The march to Picchu

There is a train to Machu Picchu. However, I think it's only used by overweight American tourists. Most people prefer to spend hundreds of pounds walking there instead. We didn't want to have to tell people we'd just got the train, so we decided to hike via a massive mountain called Salkantay. It's not the 'official' Inka Trail, as you need to spend even more money and plan 9 months ahead if you want to do that. The one we did was longer, higher and generally more hardcore. It was hard to feel really hardcore though, as the guides who 'assisted' us loaded up horses with all the cooking and camping gear, ran ahead of us each morning and had a 3 course lunch waiting for us by the time we'd stumbled over the mountain. In the afternoon, they'd stay behind to pack up everything from lunch, then come running past us and have all the tents and another massive meal ready for us a few hours later when we came crawling into camp.

This is what all the fuss is about. It's no wonder the Spanish never discovered Machu Picchu - it's up a massive mountain and pretty much always covered in clouds. The posh parts (temples etc.) were built without mortar - some poor bastard had to shape each stone individually so it fit exactly, just by rubbing it with water and sand. There's tons of other interesting things about the place but I'm not going to write about them all. Read more here if you're really interested.

Despite the aching feet, clouds, rain and extortionate cost, I would definitely recommend everybody to go there. It is amazing.

Needless to say, we got the train back. It was full of overweight American tourists mixed with twenty-something gringo backpackers stinking from 4 days hiking without a shower.


So that's another 'New Wonder of the World' off the list. Only 4 to go (3 for Erin). Although Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro shouldn't even be on that list. Fix.