A couple of mishaps yesterday after we left Machu Picchu.
1st: Sue got up in the middle of the night in search of snacks and managed to kick the bedpost quite hard. It was sticking out at a 45-degree angle and very /painful. We suspected it was broken. (It was. We verified this with an x-ray after we returned home). Luckily Deb had some medical tape so Sue could “buddy tape” her pinky toe to her other toes and hold it in place. Dan went out in the morning to secure more medical supplies, but Sue’s injury effectively put her out of commission for any part of the tour that required walking any distance. She is such a trouper, she worked through the pain and participated in everything else. We are very thankful she was able to experience Machu Picchu yesterday and mark it off “the list”.
2nd: Dan managed to lose his prescription sunglasses on the bus during the ride down the mountain. Irritating, but not the end of the world. A check at lost and found the next morning came up empty. He bought a cheap replacement pair at a local souvenir stand the next morning. They’ll work for now.
With Sue unable to hike, and Deb & Charles deciding to stay and explore the local town, Dan, Becky, & Kim boarded the bus for the winding ride up the mountain for day 2 of Machu Picchu adventure.
Today we had tickets for Circuit 1. This is known as the “panoramic route” designed for the classic postcard photo with the best views from elevated areas. We had about a 20 minute hike up to the top the mountain from where the bus let us off and then a “short” walk to observation area. We saw the Sun Gate trailhead, but there was an accident/slide the day before, so it was closed today.
The views were spectacular, and the weather was perfect. We stayed there for a while soaking it all in. We loved our time on the mountain. Becky and Kim stayed behind while the guide took those of us that wanted to on a 2-hour hike back down the mountain and back to the hotel. The rest of the group caught the bus.
After getting back to the hotel, Dan joined Sue for a light lunch at the hotel. Later that evening we joined Deb & Charles for dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant while Kim & Becky set out on their own. Sue and Dan split a pizza 🙂 We all then retired for after dinner drinks and conversation on the hotel patio.
Tonight will be spent packing as tomorrow we say goodbye to Machu Picchu, catch the train, and make our way back to Cusco.
Sorry to learn Sue broke her pinky toe; the bright side is that she can have fun playing with it later, like I do with mine – it sticks out perpendicular- ew. ha ha
Mary (my DIL) was in Machu Pichu in 2024 and loved it. She and Mally both love to travel.
Hi Debi, that’s another thing you and Sue now have in common 😀