Oct 31 Inca Trail Day 1

With a very bad feeling I am getting into the taxi at 4:05 and at the meeting point we meet Ben, who is also very pale. He tells us that he had been sick before and he is scared he won't make it. Well, that makes two of us. 

Everybody except for the two Canadian girls, which were already late for the briefing yesterday is on time. We also have some of the porters on board who will carry everything the same way we walk. We are on the bus for about 2h before we have breakfast in Ollantaytambo. The restaurant is open air and it is very cold. Since it has rained all night, it is also damp and I still feel sick, uncomfortable and not ready for a four-day-hike. My tablemates try to convince me to eat something to get some energy, but all I want to do is go back to Cuzco. We go to Ruben and Arzu explains that we are not sure whether we are fit enough to do the trail. He is very understanding and tries to tell us that everybody manages and we shouldn't be worried. We should try and until the second day it is possible to rent a horse or a donkey to come back if it is really not possible. After that there are the porters to carry someone out in case it is necessary. I am now thinking that I will at least try and I buy a banana to have some food for later when I can eat. The last 20 min on the bus. Everyone starts to get ready at km82, we are the first group to arrive. The porters pack their bags. We get a big plastic foil to put our things on while we buy the last necessities for the hike from the local women.

Here we go... I see the sign and we start the hike with a group picture.

Now I can't go back. It is cold and still cloudy and before I even realize it, Carlos stamps my passport with the first checkpoint stamp. I am on the Inca Trail. Now the only way to keep my self-respect is by ending it in Machu Picchu. I still don't feel well, but decide to walk it off.

We start easy and take several breaks on the way. So far it is going ok. When we stop at the first big Inca site, I am hooked and want to do this. The site looks amazing from above and Ruben explains why it was built here, what the different buildings mean and that you can see the shape of a snake surrounding it.

By lunchtime we already did half of our goal for today and it has not been that bad. We are greeted with a bowl of water for everybody to wash our hands and faces which is very welcome because it is sunny out and although it has not been that bad yet, we are all sweating.

We don't expect much to come from the cooking tent, but are all extremely surprised when we get handed little saucers with guacamole, grated cheese and a Nacho. Wow! And this keeps going. We get extremely delicious soup, trout with vegetables and rice and a vegetarian option and in the end Andean Peppermint tea for our siesta. It is amazing what can be done with a portable kitchen!

We keep walking and soon get passed by the 22 porters with all our things. Each one of them carries up to 25kgs on his back, all the way up and down just like we walk. They carry tents, our things, food, cooking gear,... Only the water comes from the mountains and gets filtered and boiled for us whenever we stop somewhere.

We walk past amazing mountain scenes and a camera cannot in any way catch the atmosphere.

After lunch we start going uphill and it gets a little more strenuous, but with all the good food in my stomach, I feel fine.

The group gets divided in two, the runners and the slow ones. I am finding myself too slow for the runners, but too fast for the slow ones and so I am walking alone.

Arriving at the first campsite I am amazed. It is beatifully located and has a great view into the valley we just climbed. I get some hot water and a towel to wash myself and use it extensively, also to dunk my feet. :) The tents are set up, the duffle bags with our belongings are waiting.

Before Happy Hour everybody is standing around in a circle talking and we notice that most of us are wearing Llama socks and Flipflops. It looks very funny and will probably be the sight for the next couple of happy hours we will have.

Happy hour consists of tea/ Milo (hot chocolate) or coffee with cookies and popcorn. This is the appropriate way to end a day of hiking.

We go from Happy hour straight to an amazing dinner and from there straight to bed. Everybody is dead tired from getting up so early and at 8 everything is quiet, literally.

What a good first day considering my doubts in the morning!