Woke up at 3:50am this morning. We basically RAN the whole way today... Amazing Race style! We were the first full group to arrive at the Sun Gate before 6 am this morning and were blessed with a clear fist view of the famous Machu Picchu ruins! It was amazing! Everyone reading this should go! I left an offering of a rock that I picked up at my fist steps on the trail on Day 1 to the mountain as a thank you for the great travel and weather, and then we headed down to explore the site. We were really lucky that we 
arrived when we did, 
because only a few minutes later, the sky clouded over and you couldn`t see ANYTHING (see pic of the cloud cover!) I think the video really sums up the experience.... there really are no words!For some ridiculous reason, we decided to do the `full Inca experience` and climb up to the top of the big mountain (Winya Picchu - the mountain looming in the background). It was another greuling hour long hike, and when we got to the top, all we could see was cloud cover everywhere! Guess you can`t win `em all!
After the climb and a walking tour of the site, we headed to the town of Aguas Calientes where I promptly indulged in a huge pepperoni pizza, a soak in the hot springs, and an hour long massage! My legs (along with everyone else`s) were so sore the massage therapist could barely massage them. We then took a really weird train ride back to Ollyantambo.... it had a guy in a mask jumping around to show us a `traditional` Peruvian dance, and then a fashion show up the aisles by the train staff to sell the tourists Alpaca clothing... bizarre. On the bus ride back to Cuzco, we all vowed to complete the renouned `24 hour challenge`from the Inca trail.... when you wake up at 4 am to hike to the site, and then party until 4 am in Cuzco that night! When we arrived back in Cuzco, I thought we weren`t going to make it another 6 hours after dinner, but a few of us persevered! We did a mini bar crawl around the main square.... I didn´t get back to the hostel until 5:30 am. I may not have sufficiently trained for the trail, but I am a freaking Olympic Athlete when it comes to training for the party!
1 comment:
Why does the girl beside you have a tank top on and you have on a long sleeve sweater and a winter hat?? Other photo - is that you in pigtails?? Machu Picchu looks awesome - can't believe I even "thought" of maybe climibing it with you. The train would be fine - thank you!!
See you on Sunday!!
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