Day Five - Euphoria

// August 1st - Foot of the Humantay Mountain // Altitude 3900 m // Out of the travel journal //

Euphoria. A single word to describe this day. Everything. The nature. The emotions. It's perfection.  Okay, sure, the start early this morning was, well, chaotic.
I got picked up from my Airbnb around 5 am and we picked up two other travelers at the market place where I witnessed the crazy scene the day before. One of them was German, the other one was one of the Canadians I met the night before.
We drove to Mollepata to get some breakfast, pure chaos, no cambio, but we made it on the bus that took us to the starting point eventually. We met the group that we'd walk the Salkantay Trail with for the next days. Eight Argentinians, two girls from Costa Rica, two from the Netherlands, one Belgian and me, the German. Our guide thought it was funny to make our team name "The Singles" after finding out all our relationship-statuses.
After only 30 minutes uphill our speed dating-group was already out of breath. Promising start.
The next hours were fine, mostly straight, over little waterfalls, nice views, which left only 45 cm to walk at some points.
In total we hiked 16 km and made it up to an altitude of 3900 m today. At first.
After reaching our first basecamp we had the option to hike up to the foot of the Humantay mountain to see a lake. It steep, it's kind of challenging, but it's worth it. That's what we've been told.
So in the afternoon, after a good lunch, we started going up with light backpacks.
After maybe one hour we reached the foot of the snowy mountain.
And it was worth it.

After going higher and higher, even climbing and slipping over debris, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view.

Shades of blue and green, still so light in the afternoon soon, shimmering in the clear lake, right at the foot of the impressing Humantay. It was incredible.
Some crazy people even dived into the lake.

On the way down the euphoria, the endorphins were still rushing through my blood, I couldn't stop smiling.

It is freezing cold by now, but that's pretty much the only "downside". But  I guess it wouldn't be an actual hiking experience in the mountains if it was warm.

Before dinner we were hanging out by the campsite, with a guy from the other group telling us about his spiritual three-day-journey with his girlfriend. They did the Ayawaska, where you basically get rid of all your demons by puking your guts out while having hallucinations after having a certain mixture of a poisonous plant.
Well, there's more to it, of course.

By the end of the night, just a few minutes ago, I was lucky enough to see the most beautiful night sky that I could ever imagine. I can see the milky way, so clearly, shooting stars, and so many stars that you're not even able to see any constellations. Such beauty, once again.

Now a few more degrees (so apparently it was freaking -15 degrees!) and everything would be perfect.

I'm ready for the next days on the Salkantay Trail!