Day 1:
The cycling bit - Looks nice on the pic? Actually, very cold. Especially when it started raining. Spray, cold, why am I doing this again? Still, it was all downhill, the guide seemed good and the group seemed really nice in the van ride over to the dropping off point, the other side of Ollantaytambo from Cuzco.
And in fact, when the sun came out, and we lost a few hundred meters, it was warm and utterly stunning. As you can see at a stopping off point during the (all downhill!) ride. The Amazon starts here apparently.
Some local berries made excellent face paint.
And although it was a bit cheesy, it was fun getting dressed up in a variety of local ponchos. At the same place we had the best chocolate I've ever had. Made from cocoa beans grown on site and with honey - no sugar and therefore no processed ingredients. Lush!, as they would say in Brizl.
I wish I knew what these critters were. But they're SOOO cute, so they had to go in....
And this ceremony took place on a part of our trip which was on one of the original Inca trails. How they did the engineering to make a multi-layered, well-drained path (would have been washed away centuries ago otherwise), on the steep side of very high mountains, I don't know....
And the views were some of the most spectacular of my entire trip. I was feeling a bit vertiginous at this stage, but after chewing some coca with a special ash to activate the alkaloids, my fear of heights disappeared. Maybe that's how the Incas did it? Anyway, I hadn't been sure about doing this trip, but by now, I was absolutely loving it.
Such a beautiful spot for lunch. Quite tired from a good number of hours trekking, but then, that's what we signed up for. A snooze in a hammock after lunch in a place like this is just too good to be true...
Not sure whether this was Day 2 or 3, but never mind. It was fun. We also bathed in some hot springs to finish the day. They were only really HOT near the hot water inlet, but stiff legs were glad of the albeit somewhat lukewarm water.
Obligatory group photo...
Also opted to climb Waina Picchu which is the one of the mountains overlooking the main site.
And after a brisk 45 minute climb, we made it. The smudge by my left hand is the Machu Picchu ruins from a distance. Nifty, eh? The grop had a nice bonding moment where Paxton saluted the ruins in his birthday suit. The two Texan lads, Ogden and Nick (both very good fun), streaked the ruins and promptly got arrested. Very amusing :))))
And back in Cuzco for a couple of days, it was relaxation time. Cafés, beautiful squares, beautiful company, need I say more....
The cycling bit - Looks nice on the pic? Actually, very cold. Especially when it started raining. Spray, cold, why am I doing this again? Still, it was all downhill, the guide seemed good and the group seemed really nice in the van ride over to the dropping off point, the other side of Ollantaytambo from Cuzco.
And in fact, when the sun came out, and we lost a few hundred meters, it was warm and utterly stunning. As you can see at a stopping off point during the (all downhill!) ride. The Amazon starts here apparently.
Day 2
And after a somewhat eventful first evening where the group had a bit of a shouting match between a couple of people and one person left the group!!!, we set off on an amazing hike the next morning. Starting with some Chicha and explanations from the guide. The temperature was beautiful...
Started gettting a bit sweaty as we hiked uphill, but you can't always be going downhill.
Some local berries made excellent face paint.
And although it was a bit cheesy, it was fun getting dressed up in a variety of local ponchos. At the same place we had the best chocolate I've ever had. Made from cocoa beans grown on site and with honey - no sugar and therefore no processed ingredients. Lush!, as they would say in Brizl.
I wish I knew what these critters were. But they're SOOO cute, so they had to go in....
This part was really interesting. The guide did an Incan coca leaf ceremony and we all took part.
And this ceremony took place on a part of our trip which was on one of the original Inca trails. How they did the engineering to make a multi-layered, well-drained path (would have been washed away centuries ago otherwise), on the steep side of very high mountains, I don't know....
And the views were some of the most spectacular of my entire trip. I was feeling a bit vertiginous at this stage, but after chewing some coca with a special ash to activate the alkaloids, my fear of heights disappeared. Maybe that's how the Incas did it? Anyway, I hadn't been sure about doing this trip, but by now, I was absolutely loving it.
Such a beautiful spot for lunch. Quite tired from a good number of hours trekking, but then, that's what we signed up for. A snooze in a hammock after lunch in a place like this is just too good to be true...
Not sure whether this was Day 2 or 3, but never mind. It was fun. We also bathed in some hot springs to finish the day. They were only really HOT near the hot water inlet, but stiff legs were glad of the albeit somewhat lukewarm water.
Day 3
Those people who didn't want to go zip-lining set off in a small group for a hike to the meeting point. Another hot day. And the day I finally lost my one pair of trousers from the UK - left out to dry on a rock, saying, I won't forget these, but obviously....
The lunch time meeting point was a café-type touristy area with an old train for decoration. The train is how the lazy people get to Machu Picchu.
The triumphant entry into Aguas Calientes after a LOT of walking on Day 3. Ready for the 4am getup the next day and the two hour ascent to the ruins.
Day 4
Amusingly enough, the group of us that got in first walked straight past some of the most famous ruins in the world and were on the way up the mountain when we twigged something must be wrong and went back down. The mist had cleared and what was revealed was pretty stunning. Well worth getting there early to see it empty. I blamed the guide. And the guide blamed us. Which got me a bit uptight... Not like me, I know :))))
Obligatory group photo...
This was a particularly amazing moment which doesn't really come out on film. The guide was a complete dink and utterly boring, which was sad, but meant I wandered away and found a beautiful spot on the other side of the ruins that you see above. The view was incredible and there were clouds rushing up from the chasm below which created an absolutely spectacular effect...
Also opted to climb Waina Picchu which is the one of the mountains overlooking the main site.
And after a brisk 45 minute climb, we made it. The smudge by my left hand is the Machu Picchu ruins from a distance. Nifty, eh? The grop had a nice bonding moment where Paxton saluted the ruins in his birthday suit. The two Texan lads, Ogden and Nick (both very good fun), streaked the ruins and promptly got arrested. Very amusing :))))
And back in Cuzco for a couple of days, it was relaxation time. Cafés, beautiful squares, beautiful company, need I say more....
So that's it for this post. Only covered six days, but boy was it good!
Lots of love and see you soon.
s
So that's it for this post. Only covered six days, but boy was it good!
Lots of love and see you soon.
s
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