Well it has now been 7 days and already it feels like we have done so much!

We drove to colca Canyon which was a 5hour drive. It was great though as we stopped along the way. We went up 4600m. When we got that high you could definitely feel the effects. We stopped half was up and our guide - Alex - said that they have a secret how to cure altitude sickness. He reached for the first aid kit on the bus and said ´Alcohol´ He made is inhale pure ethanol - there are some funny pic of this! We aldo did coco leave which are the pure ingredient to make cocaine. They taste awful at first as you chew them with a bit of ash.

ON the way we saw vacuña, llama and alpaca.

We arrived at our hotel which was baiscally a thatched cottage - really nice and we had a pet Llama outside. We were warned not to get too close becuase he spits!

We went on a shot walk an over looked the colca valley which is full for inca and pre-inca terraces where they farm. Looked amazing. After we went to the hot springs and chilled in the hot swimming pools. Was great but some were so hot you couldn´t stay in too long although apparently it knocks 5 years off your age.

We went to bed early as we had to get up at 5.20am to drive to the Colca Canyon to see the Condors. They are birds which span 3m and glide over the valley. We were lucky and saw five!

The Colca Canyon is amazing and is apparently twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the States. I made a typical Adam fool out of myself as I was trying on a peru hat which I bought when I suddenly worried as I couldn´t find my glasses. Selina and Laura were looking around me for them when a guy from the other Gap group said "they´re on your face mate" Damn it! I quickly decided it was time to make our way back to the bus!

The bus driver was crazy. You think european drivers are bad! We over took lorries going uphill around blind bends! We even crashed into a sand block in the road and almost stacked the bus! I will never complain about pot holes in the UK again.

Back in Arequipa now in the hotel we were in before. We got take out pizza tonight and sat on the roof. Was great to have some normal food although I must say they food we have had has been great. I have tried Alpaca which is really nice,

Got to be up at 4.15am tomorrow as we are flying to Cuzco so i´m off to bed!

Ad