So the train could have got me from Cusco to Machu Picchu in a few hours.
The trek was going to take 1 day mountain biking and 3 days of walking to get to the same place.
Altitude can make you decide stupid things. So a 4 day jungle/inca trail trek it was then.
Now some people think you should wear proper "hiking boots" on treks like this, but wanting to feel every little rock piercing my foot, blisters, and the thrill of not knowing if the grip would keep me from slipping off ridiculously high mountain paths...I decided my $30 trainers would be just right for the job
The King of Coca - walking through coca leave plantations.
Heading along an old Inca Trail.
Whilst gripping any semblance of something stable growing out of the mountain side of the trail, we carefully made every step along the stupidly thin track. The phrase "I'm an Inca, not a thinker" sprang to mind. The Incas could have just made a path along the river a few hundred metres below, but oh no, their god was a sun god, and as such they wanted to make the trail as close to him as possible. Couldn't they have just done what fellow sun-worshippers the Germans do, and just get up early and pop a beach towel down beside the pool before breakfast.
View from the Inca Trail. Including Norweigan stunt leg.
"Good evening rural Peru...are you ready to rockkkkkkkkkkkk?"
River crossings - Peruvian style. Why bother with bridges when an orange box on a piece of rope can quite dangerously do the same job.
Day 4 6,30am: Finally made it. Dawn just breaking at Machu Picchu.
However shortly after photos were taken, I was ordered to remove the suit as it was against the rules. I guess over the years they finally had enough of people in Elvis suits appearing and decided to take a stand. Fortunately I've spared you the photos of me wandering round afterwards in my underwear.
With the rest of the trek group - wow, don't they all look overdressed?!
And for obvious reasons, it's also another one of the New Seven Wonders Of The World. (Machu Picchu, not the crap Elvis suit...although there is a petition up and running).
I bet they caught the train - they've got that smug look on their face.
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