Machu Picchu Day 4

1st day of the hike started early with us trekking across town at 5am to the bus.  We rode the bus for a few hours to get to the start of the hike.  It was a hard yet beautiful day.  We used beetle blood as war paint, stopped for a yummy lunch, walked through small villages and had a glimpse into the life these people live, we ended in a beautiful camp site with a delicious dinner.  It was a little cold so at night I layered up and went to bed.  In the middle of the night I woke up so hot cause we were in a small 2 man tent. I tried to get out but couldn't get out fast enough so I started having a  panic attack.  I have only had a panic one time in my life before and they are not fun.  It is so high up there and the oxygen level is so low that I had to sit outside the tent for 2 hours just telling myself to breathe and you saying over and over again you are fine.  I was finally able to get inside the tent but had to keep the flap open so I wouldn't feel suffocated.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to continue on the next day but just kept saying...you are fine...you are fine.  I survived but it gave me an appreciation for those who struggle with panic attacks.  The rest of the trip I kept struggling with just the thought of having another one which would them make me start feeling like I was going to have one.  Vicious cycle.

Treking across town to get on bus that will drive us to start of hike

Sights on our bus ride...makes you realize jus how blessed we are

Start of the hike

These porters are monsters. They carry these packs that weigh almost as much as we do and some of them don't even have shoes but are wearing sandals.

Beetles blood

The hike was mostly uphill so we took frequent breaks

The first ruin that we saw

We made it to lunch.  The porters had beat us to this place, unpacked, and made us lunch before we ever got here. They then wait until we are finished. They cleanup, repack, pass us on the hike, and make it to our campsite and have it all set up for us before we make it there.  I can not believe what they do.  

They make their own bricks to make their houses

Trev made a friend along the way. I can not believe people live all they way up here.

We made to our first campsite

Had an amazing dinner and went to bed early since we were exhausted

Machu Picchu Day 1, 2, & 3

Another thing marked off my bucket list…hike Machu Picchu.  It has been over a year of planning and we didn’t know at times if it would actually happen but man was it worth all the planning and stress.  We were able to go with some of our best friends who made it all that much better.  We had to go a few days early to acclimate to the altitude so we were able to go shopping, do some sight seeing,  eat amazing food and visit sacsayhuaman before the actual hike started. 

Let the adventure begin

This is after 3 plane rides and a few hours of sleep in a taxi ride to our hotel room

In town square

They food was devious and super cheap

The next day checking out the sights

Sacsayhuaman...it is crazy what these people were able to do with our the technology we have today

I had some delicious ice cream 

Aug Misc

Aug Misc...

Soccer practice Davyn, Jackson, Jade

 Twins activity days

Breakfast for Christina's bday

The new dogs Fleury and Copper

Tami teaching how to make bread for homeschool 

Trev's new collection he got from my dad

The clan who walks to and from school together

Somedays its hot so we use and umbrella

Beautiful thunder storm

Jade carrying backpacks from school

The new bread recipe we are perfecting 

Water fight at night Corbin and Jade

Longest Hike of my life

We decided to do the full hike up at Mount Charleston for a practice hike and it was painful.  It was just so long and took all day.  I am glad to say I did it but never plan on doing that again. It was almost 17 miles and took over 8 hours.