So we were up early to catch the bus to Chivay, the capital of the Colca Canyon. On the way we passed 3 active volcanoes which the people regard as gods as they bring them water as they are snow capped. We also drove through the national reserve which was just beautiful and we saw wild alpaca and another breed of animal (possibly vicuña) whose wool was more expensive than cashmere. Then we started getting really high into the altitude and stopped off to have some inca tea which was hot water with all kinda if weird herbs in. It was supposed to calm the stomach and stop the effects of altitude. Then we stopped at the highest point on the trip so far at 4990m it was freezing but the views were nice. When we arrived we went to a buffet restaurant where I tried alpaca meat but it wasn't really for me. Then back to the hotel which had the best beds!!!! We had a double each with 5 pillows and like 3 blankets it was fabulous!! In the afternoon we went for a walk around the village where we saw they had a bull fighting ring and also went around the outskirts of one of the poor villages where the children had made a kite of plastic bags and even the string was just the bags tied together - it really puts things into perspective. The next day we were up at 5.30 to go to the Colca Canyon. The views were like a photo backdrop and we even saw condors flying which was amazing. We did a walk and stood on a rock right over the canyon. In the afternoon we went to the hot springs which were way too hot but a nice change as it's actually quite cold. In the evening we went to a restaurant which had local dancers who made be get up and dance with them in front of the whole restaurant!!! But in the next dance they whipped the people they had chosen so I think I got off quite lightly :) As we were going back to the hotel we saw a brass band with traditional dancers going into the church so we followed them as we thought it was a parade. Then on the entrance was a devil man dressed all on black with a black and red mask and a whip - he also had a walk like the jokers! So we ran passed him into the church and then he followed us in and grabbed two people from our group and made them go to the front and pray whilst he held the whip over them!!! So we were all trying not to get noticed when he started coming back for the rest of us, so we sprinted out of the church pushing all the little kids out of the way!! The locals laughed but it was a crazy experience!! He even had a rattle and the next morning we heard the noise and he was just under our window going passed with the parade soooo crazy!!! The next day we went back to Arequipa and just walked around I also had a McDonald's for tea!! Unfortunately one of the girls in our group had still been feeling ill since the food poisening and was rushed into hospital to have her apendix removed!! She has had the opp though and seems ok. Xx