Salkantay Trek: Day 3

Monday

6:59 AM

Last night I slept so much better! Naaz gave us some Benadryl and it must've really done the trick. The sore throat is officially gone and I couldn't be happier! Breakfast was good. We got a fruit salad, pancakes with dulce de leche, porridge, and bread with jam. Over breakfast, Haver told us about a young guy who had sprained his ankle (we have no sympathy because we saw him skipping along the rocks earlier) and then how he had been thrown off his horse because it spooked. Haver thinks it's the most hilarious thing, and he keeps laughing in his funny laugh that we all know too well! I also have to add that Haver keeps saying "Oh my knees!" whenever we do something that he thinks is crazy. So we're all starting to say it ourselves. So if I come back to the US and start saying "Oh my knees" all the time, that's why... :)

6:24 PM

Today has been brutal. Lots of ups and downs. We have also been in the cloud forest, so very hot, humid, and buggy. Soos took a car, so her life was swell. Most of us were wishing we had taken one as well. It is very interesting how even though we are in this together as a team, and we're all experiencing the same struggle, it is also very much a personal struggle because only you can tell yourself to take another step and to stay strong and keep going. Our first break was at a cute shop in the hillside. We made friends with a little local girl and her puppy.

After hiking again for what seemed like an eternity, we came to another stop, and were entertained by three cute puppies and some funny chickens.

After leaving this place, Mickayla, James, and I were walking down the path when a rooster started chasing us and an avocado came flying out of the trees. Kind of freaky. There are also a lot of creaky, unsafe looking bridges that we had to cross, normally over extremely rocky streams/waterfalls. Yikes!

We were all dying and very sunburnt when all of the sudden we came to a clearing and there was a car waiting for us! A miracle! It took us to lunch and then brought us to the wonderfulllll hot springs, where I am currently relaxing and enjoying myself.

10:54 PM

We've spent the whole night here in the hot springs and it's been great. We are all realizing how intensely sore we are. At times I feel I can barely walk. The blisters on our feet are massive - Mickayla's is the size of her small toe. Shoutout to Mom for buying a bunch of band aids for me to pack! I am very ready for sleep, especially after being in the relaxing warm water for so long. Buenos noches!