Up early for our early start and we were off to the Colca Canyon and to hopefully see the Andean Condors. There's never a certainty to see them but we were hopeful of seeing one.

After meeting our travelling companions, 1 NZ, 1 Aussie, 4 Poms (3 ex NZ), 1 Mexican and Helen (Bridget Jones) we commenced our trip.

We stopped to try coca biscuits. Coca is the leaf of a tree in South America that they use to handle altitude sickness and is banned in every other country as it is also what they make cocaine out of. I didn´t mind the biscuits but Phil didn´t think much of them. Neither of us were very keen on the coca lollies either but we will perservere.

On an interesting aside did you know that Coca Cola is the only company in the United States that is still allowed to import a small amount of cocaine a year. Not really sure why but an interesting aside.

As we travelled further out we started to see more of why we have come here. The city and shanty towns turned into vast areas of mountain landscapes and snow capped mountains and volcano´s. Absolutely stunning. To get to the Colca Canyon you need to drive over the highest pass of 4900m, which is 700m higher than the highest point on the Inca Trail. Surprisingly most of us did well on the bus althought the ear popping was quite full on.

About an hour into the bus ride we pulled over to the side and saw our first vicuna. Vicuna´s are a smaller version of alpacas and llamas (pronounced yama as it turns out), however they are of a smaller build with pointed ears. They are very easily spooked too. Alpaca´s are smaller and fluffier than llama´s and llama´s don´t have thick hair/wool on their heads and they are more agressive.

We then stopped for a coca tea. We decided on a mixture of three teas, coca, some kind of herb similar looking to thyme but tasted more like mint and we think mote. Very surprised that we both really liked it and apparently it also is really good for digestion as well. We´re going to bring some tea bags home for you to try if you like. Funnily enough it is just the leaves themselves you can´t bring back. Um oh and the refined product of course :) A very friendly cat tried to make itself at home and we amused ourselves with the others trying not to touch it when it was quite forceful about getting a pat. Phil took a liking to the very friendly chook (i'm seeing a pattern here).

After a few stops for photographs (at convenient spots where the locals plied their wares of course) we arrived at Chivay for lunch. Chivay is at a more modest altitude of 3600m. After looking at the markets and Plaza de Armas, we are pretty sure every place has one, Phil and Helen tried to take some sneaky photos of the locals.

Pretty much if you want to take a photo of a local you have to pay for it, well they expect it and as Phil found out (well I saw it and it was funny) they will chase you from across the street!

This woman chased him and Phil didn´t even notice! Mind you it is frustrating that they set themselves up specifically in places and with their animals purely to get tourists to take photos. At least we knew about the paying for photos there are a lot of tourists who don´t. Generally it about 1 sole (30c).

It was then to our hotel, MamaYacchi at Coporaque, just outside of Chivay. Gorgeous room, amazing view of the mountains and our own spitting Llama near our rooms. We could have happily not had the spitting llama, if it felt like it, it would lie in wait for you!

An hour trek up the mountain to look at the Inca ruins awaited us and I was pleasantly surprised to realise that i´m not as affected by altitude as I feared I may have been. Chivay at 3650m is actually higher than Cuzco (3350m) so this bodes well and most of the Inca Trail is around 3600m. Phil of course having been to Everest Base Camp knows how he reacts to altitude. His only problem is this lingering food poisoning/stomach issue.

Confusing thought of the day:
Why would you tell the tourists not to give the kids money and that pens or pencils are better but not tell us that at the start of the tour and then basically lead us past local kids who speak to us in their native language of Quecha and then tell us we needed to give the kids a ´donation´ for their performance!!

After the trek it was off to the Hot Springs at Chivay. There were three pools ranging in temperature from mid 20´s to 38 degrees.   We started in the coolest pool and quickly moved onto the next one. Beautifully warm like a bath but it doesn't cool so after a while we were back in the cooler pool at about 38 degrees. Definitely a lovely way to spend an hour and relax. at the end of the day. Then it was back to the hotel for tea and a nice glass of red wine. Good opportunity to chat with the others on the tour as well.
 
Painful realisation of the day:
Migraines and altitude - a whole new level of pain :(
Definitely don´t want to go there again. Hoping that it is a one off.

After a few hours of fitful sleep and a number of tablets for me it was up at 5am to head to Oasis, near Cabanaconde to see the Condors. After another number of stops for photos and the locals plying their trades we arrived a little after 8am.

The sad stop for Phil and me was when we stopped for photos and a lady came over with her brown hawk or eagle, not sure which completely, which sadly she only had the bird to get tourists to pay her to take photos of. Needless to say we didn´t but at least the bird looked to be in really good condition and it is the first time I have ever seen a bird of prey nuzzle up to the face of the owner which made us think at least it is well being looked after.

After finding ourselves a spot we didn´t have to wait long for the condors to come out. There is always a chance that you wont see them, they come out for the warmth and to fly using the thermals.

Needless to say we were very lucky with around 14 condors, adults and juveniles soaring around the canyon. Great to watch and even better in their natural habitat as opposed to the bird park at Otavalo. Just learnt that the condors only turn from brown to black when they are 7 years old and also acquire their white ´collar´.

While wasiting we saw our first very beautiful hummingbird. You can actually hear their wings flapping. Well the vibrations anyway. We unfortunately didn´t get a photo of the very gorgeous hummingbird but hopefully will manage to get one to stay still long enough on the Inca Trail.

After an hour of matching these very majestic birds it was back to Arequipa via a few small towns and the typical lunch with singers who are that loud you can´t talk and then expect tips. Now I know we are sounding like whingers here but it does get really annoying really quickly and even more so when the tour company sets it up and you have no out.

We stopped at a small town called Maca, where we had a tour of the church which had been rebuilt after an earthquake. Lots of gold (is very common in churches over here) and plenty of statues and other religious artifacts. Then into a local restaurant for lunch (and entertainment . . .) before heading back to Arequipa.

All in all it was a wonderful trip and definitely recommended. Giardino Tours definitely looked after us well and the guide was excellent at explaining everything and seemed truely interested in what she does.

The landscape in the Colca Canyon is truely spectacular. The snow capped sharp peaks of the Andes are a truely awesome sight even more so as the sun rises and sets.

And to everyone back home thank you for all your concerns. We are making changes to our itiniery now that the strikes and protest have become violent and people are dying around Puno as a direct result. We will be flying out of Peru and avoiding the area most affected into Bolivia. Makes Phil happy as it avoids 15-18 hour bus rides!!