Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
Hey Michael.
I am on this trip and I cannot wait as well! I have also booked the rainforest extension - in for a penny and all that!!
Donna
Hi Donna, good to hear from you - it's gonna be great, isn't it! I've wanted to do Machu Picchu for as long as I can remember!!! I've got a couple of friends coming with me who I know from another Exodus trip that we all did last August. Will be great to see them again and of course meet new people too!!!! I might look into the rainforest extension, but I'm deffo up for the white-water rafting option on the day before the trek starts. We get another day in Cuzco at the end anyway, and apparently it's one of the best rivers in the world for white-water rafting. Well..., that's what Exodus say anyway! Look forward to meeting you.
M x
Hi Michael & Donna
I'm booked on this trip too - looking forward to it as it's something I've always wanted to do. I've never done a trek at altitude before so am slightly nervous, specially as I'm no youngster but plenty of time to work on my fitness (or lack of it at the moment LOL!)
Jane
Hi Jane
The trip seems to coming round real fast! I've only walked to altitude and I haven't trekked at it before! I alternate from being so excited I can't believe I'm going as like everyone else I suppose, it's a dream coming true - to being nervous and suffering anxieties already about what to take!! Look forward to meeting you
Donna
Hi Jane
Good to hear from you too. It's something I've always wanted to do too, so that'll be one to tick off the list! :-) Don't be too nervous about the altitude thing, the important thing is to be prepared - both physically and mentally. Just make sure you're reasonably fit, which makes sense anyway for this kind of undertaking, and take ibuprofen and diamox with you on the trip. I climbed Kilimanjaro last August and took both with me, but didn't need to take the diamox fortunately - I just took a couple of ibuprofen morning and evening and that seemed to sort the altitude sickness thing. But luckily I wasn't badly affected by the altitude, if I had been then I would have hit the diamox too. Being older is an advantage anyway, apparently we're a little less susceptible to altitude sickness.
It's gonna be great, am really looking forward to it.
Michael
The Inca Trail will be a breeze after Kilimanjaro, Michael - what a great trip that must have been! Did you do a lot of pre-training for that trip? And how is everyone preparing for this one? I'm a bit concerned I won't be fit enough - I do walk quite a lot (I live in a hilly area too which helps I guess) and plan a hiking weekend in the summer as a "warm up" but not sure that's going to be enough.
Thanks for the tip re diamox - will add that to my list and hope I don't need it ;-)
Hi Jane
Yes, I did do quite a bit of training to prepare for Kili. One of the things I did was climb Snowdon, but I also did a fair bit of walking and gym training. I hope you're right and that IT&MP will be easier than Kili, coz Kili was physically probably the most demanding thing I've ever done! I'm expecting it to be easier, but I still want to be prepared so I'll keep up the gym work and swimming, and once the weather starts warming up towards end Mar/early Apr I'll start getting out on my bike, but I'm a keen cyclist so that's something I'd do anyway even if I didn't have a major expedition to prepare for. I may well have another crack at Snowdon too, I quite fancy trying the Crib Goch route up. Fancy it? We could meet and get to know each other before Peru, and I'm sure I can rope in Steph and Pete, the two people I know from the Kili trip who are also coming on this one. If you walk quite a lot in a hilly area then I'm sure you'll be fine. The only unknown is the altitude, and there's nothing you can do to prepare for that in this country!
M x
Think I'm going to have to revise my plans and fit in a lot more training of some kind - you sound much fitter than me :-)
I was thinking of the Brecons or maybe the Lakes for my "warm up" weekend - I'll have to pass on the Crib Goch route up Snowdon though - it's a ridge walk isn't it and I'm really not comfortable on exposed ridges (slight thing about heights, nothing major but I know my limits!).
I've done quite a bit of cycling in the Forest of Dean, it's lovely! It's some years since I last went there tho'. If you're ever headed Bristol way give us a shout - we can talk Inca Trail over a coffee or something.
Are you still around Donna? Whereabouts are you?
Hi everyone. My friend Emma and I are also coming on the trip but travelling a ciouple of days earlier to climatise. I live in Surrey and Emma lives in Bucks. Do we have time to meet up?
My email is laki@lakilee.co.uk. Would love to hear from anyone.
Laki
Hi Laki and Emma, welcome aboard! :-) Shame we won't be flying with you but I guess we'll see you in Peru!!!!! :-D I'm also going to be with a friend who I know from a previous Exodus trip. It's starting to creep up, isn't it. Can't believe it's May already and we'll be going in just 3 months!!!! I booked this back in October. Exodus'll be wanting the balance of our payment soon. Yikes!!! Still, will be worth it. It's gone a bit quiet on this forum lately, but I guess if people are keen we could arrange some sort of get-together and walk up some hills to prepare - might have to have a pub stop at some point tho'!!!! :-D
M
Hi
Anyone else doing the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu departing UK on 22 August? Let's talk about it and get to know each other in advance. Cannot wait!!!!
Michael