A Peruvian Odyssey Happy New Year to everyone! The end of 2010 marked eight months of travelling for us, and what adventures we have had! Since our last blog, we have spent the last 6 weeks travelling around Peru, a fascinating and varied country with everything from coastal desert to highlands and jungle. We kicked off our Peruvian odyssey in Mancora, a sunny beach resort popular with surfers and backpackers - it was a nice change after being in the mountains for most of Ecuador. We joined in the fun at a full moon party, I got locked inside our room and Yem got stung by a baby scorpion - just the usual really.... After a mammouth 18-hour bus journey we arrived in the capital Lima and quickly managed to replace our stolen netbook with a new one (christened Juanita), hurrah! In the week we spent in Lima's upmarket Miraflores neighbourhood, Yem managed to integrate himself into the Peruvian hip hop scene, meeting fellow rappers (rapperos in Spanish), producers and promoters. I delved into the fascinating culture of Peru, exploring Lima's old town and the excellent Larco museum. We also enjoyed meeting and cooking with Argentinian students Daniel and Luciana, and Aussie Kat, who was stranded in Lima after having both her passports stolen on a bus. We took a boat trip to Islas Bellestas (nicknamed 'The Poor Man's Galapagos') where we saw cute sea lions, pelicans and penguins and saw the mysterious Nazca lines from several viewing points, which were created by the Nazca people between 400 and 650 AD. Our next stop was the beautiful second city of Arequipa, where we visited the Santa Catalina Monastery, an incredible city-within-a-city and once home to aristocratic nuns during the Colonial era. We also took a trip to the spectacular Colca Canyon, where we enjoyed a colourful local fiesta (where brass bands played literally the same tune for about 12 hours!) and punished ourselves with a trek to the bottom of the canyon and back up at high altitude (ouchy). The Inca capital of Cusco was our next stop, where we spent Christmas in what seemed a strangely different world in which no-one does Christmas shopping! We were grateful for a traditional Christmas lunch (courtesy of Brit tourist restaurant 'The Real McCoy') and loved Skyping with friends and family. During Christmas and New Year, we made the trip to the Inca city of Machu Picchu, spectacularly perched on a mountain top. It's a magical and awe-inspiring place, and walking inside the city is as amazing as taking in the spectacular panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains. We thoroughly recommend! We returned to Cusco for New Year and enjoyed a lively fiesta in the main plaza, with everyone setting off fireworks (including 5 year-old children), throwing yellow confetti and dancing to the live band. In the next few days we will be crossing the border into Bolivia, stopping en route at Lake Titicaca, one of the world's highest navigable lakes. Wishing you all the best for 2011. Love and hugs Soph & Yemster xxx