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This place is known as The Stairs of Death, but it's actual name is Huayna Picchu. If you reach the top of it you can take in the beauty of the legendary Machu Picchu, but it's a big if. 

I am quite happy with my life, I don't have regrets, I don't dream about "what might have been if", but the only thing I would really like to do before I die is go to Peru, go to Machu Picchu, generally just be there for some time. I'm not that kind of tourist that runs around trying to see all the popular attractions, take a few pictures and move on to the next place. I'd rather skip a few sites and just sit down somewhere having a coffee and a smoke and take in the place. Just be there!
Ever since I was a child I've felt this strange connection to this place and I really cannot explain why. I used to pretend that I was an Inca princess and played with my royal dog (a stuffed yellow quite ugly thing)!  I cannot say I believe in reincarnation, but sometimes I feel that might be the only explanation for my longing for this place.
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*View of Machu Picchu, with Huayna Picchu in the background*

Over the years, I've read many books, not only about the Inca civilization, but Aztec and Maya as well. I've even written articles about some of the temples in the area, but somehow I've never heard of the Stairs of Death until a few weeks ago.  Although the peak of Huayna Picchu is not that tall, just 2,693 metres (8,835 ft), those stairs are not for the weak of heart. It is a steep, almost vertical climb, the stairs are slippery most of the time and there's just a hand-rail to cling to for dear life. But if you do get to the top you get to see the whole of Machu Picchu, which lies some 200 metres below. It is said that at the time of the Inca civilization, the top of the mountain was where the high-priest lived. Luckily for him, a group of virgins lived there with him, so I guess he used them to run errands up and down those scary stairs.
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I've never been a sporty person so I'm not very sure I'd make it to the top, much less climb down those slippery stairs, so it might just be the last thing not only on my bucket list, but in my life as well. Imagine how it must suck to fall to a horrible death just a few steps from the top.
However, from what I've read the number of fatalities is rather low. Some speak of a few casualties a year, which doesn't seem much considering that 400 people are allowed to climb the stairs each day.
In any case, if I ever get to Peru, I'll make sure to see the Nazca lines first, just in case. It is another of my dreams and from what I've read there are helicopters that fly over the whole area. Far easier than taking the stairs.