santa teresa

Beginning from the day we left, Dom & I have managed to manifest all that we could hope for in our travels, in the end creating the most profound week Ive ever lived (bet hed say the same).

Its a wild thing to exist in a completely foreign place and encounter people you know or recently met in a city hours and hours away from where you met. I suppose a lot of these people are here to see the same things in the country. The magic in it though... I love it(:

Im trying to get my days straight here but I believe our trek towards Machu Picchu began Thursday morning. Met in the courtyard of our hostel at 6am. The group included 2 of the Maine kids we first saw in Lima and 2 Argentinian guys they met here in Cusco. Half of the day was spent on a bus to Santa Maria (which turned out to be the easiest part of the next 3 days) and the other half was the hike to Santa Teresa where we would camp for the night.

The route we hiked was the most a m a z i n g!! thing Ive been a part of... but I wouldnt recommend it to anyone. The locals didnt either. We were told it would only be really dangerous if it rained -- and of course as the 6 of us were scaled flat against this mountain wall, holding on to whichever rock wouldnt crumble in our hands, drops started falling from the sky. It was amazing. Getting myself to continue forward took complete internal confidence, confidence in the guys and total faith in the Earth. Slow breathing and dont look down. Step lightly. Dont panic if you slide. Drop your pack if needed. Fall and get back up again. I love everyday I live, this included. All these things streaming through my head even as my heart stayed calm, calmer than its been even in my most silent meditation. Doms nervousness allowed me to use my motherly instincts and focus on encouraging him... If it hadnt been for that Im sure I would have insisted on turning back around the way we came. Even though we had already completed 2 similar crossings on the mountain, they werent nearly as scary... but turning back wouldnt be anything near easy either. We made it through and I think all pretty much experienced a bit of a life high and disbelief after that. I couldnt stop smiling(:(:(: