10,000 Steps Before Noon

On Tuesday we went to Machu Picchu!!! It was magnificent times a trillion! M.P only lets about 2500 people into the park everyday and only so many to hike the mountains around it. Huaynupicchu is about a 30 minute hike up and the 30 minutes hike down. This is the one I had planned on us doing, because everyone said it was awesome. Well when I went to reserve our tickets, that hike was sold out. So I reserved us tickets to hike Mount Machu Picchu instead. This is an hour and half up and an hour and half down (so they say).

We left Aguas Calientes at about 6:30 AM. We took a bus that went up the mountain on winding switchbacks. It was very intense. We arrived at the park at 7 AM. From the entrance we began our hike. It was about 2900 stairs (not really sure what they counted as stairs), 30-45 degree inclines, 3000 foot increase in elevation, kind of like climbing a rock wall in some parts, and a very long way to look down off the edge. It was a walk in the park...NOT!! After two hours we finally made it to the top and M.P. was pocket-sized, but still beautiful.

Georgia looking down at dad and I from above the hiking path

The hiking path and Georgia

WE MADE IT!!! Looking down at M.P.

We had a very nice break at the top of the mountain (about an hour) where we had a nice snack, because we were in dire need of something to eat. There was a tour guide at the top that was there to ask any questions that we may have had and he was very helpful...until he fell in love with Georgia. Then all of his efforts were focused on following her around the top of the mountain. It was very funny and very entertaining though. 

We finally began our hike back down, which was not as bad as we had anticipated. At the beginning of our hike down, we ran into our friends Greg and Kay. They are from Colorado as well, I don't know if I mentioned that before. They are a blast!!! Hiking down was just as easy as going up...NOT! We finally made it to the bottom of the mountain about two hours later and we were ready to kiss the ground. We looked to the top of the mountain and were so proud that we had just climbed that.

Meeting our friends! Georgia, Kay, Me, Greg and dad

WE MADE IT! The mountain in the background is where we were two hours earlier

After this we went and toured the actual ruins of M.P. They were so breathtaking! 

B-E-A-UTIFUL!

In the Princess Chambers

What a view!

Looking back on the ruins

More ruins

Dad and I

Funny Story: We are looking down the mountain from M.P. and across the river there were lots of people in camping in tents. Since I have been immersed in the Spanish language for about 3 months now, my English has really gotten worse. When I look over the edge, I see these tents and I say, "Hey look guys, they're tenting!"

We had a great day at the ruins and it was a beautiful! Definitely worth going! We were all very sore and quite sunburned by the end of the day. We caught the bus back down to Aguas Calientes and the ride back down was quite treacherous. However, we only came to a slamming stop once on the way down to back up and avoid hitting another bus going up the mountain. I have very much faith in the drivers here, even though you would probably classify them as "crazy drivers." 

We all went out to eat around the plaza and then Georgia and I got massages! It was well worth it because the next morning we were really sore. I will post another update about the last two days here really soon. I promise. It has been a struggle just to get the three posted that I have in the last two weeks.


Hope all is well!