Macchu PicchuJul 28, 2009
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Hi everyone,
Well after an overnight stay and lovely half day in Ollantaytambo I travelled to Aguas Callientes yesterday afternoon(not as nice and overpriced but you have to stay there on your way to Macchu Piccu). Ollantaytambo was built by the Incas over 700 years ago with cobble stoned roads. It is beautiful, high on the valley.
Today I journeyed to Macchu Picchu. It was amazing. I woke up very early this morning to walk to Macchu Picchu instead of catching the bus. it was 3.45am when i set out. It took 1.5 hours to walk up very very steep steps to the MP entrance. I was exhausted, breathing heavily all the way up those stairs. I felt like I was carrying elephant legs, my legs were so sore...but I kept saying to myself nearly there.. this is easy.. you can do it...convincing myself that i was as light as a feather and this is a breeze....puff puff pant pant pant..... The guide book says it is 400 steps but it felt like a thousand and you had to take big strides as each step was high and long.... These lyrics came to my head to help my motivation ..¨your half way there...oh oh living on a pray¨¨. I was at least keeping up with those younger back packers.. The guide said it takes 1.5 hours to walk and i did it in that time. I wanted to get a pass to see Huaynupicchu ( means little mountain even though it is smaller than MP it is no little mountain). Three groups of 200 people are allowed entry to HP on a day due to avoiding erosion.
I got to the top of MP at 5.20am and there were already approx two hundred people in line at the Macchu Picchu entrance. The siloutte of the Andes against the backdrop of a starry night sky was brillant. I was sweating from the walk up and freezing at the same time as it was very cold..I avoided bringing my warm jacket as i knew it would warm up during the day which it did. We had a gorgeous blue day. The gate opened at 6am and I went straight to the Huaynupicchu entrance to get the ticket. I got in the 10am session.ç Then i walked around the beautiful sacred place of Macchu Picchu. I walked to Inkipunka to the sundial. That was an uphill climb at about 2740 m altitude. That took an hour to get to. it is above MP. I didnt realise at the time that i could keep going around and that would take you to the top of the mountain but a steep climb and another hour.
At 10am i walked up very very steep stairs to the top of HP. It took one hour which is what the guide book says it takes and so did everyone else take about that long....it was murder but i persisted. I did wonder to myself on the way up an almost vertical slope, why am i punishing myself?... but the trek was certainly worth it, as when i reached the top the view was absolutely spectacular. I sat at the peak of the mountain on the top of the highest rock. The altitude is about 2700m for HP. It was magnificient just being there. I sat there along with others embracing the beauty of the Andes and of nature and heights. There were butterflies fluttering around me. I was in awe and didn´t want to leave that spot. It was such a highlight of my day.
I climbed back down HP, it took me 40 mins and tnen kept walking around MP until 2pm to the sacred sites and areas where the Inca´s once lived. (that was 8 hours climbing). My heart was pumping and beating all day with all the stairs. I sweated a lot that day. There were no toilets to use inside MP so just as well. I avoided drinking too much water for this reason but i was really dehydrated by the end of the day. Those Inca´s must have been very fit..the number of stairs in that place...it is an extraordinary maze. The way it was build, the different types of structures the Incas used for specific buildings, the water channels, the crop growing areas and astrology places, the ceremonial areas etc. The location of MP is just out of this world, the Andes embrace you. It feels like they are caving in on you. The lush vegetation and rivers around it. It is just incredible. I did feel a little different with the high altitude today..bit light but nothing drastic. I talked to an older Peruvian chap who works with the conservation organisation. He asked me how long it took me to climb HP and thought i was slow!!. He said he walks down in 10 mins... compared to my 40 mins ..he must take from his ancestors.
I got to beautiful Cusco tonight from MP at 8pm after a 3 hour ride (half the way by an expensive train ride 1st class (they ran out of backpacker seats so i had no choice) and then by private bus. Tomorrow i go to Arequipa...it will take 12 hours on a bus. There is a lot more I want to say about my incredible day but I am keeping it brief. I am going to wind down for an early start tommorrow.
