As a consequence of having such a ball in Cusco, our preparation to trek the Inca Trail was less than ideal. But having booked and paid for the journey back in August, our fate was locked and loaded.Covering 40km, over three nights and four days, the hike to the ancient lost city of Macchu Picchu is made by around 25,000 tourists each year. The Inca city is routinely closed for maintainence in February and rumours abound that the Government will soon drastically reduce the number of visitor permits annually. Essentially the track winds its way up down and around the maountains, snaking over three high passes, taking in cliff hugging ruins and vistas of snowy peaks.
Day 1 and we set off early for Kilometre 82 and the beginning of the trail, having met the 14 people who would become our Inca family over the next few days. We are blessed with a fantastic and diverse group comprising four very sound lads from Melbourne, a couple also from Melbourne, another pair from Holland, Colorado and a quirky father-son from Switzerland. Decked out in our shiny new trekking gear and walking sticks, we smiled for the obligatory family photo and set off on our merry way. Extreme trekking... here we go again...
Over 5 hours, there were several inclines which got the heart pumping and I did start to wonder what we'd gotten ourselves into. But in hindsight day 1 was a breeze... or as our trusty guide Bruno more aptly put it, "a piece of cookie". 
I won't go into a blow by step by step description of the second and most challenging day, as every minute is seared onto my memory and not likely to fade in a hurry. Suffice to say that the ascent to the suitably titled 'Dead Womans Pass' at 4200m up rocky steps each half a metre high, in the driving rain and wind, was a challenge like nothing I'd ever experienced. But what a feeling reaching the summit! I don't know that there are too many times in my life when I've been required to really push myself physically - so it is a shock to the system. But so incredibly worth it.
The average time on day two is generally four hours up and two hours of knee-jarring descent to camp. I clocked in at just over four hours in total and was pretty pleased with the effort. Despite the fact that once the pass was in view I felt like I was walking the same step over and over... but the satisfaction at the end was worth it.
The view from camp at Paqaymayu (3500m) speaks for itself (picture above) and we spent the rest of the afternoon admiring the view and teaching our new mates popular card games like Shithead. Especially during everyones favourite time of the day 'Happy Hour' (popcorn and cookies) and dinner time when we ate like kings on everything from schnitzel to stirfries.
All the bits and pieces for which (inlcuding tents, chairs and gas bottles) were carried each day by our team of porters, who all stand no taller than I, and carry an average haul of 18kg. The porters wear little more than sandals and overtake backpackers gasping for air at 100 miles an hour, breaking little more than a sweat.
Day three was the most picturesque and whilst we hiked a full seven hours, the 'Peruvian flats' (short bursts of up and down the whole way) were much easier to negotiate. Walking through several Inca tunnels and the stunning cloud forrest on this day was just unforgettable. I was in particularly good spirits as I managed to keep up with the strapping Melbourne lads all day.
The tempo of the group lifted considerably as we zig-zagged our way down to camp at Winay Wayna, where there would be hot showers and cold beers available. We settled on the latter as we all felt that as hardcore trekkers dedicated to the experience, showering would be cheating.
A 4.30am wakeup call and two final hours of trekking around the side of a cliff - still in the rain - brought us to Intipunku or the 'Sun Gate' and our first glimpse of magnificent Macchu Picchu. Whilst it was only a glimpse between patches of fog, it was simply incredible and a sense of elation took over that quickly diminished the aches and pains. On reflection, this was a real watershed moment in my life. I was somewhat overwhelmed by not only the magnificant structure unfolding before me, but with a sense of real accomplishment. That I had just experienced something very special.
The rain had really set in by the time our tour of the ancient fortress began, and it was a shame but we struggled to stay motivated - and dry. But the structures were still incredibly impressive and are quite majestic the way the sit nestled on the Andean slopes. The Inca's were quite the industrious mob! Although it's hard to imagine how such a remote place was once the hub of a thriving empire.
We made our way back down the mountain and to the gateway town of Aguas Calientes, where pizza and coffee was our reward. Pats on backs all around... we just trekked the Inca Trail!!
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