How many superlatives can we give to this day! The train ride, the bus ride and of course Machu Picchu! Magnificent! But lets start with the early morning – everyone made it up, the luggage out and into breakfast by just after 5 AM. Only crisis – one lost Visa card – but problem quickly solved with a collect phone call to Canada – problem solved – and better yet - there were no charges on the card. Maybe the card will show up when we return in two days.
At 6:45 we were headed to the train station just outside of town, about 20 minutes from the hotel. We drove through various communities and subdivisions and multiple economic levels. Everywhere dogs ran - some were obviously owned – others not so much.
We got on the Vistadome train at 6:30 and within 10 minutes we were off on our 92 KM – 3 ½ hour trip through some of the most gorgeous country side many of us have ever seen. We
travelled through the Urubamba valley. Many of us had decided to
take the 
time 
to catch up on our sleep, but the view was so magnificent 
at every corner 
and angle that we knew 
that we just
had to take in all the scenery
and take as many pictures as possible! Here we see the start of the Inca Trail. 
The only challenge was the reflection from the windows, but that was because the sun was shining so 
bright 
and the sky was
blue.
We arrived just after 10:30 and after our bags were picked up for deposit at our hotel
and we were headed for the bus station. 
Jaimie managed all the tickets and very soon we were on a bus to Machu Picchu with just the bare necessities. Upon arrival there at 11:30 we went directly
to the Sanctuary Hotel Restaurant for lunch. This consisted of a great buffet of pork, several dishes we could not identify, most of which were delicious, soda drinks or purified water and dessert. Once dinner was over we entered
Machu Picchu – about 100 paces uphill where our tickets were checked against our passports and we gained admittance.
It was hard to
believe we were there!
The first 30 or so minutes were m
ore or less 
on
the
level with Jaimie giving us the history of what we were seeing 
as we went along.
After that was a great deal of climbing – up and up – occasional stops at significant structures or viewpoints. 
The last continuous climb was 68 steps – all stone 
– and none the same height and no guard rails.
The climb was worth every step with one side looking down onto the Urubamba Valley and the other looking down on
Machu Picchu where we saw the resident llamas.
From here we gradually returned to pick up the few members who were unable to make it to the top, stopping on the way to view the chapel of the condor. 
While there we met a
couple of chinchillas who were hiding in a crevice.
Back down to Aguas Calienties we checked into our hotel then after time to clean up we had a delightful supper a short briefing for tomorrow and time for those returning tomorrow to organize, we all headed for a much needed sleep.
At 6:45 we were headed to the train station just outside of town, about 20 minutes from the hotel. We drove through various communities and subdivisions and multiple economic levels. Everywhere dogs ran - some were obviously owned – others not so much.
We got on the Vistadome train at 6:30 and within 10 minutes we were off on our 92 KM – 3 ½ hour trip through some of the most gorgeous country side many of us have ever seen. We
travelled through the Urubamba valley. Many of us had decided to
take the 
time 
to catch up on our sleep, but the view was so magnificent 
at every corner 
and angle that we knew 
that we justhad to take in all the scenery
and take as many pictures as possible! Here we see the start of the Inca Trail. 
The only challenge was the reflection from the windows, but that was because the sun was shining so 
bright 
and the sky wasblue.
We arrived just after 10:30 and after our bags were picked up for deposit at our hotel
and we were headed for the bus station. 
Jaimie managed all the tickets and very soon we were on a bus to Machu Picchu with just the bare necessities. Upon arrival there at 11:30 we went directlyto the Sanctuary Hotel Restaurant for lunch. This consisted of a great buffet of pork, several dishes we could not identify, most of which were delicious, soda drinks or purified water and dessert. Once dinner was over we entered
Machu Picchu – about 100 paces uphill where our tickets were checked against our passports and we gained admittance.
It was hard tobelieve we were there!
The first 30 or so minutes were m
ore or less 
on
the
level with Jaimie giving us the history of what we were seeing 
as we went along.
After that was a great deal of climbing – up and up – occasional stops at significant structures or viewpoints. 
The last continuous climb was 68 steps – all stone 
– and none the same height and no guard rails.
The climb was worth every step with one side looking down onto the Urubamba Valley and the other looking down onMachu Picchu where we saw the resident llamas.
From here we gradually returned to pick up the few members who were unable to make it to the top, stopping on the way to view the chapel of the condor. 
While there we met acouple of chinchillas who were hiding in a crevice.
Back down to Aguas Calienties we checked into our hotel then after time to clean up we had a delightful supper a short briefing for tomorrow and time for those returning tomorrow to organize, we all headed for a much needed sleep.
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