15
Location: Lares to Ollantaytambo
Today was the last day of our camping/hiking trip, and finally, most of us have learned how to sleep in our tents without being cold! Thanks to Bridget we learned lots of little tricks like stuffing our extra clothes and books under our sleeping mat to keep us insulated. It might not sound like much, but it honestly made the biggest difference. The food this morning was amazing as always. We have been extremely spoiled on this camping (glamping) trip. I mean who eats homemade omelets on a normal camping trip?
After breakfast, we set off on the last part of our hike. It was just a short distance from our campground back to the hot springs where we would be picked up by the bus. By this point, this short walk was no big deal for us as just the day before we spent the day hiking up to 14,000 feet in elevation. But of course, I still managed to trip over my own feet while walking and (attempting) to fix my hair. We all felt such an amazing sense of accomplishment when we reached the end as we all were exhausted from hiking for the last couple of days.
The bus ride back to Ollantaytambo was long but was a nice break from the constant activity`of the days past. Most of us caught up on some well-needed sleep and reading which was extremely relaxing and pleasant. We received our last meal prepared for us by our camp chefs: tuna and ham sandwiches which tided us over until the end of the bus trip.
After four nights of not being able to shower, arriving back at the hostel and freshening up was a beyond amazing feeling. It was also amazing seeing the people who sadly had to miss the hike due to various illnesses. As fun as the hike was, it was extremely sad that not all of us could participate in it. It felt great to finally be back as a complete group. Even though camping was amazing, it feels so good knowing that we will be able to sleep in a comfy bed tonight! It is sad knowing that this trip is quickly drawing to a close, but thankfully there is so much more to look forward to and I know I speak for all of us when I say I can not wait!