method’s very own Andy K, supply chain planner extraordinaire, took time out from the fight against dirty and turned his talents to following in the footsteps of the Incas trekking Machu Picchu on behalf of the British Lung Foundation.
Like any intrepid explorer he kept a travel diary, method t-shirt and alpaca wool beanie close at hand to record his profound musings.
“Emerging from the natural cover of the trees we strode out onto a stone walled plain; is this it? I thought to myself, over 100km’s hiking for this?
We made our way through the blazing sun to the edge of the plain. What lay before us was a sight that took all aback, a view immortalised in postcards & films, a view I can only describe as spellbinding; Machu Picchu. A fantastically preserved city sitting atop a mountain ridge; its temples and plaza’s instantly recognisable, hundreds of years old yet still in better condition than some areas of my home town Bolton.
A week previously I had sat in the method office joking about the prospect of chewing Cocoa, eating Guinea Pig and how I was not cut out for camping. All of these things had come to pass and they were all worth it.
The first three days proved challenging but enjoyable; taking in mountains, lakes and Llama’s. The final day proved to be the hardest; with a climb up to 4,800 metres above sea level. This also proved to be one of my finest hours, striding confidently up the mountain alongside the guides, facing the cold wind in just my method t-shirt.
Four days of five am starts, ten hour walks and three km ascents were intersected between sleeping in a tent, eating outdoors and fantastic natural beauty afforded to us by this wonderful country. The people were fantastically friendly and welcoming, the children mischievous and cute (asking for a biscuit on first sight of a westerner.)
By the end of the trek I had witnessed a spectacle like few in the world; one that has been voted into an online seven wonders of the world. I had triumphantly conquered three mountain peaks, eaten a domestic pet and more importantly helped to raise over £6,500 for the British Lung Foundation."
