Cusco, Peru

Tomorrow we are up at 3:45 am to start our treck to Machu Picchu. We have to take a 3-hour bus ride, eat breakfast, and then the walking begins. The first night we´ll be camping at the base of a glacier mountain, and it will probably be a near-death experience for me, as it is supposed to be our coldest night of the trip. The next day is the hardest climbing-wise, as it is four hours straight up to 4,700 meters at the highest point. The following three days will be warmer and easier in comparison, so we just have to get through the first night and second day and things will be good. The plan is to be the first ones to Machu Picchu on the fifth day, which means getting up at 5 or so, I believe. I´m really excited for this!

Yesterday we did a 6-hour hike in the hills outside of Cusco to aclimate to the height and the physical exertion. It felt great to get out and walk all day, though the altitude knocks the wind out of you as soon as you start to go uphill.

The city of Cusco is a good size- it reminds me a lot of Caceres, Spain and I recently found out why. Pizarro, who conquered the city from the Incas, had the main plaza built to look like the one in Trujillo, his home town and a hop skip and jump from Caceres. We visited the market today for some goodies to take home and then treated outsevles to a 1-hour massage for $7. I´m heading back to the hostel to pack and get some sleep. After feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, I´m back to feeling 100% and ready for this next undertaking!