Part 2: Setting Foot in The Lost City, Machu Picchu Revealed

Continued from Part 1: Our Journey to Machu Picchu: Biking, Trekking, Climbing

Day 4

Waking up at 4:00am is not usually on my to-do list, but for our visit to Machu Picchu, it was a "must-do" in hopes of seeing the sunrise and arriving at The Lost City as it opened. By 4:30 we were walking from our hostel towards Machu Picchu. About 30 minutes outside of town we found the check-in booth where we had to show our passports to the guards before walking through the gate. Then, it was time to climb. Almost 2,000 steps. Not an easy task after trekking a full day and climbing a mountain the previous day. There was some minor complaining along the way, as legs got tired, stomachs got hungry, and sweat soaked through clothes. But as we got closer to the top we were expectant of the amazing place that awaited us and it got easier. Especially as the sun rose and the few clouds around the mountain tops turned pink.

Smiling through the pain because the scenery was amazing 
and we were getting close to the top!

About an hour after we began our hike up the steps we arrived at the gate. (Machu Picchu is still just an image in your mind at this point, nothing can be seen until after you show your passport (again) and pass through the gate.) We met up with our guide and began to walk forward, towards a place we've only seen in photos, yet dreamed about. Suddenly we were inside, and there it was: The Lost City, found. The energy of the place was amazing, especially at 6:30 in the morning. My eyes were searching, scanning, hungrily trying to take in everything around me, but it was impossible, overwhelming. Instead I tried to simultaneously focus on our knowledgeable guide and the awe-inspiring sights as we walked through them.

One of my favorite shots, "con llama "

After our two hour tour of the ruins, we had some time to explore some more and then relax before our scheduled time to hike up Waynupicchu Mountain. We found a sort of secluded spot climbing over some rocks to get a nice view of the ancient city around us. This was a great time to soak up the energy and magic of the place and try to take it all in.

Just after 10:00am we walked over to an unexpected queue which we had to wait in for 20-30 minutes before we were allowed to hike up Waynapicchu with the other 198 people who purchased a ticket for that time. It was a relatively difficult hike, but not as intense as our hike up Putucusi the day before. The biggest difficulty was the many other people around, especially at the top. To get to the very top for the best views and to be among the Inca terraces located on this mountain, it was necessary to climb up (and then back down) very narrow stairs (which you can see on the left hand side of the photo below).

Looking down from the top, see the narrow stairs on the left

View of Machu Picchu from the top of Waynapicchu 

After our hike up and back down Waynapicchu we took more time to explore the beautiful ancient city and soak up its energy. Here are a few more of my favorite pics!

Us in front of the classic Machu Picchu photo spot

It was an incredible day - magical, mystical and gorgeous. (And yes, exhausting - we took the bus back down the mountain!)

Check out our Shutterfly page for more pics (we are adding them slowly each day)!

Part 1: Our Journey to Machu Picchu: Biking, Trekking, Climbing

We set out on a four day, three night “Inka Jungle Trek” on Wednesday morning. We knew we would be biking, trekking and (most importantly!) visiting Machu Picchu, but no amount of research, dreaming or anticipating could prepare us for the experiences ahead of us!

Day 1

After an included breakfast and a couple hours riding through the mountains by van it was time to gear up for the mountain biking portion of our adventure! 55 kilometers (three to four hours) of biking from high up in the Andes mountains down into a sleepy mountain “town” (if you can call it that) for a traditional homemade lunch. From there we continued by van to the town of Santa Theresa where we rested for the night after a relaxing soak in the relaxing natural hot springs.

All geared up for biking through the mountains!

A stop along our gorgeous biking route

Day 2

The next day’s agenda was over six hours of trekking and we woke up to pouring rain. The rain delayed our departure for an hour or two, but we had an agenda to keep, so once it let up enough we were off! We hiked through the jungle, along a winding mountain road, through some more paths along the raging Urubamba river, and then following a path along the railroad tracks. After about four hours we stopped for lunch, when it stopped raining. We continued two more hours until we reached Aguas Calientes – getting a small glimpse of the splendor and magic of Machu Piccchu that awaited us in the days ahead through a few ancient terraces that were visible along the trek.

Our sexy ponchos to protect our bags from the rain
(they clearly didn't do much for our heads!)

Hiking over the railroad tracks

Happy because we dried out after lunch!

Aguas Calientes, an adorable town situated on either side of 
the powerful Urubamba River, connected by several bridges

Day 3

On our third day, Drew and I hiked up Putucusi Mountain on our own. Our guides from the previous day had told us about it and we were intrigued. It was a free climb and supposedly provided an incredible and unique view of Machu Picchu, which we were getting anxious to see! It is not a very well-known climb, but is becoming more popular as a way for people on a budget to glimpse The Lost City without paying the steep costs of entering Machu Picchu. (Sidenote: the hike was incredible and view pretty awesome, but it does NOT substitute for actually being in Machu Picchu and experiencing it face to face.) The best part of the hike was the ladders, the view, and the fact that we only passed three other people the entire time, on our hike down.

One of the several ladders we climbed along the way

View from the top (Machu Picchu behind us)

Drew gazing out at the incredible Andes

A much-needed jumping photo
(Machu Picchu is just across the mountain just to my right)

A better sneak peak of Machu Picchu

Next Post: Part 2: Setting Foot in The Lost City, Machu Picchu Revealed

One Month In: What it Feels Like to Be a Backpacker

So we've been away-on the road, in the sky, and on the sea-for just over a month now. When March 2nd came it was the first time it really hit me that this was different than anything I'd ever done, and I took some time to think about the fact that we'd been away from home, work and our everyday lives for an entire month. It got me thinking about a few things and I wanted to share with you some of the realities of being a "backpacker," which I think we can officially call ourselves now.

You Know You're a Backpacker When:

1. "Doing" your hair means putting gel in it and scrunching it instead of braiding it or simply pulling it into a ponytail.
2. When you check into your hostel and find not just towels, but WASHCLOTHS(!!!) you feel like you just won the lottery. (Side note: we're not gross - it's not like we haven't brought our own washcloths (bandannas actually, because they dry quicker) - it's just super exciting when they are provided for you-so far it's only happened once!)
3. You meet new people every day but rarely see them again, so when you run into someone that you had a five minute conversation with a few days before it's like you're seeing one of your best friends.
4. Candy, chips and yogurt constitutes dinner. (Not every night, don't worry. We typically eat one big meal a day, and have smaller things for the other meals (in many cases breakfast is included with out hostel). And it just so happens you can find yogurt, chips and candy (all in gluten free varieties!) no matter where you are!)
5. You've worn the same socks for three days and will probably wear them again before washing them. (Sorry, may be a little gross, but it's true!)
6. You go through your backpack on a regular basis to see if there's anything you can ditch because you just don't need this much stuff!
7. You bought (and are wearing) a handmade, woven bracelet you bought for 50 cents and you are thinking it's about time to get another.
8. You haven't watched TV in a month and you don't care.
9. You always have ear plugs and an eye mask nearby when going to sleep. (Between the roosters in the Galapagos, the horns in Quito, the traffic in Lima, and the dogs in Cuzco, they're a must for a light sleeper!)
10. You have to specify that you want a room with hot water (and air conditioning - if they even have it).
11. You know where people are from and where they are going before you know their name (and that's how you remember and refer to them).
12. Finding toilet paper in a public bathroom is a wonderful surprise.
13. You can pack up everything in your possession in five minutes or less and be completely organized.

Flying High: Paragliding in Lima, Peru

On Sunday, Drew and I decided to splurge and take a full day to learn how to paraglide with AeroXtreme Paragliding School (who we would highly recommend).

All geared up for take off!

The day began with about a 45 minute drive to the Sand Dunes of Lurin where we got a quick lesson on the controls, set up the gliders, and began to fly!

Drew and I each got the chance to do five solo flights over the dunes and they were awesome! The only bad part was hiking back UP the dunes after the flight was over. But knowing you got to fly down again was enough motivation!!

Check out my first attempt here:

Our instructor, Michael, told me that I had one of the best first flights he'd ever seen, and that I must have been a bird in a past life!

After our solo flights we drove to another site in Pachacamac where we would complete a tandem flight with our instructor. This flight began by running off the side of small mountain (or large hill, depending on your perspective.) The flight was longer - about 20 minutes for me - and completely different. We were just along for the ride on this one so the focus was really just taking in the views and enjoying the fact that we were flying among the birds. It wasn't really adrenaline pumping, but it was serene, peaceful and beautiful. A truly unique and mesmerizing experience.

My tandem flight and another paraglider above 

Flying high about Pachacamac

Drew flying!

Drew coming in for a landing

Miraflores, Lima: The South Beach of Peru?

The Malecon (and fog) in Miraflores

OK, South Beach of Peru might be a bit of an exaggeration, however, there are a few similarities, and after visiting the cities and towns we did while in Ecuador, Miraflores was a huge step towards a more westernized place than we've seen in a while. 

We had three days in Lima, Peru, and one full day was spent outside the city, paragliding (more on that later). We stayed in Miraflores, a district of Lima, as recommended by the COO of the company where I work in Buffalo. We quickly realized that Miraflores is much more westernized than any of the other cities we've visited so far in South America, but I think it is more a representation of this section of the city rather than the city as a whole.

Miraflores stretches along the ocean, and there are two sections for enjoying it: the Malecon and the beach.  The Malecon is a six mile stretch of road, walkway and parks high on top of the cliffs overlooking the ocean. This area, along with some of the interior roads we traversed reminds me of South Beach (scaled down a bit) with palm trees, locals running along the sidewalk, fancy glass front buildings, and a slightly pretentious vibe. There are several much-used parks along this section, some taller hotels and condos, and the Larcomar, a shopping mall built into the cliffs (cool, but besides being built into a cliff it is just a mall. It had a Chili's, a Friday's, and a Tony Roma's; I didn't come to Peru to eat at those places, I rarely eat at chain restaurants at home, so it didn't do much for me.) The lower section is about 1,000 feet below and is a walkway along the beach. The beach, however, is NOT like South Beach; there is no sand! To walk along the ocean you either walk along the sidewalk or across the stones that make up "the beach." Apparently the water is very cold (we never took an opportunity to go in), but it is a very active surfing area.

Excited to see a special section for me in the grocery store!
(They only had a few GF items, but still!!)

City walkway in Miraflores

The Beach

Road down to the beach

The beach, cliffs, fancy hotels and Larcomar

Our accommodation (a homestay booked through AirBNB.com) was in a prime location, just blocks from the beach, and around the corner from a main drag with heaps of bars, restaurants, clubs, and shops, plus just a 20 minute walk from the famous Pre-Inca ruin, Huaca Pucclana, which we visited on Saturday. It was really interesting to observe the dichotomy of ruins of ancient pyramids that were in use from 200 to 700 AD set among the bustling metropolis of Lima. 

Huaca Pucclana

The pyramid was a place of gathering
 for rituals of the Lima people

The dichotomy of ancient and modern is striking

The ruins stretch out and then collide
 with the modern city

A few other interesting notes about Lima:

• I felt there was a lot more diversity among the population here than in Guayaquil or Quito. Everywhere we went in Ecuador we stuck out as tourists. I could maybe pass as a light-skinned local after I got tan, but Drew could definitely not. The vast majority of people in Ecuador are short, with dark tan skin, dark hair and eyes. In Lima, locals were much more diverse.
• People are always out in public areas; parks, beaches, the shopping mall, streets-they're all packed. Part of it might be the nice weather, but it just seems to be a part of the culture. People of all ages packed the parks at all times of day. Couples laying in the grass napping, young people in groups chatting, older people sitting on benches watching the world go by, families walking and standing around taking in the view. It didn't matter what time of day-people were out and about and in public. (We also noticed this in Quito, Ecuador)
• People are on a different schedule. We went to dinner at 8:30 one night and left around 9:30. The restaurant was much busier with people eating when we left than it was when we arrived. And when we walked into the street and through the park - packed! Kids, young people. older couples, it didn't matter, everyone was out and about.
• Both days we were actually in Miraflores, fog rolled into the city during the afternoon. It literally covered our view of the buildings and then swept back out to sea. Very strange phenomenon.

Overall, we enjoyed our time in and around Lima, and three days was the perfect amount of time for us.

Taxis in Peru: A Cheap Thrill

FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

If you know me relatively well you know that I love adventure and am an a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I've been skydiving twice, bungee jumping once, parasailing, ziplining, white water rafting, am a certified advanced scuba diver, and pretty much want to try everything and do anything that I have the opportunity to do. Sunday I added paragliding to that list. And today...I wouldn't call it an adventure sport, but (who knew?!) a cheap adrenaline rush can be gained from a taxi ride to the airport! Who needs coffee in the morning? Brave a ride on the streets of Lima and you're more likely to need a glass of wine when you make it to your destination.

A few (unwritten?) rules about driving in Lima:

1. The white lines in the road are merely suggestions. It might look like there are only three lanes, but you can easily squeeze in a fourth, and in urgent situations, probably a fifth.
2. Break lights in front of you? Quickly analyze your options and move to the left or right before you actually hit the car that is stopping (for whatever reason) and get into the lane that is still moving. There is always one that is moving!
3. When making a left hand turn into multi-lane roads, if the cars in front of you are not able to turn, simply go around them (on their left) and squeeze in front of them so that you can make the turn and they have to wait when the light turns red.
4. People in the street? Beep your horn to let them know you aren't slowing down. They'll move.
5. Dogs in the street? Beep your horn to let them know you aren't slowing down. They'll move.
6. Cars in front of you going to slow? Beep your horn to let them know you aren't slowing down. They'll move. And if not, refer to number 2. If that doesn't work, you can always pass on the right. Officially, that might not be part of the road, but it's OK.  The dirt doesn't feel much different than the road anyway. Just keep your eye out for more pedestrians and dogs on the side. They are a bit of a nuisance.

Video: At Pichincha Volcano, Quit, Ecuador (Practicing for my Travel Channel Debut)