Day Seven didn’t start well as Nicola was struck down with the dreaded lurgy at three in the morning. Antibiotics and replenishing salts initially did little to help but after she was transported to the Lucma Lodge and had some sleep she was really looking a lot better when I arrived.
Insert from Nicola - Shorty makes it sound as though I was magically transported to the Lucma Lodge.... Hmm that is what I thought as well when Pepe and Yarik asked me if I wanted to take transport to the lodge. Sounded good after being up all night long, so I duly got myself into my regular trekking gear (no other options really), did my hiking boots up a tad loosely and grab my trekking poles (so as not to forget them) and off Yarik and I start. I’m thinking, hmmm, of course we need to get through the lodge property before we can get to transport. Well no, I was mistaken. We had to trek down the mountain that we were up - I could see the road well below us and was now thinking there was no way I was going to be magicked down there except on my own two feet. Some say walking downhill is so much easier than uphill - not so much when muddy, slippy, you’ve been up all night, and have no sustenance in you. But as ever Yarick was a trouper and got me down the hill. 45 minutes later we were at the road and waiting for the van. I found a rock, laid out my poncho, lay on it, rested my head on the rock and slept like a baby for 30 mins. Next step of the “easy option” was a bone shaking van trip along a windy road, not very well maintained and with sheer drops on the side. I think my call for a stop was less about the lurgy and more sheer panic!!!! We arrive at a wee village and Yarick kindly points me to a bathroom. It was actually someone’s bathroom in their home - very kind of them - their toothbrushes sitting above the sink. Think health and safety might have something to say about it.... Then... We trek UP to the lodge - another 45 minutes of sheer hell..... But I made it, and the lodge team had made me chicken soup, toast and bananas to try and make me feel better. Give me my bed........
Shorty’s walk today was a lonely one, however it was still a nice jaunt further down into the cloud forest. The initial drop out of the lodge grounds, was very steep and narrow and had to be negotiated by Nicola in her reduced state and then she was then transported with the bags via a van and a 45 minute walk up Llactapata Inca Trail to the Lucma Lodge.
A short distance from where Nicola was picked up the main body of the group turned off the road and onto a path that headed along the banks of the Santa Teresa River. When I say banks let me clarify, we were actually walking along a cliff above said river, with rock slides and waterfalls to add to the natural beauty and in parts fear. With only two steep uphill sections it was a pleasant three hour walk and the further down we went the weather got hotter and more humid and the sounds and smells of the jungle increased.
We stopped for a fine lunch at (what I am calling) a trail service station (with adorable puppies - almost put them in my pack) and then walked for a further forty or so minutes to a trail head where we were picked up by a van (possibly the one Nicola had been in earlier) . Forty minutes of death defying, switchback and landslide riddled ‘road’ trip later we arrived at the same Llactapata Inca Trail head that Nicola had come to sometime before.
The next stop on today’s trek was the Viamonte Coffer plantation, after initially dismissing this and a ‘exit via gift shop’ I was forced to eat or at least drink my words as we were served some of the best coffee I have had in the Americas. While the process of producing the coffee was a touch long winded and I was desperate to see my sickly better half I dutifully bought two pounds of their delicious product.
We got to the lodge at three and after checking on Nicola it was time for what is now the daily routine of a scalding hot tub followed by a cerveza, and some fine Peruvian snacks. One could get used to this.
Nicola graciously attended the team meeting and sat down for dinner. Just as well really as Pepe and Yarick had organised a birthday cake for her - passion fruit and sponge cake - even Nicola quite liked it. Although she did pause when they wanted her to cut it (given her germs... ) and Jeremy kindly stepped in for her. Everyone was ever so sweet singing happy birthday and making a fuss of Nicola. This was our last night in a Mountain Lodge.
Despite warnings of the next days ‘energetic’ hike to the hydro electric train station the after diner entertainment got a touch lively as someone took over the Spotify and started a small dance/singing party (envisage worm movements.....). Nicola was most stoic and even in her stricken state she slept through.
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