At first I didn’t have much to say that was nice about Machu Picchu the town. Everything I did was urking me a bit. It was amazingly beautiful, but it felt like everytime I moved it was costing me money. I also wasn’t able to book a hostel there so I had to book a budget hotel and I don’t know why but everytime I book a budget hotel it costs more and is worse than a hostel. That held true for here as well. My room overlooked main street which happens to have a fully functioning train track on it. My bathroom smelt of major sewar gas and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I suppose it didn’t help that the doorways and support beams for the hotel were so low that I hit my head 3 times, once so hard that I cut my head open. It got to the point that everytime I walked everyone around me would cringe and duck for me.
I promise that after this paragraph my story will improve 600%. The restuarants here are extra expensive and basically everything runs at a premium like any remote tourist trap does. So when I heard that the town has hot springs and it only costs 10 soles to get in I was so on that. However pictureing the hot springs of Jasper, Banff, or Colorado I was saddened to find 5 or 6 small pools of luke warm murky water. Borderline gross but it was nice to soak in some warm water for a bit. If you ever come here and are sad that you missed the hot springs, don´t be.
So NOW on to the F’ing AWESOME part! Actual Machu Picchu rocks so much that you will forget anything that happened before that point. I woke up super early at 5:00 am, so I could catch the first bus at 5:30. It was definitely a good thing I bought my bus ticket and my park entry ticket the day before so I didn´t have to wait in lines. Then the bus took us up to the Machu Picchu site where we waited only a short while for the park to open.
When it did I was running across the city of Machu Picchu in order to line up and get my ticket to climb Wayna Picchu. I was told ahead of time that if you want to climb the mountian Wayna Picchu you have to rush across because they only let the first 400 people up each day. They also only let 200 go in the morning at 7 and then the last 200 people go between 10-11. I wanted to be on the morning hike before it got too hot.
Well I did awesome because I was the 82nd person to be permitted on the 7 am hike. Then when they released us on to the hill I was the 42nd person on the mountian. Be warned that they do not allow food on the mountain and will search your bags and make you check the food.
Now I will start with the photo blog of this journey:
The Lineup waiting to climb to the top of the mountian you see on the left
The start of the hike to the top, one of like 3 flat sections on the hike
The start of the accent. If you look in the bottom right corner you can see the small staircase and there is a guy in a white shirt you can see on the stairs.
Looking down into the river valley
Looking back at the ancient city of Machu Picchu from the hike up the mountain
Yours truely sitting on top of the world
I like this picture however I get sick thinking about how close to the edge I was and I also don’t know about the perspective making me look as big as a mountian.
Now this picture is hilarious. Because I am 6’4″ or about 193 cm for anyone on metric I don´t enjoy caves. I have gotten stuck in more than my share. So when we go to the cave I asked the girl in front of me if it was the only way up. She told me that it was the only way up so into the cave I went. When I appeared out the other side she informed me “Oh it looks like my boyfriend’s path did work and you don´t have to take the cave, but while you are down there let me take your picture”.
I fell 3 times on my decent and was scaring the people below me. They weren’t serious falls by any means but scary non the less. You can see that these stairs weren’t excatly built for my size 13 feet. Sometimes they would bridge from one step to the next and I would ski down a couple at a time.
Some of the ruins around the back side of the mountain at the Gran Caverna (Large Cave). This cave I didn´t have any problems visiting LOL
This I guess is my “I conquered the mountian, walked up it, down it, around it, and can’t beleive where I am standing” picture
One of the many amazing views
Now that I was done with the mountain, I this shot and the next few are shots of the ancient city.
And that was my amazing adventure to Machu Picchu!
WOW! Those are amazingly breathtaking photos, Neil! It sounds like Machu Piccu is quite the adventure in all respects – Lol. I love the cave part…that’s just funny! Looking forward to the next story you have! Miss you!
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What a wonderful adventure! I shared the photos with Dave, my husband, who has always dreamt of going. We’ve decided that he’d do the trek up the mountain on his own and I’d stay and shoot the photos of the ruins! Looking forward to hearing more of your adventures. Snow here in Edmonton!!! Hopefully it’ll be gone by the time you’re back. C.
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Congratulations on reaching the top of the room!
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Oh geez I meant to say “top of the world!!!”. this is what happens when you’re on auto pilot typing
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WOW!!! Absolutely amazing pics!
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Those are great pictures soooo pretty.
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I’m so jealous! It’s looks so incredible!!! It seems like one of those places I’ll never be able to go to in my life… but I thought that about Cambodia too… so incredible… now I wanna go more than ever!
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Neil – – W O W !!! You & the pics are absolutely breath-taking !!!As for your size 13’s – sorry Honey, the ancients were “small” people – so they built their city to “fit” themselves !!! It would be scary, but look at the beauty & scerenity & closeness to “their gods” – – -how breath-taking & truly awsome their life-style must have been, as well as harsh!!!! I envy you, being there & seeing all that!!! GOOD ON YOU ! ! ! and enjoy every moment !!! Can’t wait to hear & see what comes next …. GOOD LUCK!!!\
Cath
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What an adventure!
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ONE Question, On Learn-ed Neil: HOW & WHERE did all the stones come from, that make up ALL THOSE STEPS ????
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Neil these are awesome!!
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There are amazing photos! I’m sure it was even more impressive being there in person. Thanks for the chuckles. Glad to hear that you had such a stellar time and made it back safely.
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Chalk up one more place to must “must see in person” list… that looks like an amazing experience to take in.
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WAO WAO WAO! that looks awesome!
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Thanks Neil! Jesse was astounded at the views and photos of Machu Picchu.
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