We headed downwards through the mist and rain past a high lagoon. It was a bit slippy and very wet, but somehow my shoes coped and it was mid morning when we reached the Inca Settlement of Sayaqmarca.
Sayaqmarca was almost like a castle on a hill. At Sayaqmarca we were initially meant to get a briefing and have a chat about the significance of this Inca settlement, but we were never there together as a group, so Sonya let us walk around the ruins on our own, before saying we would all meet for lunch at a lower camp.
Arrival at Sayaqmarca.
We couldn’t really experience Sayaqmarca the way nature intended as a mist had shrouded over the horizons and a glmipse into the valleys revealed only pissing rain and moving mist.
Nobody was that bothered that we didn’t get the guided tour of Sayaqmarca. Mainly because we were hungry and we were assured that the next stop would be in about 25 minutes and would be lunch. Plus the downpours were heavy and hanging around meant our clothes were getting more and more drenched.
There was still time to get a few photos and a quick walk round Sayaqmarca. I hung out with the Taiwanese on the tour – here’s me with She and Ching Go.
And in the mist covered ruins of Sayaqmarca I flew my wet Northern Ireland flag against a backdrop only nature knew what lay beneath. It was onwards to Chaquicocha for lunch.
From – The Descent to Sayaqmarca
To – An onwards walk round to Chaquicocha
Terrain – Wet downward ascent
Weather – Very wet and misty
Kilometres Travelled – 4.5
Key Song –
Radiohead – Paranoid Android (“From a great height, rain down on me”):
WALKING DOWN TOWARDS SAYAQMARCA PAST GUSHING WATERS:
SONYA’S SPEECH ABOUT RUNKURAKAY AND SAYAQMARCA: