Everyone was in high spirits at Winay Wayna. Our Inca Trail group had really bonded well. This was the party the night before the point of the exercise. While we knocked back the ice cold Cusquenas, talk diverted itself to the Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu. I was surprised to be the only one in Read more about Inca Trail Day 3 Part 9: Christmas Eve Party at Winay Wayna[…]
After the highs of seeing the impressive Intipata and the tremendous views into the valleys, it was onwards on that happy walk to the finish line for the end of the third day. And there wasn’t far to go. I lost Roberta on this part of the trail, and all of the others as I Read more about Inca Trail Day 3 Part 8: Arrival at Winaywayna[…]
Intipata was a turning point. Or better still, a point of elation. Add to that some astounding Inca Ruins, the best view so far on the Inca Trail and the fact that we were just 30 minutes walk from our campsite for the night. Oh and I forgot to mention, it was Christmas Eve, I Read more about Inca Trail Day 3 Part 7: Intipata[…]
Often called “The Gringo Killer” this part of the entire 4 day hike was the bit I found the hardest. Probably more a fatigue thing than the actual tough terrain, as it was mostly downhill and in spirals. But we had all been awake since 5 am, and it was now after 4pm. 12 hours Read more about Inca Trail Day 3 Part 6: The Hardest Part Yet – “The Gringo Killer” Descent to Intipata[…]
It was 3pm on the third day of the Inca Trail when we arrived at Phuyu Pata Marka, the highest stop point of today’s part of the Inca Trail (though we had been higher just 30 minutes earlier but without Inca Ruins to stop at). As far as I can recall, this was the longest Read more about Inca Trail Day 3 Part 5: Phuyu Pata Marka[…]
It has forever confused me as to what people mean when they say “old town” and “new town” about the same town – almost as if they are dividing a city into two parts based solely on age. I don’t do it with football shirts or girlfriends, it feels a bit odd to do it Read more about Backpacking in Ecuador: New Town Quito[…]
The very words “Finn McCool’s Irish Pub” will linger forever in my own memory and those of 5 other Northern Ireland fans. The reason being that back in 2005 we launched the glamorous and innovative South of England Northern Ireland Supporters Club in a bar of that very name in the seaside town of Weymouth Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Finn McCool’s Irish Pub – Quito![…]
Arriving in Ecuador was at a substantial extra cost for me. Just 2 nights before my flight to Ecuador (“the equator country”) I had booked 2 flights – on TACA’s website with help and advice from an American guy sharing in the same room at Pariwana hostel, who similarly to me had done the whole Read more about In The Door Of Ecuador[…]
Well, yes this is the Real Inca Trail and not of of those fake Inca Trails I warned you all about, but one thing to note is that apparently the only official bit from the original Inca Trail starts halfway through day 3. But this particular part of the Inca Trail is where it got Read more about Inca Trail Day 3 Part 4: The “Real Inca Trail” Begins[…]
It’s a funny feeling when you stand in the middle of the world. Apparently you even weigh less on the Equator. Something to do with forces. But it had been well over a year since I was last in the Northern Hemisphere – that was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in October 2009 (in fact it’s Read more about Equator Trip Part 1: Ciudad Mitad Del Mundo, Ecuador – Journey To The Middle Of The World[…]