Here’s the thing – I just finished three exams a couple of days ago and tell myself every evening that I will try to sleep earlier each night. Well there I was at 11:44pm intensely focused on a pointless reality TV show while beginning to plan my whole weekend knowing that I will wake up extremely exhausted the next morning. I never learn. There are only a few things that could make me smile at that hour despite having endured a dreaded math test just yesterday morning: Gigi Hadid at the D&G show in Milan Fashion week (if only everyone was as beautiful as her, the world would be a better place) or an old photo from when I visited Machu Picchu.
The Northern Lights, the Pyramids, Machu Picchu etc. are all but dreams for hardcore NatGeo fans. There is so much history in this vast vast world and wandering through the grounds of an ancient Aztec nation was surreal. With mountains of green surrounding you, there’s not much more natural you can get. Machu Picchu is such an extraordinary experience but only once you have visited the site would you understand how fascinating it actually is. However, travelling from Lima (the capital city of Peru) to Machu Picchu is an adventure all on its own.
As we were visiting Brazil before Peru, we flew from Rio De Janeiro to Lima. The main purpose of our trip was to visit Machu Picchu therefore we only stayed in Lima for a night before heading to Cusco. Waking up very early was mandatory if we were going to catch our flight the next morning (and if there’s one thing I despise more than anything is having an alarm clock wake me up before sunlight even begins to shine) Although my sleep had to be sacrificed, all in all it was definitely worth it.
The arrival to Cusco was such a strange yet dramatic one. Not being able to breathe properly with a horrible headache that felt like someone was stabbing my brain repeatedly, I thought that it was the end of my journey on this world and was prepared to die. Due to the high mountainous ranges, many people suffer from headaches and feel very sick so it’s very normal if you feel this way! I clearly was not aware of this vital information at that time. But all hotels should have an oxygen tank so if you feel slightly ill, just request for it and your energy will be restored to full swing. I recommend you stay at the Belmond Hotel Monasterio as the surroundings make you feel very secluded from the town at the same time if you walk a couple blocks down, you’re at the central of the city. Cusco has so many little corners where you can roam around without having to be cautious of pickpockets. After drifting off to some street stalls (where we were trying to bargain for some tribal clothes and managed to make quite a satisfying deal) we slept unusually early as the next day was the huge adventure.
As I have mentioned before, early mornings is obviously not my thing. Unfortunately, our trip to Machu Picchu required getting ready at hours that should be spent in bed cradling a pillow but instead was used to hustle and bustle to prepare for our expedition to the site. From Cusco to Machu Picchu, there is a direct train called Peru Rail that brings you to the town and after a short drive, you would have arrived at the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. However for all the happy campers out there who love the outdoors, there is an Inca Trail that takes you all the way to Machu Picchu by trek. It is meant to be a wonderful experience but being someone who hates all types of insects/bugs, gets cold very easily and who cannot function without at least three slices of brownies per day, I reckon the Inca Trail is not particularly for me.
Once you enter Machu Picchu, you feel obliged to wander around the whole entire place and begin to think how surreal it is to be somewhere so significant in history. I loved every single aspect of the site and got sidetracked many times while admiring how detailed the architecture is. My one advice for anyone going would just be to embrace the whole feel of Machu Picchu. And try the local cuisine especially potatoes and seafood because their delicious. Take a bunch of photos and enjoy your time there!
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