Hey everyone, Yay we made it to Machu Picchu and completed the Inca Trail. Got up early on monday morning (at 5) to meet everyone at half 5. Got the bus through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where we brought rain ponchos (colourful bin bags with hoods) and anna got a walking stick. Saw about 50 guinea pigs (for food) whilst there all running round in a shed, they were really cute. From Ollantaytambo we carried on in the bus to the start of the trek. Had to go through a check point and got our passes stamped, then started the walk. Walked for about an hour to a rest stop, where we had a snack and saw some Inca ruins on the other side of the river. We then carried on for about another hour on a nice fairly flat path to another rest stop and a bigger and better preserved ruin. From here we carried on to a small village where we stopped for lunch. The porters and chef, put up a large cooking tent, and an eating tent which we all fitted into, and then cooked us an amazing lunch. We had chicken in a peanut sauce, rice, stuffed avocado and lots more, with soup as a starter and jelly for dessert and of course lots of coca tea. After lunch we walked further and then began the ascent to the Dead Womens Pass the highest and hardest part of the trail. Only did a little bit of it though before stopping for the night at a campsite with great views down the valley. When we arrived the porters had already been there for the afternoon and had set up all our tents and the eating tent for us, and were getting afternoon tea ready for us. Had biscuits, CELERY tea and popcorn which was cool and then sat in the tent chatting to everyone before tea. We were really lucky we had a great group, there were 14 of us, most were english but those who werent spoke really good english anyway so we could all talk to each other easily. Our 2 guides were both great as well really funny and enthusiastic. The next day we got woken up at 6 by the guides who gave us a cup of coca tea in bed (we had the life of luxery). Had pancakes, toast and porridge for breakfast, and then started walking again. The second day is the hardest day on the trek and we spent virtually the whole morning walking up the Dead Womans Pass. Our campsite was at about 3000m and the top of the pass is 4200m so there was a lot of uphill and it was a struggle with the altitude as you get out of breath so quickly, but the whole team made it. There were great views from the top of the pass and a great atmosphere as everyone is so pleased and proud that they have done it, everyone from our group and others was so cheerful and we all supported each other, it was really cool. After the pass we descended down to a campsite where we stopped for lunch, had a great lunch again, everyone was amazed by the quantity and quality of food that was carried by the porters over the 4 days and then produced on a little gas stove in a tent. After lunch we climbed the 2nd pass on the trek, which meant more going up, but it wasnt as big as the 1st one. Unfortunatly it rained quite a lot, and although it was nice and cooling, it was also really cloudy and misty so you couldnt see that much, but it did make some of the mountains look really mistical and a bit scary. From the pass we went down yet more steep steps and slippery paths and then followed the edge of the valley to another Inca ruin that was built on terraces, like you see in pictures. We arrined at our campsite about half an hour later just as it was getting dark, had afternoon tea again and then played cards with some of the members of the group. The 3rd day we got woken up at 6 again with a cup of coca tea, had breakfast and then began walking at 7. The path was much easier and flatter than yesterday, and after about an hour we came to a really nice viewpoint. Where we could see the Machu Picchu Mountain, the one where all the pics are taken from, (Machu Picchu was just the otherside of it). From here we went down some really steep steps, to a small ruin built on really steep terraces again and the guide gave us a long talk about the Inca's. After this we walked towards our campiste, we arrived at lunch and then had the afternoon free. Before this though a few of us hardier trekkers, (who wanted to) visited some terraces, and me and anna tried "Inca tomatoes", looked like Chinese Lantern plants. Had lunch and then went to another Inca ruin, (the best preserved on the trail, except for Machu Picchu). It was built into the mountain which was really steep and the terraces and steps in the buildings were really steep. Went back to the campsite from here in the dark through the forest and then up the steep muddy little path to our part of the site. Had tea and then went to bed ready to get up the next day at 4. Got woken up at 4 with a cup of mint tea with coca leaves in it, was a bit different but nice. From the campsite we had to walk in the dark down a really steep, muddy path or about 40mins until it got light. Unfortunatly due to a landlside blocking the path right near Machu Picchu we were unable to do the normal trail, through the sungate and then down to Machu Picchu with the view that you see in the pics. Instead we had to walk down into the town of Aguas Calientas and get the bus up to Machu Picchu with the other tourists, which was a disappointment as we had walked all that way and then ended up getting the bus, and also did not get to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu. When we arrived at Machu Picchu I was disappointed to begin with, it was really cloudy and you could not see much and we had not done the real trail. Had a 2 hour tour round the ruins with our guide and by the time this had finsihed it had got a lot busier with tourists but the clouds had also cleared and you could see all the ruins, it looked amazing. Me and Anna both climbed Wanu Picchu which is the big mountain behind the ruins that you see on all the postcards. From here the view was amazing over Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and all the other surrounding mountains. We spent half an hour at the top admiring the view and chatting to other trekkers. Then went down and walked up the final bit of the trail (that we should have come down) we went up as far as we could go, to where the path was closed because of the landslide. From up here we could see all the ruins of Machu Picchu and Wanu Picchu towering above them, it was an amazing site and exactly the same as you see in the all the postcards, I hope the photos show it. From here we walked back down to Machu Picchu and then got the bus down to Aguas Calientas, where we had a huge buffet lunch, and then said goodbye to the team. Most of whom went back to Cusco. We stayed an extra night in Aguas Calientas and went to the hot springs, which are supposed to be nice and relaxing after the trek. However we were a bit concerned by the colour of the water (brown) and the smell (wee) to relax properly and didnt stay that long. Went back to our hotel, and met Tom Appleyard (from school) was a complete surprise as we didnt even know he was travelling. Stayed up quite late playing chess (which I dont have a clue about) with the people in the hotel, but anna vaguely knew what she was doing. Got up the next morning and had breakfast (pancakes) in the hotel, then went for a wander round Aguas Calientas, met some of the local kids and gave them some sweets in exchange for photos, they were very cute but didnt stay with us very long, so we didnt really get to know them. In the afternoon we got the train back down to Ollantaytambo, where we got the bus back to Cusco. Went back to our hotel and quickly got ready then went out for the night to an Irish Pub and then to a couple of clubs with our group from the trek and the 2 guides. It was a really good night and was nice to see everyone again in a different setting, the guides were also really pleased that we had invited them out, I got the impression that not that many groups invite them out afterwards or stay in touch with them. Overall we both agree that the trek and Machu Picchu was the highlight so far, we met really nice fellow travellers in our group, wonderful and enthusiastic Peruvian guides and porters and also saw the best views and Inca sights in Peru, we also had to work for it, which made the final day of the trek at Machu Picchu even more rewarding and special. Its just a shame we didnt get to see the sunrise over the Lost City of the Inca's.