Machu Picchu

Where to start with Machu Picchu - from the herds of people racing and fighting to be the first to get their piece of this lost Inca city; or the view from the top of Wayna Picchu when the mist suddenly cleared, like pulling the curtains open on a view of all of the city in its incredible might and height? Being at and seeing Machu Picchu was definately an experience of a lifetime.

We got to Aguas Calientes aka Machu Picchu village on thursday night, ready to get our few hours of sleep before the wake up at 4.30am when the race started. We had thought about walking up to Machu Picchu instead of taking the oh so touristy bus - but as we got teh tickets free with the train and hostel booking we couldn´t resist but not - walk that is. At 5.10am thinking we were quite early as the first bus doesn´t head up the mountain untill 5.30am - we found ourselves standing at the back of a huge line in the moring drizzle along with the rest of the world - except Peru... I don´t think I´ve ever witnessed so many people lining up for anything - it was like waiting to get into a rock concert where all the fans are fighting to get the closest view of the star. Just unbelievable. Well, we did make it up in one piece, only to be greeted yet with another huge line of people now waiting for the gates to open, ready to pour in.

And that wasn´t the end of it. As the gates opened the next race was to get to the line of Wayna Picchu, as only 400 people a day get to climb the mountain providing a panoramic view of Machu Picchu. Luckily we´d been coached by our guide for the quickest route - and got tickest number 285&286...phew...;) what a place - but oh so worth it!!


The early morning was very drizzly and cloudy, we could hardly make up anything from further than a few meters away - but just as we started our climb to Wayna (a pretty much vertical climb of stairs with a drop of I´m guessing about a 1000m only inches away...) the clouds started to clear and literally as we got to the top a breath of wind blew the remainder of mist away and uncovered all of Machu Picchu infront of our eyes. The view was just amazing - and I know that doesn´t say much, but how to describe it? You are standing at the top of a mountain of 2400m looking down at a huge city that was built hundreds of years ago which looks like a scale model from the height your at, on both sides of the skinny mountain top your standing there´s nothing but a vertical wall of rock untill it touches the ground deep down in the valley. All you can do is stand there with feelings of vertigo and amazement mixed with a little bit of fear...

The rest of tha day flew by as we explored the ruins, we had spent 8hours at Machu Picchu when it was time to head down to catch our train back to Cusco, but could´ve easily spend a lot more. As we made our way down the drizzle came back as if to close of the show.

Here´s a few photos to accompany my desperate description of the wonder we wintnessed...

The Inca ´death´Bridge...