On a rainy cold morning, I
was all set for a much awaited dream to become reality. After a long journey
and witnessing many wonders along the way, I was sure nothing would be in comparison
with what I was going to experience later in the day. My heart was pumping so
hard that I needed to give myself an inner talk so I could calm down.
The scenery around this place
of wonders was absolutely magnificent. The fresh air rushed into my lungs. I
patiently waited in a queue to get into the bus that would take me to Machu
Picchu in Peru. I kept glancing at my tickets anxiously. I had two tickets; one
for Huayna Picchu and the other for Machu Picchu. The sight in front of my eyes
was not something you would witness every day. The green mountains, covered in
vegetation that was exclusive to this place, made me feel as if I was
daydreaming. The mist was breaking and I could see all the way down the sinkhole.
I was honestly not aware of Huayna
Picchu and I just got the ticket because I was getting a good deal online. I kept
hearing people talk around me that the Huayna Picchu experience will take
around three hours, but I kept ignoring them because I know after the three
hours I will finally get to see Machu Picchu.
Huayna Picchu was basically
climbing; lots of climbing! It is a mountain that is very steep and has a
narrow path. The journey at the top of the mountain is dangerous and exhausting,
and takes about an hour depending on your physical condition. I could hear
people scream behind me and panicking. Few gave up and turned back while others
sat down on the rocks and started crying. Honestly, Huayna Picchu wasn’t really
what I was expecting. I was close to give up myself when I saw what I had gotten
myself into, but I am a competitive soul, so I decided to go on and conquer the
place. I was climbing against the rocks with no safety harness. The steps wore
so tiny that only one person could climb them at a time.
The higher I got, the more I
regretted the fact that I never kept myself fit. The mission of climbing
against the rocks was very challenging even for a fit person; imagine what it
would be for someone who hardly walks. The high altitude began to leave me
short of breath. A Japanese lady behind was 81 years old! If she could do this
why could I not, I kept telling myself.
Halfway through, I glanced down,
and I almost burst into happy tears. The immensity of the place and the marvelous
view of Machu Picchu from the top of the world were worth every bit of my pain.
It was an aching walk to the top, but once you reach the top, you feel
unstoppable.
The fun part was to go down.
Everything was so abrupt that I had to walk backwards like babies do when they
go down the steps. I just couldn’t look down. Few people were smiling at me,
but I saw them follow my example later because it was too scary to look down. A
lot of them were congratulating me for being so brave and telling me how hard it
was and how proud I should be of myself for doing it. These people were
professional hikers and not amateurs like me who end up on such adventures
without any preparation.
With shaky legs, I anxiously
went straight to see my much awaited wonder of all times. I had to take ten
minutes rest to be able to walk around Machu Picchu ruins and to enjoy the dreamy
scenery it had to offer.
I had to play goofy and take a
few crazy pictures pretending to bite a llama’s ears or lie down in the dirt in
order to get a good picture of the place. Again, people were laughing at me but
would follow the same later on. It is funny how at first people laugh at your
actions even though they would want to do the same but cannot because they are
too shy to loosen up in front of others.
As humans we focus too much
on what others will think about us instead of living the moments. Life is too
short to worry about what others say or think about you; after all, it is
impossible to live up to everyone’s expectations.
In the end, I would
definitely recommend to visit the mystical Machu Picchu and climb Huayna Picchu
if you can. It was once in a lifetime experience for me and I am sure it will
be the same for you.
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