Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2003 - 9:41 p.m.
Reaching Macchu Pichu--Day Four of the Inca Trail
Morning came early. 4AM. Ugh. No tea this morning, just early rise and quick break down of camp in the dark Tried to roll up the sleeping bag in the dark (due to my flashlight not working). It wasn't easy. By the time I'd packed up and gotten my contacts in, everyone else was int he small wooden shack eating breakfast and all the bread rolls were gone. I scarfed down the pancake and tea. We learned that last night both Swiss girls had gotten sick, and of course Callie was still feeling really ill. Later, a few others, James and Corey also felt sick. I don't know why so many people got sick or nauseas on the last night!
We started to hike at 5AM. Everything was very dark. I tried to stay with the group, my flashlight was useless. Evn though I was with the group, it was hard to see the path, there were lots of uneven steps. Soon Maritza gave me an extra flashlight which was a lifesaver. We went through the last checkpoint, had to show our tickets. Then we were off--Maritza said it was about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes to the Sun Gate and asked that we wait for everyone to regroup there.
Soon I was hobbling by myself. A faint amount of dawn light was beginning to emerge behind the surroudning mountains. I kept hiking, picking up the pace a bit because I wanted to be at the Sun Gate to see the sun rise on Macchu Pichu. I pushed on, persuing the Sun Gate (Inti punku). As the light began to increase--and I could start to make the trail out better--it also started to illuminate the amazing scenery amount me and the valley below. At the bottom of the valley was the Urubamba river and next to that was the railroad tracks. I saw a moving light down below and realized it was the train. It blew it's horn. Soon I saw a flashlight ahead of me on the trail. I thought I'd caught up with our group, but soon realized it was just Callie with Corey and Paul escorting her. Callie was walking slowly--I could tell she felt terrible. I followed them for awhile, but eager to arrive at the Sun Gate, each minute the light was increasing, knowing the sun would emerge from behind the mountains very soon, I passed them and continued on. It was so peaceful and beautful,t he sound of the river below, birds flitting around the trees, chirping now and then. I would stop on occasion, as I had done the previous three days to take in the surrounding beauty, but today I was in a bit of a hurry. I was impatient, eager to see Macchu Pichu, something I'd wanted to see for many years. I was excited and elated. I had earned my right to see Macchu Pichu, having survived the Inca Trail (or as some say, the Inca *Trial*). I was so happy to know I had made it this far and I was freekin' almost there, I could taste it. The trail was relatively pretty flat, but at one point it again was a dreaded uneven steep stone staircase. I had cought up with another group at this point, we used our hands and feet to climb up the stairs, huffing and puffing. I had thought this was the enterance to the Sun Gate. I heard someone say "I made it!". But when I reached the top, I saw the trail continue. However, it wasn't much farther before I saw another small ruin with a stone arched doorway and people gathered on the other side, a faint buzzing of voices told me there were many people here.
I had made it. This was the famed Sun Gate. After I passed through the doorway my eyes finally beheld the beautiful sight far below.
Macchu Pichu.
Magical, mystical, beautiful Macchu Pichu. I was surprised at how small it appeared from our elevation (2,700m). The mountain behind it, Huayna Pichu makes the perfect backfrop. Later I learned that this mountain and the smaller peaks around it actually look like a face looking upwards, it's called the face of the Inca. Huayna Pichu makes the nose, the smaller peak to the left is the china nd the sloping sides on the right is the forehead.
We waited at the Sun Gate for the rest of the group. Everyone was there except Callie, Corey and Paul when I arrived. I had thought that when I reached this point, when I finally saw Macchu Pichu that I would cry, relieved to have finally obtained my goal of surviving all of the Inca Trail and finally seeing for myself this amazing site. While I definately got a littel teary eyed, I didn't cry. I was too happy. I looked over at Haydee and she grinned at me, she understood how I felt, she knew how difficult the trail had been for me.
Not long after, the remaining three finally arrived. Many fellow group members made encourageing remarks to Callie, who I could tell was so sick and worn out, having no energy, having not eaten hardly anything in 24 hours and finally arriving at Macchu Pichu. It is an emotional experience for many.
Soon we made our final descent, approaching the famed ruins down below and witnessing the sun start to illuminate the mountians and stones before us. I just couldn't believe my eyes. All these years of wanting to see Macchu Pichu and looking and pictures and imagining what it would be like, especially these last long 3 days on the trail and now, here it was. It just didn't seem real. The path was about another 45 minutes down and then we reached the ruins with Huayna Pichu behind it. The elevation of the ruins is 2400 m, actually lower than Cusco. We took lots of photos, had some time to rest and marvel (it was also cool to see the ruins without tons of people crawling all over it, something that only those who hike the trail get to see, viewing the ruins before the buses and trains full of tourists arrive). Then Maritza had us follow her to the last checkpoint and offical entrance to the Macchu Pichu sanctuary. Here we checked in our backpacks at the luggage storage room, and soon after began our two hour tour of Macchu Pichu.
