Now we’re getting to the bulk of the trek. There’s just this part and then the Machu Picchu part to go!
Due to there being another group on the same trek, we wound up doing a bit of a different trek. It was still the Lares Trek, but it went a different way. I’m asuming the harder way.
We started out riding a bus for what seemed like forever to a natural spring. (I don’t remember the name of it.) We lounged around there and ate lunch then we set off on our trek. We were to do 8km the first day. No big deal, right? Wrong. I was winded within the first minute. It was horrible. I could not breathe up in the mountains. Furthermore, we were trekking through some very rough terrain. I didn’t even have hiking boots. I was going to wear my trail Nike’s, but at the last minute thought they felt a bit off so I went with my New Balance. I will later regret this.
There weren’t a lot of pictures from that first day. Hiking 5 miles in the Andes kicked my little ass. As stated, I could not breathe. This will happen again the next day. Anyway here are the few pics that I have:
This was my first time camping in years. Since I was around 10ish I would say. I did not expect to be sleeping out in a field amongst donkeys and other animals. It was really weird. There were pigs and chickens and all sorts of stuff. Not to mention dogs. There are dogs everywhere. Where the hell did they all come from? Who knows?
It was also very, very cold out. I wore the following to bed: tanktop, long sleeve, fleece, down parka, hiking pants, hat, ear warmers, and my hood. Fortuantely I wound up getting a little warm and being able to strip some clothing off.
We got up the next morning at early o’clock and were off. We still had to put in another 15k or so to make it to the top of the mountain. We decided to go a bit slower and let some of us catch our breath. Of course, I almost faint. My eyes were flat out rolling in the back of my head. It was pretty scary and I had to sit down. It’s like I never got acclimated and was always gasping for air.
Anyway, once that was behind me I felt ok. Maybe that’s what I needed to finish up. We were to climb 14,000 or so feet today. It was hard. My lungs and legs burned. I might have seen Jesus or something, but I made it to the freaking top of the mountain. Wanna see?
Those stones in the background are offerings that other hikers had made to the gods. I made an offering too. I was happy to be at the top and in one piece. It was muddy, and cold. I fell down in the mud a couple of times, twisted my ankle and was just flat out exhausted. I even sat in some sort of thorny bush that left me itchy for days. However, I would do it all over again. Where else can I get views like this:
Yeah. Beautiful.
Anyway, I made it to camp and almost fell asleep before dinner. I was afraid that I was going to fall face first in my food. I really don’t think I have ever been that flat out tired. I also had a small nervous breakdown that involved donkey poop. It’s everywhere and I just couldn’t take it anymore.
The next morning we hiked back into Ollyantambo. It was pretty uneventful except that I had to take off my shoes and cross a stream. I felt like a little tiny hiking badass!
Though I was dying to get back to civilization, this was the best part of the trip. Since my headphones were broken, I spent the entire time without an iPod and just took in the terrain, talked to the villagers, hung out with my fellow trekkers. The Andes truly humbled my little ass and made me realize how lucky I have it!
Anyway, up next: I head to a little place called Machu Picchu. The Lost City of the Incas. Yay!!!
