Breakfast consisted of fruit, bread, and fresh eggs. There is one rocky, winding road from Urubamba to Ollatayamba, site of the train station and launching point for Machu Picchu. One tip for train travel in the Andes: there is one lavatory per cabin, located in the rear. By lavatory the Peruvians mean a large hole. You may only use the lavatory while the train is in motion because the waste products are dumped directly onto the tracks beneath. Think of it as a 65-mph port-a-potty...
The train station was full of international passengers as we arrived at the base of Machu Picchu. The city atop the mountain was invisible to us while our bus navigated hairpin turns to the top. Once there, we began a two-hour guided tour of the ruins. Many students expressed, "This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen." The sun was blazing making for beautiful pictures of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains.
After a break for lunch (Nutella sandwiches melt in backpacks by the way) we took a group picture and then hiked to the Sun Gate. This is the entrance to Machu Picchu from the Inca Trail and the first view of the city for travelers on foot from Cuzco, the Incan capital. It began raining creating a slippery slope on the rocky descent, but that didn't phase the Tors from scrambling down in time for more exploration including lots of "llama selfies." (Check Facebook for the results!) Our hotel tonight is in Aguascalientes, "Hot Springs" that welcome trekkers who have finished the Inca Trail. Because the hikers have usually not bathed in four days, the springs-fed baths are known for an appearance resembling Galveston's muddy Gulf waters. It is a tourist haven, and groups of students will spend until curfew perusing the countless shops and markets lining the narrow streets.
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