Inca Trail Day One

Thursday October 21. Now the actual Inca Trail begins. Up at 5:00. Eat and pack, catch bus to kilometre 82 and the checkpoint for the start of the Trail. They checked and stamped our passport, as they closely control the number of people on the trail everyday. We crossed the bridge and posed for the photo.

Initially it was okay. I walked up front with Ali and got to know him a bit better. Then it became more challenging and it became harder to catch my breath. The views and the scenery were amazing, but the climbing was very strenuous. At one point Ali asked us how far we thought we had climbed. We were surprised it was only 40 metres! Then he said let's do the next 80. In my head I knew that tomorrow there was a 1100metre climb! I tired easily and became quite exhausted. At lunch my appetite was gone and nothing appealed to me. After lunch we hiked more. It was undulating, up and down. Most of the trail is covered by Inca laid stones and or stairs. They are uneven and you have to watch your feet so you don't trip over something. Then it began to rain. I was very unhappy, damp, miserable and was wondering what the hell am I doing. How am I going to get through this? I fell to the back and only Edward, the other guide kept me company.

Finally, arrived at camp by 3:30 chilly and feeling poorly. I honestly didn't know how I was going to get through the next three days. Turns out a couple of the others weren't feeling well either. John from Ireland was the worst off. It's not just the altitude that gets to you, it's the exersion at altitude.

Got into my tent and had a nap. Then had a cup of tea. Dinner was at 6:30. I forced down a cup of chicken "diet" soup that Ali reccommended and some of the rainbow trout. I was in bed in my tent in the rain by 7:30. Rained all night.