Dreams Do Come True




The moment we had been waiting for!

Maybe the Sun Gate would have been more aptly named the “Cloud Gate” or the “Fog Gate” or the “Where the heck is Machu Picchu Gate” because we couldn’t see a thing! Although it wasn’t the beautiful first view we had been hoping for, the overwhelming feeling of success from having completed the trek washed away any disappointment we may have felt. Our first actual view of Machu Picchu was literally breathtaking. The Incas were truly extraordinary architects and I feel blessed to have seen this wonder of the world firsthand, especially during the centenary of its discovery. Despite being exhausted, my Dad and I summoned up whatever energy we had left to climb Wayna Picchu, which is the big mountain you see behind Machu Picchu. Although the climb was a bit dangerous, the views at the top of the mountain were definitely worth it. We hung off the edge to take pictures and I was terrified of falling off of the mountain. Being truly frightened is a new feeling for me as I am rarely genuinely terrified, so in some strange way, I found myself relishing in it.

As I walked that final leg of the Inca Trail from the campsite to Machu Picchu, the true Inca pilgrimage, I had an epiphany. I finally realized the point of it all. The reason for the discomfort, the back breaking challenges and the conditions that pushed me miles out of my comfort zone. I was on my own pilgrimage. It was as if this journey had opened up a whole new version of myself. As if I had been reborn into the same life but with a whole new perspective. I will never again take our North American comforts for granted: heat, clean water, lack of bugs, hot water, being able to understand and be understood, clean toilets, quality and hygiene standards, and lack of fleas and squat toilets to name a few. I’m learning to fully appreciate what I have (food for example, unlike the Andean children) and I know exactly what I want to do when I get back home to Canada. I realized I can survive without basic comforts (but I much prefer to have them!) and that I have a reservoir of strength and willpower that I never knew existed. The insight I’m gathering through my Peruvian journey is preparing me for the next phase of my life.



Living life on the edge!

 It’s an amazing feeling to be able to check something off your bucket list. I have been dreaming of hiking the Inca Trail for years, and I finally did it. The whole experience was incredibly challenging but it’s truly helped me to grow as a person. It makes me wonder though- can you grow within your comfort zone or do you have to push your limits and leave your comfort zone before growth is possible?

The Inca Trail amazed me and angered me; it frustrated and enlightened me. But I will never be the same again because of it.