WOW...WE DID IT!!!!!!! What an experience to say the least. It all seems like a dream by now...a very exciting and wonderful one at that. We began the adventure on January 2nd with a new GAP group and our new and fabulous guide Ozzy (nick name). We were very lucky to have Ozzy for our leader, because just like our Solley from Bolivia, he was very passionate about his country and helped us to learn much about the culture. We did a one day tour of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley by bus which was gorgeous. We stopped at a little village and watched the women make authentic Alpaca products (not the fake ones you often see in the markets). We watched them dye the wool by boiling it with different leaves, or flowers...all natural. We also learned why the Peruvian woman have such amazing hair. They all have extremely thick long, shiny, dark hair tied into two braids....dream hair really. Ozzy mentioned that none of them has grey hair, even when they are 100yrs old...no greys! They wash their hair with mashed avacado! And once a week they do a treatment of egg whites...which the men do as well as it helps to cure baldness! So both Ivan and I will be trying this cool way when we return.....Ill keep ya posted!
That afternoon we spent exploring the grounds and Inca structures of Ollantaytambo which was awesome. We learned many things about the Incas, and seeing their buildings was amazing! We had a nice dinner that evening of their famous Quinoa soup and early to bed. We have had countless steaming bowls of quinoa soup here, as the grain is actually grown in Peru and Bolivia...they put it in EVERYTHING and its just awesome. I never knew there were so many ways to prepare it!!!!
The next morning was day one of the trek. There were 13 of us in the group, and we all kind of kept to ourselves for the first while. We were extremely lucky because the weather was warm and beautiful...as was the hike. It was amazing...although it was the gentle hike on day one, I still found it challenging. We did not train for this in any way, shape or form, and I am not a hiker....but a yogi....so some of the hills certainly had me breathing hard....but I LOVED it. Ivan stuck with me the whole way as we saw a variety of donkeys and llamas, birdies, goats, puppies and flowers. The scenery took my breath away...mountains covered in lush green vegetation...we were surrounded by awe! As we hiked through this amazing piece of earth, we saw the porters who were carrying everyones tents, and gear (6 kilos per person) run past us with their little rubber sandals....their calves were like big gnarly baseballs. It was amazing to watch these little men (I say little, because the tallest was maybe 5¨2 inches tall) run past us in order to set up camp.
Our first stop was for lunch and I KNEW this was the trip for me! Unlike probably 100% of the people who do this trip...I came for the food! I had heard it was wonderful and I was indeed impressed. Sure the landscape was nice....sure I was curious to see Machu Picchu, but really, I came for the FOOD! The sun was beating down and we were tired from the hike...they greeted us with warm juice which was perfect (all the water must be boiled first to purify). Then we washed up and hopped into the little tent they set up with a long dining table...it was just adorable! They served us a lovely hot asparagus soup to start and a delicous main course (if you can believe it, I cant remember exactly what it was!!! There were so many amazing meals). We enjoyed our food immensley and took a little rest afterwards before we began our afternoon hike.
It was a beautiful hike and when we arrived at the site finally, we were again greeted with cheers and claps from the porters (who of course had arrvied hours earlier). Our tents were all set up, along with sleeping bags and mats...it was simply lovely. We had a few hours to relax before tea time .....YES, tea time was 5pm daily, where we would gather in the dining tent and sip on a variety of teas and nibble pop corn, or fresh baked apple and cheese strudles!!!! My kind of camping!!!!! So the guys organized a game of soccer againts the porters. The ladies sat up on the rocks playing with the many dogs and baby chickens that would randomly walk by ( I do not include myself in this sort of behavior, as I am not prone to even petting your dog, let alone some foreign dog who most likely has rabies and fleas). Team GAP really showed those short 5 foot tall porters...who had been carring all of our clothes and gear ALL day, and kicked their ass...Ivan, as per usual was playing all out, slipped and fell and took a huge chunk out of his hand...but happy to say that was the only injury over the four days.....except for my psychologic injuries incured when going to the bathroom.
Uggggg the bathroom....or can I even call it that. If it was just to tinkle then the panoramic bathroom was perfect....a nice little squat in the mountains never hurt anyone, and was much more pleasant. But this particular night I had to do a number 2....I was terrified....but nature was-a-callin and I had no choice but to use the toilets. The smell was enough to gag you....so the concept is basically two foot grips and a hole....you do the math. YOU try aiming your dumps....good fucken luck....I missed...by a long shot....dry heaved twice....but then finally it was over...until I pulled the little cord and a huge splash of water came up from the ground to clear away the evidence....unfortunately splattering my legs and feet.....BARF. Needless to say, this was the WORST part about the trip...but everything else made up for it.
Dinner was scrumptious that evening...three courses each day, starting with a warm soup, and a main course of chicken and sauce with rice or quinoa, it was just splended enough to Enjoy!
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