24th July 2012: Ausangate day 5:

Ausangate day 5:

We complete the trek with a 1/2 day stroll downhill back to Tinqui. On the way down, we meet dozens of kids, all begging for some candy. Their faces literally light up as Jeff distributes what's left of his stash of sweets. This kind of joy is nothing like I have ever witnessed from children in the modern world before. Needless to say that I snap away keenly, and something really striking that I noticed when I reviewed the pictures, is the extreme sun burnt cheeks. No skin protection from the very harmful high altitude sun...!!!!

We reach Tinqui at arnd 11.30 for a final lunch, and group photos, before catching a pvt van back to Cusco.

 

Alpaca poo, Llama poo, horse poo, mule poo, sheep poo, cow poo...At the beginning of the trek, we all tried to avoid stepping on them. By the end of the trek, we had come to realise that it was a winless battle, and without even the slightest shadow of hesitation, we happily tramped on the stuff as if they just were not there...:P

It's fine to have a large group when doing relatively easy treks, but for more challenging ones, smaller group is better, since the potential for grumpiness and moaning increases exponentially with group size, and that would definitely have negatively impacted the group morale and the whole experience.

We were very lucky to be this cheerful group of 5 trekkers of fairly homogeneous physical abilities and determination, sharing this very challenging adventure with a patient and friendly guide. Although all the members of our group were just as nice as those on the Inca trail, conversations during the ascent sections were kept to a minimum, as we all tried to focus every puff of very thin inhaled air on the demanding effort. Meal times were always a fun exchange, and the very long freezing nights asides, there was rarely a dull moment.

Ausangate trek: 61 kms, 4 high altitude mtn passes, 5 days, amazing mental images, and superb group dynamics. Next challenge?????

Dinner with Jeff and Bertine in Cuzco