Today was very long. The most difficult part, I think, aside from the length, was the fact that the weather wasn't too good. It was foggy all day, and we had a regular drizzle - the kind that goes on and off but is always there in spirit, because the clouds never go away. Ever. I'm pretty sure that we could have had some super-nice views if it weren't for the giant cloud of fog in the way.
Other than the length and the rain, today's trek was actually pretty good. Yes, it took forever, but we stopped by a temple/ fort place on the way ("we" meaning me, Ellen, Kimbob, Maggie, and Mark) to the campsite. It turns out it was a place for spiritual cleansing before going on to Machu Picchu. This place is interesting because of the levels it has: many of the ruins we've visited have had terracing, but the buildings were pretty much all on the same plane. This structure has stairs and internal levels and stuff like that. It was really cool.
On the way there, it was really easy to think you were in Middle Earth or something, hiking the Emyn Muil or something awesome like that (for those of you who don't speak Sindarin, "Emyn Muil" is the Elvish term for the Misty Mountains). Between Dead Woman's Pass (which wasn't as bad as I feared) and the temple, there weren't too many trees.
After lunch (2:30 ish), we hit the cloud forest - aptly named for this cloudy day. This part of the hike actually had trees, and they were all really cool. The moss on the trees was really cool. The orange lichen was super cool. It was really interesting - one of those places that you could easily set fairy tales in, if the trees only went out a bit farther on either side to make the Enchanted Forests that always seem to occur in such stories.
The campsite is really nice because, once again, we have a spectacular view. This time, we're on a level with some clouds, but you can look out easily over the mountains for a view that is normally only seen on postcards and calendars - where the sunlight hits just right and the clouds seem to glow and the mountains are lit perfectly. Yes these sorts of places actually exist without the help of Photoshop.
Also, today at camp (we're sharing the fairly large site with a few other groups), we saw more llamas. I got really close to one, and got a few photos of one that was really photogenic. There was also a black llama, which is, supposedly, the purest one of the lot, according to the Inka belief system. I'm just really excited that I got really close to a llama.
My llama buddy
photogenic llama
llama poo
Also, tonight at dinner, I learned part of the meaning of life. That part is that Miguel is always right, except in the times when he thinks he is wrong; in those cases, his impression is incorrect.
Apparently, I need to sort out the other parts of it myself. That requires effort. Philosophical effort. Grr.
It's hard to believe that the trek is almost done. Tomorrow, we hike to the Sun Gate. Apparently, there are around fifty stairs which are nearly vertical, and we'll probably have to climb up with our hands and somehow pack away the poles at the same time. About forty minutes from the Sun Gate is the classic view of Machu Picchu - the one you see in all the postcards and ads and such. I'm excited, but I don't know how I'm going to take it - the fact that this part of the journey is over. It's also the end of a journey in Peru - we'll have an actual tour on Thursday; we go back to Cuzco later that day. Friday night (I think) we're in Lima, to fly out late on Saturday night (we flew out on noon, to get back at around midnight Saturday/ Sunday).
It's interesting, how easy it is to make your butt your home when you're on the road, and how quickly your companions become your family. Of course, Mother is my family, but so is everyone else on the trek - even Miguel and even the Porters. Miguel is like that awesome cousin you only see occasionally, and the porters are the characters of family legend that you con't really actually see or talk to all that much.
In all, I'm glad I came to Peru. It's not been the easiest trek in the world - and I'm not even done yet - but it's been a lot of fun. I just hope Machu Picchu isn't terribly anticlimactic, because it would really suck if we came all this way for nothing too interesting to see or learn or anything.
Anyway, I've hit the page count, and I need to go to bed. Will write tomorrow.
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