jorge sent up a prayer to Veronica (the snow capped mountain) for clouds and 10 minutes later our wish was granted – what a magician! The clouds obscured most of the view making us glad once again for our early start. Towards the top Christine was literally tempting me with ‘just a little further, we’re almost there’. Even the Inca’s seemed to be sick of the trail by this point as each step became larger than the one before.Finally we dragged ourselves up the last step and staggered to the clearing where Iain and Lindsay were, of course, waiting, looking totally refreshed and relaxed. You can go off some people.

At this point we were all missing a shower and joked about not sitting too close to one another. Along the previous path we had each individually smelt something unpleasant and self consciously assumed it was ourselves. Jorge, listening to the conversation, began to chuckle. Ominous. “When I first did the trail” he shared “I was saying ‘you guys go on’ and when they were gone I am checking my feet and my arms thinking…ooo I smell bad! But, nada, so I am carrying on. Then a few more meters and poooo what is that smell?! My fellow climbers are laughing at me – and now I’m laughing at you. It is a plant you’re smelling! A very stinky plant!!” Well, thank goodness for that!

Before we knew it it was…you guessed it…time to head back down, but at least all the up was done! Huzzah!! En route to our lunch spot was the optional site of Sayaqmarka; otherwise known as ‘the inaccessible place’ and when you saw the steps leading off to it this seems like an entirely accurate description! But you can’t just walk past these places when they’re right there and you’re probably only going to do this once. Lynne, Christine and I hauled ourselves up the stairs to the top to find Iain and Lindsay about to descend. Honestly by this point as amazing as the architecture is and as breathtaking as the scenery is it really is just another Inca site. The 3 of us explored a little and took a few photos before making a move past a few houses called Concha Marca and to lunch. Here the trail began to change, from the rocky landscape we’d been used to, to a softer more rainforest type trail with trees and moss and huge ferns. We took our time here, so much so that Jorge sent 2 porters to look for us in case someone had fallen and broken something – oops!

Inaccessible place

I couldn’t tell you what we had for lunch, or much about the place we stopped, because for the most part I lay out on the tarp meant for our daypacks and tried to put as little pressure as possible on my feet. They were throbbing, my legs were aching and I honestly didn’t know how I was going to get up to do the next bit. It sounds ridiculous to be struggling so much when you hear that people do this trail from start to finish in 3 hours and 45 minutes as part of a marathon each December; but there I was, struggling. Jorge had promised that after the 2nd pass it was just downhill or undulating till our next campsite. Lying little tyke. ‘The next 10 minutes’ he says ‘is a little more UPdulating than undulating’. Luckily it really was only 10 minutes and my rest and magic coca tea got me up there. Waiting round the corner was one of the most spectacular parts of the tour – the cloud forest. Wow.

The vegetation around the path became more dense, while the colours changed to vibrant orange moss, red orchids, trees dripping with lichen and vines Tarzan would be proud of! The stone path underfoot became slippy and the air cool. It’s hard to describe but for the first time none of us wanted the trail to end. During the wet season moss and lichen grow on the rocks up to half a meter thick (as proven by my very own walking stick).

The water they contain is then used by the trees and plants above in the dry season keeping the place lush all year round; very clever. As the name suggests, for the most part we were above the clouds which swirled and parted more like a thick mist revealing the mountains above and valley below. The path was gradual and at one point there was even a natural tunnel in the rock which the Incas had widened and smoothed. It was everyone’s favourite part of the trek with its gentle path, cool air and beautiful surroundings, but even then I was happy to see 3 cheerful yellow tents waiting in a row in our 3rd and final camp site. Today we’re camping (it took 4 attempts to write that word – I’m so sleepy!) above Phuyupatamarka (or village in the clouds) and have been awarded our first glimpse of Machu Picchu mountain and the finish line. It’s all downhill from here, though everyone will agree that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact I’d say downhill is more of a nemesis than up as you have the added fear of falling. 3 days ago I was so slow going down but my trusty stick and practice have boosted my confidence, phew.

We had free time before dinner which most people used to find a quiet place and contemplate the day. The scenery here is too stunning for words as two giant mountain ranges meet and hug the tiny Wayna Picchu and Machu Picchu mountains in the middle.

The site of Machu Picchu was chosen due to its protected position, both in terms of enemies and being close to the gods (and water). It seemed so strange to sit out on the edge of a mountain viewpoint and hear music and car horns from the town over 1500m below. I stayed there until the sun snuck behind the mountains before realising I’d begun my wanderings without torch or headlamp – oops!! It was quick sticks back to the others where we played cards until dinner and then all made tracks. This is our last night of camping and tomorrow our last day of walking the Inca Trail. It’s been tough but I’m not sure anyone is looking forward to going back to reality.

Inca trail day 2: find your own pace.

So it turns out I didn’t have signal at the first camp site, meaning I couldn’t upload yesterday’s blog. I mean, I’m in the middle of nowhere surrounded by ruins and mountains…I wasn’t expecting to have 3G till Jorge mentioned it! But ah well, the point is you’re reading this which means WAHEY I SURVIVED! I’m writing this from the top of Ben Nevis…metaphorically of course, having reached our second camp site 35 minutes earlier than expected and only 25 minutes behind Iain and Lindsey who were the leaders of our group.

Today I learned I’m very bad at setting my own pace, preferring to attack a bit of climbing then catch my breath before attacking a bit more. This is not a good plan. So after a morning of trying to keep up with Speedy Gonzales and Legs I was knackered. This afternoon however I stuck with Christine who has a very good pace, meaning I reached 3 cheerful looking yellow tents with energy to spare – which was then promptly spent chasing llamas with some locals. Turns out they were trying to herd them, Iain and I were just taking photos!

Today was hard, but fun. When people heard what I was planning to do they all made a face and said something like ‘oo thats not going to be easy’, so I was prepared for much worse but honestly it’s not THAT bad. The hike is split into manageable chunks which means that mentally you only have to do 2 or 3 hours till you can stop and rest (not to mention the many many stops to catch your breath along the way). When we set off this morning I was so nervous, but the stunning scenery and amazing group kept me going.

From Llactapata we had 10 or so minutes till the top of the valley, followed by a further 2 hours or so of undulating land (bit of up, bit of down but mainly pretty flat) walking away from Veronica (the mountain) till we reached our first pit stop. We’d been told to wait by the bridge, which we dutifully did and some of the girls took the opportunity to utilise a nearby bush. Jorge, Lynne and Kath arrived a few moments later and directed us to a house with shade and toilets – lol!!

We had 5 minutes here during which time Iain made a furry friend till it was time to go onwards and upwards to out second stop and the last chance to buy chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks. Jorge gave us 25 minutes here to relax away from the baking heat while we munched on cereal bars and bought liquid energy (ie Inca Cola – it’s a bit like Mountain Dew) from the tiny shop. There was all sorts on offer there, considering how remote we are and I’ll never forget Lindsey’s miming skills – if we ever play charades I want her on my team!!

‘Right guys, for the next bit no choices, no complaints…just up!’

Righto!

At this point I was still on the zoom…breathe…zoom…breathe so my pace was somewhere between the front runners and the 3 at the back. The view was incredible when you remembered to stop looking at your feet! After about an hour and a half of ‘up’ till a cry of ‘you alright Sticky?’ (That’s me by the way) announced that I had reached the lunch site – 30 minutes quicker than expected – woop! The porters always welcome you into camp with a round of applause which makes me feel a bit self conscious on the 1 hand but is nice on the other.

The fact that these guys have done this climb quicker than us, carrying over 4x the weight and still have the energy to set up camp and cook the most amazing food is just beyond amazing. Lunch today was the most delicious soup followed by chicken, mash potato and rice (very common to have the 2 together) and of course tea. We’re eating so well, too well if anything; after lunch everyone went for a half an hour siesta (it was at least 25 degrees and yet snowing – random!) before continuing on for the next 2 hours of up, up, up. This time I stuck with Christine who set a good pace so we were soon chatting away, it was definitely getting tougher though as the terrain changed from a slope to stairs of varying heights and the air thinned making it harder to recover when we stopped. There was a bubbling stream next to us as we walked and every time we turned around the view made all the effort worth it. Having been told 2 hours Christine and I were checking the time and at 2.45 heard voices – I was so certain it was Iain and Lindsey that I was super disappointed to come around the corner and see a campsite that wasn’t ours. Chris and I pressed on though and were rewarded moments later by 3 yellow tents and the happy faces of Lindsey and Iain who had beaten the porters to the top!

What a feeling of elation to see those tents, having had it really not be as hard as I was expecting! Being here at the end of day 2 with the hardest part behind us – yay!!

Now we’re all sat together in the dinner tent drinking tea and eating cheese and banana wontons (2 separate types, not together) and putting the world to rights. Hopefully in a bit we’ll play a few games. I could get used to this kind of life!

Inca trail day 1: Peruvian flat!

The firework alarm went off at 6am and I snapped awake trying to justify the feeling of apprehension in my stomach; then I remembered, today was it! Inca trail here we come.

Jorge was waiting for us at 08.30 and this time it was us being waved off and wished luck by other hotel guests as we boarded the mini bus. The 2 hour drive to our first stop has to be the quietest we’d ever been as everyone contemplated what lay ahead. Not to say that we weren’t looking forward to it, but still!

Cuzco city is different in that it’s the slums which are located up on the hills and the rich who live in the middle. As we drove up and away from the centre we began to see far more mud brick houses and it seemed like there wasn’t anywhere which wasn’t under construction. The land on those hill starts from as little as $5 per square meter.

Once we were out of the city it was an hour and a half of stunning scenery before we reached Ollantaytambo, a little town at the foot of some Inca ruins which were used as a fortress when Manco Inca rebelled against the Spanish who described it as ‘a thing of horror’. There are 16 terraces set high into the hillside made from just HUGE rocks from the quarry across the valley. We were told they used saws of a kind of precious stone glass to create the flat surfaces which allowed the rocks to fit together so snugly. Some of these rocks were more than double my height – there’s some serious engineering going on!!

We could also see storage houses high on the hill next to a huge face carved in the rock. This face represented a white god; with a crown and long beard. Many South American cultures have similar gods and it was this that led them to worship white people when they first arrived thinking it was the return of the great kings and times of prosperity.

As we explored the terraces and houses set high in to the cliff side you had to wonder why on earth they always built their structures on a vertical cliff! I suppose it’s a protection thing like with our castles. There were several school groups with us on the tour and it was reassuring to see them huffing and puffing up the stairs as much as us. You can blame a lot on this altitude lark

There was a market at the base of the inca town where Iain and I picked up our sticks for the hike, opting for traditional wooden poles at 5soles each. Then it was back to the bus for another 45 minute drive to the end of the road and lunch. Our porters were already waiting for us and lunch was ready. They soon had our bags packed into the huge sacks they’d be carrying – each weighing 25kgs; some of the bags look bigger than the guys themselves – and they’re climbing these mountains quicker than us! Oh boy!

Tickets checked, passport stamped, official group photo taken and we were off, across the bridge following a band of donkeys. According to the map today is ‘easy downhill’, just a chance to get into our stride. Lindsey, Iain and I soon found our pace and set off, creating some distance between us and the others. We’d been told to wait by the rock slide (comforting) and on the way I met some friends – two little boys on their way home from school who skipped alongside me jabbering on in Spanish. We had loads of fun till we reached their home and they asked me for money!! Cheeky buggers!

10 minutes later we reached the rock slide and were flicked the v’s by an old lady who did NOT want her photo taken. Bad Iain! The rest of the group weren’t that far away and Jorge told us we were almost at the half way point where we could stop for our snacks (honestly this holiday is all about eating!!!) then it was a quick jaunt along a ‘Peruvian flat’ (read ‘HILL’!) dodging horses, donkeys and small children till we had the first view of Llactapata and our camp site. The porters had already arrived and set up our tents and Jorge gave us 10 minutes before taking us to explore the ruins.

Most people starting the trek start at 9am and walk above these ruins to the first camp site 8 hours in and higher up. We’d dropped down 100m (going to regret that tomorrow) to have this site to ourselves. It means we’ll be a few hours behind other walkers every day and have quieter camp sites. The place we’re staying tonight used to be the agricultural town supplying Machu Picchu and other places with fresh fruit and vegetables. Jorge left us to explore on our own after showing us the temple and sacrificial stone. Beautiful men and women were sent to Cuzco to be sacrificed…lucky them! I suppose drinking till you can’t stand up then taking poison before behind knocked on the head isn’t an awful way to go though – right? :-/ Anyway we soon lost the others as everyone went rambling. There are huge mountains either side of us and through one valley we can see the snow capped peaks. There’s a gushing river rushing by and the sand coloured stones reflect the sun beautifully. It’s really hard to not look around in wonder at where we are, just wow!

I wasn’t feeling great over dinner so decided to have an early night, everyone else wasn’t far behind though. The moon was so bright that several times people thought it was morning when they woke up!! But 6am came soon enough.

We’ve just had a yummy breakfast of kinoa porridge and omelette and everyone is busy around packing day bags and putting away the tents. Apparently after this we won’t have phone signal and will really leave civilisation behind. No more Peruvian flat – today we go UP, scaling the height of Ben Nevis from sea level. Thank you Christine!

Gulp

Arriba arriba, andale andale!

Awake early again today and yet between showering, tidying the room, beginning to pack for the trek and blog writing I only had 15 minutes for breakfast. Assuming it would be the usual buffet I didn’t think this would be a problem, unfortunately it was not a buffet and the staff were not in the best of sorts. I only wanted a bit of bread and some coffee but you’d think I’d asked for a full English breakfast wrapped in gold leaf and served in the head of her eldest child. 14 minutes later having asked for the 5th time I finally got a cup (the coffee was already on the table) and a basket of bread rolls, just in time to spread some jam on and run out to meet the group for our first tour of the day – as Jorge would say, ‘vamoose!’

Jorge was taking us to Sacsaywaman (if you’re reading it ‘sexy woman’ in the style of Franc from Father of the Bride you’re not wrong!) Inca ruins which stand at the head of Cuzco. In Inca times the city was shaped like a puma, with Sacsaywaman standing at the head; there are even two circular towers which represent the eyes. The town then makes up the body of the puma and the sun temple (where we’re heading later) is quite literally where the testicles would be, representing fertility of the town and people who worship there.

Huge rocks make up the first layer of Sacsaywaman which showed the power and greatness of the Inca people. Some were at least 5 meters high and 2 wide, with around 7 meters buried into the foundations. Many of the rocks were from the local mountain side so had not travelled far, but others were from the quarry we past yesterday and so had travelled around 5km to be there. When they first came upon the city of Cuzco the Spanish thought Sacsaywaman was a fort and made plans to storm it (I learned later it was used as a fort at some point). Since then they have used many of the stones to create the churches and cathedrals of the town below. From the head of Sacsaywaman we could see the giant snow-topped mountain we past yesterday. Jorge told us his people never point at the mountain but always gesture to it with an open palm as a sign of respect.

The Incas were first formed in the 12th century from 2 tribes from separate sides of a huge valley who merged to become a great people. Mancco Capac was the first Inca king but it wasn’t until the 15th century when King Pacha Cuti led them to be the strongest/most successful dynasty in South American history. Pacha Cuti’s son and grandson ruled for over 130 years and it was during this time that the cities and temples we have visited, and those along the trail that we have yet to see were created. The more Jorge tells us the more recent this time seems. I always saw the Incas as similar to the Egyptions and Romans, but when you think that there are houses in the UK which are older than Machu Picchu…I know I have discovered this fact before but it still fascinates me.

There’s a real mix of religion here but Christianity plays a huge part. Apparently when the Pope visited Cuzco and Sacsaywaman in 1985 people travelled from all over South America to see him. Jorge remembers all the people gathering in the large space at the foot of the temple just like they would have done at the height of the Inca Dynasty. But on the flip side the summer solstice in June will see the sacrifice of a black llama. There’s a constellation in the sky in the shape of a llama which appears at this time (apparently it’s in the milky way and also part of the southern cross) so this ceremony is to appease the gods. We’re also really lucky to be here for the festival of Corpus Christi (the body of Christ), Jorge’s favourite festival. But I feel this blog is going to be long enough so I’ll save the explanation of that for next week! There’s a festival here almost every day (because of all the different religions) so it’s not unusual to be woken up by fireworks – as we discovered this morning! I also learned the 4 corners of the Inca symbol I mentioned previously actually represent the 4 corners of the Inca empire, with the hole in the middle as Cuzco – the heart.

From Sacsaywaman we drove up to a view point and our first glimpse at the sacred valley of the Incas with its lush green and winding river coasting through the middle. In the background we could see mountains once again – Jorge is always telling us the heights of things so today we were at 3,800m and the mountain is something like 5,600m…give or take a bit. At our highest point on the trail we will be at 4,200, after Dead Woman pass which I hope doesn’t live up to its name!!! We waved a group off this morning who were all in their 60′s though so there’s a lot of ‘well if they can do it!’ amongst us today.

Now we’re heading back to Cuzco after yet another market filled with items made from baby alpaca and llama wool. We visited a store which was selling scarves and jumpers for $150+ – the one I tried on was $700 and very cruella! Dollars and Soles sound very similar in a strong Peruvian accent and I think many of the group thought 150 was a bargain till Jorge pointed out it was the former, easy to get caught out!! The market however was cheaper and involved bartering which I love. Iain and I came away with some alpaca socks, a tshirt for me and a scarf for him. On our way back to the bus I spotted a painting I liked and on closer inspection realised it had my name on it!! We’d stumbled across Art Gallery Katy – how cool!!! So of course that picture is coming home with us too. It’s a good job I bought a compression sack – am going to need it for all this shopping!

Our final stop of the day was Qoricancha; the temple of the sun (as mentioned earlier). Apparently this temple once held so much gold and silver that it took the Spanish 3 months to melt it down. Jorge spent some time showing us how the great Inca stones slot together using a ‘male and female’ method. When you see how solidly they fit together you can’t help but be impressed. Most sun temples are built facing east so the sun hits the alter at the time of the summer and winter solstices. This temple however was about worshiping the sun god and so was built facing west, making it unique. Every little detail of the temple seems to mean something; from the perfectly aligned windows to the random bits of rock sticking out of the wall which look like shoddy stonemasonry but are in fact a calendar!!!

Jorge left us to our own devices this afternoon and after showing Lindsey how to put her photos on cd (the wonders of modern technology!! The first shop we went to was totally perplexed by a memory cardless camera but the second one got it) we headed to CBC bakery for ‘the best chocolate croissant in Peru’. This bakery teaches street children how to bake, giving them a trade and employment; seemed like a good excuse to eat pastry to me! We sat there for quite a while sharing our top 3 moments of the holiday so far after a coffee which was mua mua caliante (finally). For me the highlights were meeting Rosalinda, seeing the condor (though being spat at by a llama wasn’t so fun!) and meeting Katy today; though this was all about to change!

Guinea pig anyone?

Having free time this afternoon gave Iain and I an opportunity to have a wonder and explore Cuzco in my favourite way – by getting lost. There’s so much to see here as almost every doorway opens onto a courtyard or Aladdin’s cave; one such entrance enticed us in to an open square with shops around the outside. As I still don’t have a sunhat and the trek is tomorrow we headed into look. Iain spotted a DELIGHTFUL hat which he said would make his day, and probably spur him on the trail were I to wear it. Joker!! I’m trying to think of how best to describe it to you but think this requires a group effort. Here’s what they came up with…

Iain: muppet animal
Lynne: playdough spaghetti
Lindsey: Funky

In the middle of our joking an old man came out of the shop and said ‘if you’ll wear it, I’ll buy it!’ Well sir, that sounds like a challenge! 5 minutes later the delight was mine, thank you Mr Boaz!! What a random random day.

We continued to stroll around poking in shops and looking at fake North Face gear until it seemed like a sensible time to visit the pisco museum…which turned out to be more of a bar with a muriel which kind of told the history of the grape, if you could read Spanish. We kind of ish guessed that the grape brandy was created after the Spanish invasion in 1535 and since then has been influenced by the different areas of Peru in which it was made. Either way it’s good! There a loads of varieties you can try, and then once you’ve chosen your base pisco you can choose to have it infused with 1 of about 30 flavours and that’s before you’ve decided what to have it mixed with! Iain and I did the sensible thing and left it to the bar man, meaning I ended up with a fruity strawberry type thing with flower petals on top and Iain had a ginger and mint concoction. Both were scrummy!!

Meanwhile Jorge (Horhey remember!) had delivered our bevvie bags for the trek. Coming back to the hotel it all suddenly seems very real as we’re trying to fit everything we might possibly need for the next 4 days into a small holdall which needs to weigh less than 7kilos; especially when my sleeping bag takes up half of mine!! I made the right choice in leaving the other one at home though as it would have taken up the whole bag. As it is I’ve had to leave my fleece liner and down jacket out – let’s hope I don’t freeze :-/ I’m really looking forward to the trek though, especially with our group who are just so much fun. Sometimes they go into self made ‘mam’ mode which is quite funny in itself, but the rest of the time they have my sides aching from laughing so much. I was a little worried about letting the side down and being the last in line all through the trek but I don’t think anyone here would let anyone get left behind and we’ll all be good at raising each others spirits and spurring one another on. Just to think this time tomorrow we’ll be camped on the Inca trail, in the light of the lunar eclipse which was the main reason for booking this trip at this time. From a random conversation in Bali last summer to it being tomorrow…time goes SO fast.

Wish us luck!

Following legends

Today we’ll be traveling overland to Cuzco; following the path of Mancco Capac (son of the sun) and Mama Occllo (daughter of the moon) through the altiplano. Legend has it this couple emerged from Lake Titicaca to start a new civilisation; spreading culture and enlightenment. Mancco Caca had a golden staff to place into the ground at the place which would be the heart of this new people. The soil of the altiplano was too thin to hold the staff so they headed north. Apparently they walked the 400 kilometres we will drive today, over the altiplano to Cuzco. They put the staff in the ground at the top of the Huanacauri mountain and Cuzco was born. Its name means ‘navel of the earth’. Cuzco became the heart of everything and features in a symbol which still exists today; it’s sort of like a square cross with a hole in the middle. The top represent the condor (or future), the left arm the puma (present) and the bottom the snake (past). I keep meaning to ask what the right arm means! But I digress; of Mancco Capac and Mama Occllo’s 4 children only 1 survived (he killed the others!) to become the first King of Peru.

We left Sophie and Kath at the station as they would be catching the train and meeting us in Cusco. I’m so glad Iain and I decided to save cash and forgo the £115 train journey as our bus follows the tracks all the way, but we have the option to stop at various points and also explore our first Inca ruin! Our first stop was about an hour in at a tiny town called Pukara. The people here survive on the trade of wool and skin of alpaca and sheep. We popped into a tiny shop/cafe to use the facilities and I picked up a pair of alpaca wool gloves for the inca trail. In the middle of the altiplano there’s a tiny village named Ayaviri where we stopped to try a traditional (I feel like I’m using this word in every sentence!) dish of lamb and potatoes called kankncho. Coming from the home of lamb I was quite excited to try this and wow I was not disappointed! It doesn’t taste at all like the meat at home, far richer in flavour and more like veal in texture. Completely delicious! In this village it is tradition (there’s that word again) for the women to work and take care of the men while the men…I’m really not sure! But they’re not allowed to be educated as their jobs are house, home, farming and selling food and crafts etc.

Now it’s around 10:15 and we’re speeding off to our next stop, the highest part of our tour at 4,200 meters; La Raya. We just past the train coming from Cuzco, it’s an old style blue one (though not quite steamer), I hope the others are having a good time!

>4 hours later<

So La Raya was essentially a market (by which I mean 5/6 stalls laid out on rocks) looking up at the mountain. I really didn’t intend to buy anything but couldn’t resist this fabric which I think will make a gorgeous back to the quilt I want to make out of all those t shirts still sat at home (if you’ve read my previous travel blogs then this will make sense) Am definitely going to have to make that now I have pretty much all of it!! From there we stopped for a moment to take pictures of llamas (can you imagine tourists taking photos of sheep and cows back home?) when Chris spotted a condor circling high overhead. We’re extremely lucky to have seen one, and our guide and drivers stayed outside, following it with binoculars long after we’d got back on the bus. It was a short skip to our lunch spot with the most incredible view. At one point I had to remind myself it wasn’t a painting, I think it was the tint on the glass, made it look like a billboard!

So far if I was to sum up Peru I’d say scenery and shopping; perhaps it’s the tour we’re on but it seems like every time we stop anywhere there’s a market or shop to see and there’s always something I haven’t seen before. Our next stop, Raqchi, was no exception. This was to be our first Inca experience as it is home to the ruins of the Temple of Viracocha (one of the only examples of two story Inca architecture left). Apparently it is also one of the largest roofed buildings the Incas ever built, and you could see the remains of columns which held up the thatch. Some 300 houses surround the edge of the temple, each round and some still roofed though many now in ruins. We also set foot on the Inca trail for the first time – I hadn’t realised it had once (or I suppose technically still does) linked most of South America, travelling from Ecuador in the north, through to Argentina in the south. I wonder when someone last walked the entire length of it. As there was another market I stopped to have a look and ended up buying a ceramic Inca calendar which is pretty cool. I’ve since learned that most of these are mass produced in Cuzco and shipped out here, ah well!! I also had my first taste of things to come when I was charged for taking photos of the locals; apparently the closer we get to Cuzco the more common this will be.

Following the Inca trail through villages with names like Combapata, Checacupe and Cusipata we were treated to more amazing scenery. I think everyone was sleepy by this point but it was impossible to close your eyes less you missed something. I must have taken a hundred pictures of the mountains, river and valleys and the people who live in them.

Soon we past what used to be the southern gate to the city and arrived in Cuzco. I could tell the others were not impressed; the outskirts of the town are very like I imagine Rio de Jenerio to be, rows of tinned roofed dwellings and shanty shops with a lot of construction happening everywhere. As we got to the centre the streets narrowed and the buildings became more elaborate and everyone relaxed as Jorge proudly told us of developments and news from his home city. Our hotel is 10 minutes walk from the main plaza on a tiny street so we had to tumble out of the bus quick sticks to stop holding up traffic. Iain and I have the penthouse which is just beautiful – a lovely golden and terracotta room on the 3rd floor with windows covering every wall offering panoramic views of the city. I’m not sure how we got this as there are 3 beds and only 2 of us, but the group of 3 are in 2 separate rooms on the 2nd floor!! There’s a beautiful courtyard too with a well and various bits of pottery, cute!

Jorge showed us to the main square and then left to meet Sophie and Kath at the station. Having stocked up at lunch none of us were hungry and so headed out somewhere for coffee. The main square in Cuzco is all multi story, with most of the terraced cafes and bars on the 2nd floor. You can see them, but not how to get to them. Tricky! In the end we asked a boy who was following us trying to sell his pictures to take us to a coffee shop which he did, but it was awful. Oh dear!! Our first exhibition without our guide and we end up in a place with cold coffee and dodgy sandwiches. Had the others not been there I’m sure Iain and I would have been ok but I get the feeling these ladies are used to the finer things in life. Luckily good old British humour got us through and we escaped unscathed, heading instead to an organic restaurant called Greens and then Paddys – the highest Irish bar on earth where we bumped into the others and heard about their day. They’d had a wonderful time on the train, likening it to the orient express, so that was good!! They had just come out of Paddys and told us (to our amusement) that the floor in the bar moved from side to side like you’re on a boat. Apparently it really added to the sensation of being drunk! Iain and I headed up there to check out this phenomenon for ourselves….hmm, floor seems pretty sturdy to me, how about you Iain? *plants feet* errrm yup, it’s not moving. Turns out the rock of the train and a few too many vinos had left Sophie and Kath feeling a tad rocky. What larks!! At the bar I met Ernesto; a very nice Peruvian man who said he could recognise ‘yes’ in any language….challenge on Ernesto!

“Da”…
“That’s easy! Russian”
“Oui”
“French”
“ka”
“Thai”
“Ok how about ydw?”
*blank face* “ydw? I do not know ydw”
“haha! It’s welsh!!”
“Oh welsh! I only know Llanelli’

…brilliant! Some time later after trying every variation of pisco on the menus (Iain likes the sours, made with egg white and lemon juice, I like it with lemonade!) we headed out and back to the hotel. Having such a great time; each day has been so packed it has felt like 3 so I can’t quite believe we’re only on day 4 of our itinerary! Just 1 day left before we start out for Ollantaytambo and the start of our main reason for being here: the inca trail! Eek!!