I woke up today to a fairly empty hotel. The majority of our group had woken up at 5 in the morning to hike the Inca trail. Unfortunately, when I signed up for the tour, all the spaces for the trek had been filled (the government only lets a few people on the trail a day). However, I wasn't going to sit around and think about what I was missing - I had an interesting morning, myself. By about 9am, myself and 2 other girls on my tour left the hotel for a morning of downhill mountain biking. We only had to walk next door to jump in a van loaded with bikes and gear and take off towards the Andes mountains. As we ascended, we saw a variety of animals that really didn't seem to fit with the terrain. We saw cows scaling the steep mountainside and countless dogs chilling out on the road. They're lazy suckers - don't move for anything (as we later found out). We drove higher and higher into the mountains, back and forth through countless switchbacks until we reached the top. It was only here when I realized that I had poorly misjudged the conditions I would be biking in. It was 14000 ft above sea level, nearly snowing, and I was wearing shorts and a jogging shirt. You'd think I would have learned from Colca canyon, but nope, that would be way too easy. We jumped on our bikes and started the ride down. The level was easy as it was on the road the whole way but the switchbacks were tight corners and a misjudgement could send you right off the cliffside! At about the time I figured my fingers were frozen and needed amputation, our guide up front literally got t-boned by a dog running across the road. I was surprised that he didn't wipe out after that, but he seemed to be the type with a fair few years of experience. It wasn't much longer before we had ridden low enough to feel the sun's warmth again, and it was such a welcome comfort. The ride all together was beautiful and how many people can say they rode through the Andes! We even made a near record setting time from top to bottom (as you might have expected with such an elite on board, lol). When we returned, it was time for a calzone for lunch and a look through the local markets. I'm such a terrible shopper, so I didn't end up getting anything in Ollantaytambo, but that's fine because I'd rather buy souvenirs where it counts - Machu Picchu. At midday, the handful of us left here walked to the train station just in time to depart to Aguas Calientes (the closest town to Machu Picchu. I spent the ride playing Uno with another Vancouverite on the tour which was fun. We were also surprised with an included meal on the train - however the brown bags contained not more than a small sandwich and cookies that too closely resembled dog treats. After we arrived and checked into the hotel, a group of us took to these local markets (which were quite a bit more impressive). I ended up buying a water bottle holder, but maybe with more time, I can find something better. I had an incredible included dinner tonight (which was even better considering I had no clue what I had ordered). The whole group was reunited at the hotel beforehand, and after dinner, the early risers were all keen to head to bed. I should too - it's a 5am wake up call for me too! Tomorrow, Machu Picchu awaits!
At the top of the mountain, ready to bike
The town of Aguas Calientes at night
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