Oh darling, let’s not.
I am not an adventurer. I like air conditioning, heat, room service, internet, indoor plumbing, and anything involving champagne. That being said, our train ride from Cusco to Machu Picchu would have been a dream IF it wasn’t the rainy season. The train company failed to mention that during the rainy season they must close part of the track for safety reasons. While I’m all about safety, I don’t care for bus rides out in the middle of nowhere. And that my friends, is where our story begins.
To get past the unsafe section of track, a bus would take us through tiny winding roads up and down the mountains. Oh, and did I mention I’m extremely prone to motion sickness? Key word being extremely. I WISH I was one of those people who could hop on a plane/train/boat and not worry about if they’re going to throw up on their significant other or some unsuspecting passenger. I WISH I had the desire to set up camp anywhere and be alright with my cell phone not having any service without having a panic attack. Combine these two facts and you’ll find I’m not the kind of person you want to go on an adventure with. My best friend keeps wanting me to go on this four day rafting trip out of in the middle of nowhere! Sorry my friend but there’s not enough Xanax in the world!
But back to our bus ride…
While it was a very nice bus with a lovely tour guide, after the first sharp turn I could feel the tingling in my arms. Next my sight would go along with my hearing. Luckily there was enough room for me to lay down. After pouring half of my water bottle on my head (really) I felt better. And after an hour and a half of being in the fetal position it was time to board that beautiful train. The ride was a slow one which was reassuring since I was still recovering from the bus.
When we arrived at Aguas Calientes my husband reassured me that it was a short bus ride up the mountain. AND. HE. LIED. Along with all my other neurosis I’m not big on heights. And this little bus ride was 30 minutes of me being terrified! There were no guardrails! And the bus was as big as the road itself. While everyone else is chatting about, I’m sitting by myself wondering exactly how my death was going to take place. Would we slide off the muddy dirt road or would the bus roll from a sharp hairpin turn? It also didn’t help that our guide told us our lives were in the driver’s hands and that he was ‘experienced.’ Thanks dude, you just made me feel SO MUCH BETTER.
Without incident, we arrived at the top of the mountain. All that stress was completely worth it…
For us to get up the mountain it was a treacherous 30 minute drive. How on earth did the Inca in the 1400s build this city? It was truly a life changing experience. It’s so unreal how these structures seem untouched. We even went inside some of the buildings. Being on top of that mountain felt magical. I will say if you plan on going, stay somewhere in Cusco or Aguas Calientes for several days before you travel to Machu Picchu. It was a struggle trekking up and down all the stairs. I honestly wasn’t acclimated to altitude until 5 days into our trip.
After climbing all over the ruins, we were ready for a shower and a meal at our hotel. The Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel on top of the mountain. The feel is rustic which is obviously appropriate with the environment. Surprisingly we had one of our best meals of the trip at the hotel restaurant.
More on that and my expletive filled ride down the mountain in my next post…
Wearing in Wonderland /// Free People Fringe Cardigan c/o Shopbop (now 30% off!), Free People patched twill herringbone pant c/o Free People, Ray-Ban Aviator Large Metal 58mm Sunglasses in Silver Mirror c/o Singer22, Burberry Boots, Fendi bag
xo