Peru 2019: Inca Trail Day Three

July 07, 2019

Today was the most beautiful day, full of scenes like this one that looked straight out of a fantasy film.

January 8, 2019

Lunch time. Notwithstanding some foot pain, burning quads and a mild headache, today has not been so bad.
The weather is changeable – light rain, mist (clouds, actually) and sun in constant rotation – but not extreme.
We've gone hundreds of steps up, to visit Inca sites, then hundreds of steps down and it's hard, but it's nothing compared to yesterday. There have even been some stretches where we could walk more than a half-dozen steps on flat ground.
The flora has changed since we passed over the dead woman mountain yesterday. Gone are the cacti; now it's lush greenery and pretty, brightly coloured flowers.
We even passed an area – magical looking – overhung by tree branches and leaves that was apparently either the setting or the inspiration for the movie Avatar.
I think we are very lucky to have Marco as our guide. Not only is he professional, attentive and patient, his knowledge of Peru's and specifically the Incas' history is truly impressive. He had to study five years at university to do this job and he's been doing it for five years, but he's also passionate about it. You can sense that he feels connected to the history, which, to some degree, is his history.
Now: time to eat!

Llamas gotta eat, too. Many of them joined us on our lunch break.

8 p.m.

This afternoon was stunning.
It's hard to put into words just how incredible everything was – every tree, every flower, every bird, mountain, cliff. We were in what is known as the "high rainforest" and it was like walking through scenes from a fantasy movie. Sometimes it was terrifying, when there was a narrow corner to turn on rock slick with mist and next to us a sheer drop into white abyss. Sometimes it was impressive, when the clouds would part and we could see towering mountains all around us. Sometimes it was magical, when moss-covered trees overhung our misty stone path.
But it was also long. We were up at 5 a.m. and arrived at camp at 5 p.m.
Shane sprinted much of the treacherous trail and as usual arrived well before the rest of us.
Mia was amazing again, keeping up with Wolf and me or sometimes even leading the way. But it was too much for her. Her calf muscles are horribly sore and she has blisters on both feet. We got to camp and she broke down crying – more than once. The exhaustion and pain just did her in.
She finally took Advil and I think she's asleep. I'm actually a little worried. This hike has pushed her too far and I feel responsible, but there's no turning back now.
I hope she's OK tomorrow – a comparatively short day and also Machu Picchu day!
Oh yeah: We officially survived the gringo killer!

The start of the 4,000-step descent known as the "gringo killer"
– which didn't quite kill us.

1 a.m.

Blasted insomnia.
I am lying here with overactive nighttime brain just wishing it would shut up and let me sleep.
My bug bites are itchy – the Peruvian mountain mosquitoes are tiny and particularly nasty. Usually I don't even see them, but the bites outright bleed and leave a hell of an itchy welt.
And my stomach feels bad, but I don't have it in me to go out of the tent in the rain and pitch black to squat down in that wet, stinking bathroom all alone.
And I'm still worried about Mia.
And I keep listening for the rain to stop. It will be disappointing if our visit to Machu Picchu is in nothing but thick clouds and showers.
A thunderstorm hit just as we arrived at camp yesterday, putting a literal damper on our evening.
But our brilliant chef even made us a cake as a goodbye dessert. How he did that in a tent on a camp stove is a mystery to me. Really: two layers plus icing. Incredible!
Well, if I don't sleep, we're getting up in two hours anyway...