The highlight of our trip finally arrived. Today we were to explore Machu Picchu. As I mentioned in my last entry, Josh and I were to meet Grant and some other people at the foot of the mountain that led up to Machu Picchu at 5am. I woke up at about 4:30 already ready to go. I waited for Josh for a few minutes and eventually went to their room. Unfortunately, the food poisoning had hit him and Rita really bad and he wasn't up to walking up the mountain. They were going to catch one of the buses up there and I was going to try meeting them. Already being late to meet up with Grant, I went on my way.
It was still very dark as I ventured down the dirt road between the town of Aguas Calientes and the base of the mountain. I was told the walk would be about 20 minutes. It was already close to 5 AM and I knew I wouldn't meet Grant in time and only hoped he was late too or his friends were willing to wait around for me. As I mentioned it was pitch black along the side of the road, but I wasn't alone, as other fellow trekkers were also on their way to the base of the mountain. I tried walking along with some of them and in about 20 minutes we came to the base of the mountain, where a series of rocky steps would take us up about 2000 meters to the ruins.
The people I was walking near were much quicker than I and soon I lost sight of them. Other trekkers also passed me along the way, but I was also able to pass some myself. The weather was extremely humid and my clothes were getting very damp. Every so often I would pass the road that was looping left to right up the mountain, that the buses used to get to the top. There were times I thought I would run out of breath, with the combination of the altitude and humidity draining my strength away, plus not knowing how far I was to the top, kept me blind to how much energy I needed to reserve. Luckily I was over the bout of food poisoning I had a few days earlier, otherwise I could have never made it.
Finally, after about an hour of trekking the mountain, I made it to the entrance of Machu Picchu. My moisture wicking shirt was drenched as well as the rest of my body..... But that didn't matter. I felt a sense of accomplishment and would have done it again. I quickly looked for anyone I knew, and soon ran into Oliver, who said most of the people in his trekking group were already inside. I told him I was going to wait for Rita and Josh, and he went back in through the entrance.
I then went right away to buy my ticket to get in. The entrance fee was 70 Soles. I didn't think I had enough money, so I tried paying in U.S. dollars. When I gave the lady my money, she said they only accepted Soles. I started getting nervous, because I didn't think I had enough Soles to get me in. Plus I was exhausted after hiking up the mountain and I was about to be devastated, just because they didn't accept of dollars. Every single place I've been to in Peru accepted US currency and the most famous and popular ruins in all of Peru and probably South America didn't accept US dollars. I was going to start getting mad. Just as i was about to voice my opinion, I thought I'd make sure and count how many Soles I had and too my surprise I actually had enough!! Relieved, I bought my ticket and stepped aside and waited for Rita and Josh to come on the bus.
About 2-3 buses came up to drop off tourists and back down to pick up more. Rita and Josh weren't on any of them. During the wait I noticed one of the tour guides and started enquiring about the cost. It was about 15 Sole, but they accepted US dollars, so I was OK here. I was also getting hungry, but the main cafe wasn't open yet. At this point it was almost 8am. Rita and Josh should have been up already and I decided to stop waiting and went ahead with the tour without them.
It was still very dark as I ventured down the dirt road between the town of Aguas Calientes and the base of the mountain. I was told the walk would be about 20 minutes. It was already close to 5 AM and I knew I wouldn't meet Grant in time and only hoped he was late too or his friends were willing to wait around for me. As I mentioned it was pitch black along the side of the road, but I wasn't alone, as other fellow trekkers were also on their way to the base of the mountain. I tried walking along with some of them and in about 20 minutes we came to the base of the mountain, where a series of rocky steps would take us up about 2000 meters to the ruins.
The people I was walking near were much quicker than I and soon I lost sight of them. Other trekkers also passed me along the way, but I was also able to pass some myself. The weather was extremely humid and my clothes were getting very damp. Every so often I would pass the road that was looping left to right up the mountain, that the buses used to get to the top. There were times I thought I would run out of breath, with the combination of the altitude and humidity draining my strength away, plus not knowing how far I was to the top, kept me blind to how much energy I needed to reserve. Luckily I was over the bout of food poisoning I had a few days earlier, otherwise I could have never made it.
Finally, after about an hour of trekking the mountain, I made it to the entrance of Machu Picchu. My moisture wicking shirt was drenched as well as the rest of my body..... But that didn't matter. I felt a sense of accomplishment and would have done it again. I quickly looked for anyone I knew, and soon ran into Oliver, who said most of the people in his trekking group were already inside. I told him I was going to wait for Rita and Josh, and he went back in through the entrance.
I then went right away to buy my ticket to get in. The entrance fee was 70 Soles. I didn't think I had enough money, so I tried paying in U.S. dollars. When I gave the lady my money, she said they only accepted Soles. I started getting nervous, because I didn't think I had enough Soles to get me in. Plus I was exhausted after hiking up the mountain and I was about to be devastated, just because they didn't accept of dollars. Every single place I've been to in Peru accepted US currency and the most famous and popular ruins in all of Peru and probably South America didn't accept US dollars. I was going to start getting mad. Just as i was about to voice my opinion, I thought I'd make sure and count how many Soles I had and too my surprise I actually had enough!! Relieved, I bought my ticket and stepped aside and waited for Rita and Josh to come on the bus.
About 2-3 buses came up to drop off tourists and back down to pick up more. Rita and Josh weren't on any of them. During the wait I noticed one of the tour guides and started enquiring about the cost. It was about 15 Sole, but they accepted US dollars, so I was OK here. I was also getting hungry, but the main cafe wasn't open yet. At this point it was almost 8am. Rita and Josh should have been up already and I decided to stop waiting and went ahead with the tour without them.
Comments