Snow-capped Salkantay
Spectacular!
Picked up at 05:30 to meet the other three people we´d be walking, eating and sleeping in close proximity with/to - not the best time to make a good impression! A two hour drive up into the mountains, we stop for breakfast at a little house in Mollepata. Another three hour drive past the poor trekkers who had to start back there before being served up lunch... good start for the trek! Unfortunately the walking then started - uphill to our first campsite at 4000m - but with snow-capped mountains in sight, the thought of skiing next year kept me going...
With our mountain tents and extra-thick down sleeping bags, it appeared we´d got the cold night covered - until the sun went down and the temperature dropped like a stone. The cooking-come-dining tent was lovely and warm, and as our own Tommy Cooper look-a-like chef cooked up some delicious dinner with his little chef´s hat and apron, we drank our coca tea and prepared for the deep-freeze. Luckily our water bottles cope with hot water - toasty warm as we crawl into our sleeping bags and wrap ourselves up...
As the hot water bottle got cold, so did the night, so did we... next morning (6am wake-up call with a cup of tea in the tent) the river was frozen and our guide´s night-time temperature estimate of -15oC. Brrrh! A nippy breakfast and off up to the high pass of the trek, to 4600m. Luckily the sun came out before we started, but it made it tough work to the top, but we all managed without casualty. A brief history lesson at the high pass and straight down the other side for lunch. Down, down, and down some more to our next camp site at 3000m - where they be mossies about! oh, and lots of other people doing the same trek...
Third day, "short day", down to the river and a quick dip in the natural hot spring - mmmm a proper thaw out! Feeling almost clean we start our "flat" walk (I assume that meant "on average") to the next camp site "La Playa" (not that we could see the beach in the middle of the mountains). A noisy night with the bar just outside the tent, cockerels warning the dawn, and drunks breaking the toilet door...
Fourth day, a little coffee process lesson (with kitten sleeping on the drying beans - look out for that variety in a shop near you soon) and up, up, up to the other side of the mountain to our first introduction to Inca housing, and our first, rather distant, glimpse of Machu Picchu. Then down, down, down to the Urumbamba river, across a rather dodge bridge, and a spot of lunch at the train station for Agua Calientes. Unfortunately, we´re not taking the train - just an 11km walk down the track... the tunnels were interesting - pitch black, it felt like walking but not moving... very odd sensation! Finally made it to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), and after a short walk through town, the hostel - hot showers and a comfy bed - bliss...
Another early start, packed breakfast and on the bus (hurrah) up to Machu Picchu (at 5:45 boo). Wow, a huge site, and as the sun popped it´s head over the nearby mountains the cameras came out in force... the number of tourists however surpassed by the number of rooms to wander through. After our guide walked us around the main points of interest we were left to wander around ourselves... after a little sit down, a spot of food and some chocolate and sugar intake, we gathered our spirits to try to get around the whole site - quite a challenge with breathtaking views, hundreds of rooms and plenty of stairs! Absolutely shattered, off for a quick kip and a soak in the thermal baths - a good way to ease out those aching muscles... and a great way to wind down the evening... with a little beer inside me, it was the best sleep I´ve had in ages - with a well deserved lie-in.
Picked up at 05:30 to meet the other three people we´d be walking, eating and sleeping in close proximity with/to - not the best time to make a good impression! A two hour drive up into the mountains, we stop for breakfast at a little house in Mollepata. Another three hour drive past the poor trekkers who had to start back there before being served up lunch... good start for the trek! Unfortunately the walking then started - uphill to our first campsite at 4000m - but with snow-capped mountains in sight, the thought of skiing next year kept me going...
With our mountain tents and extra-thick down sleeping bags, it appeared we´d got the cold night covered - until the sun went down and the temperature dropped like a stone. The cooking-come-dining tent was lovely and warm, and as our own Tommy Cooper look-a-like chef cooked up some delicious dinner with his little chef´s hat and apron, we drank our coca tea and prepared for the deep-freeze. Luckily our water bottles cope with hot water - toasty warm as we crawl into our sleeping bags and wrap ourselves up...
As the hot water bottle got cold, so did the night, so did we... next morning (6am wake-up call with a cup of tea in the tent) the river was frozen and our guide´s night-time temperature estimate of -15oC. Brrrh! A nippy breakfast and off up to the high pass of the trek, to 4600m. Luckily the sun came out before we started, but it made it tough work to the top, but we all managed without casualty. A brief history lesson at the high pass and straight down the other side for lunch. Down, down, and down some more to our next camp site at 3000m - where they be mossies about! oh, and lots of other people doing the same trek...
Third day, "short day", down to the river and a quick dip in the natural hot spring - mmmm a proper thaw out! Feeling almost clean we start our "flat" walk (I assume that meant "on average") to the next camp site "La Playa" (not that we could see the beach in the middle of the mountains). A noisy night with the bar just outside the tent, cockerels warning the dawn, and drunks breaking the toilet door...
Fourth day, a little coffee process lesson (with kitten sleeping on the drying beans - look out for that variety in a shop near you soon) and up, up, up to the other side of the mountain to our first introduction to Inca housing, and our first, rather distant, glimpse of Machu Picchu. Then down, down, down to the Urumbamba river, across a rather dodge bridge, and a spot of lunch at the train station for Agua Calientes. Unfortunately, we´re not taking the train - just an 11km walk down the track... the tunnels were interesting - pitch black, it felt like walking but not moving... very odd sensation! Finally made it to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), and after a short walk through town, the hostel - hot showers and a comfy bed - bliss...
Another early start, packed breakfast and on the bus (hurrah) up to Machu Picchu (at 5:45 boo). Wow, a huge site, and as the sun popped it´s head over the nearby mountains the cameras came out in force... the number of tourists however surpassed by the number of rooms to wander through. After our guide walked us around the main points of interest we were left to wander around ourselves... after a little sit down, a spot of food and some chocolate and sugar intake, we gathered our spirits to try to get around the whole site - quite a challenge with breathtaking views, hundreds of rooms and plenty of stairs! Absolutely shattered, off for a quick kip and a soak in the thermal baths - a good way to ease out those aching muscles... and a great way to wind down the evening... with a little beer inside me, it was the best sleep I´ve had in ages - with a well deserved lie-in.
posted by Rachel at
22:28
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home