We were up at 4am and left the hostel to begin the Dawn walk up there by 5am.... it's a tough walk, I believe one of the girls counted how many steps up there are... something like 1400 i think it was... and i have no idea how she counted them, it was all i could do to breathe!!! the first part to the base of the mountain is fine but once you start to ascend it's not the easiest thing in the world... i was determined though so took a deep breath and off we went. (Pic below is Katy and I looking our finest (?!) having nearly climbed all of said steps!!)
I have to just admit, and acknowledge, one thing and one person before I continue though.... somehow and I'm not sure how but I certainly wasn't complaining, I'd found myself with my 
own personal bag carrier... namely Chris... the American I mentioned in the last entry. Yes, I quite agree the phrase 'Jammy Cow' springs to mind.... and i think that's prob what Katy and everyone else was thinking too. I will just explain though, it's not quite as cheeky as it sounds... Chris only had a big backpack with him and didn't want to carry it up to Machu Picchu but had snacks and stuff to take up with him and no bag to put them in... so offered to carry the bag of whoever let him put his stuff in with theirs... 
I just got in their first... well, do you blame me?! In fairness though, he did go above and beyond... even after all his snacks were gone (which didn't take long Chris being Chris!!) he continued to carry my bag throughout the day, even when climbing Huayna Picchu.... and took it all the way back to Aguas Calientes for me too!!! Although he did have his unbelievably sweaty top from the walk up in the side pocket which I didn't want to go anywhere near so i think it was partly fair! haha!! No seriously... thanks Chris... you made my life a whole lot easier that day, it was much appreciated!! (Just for the record I wasn't completley mean, I did carry Katy's bag for a little of the way up to give her a break!! ;-) oh and pic here isn't Chris.. it's our fab guide Justin.. thought I'd just show you guys him! He was lovely, fab at his job and the sweetest guy ever. Thanks for everything Justin, you made our trek wicked!
Anyway... back to the matter in hand...... we made it up to the top by about 6.15am and set about entering Machu Picchu.. we still had a bit of a climb to go before we reach the view point but we were nearly there. First though we had to do the official bits, including getting our passports stamped.... I was loving that it had it's own stamp, another one for the collection and Jules, it has a stamp so it had to have a badge too... they'll be one sewn on the bag soon!!!Once through passport control we headed up for the final climb... it wasn't a long one and before we knew it we were walking out on to the open with Machu Picchu revealing itself below us.... the view was unbelievable, I really don't have the words to describe it. The picture below is that first view... it doesn't even look a fraction as impressive as it really was.
I'm sure all of you know all this but just in case... Machu Picchu is literally translated as the 'Old Peak' and known as the City of the Lost Inca's. It's basically a pre-Columbian Inca Ruin located high on a mountain ridge. It took the Inca's 90 years to build it and it was obviously all done manually, with them carrying the rocks (and they're not small) up the mountain on their backs. It stands at an elevation of approximately 2350m above sea level and sits above the Urumbamba Valley in Peru. There you go, a little bit of info for you all....!!!!
Back to my day up there though, cos that's obviously far more important than all that factual historical stuff... haha!! We stood in awe for a bit just taking it all in when we first saw it, people had told me how it takes your breath away when you first lay eyes on it but you don't really expect it to..... which probably just makes it all the more amazing!! Before we even realised what was happening it had all but disappeared beneath a thick layer of cloud... the sun hadn't properly risen yet and so the atmosphere was somewhat eerie but also added to the amazingness of it all (is that even a word?!?!) We continued on to another point where Justin gave us some history on the place and took the group piccie you see here.
Then we started our tour, Justin being the fabulous guide that he was took us round for an hour or so explaining all sorts of history and symbolic meanings and all that about the place. It really is incredible. After that Justin headed back to town to get lunch under way for us while the rest of us had some free time up there do look around some more or do one or two of the other hikes... up to the Sun Gate, to the Inca Bridge or up Huayna Picchu.... Katy and I having taken leave of our senses decided that we wanted to do both Huayna Picchu and the walk up to the Sun Gate... my hip was crying out... 'don't do it you fool!' but I wasn't about to give up now and I knew if I didn't go to both I'd regret it. The pic here shows Huayna Picchu in the background... how on earth did I make it up there??!!! Huayna Picchu translates to New Mountain I believe, although it's just as old as the rest but was rediscovered more recently... it is also home to the Temple of the Moon.. a cave near the top that is believed to have held mummies in the Inca's time.
Anyway, somehow our determination rubbed off on Chris too and he found himself, despite his claims there was no way he was going to, setting off on the climb up to the top of Huayna Picchu with us.. not before I clandestine toilet stop in the quietest, most secluded spot we could find... yes, I know we really shouldn't be relieving ourselves on protected, historical, sacred Inca grounds but needs must.... what can I say!!! Anyway, bladders emptied, we set off.... I have to admit I wasn't relishing the idea but I was looking forward to having done it.... the mountain is ridiculously steep and towers over Machu Picchu. 
The climb is all on steps, and just to be cruel you start by descending some distance before you can actually start the climb up. They say it takes an hour to walk up to the top...... you'll all be amazed to know I made it in 38 minutes... Katy and Chris both beat me (Katy did it in about 32 mins i think, and Chris in about 20!!! Well, the boy lives in California and typically so, what can you do!) but that's not the point, the point is I made it.. full stop! It wasn't an easy climb (although Chris still had my bag so it was made slightly easier thanks to that) and there were several stops on the way with my hip crying out in pain and not really wanting to support my weight anymore but check out the view on this pic here.... that's Machu Picchu below us in the background.... how could anyone not want to experience that!! I'm glad it was afterwards that we found out about the amount of injuries (and worse) from people falling off!! It was every bit worth the pain though i have to say, The pic below is the 3 of us right at the top, as far up as you can get... you can see the point in the pic above looking towards the mountain... I know I keep going on about it but it really was unbelievable!
Once we'd sat and enjoyed the view, looked around at the ruins up there (even more unbelievably, the Inca's built up there too!) got scared from dropping my water down a crack in the rock and got our breath back, we ventured back down... I think this was even scarier for Katy, coming down those steep steps right at the top, it was only my glacier 'training' from the ice steps in NZ that made me ok with them all!! We had to be back in town by about half one so only had limited time to make it to the Sun Gate... something I really wanted to see.
We bumped into Dawn and Johnny when safely back down at Machu Picchu and left Chris with them, he was wimping out of the walk to the Sun Gate... another 45 minute uphill walk... although took my bag with him so I wasn't really complaining!! Katy and I set off for the Sun Gate, only to be told by one of the officials just a few mins along the way that thanks to the recent landslide we needed a guide to accompany us up there... and there wasn't one available for another hour.... we didn't have an hour to wait and so at a loss of what else to do, gave up and made our way back to the hostel. I don't know whether we were had for 
fools and the guide thing was rubbish or not but i am so disappointed that I didn't get to see the Sun Gate... I'll just have to go back and do the official trek so I can arrive through the gate next time. It didn't really diminish what was a totally awesome experience though.... I can't believe I've actually made it there after all the years I've wanted to go and physically it was a pretty big achievement for me too! I'm still completely in awe of the place and can't recommend enough that you should do it. And for those that told me in no uncertain terms not to get the train and bus up there... thanks, I never intended to anyway but trekking up there is so much more rewarding!
The rest of the day was pretty easy, especially compared the previous 4 days... we all lunched together at the hostel in Aguas Calientes before hopping on the train back to Cusco, minus Justin who had to get a later train. The train journey back took a 
good four 
hours and was possibly the most entertaining train journey ever, aside from our card games, i-pod sesh's and chatter we were treated to some classic Peruvian shows; a fashion show and a musical of sorts with a scary looking man in a mask skipping his way up and down the carriage and stopping to involve random passengers, Chris and Johnny included, along the way... it was highly comical trust me!!
We'd planned our post tour piss up for the following night as everyone was so shattered from the early start and the last few days so once back in Cusco we said our goodbyes for the night and all headed off for well earned sleep in our respective hostels! A welcome thought but it was also with a little sadness that I realised it was over....... it was hard work but as one of my must do's off this trip, let alone pretty much most of my life, it was more than worth it. I couldn't have wished for a more brilliant experience and I'm so glad I've been lucky enough to do it. xx
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