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The trail to the Inca Trail.


Finally made it.... to the start of the Inca Trail.

"What a couple of flamin' drongos,"
thought the lady at the GOL airlines counter at Manaus airport, Brazil.


We arrived at the airport super relaxed and excited for our journey into Peru. We had just updated the budget and were about to buy a beer in celebration of ¨reigning it back in¨. We were VERY early for our flight, but thought we would try and check-in anyway.


The look on the lady's face said it all... We had read the itinerary wrong and were 12 hours late for our flight.  Cue sinking feeling.... Rookie error. And Brad's first ever missed flight. That is pretty impressive for a FIFO worker.


The GOL workers all winced on our behalf as they looked up alternative flight options. We were now one of "those" people. And I can tell you, it is not as glamourous as they make it out to be on the movies. A flight that took four times as long and cost about four times as much, and we were over the border into Peru finally.


One bus ride and we would be in Cuzco ready for the Inca trail... Well that was our plan.... Until we arrived at the bus station to find it completely empty. We found only one man sweeping the waiting area. Our hearts sunk as he told us there was a "problema en el camino".


Off to the airport we headed again... Overpriced flights departing from sea level straight to 3400masl were the order of the day! We were in Cuzco by lunch time with a headache and blown budget in tow.


I am very happy to report that it was all WELL worth it. We met our lovely friends Agota and Peter (who we first met at Christmas in Uruguay and spent NYE with in BA) and set off on the amazing Inca Trail two days later. We had perfect weather and a fantastic group to experience it all with. Those Inca sure impressed the socks off me!!


Our wonderful porters
Made it over the 4200m pass
Just look at those legs!


Again with the legs...

Our lovely group
A 5 minute walk from our last campsite
Sunrise on the way to the sun gate
Our first glimpse of Machu Picchu as the clouds cleared
Frank the Tank (our guide)


4 Pisco Sours under the belt for our ride back to Cuzco.
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Comments

  1. Carlos Gabi e Mel15 May 2014 at 05:16

    ...amazing pictures!!! Amazing places!!! You're doing the best thing a Human Being needs to do here on Earth....to know it, to appreciate it and respect it! Long and Happy Life to you guys!!!

    ReplyDelete

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