Click on any picture to see it enlarged. You can also 'slideshow' through the  Rappel pictures.


Mary-Elsie taking her first step through the cold glacier water


Team rappelling down a very slippery, steep, and cold falls


Mary-Elsie maneuvering the slippery slope


Megan slowly tackling the cold water and slippery slope


Kristie enjoying the long, steep decent


Megan - you want me to go where????

Click on any picture to see it enlarged. You can also 'slideshow'
through pictures.


The five travelers.



Travel delay of 34 hours!
Megan catches some zzzzzs!



We approach the floating island.


Going for a ride in a reed boat.


Megan tries on Native dress
on the floating island.


Some local boys play with the
new soccer ball.


Bridge over the Rio Urubamba river
at the start of the trail to Machu Pichu.


We hiked up and down and up
and down on uneven stairs
for over 6 hours!


Megan takes a water break
on the steps.


Approaching Machu Picchu as
the clouds burn off


Machu Picchu


Machu Picchu from the summit
of  Huayna Picchu.


Going Downstairs Anyone?

Peru Trip

 This trip was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Donna, Megan, Mary-Elise, Sally, and me (Kristie).
 
Travel Difficulties
The trip theme was transportation difficulties, from the cancelled flight out of Indianapolis, to mechanical problems in Chicago, to missed connecting flights in Miami and Lima, and finally, the most fun of all, Sally had to bail water while I rowed our sailboat in Anapia.  Our scheduled fourteen-hour trip to Puno took forty-eight hours with some unplanned cultural experiences in Miami.
 
Learning Local Culture
We spent most of our time learning the culture by staying with local families in Anapia and hiking and camping in the Andes Mountains.  This enabled us to experience and learn the culture by interacting and living with local people and sharing their experiences.
 
At altitude, and the Uros floating islands
When we got to Puno, we were very grateful that no one experienced any major problems from the altitude.  Once we grew accustomed to being out of breath just brushing our teeth and having to think about eating and breathing at the same time, everyone adjusted very well.  Hiking at 13,500 feet was quite a challenge. While in Puno, we toured the Uros Floating Islands and enjoyed visiting a local school on one of the islands.  Walking on reed-made islands was quite interesting and bouncy. Megan even got dressed up in local clothes made by one of the women on the island to get a feel for their culture.
 
Anapia and Lake Titicaca
From Puno we left for Anapia. After two hours by car and two hours and forty minutes by boat, our group finally made it to this beautiful island. Anapia sits in the middle of Lake Titicaca and shares a border with Bolivia. We spent several days staying with local families and learning more about these wonderful people.  We did not get to spend as much time at the school as we had planned but spending time with these kids and passing out school supplies was really fun for all.  The best gift was the Wilson soccer ball and much needed air pump.  On the island, most children had soccer balls but all were flat. So Donna and Megan spent some of their time airing up flat balls. On our last morning in Anapia, we were able to get our coca leaves read by a local shaman.  This was a real pleasure and an unusual experience.
 
Cusco and rappelling
After Puno our group left for Cusco and the second half of our trip.  The first day in Cusco we went horseback riding to three Inca ruins via eucalyptus forests.  The second day was a rappelling adventure through a waterfall which included six different rappels.  I’m not sure how to describe this experience except to say that there is no way this could ever take place in the U.S.  The hike to the top was an experience in itself.  The water comes from the melting glacier, so it was very cold.  The rappel was very technical and each step was difficult. Donna got her foot stuck in a hole and she turned upside down in the water.  She was a trooper, didn’t panic, and got her foot unstuck and continued the rappel.  Scary moment for the rest of us! 
 
Four day trek to Machu Picchu
After the rappel we headed into the four-day trek to Machu Picchu. The trek was much more difficult than expected, but we were fortunate to have good weather:  no rain and not too hot.  It took a little more time for Sally, so she and I were on what seemed like our own little adventure with our own personal tour guide.  We met up with Megan, Donna, and Mary-Elise at lunch and dinner.  Those three stayed together through the ups, and ups, and more ups, and downs, and downs, you get the idea!  Day two was up on trails, on mostly uneven stairs for over six hours.  And then once at the top, there were four to five more hours of stairs to get back down the other side.  Thank God for trekking poles.  Megan was awesome and on the final day; she and I left the others for the three-hour downhill that only took us an hour and forty minutes.  Our motivation was a shower and a Coke at the bottom.  Day four started at 3:30a.m. so that we could get to the Sun Gate to witness the sunrise over Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, this was the only day of rain and we were unable to see Machu Picchu.  But the rain cleared out and by the time we made the three-hour hike down, it was a beautiful day. 

Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is hard to explain to those that have not experienced its wonder.  Now being one of the Seven Wonders of the World gives it even different meaning.  Although Machu Picchu was known to a handful of Quechua peasants who farmed the area, the outside world was unaware of its existence until the America historian Hiram Bingham stumbled upon it almost by accident in 1911.  It is not mentioned by any of the Spanish conquistadors, and archaeologists today can do no more than speculate on its function.
 This hike for us was a spiritual experience as much as a physical challenge.  Time to reflect and get in touch with even the most basic aspect of life; breathing.  The views of snow-capped mountains and high cloud forest were stupendous.  When we stood at the sun gate and looked out though the clouds to the magnificent wonder that we had hiked 4 days to see it was breathtaking, figuratively and literally.  Hiking down and watching the sun burn off the clouds seemed as if God blew away the clouds and opened up an unbelievable structure with magnificent spiritual significance.  The best way to describe it is that it has a presence and a positive energy unlike any other place.  To just sit in wonder of the place, its history, and the effort it took accomplish our goal, was very moving for all of us. We spent the majority of the day walking around and enjoying all the sites and wonders.  We were unable to stay over night there and were, unfortunately, so tired from the hike that we didn’t get to experience all the sites in and around Machu Picchu.  We all agreed that it would be nice to go back (via the trail or two day hike) for several days to really take in all the sites.     

Coming Home
We had a problem with our train ticket (imagine another transportation issue) that was finally resolved at the last minute and we were able to take a first-class train back to Cusco. We did not expect a cheesy show and were further surprised by the train workers doing a very long fashion show up and down the aisles.  Happy to say that there were no other transportation issues on the return home!! We all got home safe and sound (and tired)!

Kristie Napping on the way home