Reaching a dream.

Tags

Accidents, Dreams, Focus, Goals, Inca Trail, Injury, Machu Picchu, Peru, Ribs, Storm, Tourists, Train, Travel, Weather

I finally made it. After being inspired by an image in a book over fifteen years ago, a year’s delay and six months wait after booking, I reached Machu Picchu – but not without incident!

Coming out of the bathrooms after getting up at pitch-black 3:00am, I hit some warm soapy water that had been dumped on the grass verge, and flew straight off the path. I managed to hit a tree sideways after a six foot drop and felt (and heard) my ribs giving way. After shouting out for help and pulling myself back up on to the path, I was somewhat relieved to know I could still breathe and that my ribs weren’t sticking out of my body. Things weren’t going to be good for the rest of the hike though as even a little breath, sent searing pains through me. I did get it together enough to get packed up and my trusty hiking poles kept me upright, while we all waited for the gate to open and the final 5k stretch to begin.

Every step I took, was the most painful I’ve had in my life yet in some ways, it’s a confrontation with myself that I welcome. I’m always trying to find ways of learning about my own mind, how far I can push myself and how to gain focus when I think I don’t have any. With sweat pouring off me, unable to take deep breaths and flashes before my eyes for every step, I powered on, passing the few people that had made it through the gate before our group. If I ever doubted my own pain tolerance or my ability to do anything, this was telling me I had been wrong.

Finally after the insane steepness that leads up to the Sun Gate (Intipunku), the majestic morning sight of Machu Picchu lay below. As I stopped to reduce my heart rate for a moment, some Australian guy slapped me in the side on my damaged ribs, congratulating me on my arrival. I had to explain that he needed to not be so friendly with the injury but he just said ‘oh‘ and moved on.

There were a few others in the group that were not stopping and making a mad dash for the Guard House, to get the best view of the Machu Picchu ruins for when the Sun popped over the horizon. Not one to be happy staying with the crowds, I pushed on and eventually caught them up for what was the most perfect morning, with very few people to spoil the occasion. It always befuddles me how people can take a four-day hike to get to this place and yet be too busy chatting or getting in peoples camera views, to thoroughly enjoy the spectacle. I found the perfect spot for my video camera and set it up with uninterrupted view, enabling me to step back and soak up the air.

Too soon for me, the rest of our group turned up and it was time to head down into the actual ruins for the walking tour with our guides. As much as I’ve enjoyed the tours, at this point – especially with the injury – I would have preferred to stay where I was and spend a few hours meditating. Oh well, down we headed and as always, enjoyed a tremendously interesting and fully loaded discourse from Flavio.

The second guide had headed off by now, to go and pick up B from the train station. Her tour had been merged in to this last day of mine and we both met at the end of the walking tour, she drained from being ill for four days, and I hardly able to breath with my cracked ribs. We did hobble around together for an hour or so, before the heat of the day, the mosquitos, and the increasingly pushy crowds started to get to be too much. Off to the exit, a short stop for some ice-cream and the final bus around the rough switchbacks to Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes is an interesting town, with the sole purpose of being an entry/exit point for those visiting Machu Picchu. The railroad cuts right through the middle of what could be considered the high street and the terrain has unique beauty amongst the hard rocks and deep greens. After hitting one of the restaurants for a beer and food, I picked up my porter bag that had been left in storage, and we both headed to the train station to just chill for the remaining few hours. Both feeling like crap at this point and neither of us needing to purchase any trinkets from the market.

The weather turned from blazingly hot to a lightening storm and torrential downpour, literally as the sky had turned to night. There was then some bizarre mix-up with the train, where the platform attendants gave conflicting reports that our carriage didn’t exist, then it did, then it was labeled different, and then we were bounced answers between two available carriages. Finally, one of the group had enough and got some kind of straight answer, so we were all making our way on to the train a short time after. Amusingly, the staff were trying to hold up the gutter of the platform with a broom handle as the rain was so heavy, it was pushing it downward and drenching anyone who wanted to alight to their seat. After just about everyone was on board, the driver finally worked out that if he moved the train a few feet, it would avoid the broken gutter;30 minutes to work that one out and even more delay to leave.

Finally off and the train was probably the most uncomfortable riding experience I’ve had in Peru! The seats were hard and you felt every bump. I couldn’t breathe much as it was and every movement, was like a knife in my spleen. Some basic boxed food was handed out and then an impromptu show of a kid with a goose puppet, followed by the two attendants putting on a fashion show of some Alpaca clothing. The only other distraction was the storm still raging outside and the co-driver hopping off the train, to manually crank the junction to switch tracks. Terminating in Ollantay, it was a mad rush to push through the sea of taxis shouting ‘Cusco! Cusco!‘ while attempting to find our bus.  With bus located, B commandeered seats at the front and I managed to get comfortable for the final ride back to the hostal in Cusco.

The sole reason for me coming to Peru in the first place was to get to Machu Picchu, with everything else considered an expendable detour. It’s been more than I thought it would be (not always on the positive side) but then, I’ve taken so much more away from here than I’d ever hoped. Something that’s enforced for me is that I need to travel a lot more to experience everything that defines humanity as well as shaping my own existence. It’s also just as important I recognized, that I don’t have to travel at all to have the inner dialogue I keep searching for – it’s always with me, whenever I need to speak to it, but I still need to keep working on the triggers.

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Inca Trail, day 3.

Tags

Inca Trail, Intipata, Peru, Phuyupatamarca, Salkantay, Sunrise, Travel, Wiñay Wayna

Last night was the coldest I’ve been since my arrival in Peru. Flavio tells me the chill comes from the glacier in the distance and also being up 1000ft higher than last night. Whatever the reason, I had to sleep bundled up in my clothes, including my wooly hat!

The view first thing is spectacular, with the Sun lighting the peak of Salkantay and the distant mountains. Breakfast devoured and plenty of hot coffee later, we all got together for a phot-shoot, and an informal few words on who we are and where we’re from. The porters and chef were included in this and it’s very cool to hear where they all hail from. I also couldn’t get over that a couple of the porters were in their 50’s – hoofing people’s kit 45km should be for the younger crew!

Heading up to the last pass of the trail (which is only 270ft above the camp) was awash with beauty from the rising Sun. The surrounding marshland was glittering like gold and huge rays of light spiked the ground, from the nearby hilltop. As with the hike after lunch yesterday, it took a while for my body to work out it needed to get moving, and the first hour was a little tiring. It still didn’t take too long to end up at the pass, at Phuyupatamarka and take the first major rest of the day. Today is a half-day and the distance isn’t too far, so Flavio will spread out the time with longer stops and more explanation, similar to day one.

From Phuyupatamarca, it was a short hike down to the next small ruin and from here, I was again able to take off, to head to the next checkpoint. It’s more surreal on your own, as you could almost believe you’re the only person alive around here. There’s surprisingly little sound, except for a single bee that kept circling my head for the last fifteen minutes of this leg.

The angle of the agricultural levels at Intipata, is amazing and some serious work went in to creating this oasis on the side of a steep valley. It looks like there weren’t many people that lived here but the sight of crops spewing from this area back in the day must have been wonderous. Flavio mentioned that cross-breeding of potato would have been done here, as growing conditions were not optimal for normal crops. Interesting to know that genetic mutation is something that was done a long time before the current hoo-ha with GM foods.
By now, the goal for tomorrow is within view – or at least the mountain of Machu Picchu. there’s a flag atop the summit and somewhere behind that mountain, lays the ruins of the place I’ve waited so long to see.

From Intipata, the campsite was so close, you could see the porters, already waiting for us. Time to head for food and of course, I had to take the quicker way down by using the floating steps. The straight view to the campsite is deceptive and the winding un-signed path, had me heading the wrong way a couple of times but that’s what you get for hurrying. This time, I made it with the rest of the crew in tow and the real sense of achievement came, knowing that 10mins walk away, was the main entrance to Machu Picchu.

This last campsite is pretty awesome, albeit a little cramped. There’s a bar and hot showers (for a five sole fee) and the chance to kick back after covering the hardest part, with only five kilometers left to engage. the bar has a bizarre method of purchase, where you have to walk up to a ticket booth, pay for a beer, then take the receipt to the bar itself, where they allow you to grab a brew from the fridge. Still, a few beers and a Cuba Libre later and I was ready to call an end to my day but first off, there was one more ruin to visit and dinner to be eaten.

Wiñay Wayna appears much bigger than Intipata and after thinking of the work that must have gone in to Intipata, this just amazed me. Technical aspects of the building alone are crazy, let alone the agriculture that would have been employed, after this was built. I would have liked much longer here, but the Sun was rapidly losing its light and dinner was almost ready. Time to tuck in to the usual feast and get to bed early. Tomorrow sees a 3:30am wake-up call, to get as near to the front of the gate as possible before it opens.

Inca Trail, day 2.

Tags

Ayapata, Chaquicocha, Hiking, Inca Trail, Llulluchapampa, Pacamayu, Peru, Runkurakay, Training, Travel, Warmiwañusca

Between the upset stomach and the fifteen hours of travel and hiking yesterday, I slept pretty much solid through the night, waking briefly once at around 1:00am. The tents are fairly comfortable and the basic sleeping pad the tour supplies, does just about the minimal required to make the ground soft enough for rest. Getting enough sleep was important to ensure my stomach had settled, too. Last thing I wanted was to hit the hardest day with bathroom breaks every few minutes and zero fuel in my body.

After breakfast and freshening up, it was time to hit the biggest incline and make the way to Dead Woman’s Pass. Flavio is happy to let me head off on my own now and wait up at the various checkpoints. This made me much happier, as today of all days I really need to be getting my hiking tunnel vision.

I quickly passed the Norwegians who had taken off earlier and found myself passing another group that left the lower campsite an hour before. The hardest part of the hike for me here isn’t the incline, it’s the irregular steps that don’t allow for a steady stride. There’s a lot more leg work and semi-climbing involved at this point, although none of it is that strenuous at a steady pace. The first stop is Llulluchapampa, which is up at 12,460 and a gain of 1,600ft from last night’s campsite at Ayapata. This portion is averaged at two hours but I made it at a steady pace, in around 50 minutes. From here, you can see the goal of the pass in the high distance and reaching this point, made me realise that the training I had done this past summer, had rendered the hike a lot easier than it should be. Not that I’m complaining one bit – better this way, than to suffer the fate of the Norwegians in our group, who I think drastically underestimated the whole thing and came very underprepared.

After waiting for the rest of the group and taking a food break, I hit the second half of the morning hike with determination to beat the porters to the top of the pass. These people can really move, especially when you consider the incline, altitude and 15kg strapped to their backs. Well, I actually managed it, but only a short distance in front and flopped down at the highest point of 13,779ft after covering the two hour trip in just under an hour again. They say that the third day is the best but I think this second day is my personal favourite. The feeling I get as my body powers up the rocks and pushes me onward, is so empowering; the closer to the sky I get, the more I crave going further.

Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman’s Pass) has a really interesting ‘wall’ of weather at the top. The ascent is warm, breezeless and dry but then when you move towards the start of the descent side, there’s a chilly breeze and light moisture from clouds rolling off the mountains. I could have spent the day here but it was time to head on to the lunch stop and my least-enjoyed element of hiking – downhill. My knees are not built for any kind of downhill and the more rocks there are, the more crippling the descent ends up being. I had my trusty hiking poles with me and they certainly help countering the punishment. I used to laugh at people with poles but after hitting Si, Granite and Bandera without after effects, I couldn’t go back to relying on my body alone.

The drop to the lunch stop at Pacamayu is 2,000ft and I’m getting to be too far ahead of the group. I arrived a little over an hour before the next hiker and with the time spent for lunch and then waiting for the last of the party to arrive, my body had cooled significantly. The after-lunch hike would end up being laborious for the first hour, until I had convinced my body that it wasn’t time to rest for the day and that we were in need of warming up for more inclines.

There’s a big deal made about reaching the first pass, but there’s still one more pass to hit on this day and after the descent, it’s another 1400ft up to get over it. This is broken up with a brief tour of some smaller ruins, before finally hitting Runkuraqay after what seems like forever. This pass is smaller and somewhat less dramatic that Dead Woman’s; it’s also a lot cooler, as well.

After getting over the last pass of the day, it was all downhill to the campsite at Chaquicocha, just as the Sun was fading out. There are some really great ruins along the way and the browns of the first day and a half, make way for the dense greens of the cloud forest. I’m not sure why they call it ‘the astonishing cloud forest’ on the Llamapath website, as while it is very beautiful, it’s essentially dense tree-land and vine, with the clouds being well above the forest itself. Maybe there are days when the clouds are lower; no idea.

The day ended up being shorter than yesterday, although naturally, it was a fair bit harder. The remaining two days are both half-day semi-flat hikes now and getting to this point, has meant that I could get to Machu Picchu, even if I suddenly got sick. I’m really happy that it’s been so much easier than I thought it would be and I’ve certainly satisfied my own curiosity at how much I can push myself. There’s no doubt I need something more intense in the future and just maybe, I can come back here and push for a quicker speed hike.