Training for Machu Picchu - the alternate route

Perhaps the biggest pitfall of owning a one-bed is that when the rents come to stay, it means you're out in the living room on an air mattress.

Not that we minded really. Delta and I had been totally prepared for the event. And by prepared, I mean psychologically prepared. Because where we entirely forgot to prepare, I have to admit, is to check the inflatability of the airmattress.

So here's how last night transpired. We pumped up the Aerobed. We covered it with sheets. We giggled at the fact that it included a dust ruffle. We got into bed, and went to sleep.

Only to wake up half an hour later, because there was something distinctly wobbly about our situation. I tried to turn to face the side, and instead ended up rolling right into the middle where I bumped flat into Delta. Groggy with deep sleep, he tried to flail, but fell back into the middle too. It took us a while, but finally we surmised the bed might have lost some air.

Pmped it up again, but woke up half an hour later on something akin to a semi-deflated balloon.

Pumped it up again, only to wake up half an hour later on a bed of jelly.

And so the pattern continued, until at 4am, Delta suddenly shouted out - "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!!!" Having just fallen asleep myself, I woke up with a jolt, and would have fallen clean off the bed if rolling were possible. But as it were, it was like sleeping in quicksand. My mind panicked, but my body stayed put.

So finally, we deflated the bed entirely, and just laid on it on the carpet. Kind of like camping, I suppose. Chalk one up for Machu Picchu training.

In the morning, we woke up determined to tackle the bed dilemma. Inflating the bed again, we pressed our ears to the surface, and kept moving around, hoping our ears would determine the subtle hiss of a leak. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and the futility of the venture overwhelmed us. But just as we were about the quit, there it was, I picked up the soft sound of a hiss. Followed it around with my pricked ear, like a hound following it's sniffing nose, and finally, we found the tiny pinprick hole.

So tonight, the plan is for Delta to patch it up with a bike tube patch, and so will begin attempt number two on the Aerobed.

Or, if push comes to shove, night number two of training for Machu Picchu camping.