Peru - Final Chapter

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Hello All,

I´m writing what will be my last travel blog for a while from the Sunny Beach Town of Mancora in Northern Peru.
After Seven incredible months away I am coming back to England to see friends and family, the start of the premiership season before starting University at Bath in October.

Our first stop in Peru was the very touristy lake side town of Puno from where we took a two day tour onto Lake Titicaca to visit first the Floating Reed Islands and then after our boat crashed and got stuck in the reeds we made it to the Tranquile Island of Amantani where we stayed a night with a local family brushing up on our Quechua and attending a communal dance dressed in traditional clothes (I sported a Poncho)
When the music started and the locals got us up to dance I expected to struggle to learn a complicated routine but it turned out to be a slow circle dance with a lot of hip swinging!
Our next stope was ´The White City´- Arequipa which boasts stunning Colonial Architecture such as the beautiful Monestario Santa Catalina - a small city within a city.
We also had the pleasure of trying Cuy or Guinea Pig which is adored by the locals but came out literally skinned and fried, everything intact - a vegetarians worst nightmare.
I spent two days conquering the Volcano El Misti (5825 metres) truly one of the toughest things I ´ve done on this gap year.
On the second day we were woken up in our tents at 2 in the morning and with head lamps we struggled up the side of the Volcano, the volcanic sand making it incredibly tough on our legs. To add to that there was the altitude, the cold and a host of large rocks which we had to literally climb over.
After five hours ( the last being one of the most brutal of my life I made it) three of us made it to the summit, exhausted but elated, the view unforgettable.
We decided against a tour to the Colca Canyon or the Nazca Lines and headed instead straight for Ica further North.
In the small oasis town of Huacachina we spent a brilliantly fun day being driven speedily over the sand dunes stopping now and again to have a go at Sandboarding.
Sandboarding I´m told is like Snowboarding but it doesnt hurt when you fall over. In the evening the hostel had a barbeque and we enjoyed the national drink called Pisco Sour.
Following Ica we spent a day in Pisco further north taking a tour of ´The Poor Mans Galapagos Islands´Islas Ballestas. I couldn´t help but be impressed with the sheer quantity of birds. We also saw Seals, Sea Lions and Dolphins.
Then it was all the way to Cuzco and the much awaited four day trek along the Inca Trail all the way to The Famous Lost City of Machu Picchu
This was without out doubt one of the highlights of the trip. The scenery was incredible, the ruins leading up to Machu Picchu fascinating and the city itself very inspiring as I start studying Architecture.
We arrived at 6.30 on the fourth day, before the surge of tourists later in the day.
We were fortunate to have booked with a very good company and our friendly group of ten enjoyed great service and restaurant quality food.
In the evening we were kindly treated to a meal at one of the posh Plaza-side restaurants by Lauras best friends sister Sal and her travelling partner Tim who we happened to bump into at Machu Picchu of all places.
The following day we went on a road trip in their rented car around Cuzco stopping first at Action Valley where I decided to do a Bungee Jump (140 metres) which was absolutely incredible!
Later we visited a cute little town where we visited the weavers that my mum stayed with in April which was brilliant and very surreal.
In the Evening the hostel hosted a ´Playboy Party´the dresscode being sleazy. Lost for time and ideas I decided to go in a t-shirt, towel and sunglasses. Turned out to be a very fun night.
We were sad to leave Cuzco behind - there really is so much to do and see.
We took a very long and uncomfortable bus all the way to the pretty Ugly Capital Lima. Both of us felt ill so we saw a doctor who put us on short term medication for a week.
After three days of rest and little else we were ready to travel here to Mancora.
Is very nice to have a bit of time to do nothing but relax on the beach after doing so much in the last three months.
So that concludes what has been a truly unbelievable gap year, better than I could ever could have imagined.
Would like to thank everyone who helped to make it possible and I looked forward to seeing you all very soon!

Nathanx

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