We woke up at
3:00 a.m. yet again today, but with the excitement of going to Machu
Picchu some could hardly sleep. We had to be speedy so that the porters
could pack up the tents and our duffel bags; they were splitting off
from us here and had to make sure to catch their train to Aguas
Calientes. We had tea, Milo, and pancakes as a quick breakfast and
brought along with us a bagged lunch for later. Once we were done, we
got our packs and headlights on and hit the trail. We didn’t get very
far – maybe 300m – as we had to wait at a final trail checkpoint and
join a queue to confirm our permits. The checkpoint did not open until
5:30 a.m. so we sat down in the dark on the trail, watched Andrew,
Martin, Ryan and Jean Marc play a game of hearts, read by the light of
our headlamps and talked with our fellow trekkers.
Once we got the OK to go ahead, we hurried on in the dark towards our final destination – Machu Picchu. The path was relatively narrow, so we made sure to stay in single file and walk mountainside as we had been instructed. We were told keen trekkers may be running past us and it was possible they might accidently bump into us and knock us over. At this point we couldn’t let our fatigue get to us; we knew what was ahead and knew we’d get there shortly.
As the sun rose, the views became increasingly spectacular. The clouds were below us, the sun rays piercing through them. At this time we were very close to the “Sun Gate”, a small ruin atop a pass from which you could get a spectacular view of Machu Picchu as the morning sunlight cut through the clouds and opened it up “like a gate”, but before we could reach it we had to climb the dreaded “Gringo Killers” – a series of 50 very steep steps. It is said that this is very challenging for some, so much so that they must climb with their hands. From what I heard, Jesus and Jordan raced to the top; the latter winning because Jesus claimed he had “a head start.” The Gringo Killers were steep but not impossibly so – even those who were scared of heights said it was OK. Once past this barrier, we had a wonderful view of… the fog! Unfortunately, we could not see Machu Picchu immediately, but we could see that the clouds were clearing below and that it would be that much more spectacular to see Machu Picchu for the first time from a bit closer. We waited at the top of the pass for about 20 minutes, hunting for a geo-cache and eating our snacks. Then, we continued down the path, getting glimpses of the newest wonder of the world - as of 2007 - as we got lower down and the clouds began to thin. We were becoming increasingly excited as we got closer and closer. It was really stunning to see our endpoint laid out before us, to see what all of this had been leading up to.
But I must be honest – the beauty and magnificence of the ruin hit you once we finished the trail and arrived at the top terrace of this famous place. You could look back and up over your shoulder to the Sun Gate at the top of the mountain we just descended, and you knew you did even more that early in the morning and many more kilometers the previous three days. You had a sense of pride and accomplishment, and on top of this you got to enjoy and savor the beauty of Machu Picchu. It was a great moment for all; we were stinky, we were dirty, but most of all we were happy. After taking a few pictures, we descended more stairs, to get to use the washroom facilities. Everyone was smiling and leaping for joy, or at least I was. There was toilet paper and they weren’t squat toilets – a gift in itself.
Katherine and Caroline, Scouter David’s wife and daughter, as well as Leo, Anya’s dad, met us at the visitor’s centre at Machu Picchu. They had flown into Cusco a few days earlier. Also meeting us was Lynne, who had spent the past few days in the Sacred Valley taking in the sights while we hiked. Reunited with Tracey, the 28th could once again boast it had a “pair of medics”. The group freshened up – using the bathrooms and snagging quick snacks and water – and then re-entered the site and split into three groups to tour the ruins. Jesus, Alfredo and Carlos continued to demonstrate their passion and interest in Incan history as they explained the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of Machu Picchu. The tours lasted more than two hours (it’s a very big area and those who thought the days of steps were over were unpleasantly surprised).
Following the tours, we met again as a group at the watchman’s hut atop them mountain for the iconic bird’s eye view of Machu Picchu and to take group photos. First we wore the IntiSun Trek t-shirts that proudly announced to all the tourists that came up by train that “I Hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu” and sported the company logo. We gave big thumbs up with the guides. Then we changed into our 28th Ottawa t-shirts and donned our neckerchiefs. To say that we turned heads would be an understatement! Between Carlos and Jesus manning a half dozen cameras and going paparazzi on us and Alfredo, Leo and Katherine running interference on tourists that wanted to walk through our picture and the general cacophony of 22 excited and happy scouts it was not possible to miss the 28th. A Colombian traveler and another traveler from Chile emerged from the crowd of onlookers and identified themselves as Scouts and – after a few handshakes and introductions – they joined in for a few photos. Another visitor to the site asked to pose with Alison and Heather, quite taken aback by our flashy uniform, – who he was and why he wanted the photo will forever remain a mystery. We also took photos with the logo from Sail (at the Train Yards in Ottawa) for letting us fundraise in their store and for being such big supporters of our trip. Then there were the individual photos and the photos of “best buds” enjoying the view. The mountain, the blue sky and the ruins made it a truly stunning backdrop for photos, we could not ask for a better day.
At 1:00 p.m. we made the quick jaunt back down to the visitor’s center where we joined the queue of several hundred people waiting for the bus to get off the mountain and go to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu. As the name implies, Aguas Calientes is famed for its thermal baths and many visitors imbibe in them for their therapeutic (albeit questionably hygienic) qualities and as the originating point for day trips to Machu Picchu and end point for those hiking the Inca Trail, it is also the last stop of the PeruRail line that follows the Urumbu River. As we waited for our turn to board one of the many buses, Calvin, Connor, Alex, and Jean Marc busted out the hacky sack and entertained the amused onlookers with some fancy footwork, even being joined by a local youth. When it was finally our turn, the bus ride off the mountain took approximately 30 minutes and involved 22 switchbacks down a steep and dusty gravel road.
Lunch in Aguas Calientes was at a sidewalk cafĂ© on the main street. A hungry crowd ordered pizzas (Benjamin and Jean Marc split a cheese, onions and alpaca one), chocolate fondue, Gatorade, spaghetti, nachos and sandwiches – a far cry from the delectable Peruvian cuisine we enjoyed on the trail but I would say we earned it. We were serenaded by a very loud pan flute/electronic drum/guitar trio that tried desperately to sell us their latest CD, watched the hairless Peruvian dogs stake out their territory on the sidewalk and endured the frequent passing of locomotives that thundered past every twenty minutes or so (it should be noted that the main street in Aguas Calientes is actually a rail bed and that no cars drive on the main street, just trains). Post-lunch the patrols took turns having gloriously long and hot showers in the hotel above the restaurant, made especially delightful given the anemic and often cold showers we endured in Chincha Alta. We now had a few hours to kill as our train was leaving at 7:00 p.m. This gave time to pick up a few supplies for dinner that night as well as breakfast the following morning as well as to peruse the local shops for last minute purchases.
As 7:00 p.m. drew near we hefted up our delivered porter bags and backpacks and hiked down to the train station – government rules meant that foreigners travelled on one train and porters on another and nary the twain shall meet. Once at Ollyantaytambo we had to switch modes of transportation and make our way to the bus that would bring us the rest of the way back to Cusco. The station had a wide array of stalls as well as restaurants to fuel you up for the journey. It was packed with groups doing the same thing as us, with everyone stumbling around to find their way home. We found the bus and were able to sink back into briefly interrupted sleep.
Arriving at Mama Simona we tumbled off the bus to find that we had been given the same rooms as before (with a notable exception). The food we had purchased in Aguas Calientes was split up into the cupboard for breakfast and the large packs were brought out of the leader’s room. It was a lot like coming home. We had soft beds to sleep on, we had no need of head lamps, and we could all go to sleep with the knowledge that we would not need to get up at 3:00 a.m. the next day (although we had a 7:00 a.m. flight, slightly better). The leaders and PLs found they had a random person in their room yet again, and due to a communication error in booking, Scouter David was forced to sleep down the street at a less than one-star hostel.
Once we got the OK to go ahead, we hurried on in the dark towards our final destination – Machu Picchu. The path was relatively narrow, so we made sure to stay in single file and walk mountainside as we had been instructed. We were told keen trekkers may be running past us and it was possible they might accidently bump into us and knock us over. At this point we couldn’t let our fatigue get to us; we knew what was ahead and knew we’d get there shortly.
As the sun rose, the views became increasingly spectacular. The clouds were below us, the sun rays piercing through them. At this time we were very close to the “Sun Gate”, a small ruin atop a pass from which you could get a spectacular view of Machu Picchu as the morning sunlight cut through the clouds and opened it up “like a gate”, but before we could reach it we had to climb the dreaded “Gringo Killers” – a series of 50 very steep steps. It is said that this is very challenging for some, so much so that they must climb with their hands. From what I heard, Jesus and Jordan raced to the top; the latter winning because Jesus claimed he had “a head start.” The Gringo Killers were steep but not impossibly so – even those who were scared of heights said it was OK. Once past this barrier, we had a wonderful view of… the fog! Unfortunately, we could not see Machu Picchu immediately, but we could see that the clouds were clearing below and that it would be that much more spectacular to see Machu Picchu for the first time from a bit closer. We waited at the top of the pass for about 20 minutes, hunting for a geo-cache and eating our snacks. Then, we continued down the path, getting glimpses of the newest wonder of the world - as of 2007 - as we got lower down and the clouds began to thin. We were becoming increasingly excited as we got closer and closer. It was really stunning to see our endpoint laid out before us, to see what all of this had been leading up to.
But I must be honest – the beauty and magnificence of the ruin hit you once we finished the trail and arrived at the top terrace of this famous place. You could look back and up over your shoulder to the Sun Gate at the top of the mountain we just descended, and you knew you did even more that early in the morning and many more kilometers the previous three days. You had a sense of pride and accomplishment, and on top of this you got to enjoy and savor the beauty of Machu Picchu. It was a great moment for all; we were stinky, we were dirty, but most of all we were happy. After taking a few pictures, we descended more stairs, to get to use the washroom facilities. Everyone was smiling and leaping for joy, or at least I was. There was toilet paper and they weren’t squat toilets – a gift in itself.
Katherine and Caroline, Scouter David’s wife and daughter, as well as Leo, Anya’s dad, met us at the visitor’s centre at Machu Picchu. They had flown into Cusco a few days earlier. Also meeting us was Lynne, who had spent the past few days in the Sacred Valley taking in the sights while we hiked. Reunited with Tracey, the 28th could once again boast it had a “pair of medics”. The group freshened up – using the bathrooms and snagging quick snacks and water – and then re-entered the site and split into three groups to tour the ruins. Jesus, Alfredo and Carlos continued to demonstrate their passion and interest in Incan history as they explained the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of Machu Picchu. The tours lasted more than two hours (it’s a very big area and those who thought the days of steps were over were unpleasantly surprised).
Following the tours, we met again as a group at the watchman’s hut atop them mountain for the iconic bird’s eye view of Machu Picchu and to take group photos. First we wore the IntiSun Trek t-shirts that proudly announced to all the tourists that came up by train that “I Hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu” and sported the company logo. We gave big thumbs up with the guides. Then we changed into our 28th Ottawa t-shirts and donned our neckerchiefs. To say that we turned heads would be an understatement! Between Carlos and Jesus manning a half dozen cameras and going paparazzi on us and Alfredo, Leo and Katherine running interference on tourists that wanted to walk through our picture and the general cacophony of 22 excited and happy scouts it was not possible to miss the 28th. A Colombian traveler and another traveler from Chile emerged from the crowd of onlookers and identified themselves as Scouts and – after a few handshakes and introductions – they joined in for a few photos. Another visitor to the site asked to pose with Alison and Heather, quite taken aback by our flashy uniform, – who he was and why he wanted the photo will forever remain a mystery. We also took photos with the logo from Sail (at the Train Yards in Ottawa) for letting us fundraise in their store and for being such big supporters of our trip. Then there were the individual photos and the photos of “best buds” enjoying the view. The mountain, the blue sky and the ruins made it a truly stunning backdrop for photos, we could not ask for a better day.
At 1:00 p.m. we made the quick jaunt back down to the visitor’s center where we joined the queue of several hundred people waiting for the bus to get off the mountain and go to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu. As the name implies, Aguas Calientes is famed for its thermal baths and many visitors imbibe in them for their therapeutic (albeit questionably hygienic) qualities and as the originating point for day trips to Machu Picchu and end point for those hiking the Inca Trail, it is also the last stop of the PeruRail line that follows the Urumbu River. As we waited for our turn to board one of the many buses, Calvin, Connor, Alex, and Jean Marc busted out the hacky sack and entertained the amused onlookers with some fancy footwork, even being joined by a local youth. When it was finally our turn, the bus ride off the mountain took approximately 30 minutes and involved 22 switchbacks down a steep and dusty gravel road.
Lunch in Aguas Calientes was at a sidewalk cafĂ© on the main street. A hungry crowd ordered pizzas (Benjamin and Jean Marc split a cheese, onions and alpaca one), chocolate fondue, Gatorade, spaghetti, nachos and sandwiches – a far cry from the delectable Peruvian cuisine we enjoyed on the trail but I would say we earned it. We were serenaded by a very loud pan flute/electronic drum/guitar trio that tried desperately to sell us their latest CD, watched the hairless Peruvian dogs stake out their territory on the sidewalk and endured the frequent passing of locomotives that thundered past every twenty minutes or so (it should be noted that the main street in Aguas Calientes is actually a rail bed and that no cars drive on the main street, just trains). Post-lunch the patrols took turns having gloriously long and hot showers in the hotel above the restaurant, made especially delightful given the anemic and often cold showers we endured in Chincha Alta. We now had a few hours to kill as our train was leaving at 7:00 p.m. This gave time to pick up a few supplies for dinner that night as well as breakfast the following morning as well as to peruse the local shops for last minute purchases.
As 7:00 p.m. drew near we hefted up our delivered porter bags and backpacks and hiked down to the train station – government rules meant that foreigners travelled on one train and porters on another and nary the twain shall meet. Once at Ollyantaytambo we had to switch modes of transportation and make our way to the bus that would bring us the rest of the way back to Cusco. The station had a wide array of stalls as well as restaurants to fuel you up for the journey. It was packed with groups doing the same thing as us, with everyone stumbling around to find their way home. We found the bus and were able to sink back into briefly interrupted sleep.
Arriving at Mama Simona we tumbled off the bus to find that we had been given the same rooms as before (with a notable exception). The food we had purchased in Aguas Calientes was split up into the cupboard for breakfast and the large packs were brought out of the leader’s room. It was a lot like coming home. We had soft beds to sleep on, we had no need of head lamps, and we could all go to sleep with the knowledge that we would not need to get up at 3:00 a.m. the next day (although we had a 7:00 a.m. flight, slightly better). The leaders and PLs found they had a random person in their room yet again, and due to a communication error in booking, Scouter David was forced to sleep down the street at a less than one-star hostel.
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