Never Give Up - Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Peru

NEVER SURRENDER! Ladies and Gentlemen. These are a pair of $250 Asolo hiking boots. Granted they've been around Africa, Iceland, Holland, Greenland, and Eastern Europe. However, I did check them out to make sure they were in working condition, bending them flexing them etc, before I left for the Inka Trail. Within 2 kilometers, the soles fell apart because I could feel the material slapping on my feet. The funny part is the night before as I was reducing the weight of my backpack, I debated intensely with the idea of not bringing my kayaking Mino's (sandals). I actually packed my bag without them in it. At the last moment in the next morning, aka the start of my trekking day, I changed my mind and decided to bring them. Those of you considering the Inka Camino, you have to schedule the hike months in advance because it is very crowded. Peru limits the number of people who are allowed to hike it each day. It is booked solid every day. So when my boots fell apart, I put on my open toe rubber Mino sandals and continued my hike. My fellow hikers thought this to be crazy. However, the porters wear a similar type shoe. My tour mates, and porters teased me and started to call me a porter. On a footnote, the maize (corn) beer that they make at 12,000 feet is quite good that second day. I was not going to allow myself to miss this hike. I would've hiked it bear foot if I wasn't lucky enough to bring the sandles. Thankfully for my already worn feet, I did. So here's to perserverance. You can also see shots of my blue Mino's.

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