Machu Picchu

^^ Moments before that llama tried to kick me in the head! ^^

^^Having Brad’s parents here with us made this expedition even more unforgettable! ^^

I visited Machu Picchu during my service internship in 2010, and was completely blown away by the beauty and history behind it all. There are only three places in the world where I have cried because it was so unbelievable, and Machu Picchu is one of them!

This was mine and Brad’s first time to go to Machu Picchu together, and we decided to take our group up at sunrise to make the experience extra special. When our alarm went off at  3:30am I shot out of bed because I was so excited! I was happy that that no one in our group slept in either. Everyone was positive and feeling alive! We stood in line for the bus at Aguas Calientes for about an hour, telling jokes and enjoying each others company. We finally got on the busses, and the ride to the top of Machu Picchu was SO SKETCHY! We were bouncing all over the place, and it felt like the side tires of the bus were falling off the edge of the cliff when we would pass another bus. Ah! I couldn’t even look out the window, in fear that we would tumble to our death at any second! But, WE MADE IT. We got to the top right as the sun was starting to peak over the mountains and it was magical. We decided to put our camera’s down and enjoy the moment together, and when we walked around the corner my heart just sang! It was just as amazing as I remembered it being. I loved seeing my in-laws reaction to seeing it for the first time, because it was a bucket list thing for them to do together. 🙂 One of the couples on our expedition got engaged (amazing, right!?) and we had the best time walking around and exploring the ruins. I love how the ground feels sacred, and how everyone speaks so softly up there! I never wanted to leave.

Group Backpacks: Cotopaxi
Hailey’s Jacket: Cotopaxi
Brad’s Jacket: Cotopaxi
Brad’s Backpack: Cotopaxi