Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 4

So today we woke up at 3:45 in the morning to be one of the first three groups at the gate which opens at 5:30 in the morning. While we grumbled a bit at the early morning rise in the pitch black, we were very grateful in hindsight. Matt and I ran the last part of the trek in 45 minutes which normally takes 1 – 1.5 hours to walk to get to the Sun Gate. From there we had to wait for the rest of the group to catch up so we could go to Wayna Picchu to get tickets. Only 400 people are allowed access per day to the soaring mountain which rises over Machu Picchu and gives stunning panoramic views of the ruins and valley below. This would be the one of the highlights of the trip!

We were racing against the masses of people who would be taking a slightly easier route and catching an early bus from Aquas Calientes, a neighboring town, up to Machu Picchu. They would be getting there around 7am so we were trying to get there in that timeframe so we could get one of those magical tickets. We must have looked like quite a circus show running into Machu Picchu; all harried, unshowered and unkempt with exhausted gaunt, sunken eyes bestowing the pain of waking up before the sun and carrying our bags for the last 4 days. Some of the other tourists who took the bus appeared rather refreshed and springy in their dapper sweaters resting over their shoulders and crossed in front, and glanced at us with a mixture of awe and interest. Perhaps it was more shock and disbelief. I prefer to believe that they were inspired.

So after all that running we got to the WP ticket counter and got the 392 to 400th ticket. I got the LAST ONE! It was crazy, I actually felt bad because a couple of the guys had walked through Machu Picchu and they missed out on tickets to Waynu Picchu. Wow the euphoria of getting the last ticket was like winning the lottery. Despite my calm demeanor and even keeled personality, I don’t think I would have stood up well to being number 401 in line.

Half way up Waynu Picchu, I was starting to wonder if it would have been better to be number 401. My legs were burning like I had just run a marathon with a 50lb bag on. The effects of the three day trek and waking up early were getting the best of me. I was getting light headed and had to lean heavily on the steel cables that lined the steep mountain walls. This mountain was steep, at some points only had space for one person to cross, and did not have cables in some sections. At the top, we had to crawl under a huge rock for about 20 feet on our hands and knees through some water which was only big enough for barely me to fit. I have no idea how a large unathletic person managed this natural obstacle course. We emerged on the other side of the fallen rock where after climbing up another flight of steps we arrived at the top of the mountain, which was a huge pile of enormous boulders. It was really cool to run around on top of huge rocks overlooking the valley and Machu Picchu, until you realize that there are no cables up here. That it’s raining and the rocks are slippery. And that this is probably where that tourist fell of the mountain about 9 months ago. Then it gets realistically scary rather quickly. After slowing edging our way around the precipitous boulders, we edged our way down and properly explored Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is as amazing as everybody says it is. I’m not going to bore you with superlatives which you can read by googling Machu Picchu. Just know that if you haven’t been already you should go. I would rank it on par with the Great Wall, Ankor Wat and the Forbidden City in terms of awesome man-made beauty and engineering. It should be on everybody’s bucket list.

Machu Picchu Trek, Peru - Day 4

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Day 2

So today I had a very packed day of tours starting at 4am until 2pm for an early morning geysers tour and then another tour of the Death Valley, Moon Valley, and some desert sites from 4pm to 9pm.

El Tatio Geyser Field is located in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile at 4,200 meters above sea level. With over 80 active geysers, El Tatio is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere and the third largest field in the world, after Yellowstone, and Dolina Giezerov in Russia. And at 4,200 meters, the El Tatio field is purported that they are the highest elevation geyser field in the world.

The best time to see them is at sunrise when each geyser is surmounted by a column of steam that condenses in the bitterly cold morning air. The steam plumes disappear as the air warms up. The tourist agency told me it was going to be cold, but it was hot in San Pedro, so I wore a T shirt and thin hiking pants and a light jacket and I figured that would be sufficient. WOW was I freezing. When the sun was down, the weather hit -11 degrees Celsius (12 degrees Fahrenheit) and I was doing jumping jacks to stay warm. I would take a picture and then warm my fingers up and try and repeat. What I didn’t understand was how people were swimming in the hot springs. As soon as you get out of the water, you must be freezing. Once the sun came up, it warmed up a bit but it was still rather chilly.

The second tour of the day included Death Valley, a huge desert canyon; Moon Valley, a desert space that had rolling valleys and hills which resemble the moon’s surface; and a desert peak climb to watch the sun set. A very very packed and satisfying day.

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Day 2

Pucon, Chile - Day 2

I'm going to die. My lungs are screaming for oxygen, my heart is racing, and my legs are burning. I feel like I’m going to fall off the side of the volcano. I had to wake up at 5 am and I’m exhausted. Why am I torturing myself to climb a stupid volcano that at 2800 meters is the highest I had been so far? It’s probably just going to erupt half way up anyway.

Well the trip up Villarrica volcano in Villarrica National Park was definitely memorable. But the views from the top and along the ascent made the trip well worth it. Viewing stunning 360 degree panoramic views of amazing mountains and other volcanoes. Glimpsing inside the volcano spewing burning sulfuric acid smelling like a combination of rotting eggs and burning tires. Trekking on the white shimmery surface with specks of grey volcanic puke and wisps of hot steam coming up from the snow.

All amazing. But coming down was the best part. How, you may ask, do you climb up a volcano almost 3000 meters high for 7 hours and then descend in a little more than 30 minutes? Why sliding down on your butt of course. Ya OOOOOKAAAY. When I got to the top and looked down and saw the slick steep descent and the ants sized people still climbing up, I started looking around for the helicopter…or perhaps a ski lift. Nope we’re skiing down on our butts in little trails left by other brazen souls. So after a brief tutorial on how to break with your ice pick and your feet, down we go. The first trail was a bit slow as I bumped around trying to get a hang of the breaking system. The remaining trails were somewhat reminiscent of the Tasmanian devil being shot out of a cannon downhill. I lost control a couple times and spun around in circles while flying down the mountain. So much exhilarating fun. When I got to the bottom, I was ready to hike up another 7 hours to do it again. I even thought about signing up for the same trek the next day. I should submit this as an event to the Olympic committee for inclusion in 2012.

Pucon, Chile - Day 2

El Chalten, Argentina - Day 3

Today I did a shorter five hour trek to Mirador Cerra Torre, a smaller mountain range than Fitz Roy and then caught a bus back to El Calafate in the evening.

El Chalten, Argentina - Day 3

El Chalten, Argentina - Day 2

This was one of the highlights of the trip. Fitz Roy. Immense and amazing. It was a 7 hour round trip hike up a steep ravine. The last 500 meters was an intense climb up a steep rocky incline that even a mountain goat would balk at. And it was totally worth it. The views at the top were breathtaking and awe inspiring.

In front of you dramatically looms Fitz Roy, strikingly towering over you with it's shimmering crystal clear blue glacier lake at your feet. To your left and right, gigantic snow capped mountains encapsulating prehistoric glaciers struggling to reach up to Fitz Roy, and behind you, a magnificently stunning valley with a river peacefully meandering through the trees.

Ok I’ve run out of illustrative adjectives so I’ll stop because I don’t feel like consulting a thesaurus.

El Chalten, Argentina - Day 2

Torres del Paine, Chile - Day 1

The Torres del Paine National Park in Chile is popular hiking destination with three huge towers created by glacier movements. Most hikers do a 5 day trek in the shape of a “W” around the three large spires.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to stay there for 5 days so I did a one day tour from El Calafate. We left at 6 in the morning and got back at 10 pm. It was a long trip but well worth it as the views are stunningly breathtaking. Sometimes amazing landscape views cannot be truly captured in all their exquisite beauty with a simple photo. I tried. I tried hard. But I failed desperately.

Torres del Paine, Chile - Day 1

Sapa, Vietnam - Day 3

Sapa, Vietnam - Day 3

Sapa, Vietnam - Day 2

Sapa, Vietnam - Day 2

Sapa, Vietnam - Day 1

Sapa, Vietnam - Day 1