INCAS - by Ben

I wonder how many people can say they've slept not only in ancient Incan ruins, but also on the Andean altiplano over 4000 metres above sea level. That's right, not many. But for the record, we have. And for those who are wondering, altiplano is the name given to a high altitude plateau on the east side of the Andes mountain range. The altiplano is home to several salt pans, and many llamas and vecuñas. There are not many signs of human existence, except for a few salt mines. And although it is a plain, much of the surrounding land is covered by active volcanoes, all over 5500 metres above sea level.
Over 500 years ago, the land was also dotted with hundreds of Inca villages. The Incas were a tribe of Indians, the natives of South America. Before the Spanish colonized, the Incas ruled the land. They are easily confused with the Mayans or Aztecs, which were also groups of native Indians from centuries back, but they were from southern and northern Mexico, and specialized mostly in gold.

We stayed in an old Incan ruin on the Andean altiplano. It was incredible. It gave us an idea of how the Indian tribes must have had to live. It is mid-summer currently. That didn't stop it from getting below freezing in the middle of the night. We were wrapped up in 3-4 layers, in our sleeping bags. We still weren't warm. Now imagine the Incas sleeping out in only an alpaca-wool jersey. Also imagine this; how do you feel after you've sprinted a 100 metre race? Tired, right? Your heart pumping furiously, your blood roaring in your ears, you're struggling for breath. This is exactly how you feel after a casual walk to the car when you are 4000 metres high. Thankfully, these were the only symptoms we suffered in a potentially dangerous environment. We enjoyed our experience, and we really got an idea of how the Incas led their lifestyle over half a millennium ago.