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Marchy's Latin American Adventure
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Location Date South America 
1367881200 Europe 1357084800 -
Location Date Iquitos 1366412400 Huacachina 1365116400 Machupicchu
1364688000 Arequipa 1363824000 Puno 1363478400
We had a few days in cusco before our salkantay trek began, to acclimatise and relax before the big climb.
For a few days Loretta felt really ill, weak, sick, fever and always sleepy so she spent 2 days just lying in bed - feeling a bit odd going out on my own (for the first time in 2 months) I decided to stay at the hostel with her to make sure she was ok. After a visit to the local doctors and a few days of antibiotics later she was feeling much better and we both ventured out into Cusco.
In the markets was a painting shop with a lady (Doly) painting. After watching her painting for a bit we decided to look at her paintings... Which were amazing!! Feeling now like I had to buy something (she was so nice and chatting to us - i'm a sucker I know) I chose a really cool colourful canvas painting of Machu Picchu, all for the measly price of £12. It's such good work for such a stupid cheap price. Now just need to work out where to put it in the overflowing bag (painting count: 4). After buying some more souvenirs we headed into the main plaza - as Loretta wasn't up to eating we headed to Maccy D's for my first Big Mac in 2 months. Oh my -HEAVEN!!! Was so good haha!!!
We also visited a weaving museum, which held information about the history and future of traditional weaving in Peru. Was very interesting to learn the different techniques and how much work goes into one simple piece - I wouldn't have a clue where to start. There were 2 ladies in the museum actually weaving and for a small donation you could watch them - they made it look so easy, but I got confused just watching them. After the weaving museum we headed to the chocolate museum, which was about the history and future of chocolate - some fascinating facts that I never knew.. And still don't know as I've forgotten half of them haha!!! We tried some of their special chocolate which they make on site and.. It was AWFUL. very disappointed - still on the hunt for some cadburys!!
The Salkantay Trek 27-31st March
Wednesday 27th - Day 1
We were picked up at 5am and after a 2 hour bus journey we reached our starting point; Mollepata (2850m). After breakfast we started the 4 day hike. The morning was a 10 km walk uphill, a gradual climb, although our guide had a few steep shortcuts along the way, which at the time did not feel like shortcuts!!! We reached lunch (3450m) and rested for about an hour. After lunch, we had a further 10km walk to our campsite (3900m) which took about 3 hours. Along the way Mother Nature called and faced with a cliff or a 300m drop I had no other option than the road we were walking on... Luckily no-one walked past haha!!!! After we arrived we had dinner and went to bed very early. The tents were under a tapaulin shelter which kept the wind and rain out. That night to bed I wore; a thermal long sleeve top, a thermal short sleeve top, a tshirt, a thin fleece, a thick fleece; my sleeping liner and my sleeping bag. I was just about warm enough!!
Distance walked: 20km
Time Walked: 7.5 hours
Altitude gained: 1050m
Thursday 28 - Day 2
Potentially, if not definitely, THE most hardest morning of my life. We woke at 5am and started our walk at 6:15am. Straight away a hill, which never stopped, just got steeper and steeper. We were one of the first groups to start and by the time we reached a rest stop we had been overtaken by pretty much every other group. Jose, our guide, could see how much I was struggling and took us on a short cut to avoid a pointless steep zig zag path up a cliff face, instead we clambered over massive boulders and got to the same point about an hour faster than the other route. We weren't even half way by this stage. It got to the tags where I took 2 steps an had to stop and rest as I couldn't physically go any further. I spent a lot of time bent over my walking pole crying and slowly giving up but being an Ireton and our competitive nature that was never going to happen. So after a few breakdowns and 5 hours (its meant to take about 3 hours) after we started walking we arrived at the summit (4600m)!!! WAHOOOO!!!! From here you're meant to have an amazing view of the Salkantay Glacier but due to mist and rain we could only see about 10 metres in front of us :( but wow what a relief. At the beginning we were offered a horse for £25, but we declined as we wanted to walk and after reaching the summit eventually we were so glad we decided not to! Our joy was short lived, as we still had another 2.5 hour walk to the lunch spot and the rain was getting heavier and we were getting wetter and colder - 'why are we doing this' was said quite a lot during this day!! After lunch, still soaking and freezing we started the 3 hour walk to the campsite (2750m). The path was actually a foot deep of mud, with puddles and impassable sections. It was insane, walking up to your shins in mud. Once we arrived at the campsite we both pretty much collapsed, what a ridiculously physical and mentally challenging day - but we made it and the walk gets easier from here.
Distance walked: 25km
Time Walked: 11 hours
Altitude gained: 700m
Altitude Reduced: 1850m
Friday 29th March: Day 3
Woke up at 5, left at 7:15. Everything was still drenched from the day before and it was raining again, which was annoying. But on the plus side... The WHOLE walk was either flat or downhill amazing!!! After a while, the knees and soles started being so painful. When it finally stopped raining it was quite warm and an enjoyable walk next to the jungle with a sheer drop on the other side. We got to lunch at 11:30 and the rest of the day was relaxing. After lunch we got the bus to Santa Teresa (1560m) where our campsite for the night was. We then headed to the local hot springs for a relaxing few hours - was super nice and not too hot so we could swim in them. We had dinner and sat by the campfire listening to music before heading to bed... It was so warm in the tent, was sweating haha.
Distance walked: 15km
Time Walked: 4.5 hours
Altitude Reduced: 1250m
Saturday 30th March
Had a lie in.. 7am nice!! Left the campsite at 8am. The first part of the walk was along the dirt road that led out of the town, which passed a hydro electric plant due to the fast flowing river. The road was up and down up and down which after the past 3 days was very tedious - go up or down, don't do both haha!! Loretta had real problems with a pain in her knees and I was knackered so the pace was very slow!! After lunch we walked along the tourist train track, literally on the tracks - had to be careful to dodge out of the way of the speeding trains flying past. on the way we could the back of Waynu Picchu and Machu Picchu which was very exciting. Eventually after another 3 hours we arrived in Agnes Caliente, where we were staying in a hostel - nice!! Struggled climbing the stairs. After having our first shower in 4 days we headed out for dinner and had an early night, ready for the big day tomorrow.
Sunday 31st April - Day 5
Up at 4:20 to get one of the first buses to Machu Picchu (Old Mountain - 2453m). The queue for the buses was so long but it was well organised :) so, we get to the top andddd we can see about 5 metres in front of us.. Oh no!!! Jose promises us it will clear in a couple of hours but I wasn't so sure.. It was so thick. We had a two hour tour of the site which was very interesting - the site was so big, bigger than I thought it would be. At 10am the most had pretty much all cleared wahooo!!! We started climbing Waynu Picchu (New mountain - 2693m) at 10:40am. Wow that was steep!! So many steps, well, rocks that formed steps. But wow was it worth it for the view.. Yes!!!! You see Machu Picchu in a whole different way. We stayed up there for a while and then headed back down the mountain. I think going down was actually harder than going up due to the odd angles of the rocks (steps). There was blue sky now - very relieved - would have been gutted to walk all that way for mist!! We took the classical photographs of Machu Picchu, wandered around the site and got the bus back to Agnes Caliente, where we got a train and minibus back to Cusco, we got back at 11pm and the only place open was Maccy D's, so we got ourselves a well deserved Big Mac meal :)
For a few days Loretta felt really ill, weak, sick, fever and always sleepy so she spent 2 days just lying in bed - feeling a bit odd going out on my own (for the first time in 2 months) I decided to stay at the hostel with her to make sure she was ok. After a visit to the local doctors and a few days of antibiotics later she was feeling much better and we both ventured out into Cusco.
In the markets was a painting shop with a lady (Doly) painting. After watching her painting for a bit we decided to look at her paintings... Which were amazing!! Feeling now like I had to buy something (she was so nice and chatting to us - i'm a sucker I know) I chose a really cool colourful canvas painting of Machu Picchu, all for the measly price of £12. It's such good work for such a stupid cheap price. Now just need to work out where to put it in the overflowing bag (painting count: 4). After buying some more souvenirs we headed into the main plaza - as Loretta wasn't up to eating we headed to Maccy D's for my first Big Mac in 2 months. Oh my -HEAVEN!!! Was so good haha!!!
We also visited a weaving museum, which held information about the history and future of traditional weaving in Peru. Was very interesting to learn the different techniques and how much work goes into one simple piece - I wouldn't have a clue where to start. There were 2 ladies in the museum actually weaving and for a small donation you could watch them - they made it look so easy, but I got confused just watching them. After the weaving museum we headed to the chocolate museum, which was about the history and future of chocolate - some fascinating facts that I never knew.. And still don't know as I've forgotten half of them haha!!! We tried some of their special chocolate which they make on site and.. It was AWFUL. very disappointed - still on the hunt for some cadburys!!
The Salkantay Trek 27-31st March
Wednesday 27th - Day 1
We were picked up at 5am and after a 2 hour bus journey we reached our starting point; Mollepata (2850m). After breakfast we started the 4 day hike. The morning was a 10 km walk uphill, a gradual climb, although our guide had a few steep shortcuts along the way, which at the time did not feel like shortcuts!!! We reached lunch (3450m) and rested for about an hour. After lunch, we had a further 10km walk to our campsite (3900m) which took about 3 hours. Along the way Mother Nature called and faced with a cliff or a 300m drop I had no other option than the road we were walking on... Luckily no-one walked past haha!!!! After we arrived we had dinner and went to bed very early. The tents were under a tapaulin shelter which kept the wind and rain out. That night to bed I wore; a thermal long sleeve top, a thermal short sleeve top, a tshirt, a thin fleece, a thick fleece; my sleeping liner and my sleeping bag. I was just about warm enough!!
Distance walked: 20km
Time Walked: 7.5 hours
Altitude gained: 1050m
Thursday 28 - Day 2
Potentially, if not definitely, THE most hardest morning of my life. We woke at 5am and started our walk at 6:15am. Straight away a hill, which never stopped, just got steeper and steeper. We were one of the first groups to start and by the time we reached a rest stop we had been overtaken by pretty much every other group. Jose, our guide, could see how much I was struggling and took us on a short cut to avoid a pointless steep zig zag path up a cliff face, instead we clambered over massive boulders and got to the same point about an hour faster than the other route. We weren't even half way by this stage. It got to the tags where I took 2 steps an had to stop and rest as I couldn't physically go any further. I spent a lot of time bent over my walking pole crying and slowly giving up but being an Ireton and our competitive nature that was never going to happen. So after a few breakdowns and 5 hours (its meant to take about 3 hours) after we started walking we arrived at the summit (4600m)!!! WAHOOOO!!!! From here you're meant to have an amazing view of the Salkantay Glacier but due to mist and rain we could only see about 10 metres in front of us :( but wow what a relief. At the beginning we were offered a horse for £25, but we declined as we wanted to walk and after reaching the summit eventually we were so glad we decided not to! Our joy was short lived, as we still had another 2.5 hour walk to the lunch spot and the rain was getting heavier and we were getting wetter and colder - 'why are we doing this' was said quite a lot during this day!! After lunch, still soaking and freezing we started the 3 hour walk to the campsite (2750m). The path was actually a foot deep of mud, with puddles and impassable sections. It was insane, walking up to your shins in mud. Once we arrived at the campsite we both pretty much collapsed, what a ridiculously physical and mentally challenging day - but we made it and the walk gets easier from here.
Distance walked: 25km
Time Walked: 11 hours
Altitude gained: 700m
Altitude Reduced: 1850m
Friday 29th March: Day 3
Woke up at 5, left at 7:15. Everything was still drenched from the day before and it was raining again, which was annoying. But on the plus side... The WHOLE walk was either flat or downhill amazing!!! After a while, the knees and soles started being so painful. When it finally stopped raining it was quite warm and an enjoyable walk next to the jungle with a sheer drop on the other side. We got to lunch at 11:30 and the rest of the day was relaxing. After lunch we got the bus to Santa Teresa (1560m) where our campsite for the night was. We then headed to the local hot springs for a relaxing few hours - was super nice and not too hot so we could swim in them. We had dinner and sat by the campfire listening to music before heading to bed... It was so warm in the tent, was sweating haha.
Distance walked: 15km
Time Walked: 4.5 hours
Altitude Reduced: 1250m
Saturday 30th March
Had a lie in.. 7am nice!! Left the campsite at 8am. The first part of the walk was along the dirt road that led out of the town, which passed a hydro electric plant due to the fast flowing river. The road was up and down up and down which after the past 3 days was very tedious - go up or down, don't do both haha!! Loretta had real problems with a pain in her knees and I was knackered so the pace was very slow!! After lunch we walked along the tourist train track, literally on the tracks - had to be careful to dodge out of the way of the speeding trains flying past. on the way we could the back of Waynu Picchu and Machu Picchu which was very exciting. Eventually after another 3 hours we arrived in Agnes Caliente, where we were staying in a hostel - nice!! Struggled climbing the stairs. After having our first shower in 4 days we headed out for dinner and had an early night, ready for the big day tomorrow.
Sunday 31st April - Day 5
Up at 4:20 to get one of the first buses to Machu Picchu (Old Mountain - 2453m). The queue for the buses was so long but it was well organised :) so, we get to the top andddd we can see about 5 metres in front of us.. Oh no!!! Jose promises us it will clear in a couple of hours but I wasn't so sure.. It was so thick. We had a two hour tour of the site which was very interesting - the site was so big, bigger than I thought it would be. At 10am the most had pretty much all cleared wahooo!!! We started climbing Waynu Picchu (New mountain - 2693m) at 10:40am. Wow that was steep!! So many steps, well, rocks that formed steps. But wow was it worth it for the view.. Yes!!!! You see Machu Picchu in a whole different way. We stayed up there for a while and then headed back down the mountain. I think going down was actually harder than going up due to the odd angles of the rocks (steps). There was blue sky now - very relieved - would have been gutted to walk all that way for mist!! We took the classical photographs of Machu Picchu, wandered around the site and got the bus back to Agnes Caliente, where we got a train and minibus back to Cusco, we got back at 11pm and the only place open was Maccy D's, so we got ourselves a well deserved Big Mac meal :)
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