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Published: January 30th 2009
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Walking around Arequipa, I came across Colca trekkers tour company. I had originally set out for the day in search for a new hostel bc I did not like mine. Instead, I took a detour and walked into the tour company. Already asking for information were three girls that looked like they were from the states. With their broken spanish they were asking for a two day tour leaving that day for Colca Canyon. The tour operator told them that NO bus nor tour was leaving that day. Plus, a tour pacage with them was going to cost about 600 soles. With jaws dropped, we all gasped, even eves dropper, me! I interrupted their conversation by explaining that I too wanted to do the Colca trek but that i was going to be doing it alone if they didn´t mind me tagging along with them and we could all do it on our own. The problem was, that the girls were on limited ime and wanted to leave that very same day. In their earlier convesration, I had overheard them saying they were experienced hikers, so of course I wanted to go with them, I really did not want to do
it on my own. This meant, I too was going to be in a hurry trying to make last minute decisions on whether to leave with them or not. We all walked out together, conversing our options. From there I told them about the i-peru information center. Arriving there, the same guy that had given me info on how to do the hike alone, was there greeting everyone with an enthusiastic smile, ready to bombard us with a plethora of info.
¨No, mam, buses are biiked for today, you can not leave today¨. But the gringas, were set on leaving today. We walked out onto the street and discussed our options again. ¨what if we hire someone to drive us to chivay¨? A guy that worked for the center, overheard us rambble and told us that NO TAXI would be insane to drive through bad rodes to get us there BUT that there might be a friend of his that could drive us for a fee. He got in touch with his friend, quoted us a price and before we knew it, all four of us were hoping onto this mans car. It was now noon! We stopped
for a quick filler upper on gas, and before we knew it we were driving away from AREQUIPA. HAving not eaten anything all day, I searched for my cold pizza from last night´s left over dinner. Satisfied, I looked out into the horizon and saw nothing but desert like landscapes that were heavily cloud covered. It quickly got cold! Our driver happen to spot some VICUNAS (finer animals that are cousins of the alpacas). He stopped the car for us to get out and take pictures of these ¨rare¨animals. And what a beauty they were!!!!!
Several hours later, we were in the rainy, cold and sparse town of CHIVAY. We then said goodbye to our driver. Several soles later, we got ourselves a hostel for 15 soles more. Despite the cold and rain, we ventured out for food. I ate a chicken burger. More rain, a motor taxi ride, we payed 10 soles for the famed thermal water pools of CHIVAY. Putting our bathing suits in the cold weather, we ran like crazy to get into the comfort of the hot waters. The outside pools have views of the awesome mounatins! Crsip cool air reminding you of how
alive you are! We soaked in the waters for two hours. Before we knew it, we had closed the place down. The darken sky brought out common night hawks, I dunno what they are called here but they were similar to our species back home.
Taking a quick rinse, we then head down to town via car taxi. HUngry as heck, we go into some place the lonely planet book mentioned. Before we knew it, we had a feast! We ate quineoa soup, ate ALPACA steak!!!! No chicken for me!!!! Dinner cost 13 soles and it was well worth it! SLURP!
3:45 am we wake up to catch the bus to that goes to Cabanoconde. But our first stop was the famed CRUZ DEL CONDOR. We arrived there at around 8am, walked around to several view points were i saw more than 10 species of birds, saw several parakeets that had a beauti ful lime green color to them, several black and yellow birds and others that i did not know what the heck they were. Then finally, in the distance, two soaring CONDORS! Throughout the morning we were fortunate to have incredible sight if these
cool birds!
9:00 we took the next bus to CABANACONDE, we ate a quick breakfast, changed into our hiking attire and before we knew it we were crossing corn fields, seeing majestic mountains in the background and finally, making our way down into the canyon. Erika and Amanda, of course fast hikers, smoked me and left me behind. Severla times they would wait for me until cloud covered sky and distant lightening got them to hike faster and therefore did not wait for me no longer. Alone with my thoughts, tight hiking boots, hot sun, I trekked down. The whole time I thought to myself, why is this hike so hard for me! Is it my old age, am i out of shape, my boots are too tight, why am i loosing my balance, have I lost my hiking confidence....blah blah...I did not want to be alone with my thoughts!! Slowly, slowly, I made my way down. 5 hours later, lol, damn, i´m slow, I got to my distnation! The OASIS, with swimming pools! There are several ¨hostels¨ down there but i did not know which one the girls had picked, walking from place to place, 30 min
later i found them! An hour later, I was swimming in the cold water! Soaking my aching bones : ). An incredible night, I met an awesome mexican couple Erika and Geronimo and re-met Juane the spaniard from earlier in the bus ride. Candle lite dinner brought on great convesrations with these new friends.
Sleeping in the hut was fantastic. I was so tired, I forgot we were basically sleeping under a thatched roof and walled into by bamboo like sticks.
4:30am, waking up early to catch a ride on our mules, Yes, you read that right, MULES! I have always been against riding animals during hikes or using them as porters. But this time, I reconsidered and rode one out bc my knees were not doing so great! Mules are used here everday by the locals who make at least two treks up and down the canyon to transport stuff from village to villla ge in and out of the canyon. it´s their way of life, so I did not think it was a big deal with me riding one : ) My mules name was Peter, a stubborn mule who was in constant competion
with Rocca, Amanda´s mule. They constantly battled with being in front of the other. One time, they galloped fast, pushing each other, coming near really close to the edge! Amanda and I screamed like lil girls, I yelled STOP , she yelled something else, I pulled the reigns hard and Peter came to a hault! Whew, that was a close one!
The whole time I talked to our mule ¨guide¨. He explained how the trail into the canyon was used by the Incas, how the Oasis was new and had been in existence for 5 years only and he told me about his aspirations to have a hostel down at the oasis, he described the foods he was going to have for his customers, ect.
On our ride back to AREQUIPA a lil woman, dressed in her pollera, whose name I won´t mentioned. WE talked about the polleras, how much they cost, and because they cost so much, about 180 soles for the skirts, almost 200 soles for the lil jackets, she had hers for more than 15 years, her jacket was newer , at 8 yrs. As the hours passed, she confided in me more
and more. Soon she was telling me horrendous stories about her abusive husband. She showed me scars he had left her. Not knowing what to say to her, I listened. It is truely horrifying that spousal abuse happens world wide and often times most women don´t know how to escape it, don´t know who to turn to and just accept it. Who could she have turned to, how could she have defended herself all these years? In a poor village, there are no resour´ces for them! Accept it?? Take matters into there own hands? How? I asked if she had friends for support and she said no.
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Darlene
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Kiss, kiss, my prayers are with you, love Darlene. And I hope your knees are feeling better, since you just started this journey.