From initial brainstorm to final ticket purchase, a visit to Peru’s famed Machu Picchu ruins topped Ted’s travel list. It became a non-negotiable.
We spent time researching our options:
Go ultra budget and hitchhike to Ollantaytambo, hoof the railroad tracks to Aguas Calientes, tromp the switchbacked road to the top of the mountains, eek out a few Soles for entry tickets, and smuggle G.O.R.P. inside the deep recesses of our backpacks.
Go medium budget and score cheap tickets on the train, pay for the bus to the entry gate, and visit Machu Picchu for the day.
Go money and sweat equity and sign up for three nights and four days of camping and trekking along the 48 kilometer Inca Trail to eventually arrive on the final morning overlooking the ancient ruins at sunrise, then augment the experience by purchasing second day entry tickets with passes to climb Hyuana Picchu for mountaintop perspective.
Go full bananas and helicopter in from the Sacred Valley, perching at the $1200/night hotel just outside the park entry.
I’ll bet you can guess which we *didn’t* choose to do.
The call of the trail pulled us in…
For more pictures… 
If I do say so, I was charmed to learn that “In 1985 the Victoria and Albert Museum in London selected the Opinel as part of an exhibit celebrating the ‘100 most beautiful products in the world,’ featuring the Opinel alongside the Porsche 911 sports car and the Rolex watch.” 
