Lindsey and BridgetWe did it! This is the highest altitude I have ever been, not including airplanes of course. I remember this day. We had a super long day of hiking the day before and were totally exhausted that night when we went to bed. Bridget and I were the second to last group to get into camp that night. There were two other guys were lagging behind and as we were approaching camp one of the porters was running back with oxygen in case anyone needed it. Nick, one of the guys, was in bad shape and benefited from the extra oxygen. I was so proud of Bridget and I as we were the only two who did not rent porters, we carried all of our own gear the entire trek. There were three other women and nine men in our group. Jon, Tirnin, and Patrick from Ireland, Jessica and Jessie from England, a Elsa and Erik a couple from Switzerland, a guy Urk from Sweden, and Steve and Nick and another couple Betsy and Jake from the U.S.
As we hiked that day we knew that this would be the highest altitude of the trip. Some in our group got altitude sick and threw up. The only thing to cure altitude sickness is to get to a lower altitude as quickly as possible or a hyperbolic chamber but that was not an option for us. I chewed coco leaves the previous day and ate coco candies to help with the altitude. I don’t know why it worked but ancient Incan Indians chewed coco leaves while they were in the mountains in order to help with altitude. There is something in the coco plant that helps the body adjust.
As I approached the summit of the trail I remember thinking “I just want to stop. I can’t breath. I just want to stop.” I was taking teeny tiny steps because I would get out of breath if I tried to climb to fast. The trail over the Salkantay Pass is the steepest, rockiest trail that I have ever hiked. Can you imagine that some of the Peruvian porters and guides hike in sandals or no shoes at all?!
When I got to the top where our group was resting, I dropped my pack and went back down for Bridget. She was doing okay, but needed to rest and everyone can use some words of encouragement. We made it up to the top and Bridget gave me a late birthday present, a Double Decker candy bar from England! That was our favorite European discovery on the first trip we ever took together. Even though that candy bar had gone through a lot and was in bad shape, it was the best thing I had ever tasted at the top of the Salkantay Pass.
As we hiked that day we knew that this would be the highest altitude of the trip. Some in our group got altitude sick and threw up. The only thing to cure altitude sickness is to get to a lower altitude as quickly as possible or a hyperbolic chamber but that was not an option for us. I chewed coco leaves the previous day and ate coco candies to help with the altitude. I don’t know why it worked but ancient Incan Indians chewed coco leaves while they were in the mountains in order to help with altitude. There is something in the coco plant that helps the body adjust.
As I approached the summit of the trail I remember thinking “I just want to stop. I can’t breath. I just want to stop.” I was taking teeny tiny steps because I would get out of breath if I tried to climb to fast. The trail over the Salkantay Pass is the steepest, rockiest trail that I have ever hiked. Can you imagine that some of the Peruvian porters and guides hike in sandals or no shoes at all?!
When I got to the top where our group was resting, I dropped my pack and went back down for Bridget. She was doing okay, but needed to rest and everyone can use some words of encouragement. We made it up to the top and Bridget gave me a late birthday present, a Double Decker candy bar from England! That was our favorite European discovery on the first trip we ever took together. Even though that candy bar had gone through a lot and was in bad shape, it was the best thing I had ever tasted at the top of the Salkantay Pass.
