Salkantay Trek
Day 3
Like first two days they woke us up with hot coca tea by knocking our tents at 5am.
We were fully ready by then already finished packing.
As always I didn't feel tired too much when I was bushwalking and camping.
Instead I felt adrenaline rush especially just before day broke
with another anticipation for another hike in a new world for me.
After breakfast we had to say good bye to our horse man sadly.
He rode his horse back to where we started our grandeur hike via the same route.
From day 3, cars replaced horses and mountain areas I was in were open again to modern civilization.
Our guide started frequently looking at his mobile phone whenever possible just like everyone else
in the world.
I was suddenly missing Australian tranquillity in deep mountains.
I believe it's the best to be cut off from modern technology while you're in mountains.
Scenery also changed from expansive Andes mountain ranges with glaciers
to luxuriant jungle with copious rivers and waterfalls.
Day 3 was a relatively easy day with 7 hours' morning walk
and we enjoyed outdoor hot spring in the afternoon leisurely.
Got out of harsh terrains of high mountains ,walking through green summery forests
seemed as comfortable as breathing for us.
Especially me without high altitude it was a quite pleasant and enjoyable walk
exploring exotic unknown thriving plants, wild flowers, fruits and etc
until strong sun came out later in the mid morning.
We had a couple of chances to taste their exquisite passion fruits at small shops
on the way.
We instantly loved the sweetness and freshness of the fruit.
Sun was getting stronger as day progressed.
I heard from our guide they had thousands of different kinds of potatoes and corns(maize)
in Peru.
We passed one deserted corn fields where dried and sun burned leaves were swayed
in the parched grounds.
That's due to too strong heat maybe....or in terms of climate change ?
One thing I was absolutely sure was it was a sad scene.
Last part of walk we got out of mountains and passed an unpaved road.
I hated walking on the road with cars splashing clouds like dust all over you.
Lunch was excellent as always.
Lots of hikers and guiding teams from different companies were gathering at a place
in a small village where people prepared food and hikers enjoyed it.
Companies tried to pay back to the people who let them use kitchens for cooking
and tables under the shades for eating by showing customers the total procedures
of coffee brewing followed by selling coffees.
We picked up red coffee fruits from the trees and learned all the procedures until
it became a cup of bitter and sweet aromatic coffee.
I had to save soles for hot spring fees so I didn't buy one.
We went to an outdoor hot spring near Santa Teresa after lunch.
The place was big in the natural setting surrounded by outcropping stones of mountains
bit further away.
My excitement was fast gone after I found out every big outdoor tubs full of
very lukewarm water and tired hikers.
I was actually feeling colder as time passed.
I stayed there as much as I could and finally Eddie and I decided to change.
We realized another mishap waiting for us which there was no hot shower available in there.
We soldiered on and jumped under the cold water and quickly washed a day's amount
of sweat and dust.
Eddie and our guide drank beers under the shades overlooking open hot spring tubs
while the late afternoon sun was warm and favourable.
It was a peaceful time sitting there refreshed after a day's hike.
By the time we came back to our camp, it was already dark.
Third camp was made with the similar concept as the first camp
except the dome cover was not of stunning glass but of thick greenish plastics.
Its interior was more spacious for 2 people though.
Day 3 was gone just as smoothly as other 2 days.
Day 4
Today the path overlapped one part of Inkan Trail and we passed Incan ruins called Llactapata.
It was thought to be an important rest stop and roadside shrine on the journey to Machu Picchu,
located on top of a ridge between the valleys of the Aobamba and the Salkantay.
We were going to Hidroelectrica after passing over Llactapata and then walking
along the railway to Aguas Calientes.
We bade farewell to our cook after breakfast before we set off.
He prepared his last feast for us including a yummy cake.
Our guide promised us there would be two perfect spots from Llactapata to look Machu Picchu.
We were thrilled with anticipation.
Getting nearer to our ultimate destination by foot gave me inexplicable excitement once again.
I couldn't feel happier with the fact that I almost made it there.
First part of our hike was continuous ascending to reach Llactapata.
Morning cool breeze and ambience always sided with me to enjoy my hike immensely
and also from time to time I could appreciate marvellous views down over the valleys.
Huge mountains endlessly lay fold after fold beyond my sight.
One small shop was located dangerously on the cliff where we stopped first to catch our breath.
Another shop was on the top part of the hill just before Llactapata where we put on our sun screen
preparing upcoming strong sun attack.
I wanted to buy and taste one of the most delicious fruits, passion fruit there but they didn't have any.
Until then our walk was smooth and pleasant even though it was steep uphill.
Soon we found there was a fire on the mountains near Hidroelectrica that day from which smoke blocked
the views, so we couldn't see Machu Picchu from up above near Llactapata.
Plus it was actually painful to watch the aggressive alive fire became bigger and bigger
in mountains across from us without any trace of efforts to extinguish it from Peruvian people.
It was awful all you could do was to watch it keep burning with cruel crackling sound.
It was hot during day time especially with the heat from the fire I felt even hotter.
By the time we arrived at Hidroelectrica we were exhausted by strong heat.
We had a very simple lunch at an overcrowded restaurant near the station.
We had been spoilt by our wonderful cook thus I was having hard time
with the plate on which only mashed beans with undefined sauce and rice.
At least we had small bowl of soups before that meagre meal.
Our guide abandoned us and went to his fellows to eat his food for some reason.
We were given an option to pay US $35 each to catch the train to Aguas Calientes.
My daughter wanted this option very much from the beginning.
Me and Eddie initially wanted to walk because we came to walk here in Salkantay Trek.
But we were a bit weary with the idea to walk under the strong sun for 3 more hours.
Later we learned the train to Aguas Calientes would be almost 3 hours away
and there was no place we could wait until then with millions of young backpackers there.
We were wandering in between the restaurant building and outhouses.
I was not happy with the situation plus for the first time I was annoyed with our guide.
He seemed not to care about where we could stay until the train ride.
We thought we'd better walk instead of wasting 3 hours so I apologized to our guide.
He could have spent 3 hours sitting with his pals under the shades
looking at his mobile phone waiting for the train.
Instead he had to walk with us all the way to Aguas Calientes
only because we changed our minds.
At least he didn't show his annoyance to us too much.
In normal countries it is and should be prohibited for people to access in the vicinity
of railway tracks by blocking with fences.
But walking along the railway tracks, it's part of Salkantay Trek to my utter shock.
The path was overcrowded with young people from both directions.
Tired with too many people, most backpacking young people lost manners
and often collided with people carelessly from the other direction.
Some part of it was not bad with good views but I found it a bit silly to walk along the railway
for more than 3 hours under the hot sun.
But positively it was a new experience for me otherwise I never do it in my life to tell the truth.
Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Finally we arrived at the town and of course I expected our ordeal finished.
On the contrary it was another start of a long disaster.
We were cranky with cars passing by with terribly high speed without consideration
of pedestrians already at the entrance of the town.
My daughter started complaining about her stomach ache by then.
I thought it a simple indigestion and gave her a medication.
Our hotel was sitting on top of a high hill so when we got there we were terribly out of breath.
Hotel owner was not smiling and a bit terse and abrupt to us which left not a nice first impression to us.
My daughter started showing her serious gastro symptoms along with crankiness.
She had severe food poisoning from the food we had for lunch.
The hotel was under maintenance partially which made loud noises and dust everywhere.
As soon as I entered my room I was trying to shower but no hot water available at all.
While I was struggling with this water tap I heard the rude woman at the reception knocked
our door started talking to Eddie, she wanted us to change rooms.
I welcomed this idea expecting a better situation at the shower.
I ran to the second room which was just next to the first room with a big towel wrapped on me.
On the second attempt trying to find out how to make the hot water running in the second room
I was shivering naked getting crankier.
Unbelievably this crazy woman came back to apologize to Eddie to go back to our initial room.
He was wearing his under shorts only the whole time and I was luckily in the bathroom
otherwise I almost exploded with rage.
He didn't like moving backpacks and things anyway and didn't move much yet
so we went back to the first room without saying much.
Hot water was not available still, I tried to call the reception but the telephone line was pulled out
and I failed to find out the socket for it miraculously.
Everything was falling down in that hotel room.
By then my daughter came to us with the same problem so she told every single person she encountered
what happened to us and finally Eddie announced hot water was running in the middle of his cold shower.
I couldn't believe that!
After shower we went out to buy medications for our daughter.
I didn't want to ruin our trip so I avoided talking to the woman at the reception.
I definitely didn't want to yell at her which would make me unhappier.
I simply ignored her.
With my limited Spanish and their limited English we barely managed to buy tablets.
People at Aguas Calientes were treating tourists not nicely compared to those in Cuzco.
Everyone was aloof and everything was expensive.
We had dinner with our guide later at a designated restaurant
but my daughter couldn't go down, stayed in bed.
She had numerous trips to toilet without eating at all.
Complaining about muscle aches and chills too.
Our guide told us that someone would deliver our other bags to our hotel reception but Eddie had
to carry those all the way up the hill unfortunately.
The good feeling about this trip in the beginning was getting thinned and thawed rapidly.
My fantasy about this base city towards Machu Picchu I dreamed about before I came was incredibly falling
apart as well.
Our dinner was reasonably ok except options given to us limited not generous.
I was happy with a take away for my daughter packed but she couldn't manage to eat later
unfortunately.
Oh well, night came after a long day for all of us anyway and most importantly
the next day we were going to see Machu Picchu!