Machu Picchu!!

So yesterday was the big day... and all it took to get from Cuzco to Machu Picchu was an hour-and-a-half cab ride, hour-and-a-half train ride, and thirty minute bus ride. The cab ride was conveniently arranged by our hotel. The train ride was kinda fancy and went thru the inspirational Sacred Valley (or Valley of the Gods) and the bus ride was a precarious journey up a series of switchbacks. Upon arrival, we had five minutes to jet thru the base of Machu Picchu to the trailhead of the Huayna Picchu mountain trail. We had to be at the trailhead by 11:00 or we wouldn't be allowed in... it was exactly 11:00 when we got there - whew!

The Huayna Picchu trail consists of steep stone steps with ascents and descents going both up and down. It yields amazing views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. It's quite breathtaking and breathless, both due to the altitude and beauty of the surroundings. It took about an hour and fifteen minutes to reach the top.

When we reached the top, thunder started to roll in the distance and a light rain started to fall. We took it all in and took some pics before heading back down. The thunderclaps became more furious but any lightning seemed to stay in the distance. The descent took about fifty minutes and left us craving some water (my guide book said we couldn't bring water in, which wasn't true, and we didn't have time to buy any).

We explored Machu Picchu proper - it was pretty amazing but also much more crowded than the limited-access Huayna Picchu trail. We eventually moved toward the entrance to find some water and discovered that the line for return buses was obscenely long. Thus, we grabbed our water and a spot in line for the trip back.

Once the bus returned us to the village of Aguascalientes, we boarded our super luxury train and settled in for some wine and cheese. Unfortunately, some jackasses decided to argue over their seats, which put a bit of a damper on the trip. However, it was still cool. Our cab driver met us at the train station and we enjoyed a pleasant, starry night ride back into town.

All in all, the Machu Picchu adventure was a life highlight and I will hold memories of the breathtaking sites forever :)