Ollantaytambo

I am in the small village of Ollantaytambo (pictured throughout).


I want to finish climactically with day four of the Inca trail so Ill give you the update from when I left Machu Picchu yesterday until now. If you have problems arranging nonchronological things chronologically I suggest you avoid Pulp Fiction. Also, this post contains mature subject matter and those offended by non-sugar coated allusions to river-rapidesque bowel movements should be cautious reading on.

We took the bus down into the city that basically exists because of the tourism of Machu Picchu, Auges Calientas (sp). A bunch of us from the tour group, the two Americans and five Argentinian girls grabbed lunch at an ok restaurant in town. My body felt pretty fine considering everything but my stomach decided now it was time for a full coup d´etat. In the hour or so we were there I destroyed the restaurant´s bathroom on three separate occasions. I still had an appetite and had Hawaiian pizza, trying to be as conservative with my food choices as possible. Our guides Javier and Willfredo met up with us and we said our goodbyes. We took a picture while Javier (left) joked about appearing in National Geographic.



I caught the train out of town towards Ollantaytambo, 4 of 5 of the Argentine girls being seated with me we met a group of 3 other travellers who had also just done the Inca trail -- Frank from Germany and Leonard and Peter from the US. We were seated in two rows of four facing each other, and what a riot it was. How much I missed jokes in English! Leonard could speak English and Spanish so he translated between me and Lola and the other girls -- we also had Frank who spoke Russian German and some broken English and Spanish -- so communicaton was a fun time. I overheard Peter telling one of the girls he went to vet school in Grenada for the past 3 years so later I predictably said "Hey Peter I overheard you went to Grenada for vet school." Leonard, in straight man character, looks menacingly at me and says "You overheard wrong dog!" -- moving his head back and forth and making a gang sign. They must have thought I was crazy because I was dying laughing, and it was then I realized how deprived of English interaction and American pop culture I had been for it to be that funny. Of course Leonard later dropped a classic McBane simpsons quote -- "The goggles do nothing!" -- and once again I was in stiches.

The train got stopped on the tracks and I was happy about it, giving us more time to talk about everything under the sun. When we got into Ollantaytambo it was dark and I said my goodbyes. I headed to the station´s bathroom where I made another janitor´s day miserable and to be perfectly frank, made quite a mess. Tired, sick, wet, and carrying an already heavy pack that was soaking wet I walked by the Urabamba river up to the city square where I oriented myself and found the hostel I was looking for a few blocks north. When I got into the hostel I told them I wanted to stay a few nights in a single and they said they were full. What followed was probably the most stereotypically backpacking event one could imagine.

A tall gringo, about 6´4 with messy overgrown facial hair and a thick alpaca poncho came through the lobby and was heading out the door for dinner. The owners stopped him and introduced me to him. He was from France, spoke good English and Spanish, and was named Mike. Mike was staying in a room with two single beds and they asked him if he was willing to have me stay the night with him. Obvious free spirit that he was he had no problems with it. The price was right too -- 15 soles a night (4.50US ish). We hit it off being single travellers in Peru and Mike having gone to Colca Canyon as I am planning to later. He was also reading Orwell´s Down and Out in London and Paris which we agreed was a really good book. Anyways, tired, wet, etc, I talked with him for 20 minutes or so before having an ice cold shower (no hot water at this hostel) and crashing.

Today I woke up to the roosters cry with no signs of Mike -- he left eary for Machu Picchu. I made another visit to the bathroom, but again, my body felt pretty good. I had slept well. My calves were still (and are still) in knots and my quads were still sore, but nothing I wasnt used to. I stepped up my defenses, instead of going with the pepto pill and oil of oregano drop to start the day I downed two immodium´s. The battle for control of my stomach was on. I hung up all my clothes in various creative ways around the room and bathroom.

I grabbed a small breakfast, explored this town of 2000 in about 30 minutes, got some sun, and headed to an internet cafe. After doing a little surfing I was about to write this very blog when my stomach began another assault on my constitution. This time if felt like food might come up. Things got bad fast and I stumbled in the street getting back to my hostel. Thankfully I got to my bed in time to curl up into the fetal position. It was about noon and I didn´t get out of bed until 6, despite the hourly heehawing of a nearby donkey and the hostel owner´s choice to play polka music in the courtyard outside.

I talked to the owner and arranged laundry for all my clothes. Im currently wearing my bathing suit, pajama pants, sandals with no socks, and a t-shirt that managed to survive the storm. The Peruvians obviously give me funny looks with this get up but I don´t really care given my state. For dinner I was hoping to try a nice restaurant, there are a few in town, but I can´t trust anything of that nature. I realized what food I can trust. I bought a snickers and twix bar, along with more water and gatorade. The four items cost more than my restauarant-served breakfast.



That brings me to now. I´m going to take it easy tonight and stay tomorrow night in the town as well. Hopefully tomorrow Ill get to explore the Incan ruins towering over the city. Immodium, hydration, and rest are the tactics I´m going to employ. Currently a poor Peruvian boy, about five years old and dirty as can be, has wandered into the cafe and is poking at my keyboard against my requests. I don´t know what else to say... to him or about him... its quite bizarre.