Lake Titicaca, Cusco, The Sacred Valley and The Inca Trail - Peru

Let me start off by saying - I MADE IT! I survived the Inca Trail and made it back in one piece. But before I get into the details, let me go back to where I left off last time.

My last night in La Paz was a fairly unpleasant one. I was unfortunately struck by another South American stomach bug (well actually a parasite I was to find out later). All I can say is that these damn South American bugs are vicious buggers (excuse the pun!). The next day`s 8 hour bus journey into Peru and to the town of Puno was not the most pleasant. It did have some entertaining moments though. The first bus took us to the shores of Lake Titicaca where we crossed the lake by boat (and our bus crossed the lake on a wooden raft - interesting). We then stopped in Copacabana, Bolivia (not Rio, Brazil unfortunately) for lunch. When we got the Bolivian border we had to walk across the border and change buses.

We finally got to Puno, and to a very decent hotel where I spent the next 2 days in bed. Erin and Sarah were sick at the same time, and none of us could go to the homestay on Lake Titicaca with the others. At least we were all sick together and we had a TV with American sitcoms which helped pass the time. As it was the 3 of us that had been out together a couple nights before in La Paz, we decided it was retribution for having too much fun!

On the third day we were all feeling a lot better and managed to go meet the others on the Uros Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is the world`s largest high altitude body of water. It is 284m deep and 8,500 square km`s. The Uros Floating Islands were built and inhabited by the Uros Indians who were retreating from their more powerful neighbours in Inca times. They still live on these floating reed islands today. There are also 2 fixed islands - Taquile and Amantani. Amanatani is where the others did their homestay. They each stayed with a local family for a night. Apparently it was a very interesting experience.



It was amazing to see how these people live. Everything on the island is made of reeds - the island itself, their huts, their boats etc. The top layer of reeds needs to be replaced every 3 months to keep the island afloat. They have approximately 6 families per island, and one island even has a school. However, it is extremely primitive.

We met the rest of the group just before lunch and went on a reed boat together and to a second island. We then took a boat back to Puno in the afternoon.

On 24 March we took a bus to Cusco, the Inca Capital of Peru. It was another 8 hour bus but we passed the time by playing cards for the entire journey. I was exhausted by the time we got there! That night I was sick again, so in the morning I saw a doctor. At least in Peru they have tourist doctors that speak English - it was far easier than my experience in the hospital in Brazil. It turns out that a parasite is to blame. The good thing is that parasites don`t make you feel sick all the time - it comes and goes. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and said I should be fine within a couple of days (he lied).

What happened next made me believe that I am just a disaster waiting to happen. On the 26th, about 10 minutes before we were due to leave for the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the starting point of the Inca Trail, I literally sliced off the tip of one of my fingers (don`t even ask!). It took about an hour to get the bleeding to stop, and I have a big hole in my finger (a week later it is only just starting to heel). On the second day of the Inca Trail I also hit my head on the branch of a tree, so I think that must have been number 3 and my bad luck must be over!

Anyway, back to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We made a quick stop at the ruins of Sacsayhuaman (pronounced sexy woman) on the outskirts of Cusco. We then drove to the Sacred Valley which is magnificent. It is endless green valleys with Inca ruins and terraces. We stopped at a Llama and Alpaca village, and then made our way to Pisac. We climbed up to the Inca Citadel above the town and to the Temple of the Sun. The views and the stone work were both beautiful. I have to be honest and say that I was horrified that we did a short hike the day before the Inca Trail! It was worth it though.

We then walked around the market in the Pisac town square and then made our way to Ollantaytambo which is where we were to start the Inca Trail the next morning.

On the 27th of March we got up early and drove to Piskakuchu, the starting point of the Inca Trail at km 82. We covered the 45km trail over 4 days, reaching an altitude of 4200m. I am really glad that I did the Inca Trail, overall I enjoyed the experience (in hindsight anyway), and I am stunned and amazed that I made it, but not for any money in the world would I do it again!! It was really tough! I can also say with absolute surety that I am not the hiking and camping type. 13 of us set off with our guide Victor, his assistant Henry, a cook and an assistant cook, and 17 porters. We carried our day packs, but luckily the porters carried our rucksacks (we were allowed 7kg`s each which included a mattress and sleeping bag). The porters each carried 20kg`s. They carried our tents, table and chairs, food, and basically all our supplies. They are amazing, they literally run up and down the mountains.

On Day 1 the weather was fantastic. It was sunny and hot, and the first morning the trail was really pleasant and not very difficult at all. I was feeling very sure of myself by the time we stopped for lunch on the first day, and I will even admit I was really enjoying myself. After lunch we began the real hiking, and had a 2 hour steep climb to our first campsite at Wayllabamba. Mid afternoon it got cloudy and it started to rain. It wasn`t very heavy rain, but little did we know it would rain constantly for the next 2 days. If I can provide one piece of advice to anyone who may do the Inca Trail in the future - don`t go during the rainy season - the rain can be very unpleasant.

Anyway, we made it to our campsite about 4pm. They porters had already set up camp and there was tea waiting, followed by a really good dinner. The weather wasn`t great so we all went to sleep early. Juliet and I shared a tent. It was at least dry, and the sleeping bags we rented were warm.

On Day 2 we got up at 6am and set off at 7am after a great breakfast. It was an almost 5 hours of very steep climbing to Dead Woman`s Pass. They are not kidding by giving the pass this name (apparently it`s due to the shape of the mountain but I think the meaning is a lot more literal). Dead Woman`s Pass is at an altitude of 4200m. It was tough, tough, tough. It took every bit of mental and physical power to will myself up that mountain. When I made it to the top just before midday, I burst into tears. I am not sure if it was just sheer relief, exhaustion, the fact I couldn`t breathe at the altitude, or a combination of these factors. I knew that if I made it up Dead Woman`s Pass then I would make it to Machu Picchu.

It started raining as I got to the top, but I still sat there for about 15 minutes before I could even think about moving again. It was then a very steep descent to our second campsite at Paqaymayo. We descended about 700m in about 2 hours. It was tough on the knees and the rain didn`t help matters. It rained the rest of the day and evening. We relaxed in our tent, played a bit of cards in the dinner tent, ate and went to sleep.

On Day 3 we again got up at 6am and started off about 7am. Day 3 was to be an unpleasant, wet and cold day. It was raining when we woke up and the rain persisted until the afternoon. It poured and poured and it didn`t let up at all. I have learned that even waterproof gear is only waterproof up to a point. On the third morning we climbed to the second pass called Runkuraqay at 3900m. This felt relatively easy after Day 2. The rest of Day 3 was a long and steep downhill trek through the cloud forest. We descended 900m to our third campsite at Winaywayna. The rain made things very difficult, as the steep stone steps were very slippery, and in parts there was so much water it was like mini waterfalls down the stairs. The scenery in the Cloud Forest was beautiful and I really enjoyed the views once the rain finally stopped.



When we stopped for lunch, we were all soaking wet, cold and miserable. About an hour after we set off after lunch, the rain stopped. Thankfully that was the last we saw of the rain. The 900m descent requires a lot of concentration, and it absolutely kills your knees (the last hour my right knee was completely shot). It was a welcome change to all the uphill walking though, and it was great to get down to a lower altitude.

We arrived at the campsite a little before 4pm. The final campsite has warm showers which was absolute bliss. I queued for about half an hour for a shower, but it was well worth it. As the final campsite is so close to Machu Picchu, they also have a bar and it`s full of people preparing for the final climb. After my shower I walked about 10 minutes to the ruins of Winaywana which were magnificent - some of the nicest ruins we`ve seen.

On the 4th Day we got up at 4am and left at 4:45am. We had to wait at the gates until 5:30am, but we were the second group waiting which meant that we`d get to the sun gate and Machu Picchu before the masses.

It was just over an hour`s hike to Intipunku - the Sun Gate. To get there the last 20 minutes is a steep uphill hike and 50 almost vertical stairs, but the first views of Machu Picchu were worth it.

We sat at the Sun Gate until the sun came over the mountain and lit Machu Picchu. We left a bit after 7am and walked the half hour trail down to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is really a worth seeing. It is one of the only Inca sites not destroyed by the Spanish when they conquered Peru. As our guide told us, the conquerors were lazy and therefore didn`t navigate areas that could not be reached easily. In fact Machu Picchu was only rediscovered in 1911 by an American explorer, Bingham.

Machu Picchu is beautiful! It is a dramatic Inca Citadel with beautiful stone architecture set against a backdrop of green forested mountains (and distant glacial summits) with the Rio Urubamba below. It has more than a hundred flights of steep stone steps with interconnected palaces, temples, stone houses and terraces. We did a 2 hour guided tour of the ruins. I can truly recommend it.

We then took a bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes and went to the natural thermal baths. at about 5:30pm we took a train back to Ollantaytambo and then a bus back to Cusco. We got back just before 10pm and showered and slept. I was too tired to even eat.

Yesterday I saw the doctor again and I had to go for tests. It turns out I somehow managed to contract not one, but two parasites (we have named them Bob and Phyllis)! I have a new prescription which should hopefully sort me out once and for all!

We spent yesterday and this morning in Cusco. Yesterday I went to the Convent of Santo Domingo which is an old Inca complex that was built over by the Spanish. Cusco itself is a fantastic city. It is really the start and end point for the Inca Trail so it is always full of tourists. It has beautiful stone squares, buildings, cathedrals, mountains and Inca ruins. I have really enjoyed walking around the city.

Today we flew to Arequipa in Peru (our first flight in over 2 months). At least it saved us another night bus! We have another week with the group in Peru after which Juliet and I say goodbye to the others and head off to the jungle. I can`t believe how time has flown by!