MACHU PICHU - DAY 3

MONDAY 27th JUNE

   These early starts come with amazing frequency, and I find that a) I cannot face much breakfast at 5.30am and b) I don't want to eat much because of the toilet situation.  The porters kindly put a bowl of cold water with a bar of some soap outside our tents.  I may be a masochist, but I'm not totally mad and I decline the use of these facilities.

  It is still dark when we set off.  I make no pretence of trying to keep up with group but set off at my own sedentary pace accompanied by Marco.  So day to is the worst, we're onto day three, so how come this consists of 14KM whereas the previous days were 10 and 11Km respectively? Gradually light dawns and the sights are as spectacular as ever.  Well you can see the change in headgear as the day gets warmer!

 

   I got to the top of today's peak just about the time the rest of the party were getting to leave.  I took my boots off to get some air to my feet and noticed the precarious state of my big toenail.  With the aid of the first aid kit I managed to strap it up.  After the rest of the party set off an American lady came up to me and asked me if I was alright.  I set that apart from not being able to breath, a dodgy knee and disintegrating toenail, I was fine.  She told me she lived here and was my training a pediatric nurse.  I told her that I might look pregnant, but in reality that was something else.  She asked me if I would mind if she checked my pulse and I told her I had no objections.  Apparently it was good and strong and then she asked me what medications I took.  I showed them to her.  She said I might have some fluid on the lung, which was preventing me from taking in as much oxygen as I normally would, and said she lived just over there and if I had any doubts to come and see her.

  I was served a late lunch by the chef as the porters started rolling up the camp.  It was then that Santiago came up with his surprise package.  He said he had arranged for a taxi to take me down to the night camp.  He realised having talked to me how important it was for me to get to Machu Pichu and was impressed by my determination to keep going.  He had sent one of the porters back to the previous camp to collect a shoulder stretcher and now that they had a much lighter load of provisions to carry, six of them would take it in turns of four to carry me down.  I cannot deny it wasn't welcome news.  I was definitely flagging at this stage.  I had my cap over my face so couldn't see much, but these fellows simply ran down the mountain with a pole (no pun intended) on some padding on each soldier.  Periodically they would have a change of guard with Santiago taking his turn as well.  Occasionally branches antwigs brushed my body, and on the odd occasion I moved my cap aside, the sky appeared to flash by.  We got to the camp just before dark, not long after the others.  I spread some largesse around to these fine porters in recognition of their sterling work, and forwent dinner, going straight to bed at 7.30pm.  It was the warmest night of all and I got a bit of kip at long last.