#aguascalientesperu

Waking up 2:30~45? ish in the morning was painful and cold experience but we came here for what we came here for!  We picked up our pre-arranged breakfast bag from our hotel lobby and walked out to wait in line for our bus to Machu Picchu.  You do not have to wake up this crazy early to get there but this is what our guide wanted us to do so we could be on the first but up there, which would make us one of the first group of people in there to see the “empty” Macchu Picchu without full our tourists- which I appreciated in the end.  

Also, there’s option of walking or hiking up the Hiram Bingham Highway if you have surplus of energy.  There were actually a lot of groups doing that.  We could see  lot of sweaty people on the top on that freezing early morning.  (come to think of it it was always bouncing between being cold and hot all the time).  

There were a lot of people there and I am sure there are always a lot of people there every single day except maybe right now with covid19 so crazy.  

Once we were let in, there was short walk till we could actually see Machu Picchu and the experience was so ECSTATIC.  

We shouted how we finally MADE IT!!!!  I guess the experience was more extreme because of all the trekking we’ve been doing.  It was one of the most awarding travel moments so far in my life.

Man I am so so so so tanned.  But Don’t I look super happy?

This place was so amazing and magical!!!

Here’s our group.

We were part of the morning group which meant we had till noon to explore (which turned out to be not that enough of a time).  Our guide Hilton gave us bit of a tour which was also super simple as it always has been... he showed us a very ummm simplified drawing of Inca men carrying rock and he was like “see? very strong!”.  Well that was our Hilton!  When his little tour ended, that is when we finally said good bye and we were on our own to finish our adventure.  

There is no restroom inside Machu Picchu so whoever is in there has to come out sometime for bathroom and for that, and to eat our group went out to get some breakfast/lunch ish meal.  Nathan was drinking beer and my apple watch was telling me I was already done with day’s exercise and it was only like 9 AM by then.  Some people noticed and talked out Dermot and how he’s a famous actor as we ate which was very interesting experience! :) 

We went back in to enjoy every last minute of Machu Picchu!  And here’s a photo of baby llama (there are llamas freely roaming around in here) that every person was screaming how cute he/she was.  

When it approached noon, we were put in single file line to get out and once we did we didn’t really have transportation down so we decided to walk down which was also a lot of exercise but we did it.  

For the rest of the day we separated but promised to meet back for dinner where we had our final meal together.  What a great group!!!

Hope to see you guys again someday!! (except for my friend Laura who I will always see)

Then we all went down to the train station to catch our train which took us ... to some location which I do not remember.. but from there on, we were picked up by a van which drove in almost pitch black through Peruvian rural roads and which finally brought us back to Cusco.  

I remember how tired I was on this train and fell asleep so fast. 

After we got off the Van, our trekking adventure was finally over and we said good bye to Lauren, Nathan, Dermot, and Clyde.