Human Being

This blog has been posted for a number of reasons: to upload pictures and videos, to outline the details of the Inka Trail (for anyone planning on going), and to express - if at all possible in words - the beauty of Peru and the Andes Mountains.

I suggest reading this blog by scrolling aaalll the way to the bottom of the page and starting at the first post, on August 26th, 2009. This will give you a chronological idea of what the entire trip entails. Note that on the next page(select "older posts" at the bottom of the page or "August" posts to the right) lists a few tips & tricks acquired from along the way which might be helpful. There, you'll also find Other Photos, in addition to what you'll read in the posts. Photos are courtesy of David Daladouire, my encouraging partner along the journey, and the videos came from myself.

At this point, I'd also like to say a special thanks to GAP Adventures, our group leader: Cesar, and our team mates, who all helped to enable us to take this four day historic trek, and while doing so, also make it a fanstastic time. We discovered a great deal about the exceptional history of the Inca culture, about the exquisite landscape, and even a tad about our individual spirituality.

I think one of the most significant notions I've experienced in life so far came out of this trip.

I'll let you decide: human doing vs. human being. Whatarewelivingfor?

Celebrate

And of course, you'll have to celebrate your having conquered: four days in the Andes, hiking to 4200m, squatting to go to the bathroom, accidently opening someone else's tent at night, and doing it all while managing traveller's diarreah, haha!

So, have a beer in Aguas Caliente and listen to some music:

Or, God forbid you might have an inspriring group of 6 Irish on your team, and join them and the rest of the team at the local Irish pub (yes, not-so-surprisingly there are Irish pubs in Peru):

Day 4 Inka Trail - Machu Picchu

After waking up at 4:30am, we quickly realize for what purpose we've risen so early. As night 3 brings us to a point where many campers gathered, our guide strategically places us as the first group to enter the check point to Machu Picchu and therefore the 1.5 hour hike - mainly flat - leaves us alone, with our thoughts to ourselves, and our final hike to take in.

We slowly make our way upward to the Sun Gate, at which point, for the first time we see Machu Picchu. Just like the millions of photos that have been taken of this place, its splendor sits in between two mountain ranges, green and powerful. Only unlike the pictures, we can actually see it, walk it, feel it...and in only a way that mountains can provide, I feel surreal.

With our guide we enjoy a morning tour of all the important points in Machu Picchu, and then we grab our bus to Aguas Caliente, at which point we'll take Peru Rail back to Ollantaytambo, and then another bus to Cusco (about 4 hours in total). As a side note, by about 10am, Machu Picchu is busy ...so, just another bonus of taking the trail, is being able to arrive in the serenity of the early morning.

Upon emerging back into the noise and tourism of Aguas Caliente, I find an

uncomfortable feeling creeping up in me and quickly realize that just those four quiet days with the Andes left me with a serenity I haven't felt in a very long time. I find myself struggling and wanting to go back to the peacefulness of the Andes and to hold on to just one more day of that energy, that tranquility.

Comically, this feeling becomes even more prominent as the bus winds down an extremely narrow switchback road from Machu Picchu to Aguas Caliente, and I am now certain that I really want to be back on my feet, maneuvering my own body through the trails. And so, I divert my mind and retrace the last four days.

I'm only now beginning to realize just how lucky I, and the rest of my group, are. We all felt so genuinely satisfied by the fact that we hiked the authentic Inka Trail in order to view Machu Picchu. Especially once you see all the tourist buses pulling up you realize that those people will never understand this beauty like you are...because you endured it, embraced it, challenged it and nurtured it. This trek is one of the top 10 in the world, and after completing it, I can see why.

Now...what's next?

Day 3 Inka Trail - Peak 3900m (12,792 feet)

Oh, Day 3 makes Day 2 seem so worth the hell.

Day 3 is our longest day of trekking, at 16km. We start early again, around 5am, but I'm quickly finding that this is the most peaceful time of the day to hike, and also, I find myself quite energetic at this point in the day.

The first hour is straight up, coming from camp at 3700m, to our peak at 3900m. The view is incredibly worth it though, and if you're lucky enough to be one of the first at the top, you'll have a few extra minutes to relax, take pictures, and enjoy the utter silence of the Andes.

After this peak, we're mainly on flat, or "gentle" hills: a bit up and a bit down. Day 3 takes us on the genuine Inka Trail, and the scenery is breathtaking. Winding through the mossy grass, trees, flowers, and of course, the awe-inspiring, green Andes is a peace retreat in itself. Our wise one stopped as at one point, and told us all to close our eyes for 30 seconds...don't move, don't breathe...just listen. What an amazing and rare thing it is in life to be able to hear nothing.

Camp on Day 3 rests at a place called Winaywayna, or "Forever Young". This camp is at our lowest altitude throughout the trek, about 2600m and therefore much warmer than previous nights. This is also the main stop for all trekkers before heading to Machu Picchu in the morning, and as such, is nowhere near as private as the previous nights either. Here, you'll be able to pay 5 soles (just under $2) for a warm shower, and find beer, wine, chocolate bars and chips if you're having any particular cravings.

Our 3rd night is also our last with the porters, and for that reason we have a little celebration with them, and get to know them. After simply "doing their jobs" throughout the last three days, they now emerge as warm, compassionate, kindhearted and thoughtful people...characteristics which I find just don't come tangibly forth in our North American culture.

Our team mildly celebrates with a few beers, sitting on the edge of one of the unexpectedly superior terraces of Winaywayna, while our leader tells us the tales of how this place came to be, and what in the world the Inca's were doing when they engineered this massive agricultural centre for the Andes.

Day 2 Inka Trail - Peak at 4200m (13,776 feet)

Day 2 of the Inka Trail is the most physically challenging of the four days. Although our team only hiked a rough total of 6km this day, those 6km are, for the most part, straight up...all day. Within the 5 hours trekking up, we'll have hiked over 1000 metres in altitude. And of course, then we still have to climb down for two hours.

We rise at approximately 6am, and snack on a quick tea and granola bars. We are advised by our wise guide that we will have breakfast at 9am once we reach the porters, and after the first 3 hours of our climb. It's easier to hike when you've eaten less in the early morning hours, and a good hearty breakfast will keep us going for the next 4 hours of the day afterwards.

And so we begin the trek. Not much talking, if any at all, is going on between our normally energetic group. Today's focus is the climb. The first 3 hours pass, and although the trek is upwards, it's not dauntingly so. This part of the trek takes place within the trees, in the shade, and is quite enjoyable.

However, after our breakfast of a Peruvian porridge (oats and quinoa), that all changes. The next two hours are straight up, no coverage, no beautiful wildlife to look at and directly in the sun. All you'll want to do is just get the hell up to the top, and in many cases, as I looked upwards to our goal, I thought: there's no way in hell I'll ever get there. But of course, I did.

The altitude, for myself, took a toll at this point. Once at roughly 4000m, I found my heart began to race a little faster than normal, deep breaths were harder to take, a strong headache began to set in, and worsened on the way up the additional 200m. All this seemed best to ignore really, and just go at your own pace. These symptoms, I found, quickly subsided once we began to make the trek down the other side of the mountain.

As hard as it may seem when you're in the moment, after it was all said and done, I would've gone back immediately and done it over again.

We reached camp early on Day 2, around 2:30pm, and therefore had the day to rest and relax. As my one team mate informed me around 8pm, and I think most of us agreed, "my legs haven't stopped shaking until about 30 minutes ago..."

Day 1 Inka Trail - KM 82

Leaving bright and somewhat early from
Ollantaytambo, our team heads for KM 82, the starting point for all trekkers taking the authentic Inka Trail to Machu Picchu. Somehow, I expected more at this starting point. I'm not sure why: if I expected brighter colours, more Peruvian's selling items, etc., but upon arrival my thought was, "this is kilometre 82?".

But the fact is, you've come and gone from this pivotal number within a few minutes, and are off and upwards into the Andes.

Day 1 consists of 10km of gentle trails. The day begins with a mainly flat trek, our guide stopping along the way to tell us how to chew on coco leaves, and to tell us bits of pieces of his ancestor's past, until about the last hour or so, when we gently climbs upwards until we reach camp. This is a great way to start off the trek, as the team has a chance to get to know one another, and take our time.

Upon arrival, around 4pm, we find that our porter's are already there, and all tents and other gear is set up for us. This way we can quickly change into some warmer clothes, as the mountains cool down quite noticeably around this hour. We are then called for tea and cookies, and our dinner also arrives shortly.

Tomorrow, however, we are to wake at 6:00am, therefore it's a pretty early night for most. We're tired from our first 10km, and all anxious to get a good night's sleep for what's to come...

48h Until Departure

Everything is ready...yes, actually ready.

Can you imagine? It must be obvious that we've been looking forward to this trip for sometime. The backpacks are pretty much packed, gear is organized, first aid kit prepared. Now all we need to do is get on the flight!

I plan on having and spending absolutely no time at all on writing this blog throughout the vacation, however look for it in a couple weeks when we take you through the amazing sights, sounds, colours and food of Peru and the historic hike up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

We'll have a pisco sour for everyone, don't worry!