THE INCA
TRAIL IN PERU
Pam Piggybacks in Peru
In October 2003, in memory of her twin
sister Joan, Pam Dare (now Braithwaite) completed the gruelling Inca trail in aid
of the Anthony Nolan Trust where bone marrow matches are made to save the lives
of people with Leukaemia. The following
are excerpts from her account of this fantastic journey.
________________________________
After a long delayed
flight from London to Lima, via Madrid, and on to Cusco we were given a day to
acclimatise to the altitude of 3.500 Metres (12,000ft) and to see the ancient
city. The next day our group of 44
Trekkers was driven to 4,000metres and proceeded, via a number of Inca ruins,
to walk down the mountain back to Cusco in a trek of about 7 hours. All members, of the group, were passed as
fit and able to undertake the Inca Trail the following day.
Although the way was
hard and very demanding all kept going, all be it occasionally, with a bit of
assistance from the ever attentive, obliging porters who carried tents, food
and the majority of items. Trekkers
carried their own day sacks with essential daily requirements. The altitude had taken its toll and the
leaders wanted to get some of us over one short strenuous climb as quickly as
possible so I was actually piggybacked, by two porters sharing the task, over
the second highest peak (Sayacmarca) on the third day. It may only have been for about an hour but
it seemed like an eternity. The porters
ran with their load overtaking all the other trekkers depositing their baggage
at a lower altitude on the other side.
The views were
breathtaking, the altitude was breathtaking, some of the drops and descents
were breathtaking! The pace was varied
so all were able to accomplish their task. Some just took longer. Macchu Picchu was wonderful and awe
inspiring, being a fitting culmination to the five-day trek. Although I had been in training for many
months both with the Ramblers group, at the Forest Pines Gym and on my own I
did find the task steady and relentless.
Sometimes we completed the day coming in on headlights after dark. This was a scary experience with large moths
etc. being attracted to the beam of light.
Friendships were
forged through all sorts of experiences. An overwhelming sense of camaraderie
prevailed and we cheered and encouraged each other. For me, personally, the trek was, at times gruelling beyond
words, but the elation I felt upon meeting my personal challenge and defying
those who doubted me was indescribable.
________________________________
Pam’s Ponderings on Peru
Oct 1st 2003
- Waiting
I have packed and
unpacked my one piece of hand luggage (my rucksack), and one holdall. What I can’t carry on the plane, scissors,
medical kit with syringes etc. will eventually be in my backpack; but at the
moment must be in my holdall luggage. I want to get on with it. The training is
done. I will have to leave at silly o’clock in the morning to get to Heathrow
and meet the others- put faces to the myriad of names I have been in contact
with over the last few months by email.
The Night Vigil
Heathrow at 2-ish is
an eerie place. Bodies curled around
the bench seats trying to sleep, others like me quite wakeful. I read my book but at 4.30-ish I decided to
go in search of other daisy-clad travellers, as we were all supposed to sport
the Anthony Nolan Tee Shirts we had been sent.
Gradually a bouquet of Tee shirts assembled. The ‘one item of luggage
and one hand luggage’ had been totally disregarded by some and I felt quite
virtuous about my packing.
The first flight to
Madrid can be summed up as turbulent. After a very smooth landing we had a
4-hour delay at Madrid. We could have
done without it but we did get a free meal and the group had some valuable
bonding time. I have been easily
identifiable as the granny figure now I have to try to learn everyone else’s
names. The 12hr + journey was reasonable
with 2 meals and 2 sleep periods. I was
lucky to be by a window seat so managed to settle and sleep a little during the
darkened sessions.
Peru
Arriving at Lima was
very interesting, hustle bustle and a cacophony of whistles, car horns and
voices greeted us. It was 01.00 hours
local time 07.00 at home so we have to settle down. Brain and body must sort
out the body clock. Good night, up in 4
hours for another flight.
Friday 3rd October
Time difference takes
a lot of dealing with. I only had a
light sleep; but was awake at the due time, sorted and breakfasted. Toast home made
bread and jam freshly made orange juice. Wonderful. Back to the airport past
some shantytown areas. The airport
appears calmer than last night but it is early yet. The transfer plane to Cusco was on a smaller plan and somewhat
bumpy; but oh the scenery, the Andes from above dramatic and awe
inspiring. A spectacular view of things
to come.
The arrival at Cusco
at 2,500 metres 8,000ft happened but didn’t hit me as spectacularly as I had
expected, although others did experience some light headed giddiness. I had expected to be really hit by the
altitude and lower pressure. I felt
normal and was relieved there was no major untoward effect of being at that
altitude. Market traders were selling
from the time of our arrival. The hotel is pleasant and very near the centre of
Cusco. Opposite the hotel is a
wonderful handcraft centre. Some items
are priced in dollars and some in Peruvian Sols. The natives seem to be able to
transfer prices effortlessly. I will be
caught out on more than one occasion.
There are loads to buy and MasterCard hasn’t hit the markets yet. We are
advised to drink plenty of water and the local Coca Tea to help us
acclimatise. I could really acquire a
taste for that drink.
It’s 02.35 Saturday
4th October
I have had a good
sleep from 20.00 hours; but others are partying both locals and visitors. I am wide awake, as is my room mate Isabel,
so the light is on and we are writing, then I will read. We have to be up at 07.00 then out by 09.30
for a local walk until 15.00-ish. This
will be a gentle walk looking at the sites etc. The more I have been thinking about it the more I know I have
done the best preparation possible as have some of the others and I am sure I
will be fine.
There are so many
things that have impinged on my mind it is difficult to write them all in
detail. The music - from our arrival,
groups have taken every opportunity to play the traditional panpipe music and
themes. Colour - the vibrant colours of the cloth for men, women and
children. The barter system that I have
got used to, in Turkey and other foreign places, all adds to the social
interaction. No words are necessary
when calculators are used to tap out the figures. Just check - are we in Sols or dollars?
The starting point for Americans bartering is higher than for the Brits
and they settle for higher prices but seem happy. There are a lot of Alpaca and Llama wool items available. Some say it is baby Alpaca but this is illegal,
unless reared in warm houses, as the loss of fleeces can kill a young Alpaca
under the age of 2 due to the cold.
What they call baby alpaca is the fleece from the under side of the
animals which is much softer and less damaged by the elements. The patterns for design are brilliant and
complex. People walk around or sit in the
booths knitting or weaving without appearing to concentrate but the intricate
patterns materialise like magic. Horns,
whistles, panpipes and all other assorted noisemakers are available. Some of our group are gaining proficiency.
All apprehension and
anxiety has faded and the conviction is that this is do-able. It is up to me now to just take it steady
and walk comfortably. It’s 03.00 and
there are still traffic noises but no loud human noises; but in real time it is
09.00 and I would have been up and doing before now so I’ll not get worried
Good night God Bless
Sat 4th October
Acclimatisation day.
What a day up to 4,300
metres, then via several old Inca sites, back to Cusco. 7 hours walking not bad
really a bit tough near the end, climbing up some really big steps, but not too
bad. I have had far worse days rambling
e.g. Kinder Scout. Wonderful views
enthusiastic knowledgeable guides. The
group all did well although one or two had some problems. I am more than sure I will be able to do
this. Tourism is the basic economy and
the locals certainly play on the situation.
The lunch break is a sign of things to come set tables, porta loos and
loads of food. Is this roughing it?
The places we visited
were Tambo Machay an ancient water temple where sacred water flows to the
valleys below. Large stones carefully
shaped and positioned without mortar are used to denote royal divine
places. The Inca religion, politics and
ruling class were one and the same. All
buildings with this hewn stonework are relate to these people. From there we walked through several other
sites to Sacsayhuaman, a huge Inca ruin, on the outskirts of town. This was the last refuge of the Incas before
they headed up the Urabamba river valley known as the sacred valley and disappeared
before the Spanish conquerors. There were wonderful views over the town and
surrounding hills. Once we started the trail there was no time to record things
daily. 10-12 hour walks left me feeling
exhausted and just wanting to see my bed - well sleeping bag on
a mat. I am not cut out for camping!
Day four 5th October
We are up early and have had to get all our stuff into a bag so
even our limited items are pruned down.
We have a 3-hour drive to Ollantaytambo through a varied patchwork of
agricultural scenes. The little village
has a captive audience, as it is the last shopping outlet for sometime. Here people are advised to buy walking poles
if they do not already possess one.
Water carrying holders are available as are ponchos and the coca leaves
and stone used by the porters. Many of
the others do their final equipping here.
I have trailed all mine half way around the world. A patrol point at one end of a rope bridge
marks the start of the trail. We were allowed across after a “jobs worth”
official checked each of us. Weighing
stations check the loads carried by the porters no more than 20K is allowed per
porter.
We start the trail - it is supposed to be
undulating. Yes that does mean up and down and yes it was up and down. A similar lunchtime set up awaited us on the
crest of a hill overlooking the valley we have climbed. It is quite impressive to see where we have
been it is even more impressive to see where we are going. It is at this site we see a condor and a
Llama dies after the ministrations of the vet amongst us. At least he was able to keep it alive long
enough to be dealt with humanely. There
is a long slow haul from here to our evening campsite at Wayllabamba, with
steep climbs and steep drops but none of the gruelling steps that lie ahead of
us. Each groups’ arrival at the
campsite is marked by cheers from the porters and any preceding walkers. That is quite emotional when exhaustion is
creeping up on you.
Greg is our back
marker, foot fetish and comedy turn all in one. On holiday from the police force he intends for all of us to make
it. He has quite correctly identified
that my essential daypack is overloaded.
He appreciates I have come prepared for any weather and any medical
emergency; but we have a Dr. with us and my waterproof gear can be stowed in
the sack the porters are carrying. Also
as we have water available at stops I do not need to keep my 3 ltr pack
full. He loves nothing more than
hitting a blister hotspot before it develops and has many pairs of feet and
boots to check before the trip is over.
My potential hotspots are already taped and will give me no
problems. With a lighter backpack life
will be easier. Carrying it at sea
level is one thing but up here in the rarefied atmosphere it is another. We are all urged to plaster factor 45-60 sun
block on our exposed bits as the air is so thin and damaging rays penetrate
easily.
Many of us have these
camel pack type water feeders and I would recommend them to anyone
walking. You do not have to stop to
take your pack of or get a bottle out it is just there. The carriers the sellers sold are
useful. The first day is supposed to be
easy; so I dread to think what tomorrow will be like. We are all anxious about
tomorrow and Dead Woman’s Pass. The logistics of the route are phenomenal. At each
stop the meal tables, loos and washing facilities are available at the
campsites, tents are up and ready as well.
As we walk the route the porters leap frog us carrying their 20k loads
running and the shout of “porter” indicates to the trekkers to stand the
mountain side of the path. The sure-footed
men pass us at speed. It is obvious
that the organisation tries to make the event as challenging as possible but as
pleasant and as comfortable as possible.
Only once during the whole trek did I have to divert into the bamboo
undergrowth for a comfort stop.
We sleep in 2 person
tents under the stars overshadowed by snow-covered mountains. The evening comes very quickly and the
temperature drops alarmingly. I was
pleased to have my duvet waistcoat and my fleece. These are to become my nightly comfort and companions. I miss the evening meal and just fall
asleep. I wake up to a donkey braying,
dogs fighting then the cocks crowing.
At least in Cusco the noise was constant. Isabel my tent mate had had a fall in Cusco and badly bruised her
shoulder and arm. She could not carry
her daypack so we sorted her out with my “bum” bag so she had no weight over
her damaged areas. This worked well for
the rest of the trip. We now have more
stuff for the porters to carry but they are so obliging, delightful and cheery,
they really encourage us.
Day 5 6th October
The local livestock ensure we are all up and about ahead of
time. We have to clear our tents to
allow them to be packed away and whisked off to the next site. This is the hard day and it isn’t going to
be easy. After a high carbohydrate breakfast, which I had to eat, as I missed
supper last night we set off onwards and upwards. Day 2 of the walk is hard another 10-11 hour day only this time
it is all walking. My pack is lighter
and there are a group of five people who are walking a similar steady pace and need
to maintain a pace that does not require frequent recovery stops to reduce our
heart rates. We are all anxious about
this day, as it is the hardest steepest climb of the trail. The lunch stop comes as a nice break
although the climb ahead stretches before us.
The hygiene routine is strict.
Everyone washes their hands before the meal then have their hands
sprayed with antiseptic disinfectant. I
do not know whether it was good to see the final climb ahead of us but; Aldo,
my personal guide and monitor of my condition was very helpful and kind
explaining the shape of the pass resembling a reclining woman hence the name
Dead Woman’s Pass. It was around and up
and seemed an eternity; but the steady routine meant that when the five of us
got there we received a wild ovation and great encouragement. 38 other members of the group created such a
welcome I was overcome with emotion, I 
cried, they cried we all hugged and congratulated each
other. We had done it we had all got
over Dead Woman’s Pass. It was at this
point that our leaders told us this was a first, all starters arriving at this
point. Not only that but the entire
group actually started, often people drop out before or after the
acclimatisation day. Now our aim was
for all to finish.
The views from the
pass were awesome and magnificent but so was the descent downward, no
frightening is a more appropriate word.
The steep decline is even steeper than the climb up. I pull my knee supports
up, I wear them around my calves going up hill, and we set off. We have already done 81/2 hours. I don’t remember much detail of the downward
stretch I am so tired and I just want to sleep. I fell into my sleeping bag dressed after taking off my boots. I feel awfully sick, heartburny and just
wretched. Others are worried about me
and the Dr. gives me an injection and some tablets. Evidently the altitude is getting to me. Sleep comes quickly
Day 3 of the Trek
If this walk today had been before yesterday it would have been
easier but as it follows the most punishing of walks I feel awful. From the start Kenny the Peruvian leader has
assured me we would get there even if I had to be piggybacked there. A group of
five, including me, are invited to leave earlier so we aren’t always at the
back. Unfortunately another group
jumped at the opportunity to get an early start for the slower bodies and a
group of 15 set off. This group was
lead by me and a guide; but I felt pressurised by the ones behind who had been
told not to overtake us until the main guide took over. This forced my pace and I started to feel
the strain. Once the following group
had been picked up and escorted onwards and upwards I felt an overwhelming
feeling of nausea and heartburn along with a desire to cry. I thought this was a feeling of anger that
others had used our steady pace to get a march on the faster ones. Anyway we walked on and I gradually felt weird and shaky. Greg and Michelle gave me a check and said I
couldn’t walk on; I was suffering from altitude problems and exhaustion. After
several hours of automatic walking I am to be carried over the next pass and
down to a lower altitude. They will
reassess me there. Another girl has
been carried from the previous campsite and I had said at least I’m not being
carried; but now I was.
The experience was breath taking literally. 2 porters shared the load and Aldo was still
with us. They took it in turns to trot
along the track. I had seen them glibly
running along the 27mile trail with 20K loads I was no 20K load but they were
fantastic. It was scary and I hardly
opened my eyes, my chest hurt where I was bouncing on their shoulders, my hips
were spread around the back of a porter as I was cradled in a sling. I just wanted the experience over with, my
eyes closed my heart pounding I thought of the poem Footprints. On one stop for water and change of carrier
a group said Darren had been in trouble and been carried as well. Darren is 6ft and the porters are diminutive
I really feel sorry for his carriers.
Aldo my guide, and almost constant companion, set me down over looking 2
sets of ruins and the lunch site. The
leader of the tour came to assess me and asked me if I felt I could walk from
there? ”OH YES PLEASE” I said almost enthusiastically. I set off trying to realign my muscles- Oh
boy I waddled down but felt much better in myself. Lunch was a lively experience I had never
been in first - sorry second - as Darren was already on site. Darren’s heavy boots had been removed to
lighten his porters’ load and had been tied on the back of another porter. Others came to see us and were genuinely
concerned evidently we had both looked dreadful earlier. Evidently my eyes had looked like a cartoon
characters spinning and out of focus.
The rest of that day
was hard and stressful for most people after the rigors of the previous
day. The jungle bits were fantastic,
wild life was scarce but we didn’t have time to ponder. We knew it was longer to go back than to go
on. There were steep steps, wonderful
views, and great camaraderie. Aldo held
my hand and lead me down steep steps through dark tunnels. At one point radio communication established
that our group were about half an hour from a significant landmark, then we
found that was at least half an hour from camp. For a second night 1/3rd of the group needed head
torches to highlight the way. This time
it was worse, steeper and more treacherous.
We get in and I hug Aldo and thank him; but tomorrow we are to say our
goodbyes to most of the porters, chefs and guides. They work hard but it sustains their lives and they are
grateful. The evening meeting is
convivial. We have kept seeing other
trekkers along the way. They are amazed we are all intact and have arrived at
the final night communal lodgings/ campsite.
We have been a rag tag and bobtail group of charity walkers’ not ardent
back packers. I have made friends with
2 Australian people who are pleased to see us.
They are amazed at me and at this point so am I.
Day 4 of the Trek
This final camp is the
last resting place before the last push to Macchu Picchu. We are to be up by 05.00 and off for 06.00
others are to leave at 04.00 so that they get to see the sun rise over the Sun
Gate. That wasn’t in our schedule. I prop myself on my rucksack to try to get
some comfort. The nights really are the
worst and I never want to camp again.
During the night I went to the loo and got lost on return. This was an
interesting interlude. I was up and
around, with other groups, and was packed and ready. Isabel had woken to the activity of the other groups getting
sorted so we were both moving in good time.
The journey will be about 2 hours for those at the front and 3 for us at
the back. There is the presentation
event for our porters. We were asked to
give at least 75$ or 100 Sols but most give more. I divide all my spare money between my piggy backers and hand
holders. I was asked to do the speech
and it met with approval. Never has a
vote of thanks been more heartfelt and appropriate. Others have approving comments so my emotion and genuine thanks
were appreciated. I also give my
piggyback porters my unused Coca Leaves and stone, which they seem to appreciate. I then learn that Aldo having deposited his
charge in camp had returned to Cusco last night!
We set off with a
sense thankful relief and expectation.
Again the way is hard with very steep steps and slopes up and down,
their phrase is undulating, it’s not ours. We eventually get to the sun gate
where we get out first view of the Inca City of Macchu Picchu; but I am so
pleased to get there and overcome by emotion that I just sob on the shoulders
of the leaders, others are crying as well.
They have always given me a great reception whenever we reach landmark
points. We all have our reasons for
doing this, mine was for Jo and believe you me I communicated with as many high
ups as I could and I think drew in a lot of favours during this trek. Prayers can be uttered without voice,
speaking upsets routine of breathing levels, so conversation is only possible
on easy parts- some of us didn’t talk much; but we could listen to the jokes
and encouragement from the assistant leader and foot fetish Greg. Many times he whipped off boots to deal with
threatening blisters; but we all arrived. The actual descent to Macchu Picchu
is steep and interesting we can see the hotel and the other trekkers who left
early; but no visitors from away yet. A
senior member from the Anthony Nolan Trust meets us and the visit is
interesting but one comment sticks in my mind “Look at those people why are
they walking so funnily with those sticks” If only they knew what we had been
through. My Aussie friends are waiting for us and give me a golden Koala and
communication details. The trip back by rail is interesting but we are all
weary. The following day we do the
touristy bit in Cusco before the very long journey home. That evening we have a celebration meal. We
had all been counted out and we had all been counted home!
(Photos can be enlarged by clicking
them. F11 for full screen, again to return to normal screen)
Posted 17 January, 2004