Here we are all ready and set, it's 7.30am and we are all keen to be going. We will be meeting our guide and his assistant, then joining a second group to complete the trail. Altogether 16 of us will be spending the next 4 days together through our adventure. Unfortunately, our trip is a little delayed by a road accident out of town thankfully everything is sorted quickly and the guide arrives by 8am. This is where we meet Vladimir and Saul, and so the journey begins.
We head to the village, last chance for shopping before we leave. We meet the rest of the group and are all together now. Now we are Family! as Vlad says, to support each other through the next few days. Next stop the start of the trail Km82.
We all get off the bus and the porters start to weigh our bags, mine 6kg on the dot! Yay... I have packed the least I ever have in my life for 4 days so let's hope it's enough! Absolutely essentials only, not one luxury item in my bag. The porters carry everything except your own day pack, there are regulations now on the total weight they are allowed to carry to avoid injury, even so they are carry around 20kg so it's still significantly heavier than anything we have to take. With us as a group of 16 hikers including guides we have 2 chef's and I think 20 porters!!
We grab our hiking poles and other hired equipment (you can get air mattresses, sleeping bag, poles for hire), and make our way to the check point to sign in. We need passports in order to get on the trail... El Camino... Now I understand the name of the black keys album... Ah! Camino Inca... All signed in we start the first day, watching the porters run past us across the bridge and up the hill.
Day 1, or the easy day as It is called goes from km82 checkpoint to our own personal camp ground in Wayllambama. 11km of undulating trail that should take about 5-6 hours including breaks and lunch. It's about 11am by the time we get going really, so we should be done by 5 I guess all being well. We start at 2600m and will walk up to 3000m today. So far no problems with altitude, some others are suffering a bit but I seem pretty darn good! Time to crack on, camera at the ready I am going a bit snap happy and as a result am daubing at the back of the group, although the result is that I get my own private guide I can pound with questions about the trail and wildlife...
There are meeting points along the way when we all catch up, and people selling essentials, Gatorade, water, chocolate and the like. Then it's time for lunch and our first experience of camping life on the trail. I am in awe really when we arrive and the porters have everything setup and ready. Tables and chairs in a large tent, table cloths, knives and forks, cups, plates... As Vlad says this is definitely "Glamping" at it's best. It's fabulous, and the food is just amazing they cope so well also with people with specific dietary needs, 1 has no dairy and others no wheat or meat. Did I say the food was delicious, just the right amount and sooooo tasty. 3 courses as well, soup, main and desert and fresh juices, tea and coffee... I think I'm going to enjoy this.
We get to know the group we have been paired with and then hit the road. Saul leads this time and as a practicing no.1 guide he does some guide related duties giving us the history and information about the trail. It amazes me how much these guys know, and how easily they provide it in a way you can absorb. Did I say how much I was enjoying this so far... Ok, well just to be clear, it's fabulous.
We make it to camp for around 4.30pm, arriving we see that the porters have set up a little outhouse just for us, it even has a toilet and seat! Impressive. Tents are setup and ready, we just need to pick our tent and put in our bags. No. 097 for me and Laura. Dinner was even better than lunch if that is possible, and following dinner Vlad and Saul get everyone together for our evening talk about the next day, when we need to leave by.. 6.30am, which means that the porters will wake us with a coca tea at 5.45 and breakfast at 6. Then a game of Shithead (card game if you don't know it.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shithead_(card_game)), this really brings us all together and is really good fun but no small feet to have 16 people playing together.
9pm and we are advised to hit the hay, tomorrow is the "worst day" as it's known! Dead woman's pass and up to 4200m. Rest is what is needed!!!!!
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