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signing in at a hut, we then plodded, sweated, groaned, and pulled ourselves up a very rough pathway for about an hour. After a brief rest whilst letting a petrified-looking Japanese tour group descend past us (their facial expressions belying the 'Happy Tours' name badge pinned prominently on their coats) we eventually made it to the top. Or so I thought, but there was more. Squeezing through a narrow tunnel on hands and knees and clambering over boulders we eventually made it to the summit. Spread out below us was the entire site of Machu Picchu, supposedly in the shape of a hummingbird but I thought it was more in the shape of a ruined city perched on the top of a mountain. In the other direction was more snow-capped peaks and deep valleys, with nothing so much as a 'Danger!' sign to hang on to if we fell off. After ten minutes admiring the view and twenty to catch my breath, we started our descent. Judging by the number of people climbing up we had timed it well, and after signing back in at the hut to say we had safely returned (some people have been known to fall off) I promptly went to the terraces and laid down, trying to take in the view and doing my utmost not to say 'Awesome!'

After a final group lunch in the dismal little town of Aguas Calientes, we took the train back to Cusco (actually we took the train halfway to the town of Ollantaytambo and then jumped in a taxi for the rest of the journey as it was a much quicker - and hair-raising - way to go). After a warmish shower and a few cold cervasas the aching, stiff limbs soon loosened up enough to shake my thang at Mama Afrika's before saying adios to the rest of Team Gringo. It had been a hell of a long day after three not-quite-so-long days, but it has been a fantastic experience. In fact, I might even describe it as awesome.

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