I suppose I have hesitated in writing this blog entry for over a month simply because I never wished for it to end. Also, I am ashamed to say I did not take nearly enough photos. But allow me to validate why those pictures were not taken.
First, I chose to venture the 5 day/ 4 night long Salkantay Trail to the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, for several reasons: 1. The promise of adventure. I wanted to travel as Hiram Bingham had during his pioneering expeditions into the wilderness of Perú, 2. The opportunity to take my time to enjoy the scenery and wildlife of the little traveled hill and valley, 3. And, of course, the desire to camp out-of-doors and learn a little more about ‘roughing it’.
I got all that I asked for….And more.
Day 1: After meeting my tour guide the night before to discuss safety and needed equipment, I had a feeling that our small group of 4 would be in good hands. The wisest decision I made was renting a walking stick for the agency I booked with. The agency was called Nikole Tours, and was not my first choice, but I spent far less then I was expecting to pay (Word of advice: book a trek to Machu Picchu in person and go at the end of the peak season). If you are student, heed this advice because $400-500 US is too much to pay for the Salkantay Trek. Also, expect unforeseen costs at every turn! Bewaaare!
Our day started at 5:00 am by crawling into a van and being driven for 3 hours into the interior of Perú to a small town called Mollepata, named for the plant that grows in the area used for various medicines- tooth ache, abortions, ect. Here we loaded up and ate a light breakfast. We also bought bags of coca leaves (my savior on day 2). I chatted with my travel companions and that there was a couple from San Francisco, CA and a woman from Scotland hiking the trail for a charity. She was starting her Ph.D. in Psychology late fall, so we had much to talk about. Thus, we began the arduous journey. Up!
Our guide was familiar with much of the flora and fauna. We learned the Quechua names for many of the plants and animals in the area. As we hiked out of the city, we stopped at a cactus covered in strange fuzzy white cocoons. We were each handed a cocoon and instructed to squish it in our palm. As we did, the inhabitant of the cocoon burst under the pressure, secreting red goo into our hands. The other two girls were rather disgusted, but I was fascinated, of course. Our guide told how the Indians would use it as a dye for the wool, battle ‘paint’, and sun block. This one was a little far-fetched, but I bought it and spread bug guts across my cheeks. My companions followed suit.
The latest fashion in skin care
I was absolutely exhausted and cold by day’s end, reaching the campsite just before sunset. This was my first and last glimpse of Salkantay mountain. I cleaned up, dressed warmly, and passed out until dinner. When I awoke, I crawled out into the windy night to observe the stars. Gorgeous! Inside our makeshift dwelling, we ate dinner and played cards while we enjoyed the company of dogs and kittens politely begging for scraps and a warm lap. We all turned in early, weary from the excruciatingly long day and the altitude change.
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