May 7, 2000
Day 198 Day four: Inca Trail
A porter wakes us up at about four o’clock. The muscles in Patrick's upper legs are hurting. We pack up and walk to the hostel where we eat breakfast at “our” table. Many people are up and getting ready for the final two hour walk to the ruined city. Flashlights in hand we go to the ticket office where a grumpy man makes sure we paid the $17 fee for the Inca Trail. Then it’s another hour over the trail. Patrick should know this well after walking / running it twice yesterday. While we walk the sky in the east gets lighter and soon we no longer need our flashlights. Far below us we can see the Urubamba river and some lights where there are houses. The valleys are incredible steep, high above us lays snow on the peak.
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We reach the sun gate first. It’s totally clear, Machu Picchu below us, still in the shade, and snow-covered peak to the west catching the first rays of the sun. Picture Time!! We wait until the whole group catches up. It will be another 45 minutes before the sun will reach Machu Picchu, therefore we walk on along the trail. About halfway there it finally happens, sunlight creates all kinds of shadows across the city. Half an hour later we pass the ticket booth and follow Alex for an hour and a half-guided tour through the ruins. He shows us and explains the significance of the sun, condor, and water. Most impressive is the meticulous stonework. There are staircases, terraces, temples, palaces, towers and the famous “Hitching post of the sun” at the highest point.
After the guided tour, most people wander around the ruins for awhile longer, while Sam, Tanya, Matt and Sci and Patrick climb the narrow path up Huayna Picchu, the famous mountain besides the city. It’s not as scary as first told, the more dangerous sections are supplied with ropes or steel cable. Most of the steps are wide and safe. We reach the top in about 45 minutes scramble up some rock to enjoy the view. Machu Picchu is far below us and even deeper the Urubanbama river with the railroad besides it. The downhill is a bit scarier. It starts with a long steep narrow staircase of slick stones. Then finally it rejoins the up path for a long but easy descent. We are back at the entrance by noon.
Rachel has already walked down to Aguas Calients to join Alex and buy train tickets for the two o’clock train to Ollyambamba. Patrick takes the very expensive shuttle bus that has been ferrying groups of tourists up all morning. It’s five dollars for the 20 minute ride, but it saves a lot of steps. Steps a small boy in traditional clothing has much less trouble with. While the bus snakes its way down along the endless hairpins, he runs down the steps to wait for the bus at each crossing. He then shouts good bye and takes off again. At the bottom he is let on the bus to collect some money for his labor.
Patrick meets back up with Rachel in a restaurant, she has train tickets and half a pizza! The train leaves right on time, takes us back to Ollyambarba where a bus from SAS awaits us for another one-and-a-half-hour ride back to Cusco. We get there right at five.
Back to the hotel for a hot shower, later we meet most of our group to eat Mexican Food and go for a beer.
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