Arequipa and Chivay, Peru

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Monday 28th Jan - Day 6

We headed off to Chivay in the Andes, via the highest point we will reach on this tour at 4910m. In Chivay we went for a short trek and then to some hot springs. After this we went for a local meal with our guide Jesus, and watched the local moquito dance which involved whipping the audience! The air is very thin now as we are constantly above 3500m.

Tuesday 29th Jan - Day 7

Up very early to drive to the Colca Canyon, the deepest Canyon in the world. The Canyon is 3200m deep in some places and it also lies in the bottom of a valley so it appears extremely deep. This is a great place to see Andean Condors so we waited at the Canyon for a couple of hours but had no luck, so we headed off and I asked the driver to stop a couple of miles later for a photo opportunity. When we were taking photos we got extremely lucky as a Condor swept up on the thermals from the Canyon below, and circled around about 200m away from us on the other side of a tunnel in the road. I decided to do a 200m sprint to the other side of the tunnel and when I came out I couldn´t believe my eyes as i was about 5m away from the soaring Condor. It was absolutely huge ad a great experience, they have a 3m wingspan, it was like running into a terradactyl. I couldn´t arm my camera quick enough in the heat of the moment so I only have long shots. Returned to Arequipa for a tour of an ancient nunnery where nuns lived completely separate to the outside world for 400 years.

Wednesday 30th Jan - Day 8

A 11.5 hour drive from Arequipa to Cusco. We had to bribe 2 police men on the way who wanted us to pay huge fines for speeding (we weren´t) and not wearing a speed belt. They excepted a much smaller fine when we agreed to not have a receipt and they could put the dinero straight in their sky rocket..

Thursday 31st Jan - Day 9

Today we have a free day in Cusco. It is a very nice city, the old Incan capital, and it is much more touisty. We are now at 3330m and feeling much more acclimatised. I haven´t had a problem with the altitude so far which is good news for the Himalayas. The group are getting on well and we are all happy with the small group size as we have loads of space on the overland truck and they are no couples (except Glenn and Mick who act like they are married). It turns out I am the next best at Spanish after the guide so I have been speaking it a lot, haggling and buying immodium for the others. We have all suffered with the water at some point.. I´m really enjoying speaking Spanish again after 10 years. On Saturday we are off on the 4 day Lares trek (the next best thing to the Inca trail which is closed for repairs) ending at Machu Picchu. Chuffed that everyone is doing it as nobody is as keener walker as I am. The trek involves 2 very high passes at about 4650m so it will be tough.

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Comments

[lauren]

been there .. done that :o)
hey hey ... it´s all looking very familiar, even the photo with the eagle on your head! loved huacachinas dunes, crazy days! hope you´re having fun! catch you in NZ for sure. Lauren x