1. January 21 2010 75
LIFE STYLE
THURSDAY FRIDAY
SATURDAY SUNDAY
7°
MONDAY
7°
TUESDAY
6°
WEDNESDAY
6°
WEATHER
HIGH TIDE IN GALWAY
Thursday January 21 08.34 20.58
Friday January 22 09.12 21.37
Saturday January 23 09.57 22.26
Sunday January 24 10.56 23.34
Monday January 25 ** ** 12.15
Tuesday January 26 00.56 13.36
Wednesday January 27 02.09 14.45
Thursday January 28 03.09 15.43
PHASES OF THE MOON
Saturday January 23 — first quarter.
9°
7°
BREAK-AWAY
TRAVEL WITH UNA SINNOTT
7°
Galway
Tuam
Gort
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Take the trail of a lifetimeBY MARTINA NEE
For four days and three nights I
battled my way up and up the long and
winding Inca Trail, wiping never
ending beads of sweat from my brow,
desperately gasping for breaths,
telling myself that the pain would be
worth it, and it was. When the first
rays of morning light shone on the
ancient site of Machu Picchu it
dawned on me, I was standing in the
most beautiful place in the world.
For months I had been planning the
trip to Peru contending with worries
about travelling on my own and about
the daunting task of actually being
able to complete the famous Inca
Trail; would I pass out with fatigue
before I’d even clasped my eyes on
Machu Picchu?
I had been travelling for a number
of days with a Tucan tour group and
then suddenly the time had come.
Tucan arranged a pre-departure
meeting to get the group acquainted
with the trek, detailing what areas
would be explored, the time each
section of the trail would take to
complete, and what to bring; the latter
part proved to be the first challenge as
all your gear must fit into a duffel bag
no heavier than 5kg so that the
amazing porters will be able to carry
it.
We first stopped at the town of
Ollantaytambo to pick up last minute
snacks, walking sticks, and vital coca
leaves which are supposed to combat
the effects of altitude. Then once
passed the permit/passport control we
were off. The first day of the trek was
not so bad. Our tour guide took time to
stop at certain places and talk about
the various archeaological sites and
the surrounding landscapes. I was
content to go at my own pace, stop
now and again, and actually
appreciate the experience. Camp was
reached well before sundown where
surprisingly delicious food awaited us.
Day two of the trek, which started
at 6am, involved the dreaded ‘Dead
Woman’s Pass’ at 4,200m, ooach! It
was an uphill march along never-
ending winding, craggy, stone steps
through forest-like terrain. There
were many times where I had to stop
and catch my breath. It was a relief to
finally see the top of Dead Woman’s
Pass. The last few steps to the top
were tough but it was a fantastic
feeling to get there and celebrate this
tremendous achievement with the
group. It was downhill all the way
after that to get to the campsite.
The next morning was another
early start but it was worth it to see
the mist coming in off the surrounding
mountains. Stretching out my sore
legs I was eager to get going. Day
three is a gradual hike to the second
high pass, Runkurakay (3,950m).
Along the way there are some
excellent sights of the Andes and a
chance to explore the fascinating
ruins of Sayacmarca. Continuing to
the third pass the scenery becomes
more lush and you come to the ruins
of Phuyupatamarka. From here it was
a further 5km downhill march to
reach the final campsite at Winay
Wayna which is a chance to reward
yourself with a shower and a few cold
beers.
The final day had come. We rose at
the ungodly hour of 4am but there was
good reason for this, if you’re fast
enough you might just get to the Sun
Gate (Intipunku) on time to see the
sun rise over Machu Picchu. I was
exhausted, sweaty, and my legs were
shaking but it was an incredible
feeling to get to Machu Picchu. We
reached the site at around 7am, took
some great group photos, before being
taken on a guided tour and exploring
this mystical Inca city by ourselves.
Completing the Inca Trail was by
far the best thing I have ever done. It’s
an once in a life time opportunity to do
with friends or for travellers on their
own to complete with a group tour.
Tucan Travel offers a whole range of
group tours to Peru which includes
the Inca Trail. For more information
log onto www.tucantravel.com.
2010 SALE NOW ON