Altitude + cold = ouch. I was feeling a lot better our last day in Arequipa so I got out to see the town a bit. Next day was a drive day with a high pass and even though I felt better I was still all blocked up and for a while on the truck I got a really bad headache. Luckily it went away when I got out and walked around a bit, and didn't come back. We arrived in Chivay for a late lunch and while we were eating it rained and hailed. We haven't seen rain since Rio Verde. Next morning was our trip to Colca Canyon. After an hour and a half in a bus on a bumpy road we arrived at the viewing area and were on the look out for condors. Unfortunately because of the rain and clouds they didn't have the warm currents they like to ride. We spotted a few in the distance, way too small to photograph or really see how big they are, and I would have been happy just seeing them but suddenly as we were walking through the market area one popped up quite high and closer against a white cloud background. As we were about to leave it got even better, two condors flew up from behind a ridge quite close, and then flew right above us. Very cool.

On the way back we stopped to see an Inca burial site in the side of a hill. Then after a quick lunch we drove on to a bush camp, freezing cold in a quarry at 4000m, and next morning through to Cusco for the Inca Trails and Machu Picchu. Most of our group has started their trek today and the rest of us, only five, leave tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous, can't wait to see what it's like!