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So we hiked Machu Picchu! We started off on part of the Inca Trail with our guide on Thursday morning! By the first stop our guide went very in depth on the information and we ended up in the back of the line. Along the way, we didn´t stop much more and passed all four of the other groups that had gotten off of our train and then another group that was on the train before us. Our guide was rather shocked and made several comments of how pleased he was at how in shape we were. We made it to the checkpoint much ahead of schedule and were able to stop for a long lunch. The views were very, very amazing along the way! We made it to the Sungate enterance over an hour a head of schedule so we had some extra time to look around the city of Machu Picchu. Walking around the corner entering the sungate and seeing the lost city was one of the most amazing things I have seen and felt like such an awesome accomplishment. Over two days, both Nate and I took about 4 gbs of pictures and videos so if anyone is interested in this section of our trip or going to Machu Picchu be sure to get a hold of us and we´ll help in anyway that we can!

After taking a quick tour around the city we opted to hike down the mountain into the city of  Aguas Calientes since we wanted to see how difficult it would be to climb up it the next morning. Needless to say we opted to take the bus both up and down the next day. We made it all the way down in 35 minutes and our guide made a comment that he couldn´t believe we kept up so well. I then asked if he was trying to lose us which he laughed and said he just wanted to see if we could keep up. He did stop several times along the way to make sure we didn´t twist an ankle or anything but at the end of the mountain he said his time, dependent on the weather, was between 25 t0 30 minutes. We hiked into the town then which took about an extra 30 minutes and when we got to the restauraunt we were both very much so feeling the 17 km up and down the Inca trail and Machu Picchu mountain that we had done. We had a great dinner and then went off to our hostel for a short nights sleep.

I say short night because we were up at 3:30 in the morning to make sure that we had a spot to hike Wayna Picchu. They only allow 400 people a day to hike up the mountain so to pretty much guarantee a spot you have to be in line by 4:00 am. We were there at 3:50 and were the first in line but by 4:30 there was well over 100 people waiting. We made it up on the first bus, got the stamp to hike Wayna Picchu and then started on our Machu Picchu tour. It was amazing to see the different things that the people did and how they built, it truly is a mystery how they were able to do it all. We finished with the city tour and began to climp Wayna Picchu not long after that. This was one of the most difficult climbs I had ever done. It was taking the original Inca trail all the way to the top and the trail is almost like climbing up a ladder the whole way. It was difficult but when you reach the top you realize how worth it it really was. On the way down we met a couple of guys named Jon and Rob that we hung out with for pretty much the remainder of the afternoon. They didn´t get a tour guide so we walked around with them kind of explaining the different things that our guide had told us. It was an awesome opporunity to be able to talk with them and, as typically happens, the Lord opened doors for an excellent conversation about our lives and what Christ has done for us and what they think about religion. It was a great opportunity that we are praising the Lord for!

After trekking around for a little while longer we headed back into Aguas Calientes to catch our long 4 hour train back to Cusco. After an approximate 20 miles of hiking in two days we were both very exhausted. I really didn´t feel like talking to anyone by that point but the Lord gave another opportunity to talk with a family about what we were doing in Brazil and how the Lord has really used the time in our lives. It was a great opportunity to hear what they thought about missions and what we had done as well as hear their perspective on Christ. In both instances with Jon and Rob and with the family you could see that they were really thinking about what we said from the questions that they were asking. We pray that the Lord continues to work in all of their lives and that they will come to know Him as their personal Lord and Savior.

Well that´s it for now, we´re back in Cusco leaving on the bus today for the city of Nazca. We thank you for all of your prayers and look forward to updating you all again soon!

Jon and Nathan

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