Well, Where shall I start - The Inka trail !!!!!!

We got up about 7am on the Tuesday morning and had breakfast at the hotel. We then got into the minibus and heaed for the sacred valley. On the way there we stopped at a local villiage and we saw many women weaving whilst their husbands were away on the Inka trail as porters! They sold some of their stuff and what they didnt sell they wore themselves! Porters are very small indiginous cretures from the mountains of Peru. They speak Ketchum and they carry everything everyone could ever need on the Inka trail. They carry popcorn, jam, food, tables, tents, passengers bags etc etc etc... We also got to know our tour guide- he is called Ozzi. He had been all over the world including england. Whe we told him where we were from he spoke in a cockney accent - Charming. I tried to explain where Norfolk was but he didnt understand.

We moved on to a place called Puno. It had massive Inca ruins and we started to climb a small mountain. half way up I had a little panic. the path was on the outside of the mountain, the path was less than 50 cm wide and it was a sheer drop of around 2500 metres. We looked around the ruins and then headed to a restaurant for lunch. They had Alapaca on the menu but I had already tried that.

We then arrived at Ollytambo in which we stayed for the night. It was a nice place with lots of restuarnts and stuff. Our hotel was nice, but the place was freezing!

Day 1 At 8am we had already ate breakfast and got in the minibus. It took us 45 minutes to get to KM 82 which is the starting point of the Inca trail. I was given a snack and two walking polses and we set off.

The first day was easy and I thought it was going to be like this the whole way! We finally reached the campsite and it was freezing. We set up the insides of our tent and then had a 3 course tea! We then went to sleep in the tents and to be fair it wasnt that uncomfortable.

Day 2 we were woken up at 6am! It was a god-awful hour and the sun had not even begun to rise. We were woken up by the porters who offered us coco tea or hot chocolate in our sleeping bags. Then we headeed up a path and I thought this is easy until we carried on and I could see people climbing the mountain above. I could not get enough oxygen in my blood to get to my brain!!! I had altitude sickness. I could not catch my breath and was trying to climb a bloody mountauin. Each little step was agony and in the end i had to be sprayed with some funny smelling stuff in order to breath (keep alive!). Finally after around 4 or 5 hours I reached the top of the mountain. A staggering 4201m in the air (13,500 feet). I was not the last one but definatley not the first. Kerry beat me to the top and decided to film me not being able to breathe on the way up!

After having our pictures taken at the top where the air was so thin I wondered if there was any left, we headed down the other side of the mountain. Oh my god - the pressure on my knees was unbelieveable! We had to go down about 2000 steps. Going down sounds easy but my god it is not! After around 6 or 7 hours of walking at least, we finally reached the campsite. I thought I was going to cry! We had lunch and then we sat and played cards for a couple of hours. I learnt to play King Zero, Oh s*** and nervous. We had tea and then I went to sleep alomost straight away. My legs and back had never hurt so much before!

Day 3 We were woken up at 6am again and I can honestly say I have never sworn as much as I did when they started banging on the tent! I had a coco tea and got dressed. It was freezing but we started walking straight after breakfast. The paths were flat, up and down which was an improvment on the second day! It was still a struggle though. It was almost all downhill at one point and Kerry had really hurt her Knee. I thought she was going to cry but she didnt. She did have to have her legs taped up! We finally reached the campsite which was full of other groups as well. We had our briefing and was told we woudl be woken up at 3:50am. We went straight to bed!

Day 4 We we woken up at the right time and had a drink in the tent and almost staright away we left to head for the sun gate (and machuu Pichuu). We were the second or third group to arrive at the check point which did not open until 5:30am. We waited ages and gazed at the stars for a while. I saw the southern cross. As soon as the check point opened we went straight through it and started the 2 hour walk to the sungate. I must have had 150 - 200 people behind me but I decided my legs hurt so much and I was so tired. I went slow!!!! The path was narrow and steep in places and walking in the jungle in the dark was a first for me!

We finally arrived at the sun gate where we could see Machuu Pichuu, I thought I was going to be overwheled by its beauty or something but I wasnt. We had photos taken and watched the sunrise on the Inka Ruins.  We then had a gided tour around the ruins and to be honest I wa the least bit interested. They were a load of old rocks and my legs hurt. After 2 hours it was all over and we were told we could catche the bus down to Aguis Calientes. We did so straight away.

After a bus ride that would make superman nervous we made it to the town. The town was weird because it had train tracks running through it and everyone walked on the tracks!!  We had lunch and then we went up to the hot srings. Now hot springs in my opinion are meant to be theriputic and beneficial for your skin. These baths were warm however instead of smelling like sulphur (fart smell as expected) they smelt of ammonia and were green. I got in anyway but couldnt help the feeling I was bathing in Piss.

We then met up with the rest of the group and got on the train to head back to Cusco. The train was the slowest I have ever been on. It had a maximum speed of around 45 mph. It was full of stinky tourists like me however the scenery did make it worthwhile and we followed the Urubamba river which is very pretty. We arrived back at Ollytambo and then got a minibus back to Cusco. I thoguth I was going to hurl my guts up, but luckilly I didnt. The driver went so fast and there was nothing to hold o to, there were potholes everywhere. Well it was just not good! I was even going to suggest that I drive so he can see how he likes it!!!

We arrived back in Cusco about 20:30 and then went out as a group for tea. I tried Gineau Pig, it was nice but I couldnt eat a whole one. It made me think of Pets R Us. 

Overall that is the most tiring, exhausting, adventurous, evil, rewarding, highest trek I have ever and will ever do. Never again will I do such a thing. Next time someone tells me to walk instead of driving they can stick it up their arse!