The Inca Trail and Huayna Picchu/ Farewell

This (last) blog post is somewhat a continuation of my last post, as well as an entry on the stuff I did today, my last day in Aguascalientes. Yesterday, after the Study Abroad group and I examined and walked around Machu Picchu, I made the unfortunate discovery that I had lost my bus ticket. Dr. Brown generously gave me twenty soles to help pay for it, but I didn't have any extra money to buy a ticket. Since I wasn't understanding what the ticket cashier was saying, and since I was also getting antsy due to dehydration, I decided to instead purchase two water bottles and made my way down the Inca trail.

The Inca trail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Trail_to_Machu_Picchu) is the only other way to get to the entrance for Machu Picchu other than taking a bus and accurately (and illegally) skydiving into the area. This 82-88 km (depending on where you start in Cuzco) would be about a four to five day hike; I was fortunately staying, however, in Aguascalientes, so the trail itself was only about five kilometers, plus two more kilometers from the end of that trail to Aguascalientes. From beginning to end, the downward hike took about two hours, and while I was exhausted, I'm glad I took the path. The flora was so much different than that I've seen so far in Peru, and there were some very interesting insects to see, particularly these spiders that were black minus their abdomens, and an extremely small insect that was colored like bark. Though I was utterly tired by the time I came back to the hostel, I'm glad I was able to go on the trail.

Now, for today, June the 22nd, the Study Abroad group and I went to Hyuana Picchu, a peak that looks over the city of Machu Picchu. The hike from the entrance to the mountain to the very top of was about an hour, which was the same case coming back down. Though I unfortunately don't have any pictures of Hyuana Picchu, it was an absolutely amazing site to see Machu Picchu, as well as some of the Andes, in the distance.
(For more info on Hyuana Picchu, here is the wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huayna_Picchu)

Well, this is it. The last blog post for the GC2Y "New World Mathematics" class. I can say that it was very fun posting these blogs, as well as viewing some of the other student's blogs. I only have one more paper to do, then a portfolio, and then the class concludes! It has been awesome in Peru, and I have learned very much. It was a life time experience, and I would like to thank Dr. Brown, Mrs. Brown, Donna Brown, Simon, and the students for the Peru Study Abroad class for such an amazing time. Now on our way back to Cuzco, Lima, and, finally, Georgia! Loved Peru, but this country is too short for me!