20/04/2011 (posted 23/04/2011)
Standard 5am start.
Once again we were brought tea in bed which I really could get used to. Breakfast was similar to yesterday so I once again packed in the porridge and off we went.
The first couple of hours were mostly uphill but it was fine in the cool morning. We also broke up the walking with visits to some Inca ruins which were beautiful against the mountain backdrop.
We climbed all the way up to 3950m which was a doddle compared to yesterday. That high, the mountains are covered in a dense mist whih is both beautiful and eerie. My calves are pretty sore from yesterday and my shoulders are feeling the 14kg but I´m over it.
Edwin told us a bit about the Inca religion. They worshipped things like the rivers and mountains, and the main god was the sun. He then showed us a ritual they used to do:
They would pick three Coca leaves, one to represent each world (Upper world, this world, underworld) and make a wish. They would then blow the coca leaves to send the wish to the Apu (god living inside the mountain) and then roll up the leaves and leave them at the top of the mountain with a stone.
Standard.
We had lunch halfway through the day´s route and once again, it was mind-boggling. Nothing these cooks do surprised me anymore as the bar has been set so ridiculously high, and I´m not running out of superlatives to describe how amazing it is. It included pork in cranberry sauce - this is what I mean when I say nothing surprised me. I can´t imagine what this guy would come up with if you let him loose in a proper kitchen.
We then had an essential 30-minute siesta to let the food go down and it was off again.
It was all downhill for the two-and-a-half hours afternoon hike, which was really tough on my knee, calves, thighs, back...
We visited some more Inca ruins which were very impressive - I just can´t comprehend how they build them this high up. It was nice to go a little slower and have more of a sociable time as a team as well.
We then came to a fork where we had the option of a short or long route, the long route taking us through more ruins. I´m glad I ignored my body and went the long route because we got a truly breathtaking view of the Sacred Valley, and I don´t use the word breathtaking lightly.
We arrived to camp in the dark but very excited, as this camp has a restaurant selling cold beer and a hot shower! In England I would have sued them under the Trades Descriptions law as the shower was warm at best but after three days, I didn´t care at all. I then went for a beer and it felt unbelievably good.
Somehow I didn´t have much of an appetite but the beer went down fine and that was all that mattered.
The porters leave us tomorrow morning so we said bye to them and tipped them.
I then went for another beer with Blake which felt better than the first. I considered testing whether the third and fourth would feel exponentially better but it was 9:30pm and we are up at 3:30am tomorrow so sleep is needed.
To put in perspective how excited for tomorrow I am, I first saw a picture of Machu Picchu around five years ago and have been waiting to go ever since.
I can´t believe I´m actually going.
JG
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