Inca Immersion to Machu Picchu

Day 1 - Salcantay Trek - It was still dark when we departed our hotel at 4.25am to get in a taxi headed for a bus to take us to Molleplata.  The taxi was 15mins early and we had expected to see a bus for 8 people (as we´d been advised by the tour company) rather than a huge bus for about 40.  It was the first of many expectations shattered.  The taxi ride was pleasant as we met 2 really cool french dudes (they had me at hhhello...).  There was a bit of confusion as to seat allocation on the bus and we were literally and physically in the dark as to who our guide was, which group we were in and what the f*** was happening.  Lethargy took over my nerves and the bus started winding its way towards Molleplata.  I awoke to sights of the cliff-edge at the window and sat through the nail-biting, but scenic ride to Molleplata.  When we got to Molleplata, the guides had identified their groups whilst our quartet, comprising of the French dudes (Christophe, Antoine, Mayling and me) looked like sheep looking for Boo Peep.  Mayling and I were advised by the tour company that our guide´s name was Walter.  Well it wasn´t, it turned out that our guide was Henry (the hobbit as we later named him) and the rest of our group (of 12 rather than 8) was on another bus.  We were ushered into a restaurant and presented with bread and coca tea which we all thought was complimentary but turned out not to be.  I met the other members of the group, including James (from Austin-Ohio), Nathan (from NY living in Chile), Dasha (from NY), Thomas & Iris (from Paris on uni exchange in Chile), Leonardo, Sylvia and Manu (from Brazil).  We didn´t know it yet, but we were to become like a family in the next few days bonding over the highs and lows of the Salcantay trek to MP.

It took another 40mins or so to load the mules (who were blindfolded before being burdened with stuff) and sort out other administrative issues (tthe brazilians had paid for a mule as Sylvia was injured but there was clearly no mule available for her to ride).  It was becoming apparent that the agencies that sell the tours pass on all responsibility once they get paid and there was no communication between the guide and the agencies.

We didn´t know it yet, but we were to become like a family in the next few days bonding over the highs and lows of the Salcantay trek to MP.

Finally we were off at about 9.40am.  It was a 3.5 hour trek till lunch.  I was glad to have had acclimatised in Quito and to have climbed Quilotoa, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.  It would have been really tough dealing with the attitude (around 3600m).  I found the first part really enjoyable, especially getting to know everybody and doing short bursts of climbing to reach the lunch spot.  Lunch (a very good spag bol) was served on a hill with the snowcapped Mt Humantay peering over a huge mountain range.  After lunch, I became acquainted with the ubiquitous Inkan toilet (ie. everywhere is an inkan toilet).

After lunch we walked for 4 more hours before reaching the camp spot.  The scenery was breathtaking (literally) as each step took us closer to the cream puffs of Humantay and Salcantay.  The temperature was also dropping dramatically.  Finally I got to the campsite just in time to see the sunset over the valley.

The porters had already set up our tents and May and I crawled into one, putting on everything in our bags.  It was freezing....definitely the coldest night I have ever experienced (though I´m sure Bolivia is going to challenge this comment).  The scenery was magic, surrounded by ice-capped mountains and blanketed by glittering stars.  It felt like a light show as I have never seen so many stars in one night.  I counted at least 4 shooting stars that night...and of course, forgot to make a wish as I was so gobsmacked by the beauty of it all.  If only it weren´t so bloody cold.  I eventually fell asleep and woke up frozen!