On Days 1-2, we spent in Lima taking the city tours and exploring the different neighborhoods in Lima. We even had time to visit Barrio's Chino (Chinatown) for some dim sum.

Days 3-5 were spent in Cusco, Peru. Anyone who wanted to go to Machu Picchu has to stay in Cusco. And, anyone who wanted to do the Inca Trail has to stay in Cusco for three days prior to the hike. The purpose was so that we would get acclimated to the high altitude. With three days to kill, we signed up for three day tours. As we listened to the each of the tourguides, we noticed a theme. They're very proud of their Incan history, and they really hate the Spaniards.

Their hatred was understandable because the Spaniards led by Pizarro (whose cousin ironically was Cortes, the conquistador of Mexico's Aztecs empire) pillaged Incan cities, plundered their gold, and brought pestilence (smallpox, etc.) to the Incan civilization. The Incan fortresses and ruins we visited were very impressive and while I'm sure they were formidable warriors since their empire stretched from Columbia down to Chile, I'm dumbfounded that the Incans never won a single battle against the Spaniards. While the Spaniards had the technology (guns and horses), the Incans still had the home field advantage. And in 4 years of fighting, the casuality count was something like 20,000 Incans dead to only 300 Spaniards.

We went to visit this massive fortress called Ollantayambo. It had these huge, steeped terraces which meant the Incans were stationed on top and could survey the entire field while the Spaniards had to painstakingly climb up and overtake each terrace one by one. You think with that sort of advantage, the Incas would win the battle, but they didn't. And the funny thing was that the tourguide kept emphasizing that the Incans had their best showing here by only losing 50 Incan warriors for every one dead Spaniard even though they still lost.

Days 6-10 were spent hiking. Sadly, I didn't make it all the way through the 4D/3N Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu. I was experiencing headaches and had shortness of breath throughout the hike. And, although I tell people it was because I was experiencing altitude sickness (or soroche), it may also be because I wasn't in hiking shape.

I really wanted to continue for no other reason than the fact that hiking back to KM82 at that point was probably farther than hiking to our next campsite. It really was not a very pleasant experience having to explain to everyone I passed on the trail why I was backtracking. I finally make it back to KM82 in the afternoon. First thing I had to do at KM82 was to log in the fact that I didn't make it up (to add insult to injury). I was the first and probably the only person to sign in for Sept. 12. Since KM82 was virtually a ghost town by the time I got there (no one begins the hike in the afternoon), I spend a whole lot of money hitching a train to take me (and my guide Victor) to Aguas Calientes (2,050 masl), the closest town. The plan is for me to stay a night at Aguas Calientesand then meet up with our group the next day (third day) at Winay Wayna (2,650 masl).

On the third day, I wake up at 5am to wait in line to buy train tickets for the 6am train that passes through the KM104 checkpoint (where I'm going to begin my hike). I ride in the foreigners only car, and Victor rides in the car for locals. He warns me that the KM104 stop really isn't a stop. Since no one really gets off that stop by themselves, there's no reason to make the stop identifiable. (Although KM104 is starting point for people doing the 2D/1N Inca hike, they usually start later in the day, and I don't have the time.) He instructs me that half an hour into the ride, I'll see a dam on my right. Once I pass the dam, I should ride the train for another 5 minutes where the train will seemingly stop for no apparent reason, and that would be my cue to get off the train. Once off the train, I hiked up 6 km while my group treks down 8 km and we meet up without incident.

The fourth and final day was definitely the most memorable. By 4:30am (still pitch black out), we're already fed, packed, and waiting in line along with 400 other hikers through the last checkpoint station which opens up at 5am so that we can finish our trek to Machu Picchu. From the station, it's a 5 km jog to Machu Picchu. I say jog because everyone's in one big line, and we're all racing time to try and catch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. But, what a sight it was! Machu Picchu is a city nestled in the clouds on top of a single mountain while surrounded by bigger mountains. It's called the "Lost City of the Incas" because the Spaniards never found this city while conquering the Incas. No one knew about this city until an explorer named Bingham discovered it in 1912.

For me, seeing Machu Picchu was bittersweet. There are only 3 ways to get to Machu Picchu. Doing the 4D/3N hike, doing the 2D/1N hike (only 15 km and without the mountain passes), or taking the afternoon train to Machu Picchu. Although I'm glad that I didn't opt for one of the easier options, I do wish I could have made it through the hike.

How do I redeem myself now... Well, if I try to ride a horse and it kicks me off, the only sensible thing to do is to find an even bigger horse to ride.