Ok so we spent most of the night up, checking the time, me worrying if my knee would hold up for 4 days and that I would have to be carted off by Donkey ( no pun intended Eileen) or by Helicopter. We had to be up at 5am. We waited for the doom time to come and then the heavens opened and it began to rain, a women showed up at the hotel and we didn't say anything (I think secretly hoping she was not here for us) and told us to get our stuff and put on our ponchos (thanks Tim for the present...lifesaver) and left the hotel. The hotel was on a pedestrian road and so the coach could not get to us. We had to run to the coach with our stuff in the pouring rain... was not happy and thought this is what life would be like for the next 4 days. We got on the coach and as it was soaking, I was still tired, nervous and a little scared we just sat down...later on some people said that we did not seem happy when we first got on the bus...now you know why!!
Ollantaytambo town for breakfast and to pick up supplies such as walking sticks and waterproof ponchos... Most people in the group seemed nice and it seemed not many had trained for the trip.....thank god we were not the only ones
Near KM 82 (the start of the trail and getting stuff together) We had no extra porter and so had to carry our own stuff, sleeping bag and mat...HARDCORE we were
Getting to the check point, check out my bag and stick like a proper explorer. At the check point we showed our passports, got a stamp and headed off to the start of the trail. The weather was better now...a little too hot I think (I never stop complaining about the weather)
The start of the trail KM 82 the group together..12 in total plus a guy in the pic who thought he should join in!
Neil already a little scared from the bridge crosssing, only 10 seconds into the trail. Check out the Indiana Jones look!
I am still happy and that is because I have no idea how hard it is going to get.....
The nature on the trail...Day 1
We have just come up from the path below, its still not too bad at this point. We were the back half of the group with Naomi our guide and Sharon, Amy and Yuka.
The trail...just so you get an ideas of what it is like. Still not the original Inca trail but the reconstuction.
The next set of stairs on the trail.....there is so much more to come. I am already wearing knee supports in each leg......
Inca hillfort of Huillca Raccay and me posing but somehow I look like a fool.
Me and Neil posing for our first pic...look how happy we look and fresh we seem at this point
We have reached the ruin and get an explanation of the town by our main guide Victor.The Inca ruins of Llactapata (also known as Patallacta on some maps). Llactapata means 'upper town' in Quechua and was first discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and was primarily an agricultural station used to supply Machu Picchu with maize, the staple crop of the Incas. The settlement comprised over one hundred buildings, houses for the workers and soldiers, including five baths. He also explains that the term Inca is for the King and actually the people were called Quechua.
After lunch...food is good, we all get a seista and so all lie and sleep, we need all the rest we can get.
Start of the 2nd half of Day one and the views are looking fantastic...we are starting to feel one with nature.
First views of several snow-capped peaks including Salkantay (6,180m) and Veronica (5,750m). Stunning... these are also the views from our campsite. After around 6 - 7 hour day of walking we settle into camp and have dinner and bond with our group. They are really nice and with around 5 Brits in the group we end up bonding over a few beers ( which we bought at the campsite) and me and Neil swig a little Rum (which we bought) to celebrate our first day and that we both did ok and I have not gotten a swollen knee yet..YAY!
Day 2: Up at 5.15am, breakfast and then setting off for the hardest part of the 4 day trail to Dead Women's Pass at 4,200metres. We hire a unoffical porter to take our stuff for this day.
The group is split into 2, the fast group and us, the slow group. We begin to walk up from our campsite in Wallambamba to the first pass which means a 1,200metre assent. I am tanked up for it and after a rub of gel on the knees off we go.
Some of the trial, doesn't look so bad but you don't know the half of it.
The mountains that you see are what we have to climb. The part is tough but as we have both been in high alitutude for a while we seemed to be ok, just unfit.
The view on the way up, it keeps us going during the morning.
The path and we have been walking for a few hours now and we are getting a little tired.
The waterfall on the way to the pass and Neil stopping for a rest. The only stop we got on the way up was for a snack at 11am, a full 4 hours after we started.
More Inca steps, for small people they sure made big steps. I had devised a method for myself, this included counting the number of strides with my stick and only resting after 50 - 100 strides depending on the steepness of the path. Hey it worked for me!
We found more deers in the wild looking for food. It was so cute!
We finally get to the break at 11am for popcorn and coffee and buying any snacks and water before hitting thge road again and getting to the first pass. The view here is amazing!
Nature......
Ok so I am not going to lie, after a few hours we finally near the pass, the worse thing is you can see it hours before you reach it. The last 45 minutes are the toughest part and now me and Neil were stopping every 20 stides or so to get our breathing. The path had more people who are stopping as well. Me and Neil were a little ahead then Sharon and Amy as Amy was suffering badly from the altitude. The thing that kept me and Neil going was the old Japanese group (full of mixed gender 50 - 70 year olds) we were determined to get to the pass before, every time we saw them it gave a boost to carry on. Bad I know!
Finally at the top - First Pass - Dead Women's Pass - 4200 metres
Neil happy he made it too!
Proof we made it...we have another picture of us kissing the pole you have no idea how happy we were.
The view from the pass and how far we have to go down...but we just came up.....my knee was not looking forward to that!
The steps going down......
It turns out that going down was the hard part and we're constantly reminded of how far we have to go...
More snow-capped mountains in the distance. We were just hoping we wouldn't have to climb any of them...
You can just make out the path we have come down. We are now down at the campsite at Pacamayo for our second night. There are two bottles of rum on the table that the lads bought at the last stopping place and carried over the pass. We drink rum and hot chocolate due to everyone not buying mixers. Victor uses some of the rum to make a special, 'Magic Potion', with spices and stuff. We all have a few drinks, finish off our rum. Gary tries to get in the wrong tent. We hit our sleeping bags about 9 pm - another early start tomorrow.
Woohoo! We were actually pleased when we had to climb up some steps for a change. This is what most of the next morning was like...
After 'only' a few hours walking, we get to Runkuracay ruins, overlooking the Pacamayo valley below.
We realise we have to walk up there next....
Not looking quite as fresh as I was a couple of days ago. This is due to little sleep, lots of walking and only washing using wet wipes.
More of the ruins.
One of the porters - amazing how much they can carry.
We make it to the second pass - 4000m - only about 20 mins after the rest of the group. We stop for photos and stuff before facing the 6-7 hour descent...
An 'Inka Tunnel'
The last campsite is somewhere down there...
Naomi, our guide, knows she's in for a long walk with us at the back...
The view is pretty amazing though...
The ruins of Sayacmarca (means 'inaccesible town' - really...)
Back on the trail - downwards now until it gets dark. They call this 'The Gringo Killer' - something to do with it knacking your knees.
We weren't rushing it - some of the views were amazing.
These are the original Inca trails, built 500 years ago
Lunch time - people setting up their packs again.
Lunch camp - about 4 or 5 groups were on the trail at the same time as us.
Do I have to get up again?
If you look closely, you'll see Bindya's backpack somewhere in there...
I'm pleased someone was enjoying this bit - the sheer drops on the side of the path were disturbing me a little...
Another Inka Tunnel - still a bit wet from all the rain the night before
Thou shall not pass...
A flat bit for a bit...
I'm starting to think that I'm Gandalf...
The third pass - 3,700 m - all downhill from now.
Proper Lord of the Rings stuff here...
I'm not scared. It's starting to rain again...
We finally finish this part of the trek when it is dark. We'd been walking up and down mountains for about 13 hours at this point and between us had eaten an entire packet of double strength Ibuprofen. About 10 mins away from the camp, they send a couple of porters back to help us. We make it though, manage to get a quick shower (they have a shower block!) and try to eat. Bindya feeling a bit rough, along with 2 or 3 of the others, so can't eat anything, including the cake that Chef has managed to rustle up somehow... Another early night as we have to be up at 3 a.m. the next morning !!!
We climbed up insanely steep steps and the most terrifyingly narrow paths with 400m drops to the side in the pouring rain at a stupid time in the morning to get this picture-postcard shot of us at the Sun Gate with the magnificent lost city of Machu Picchu behind you...it's there, honestly...
Bindya was a little sad at this point but we were both relieved that we'd finally made it.
The mist is starting to clear a little bit now.
The ruin look mystical and stunning and totally took my breath away.....
Victor explaining what we are seeing at this point and the significance of the place.
It is starting to clear...YAY!
Best thing I have evey seen.....
Finally clear, whole group together for a pic!
Neil looking tired. We were given a 2 - 3 hour tour of the place by Victor, but we all were sore, tired, wet and going slightly crazy!
Waterfall created to honour the water.
Inside of a hut at Machu Picchu
The forefront of the picture is part of the 4 elements found in the Inca symbology.
Neil and Gary having a chocolate fix.....Gary has also just climbed Wayna Picchu....mentalist!
Alex looking tired and later on gets ill. People are dropping like flies at this point...could be something to do with the food or water?
Check out how the Inca build around large natural boulders....as Neil would say "How did they do that?"
Victor explaining about the site and the way the place was built and more about Bingham and how him and his team took years to clear the site and that they are still finding today.
Boys.........strike a pose
More amazing Inca Walls
Victor explaining how the best wall in Machu Picchu was made and us checking it out
Amazing View!
More steps to climb up and down...sorry body
Wet, tired and smelly but still able to pose for the camera. Cheers Lindsey for the pic
Orchid...rare
Me tring to be arty with the pictures
Victor and the tour. By the way we all got a Yellow T-Shirt saying we completed the Inca Trail...I will be wearing mine with pride every day for the rest of my life!
The quarry on site
Stone made by the Inca - It is a compass that is exactly spot on it co-ordinates.....how did they do this. Another member for the group choose to take a different picture of this using a certain part of her body...we get it asap.
He may be smiling but he is sore and hating the stairs
Told the group to do something other then the usual smile...this is what they gave me.....amateurs
Us at the temple of the moon at the top of the site.
At this point the tour was over and we were given time to explore for ourselves, while a few went to climb Machu Picchu mountain (crazy) the rest of us went to find the perfect postcard picture...I was not leaving until we had and these are it!!!!!
We hogged the area for a full 20 minutes and looking down at all those clean, fresh looking people that Victor refered to as the "lazies", we all felt like we had more ownership of being there especially after the last 3 and a half day of trekking.
The perfect postcard pic, one for the family album.
Bus back Aguas Calientes (meaning hot spring). The bus was so comfortable and I loved it...wish we didnt have to get off.
Us at the restaurant having a well deserved rest, we chilled out, drank beer and juice. We were given our certificates and then headed to find a cheap bar to spend the few hours drinking and bonding as a group. We actually all got on really well and were planning to meet up the following day for a celebration and for my Birthday.
Train home to Ollayambato, but to Cuzco, arrived back at 11.30pm. Got to posh hotel, had a Jacuzzi and then bed. Tiring, exhausted, exciting, proud and above all even though every muscle in my body ached it was the best travelling experience of my life......
Day 2: Up at 5.15am, breakfast and then setting off for the hardest part of the 4 day trail to Dead Women's Pass at 4,200metres. We hire a unoffical porter to take our stuff for this day. 
