Peru 2006

Day 1,

Arrive at Dublin airport at 3.45 in the morning for a 6 o’clock flight to Amsterdam than to Bonier in the Caribbean where we had to wait for a 1hour stop over.

After our stop over we flew to the capital of Peru, Lima after spending which seems like eternity in immigration, we finally arrived at the hotel Mundbi where we told that breakfast was at 6 o’clock the next morning.   All in all while in the hotel I worked out  that we where flying for 16 hours, which for me is the longest  I had ever flew at that time, even though I quite like flying and the whole Airport experience I hate being cooped up for so long  in one place.

Day 2

Day two started with a shower at six and down to the lounge for breakfast, after which we went to the lounge to get ready for our flight to the old Capital of Peru called Cuscu and is still the capital of the Cusco province.

In Cuscu, we did a bit of sight seeing of the old square while gazing at the shops doing the usual tourist pickings in one of the highest cities in the world that I have ever been to. Sitting in “Cross Keys” which is probably the highest Irish pub in the world only the Irish would think of it, I had by first taste of Coca Tea that tasted something like nettle tea or what I imagined nettle tea would taste like.

Day 3

An early morning rise up at 5.30, morning was just too beautiful to miss and I wanted to watch every second of it. After packing I headed to the mess tent for breakfast, which was just one long narrow tent, breakfast consisted of either porridge or a bowl of Peruvian cornflakes.   At 7.30 we trekked for 40 minutes into the nearest town to visit an old fort called Ollantaytambo which standing at 3800m and is where site lay of the only battle the Spanish ever lost to the Inca due to the steep terraces that surrounded it.

That afternoon we hiked into the campsite for the next night which was a football pitch of the local school for the surrounding area, I use the term pitch loosely as it was basically an uneven half grass half mud field. That night was one of the most enjoyable nights of the trip, as the kids from the surrounding area came down to the school and we were dancing and laughing with the kids.

Day 4

After another good night sleep, I don’t know what it is must be the mountain air but I am having the best night sleep I ever had.

We go up early this morning at 5.30 to have another dose of our morning Coca Tea at this stage I am just about getting use to the tea. The reason for the early start was because we where treated to a special treat from the same local kids that we danced with last night.  They showed us their traditional dancing where the kids lined up in two groups with two columns and performed a local dance which was basically a dance of the  boys  against the girls  After the excellent performance by the kids we too had a surprise of school books and materials for the kids.

By eight o’clock we were on the track again for four hour trek to our lunch stop an old Monastery situated at 3500ms, with incredible views. Sights of huge valleys that stretch in an endless interlocking maze of other valleys dominated by majestic mountains

Day 5

Day of reckoning with a five o’clock wake up call and me sleeping in to six with a 6.30 start so we can reach the pinnacle of the whole trip a peak called Charkahwaylla standing at 4500ms. Boy its fucking cold up here in the morning and it’s the middle of the summer oh my god kind of put things into perspective.

The morning hike consisted of a 700m hike up a steep valley but before we started the day’s hike I had my first real experience of poverty while I was stuffing my face with my breakfast I was told to get of the sight of the local kids as they probably didn’t have any breakfast and on have one meal a day, boy did I feel like a bastard for worrying about missing breakfast.

That day we had all kind of weather from drizzle to driving rain, hailstorms and thunderous lighting, ahh the joys of hiking isn’t lovely I always said I wanted a challenge.  The thing about these challenges that they are 30% physical and 70% mentally and endurance, so if you can withstand it mentally by keeping your spirits high than you will be fine.

Day 6

Up in time today after breakfast we hiked for five hours to our next campsite dropping down to 2960m.  Trekking along the sides of majestic valleys with 400m drops down to the valley floors, where the river twisted left and right all the way to our campsite. We arrive at 13.30 had lunch and a wash followed by a game of football with the locals.  Ireland Vs Peru, I am proud to say that we where victorious.

That night we where treated to some traditional dish of lamb and potatoes cooking it by using hot stones.  I must say it was amazing and one of the best meals I ever had, after dinner we had some beers and sang Irish and Peruvian songs beside the fire the whole night was brilliant.

Day 7

Walking through the Sacred Valley trough Upiculs Forest and cactus fields seeing eagle, today campsite is like a five star hotel compared to previous campsites.   We were able to catch a shower first time in a week and one with a view.  Based in the shadow of Mt Veronica and snow caps peaks, over dinner we where treated to a magical rising of the moon over the Peaks.

Day 8

Up at five to an omelette breakfast “mmhh” but anything tastes great at these stages, afterwards we walk into the local village called Km 82 to get a bus to Al Tempo to catch a train to Km 104.   A remote area with no platform we just got off  on to the side of the track and trekked five hours along the popular Inca trail finishing up at the sacred site of Machu Pichu  on the way we encountered old Inca Ruins where we did a medication session looking over amazing valleys and roaring rivers.

Day 9

After an late start and a bit of a sore head from last night celebrations I decided to take a trip up to Machu Pichu but this time by bus which in itself is very daunting as the road is only capable to take one lane of traffic in some place even though it has to cope with buses going up and down it at the same time.

Unfortunately the bus trip was in vain as when I arrived up in Machu Pichu the heavens have opened up and it rained consently for the whole morning,  meaning that the whole of Machu Pichu was in a cloud.  So I decided to return back to the town of Machu Pichu along with the disappointment of not seeing the main attraction of this trip I was also mad with myself because I didn’t get up in time to go for a climb with some of the members of the group organisers along with Zoë and Keith who where members of Concern Challenge Staff.   Though in hindsight it turned out to be a good thing as the weather was really misty and wet, so I thought to myself “no worries there”.

Just  before I decided to return to the hotel and leave Machu Pichu, I took the time to meet up with some of the group for a spot of lunch in the coffee shop that provide refreshments for the vast amount of tourists that descend onto this beautiful region.  With its towering mountain peaks covered in a luscious green jungle carpet.  Over Lunch we decided to have a wonder around the actual town of Machu Pichu where the hotel in which we were staying in is.