First view of Machu Picchu

You can't really see it in this picture but Machu Picchu is visible between the mountains.

Today started off early with a 7am kick off to a long climb. I think we went up around 2500ft to an Incan temple. The weather on the tropical side of the mountains is totally different to what we had felt on the dry side. The walk up was very humid (we were basically walking through the cloud layer in places) and I probably lost another 5 lbs in sweat.

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop run by a local family with a view of Machu Picchu. Except everything was covered in clouds. Or we were inside of the clouds. Not sure how you can tell. So some of the group played frisbee with the family's 3 year old son Miguel.

Eventually the clouds started to clear (or rise, or whatever it is clouds do so that you can see things) and we got our first view of the city. Granted, it was far away and a bit hard to see (the surrounding mountains and valleys were more impressive), but it justified dragging that stupid (heavy) telephoto lens all over this country.

After lunch (first food in 2 days!) it was a set of 94 (steep) switchbacks down into the valley to catch the train into Aguas Calientes. The down hill part was Megans least favorite (apparently she has poor balance), while I was loving it and basically ran down the mountain (or a barely controlled fall).

Once at the bottom we had to cross the Ahobamba river (which of course involved an Indiana Jones style wood bridge). Megan really didn't seem to find the humor in bouncing while crossing, which is unfortunate.

(Pictures should be a bit bigger now, in a hotel with internet that doesn't involve satellite dishes and tin cans connected by string)