Inca Trail - Day 4: 12/12/08

Ok, so I am going to pick up where I left off...arriving at the Inca Trail.  I wrote it in my journal when I reached Machu Picchu, so it's wrought with emotion :)

3:45am wake up call.  10 minute breakfast of toast and tea.  All picked up and ready to roll at 4am.  Our goal:  to be first at the gate that opened onto the trail to the Inca mecca.  

We reached the gate at 4:15am and were behind one group.  Percy informed us that the trail to the last "holding pen" before Machu Picchu was narrow and each man was for himself.  As he put it, "it's anyone's game!"  And when the gate opened at 5:30, it was all about hauling ass to reach the top first.

As we were a rather competitive and athletic bunch, we of course decided to take all necessary measures to dominate those in front of us.  The wooden gate opened (and I swear I almost heard an announcer shout, "AND THEY'RE OFF!!!!").  Naturally, our Type A personalities were not well received by the leading team.  A large redheaded boy lumbered along in front of me, and as I warned him, "passing on the right," he stuck his hiking pole out to try and trip me!

Of course, in hindsight, there really was no reason for us to 1) wake up so damn early, 2) be 1st, 2nd, or even 10th in line, or 3) haul ass for 50 min to be the first at the top.  As exhilarating as it was to be the first ones at the top looking down into the valley of Machu Picchu, we all had to sit and wait until 6:30 to proceed down. 

As we began our descent from the top of the mountain into the misty valley, Percy pointed out where MP was situated...beneath a thick cloud cover rendering it invisible.  But then an amazing thing happened.  The clouds parted slightly, forming a perfectly circular opening over MP.  We all stood gaping in wonder...even Percy was amazed!  We were the first group down there and the ONLY ones there, which means that no other group had this miraculous experience we did.  And as quickly as they opened, the clouds merged again and covered the Lost City once more. 

We continued to descend into the valley where we got our first close up view of Machu Picchu.  You may have seen pictures in books, watched documentaries, or seen other people's photos.   But nothing can replicate the true beauty that is this Incan city.  But I must admit...while it was truly amazing to finally reach our goal, for me Machu Picchu was only a small sliver of an incredible experience.  The friends I made, the physical challenges I went through, and the exposure to a beautiful culture made this trip one of the most fantastic things I have ever done.