Amazing Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish conquistadors. This city was abandoned by the Incas to avoid being ravaged by the colonizers. This was a strategic move by the Incans. A move that allowed us travelers to witness the wonder of this place today. The city would have been destroyed to ruins had the Incans fought.
After deplaning from Cuzco, I could feel my chest pounding and breathing heavily. Good that I was able to acclimatized in a few days. My oxygen saturation dipped to a low 70%. Some of my co-travelers became sick with vomiting and headache. One thought he had a pulmonary embolism. If unhealthy and unprepared, one could really die visiting this place so get yourself fit before visiting. Descending down to Machu Picchu made me almost vomit. The road was winding and snake-like which may trigger severe motion sickness. One of our colleagues had intravenous fluids given due to severe nausea and emesis. The edge was so close one could almost feel like falling off the cliff. Visiting this wonder is not for the faint of heart.
But all these distressing symptoms suddenly disappear at the sight of this breathtaking place! It is a place of astonishment, both scientific and spiritual. I had a headache thinking how those gigantic stone labs as big as houses were brought there. But maybe also because of hypoxemia. Thank you Peru!