Most Inspirational Moment
So many actually !. For me the journey was just as amazing as the destination - all the sights, sounds, yummy food and laughter along the way made for a superb trek. Obviously seeing Machu Picchu for the first time just made me gasp with pleasant surprise ! as i had not expected to see it when i did :D. The porters lugging all those random bits and pieces as well as our kitbags over the passes just did not cease to amaze me - they worked so hard bless !!!. It was a brilliant sense of achievement conquering dead women`s pass ! all 1,323 steps !!! yep i counted and am now the proud owner of buttocks of steel ! :) .I think all those seemingly little moments of discovery contributed greatly to the experience during the trek. Also i certainly have to mention Tracy - a fellow trekker whom lost her luggage we suspect in Heathrow - the grace and good humour that she dealt with the situation was pretty amazing !. Gee i am never good in naming just one thing am i ?! haha :)
Thoughts on Group Leader
Holger was as wise as he was conscientious and patient !. We all felt very lucky in our appointed guide and always felt safe in his care and never second guessed any suggestions or advice he had. Holger was incredibly knowledgable and had time to answer our many questions and had a brilliant sense of humour !. We could have not asked for more :)
Advice for Potential Travellers
Yep ! :) A steady methodical pace is key for this trek !, we saw another group with another company set a fast pace - and sure enough the next day saw some of them having to come back down due to altitude sickness (a combination of overexertion and ascending too quickly), the guides really do know what they are saying so resist the urge to try and push on faster !. It is probably stating the obvious but this is a marathon (of sorts !) NOT a sprint !. Coca tea REALLY does help !. A decent level of fitness will help you make the most of your time here, in truth i did not find most of the days trekking hard at all with the exception of day 2 - dead women`s pass, this had everyone glad to reach the summit !, but i think having a decent fitness level did really help - so i had extra energy for taking lots of photo`s !. Oh yeah - pack extra undies just incase - i know what i mean and you know what i mean !, yep afew of my fellow trekkers had `travellers tummy` and additional clothing options take away some pressure !. I was certainly glad i went for the thermarest sleeping mat option, yes it weighs 1kg BUT you cannot put a price on any small thing which helps you get a better nights sleep as in June it was cold of a night and therefore the ground can be very cold, i found the thermarest to be both much more comfortable and warmer. If it helps i didn`t take walking poles as i never use them ( too busy taking pic`s !) and i was just fine, instead i took knee supports for some preemptive help and was tickety-boo :). Don`t skimp on good quality make-up ( as our guide refered to it as !) - as in suncream and repellent, even at the start of June the sun was intense and you really would not want to be dealing with altitude AND dehydrating sunburn !, a hat and/or bandana really does help too. Have a practice weigh-in before the morning of the trek and really try to rationalise your kitbag and daypack - it saves for alot of messing around on the day then having to panic as to which bit of kit to either leave or squish in your daypack !. I don`t know if this will help as the research is debatable but i took 120 mg of ginkgo biloba twice a day 5 days before and during my time at altitude ( as in short it helps off-set the harmful effects ) and i didn`t get any related altitude side-effects ( apart from an elevated metabolism ) - not even a headache happily :). If anyone is like me and suffers from a tendency to be prone to low blood sugars ( nope not diabetic, i blame it on being a fidget :) do keep some space in your daypack for snacks !, but i must say the snack pack given everyday was pretty good !. Hmm anything else ?, oh yeah ! bring the metal sort of drinks containers - i observed that they double up as cunning water bottle for the more sensitive out there AND they provide a nifty way of drying your damp travel towel overnight too !. Oh yeah one more !, don`t forget your swimsuit for the thermal baths at the end - delicious treat for the sweaty and unkempt !!!, oh i found renting a towel ( don`t worry they are nice and spotlessly clean !) for 3 sol much better than dealing with a soggy travel towel after !. I really can`t stop when i`ve started can i ?!!!. Oh i cannot believe i nearly forgot !, Jack`s cafe was a really delicious place to eat or to partake in a refreshing afternoon beverage ( they had the NICEST cup of tea here !!!) - do google them :) super happy discovery :D
Suggestions
A little courage will take you far - if you are reading this and wondering could you, simply yes - be brave !. Read well and pack well and get some fitness training in and you will be just fine !. I also liked having on a completely different note a day and a half at the end to reflect on everything seen and accomplished, as well as having time to see some museums and of course souvenir shop - or squeeze in rafting !. Also i would like to add ( don`t worry nearly there !) that i have never camped before and this was a brilliant experience - don`t let this put you off, you really are well looked after with lots of lovely things like good quality tents with waterproof sheets, a wake-up call with a cup of tea :), tasty food a toilet tent - you couldn`t ask for more :).