-
Post Script: A night at Skylodge Adventure Suites
And this is how you save the best for last. This is, Without a doubt, one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Not to mention totally outside my comfort zone I discovered the existence of Skylodge Adventure Suites during the pandemic, more than three years ago. This was—even more than hiking the Inca Trail—my number one reason for wanting to go to Peru: for the opportunity to spend the night suspended, yes, suspended, off the side of a mountain. But sleeping in a capsule 900 ft (300m) off the ground is just part of the equation. The middle part. First you have to get up there. Then you have…
-
INCA TRAIL DAY 4: WIÑAY WAYNA TO MACHU PICCHU
I fell in love. Then I was done. This last day on the Inca trail started early. The proverbial wake up call at our tents came around 3:30am. We had also agreed to forgo a proper cooked breakfast, so we hurriedly grabbed some basic provisions, and were on our way. It is Machu Picchu day! It was a hurry up and wait kind of a situation. Unlike the previous couple of nights, the campsite we spend Machu Picchu Eve at is the same one all the other groups do. Which means there are A LOT of people here. The campsite is essentially just steps from the check point that allows trekkers…
-
The Inca Trail Day 3: Choquicocha to Wiñay Wayna
I feel so privileged. Privileged to be here in Peru. Privileged to have both the health and means to undertake The Inca Trail. And beyond privileged to experience ancient Inca culture in a way only a few ever will. Today was always meant to be our “easy day” on the Inca Trail. A day when we would take our time, and make frequent photo stops as we descended into the Cloud Forest that serves as a gateway to the Peruvian Amazon. As beautiful as yesterday was, I spent so much of it just trying to catch my breath that this was a welcome respite. And while the fog was our constant…
-
INCA TRAIL DAY 2: AYAPATA TO CHOQUICOCHA
This second day on the Inca Trail began at 4:40am with a knock on my tent door and a cup of coca tea. A hot water basin and soap were left outside as well allowing me to freshen up before breakfast The meals here truly are over the top. How in the world our chef manages to whip up such a varied spread for 15 in just about an hour inside a kitchen tent is beyond me. Day two on the Inca trail is the hardest. At least it is if you sign up with Alpaca Expeditions. For one there are two mountain passes to overcome. Then there are the…
-
Inca Trail Day One: Ollantaytambo to Ayapata
Day one on the Inca Trail started early for Debbie and I. But not as early as it did for the rest of our Alpaca Expeditions group. Back when I first started to research the ins and outs of the Inca Trail one of the first things I learned was that the overwhelming majority of tour groups will pick up their people in Cusco. Located in Peru’s Sacred Valley, Cusco is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. It is also the ancient capital of the Incas. As such it is the starting point for anyone looking to visit the Lost City of Machu Picchu. …
-
Day 6 on Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail: Reflections on My Last Day in the Valley of Thor
All good things must come to an end. Lest we forget to appreciate them. Our final morning in Thórsmörk began—finally—with a leisurely coffee and the bacon and eggs we’d all been craving since our Laugavegur Trail adventure began. We had to check out of our room by 10am. So we all made sure to have our things packed and outside the huts before breakfast. Once done it was time for one last short hike. More of a walk really. But what a walk. Up a steep hill it was for one last magnificent view of the surrounding area. Then a quick jaunt to a super cool spot called the singing…
-
Day 5 on Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail: An easy day….Just please don’t fall off the cliff.
Our guide went MIA today. Well kinda sorta. This morning we were all moving slow. After yesterday evening’s festivities having officially completed the Laugavegur Trail no one was in a rush to get up. Especially since we are spending another night here and didn’t have to go through our usual packing routine. When we finally all got our acts together it became clear our guide was nowhere to be found. The other group was happily cooking bacon and eggs while we were still trying to sort out coffee. As it turns out Hákon has some tummy troubles. The really bad kind. When he finally did make an appearance this morning…
-
Day 4: One trail ends…another begins
I’m Writing this a day late. Mostly beause I was having too much fun yesterday. Which is a good thing. The Laugavegur Trail is officially complete. The next two days will be for day hikes in the area of Thorsmork where we are now. We hiked about ten miles in mostly rolling terrain. While there was, like yesterday, some walking through black sand plains, we also walked through our first Icelandic forest. Yes! There are forests in Iceland. Though definitely not what we think of. You see, while hundreds of years ago Iceland was about 40% tree covered most of those trees have disappeared. There is, very little vegetation here.…
-
Day 3: Ice cold river crossings and a whole lotta black sand
I’ve never slept in a bunk bed in my life. Tonight that’s going to change. I’m lying on the top of a six mattress bunk. I kid you not. Thankfully two are free so there is room to stretch out. Such luxury. Especially after the two ice-cold river crossings we had to do today. So what’s the big deal with these river crossings I keep harping on? Well they’re kind of fun. But they also take a heck of a lot more time than they should. Why? Well because you can’t just walk through in your regular footwear or you’d end up hiking in wet boots and socks. Not good. So…
-
Day 2: The Land of Fire and Ice
I’m writing this a day late, as I lie inside my sleeping bag—my roommates beginning to stir inside our little mountain hut. There are clothes hanging everywhere, including from an improvised clothes line devised last night in an effort to get our soaked clothes to dry. Our first official day on the Laugavegur trail was nothing short of epic. At fifteen miles long it is billed as the longest and hardest day of the trek, including well over 3,000 feet of elevation gain. The first half was stunning, breathtaking, otherworldly, all those adjectives commonly ascribed to Iceland, a country who’s landscape changes in the blink of an eye. As does…
