Good morning everyone! We met up with our group last night from Gap adventures, 14 people total it looks like and we got our duffle bags and walking sticks, etc. It was a challenge getting all our stuff for the rest of the week to fit into a duffle bag that weighs only 6kg and then our backpack. I´m pretty proud of myself, mine weighs only 5.5 kg, however, my personal backpack probably weighs 7! ha!
The reason for the weight limit is because the porters will be carrying all of our stuff and are limited to 25k each. Apparently they run ahead of us every time and set up camp and have all our stuff ready when we get there...including tables for eating, etc. The porters were not being treated well until fairly recently when Peru started setting limits on what they can carry. They are supposed to get minimum wage of the equivalent of $160 USD per trek, but I also read that many companies give them less than this and coerce them into signing a declaration that states they received a fair wage. I suppose there aren´t many job opportunities here for them to choose among so for some it may be better than nothing...anyway, I already feel bad that I´m going to be letting someone else carry all my crap, but at least with gap it seems that they take good care of the porters...
Anyway, the group seems good...a few girls from Ireland, some guys from the UK...a couple of couples though I´m not sure if they´re couples or brother-sister pairs but we shall find out soon enough.
Today we´re headed for the Sacred Valley and we´ll be staying in a hotel one more night...then tomorrow morning we leave bright and early for our trek to Machu Picchu. I´ll try to post again tonight but I hear the Sacred Valley is really rural so not sure how prevalent internet will be...
Adios!
1 comment:
Oh that sounds like so much fun, Allison! I can't wait to hear all about your adventures and to see all of your amazing pics! Have fun, I'm thinking of you!!!! :) Hadas
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