Oh my God! What a glorious sunrise we awoke to at 'the top of the world'! The air is still cool, but oh, so clean, the sky is blue, & yes, we are still a titch oxygen deprived!. But we are WIDE awake and looking forward to our day's climb. The cooks decided to remove the tent cover over our dining table, as we devoured the delicious crepes high up on this mountain ledge. These sights continue to inspire us, leaving us with a feeling of awe, as we all view the rough mountain peaks, as well as the snow-covered ones of the Andes.
This was the last day we would see our porters, who carried most of our loads for us, so we gave them a thankful farewell, with a group photo, a speech and a healthy tip. These porters can outrun any of us, any day! They are local farmers, who are hired for treks, so they are strong, and willing to work hard. (I hope my photos turn out, for seeing them with the heavy loads on their backs, running up the trail, was amazing!)
Today's journey was my most difficult, and Bruce's easiest, as it was mostly downhill. These creaky knees of mine are certainly working in slow-motion, but they are working! I was fortunate enough to have the tail-end guide with me at all times, telling me to 'go slowly Senores, go slowly'! As a walker, I'm still being extremely focused, watching each step, and so very thankful for Celebrex as a pain reliever! Bruce was able to keep up with the group, enjoying their company, even though he was still working hard.
We descended the mountain, following the Inca Royal Highway to the Winya, Wayna ruins. Cesar, our head guide, is so knowledgeable about his own Inca history and background, that we realized we are just 'tasting' the Inca culture and want to learn more. We are fascinated with its history and details.
Bruce was walking so confidently, enjoying the scenery, and then - WHAM! He tripped over something and had a terrible tumble, which shook him up considerably. As he describes it, while he was trying to right himself, using his walking stick, he was peering over a cliff, and hoping to God, he would not topple over! He called it 'his appointment with the condors, knowing they would appreciate the fresh meat at the bottom of the cliff'! Fortunately, he saved himself, and was able to tell his story, providing us all with a good laugh for the day!
(Caesar was quite concerned though, and checked Bruce over thoroughly, just to make sure that all bones were in place and he was not injured.)
We then encountered our 'wall', extremely steep, thin steps, about 20 metres high. Bruce had walked up these ahead of me, using his sticks, and was applauded by a group of Australians - saying 'good work, Mate!' when he arrived at the top. I then came upon these, and wondered how in the world I was going to manage the climb, for not only were the steps steep and thin, they were also deep, some 18 inches to 2 ft in height. So, Caesar, our accomplished guide, told me that I had to listen to his instructions - and I did. He took away my walking sticks and made me climb this wall, hand over hand, just like a baby, until I reached the top. The climb was grueling and scary, but I was so focused, I just did it. (Bruce had found it equally scary, which assured me I wasn't such a useless twit after all!)
Once I had reached the top, Caesar returned my poles to me, then took my backpack. He was still being my 'profesor', so I listened, did what he said, and he loved it! Frankly, he deserved the title and the honour.
A very short walking distance later, under clear blue skies, we reached the famous Gate of the Sun, seeing our first view of Machu Picchu, and The Lost City. The view was so spectacular, so breath-taking, so awe-inspiring and just simply beautiful. I was speechless; tears welled up in my eyes, my chest tightened, and I was extremely thankful that I did not have to talk to anyone. Bruce and I just sat together admiring the view, enjoying the realization that 'we' had made it - two old, exhausted fogies, sitting in silence, together. We discovered that all our group members experienced the same feelings.
Once again, we descend - my knees are now screaming, but this is the last days' walk, so onward we go to Aquas Calientes, taking a shuttle bus at the bottom of the mountain to the touristy town.
Bruce and I opt into trying the Hot Springs, because at the end of the day, we are now so hot and sweaty, dusty and dirty, having not bathed in four days - except for a little hand-washing. Don't know if this was a stupid idea or not, for we had quite the hill to climb in the town, just to get to the Hot Springs. It was a slow, steady and steep walk - but well worth it once we hit the pool. What a relief to feel the warm sulfur water around us, and to enjoy jostling about with some of our group members.
Then, it was the downhill trek - which everyone knows by now, just how good I am at this! We arrived at our restaurant, El Toldo, and most of us could not even drink the wine with our meal - we were that exhausted! Dinner was great, the conversation was lively, even though we were all tired, but we all knew we had accomplished something 'new & challenging' in our lives, and we would never be the same.
After dinner, God helping us all the way, we walked for 20 minutes to our campsite outside of town. Now, it was 9 p.m., and there was no 'word' left that we could use to describe our level of fatigue. (We had been up since 6 a.m., so this day was more than a long one!)
The 'sisters from Chigago' wanted to see Machu Picchu at sunrise, getting us all up at 5 a.m. There wasn't too much enthusiasm within the group, as we were probably all thinking of our hours of sleep. This was one night we could have slept until 8 a.m., I am sure! Caesar, bless his soul, made the decision that our wake-up call would be 5:30 a.m. We all went to our tents, unpacked and were asleep by 9:45 p.m.
Walking hard, 7 to 8 hours per day, at high altitudes, in thin air, is 'work'. Most young people can do this in a heartbeat! The Andes Mountains are steep, with many switchbacks, but the climb is hard, and the descent even more difficult of some of us. The forest, an abundant jungle-like canopy is absolutely glorious - greenery everywhere! I definitely was in my favourite environment.
Tired, exhausted and thankful we were - for each day we successfully walked this trek. Our fantastic guides and our group's enthusiasm and support made all the difference in the world. Their funny stories, their gift of laughter, and their willingness to include Bruce & I in everything was marvelous. We still thank the Good Lord for our good fortune!
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