Fantastic Sunrise
Making it into the center of Machu Picchu
after four grueling days on the Inca trail provided one of the most awesome
experiences of all my travels. As the sun burned off the early morning mist the
scene became very mystical and absolutely spectacular!
I sent my son off in the first wave of
hikers as I wanted him to be sure to make it in time for the sunrise. I tagged
along with our rear guide---we had become good friends over the past four days.
If I made sunrise it would be truly great, but if not it was better to safely
make it than to not after any kind of mishap. With the exception of one large
high rocky hill where we climbed up and over on all fours, this last day was
the easiest day of the trek.
After entering the sun gate I had time to
walk the mile down into the site. The mist was light so I easily followed the
narrow path. The trek over the Inca road had been a challenge for his 70 year old and I was most grateful to
have made it, albeit last into the campsite each day. My son and I were the
only Americans in our international group of twelve who were all in their
mid-twenties!
This trek was the most physically
challenging thing I had ever done. I couldn’t believe it when I learned the
guides and porters generally quit about age 40 as day after day they abuse their hips and knees. Now I
finally understood why the prep trek guide kept looking at me during the
briefing and repeating, “We all will
make it to the end.”
The ruins are large and the site is
divided into two separate areas by a
series of plazas. We spent hours walking around the site and learning about it
and the Inca culture. It was once a major town and the largest city in the rain
forest. It is estimated 1200-1500 people lived there.
It
was an amazing end to the end of an interesting week immerged in the Inca
culture. Eventually my son and I caught the old school bus for the dusty ride
down over a seven-kilometer switchback dirt road to the village of Aguas
Calientes. At the designated sidewalk café we met up with others for a late
lunch while local sunshine boys cleaned all the trail dust of our boots. A cool
Inca Cola, a yellow carbonated drink tasting much like a crème soda, tasted so
good after four days of drinking large
quantities water and coca tea.
On the train ride back to Cusco from
Ollantaytambo I dreamed of a long hot shower that awaited our arrival at the
hotel----and the next day maybe a good massage.
This was an experience, that after the
fact, I’m glad I did, but I wish I’d been half my age.
Smart people take the
train to Aguas Calientes and then the old school bus up to the ruins .
I’m not sure what I’ve
taught my granddaughters on our many family travels, but one of the girls has a
group of four who next summer are
planning to do the same trek. Now there
is a new trek available over better paths and at only 4000’-elevation, but she
is determined to follow in my footsteps. At 26 it should be a lot easier for
her and a fabulous experience.
