I am so happy that I decided to experience Machu Picchu by hiking the Inca Trail.  It was a spectacular hike with some of the most gorgeous scenery I'd ever seen in all my travels.  I was able to use my Spanish again after ten years, and was so surprised and excited to be able to communicate with the locals as much as I did.  This was actually my first legit hike with camping in a tent and everything, and it was an amazing one to start with.  However, everything from here on out will probably be a little disappointing haha.  I was super lucky to have such an amazing group of people to do it with too. Everyone was really young and came from all parts of the world, and have travelled all over the globe prior to this trip.

Everyone kicked so much ass on the trail and didn't complain despite the difficulty of the trail and everyone feeling bad at some point.  I was falling apart more than most people actually, because my meniscus that I tore a few years ago was swelling up and would hurt so bad when I went down hill bringing me to tears at one point. Anyway, I've noticed this with everywhere I travel -- that when you spend a lot of time doing something really unique with people, even if you've never met them, you become like family by the end.  My global friendships have now increased, and there is nothing that makes me happier than that.  We had 14 or so people in our group, and we had 21 porters with us as well, who are local people who carry the bulk of the camping stuff to and from the campsites.  They were mostly small men, ages from 19-59, speaking only Spanish, with the most incredible athletic abilities I've ever seen.  This trail was very steep and tough to walk on, and they would sprint past us up and down, rain or shine, arriving at our camps hours before us.  They were so humble and nice, making the experience just so much more enjoyable and authentic feeling. The beauty of Peru was more than what I was expecting.  It was a peaceful country, separated from the craziness we see go on across the world.  They live humble lives in the country with farm animals and they know the value of honest hard work. The history was rich on every part of the trail.  I'd definitely recommend hiking the Inca Trail at least once if you want to see Machu Picchu, because there's so much history and beauty that relates to it along the way.  

INCA TRAIL DAY ONE   INCA TRAIL DAY TWO Ahh! The dreaded day two of the trek.  If you talk to anyone who has done the Inca Trail, they will tell you that day two was the worst, and they are right.  It was mostly uphill with difficult and very steep terrain. I'd highly recommend taking a very light pack on this trail, and bringing plenty of snacks or electrolyte powder for water, regardless of how not-hungry you feel in the beginning.  By the time you reach the Dead Woman's Pass (highest point of the trek) you will be severely wiped out.  It was a beautiful day of the trek because we climbed so high so quickly that the landscape changed a lot.  My camera broke off my vest this day so I had to pack it, so I didn't get as many pictures as I'd hoped.   INCA TRAIL DAY THREE After a brutal day two, this was a nice hike.  It was pretty gradual, up and down, and was a much needed "rest" day in between the difficult days two and four. Day three was most memorable from arriving at camp that afternoon.  At first we didn't think it was very scenic, but once the clouds moved, we had a 180 degree view of the most striking mountain range.  We also played soccer with the porters later in the day, and really bonded with them.  It was so fun, and I won't ever forget it.  I was so dead by this time that I didn't take my camera to the field, so I'm relying on my friends' photos for that memory!