Day 7 - So close, yet so far!

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
We got up at 5am, prepared small day packs, and set off with the determination to see Machu Picchu today! We walked back down the train tracks that we had walked in on the night before. When we got to a station, we cut down to get to the bridge that takes us across to the trial to climb up to MP. The ragging chocolate river was flowing below us on the bridge and at points even was splashing against the bridge. Quickly across, we started up the steep incline of steps. They say it takes 2 hours to hike up to MP or you can take a bus up. Since nothing was crossing that brigde, and the boys were determined to hike the whole way. We were off, up the stairs. It only took a little less than a hour to make it to the top. I guess the 6 days of training and no backpack made a big difference.

When we got to the top, we walked up to the gate to only be told that Machu Picchu was closed! What! I guess that morning, 2 people had died on the Inka trail. The woman in charge was frantically running around talking to people, on the phone, and pushing tourists away. Another group of german, english, argentinia, and whatever else, tried to force their way in which only upset the woman even more. WE just stood back and watched. WE didnt want to be apart of that energy. We found a bench and set our stuff down and just waited.

Groups started coming off the inca trail and were also told they couldnt go into MP. So people were scattered all around the front entrance. I watched as one group went into the office to get their tickets stamped with the MP stamp. I wanted to get my passport stamped, so i waited until they were all done. Then the woman walked away and left the stamp on the counter. Standing next to Andy, i asked if he wanted a stamp in his book. So i stamped his book and my passport. As we walked out of the office we started talking to two women who were standing infront of the entrance. We told them we had just hiked 7 days to get here and just wanted to quickly see inside. They told us to come forward and pointed out the two woman in charge. They said to make sure those woman were not watching, and one by one, we could go inside to see and take a picture. We all right! Jus then both woman walked out of the office and down the stairs, and Andy turned around and walked up the walk way toward MP.

I knew I should have gone with him, but decided to wait and go in with Doug. After a while, Andy came back and Doug and I walked up. A little after we walked inside, one of the woman had followed us in and told us we needed to leave. She leaned against the edge of the wall and as she waited for us. When we got to her, she turned and said, ok, one picture. As she led us down more steps, through an entry to a house, which then opened up to all of MP. It was amazing! We each took a few pictures and thanked her as she called us back. I could tell how stressed she was, so i offered her a hug. I hope it helped some.

After a couple of hours of waiting around, A guide had convinced the woman in charged to let his group in. So we jumped on the chance and tagged along at the back of their group. When we got up to that woman, Lego told her that we had also been hiking for 7 days, we didnt have a ticket, but was wondering if we could just have a quick look. She looked at us, recongnizing us from waiting around, and just waved us in. Another guy who was standing there collecting tickets, asked for ours. Lego pointed to the woman, and she said, ´Today, we are not selling tickets, and I am not turning these people away!´ Wow! So into MP we were.

We first just walked around to various landmarks and looked around taking pictures. We ran into the group of german, english... we met earlier that morning. They had bushwacked their way up into MP. WAlking through the maze of various houses with Lego and Ned, we looked to see Andy, doug and Ike standing on top one of the ledges. We quickly found our way up their to join them up by the lookout point. We all just sat on the ledge with our feet over the edge, looking out over MP. It was amazing! There was hardly any people inside walking around. I couldnt imagine it filled with thousands of people.

A few boys decided to walk around to explore more. I went with, but only a few layers down, i was sick of walking and didnt want to go any further. So i sat on a rock and just took in the view. I closed my eyes for awhile and drifted off. When I awoke, i had forgotten where i was, and to see the view before me was breathtaking.

I rejoined the guys on top when Doug and Ike came back. Andy was going to attempt to climb up Huayna Picchu, which is the mountain behind MP. It was blocked off, but he quickly ran up the first levels of stairs. It took him only 15min to get to the top, instead of the hour it takes to walk. Up there, you have an even more amazing view down onto MP. It was cool to say, that he probably was the only person to climb HP that day!

After awhile, we thought it was time to leave. As we walked out of MP, we were awaited by an explosion of people and their stuff all layed out in the sun to dry. We reclaimed our same bench that we sat at before to wait for Andy to come out. We than sat there and made tuna sandwiches before packing up to head back down the mountain. Just as we were to leave, men walked out of the entrance with a stretcher, they had recovered the guides body, and walked him down to a truck. Instantly, complete silence as his body passed us.

We continued on our way down the stairs, which always goes faster than going up. When we got to the bottom, another truck approached, and from across the bridge, we watched as they brought out a stretcher, someone repositioned themselves, on it. And they carried it across the brigde. This may have been one of Argentinian girls who was injured. We stood out of the way, as they passed us.

Back on the trail to Aguas Calientes, there had been a complete shift of energy in the center plaza. People were playing soccer, music, and drinking and having a good time. All the manic people were at the train station trying to get out. People in the plaza were backpackers that didnt care when they got out. So we joined them.

We walked around the market and ate ceviche and papa rellenos. The woman told Ike that if we came back in the morning at 8, she would have hot chocolate for us. We then walked up to where the hot springs were and enjoyed a quite time there. Walking back towards the plaza, there was a huge line where people were waiting for the free food. We didnt want to wait, so we decided to check around the for other cheap food. Everything was closed, by the time we made it around town, and the line was shorter, so we just jumped into the line. We got a plate of food, and sat down in the middle of the plaza, enjoying the view around us.