Peru Trip

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October 30, 2009 - Chivay

F$#KING ALTITUDE SICKNESS!!!

Last night was the worst night (attempting to) sleep EVER! What was more like a massive migraine than a headached, kept me awake most of the night. The somewhat warm temperature in the room may have also contributed.

After some Nurofen Plus and a cold shower, I headed down to breakfast and seeing Michael´s reaction at seeing me, I knew I did not look well.

Once the Nurofen kicked in, I managed a few pieces of bread with cheese and a cup of coffee - tasty, International Roast!

The slow and winding journey to Colca Canyon includes a 400 metre long tunnel with no lights and only able fit one vehicle across. The locals call it the Tunnel of Mystery - Tunnel of Death seems more in keeping with the likely car accidents!

On arrival, the scale of the place is unbelievable and breath taking (or is that the thin mountain air?).

We´re in luck, three condors are here today but it´s about 10-15 minutes before the first takes flight, followed shortly after by another with the third preferring his perch.

The number of tourists here make it hard to get a good position so I venture down from the main area to join Kath, but not for long. We´re soon asked to go back to the main area, behind a fence, wth everyone else. Luckily, I got a few snaps away before being moved on.

About an hour or so later, we head off for a hike with our tour guide, Pepe, taking in the sights of Colca Canyon - apparently, this place is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the USA.

Our trip back to Chivay is dotted with photo oppourtunities that range from the Incan farming terraces - a practice still used today - and tombs in the side of the mountain that resemble snake holes.

We return to Chivay, only to depart once more; this time for a small town by the name of "Sibayo". It´s here that we will be spilit into groups of 2 or 3 people and have the first of two overnigt stays with local families.

About 90 minutes later, we arrive with our gifts - Richard and I bought some rice, sugar and cooking oil - and are sent off to our host families home with our ´Mamas´(though ours appears to be all of 22 years old!). Her name is Jessica (pronounced "Yess-i-ka") and we arrive at her Casa (house) we meet her Grandparents - Paulino and Colya.

Using our very limited Spanish and a sheet of paper with basic phrases and words, some irrelevant - "where´s the train station" when there´s no train?? - Richard and I manage to tell our host our names, ages, where we come from and where our trip leads us next. The trouble is, they also speak Quechua (Ketch-u-wa) so Jessica also has to refer to her translation sheet for Spanish words as she doesn´t know all the words either (they have about a 50/50 ´blend´).

After adorning a poncho and beanie each, we wonder down to the Rio Colca (River) with Paulino where he demonstrates the use of a local slingshot made from Alpaca wool. Whirling around 3 times, he launches one of the many rocks scattered around into the cold water below. Taking out another slingshot, he hands his to Richard and the second to me indicating it is now our turn.

Due to the language barrier (that´s how I see it anyway) I wasn´t doing it right much to Paulino´s amusement and the endagerment of a small child nearby that had to beware of wayward stones hurled by a useless Aussie! Once the correct method was shown to me, I did manage to get the knack of it - even causing the ´tail´of the slingshot to crack like a whip!

Back at the homestead, I help prepare dinner by cutting vegies and meat whilst Richard tries to sleep off the effects of altitude sickness. Making a traditional soup, sitting in the families´ Cuchina (kitchen) I am taken aback that, whilst they have mobile phones and satelite TV, the oven is wood fired?! The smell of the soup cooking fills the tiny room and more of Jessica´s family arrive - Her mother Jualita and sisters Carmen and Natalie and 3 year old daughter, Maria-Helena.

Just like western homes, it seems that dinners are eaten in front of the TV here with most of the family sitting around the box to eat whilst Richard, Jessica, Natalie and I eat in the cuchina. Richard retires early, still not feeling well and I help out with the dishes though I´m given a not to subtle hint that Jessica would like to go to bed so I too head to our room next to the cuchina. Before I get there, Natalie runs across the courtyard from the larger family building to our building and gives me a coke bottle that has been filled with warm water for me to use to wash. At least they have a flushing toilet and shower (though the town´s pump shuts down at dusk). So by 7:30pm, U am in bed mildly clean and ready for a sleep!

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