TPT146 - THE INCA TRAIL

hi John,,we to are on this trip myself and my husband so far anyway, will be a fantastic trip im sure,lots of leg work also,,,,have you done any treks with exodus before, ive done kilimanjaro and am going again this week to everest base camp and gokyo lakes,so they come highly recommended by me! speak again soon ,,,,,,,

Hi Dids, not done any trips with exodus before but they were recommended by a friend, V jealous of Killi and Everest, John

hi john, just to confirm we have an extra person on the trip with us ,,,donna so far ,,,looking forward to it immensely ,,how do you feel about doing some white water rafting in peru, exodus can arrange it for us

 

Hi - My wife and I went on an Exodus Peru trip last October which included the last stage of the Inca Trail (Down Inca steps to Winay Wayna and Machu Picchu).  The whole holiday was an amazing experience and very well organised.

A member of our Group coincidentally met someone he knew who had just completed the Inca Trail who said that it was the most challenging experience he has had - having over the years taken part in many triathalons / marathons.

Good luck and have a great time...we are off to Chile and Easter Island this year .....

Dids - sorry not checked this in ages. Not sure about White Water Rafting - have been lucky enough to do it many times before in various countries through my job so will wait and see what other options there are (am hoping to do quite a bit of photography) . But if everyone is doing it would be happy to do it again as it is loads of fun. Time is whipping by, based on these comments must get myself hill fit soon!

Hi - I believe this trip is now fully booked up so calling all travellers going on the Inca trail on 16th November!!  I booked it a while ago but haven't even looked through the trip notes or kit list yet so I think I need to do that pretty soon and get a few hills under my belt too!  I went away with Exodus on a solo travellers trip to Italy in April, had a fantastic time, but the walking wasn't too hard.  I think I'm going to need to get some training in for this one, having read Angelo's comments!  I did some walking at altitude about 3 years ago, Himalayas, and found it OK once I got acclimatised, but I'd done a fair bit of training, unlike this year.  Anyway, look forward to hearing from you all, Kath x x

I've booked on this too. Never done one of these before and really hope that I am not underestimating how difficult it will be, but really looking forward to itCalum

hi guys not long now less than 8 weeks to go now, cant wait to meet you all,,,bring on the cocoa tea mmmm x

 

Just starting to think about this, is anyone taking any altitude sickness tablets with them and if so where do you get them from? Have started getting 'hill fit' and am hoping that working at 6000ft most days may help a little but altitude sickness is something I know little about. Also have been advised against drinking the cocoa tea as I am in the military and a few guys have failed the compulsory drugs tests after drinking the stuff!! Must start thinking about kit soon, look forward to seeing you all in just 6 weeks!

We didn't take any altitude sickness tablets.  Suffered a bit with headaches before Manchu Pichu while we aclimatised traveling through the various altitudes during the first week of the tour - the worst being on the island on Titicaca.  Some in the group suffered sickness but in the main this was limited to a day.

There's loads on the web about this but thought it useful to let you know our exerience on last year's trip. Am sure you'll have a great time.

hi guys cant wait now training in progress ,,,,,just done a barnados 20 mile mountain hike was great apart from rain,wind bog,bog and more bog,but no blisters which is good, I think the porters will have anything we may need for altitude sickness, i already have a bottle of diamox so if anyone needs some i have enough,will bring it in case!! see you all soon x Andrea

Well my kit bag just arrived - 22 days to go and not even thought about it all yet. Got to do 9 days in Dubai with work between now and then too....Looks like I'll be packing the night before as usual. Still access to decent gym everyday for 10 days so loads of incline work on the treadmill incoming....

John

Hi everyone...I'm also starting to feel the pressure of packing and rapidly running out of days to fit in those last minute purchases!  Just spent a great weekend walking in the Malvern Hills....not exactly the same as the Inca Trail but there were a few good steep slopes to get the legs going!  I'm starting to look forward to it but feel quite underprepared, both physically and knowing what to expect from the trip!  Still...it'll be what it'll be now, with only a couple of weeks to go!  Is everyone flying from Heathrow?  We'll have to arrange to meet up in departures if anyone knows a good meeting point.  See you soon,  Kath x

Ha, well done Kath, I've not even thought about packing yet! It's gonna be this weekend or bust....Will have to look at which terminal we go from and find somewhere to meet for a drink etc. Only just winding down at work till my leave starts on Saturday but have not really thought about the trip till now. Suddenly feeling very excited and a tad nervous, I'll be back on here at the weekend to see if we can make a plan to meet - bye for now! John

Hi all, Happy to meet up in Heathrow, but dont really know where. I come into terminal 5 at 14.15 and I think we fly out from terminal 5 at 18.30. Hope I've left enough time between flights. Can we check in online? If anyone wants to suggest a meeting point I'll try to be there. Calum

Calum - it says we depart from T3 on the latest paperwork so make sure you check out the easiest way to get between terminals!  You should have plenty of time as long as things are generally on schedule :)

From memory in T3 you have the '3 bells' before security and 'O'Neills' after security - god, now I sound like a right alcoholic (I travel all the time for work is my excuse) or there's a couple of nice eaty places if people wanna grab an early tea before we jump aboard.....

hi guys only days to go now cant wait the pub sounds like a great place to meet to me! cant wait to meet you all will be a barrle of laughs im sure, my sleeping bag is streched out getting an airing on the sofa as i tx ,,,,, boots going to get a good scrub next ,,,see you all soon x ,,,,,,,,,,,we,l be the group of three sloshed in the corner of the pub xx

Hi, I will be joining the trip with my fiance Jade in Terminal 3 on Wednesday. Will look out for everyone in O'Neills. This is out first Exodus trip and our first high altitude trek! Looking forward to meeting everyone. See you on Wednesday! Jon & Jade 

OK everyone....I thought I was sorted but now am questioning everything I've packed!  But first... what time are you all planning to check in, do we need to go for the 3 hour long haul (3.40pm) or as we're only hopping to Madrid to start with can we do 2 hours?  Main reason I'm asking really is what time shall we try and meet up in O'Neills???!!!! 

Also...I realised that everything I've packed is pretty much layers of walking gear, do we need something 'nice' to wear for eating out in Cuzco?  And is anyone clued up about the likely weather situation when we're not trekking i.e. do we just need jumpers & fleeces or summer tops and t-shirts?  The weather reports I've seen are all over the place!

I have done some travelling before...honest...but I always start to convince myself I've got all the wrong stuff at the last min :)  Can't wait to meet you all, getting v giddy now, just got to try and concentrate as I'm 'working from home' topday (can you tell??!!)  Kath x

hi kath you will be pleased to know im packing just walking gear so will have no going out gear as is my hubby mark and friend donna also think it will be the long hall so it will be three hours before check in  we will probably be the first in o neils so will be quite happily be supping in the corner around three o clockish kk hope this helps see you all very soon xx

Hi all, Think I'm packed, but will have forgotten something. Not sure how long it will take me to get my luggage and get to T5 tomorrow but will be there as soon as I can. Looking forward to meeting everyone Calum

HI CALUM YOU DO KNOW ITS TERMINAL 3 DONT YOU,,,

 

Sorry to have left it so late but just wanted to say hi and see you all tomorrow for a great trip. Will be getting to Heathrow around 15:30 and soon as bag is away will make my way to O'Neills:) Now better start on the packing......

Yes sorry just keep making same typo. I come in terminal 5 but we go out terminal 3 see you all at T3 oneils

Well, suppose I'd better start packing soon will probably get to O'Neills at 4ish Machu Picchu book in hand - see ya there... :-)