Lares Trek to Machupicchu

Day 1.
Bused 4 hours to Lares, 3200m above sea level. We started our trek with a visit to a natural hot water spring baths where we were introduced to our trek guides, cooks and horsemen. The cooks treated us to a 3 course lunch on the lawns at the spring baths with beautiful mountain views. After lunch we started the first day of the trek - 3 hours uphill all the way, until we reached our first campsite (a small farm on the open planes with a more than basic toilet - long drop Asian style). We were all buggered. Jackie was so exhausted she cried. Scott on the other hand, on one of many dares during the weekend, climbed to the top of a mountain peak and only just got back as it was getting dark and the cloud was closing in. We were concerned that he would not be able to find his way down. Our tents were already up when we got there. The cooks and horsemen had packed our luggage and all the lunch things and had passed us along the trek (running behind the horses).
It was starting to get very cold while we were standing around waiting for tea so we all went to the eating tent. We were served pre-dinner eats of popcorn, biscuits and tea while we waited for dinner. The kids entertained themselves and us with drinking games without the alcohol (all new to us, took a while to catch on). After a 3 course dinner we all went to bed early. It was freezing because we had climbed up into the clouds and it was damp underfoot.

Day 2
This morning, after a very cold night, sleeping on thin mattresses over rocky ground, we were woken with a cup of coca tea at 5.45 am, then bowls of warm water for washing arrived at our tents. There was a beautiful sunrise over the mountains.
We had a fabulous breakfast of porridge (couscous) and pancakes.
We set off at 7 am uphill all the way until lunch time. I was doing well until we got to the last part (about 100 metres from the top) which was more climb than trek and altitude sickness really started to set in. It was ten steps at a time, catch your breath and keep going. By the time I reached the top I was exhausted, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I had a headache, shortness of breath (there is very little oxygen at this altitude) and I could feel my heat beat. Oxygen shots from a spray can revived me, thanks to Ben. As Ray so kindly put it "It was not my finest hour".
We were at 4500m, having climbed over 1000m in all.
At this point there is a special tradition where you select a rock along the way and when you reach the top you offer it to the Sun God by placing it on one of the small piles scattered around the area and pray for a safe trip. I needed every bit of help I could get.
We rested there a short while then started the decent. The views were spectacular and we passed by many peasant farms with lots of llamas and alpacas. The children from the farms along the way came out to watch us pass by. We were expected to give them lollies which we did but I was not comfortable encouraging them to beg or accept charity (their lives are difficult enough) besides they have no way of cleaning their teeth. They children are very cute and they all wear traditional dress. The young ones in our team just love them and love having their photos taken with them. It is beautiful but sad at the same time.

We stopped for another 3 course lunch at a beautiful spot by a mountain lake.
Another dare - while he was waiting for the stragglers to arrive Scott decided to try to swim across the lake (it was freezing cold.). Hypothermia set in about half way and he had to cut out. It was very dangerous. He is very fit and he carries his own pack, while everyone else puts theirs on the horses, and still manages to arrive at our destination first, setting a cracking pace for the rest of us.

After breakfast the cooks and horsemen had packed up the food and dishes, all of our tents and luggage and strapped it all to five horses and their own backs. They passed us, running along side the horses, before we reached the 4500m point.

After lunch and a rest in the sun, we started the downhill part of the journey trekking until 5pm. Down hill is just as hard as uphill, because it is very steep, but at least the further down we went the easier it became to breath. We are the oldies of the group and the kids keep up a very fast pace. We just walk at our own pace, but we don´t get as much rest as them because we take longer to get to the resting spots.

It was starting to get cold by the time we arrived at new campsite, tents already erected. We had predinner eats again while we waited for dinner (3 courses again - although I am still not eating very well, soup only). Everyone was exhausted. Ben threw up from exhaustion plus the fact that he had only just come back from the hospital with salmonella and oemebers the night before we started the trek. After a small game of black magic (by Meagen and Tanya) we all went to bed early.

The campsite is a slightly more prosperous farm, with a toilet, but it does not flush. Water is taken from a pump nearby and flushed with a bucket.

Day 3
Our tents are good dome tents (but because it gets so cold at night there is lots of condensation). We have thin mattresses but no pillows. We hired sleeping bags in Cusco (thanks to Kirk) they were supposed to be -15 deg. but we were still cold with our thermals and sox. The second night we wore an extra layer and out hats - it was warmer and I slept a bit better but my feet were still cold.

There was a special request to get up a bit latter next morning. That was OK by Carlos, our guide, but he tried to fit everything into a smaller time frame, with a lot of resistance. These kids are stayers at night, but the mornings are another thing. We had another beautiful breakfast of omelet, hot chocolate and toasted rolls.

This morning, after we were woken with a cup of tea and washing water, we were sitting in our tent, still stunned, and looking at the beautiful view, a chicken walked by and pooped in front of our tent (great for salmonella) then a dog walked by for a look, next came a small child from the farm who stayed staring until I gave him a lollie and took his photo, then an old lady walked by carrying a bundle - time to get up.

We set of walking downhill again (which is starting to hurt our toes) through some beautiful country side with stunning views until we reached Ollantaytambo. We had lunch (3 courses again, this time with purple corn juice, soup and mains of meat and potato and rice, desert of brandied bananas and tea). The cook does all this (cooking for about 15 people) on a two burner stove.

This morning the horsemen passed us in a car loaded with all the baggage. Apparently the horses had wandered off during the night (lucky we were close to a village and it wasn´t the first night out in the wilderness). He is hoping they have gone back to our first night spot, which is where they live. He will take all his equipment back on a single horse which wandered of last trip and he has just found tethered in the town. This is where the 3 day trek ends.

We wandered around Ollantaytambo for the afternoon while we waited for our bus/train to the village where we stay overnight before we arrive at Machupicchu the next morning. During the afternoon we followed a street parade to big space outside the village where they were holding a Peruvian style bull fight. The place became more and more crowded as the afternoon wore on. It was not a matador bullfight but two bulls attacking each other, which they do quite happily without much provocation. There was nothing to protect the crowd from the fighting bulls. The people stand on dirt hills around the arena and the fighting bulls sometimes ended up in the crowd scattering the people everywhere (children and all). The crowd loved it.
There were lots of interesting things to eat at the bull fight (although with all our recent illness were not prepared to try any of it). They had fried trout with corn and potatoes, which people ate with their fingers, home brew Peruvian corn beer in an open pot with lots of froth on top and some delicious looking doughnuts.

Later that evening we caught a small bus, because of the recent mud slides that part of the train line is out of action. The bus trip was very hairy, trying to get out of the town at night and the bus driver was driving very fast along narrow streets with no where to pass for oncoming cars. They beep their horns at dangerous corners and someone has to back up when they meet head on. It was very scarey and we were glad to get off. We were ushered onto the train in a huge crowd, everyone going to Machupicchu. The train ride was great, first class with airflight type service and a snack for tea, which we were not expecting. Arrived at our hotel in Aquascalientos totally exhausted and very sore feet, looking forward to a hot shower.

Day 4
Bobby´s Birthday today - Happy Birthday if you´re reading this Bob.

We all elected to get up at 4.30 am so that Scott, Kirk and Ben could climb Waynapicchu (they only allow 100 people a day). We left at 5.30 after a quick breakfast. Machupicchu is a bus ride around the mountain on the other side of valley. Fabulous mountain view all the way. We arrived at Machupicchu and some of the girls also went on the climb while the rest of us had a guided tour around the Machupicchu site. It is a spectacular place especially because of it´s position. After watching the sun come up over the mountains we walked up to the Sun Gate (a one hour uphill walk).
We came back down the mountain for a late lunch (I had to try the area special of fried trout) then we wandered around the huge craft markets until it was time to catch our train/bus home. It was a very long day, we got home around 2 am.