And More Cuzco

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At some point during our stay in Cuzco, we went white water rafting. I don’t remember whether this was before or after Machu Pichu because my “diary” from this stage of the journey is written mostly on the back of bus tickets and so difficult to order chronologically. I wanted to do a three day rafting trip that involved camping overnight, but turned out they weren’t running it because the river was too low, or too high, or they couldn’t be arsed. I’m glad we couldn’t do it in the end, because although I enjoyed rafting for a day, it wasn’t as much fun as some of the other super fun things we’ve done and I wouldn’t want to devote to it three whole days of our precious time.

Our guide was some kind of crazy hyperactive cokefiend. We were all beginners, but he didn’t care and seemed genuinely upset when we performed imperfectly. He was clearly very competitive and deeply wanted his group of clueless tourists to beat his mate’s group of clueless tourists in the other raft. I had the misfortune of being at the back, so whenever I didn’t obey his commands fast enough, he smacked me round the head with his paddle.

He was also definitely swearing at us all in Spanish, which no one picked up on aside from kit.

Guide (Shouting, In English) - I said left backpaddle!

Guide (Muttering, In Spanish) - You at the front, you’re shit, what are you doing??

Kit (In Spanish) - What’s that, dickhead?

It was really good fun though, despite the abuse, and the valley we were in was very pretty, when we had chance to observe it in between dodging rocks. We also got a good meal included in the price, and they had a kind of home made steam room and plunge pool back at the base by the river, which I thought was a nice if slightly bizarre touch. After a while the steam room did became terrifying oven like and when I tried to leave the door was stuck… I did briefly wonder if Crazy Rafting Guide was trying to cook us and eat us, but we escaped and all was well.

Another day we went to see a football match with one of the local lads we'd befriended. I love South American football. This game was particularly hilarious because Cuzco were playing Lima and, so our friends confidently informed us, Lima always lose because they get altitude sickness. Peruvian football isn't so big budget, so the players don't get chance to come and aclimatise before the game. Sure enough Cuzco were running rings around them and poor Lima had only managed to bring about 20 supporters along. The very animated Cuzco fans were LOVING it. I bought a Cuzco shirt to add to the Ecuador one already in my collection. Glory hunter.

Personally I think knuckle dusters, pen knives and fireworks are exactly the kind of things you shouldn't be selling inside the grounds of a football stadium, but the atmosphere felt less threatening than an English football match, aside from the danger of stray firecrackers.

My favourite place in Cuzco was the Mirador San Blas, a little square right at the top of the city with beautiful views looking down. It was always populated with an eclectic collection of locals, shit buskers and standard hippie traveller types, and had a nice vibe. We stayed in two different hostels just off the square. The first was called Blue something, a small great value family owned place in a lovely wonky building. The second was a total hippy fest. We met some really cool people there, though we did end up getting roped into attending a 'traditional shaman healing ceremony' at the Inca temple of the moon.

While we were in Cuzco we decided to sack off Ayrequipa and Colca Canyon. I was sad about this, but I kind of knew my planned itinerary was likely to be unworkable in reality unless everything went perfectly according to plan, which of course it did not, so something would have to go. I’d rather not rush. Kit was less bothered because he recons he’s seen plenty of canyons by now and is not as enamoured with the concept of “trekking” as I am. Kit doesn’t have such a solid grasp of our itinerary per se… to the point where he’s been unaware of what country we are in at times. We both really wanted to see South America, but I am the one who loves planning trips, especially when I have a lot of exams and work to do, so I suppose the details were left mostly up to me. Luckily we have almost the same ideas about what kind of activities we want to do (notable difference being my apathy toward surfing) and the places we want to see (notable difference being a disagreement about how much time to devote to Buenos Aires).

So given this change of plans we're leaving Peru now for Bolivia.

It all seems to be passing so quickly.

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Photos

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Walking down from the temple of the moon