Early start this morning. Woken up at 3.30am. We were all packed and fed much earlier than planned so we headed off at 4.05am. First stop was the check point which was only a short walk away. We arrived to find we were the first ones there. Opening time was 5.30am so we had a bit of a wait. Meanwhile lots and lots of people joined the queue behind us.

We then had a walk of about an hour to reach the sun gate overlooking Macchu Picchu. We pretty much legged it as we were determined to be the first there. In the end, we were the second group there. There was to be no view of it yet as it was covered in cloud. Waited for a bit before heading down. The further down we got the more the clouds cleared until eventually we caught our first sight of Macchu Picchu. What an incredible sight. I think it’s fair to say we were feeling elated with our achievement. Ray, our guide, gave us a guided tour before leaving us to do our own thing.

I should explain the twister shot. On Peggy, the truck, there was a game of twister. It was decided that whilst playing it on Peggy was impractical, we would instead play it at Macchu Picchu. We didn’t think many others could say they had played twister at Macchu Picchu! We had to avoid being seen by the wardens though as it wouldn’t have gone down so well, hence the boring building background!

We had a good wander around before catching the bus down to the town and from there, the train to Ollyantaytambo from where we got our bus back to Cusco. The train journey was spectacular. We also got free drinks and snacks. Oh, and some guy in a coloured suit a yellow wig entertained us after which, the stewards performed a fashion show. Very bizarre.

Trying to sum up today. Here’s what I wrote in my diary:

“So I find it hard to comprehend what I have just done. It’s quite hard to put into words. It’s now 9.50pm, I’ve been awake for over 18 hours and I don’t feel tired. I feel alive. I’m full of endorphins, adrenalin and general good vibes. I feel very satisfied. I’ve overcome something i genuinely thought I couldn’t. And Macchu Picchu. What a magical place. It’s situation up in the mountains is just breathtaking. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing the experience with Angie, Bex, and Larry. What an investment.”

Chris is on Tucan Travel’s Sumac Overland Tour and blogging along the way.