Reply To: Help for my South American (in)sanity

[davefl]

meta wrote:

In Uyuni, we did a trip to Cerro El Mundo which was at nearly 5600m, so much higher than Cuzco and didn’t suffer at all. (Macchu Picchu is below the altitude sickness level). It was more the scenery that made us breathless.

That’s the problem it can hit anyone at any time regardless of fitness, but I’ll take it easy on the alcohol this time.

MP – Yes indeed. Being a glutton for punishment I decided to get up at 4am and hike Montana Machu Picchu on the second morning. 6am bus after 90 mins in the queue, hike nearly to the Sun Gate, and then back to the Montana gate, then up the mountain at 7.30am. By the time I got down at 11.30 and back into town my legs were shredded. It took 5 days for the pain in my thighs and calves to subside. I dropped and broke my water bottle at the gate, so managed the whole thing on half a cup of watery coffee. The steak and beer I had for lunch at the restaurant next to the railway line was like ambrosia.

But after all the the view down into the MP ruins was one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever seen.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9xt9Zdd8bVFCQMNX6