It was a three hour bus drive to Mollepata, and we drove through the valley Tualumbe with marvelous landscapes. We met up with our guide named Afraim, he explained his name came from the Old Testament and Afraim was a chief of a tribe in the desert.  We had been issued rice bags at the hotel and were told to put our gear in the rice bag and tie it up.  If you could not fit it all in the bag then it was left at the hotel. Our name was written on the rice bag with a grease pencil.

We started walking at Mollepata and we have a string of mules to pack all the gear.  Our cook is named Marta and there were two other men to help with the mules.  As it turned out the leader of our trek, named Kristen, became really sick and could not come with us and at the last minute there was no one else to take her place.  This put Afraim in the unaccustomed position of leader, guide and caretaker.

Afraim led off very fast and went cross country to a point he could see in the distance, we were never on a trail and the group was really scattered all over the place.  He was taking shortcuts straight up the hills and there were no planned rest stops.  We finally did get to camp and I was in bed by 7.30 p.m,  I had not drank enough water and had severe leg cramps.  From a very hot day the night turned very cold.

The next day we are up at six a.m. and on our way by seven a.m. The hike is going slower today and the scenery and the mountains are wonderful.  I hiked with Marta the cook today, we took turns riding her horse (age does have some benefits).  She led the horse when I was on it, I am not compatible with horses, donkeys or camels and in fact I am scared to death of them. Our lunch was delayed to 3 p.m. One of the mules in the pack train ran away and it was loaded with all the lunch stuff. It was a much easier day for me even with the altitude gains. I have figured out a system to get on that darn horse.  I find a big rock, stand on the rock and then leap onto the horse, it worked for me.

The majority of this group are in their twenties to forties, except for my friend Hans who is closer to my age. We are at 13,800 ft  (4206 m) now, and note in this picture the big mountains behind us.  My appetite is diminishing with the exertion.  Today we will climb to 16,896. (5150 m)  I think I will be very glad to get a turn on the horse.  We are doing about 3000 ft. each day.  At lunch time we had reached 15,912 ft (4850 m). A number of the young folks have bad headaches, Hans and I seem to be okay.  We are several hundred feet from the pass and we will do the rest after lunch. This is the highest pass on the trek.  We are looking at the mountain called Salkanday 20,505 ft.  (6250 m.) This was our group picture at lunch time and at the pass is Afraim and myself, and the horse which had to be dragged up the last hundred feet, what a chore. With the high mountains around us, the feeling of being in the Andes are so real.             

 After a picture taking session we are told that it is just about an hour down this valley  where we will camp for the night. That sounded good to me.  It is about three p.m. and we all start down into the valley and again are spread out on a non existing trail. It is now six p.m. and it is getting dark, there is no sign of camp or of some others in the group.   During the past hour we have heard Afraim giving bird whistle, but no one knew where he was.  I join up with three other folks and stumble down in the dark over many boulders and rough terrain.  We finally see a small light coming up the valley and wait for it to come to us.  It was one of the horsemen on foot.  We tried hiking with him, but we are still not on a trail and the dark was pitch black. I finally said no more and asked him to go back and get the horse for me. I was not going to turn an ankle or break a leg in the dark. I was back in camp by eight p.m. and just crawled into my bed to get warm. What an ending for such a good day. 

I slept really warm during the night and next morning the tents were heavy with frost.  I started out with the group, it is all side hills and downhill, and it never seemed to be on a trail.  I was having problem with my feet the past few days, my toenails had turned black and I needed to get the pressure out from under them. They really did hurt.  When Marta came along with the horse I was very relieved to take a turn on the horse and then walk.  At the middle of this day we will be at a junction where we will no longer use the pack horses.  All the gear will then be carried by porters as horses are not allowed in the Machu Pichu area.

Hans at Deadwoman's Pass

Kristin joined us here; she was feeling much better, so I talked with her regarding the situation with my feet and also being accustomed to the use a horse for awhile each day.  She agreed with me that I should leave the trek here. There is one more pass 'Deadwoman's Pass at 13,780 (4200 m)  the altitude did not bother me but I was sure my feet would give out and there would be no turning back.

Afraim's brother James came with me and we hiked down to the railroad station at 88K.  It was a two hour walk and I rented a horse to carry my rice bag.  It was all down hill and I did not relish getting on the horse going downhill, I always feel like I am going to be pitched off, so I let my toes take the beating.

I ended up getting the train back to Cuzco and two days later I was back up to Machu Pichu, after having my feet doctored.  The trek ended here after a two hour guided tour of Machu Pichu.  This was really a fantastic sight and I thoroughly enjoyed. it.  We took the train back to Cuzco and the end of the trek.

                                           Machu Pichu Pictures