Cloud Road: A Journey Through the Inca Heartland

For five months John Harrison journeys through this

secret country, walking alone into remote villages where

he is the first gringo the inhabitants have ever seen, and

where life continues as if Columbus had never sailed. He

lives at over 10,000 feet for most of the trip, following the

great road of the Incas: the Camino Real, or Royal Road.

Hand built over 500 years ago, it crosses the most difficult

and dangerous mountains in all the Americas, diving into

sweltering canyons and soaring up into the snows. 1500

miles, half of it on foot, take him from the Equator to

Cuzco and the most magical city of all: Machu Picchu.

He is attacked, gets lost and is trapped by floods, but only

when he goes home does he lose what he wants most.