There are so many websites and books that tell you what to bring on your day to Machu Picchu, and I ignored most of them since I am a really light traveller, and thank goodness I did. They tell you to bring far too much stuff. I mean, jeez-Louise, it's only for a day...and realistically, not even a full day. You don't want to be encumbered with 20 pounds on your back, especially if its really hot and humid.
It is cool at this early hour though, so I wore a light tshirt with a sweater overtop (my new alpaca sweater as a matter of fact) I figured that would be appropriate, and light cotton pants that flipped up and buttoned up into capris. For footwear I wore my hiking shoes. In my pack I had 2 bottles of water and a mini pack of kleenex, an orange, and my passport. Around my neck, my camera. In my pocket, Chapstick and 2 bandaids, and a few coins .Total weight, I don't know....a pound? I had purchased a light pack at a market a few days prior, and it was perfect. The heaviest thing was my camera.
I couldn't believe what some other people had....rainwear, extra shoes, a spare sweater, 4 big bottles of water, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, bags of fruit and granola bars, first aid kits; some backpacks must have weighed 15 pounds...I kid you not. I put sunscreen on my arms and neck before we left, and mosquito repellant on my ankles and that was that.
But, to be fair, if it had started to rain and we were stranded with no food, then I'd be the one who looked a fool, wouldn't I? So, you know, whatever floats your boat, whatever keeps you in your comfort zone.
The thing is, you don't have to stay inside the site the whole time. You get your ticket, go through the ticket place, and then you can come and go all day long. There is a small restaurant with lots of outdoor seating, a covered area and also seats and tables in the sun, there are bathrooms (pay toilets...one sole, don't forget to have some change in your pocket, and your own toilet paper. There are toilet paper dispensers just outsider of the stalls, but some were empty) a small souvenir store that also sells water and snacks and sundries, so as long as you have a bit of water and maybe a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit, you'll be just fine.
Oh, and by the way, walking sticks would be hugely helpful, but they only allow certain types, and they have to have rubber ends so as not to damage the grounds. Everywhere sells these, and I wanted one so bad, I adore walking sticks, but they confiscate them at the ticket place.
But I'm getting ahead of myself...we haven't even left the hotel yet!
We met downstairs and had a quick bun and some Nescafé, and headed out, walking to the bus station. We had been warned that in order to get on the first bus, we'd need to hustle, and a valiant effort was made, however some folks were a bit slow and we by the time we got there, the line up was long enough that it looked like we'd make the second bus....maybe even the third, but definitely not the first. Oh well, the buses only hold about 50 people, so I couldn't see that it would make a difference. It's being a few hours later that makes the big difference, that's when the trains from Cusco start to arrive, as well as the day trippers from Ollyantatambo.
Trudging up the hilly streets at 4 or 5 AM....too early to stop and take a focused picture. Notice some folks are in sleeveless shirts and others in down-filled jackets, so once again, each to his (or her) own.
We were told that when we arrived at the bus stop that there would probably be an hour or so wait, which is necessary to get on one of the earlier buses. We plunked ourselves down on the curb, and settled in for a wait. There were vendors walking around with trays of coffee and tea as well as breakfast burrito-looking things. I struck up a conversation with a young fellow who was nervously travelling alone since his partner had been struck with the dreaded altitude sickness and was back in Ollantaytambo. As a matter of fact, on the way up on the train, I spoke with a young girl from Halifax whose boyfriend was in the hospital with the same thing...and he was healthy and fit and they had both trained for the inca trail hike for months and months. So while it obviously helps to be fit, it doesn't mean you're not susceptible to becoming ill from the altitude, like they say, you won't know until it hits you.
But now the buses are loading and it's only a short amount of time until we're actually there! I can't remember if we got on the second bus, or the third...but as it turned out, it didnt matter anyhow.
The bus ride up is....well, something else. Its not a long ride, only about a half an hour, but it's practically straight up....honest! The switchbacks are incredibly tight, and the road is narrow and prone to washouts, the drop-off is steep, and it's not really wide enough for two buses, which is another good thing about being on the first batch that goes up....you don't have to jockey for space when you meet a bus that's coming down. The buses run every 15 minutes or so all day long, so there comes a point during the day that the roads are filled with buses coming and going, with drivers that seem to think its a racecourse.
It's considered of the most harrowing and hair raising roads anywhere, but I think that the people who say that are being a bit melodramatic, I didn't think it was quite that bad.
You can also walk up, there are steps and paths that go up the mountain, it's about an hour and a half hike, but I can't see it being enjoyable, you have to cross all the switchbacks, and the buses rumble by, spewing fumes and leaving clouds of dust.
This picture isn't mine by the way, it's a stock photo from a website, but it gives you a good idea of the road up. The road isn't paved either, dirt and gravel all the way.
The picture below is from Google Earth.
When we reached the gates, we were still in "rush mode", we had to get in line to show our passports and only then do you get to go in. Can you imagine if you had forgotten your passport? Jeez, run and get back on the bus down, run back to your hotel, back to the bus, probably have to purchase another ticket, another half hour up, by the crowds would have started to arrive...what a nightmare.
We got into line, there were already people in front of us, a few hardy folks who had walked up,and the people who stayed at the lodge there the night prior (yes, there is a hotel there, but it's a pricey one...not for the likes of me, the cheapest rooms are $732 US a night) and the ones who were on the bus before ours, I'd say maybe 100 or so? I was surprised, I thought that there were be oodles and oodles of people already there.
We were told that there might be another hour or so wait here, but I think it was maybe 20 minutes or so, it wasn't bad at all
Aaaand....if that's not enough, you can legally get a passport stamp! That part didn't open until 9AM, so I was hoping I'd remember to get that done on my way out, and that line-up wouldn't be forever long, I read that it can take over an hour sometimes.
Now I had a decision to make. Once we walked through the gates, the plan was to walk quickly, really quickly, please don't stop for pictures, lots of time for that later, we must walk quickly up a path to the place where the classic view of Machu Picchu is always seen. To talk about it makes it seem like it's a shame to have to rush...you'd think that the important thing is to savor the moment, but that comes later, when you're actually in the grounds. It's sort of crucial to rush now so that you can be alone later. Sweet Eddy became less sweet, warning us to move...run...quickly....beat the crowds.
That's actually not true, but he did try to hustle us along, and believe me, it was quite a hike. It was already feeling kind of humid outside, and those damn Incas made their steps so big...I don't get it, for such short people why were their steps so high? The path twisted and turned, and as we rounded each corner I anxiously hoped that this would be the end, but it never was. Never. Hours went by, and then days. Well, maybe 30 minutes, but it seemed so much worse. I was a bit apprehensive as to whether it would live up to my expectations. Finally....finally....we rounded a corner to a fairly large rocky outcrop, and ...there it was....instantly familiar and stunningly spectacular. All the descriptive words that I've heard used to describe it are both correct, and not nearly descriptive enough. All I could say was "Oh my god." It was as breathtaking as I had hoped, and I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the fact that I was actually there.
We admired the view for a few minutes, took our photos and the I had to decide what to do. The members of our group who had done the Inca trail hike were going to be at the Sun Gate, which was further up the trail from where we were right now, they were going to watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu. So, I could either hike up there and meet them (with a few others) and then we were all going to meet at the restaurant at 8:30 and have a guided tour, or, I could go into the "city" right now, and forfeit watching the sun rise...but the plus would be, being virtually alone in the grounds for probably an hour, maybe more, when the rest of the tour buses would arrive.
Well, up until this point I didn't know what I was going to choose, but once I actually stood there and looked at the emptiness below me, I knew that that was where I wanted to be. I'm not a sunrise fanatic, and it was nothing that I had heard or read about prior to this, so it's not like it was something I was yearning to do. But, being solitary? Alone? That's me. Off I went.
One of other ladies came along, we wandered for a bit and then she decided to go to the restaurant and wait for the group. I was alone. Even though there must have been a few hundred other people there, it seems like everyone had the same plan....find a quiet spot and just be alone. I had some things to do, and some thoughts to think, and I just meandered around...it felt like it was just me and the llamas. I am so happy that I chose to do this, rather than the Sungate. It was right for me.
Just look at how empty the grounds were.
Doesn't that look like a man in brown jacket, white pants and a black hat? If you enlarge, you cans see that they are both llamas. (In the above picture)
But alas, all too soon it was time to meet up at the restaurant and meet the guides which were to then give us an actual tour. I will say, it was very interesting, but the crowds were arriving and there were virtually no secret, quiets spots left at all. The one "classic" viewpoint, the very first one that I saw, had over a half an hour wait for a person to have a solo picture taken. It was like a photo booth. Getting up at 3:30 was sure worth it!
It's picture below shows a bit of the crowds...and it was only about 9:30AM....I can't imagine the how crowded it would be by midafternoon.
I was happy to sit by myself on the bus and to gaze quietly out the window and contemplate the sights I had seen. Of course that was in between gasps of horror as we squeezed past other buses on their way up, but at least if we went careening over the bank, I'd go happy and with a tiny vial clutched in my hand.
Back in town, we went to a local restaurant called Pachamama, which means Mother Earth. I usually drink water, but the idea of an icy cold Coke just seemed so decadent that I ordered one up. I might drink one Coke a year, but I just craved one. It's unusual enough for me that it warranted a picture.
I also smelled the pizza as I waked past the pizza oven, so that was a must-have also. It seemed funny to celebrate my visit to such an ancient citadel by having Coke and pizza, but it just fit the moment and man, was it tasty!
We did some shopping at the market, and headed back to the hotel to get organized for our trip back to the Prisma Hotel (again!) and then we were off on a whole new adventure.....the Amazon!
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