Stones & Pichus

After a couple of days of seeing Inca ruins and listening to peculiar and contradictory stories from funny guides I finally found myself in the Orient Express train to Aguas Calientes. "Basecamp" of Machu Pichu.

I woke up early with only one objetive: If there's a chance of geting to MP before sunrise I want to take it. I started a race up the inca stairs, breaking the world record with my 58 min mark.

During my way up I met people that had the same idea as me... but were brave enough to wake up earlier. However, they were not as strong, handsome, used to high altitude and stupidly stubborn as me. My legs were aking for 3 days!!!

So I made it to the first Pichu, Machu, just after 6am. Better than the sunrise (it was partially cloudy) was the chance of seeing MP with hardly any tourist.

Machu Pichu is an amazing place. Not only for what it is but for where it is. The mountains, the valleys, the jungle... and the river, make the Pichus a magical place.

At 7am I made my way to the second Pichu, Wayna, meeting point for early visitors and crazy hikers. Met Daniel (who disappered 15min after offering me to stay at his in Sao Paulo... funny Brazilians!), Sebastian and Shayna (we had exchange photographs at the endless stairway to the Inca Heaven an hour before).

From there we (Shayna, Sebastian and me... Daniel had gone!!!) started the super trek through the jungle following an Inca path to the Temple of the Moon and the Great Cavern. More stones placed in a tidy way following the stars and sorrounded by beautiful views. Only 5% of the tourist make their way here... you can guess how quiet it was at 9am. Perfect to enjoy the quietness... and a lunch break!

Sebastian quit the group before going up the third Pichu (don't remember the name... it started with a 'H'). A good place to test my "vertigo" for the nth time and two get a great view of the first two Pichus... and to start making up stories as if we were tourist guides!!

At Peak tourist hour we went for another luch, leaving the breath taking (specially if you are scared of hights) Inca Bridge and the beautiful and tranquil sunset fr the end of the day. The location chosen: the place were all the MP brochure pictures are taken ;o)

We said goodbye to the "spiritual" city of Machu Pichu and started decending the stairs again while it was getting dark.

At the end of the stairway, the half moon and the cold waters of the Urubamba river compleed a perfect day. Nothing like a night swim after a whole day walking to calm our tired feet.


- This all happened a week ago... but it is what I wrote then... and therefore you should read it as such... some of the pics got lost... but hopefully you will be able to see some of them up in the site soon.

Hope you are doing well... I will tell you how it is going in Brazil soon... off to Buzios tomorrow... see if we can get wet and see some fishes!!!

Muchos besos a todos desde el Atlántico!!!!!

Ciao Ciao,


Heiwa XX