Colca Canyon - Wow!

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Yet another early morning to get a private bus to the Colca Canyon - about 3 hours from Arequipa ( if you don't stop.)

We however, stopped many times. Our first stop was at a little shop to buy water and cocoa leaves. Cocoa leaves are used everyday by people who live in the high altitude to help them deal with the altitude better (or really just because it makes them less tired so that they can get on with things oh and there are those who are addicted to them.) You need 500kg of them to make 1kg of cocaine so chewing a couple of leaves doesn't quite have the same effect.

I chewed a couple and they tasted like really strong black tea. They were a bit disgusting so I won't be doing that again. They also fall apart in your mouth and you end up with them all over your teeth - not a good look. The activator to help with the altitude is volcanic ash which has to be one of the most vile things I have ever tasted. We got up to 4900m above sea level and I didn't suffer with the altitude at all so maybe they did work (although I've been in high altitude since then without the leaves and have been fine too.)

Our second stop was at a little cafe in the middle of the mountains with no one in it but a waitress. We all had a cocoa and mint tea to help with digestion (because it doesn't work well in the altitude), watched a cat kill a bird and left to carry on our journey to our hotel.

It looked like we were driving into the middle of nowhere. We pretty much were when we reached our hotel called 'Mama Yatchi'. It was like a little lodge/ranch surrounded by eucalyptus trees and snow capped mountains. The view from my room was incredible and included a random llama munching on the grass. It felt really rustic and like I'd gone back in time to olden Peru - especially as everyone wears traditional clothing.

Our guide took 5 of us for a little trek into the mountains which was really fun particularly when she got lost! The recent rain had washed away the path so wer went a little adventure through the vegetation and I was attacked by a big cactus (was still pulling thorns out of my feet a week later!) It was worth it just for the views though. At the top, there were tombs and skulls and bones which was a wee bit eerie especially as it had started to get dark. Managed to get back down on the right path before it was pitch black just in time for dinner and an early night to get ready for the next big day.

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