One of the maps that we were given are instuctions to a secret path that you can enter (sneak into) Machu Picchu for free at night. After three hours of sleep our alarm went off and we prepared for our ultimate ninja mission thus far. At 1:oo in the morning we began our accencion to the top of the almost vertical mountain lead by the light of the full moon and shitty map drawn on the back of a receipt. With our adrenaline pumping and quietest ninja movements we climbed the dark jungle mountain side. Upon approaching a set of steps i heard a voice and crouched down. Heart pumping, I took little quiet breaths hoping that it was not the sounds of a security gaurd. Then... the familier aroma of herb followed by the sight of three Argentinians relieved our immediate parranoia. We all introduced our selves and confirmed that we were on the same mission. As we compared maps i noticed that the three guys who happened to be in a reggae band had a different route.
All five of us climbed higher into the cold night like we were a covert swat team. Unfortantely both of the maps were slightly wrong- so we had to improvise. After a series of backtracking and following the wrong trails we were frusterated and currious where the night would lead us. Finally we found what we thought was the right ¨path¨- when i say path i mean some broken twigs and brush that had been pushed down. I took the lead and we scaled nearly vertical walls grabbing on to roots and jagged rocks, often catching eachother from falling and taking everyone else down too. Twice my new Argentinian friends ask me in spanish, ¨are you making this path or following an old one?¨ And i reasured them that we´ll make it. Then what happens... of course the trail ends and we are stuck crouchin in a patch of roots and branches hoping we don´t fall down the hill. We knew we were close but couldn´t turn back at this point because it was too dangerous to climb down.
So in my most heroic attempt I start pulling my way through branches, struggling with new terrain, and into a patch of tall plants with tropical flowers that hung over head. As I climbed higher and higher rummaging through vines and plants i reached the top! I reached my hand down into the bushes and pulled everyone up into the clearing. We all found ourselves hugging and dancing under the moonlight in one of the wonders of the world- all alone. It had taken us three and a half hours to reach the top and was now 4:30 am. The gates opened at 6:00 am so we had an hour and a half with the full moon, stars, and fog sweaping through the old stone city.
We explored and found a room to hide in. At arround 5:30 the groundskeepers started patrolling the area, speaking in quechua and listening to handheld radios. They were so close to us we thought for sure we were fuct. But sure enough at 6:00 tourists started entering and we non chalantly blended in with various tour groups. TRIUMPH... or so we thought.
After about three hours of exploring in various groups three of us were approached by security and asked to present our tickets. We tried to explain that the other members in our group had the stubbs as we were escorted to a control station at the real entrance of the park. FU*k- when we arrived at the control station the other members of our covert team had been captured as well. After sitting there for about 40 minutes and trying just about everything we could to convince them that we had already paid the 140 soles to enter, we were stuck. Untill a moment of oppertunity struck- the guards were distracted by a women who had lost her purse. It was every man (and woman) for them selves. We escaped under their noses with the stealth of the most skilled ninjas and down the mountain laughing and celebrating one of the best adventures any of us had ever partaken in. We made it down the mountain in a quarter of the time it took us to climb and out into our campsite as unnoticed as when we entered. Shit was crazy.
1 comment:
illness....
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