I didn't see him fall into the gorge, but I saw the immediate horror on the faces of those who did . . .
The story of our harrowing journey really begins as I set off to buy train tickets to Machu Picchu in Cusco. On my way I saw some really good deals on package tours. "Why be cheap and do it ourselves?" I checked prices with one snake-oil salesman after another and quickly discovered what we wanted was a custom package that included a full day at MP, a second night at Aguas Calientes, and a train ride out. One saleswoman worked with us to spell out all the things we would receive and gave us a decent price. What was appealing was that the tour would take care of all our arrangements: transfers, meals, accommodations bus tickets, entrance tickets, and train tickets. Oh, we were so naive. We plunked down 600 dollars in cash and smiled about how pampered we would be. That's right, we deserve it.
After 2 exceptional days in Ollantaytambo, hiking and exploring the temples and fortresses on the hills, we stored our suitcases and waited at our appointed meeting spot to be picked up and our Machu Picchu adventure to begin. This is when it all started to go South.
They didn't show. So, after an interminable wait I called our tour agency. No answer. I tried another number and was told we weren't at the meeting point. I was. Finally, after about an hour, a van full of testosterone charged Argentinian body builders arrived. The music blared, the rain poured, and we rocket up a mountain pass reaching 14,000 feet.
After 5 hours of nauseating twisting and winding, the road narrowed to a one lane muddy track cut into the edge of the mountain with a 2000 foot gorge inches away. I couldn't look. Oncoming cars forced our tires to slosh through the mud on the edge of eternity.Then we stopped. A mudslide had taken out the road ahead. Giant boulders and a raging river made the road impassable. Vans and tourists on both stretches of road stepped out to survey the damage. The mountainside overhanging the road was shifting before our eyes. It was only a matter of time until another slide occurred.
We were promised that a tractor was on its way, but a group of tourists decided to cross the mudslide/river without waiting. I saw the crowd cheering, then gasping. Then people started running in every direction. A large boulder, tumbling from above, struck the 4th person crossing in the head and his body went tumbling 240 feet down the gully. We could only assume that he was killed in the fall.
Local men slid into the gully and managed to get him onto a stretcher. Minutes later an ambulance appeared out of nowhere, a tractor cleared a small path through the boulders and mud. He was alive and headed to Urubamba to the hospital.
Our journey continued, only now we were about 3 hours behind schedule. The last phase was a 6 mle hike in to Aguas Calientes from Hidroelectrica. We wouldn't have gotten lost if the sun hadn't set, but in the dark the landmarks were not visible. Benji, Marina and I, accompanied by a few other tourists, trudged and slogged our way down the railroad tracks and through perilous railroad tunnels, in the dark for almost 4 hours. With the help of a kind Peruvian, we were reunited with a worried Ilana in the town plaza.
But, after such a long day, we completely lost all trust in the tour company. Nothing that was promised was provided. They couldn't even find us a room until 10 p.m. that night. Bus tickets, train tickets, double rooms, hot water-- forget about it.
In hindsight, we should have taken the train from Ollyantaytambo.
The only silver lining was that the next was absolutely spectacular and made our harrowing journey completely worthwhile.
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Wow. Glad you guys are still alive!
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