I was finally on my way to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, fulfilling a longtime dream to see the Andes Mountains and the archaeological wonders of Peru. While hiking along the steep paths and long flights of stairs on the “Classic” section of the Inca Trail, I pondered the Incas and their ancestors who had thrived in these rugged mountains. The ancient roads and trails I was following had once been used by huge caravans of nimble llamas with their soft footpads and armies of soldiers with feet clad in fiber sandals. Today, hikers like me in boots with Vibram soles, and local porters in sandals with tire tread soles, are using the trails on treks that reach ancient ruins.
Later that night while camping, I became wretchedly ill with a gastro-intestinal upset. Not good. At all. I’d been as careful as I could be to stay healthy, but the frequently sketchy sanitation of rural Peru had clearly caught up with me. The only positive part of that night: admiring a spectacular display of sparkling stars splashed across the sky when I needed to leave my tent.
The next day will be etched in my memory forever. We faced the most difficult hike of the 4-day trek to Machu Picchu, including crossing the 13,780 foot elevation Dead Woman Pass (Abra de Huarmihuanusca). This name was a remarkably – and unpleasantly — close approximation to how I was feeling. After my almost sleepless night, our group hiked across not one but two high passes on the mountainous route, separated by a steep descent of more than 2,600 feet. I didn’t have a Fitbit activity tracker back then, but if I had I expect I climbed somewhere around 500 staircases. It was a very long day.
During my frequent stops along the trail, I morosely watched Andean condors soaring above the mountains, close relatives of scavenging vultures and the largest land birds in the Americas. Our Peruvian guide kept encouraging me onward; in the afternoon he carried my “luggage” (day pack) and waited patiently whenever I rested. Midway through that long and miserable day, the guide told me I had a “strong wheel”. “Wheel?” I pondered in my dazed and exhausted state – finally understanding that he meant a strong will. Yes, I did have a strong will, but then, I certainly did not want to squander the months of training and anticipation I had undertaken for this trip, much less to be a meal for an Andean condor. And so, I stumbled on, following the ancient trail towards Machu Picchu.
Overall, my trip to Peru was outstanding (despite some very low moments)! And what memorable adventures have you had while traveling in an exotic place? I’d love to hear about them.
I can empathize with your misery that day and admire the strong *WHEEL* that got you over those two passes. GLORIOUS photo of Huayna Picchu. Wow!!
Thanks Diana!
Sounds awful, Roseanne. But you fared better than a friend of ours who encountered similar distress while hiking that very same trail. She was certain that it was “just” a bit of GI bug, but soon found out it was appendicitis! She had to back hike out the next day to get to a spot where they could get her to a hospital. After emergency surgery, the staff gave her the appendix in a plastic baggie. What a memento. Oh, and Machu Picchu was her delayed honeymoon trip. (Btw, Carolyn was the officiant for their weeding at Glacier Point – spectacular spot).
Sounds terrible – yikes! And yes, I certainly fared much better. (I would be quite unhappy about going into any kind of surgery in that region!) Thanks for writing — and for a great story!
Thanks for the great information for us.
King regards,
Thompson Cannon