Book: Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at at Time

Turn Right is partly a modern travel adventure and partly the historical narrative surrounding Machu Picchu, specifically, the exploits of Hiram Bingham III in 1911. The author also reviews Incan history along the way. Of course, Hiram didn't DISCOVER Machu Picchu, but he did bring it to the notice of much of the rest of the world, including Gilbert Grosvenor, then head of the National Geographic Society.

Hiram III's grandfather was Hiram Bingham I who sailed from Boston to Hawaii in 1820 in order to "put Hawaii on the road to salvation." He was the prototype of Michener's missionary Abner Hale in his book Hawaii if one needs a more clear idea of his personality and attitude towards those with "sunburnt, swarthy skins....their destitution, degradation and barbarism."

Mark hooks up with John Leivers who guides him over the mountains and valleys and across and through the rivers and jungles of Peru near Machu Picchu. Mark is not exactly a real-time adventurer but rather a travel editor for adventure magazines. His life was New York City so he needed to train a bit before beginning these treks. John tells him that they would "go north, cut through the mountains, bear left toward the jungle, then double back toward Cusco. For the big finish, all we had to do was follow the river and turn right at Machu Picchu. This last part sounded like a pleasant afternoon stroll....." Well....

Mark rises to the considerable challenges which are part of the story...the fun part, the glimpses into a milieu very remote from his native habitat. This is the armchair adventure part of the book.

I read it over the course of several weeks which is not the best way for me to remember and keep coherent the account of several historial periods, but I got the jist. Machu Picchu is certainly a destination for many (800,000 annually). It is obviously a compelling, fascinating, intriguing place, and I learned more about its myserious allure and some of its secrets.