Seeing as there is still some time to go before this trip commences, there is a lot left to do. After deciding which route to travel along, it is all about getting informed on the different places and climates I will be facing along the way. All that, determines what I need to bring along.
So far the preparations are well on their way. It is great to be talking to people that either have experienced something similar or are eager to help in the process.
After a very entertaining and somewhat eyeopening trip to Globetrotters I left the shop with a trekking back pack in which I will be carrying everything I own during the trip, proper trekking shoes, a sleeping bag, a camping mat, first aid kit, a swiss army knife, a flashlight for the head and so on.
I spent a lot of time at Globetrotters letting their employees show me what they had to offer and best adjust to what my trip demands. I wouldnt really consider myself a very sporty person, and especially for the climb to Machu Picchu, I knew I needed to be somewhat equipped to be able to deal with the strains of long hour hiking. Therefore the conversation I had with the vendor at the trekking shoe department was quite entertaining. He asked me whether I would be using the trekking shoes frequently before and after the trip and I could assure him no. I am not really a trekker, whether in the Alps or somewhere else for that matter. That baffled him a bit, seeing as he was expecting a "yes!". After trying out several pairs and walking over a wall made out of rocks, my shopping spree was complete. Before I could change my mind, I quickly handed over my credit card and closed my eyes until the ordeal was over...
As soon as I have more of my packing down, I will write up a list of all my treasures.
There is still a bit left to do, which is mainly administrative or medical - checking for hotels in between short legs of the tour, checking my budgeting, prepacking, walking around in my trekking shoes and getting the required vaccinations. I will keep you updated.
