Part 5 - The Inca Trail Saga Continues

The pictures in the previous post. My guide kept taking pictures of me at various points...something I typically would never let happen...however...I wanted to have proof of the last point I was known to still be alive...so I agreed! In one of the pictures, my guide is pointing across the mountain....see the little clearing....waaaaayyyy over, near the top of the mountain? Well, that's the next destination! The Inca's used terracing for planting and living on the side of the mountains.

After reaching the top of the ruins, we went thru the hostel for hikers and there was a security check point station. They don't let anyone go alone past that point and your group has to remain together! Group? What group? Our other guide was waiting at the security check point so my guide and I could continue on. The trail was now flat and I was making time! Well, as good as quickly as a person can go with no fuel in their body and being dehydrated! I began to feel very weak. Eat something! What? I threw out everything! Oh, except the beef jerky...protein. I sat on a rock in the shade and opened the bag....I put a piece in my mouth and began to chew....and chew and spit it out! Hot! It was peppered! I was already hot and exhausted! A sip of water and another 2 hours. I found myself alone on the trail for about an hour and my mind began to wander..."You are all alone on a trail, in Peru, miles from anywhere! Right before I arrived in Peru, the mother of my daughter's, friend kept telling me all the 'bad' things that can happen. I explained to her, that I was going, and I didn't want to hear about any bad things that can happen while traveling in a foreign country. Nevertheless, my mind began to wander. Was my guide going to catch up with me? Was the security station where he was stopping? Does the trail have sub trails? Am I going to get lost? I brought myself back to the moment. I knew on a spiritual level that it was no accident that I had been left alone. I began to pray and listen and watch what was around me. Come to find out, my son was alone on the trail during the same time. More walking, my guide did show up...with the information; "We've got to hurry... we have to meet the bus at 5:30! Hurry??? What in the heck? I am hurrying...it looks like slow motion, granted...but nevertheless...I'm going as fast as I could!