June 4, 2020 · Vivy Sayury
How do I even start writing this??? I've been asking myself that since Friday, August 1st of this year, when we finally reached our goal of getting to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail after 5 days of tough hiking. There were 13 of us hikers, 2 guides descended from the very same Inca culture (Edison and Charly), and the big boss of the 13 hikers, Fer Robledo, representing Argentina Extrema — so altogether we made up a group of 16 people with all kinds of different personalities, who nonetheless showed, throughout the trek, the sheer willpower it took to see this adventure through to the end.
5 days of every kind of landscape, of changing weather, of experiencing shifts in altitude, of burning energy and physically recovering, 5 days of sharing time with each one of these people — although with some we clicked more than with others, which I think is normal, since, as I said, everyone had their own personality and was a different age, which shaped their own interests, and as such everyone had their own reason for taking this trip. Beyond the hiking itself, we shared campsites, breakfasts, lunches and dinners, extra treats like the hot springs, and, in many cases, words of encouragement for one another — just to help each other finish the day's stretch of the route. Without even realizing it, we all made a silent pact not to let anyone give up on the trek; no matter how exhausted we were ourselves, we'd look at whoever was struggling and hand them a "come on, we're almost there." We shared so many things, and incredibly, we traded smiles, life stories, opinions about the world today and about history itself, and, reflecting a little, we shared One Big Dream that we made come true — and above all, feelings and emotions, like the emotion many of us felt on reaching Salkantay: how many of us had tears well up in our eyes, how many smiles and hugs we gave each other that day. Wow — that day, and each of the following days, was, is, and will always be unforgettable, and I have to mention that we had guides who were deeply wise in their own culture, and that on the climb up Salkantay they honored us by letting us take part in an offering ceremony to the great snow-capped mountain.
Every new place we came across was, in itself, an event worth celebrating with a high-five, a smile... and a tired "we did it"... and so the days went by, covering a few more kilometers each time, with everyone experiencing the hike and the stories our guides told us every day in their own way. To reach the citadel we had to pass through all kinds of places — snow-capped peaks, the glacial lake, mountains we climbed, descended and went around, rivers, small towns, jungle stretches, parts of the sierras, and of course the hydroelectric plant, which was our sign that we were getting closer to the final day, closer to Machu Picchu. I can't go on without openly saying that Peru — or rather, the little of Peru we got to know on this trek — made it clear to us that it's a culture rich in traditions, food, history, routes, and places worth discovering, among other things.
...And we finally made it... that's the phrase I remember saying, and hearing from many of my fellow hikers, as we walked into the citadel of Machu Picchu — wide eyes, well-earned smiles, and I think it was the day we complained the least about being tired (hahaha). The citadel will be unforgettable for what it is in itself, for its history, for the memories it left us, and because we came to understand what the Incas were throughout all their years of existence... What a magical place Machu Picchu is — but I think the trip became even more magical because of the way we did it, because of the people with whom we built friendships, and in my case, because I got to discover one of the wonders of the world alongside my partner — and I have to say it, because after 2 years I finally kept my promise to Fer Robledo of taking this trip (hahaha), and I promise more will come. Anyway, thank you Argentina Extrema for everything we lived, from start to finish.
To my fellow hikers, I want to say that I'm a Colombian with a prodigious memory, and I won't forget you, but as I said before, I bonded more with some than others, whether because of similar ages, personalities, or shared interests (back home we'd say we had "filin," a certain vibe)... Thank you all for everything we lived through, a thousand thanks to Fer Robledo for your presence, your teachings, and for looking out for us, thanks to our amazing guides who shared so many beautiful things from their history, and thank you, my love, for coming along on this adventure with me — I know there will be more. And let me pause here to say thanks to Lucas for putting up with me (hahaha), and everyone, keep conquering mountains, never stop dreaming, traveling, and smiling. See you soon — it was a pleasure getting to know you all.
