VINIKUNCA 13°52’12.8”S 71°18’10.6”W
“By the time we reached camp, my phone camera storage was full, my legs were aching, and my spirit felt alive in a way it hadn’t in years.”
Throughout each day, I found myself saying “wow” more times that I could count, marveling at each pass, turn, and ledge as we trekked through the Andes. Our guide, Miguel, shared snippets of history along the way, about how the Inca Trail used to be a pathway (physically and spiritually) to connect Incas with Pachamama (Mother Earth). As we walked in the footsteps of the original trail, I understood exactly what he meant. The trail tested me in ways I hadn’t expected. Day two brought us to Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point of the trail at 13,829 feet. The steep ascent was grueling and seemingly unending, but standing at the top of the pass, looking down into the valley from which we came and surrounded in a sea of clouds, I was reminded that I can do hard things, and that should be celebrated. Our group of strangers, now friends, all made it back to camp that evening at different times, but it was the shared experience of it all that brought us closer together by dinner time, despite having spent most of the day apart. By the time we reached camp, my phone camera storage was full, my legs were aching, and my spirit felt alive in a way it hadn’t in years. Late in the afternoon on day three, we came upon Wiñay Wayna archeological site, where we sat and looked out into the mountain valley for a quick history lesson. Miguel started to explain that the Incas chose this spot in the mountain to build the site because this area is prone to rainbows. Sure enough, about five minutes later, the misty clouds gave way to the afternoon sun and there was a beautiful rainbow cutting right through the valley, as if spoken into existence by our presence. It was the first time in a long time that felt like magic, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratefulness to have experienced that moment. One of my favorite memories from each evening was actually the hour before dinner was served, otherwise known as tea time. When you sit down for tea time, you have the option of various hot beverages: coca tea, mint tea, hot chocolate, or simply hot water. At the same time, snacks are served, usually popcorn and some sort of cracker or sweet treat (one night we had roasted marshmallows and donuts). Each evening, I made myself a hot chocolate—three scoops of chocolate powder and one heaping scoop of dehydrated milk powder, dissolved in hot water. It was my favorite short-lived ritual I ever had, and it was followed by moments of genuine connection and joy shared between new friends after a long day of hiking. It’s the compounding of these little in-between moments that shape the bigger picture of our memories, which is a reminder enough for me to cherish all of the moments, no matter how small.
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MOTHER VOLUME FOUR
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