The third day was meant to be the unforgettable day...because we were going down to the Rain forest, and it was supposed to be beautiful. Unfortunately we finally had our first day of crappy weather so it was misty and foggy and very rainy. It only down poured for a few moments during the day, but the view was a bit marred. That said, you could just imagine what the scenery would have looked like if the sun were shining....it was gorgeous..and even in the fog ...it looked mystical.
The hike was easier today, and Ivan and I hung about 5mins behind the group to stop and take photos of the flowers, bamboo and winding paths. And half way through the day ....IT HIT....my stomach began to gurgle, the cold sweats came in and I needed to find a bathroom fast. Clearly all of the different foods over the past month had finally taken their toll.....going from a Naturopathic cleanse for two months to eating rich foods was ready to give me revenge.
Unsure of what to do, I just focused on the path...praying that a solution would present itself...after about 30 minutes I asked the guide sweetly "when is the next bathroom stop"? He politely replied...not for another 2 hrs....so Ivan and I can guard the path while you use the panoramic toilet. OMG....really?! Clearly he thought I only had to go tinkle....but I was desperate....so Ivan tried to scout out a corner on the narrow path as it began to rain hard. He found a slightly hidden corner....FORGET IT!!! there is now effin way I was going to take a diarrhea on the open path in the rain...I started to cry a little...thinking why the fuck did we spend so much $$ on this stupid trip when I could be in Hawaii or some exotic place where I can take a shit whenever I should require it....my new definition of luxury.
Needless to say, we had to take the short way and missed out on extra 20min jungle tour, but I didn't care...I thought I was going to explode, so ran for the last 30mins, praying for a nice toilet...and as soon as we got there, our guide told me to just use the ranger station toilet and he would ask permission after.....I RAN past all of these dudes with guns, wondering what I was doing...and finally found relief....and I am sure everyone right up to Machu Picchu heard it. It was as bad as that scene from Dumb and Dumber....thank god I would never have to see these people again.
Ivan was waiting in a little museum close by...and came out and said..."don't go in there" I wondered why as I peaked inside and immediately saw large glass cases filled with terror. That's right...filled with all of the creatures that one could find in the area....I saw 3 or 4 HUGE furry spiders and a few snakes and ran the other direction....and those were just inside the doorway...There was a whole room dedicated to those disgusting creatures....I immediately tried to make my brain think of gum drops, lolly pops and rainbows.
We feasted on yet another beautiful meal that evening before retiring very early. I slept slightly better because I was so exhausted from all of the days activities. 3 am came very fast. We had to get up so early in order to be the first group at the entrance to the park, where we would take our final walk to the Sun Gate. We ate a bit of breakfast, popped our headlamps on and made our way to the checkpoint....we were the second group in line, as a Private group made it before us.
Here we had to wait for a few hours, in the cold and dark for the station to open up. Crowds were piling in behind us....everyone in great anticipation of the coveted view from the Sun Gate. As the time approached you could feel the energy in the crowd shift....people became anxious and excited...and then we were through the gates and there began the Amazing race...or should I call it the retarded race. Everyone took off like a shot gun, trying to get ahead of one another...I did my best to keep up with Ivan who wanted so desperately to get to the next checkpoint to get a ticket for Huayna Picchhu (another mountain to climb-psycho). We passed the first group within minutes, and then some folks behind us pushed past as they wanted to be in the lead....it was stupid...as I felt my lungs heave...feeling like a heifer, I stopped. I decided not to keep up the ridiculous pace...just so I could be of the first to see the sun gate.
I relaxed...took a breath and looked around...it was beautiful...and all of those losers ahead were totally oblivious to the views around. I took a sip of water, tied my hair back, ate a few snacks and then carried along at my own pleasant pace. I clambered up some very steep rocks, and huffing and puffing I saw a small group of people lounging about...I quickly asked which way I was supposed to go to find the magical sun gate...and they all replied with disappointment...this is it. Oh...okay...THIS is it? The fog and mist had rolled in, so we were not going to experience the famous sun rise....we couldn't even see Machu Picchu. So we decided to wait and see if the fog would burn off. We sat and chatted for about 30mins before we finally got our first view of the famous city of the Incas. It was pretty cool...but nothing to be pushy and competitive about. Hundreds of people sat on the walls of the sun gate...the obnoxious loser from Brazil attempting to get the crowd to yell and cheer...but I was content to sit in peace and snack on my granola bar and cookies.
Eventually we carried on, and the sun burned through the clouds and we made our way through the spectacular ruins of Machu Picchu. It was super cool....at the beginning of the trip, I thought I might get emotional...have some profound spiritual experience...feel at one with life....but nope...felt nothing but hungry. Don't get me wrong...yes it was certainly cool...amazing to see what this ancient civilization had created so high on a mountain top....but for me, the real adventure, learning and excitement was on the path of the Inca Trail. I mostly felt happy that I (and my marriage) had survived 4 days of intense hiking (to me), rain, smelly bodies, annoying people, disgusting toilets and extreme elevation. It was certainly 4 days that I would never forget...and as I sat there, snacking on a sandwich, I felt a sense of pride, and accomplishment.... a feeling that anyone would surely Enjoy!
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