As our trip in South America is wrapping up I thought I would take a moment to think over our time here and write up some thoughts on our trip, things we learned, things we would have done differently, etc. It is amazing that it has already and yet only been two months since we started our journey and that we still and only have four months left.
I don't really know where to start but I'll jump right in and let the order take care of itself.
Bolivia is the cheapest country to travel through in SA. From what I have gathered from other travellers the order from cheapest to most expensive is as follows: Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Columbia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile. I don't know of any tests done to confirm this but from the talk this would be a rough outline. Argentina and Chile are every bit as expensive as Europe from what I have been told. Venezuela has been excluded because the only people I met who went there were robbed on their first day in front of military guards and left as soon as they could after that. I don't recommend going to Venezuela for a few years at least.
At the outset of our trip we would probably have only done one thing differently. Throughout Central and South America there are options for two week Spanish immersion courses and home-stays. These are affordable and extremely useful. Most are six hours of learning per day and then speaking with your host family for the rest of the time. I very much wish that we had known about and decided to do this before we started out.
We have learned to read between the lines of our guide books and evaluate what we really want to see when someone tells us about a sight to see or a tourist attraction. The books are valuable information but they are there to bring out the positive qualities of a place and not to be negative. Likewise people may have had a good or bad experience somewhere but it is very situational. The weather or a bad or good employee might make the difference for the entire trip. That is why we have also been learning to take things as they come and appreciate what we can about it. Our Machu Picchu experience was hampered by the fog and how expensive it was to see it but we absolutely loved walking to the Inca bridge, hiking around the ruins, and sitting to enjoy the quiet of the fog when we were able to get away from the tourists.
Showing posts with label Peru. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peru. Show all posts
Monday, February 18, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Peru Summary
Our three weeks in Peru were marked by education. We were learning the ropes of traveling and learning to adjust our expectations on both ends of the spectrum. We were green when we first arrived in Peru but we left with valuable experience. As I see it now I think Peru is a difficult location to travel in but I think that we did it very well all things considered. Here are a few things I think about Peru.
Peru is a destination country. I like to call it a "get in, get out" country. It is not a relaxing travel country to travel in, much of it is still unsafe, and it is lacking infrastructure. It is also very large with much of its attractions very spread out. You cannot really stay in a city for too long and stay entertained and there are few cities from which to do many day-trips. Because of these things travellers need to be constantly moving on to the next location which gets very expensive and tiring.
Living expenses are very low in Peru. Hostel prices were 8-10 dollars per person per night for us and food was 5-15 dollars per day for the two of us. We lived very inexpensively when we stayed in one place.the biggest drain on expenses was buses which was anywhere from $20 to $90 per person and tours and special trips which were all around ridiculously expensive. Unfortunately the tours, trips, and transportation were all necessary parts of travelling in Peru. This was our biggest challenge as points of interest always required a bank-breaking tour to experience. There were many things we wished to see that we had to make the decision to cut out due to this issue; the Amazon jungle being the most sorrowful cut that we made.
More things we learned in Peru in point form:
-Always ask how much and settle the price before you take a taxi.
-Haggle for hostel prices, taxis, and market goods, especially during the off season.
-Read between the lines of how wonderful or terrible a place to see is; it is usually relative.
-Cook food when you can instead of going out.
-Pepto Bismol contains Bismuth subsalicylate which is the antimicrobial for E.coli and is sometimes a very good friend.
In the end Peru was a difficult country to travel through but well worth learning. The sights are far between but magical to see and the variety of landscapes is breathtaking. I would recommend visiting Peru but as I said before, get in get out.
Peru is a destination country. I like to call it a "get in, get out" country. It is not a relaxing travel country to travel in, much of it is still unsafe, and it is lacking infrastructure. It is also very large with much of its attractions very spread out. You cannot really stay in a city for too long and stay entertained and there are few cities from which to do many day-trips. Because of these things travellers need to be constantly moving on to the next location which gets very expensive and tiring.
Living expenses are very low in Peru. Hostel prices were 8-10 dollars per person per night for us and food was 5-15 dollars per day for the two of us. We lived very inexpensively when we stayed in one place.the biggest drain on expenses was buses which was anywhere from $20 to $90 per person and tours and special trips which were all around ridiculously expensive. Unfortunately the tours, trips, and transportation were all necessary parts of travelling in Peru. This was our biggest challenge as points of interest always required a bank-breaking tour to experience. There were many things we wished to see that we had to make the decision to cut out due to this issue; the Amazon jungle being the most sorrowful cut that we made.
More things we learned in Peru in point form:
-Always ask how much and settle the price before you take a taxi.
-Haggle for hostel prices, taxis, and market goods, especially during the off season.
-Read between the lines of how wonderful or terrible a place to see is; it is usually relative.
-Cook food when you can instead of going out.
-Pepto Bismol contains Bismuth subsalicylate which is the antimicrobial for E.coli and is sometimes a very good friend.
In the end Peru was a difficult country to travel through but well worth learning. The sights are far between but magical to see and the variety of landscapes is breathtaking. I would recommend visiting Peru but as I said before, get in get out.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Q'orikancha
There was in Cuzco a museum worth noting. Most of the historical sites and museums of interest fell into a tourist ticket that we would have to buy. One was not allowed to go to only one of these grouped sites without buying the ticket for them all. We decided that if it was all or nothing then it would be nothing. Machu Picchu was where our finances would land.
One Museum that we were able to see due to it being separate from the ticket described above. This museum was called Q'orikancha and it was worth every centimos spent on the entrance fee.
Q'orikancha was an important Inca temple in Cuzco. From what I understand it was placed in the exact center of the Inca empire. The city of Cuzco was build around it and the rest of the empire followed suit. When it was discovered by the spanish it held over 400 solid gold sheets lining the walls. The Spanish obviously recognized it as historically significant and left it alone... It was pillaged immediately. Its gold melted down, its holy places destroyed and a church erected in its place.
The church still stands today on the site of the temple. It is beautiful in its own right but its construction is overshadowed by the immense stone working skill of the Inca. Q'orikancha is constructed entirely of stones painstakingly shaped and fit together. The Inca used no mortar in their construction. The stones were notched and fit together. They even accounted for a plumbing system carving paths for water to flow through.
I can only imagine the time and effort put in to the choosing, transportation, shaping, and fitting of stones. I can imagine inventing new words and curses when something went wrong. I can hardly put a nail in a wall without something going wrong.
Below are photos from Q'orikancha. The first two are examples of inca stonework, the third is a contrast of spanish stonework. The fourth picture is a description of the layout of the Inca empire and the fifth is a painting of the description.
One Museum that we were able to see due to it being separate from the ticket described above. This museum was called Q'orikancha and it was worth every centimos spent on the entrance fee.
Q'orikancha was an important Inca temple in Cuzco. From what I understand it was placed in the exact center of the Inca empire. The city of Cuzco was build around it and the rest of the empire followed suit. When it was discovered by the spanish it held over 400 solid gold sheets lining the walls. The Spanish obviously recognized it as historically significant and left it alone... It was pillaged immediately. Its gold melted down, its holy places destroyed and a church erected in its place.
The church still stands today on the site of the temple. It is beautiful in its own right but its construction is overshadowed by the immense stone working skill of the Inca. Q'orikancha is constructed entirely of stones painstakingly shaped and fit together. The Inca used no mortar in their construction. The stones were notched and fit together. They even accounted for a plumbing system carving paths for water to flow through.
I can only imagine the time and effort put in to the choosing, transportation, shaping, and fitting of stones. I can imagine inventing new words and curses when something went wrong. I can hardly put a nail in a wall without something going wrong.
Below are photos from Q'orikancha. The first two are examples of inca stonework, the third is a contrast of spanish stonework. The fourth picture is a description of the layout of the Inca empire and the fifth is a painting of the description.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Photo treats
The hat that I lost after five days, New Years horizon at Arequipa, and the Inca Bridge at Machu Picchu.
Another calm day
We are four hours away from heading for the bus station. Today was spent relaxing in our hostel hammocks planning the next phase of our trip. We have a rough outline for the future and that seems to be the best we can do.
It is amazing to me how much of our lives are spent planning, preparing, eating and cleaning up meals. I have noticed that it occupies my mind for much of the day. The who's what's when's and where's are always on our minds. It is interesting to note as well that no matter how yummy of a foreign dish we have been served we are always craving a good salad which are in short supply here it seems. Most dishes are carbohydrate bonanzas.
For now we are sitting on a sofa at our hostel listening to the hobbit audiobook. Tick tock tick tock.
It is amazing to me how much of our lives are spent planning, preparing, eating and cleaning up meals. I have noticed that it occupies my mind for much of the day. The who's what's when's and where's are always on our minds. It is interesting to note as well that no matter how yummy of a foreign dish we have been served we are always craving a good salad which are in short supply here it seems. Most dishes are carbohydrate bonanzas.
For now we are sitting on a sofa at our hostel listening to the hobbit audiobook. Tick tock tick tock.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Trujillo
Here we are in a city we did not intend to come to. We stayed last night in a small tourist town called Huanchaco. It is touristy because it is known for its emphasis on surfing. I did not surf though I am aching to. To surf here requires wet suits and I do not want to rent boards and wetsuits. Better to wait for Ecuador where one is only required to rent a board.
Huanchaco was nice while we were there. We walked along the water front, went for breakfast, laid on the beach, and went for dinner. Later we found an amazing bakery with yummy pastries and cakes. We decided to stop for a birthday treat as we were on a bus and having a slightly intense argument for her actual birth day. We had key lime pie and as Ashley described it just now "a pastry with a peach kerplunked on top." I could have had one of everything they were selling.
Today we focused on how to get to Guyaquil, Ecuador's second largest city. We bought bus tickets but we do not leave until tomorrow at 11:45pm. It seems that the bus company we use and trust does not have the same foothold in Ecuador as it does in Peru. We will have to do some research on which company is best to use now. For today we will check out Trujillo, relax, and enjoy the sunshine.
Breakfast is served, over and out!
E
Huanchaco was nice while we were there. We walked along the water front, went for breakfast, laid on the beach, and went for dinner. Later we found an amazing bakery with yummy pastries and cakes. We decided to stop for a birthday treat as we were on a bus and having a slightly intense argument for her actual birth day. We had key lime pie and as Ashley described it just now "a pastry with a peach kerplunked on top." I could have had one of everything they were selling.
Today we focused on how to get to Guyaquil, Ecuador's second largest city. We bought bus tickets but we do not leave until tomorrow at 11:45pm. It seems that the bus company we use and trust does not have the same foothold in Ecuador as it does in Peru. We will have to do some research on which company is best to use now. For today we will check out Trujillo, relax, and enjoy the sunshine.
Breakfast is served, over and out!
E
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Happy Birthday
It's Ashley's birthday! We are spending it on/waiting for a bus. Happy Birthday Ashley!
Monday, January 7, 2013
On the move
We are currently waiting to catch a bus from Cuzco back to Lima. It will be 21 hours on the bus. We will get to Lima at 1pm and catch the next bus north to Trujillo, Peru. All told in the next 48 hours we will be on the bus for 31 of them. We purchased an audiobook for the trip as well as splurging on a bag of Candy and a bar of chocolate which I found out was baking coco. Idiota!
I may have some time to create a few more posts along the way so don't be surprised at a flurry of posts in a day or two. For now i'll leave you with some photo treats. The Cuzco market... waste not want not.
I may have some time to create a few more posts along the way so don't be surprised at a flurry of posts in a day or two. For now i'll leave you with some photo treats. The Cuzco market... waste not want not.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Treats!
It was very foggy when we arrived at Machu Picchu but we got some good photos. They lifted around 11 for us to get some of the classic shots.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Oops
This morning we made our way to Aguas Calientes. We decided to forgo the one and two day tours provided of Machu Picchu because they were quite expensive. A little advice for anyone considering taking the same trip. It is cheaper to take a tour than to go it alone. Hindsight is 20/20 right? We have already spent twice the price of a tour for two people and we are stuck in Aguas Calientes for another night because the train was too full. Oops.
At the moment we are sitting in our hotel room because it has been off and on pouring, and I mean seriously pouring down rain for the past hour. This rain is worse than the fiercest west coast November rain storms that I can remember. We are going to have to do some serious punch-dancing to address our rage for this error.
Here is another friendly tip. When looking at rough guide or lonely planet books it is important to read between the lines. It is difficult to do before your are actually travelling but if you can manage it then you will save time and money. These books are written for people traveling to a destination and not to keep them away from it. Therefor you will rarely read in a Lonely planet guide "This place seriously sucks. It is too expensive, not worth seeing, and it smells. The waiters are hungrier for customers than you are for food. Don't go here."
You can however pick out little clues that this is the case by reading what the majority of things to do are, the prices of hostels, and the price of a cheap meal. Bear in mind that the books are published every two or so years which means that they are written every three or so years. This means that there will be price inflations, changes of services, and changes in development. It is also important to recognize what are redundant features in towns and what are unique. For instance every town in Peru has a cathedral. They are all magnificent in there own right but it is not worth trying to see every one of them.
Just a few things we've been learning as we travel.
E
At the moment we are sitting in our hotel room because it has been off and on pouring, and I mean seriously pouring down rain for the past hour. This rain is worse than the fiercest west coast November rain storms that I can remember. We are going to have to do some serious punch-dancing to address our rage for this error.
Here is another friendly tip. When looking at rough guide or lonely planet books it is important to read between the lines. It is difficult to do before your are actually travelling but if you can manage it then you will save time and money. These books are written for people traveling to a destination and not to keep them away from it. Therefor you will rarely read in a Lonely planet guide "This place seriously sucks. It is too expensive, not worth seeing, and it smells. The waiters are hungrier for customers than you are for food. Don't go here."
You can however pick out little clues that this is the case by reading what the majority of things to do are, the prices of hostels, and the price of a cheap meal. Bear in mind that the books are published every two or so years which means that they are written every three or so years. This means that there will be price inflations, changes of services, and changes in development. It is also important to recognize what are redundant features in towns and what are unique. For instance every town in Peru has a cathedral. They are all magnificent in there own right but it is not worth trying to see every one of them.
Just a few things we've been learning as we travel.
E
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Cusco, Peru
It is raining in Cusco. It is the rainy season. It may rain most every day or it may rain most of every day. It is unpredictable. Cusco is unpredictable. I did not trust this city at first sight. We were told that it was beautiful. It is. The parks are beautiful, the buildings are beautiful, the cobbled streets are beautiful but they are not predictable. There are streets that should not be there and streets that should be but are not. Some streets have been renamed from Spanish to the Inca language of Quencha. Some maps were not informed of these changes. Some maps only care if you go on the tours they advertise.
The biggest city in Peru with 600-700 years of established history. History is built into this city. History is not predictable, it does not build in blocks. Neither does it adapt for or accommodate humanity. Every space of this city is in use. Every nook holds a shop and every corner holds a secret. But even the secrets here are unpredictable. Once discovered they remain secret. Some secrets were looted long ago along with the city's wealth. The European explorers looted Cusco's riches. Now European explorers bring riches back.
There is a market in Cusco. It is in a covered area that takes up an entire city block. There are locals that buy there. There are also tourists. Tourists buy freshly made juice. Locals buy meat, vegetables, grains, cheese, legumes, fruit, nuts, bread and sauces. Tourists buy alpaca wool sweaters, toques, gloves, and socks. Locals have their clothes mended. Tourists haggle for the best price. Locals make purchases.Apparently there is also an abundant need for bovine snout, tongue, stomach, hooves and testicles in Cusco.
The biggest city in Peru with 600-700 years of established history. History is built into this city. History is not predictable, it does not build in blocks. Neither does it adapt for or accommodate humanity. Every space of this city is in use. Every nook holds a shop and every corner holds a secret. But even the secrets here are unpredictable. Once discovered they remain secret. Some secrets were looted long ago along with the city's wealth. The European explorers looted Cusco's riches. Now European explorers bring riches back.
There is a market in Cusco. It is in a covered area that takes up an entire city block. There are locals that buy there. There are also tourists. Tourists buy freshly made juice. Locals buy meat, vegetables, grains, cheese, legumes, fruit, nuts, bread and sauces. Tourists buy alpaca wool sweaters, toques, gloves, and socks. Locals have their clothes mended. Tourists haggle for the best price. Locals make purchases.Apparently there is also an abundant need for bovine snout, tongue, stomach, hooves and testicles in Cusco.
Feliz Ano
Ashley and I decided to stay in Arequipa for the new year and we were rewarded for our decision. We went to the town square at 9:30pm but soon found that there was nothing happening until later. We ended up back at the hostel for the new year. It actually turned out interesting, eventful, and awe-inspiring.
The first thing that happened was the neighbors decided to build a fire in their courtyard. It turned out that they were burning some sort of sage brush and spent most of the time trying to keep it going but I was a little worried about how closely they were burning to a wooden door. I also didn't know if they owned the place or if they were just pyromaniacs practicing their trade.
At approximately 11:40 the fireworks started. They did not stop for nearly 45 minutes. At 11:55 the city was in a state of bombardment that I have never seen before. From our vantage point on the rooftop we had a 360 degree view of the city and in that view there was not one inch of the skyline that did not have some sort of firework sparkling in it. The sound was not booming here and there it was layers of explosions. I can say that I was impressed with the display. It was an unforgettable new year.
Erik
The first thing that happened was the neighbors decided to build a fire in their courtyard. It turned out that they were burning some sort of sage brush and spent most of the time trying to keep it going but I was a little worried about how closely they were burning to a wooden door. I also didn't know if they owned the place or if they were just pyromaniacs practicing their trade.
At approximately 11:40 the fireworks started. They did not stop for nearly 45 minutes. At 11:55 the city was in a state of bombardment that I have never seen before. From our vantage point on the rooftop we had a 360 degree view of the city and in that view there was not one inch of the skyline that did not have some sort of firework sparkling in it. The sound was not booming here and there it was layers of explosions. I can say that I was impressed with the display. It was an unforgettable new year.
Erik
Monday, December 31, 2012
Colca Canyon part 3
Our second day in the Colca Canyon was also wonderful. We hiked for three hours and came to the touristy Oasis. It had a pool and the weather allowed us to swim both before and after lunch. The view was impressive and the other travellers were friendly. I ended up playing volleyball with a couple of Frenchmen and a South American man who thought that the game was made better by him using his head and feet instead of his arms and hands to play with. All in all the day was leisurely, warm, and entirely enjoyable. The day ended after a candle lit dinner as we were to make a 5am start to our hike out of the canyon the next day.
Our hike out was 1,000 meters of pure joy. We were told it would take three hours but we completed it in two. It was quite difficult due to the steep trail and especially the steps. We ate breakfast at the nearby town, played with a couple of delightful children, and caught our bus out of town. The drive was much more pleasant as we were not trying to make up for lost time. We made a few stops along the way and finally came to a buffet lunch.
Ashley and I were going to try to find something different because of the cost of the buffet but after seeing the dishes we threw caution to the wind and ate, and ate, and ate. We tried alpaca, a delicious guacamole, soups, a stuffed hot pepper that sent my sweat glands into overdrive, and of course delicious breads.
We finished our journey traveling back up to 5k, stopping to see Alpaca, Llama, and Vicuna. We also stopped to see an impressive ring of Volcanos in the area. We arrived safely back at La Posada del Virrey and have been here since, sorting through pictures, writing down our adventures, seeing different parts of the city, and relaxing. Tonight is a New Years celebration in the town square that we will be going to and tomorrow night we will be hopping on a bus for the ten hour ride to Cuzco where we will be waiting our turn to see Machu Picchu and the surrounding culture of the city.
Our hike out was 1,000 meters of pure joy. We were told it would take three hours but we completed it in two. It was quite difficult due to the steep trail and especially the steps. We ate breakfast at the nearby town, played with a couple of delightful children, and caught our bus out of town. The drive was much more pleasant as we were not trying to make up for lost time. We made a few stops along the way and finally came to a buffet lunch.
Ashley and I were going to try to find something different because of the cost of the buffet but after seeing the dishes we threw caution to the wind and ate, and ate, and ate. We tried alpaca, a delicious guacamole, soups, a stuffed hot pepper that sent my sweat glands into overdrive, and of course delicious breads.
We finished our journey traveling back up to 5k, stopping to see Alpaca, Llama, and Vicuna. We also stopped to see an impressive ring of Volcanos in the area. We arrived safely back at La Posada del Virrey and have been here since, sorting through pictures, writing down our adventures, seeing different parts of the city, and relaxing. Tonight is a New Years celebration in the town square that we will be going to and tomorrow night we will be hopping on a bus for the ten hour ride to Cuzco where we will be waiting our turn to see Machu Picchu and the surrounding culture of the city.
Colca Canyon part 2
While getting to the Canyon was frustrating, being there was absolutely wonderful. There were individuals who signed up for a two day trek who hiked for seven hours the first day arriving at dinner time to a resort area called the oasis. They then hiked out early the next morning. We signed up for a three day trek in which we hiked for three to four hours per day. We stayed with a family who lived in the valley the first night, the oasis the second night and hiked out early the third morning.
The family we stayed with had adapted their property into a type of hostel for the tourists. They provided meals as well as a store of sorts for us to purchase water, snacks, alcohol, and other niceties that tourists want or need. A 2.5L bottle of water that costs less than $1 in town was $4 with the family and a 1.5L bottle was as much at the Oasis. It was a steep price to pay for water but so are the walking paths to these places that the family walked with everything we ate and paid for loaded on their backs. There are no vehicles that go to these places. A rich person owns mules to carry things up and down the thousand meters it takes to get out of the canyon. A slightly less well off person owns donkeys.
Hiking is hiking. A mix sweat, steps, and scenery. It is always difficult to navigate the path while attempting to soak in the grandeur around. Luckily for us we had an excellent group and guide. There was myself, Ashley, Ramona who is Schweiz, Bernadette from Austria, and our guide Angel from northern Peru. We were very pleased with our companions throughout the trip and took to sharing stories and enjoying the sights together. Our guide Angel displayed a passion for the people of the valley and stopped us many times to inform us of the culture of the valley. History, cultural practices, religious beliefs and practices, daily life, seasonal life, economic information, and medicinal practices he shared with us throughout.
Upon arrival at the host family we were greeted with lunch and then reclined on the lawn for the rest of the day. We were blessed by beautiful weather the entire trip which is unusual as this is their rainy season. It was wonderful to lay on the lawn with our companions and bond while sharing an extremely overpriced beer that couldn't have hit the spot more. Around two it clouded up and got cold with a chilly wind so our cold beer turned into hot coca leaf tea. After that it was dinner and bedtime for an early start to our next hike.
Hiking is hiking. A mix sweat, steps, and scenery. It is always difficult to navigate the path while attempting to soak in the grandeur around. Luckily for us we had an excellent group and guide. There was myself, Ashley, Ramona who is Schweiz, Bernadette from Austria, and our guide Angel from northern Peru. We were very pleased with our companions throughout the trip and took to sharing stories and enjoying the sights together. Our guide Angel displayed a passion for the people of the valley and stopped us many times to inform us of the culture of the valley. History, cultural practices, religious beliefs and practices, daily life, seasonal life, economic information, and medicinal practices he shared with us throughout.
Upon arrival at the host family we were greeted with lunch and then reclined on the lawn for the rest of the day. We were blessed by beautiful weather the entire trip which is unusual as this is their rainy season. It was wonderful to lay on the lawn with our companions and bond while sharing an extremely overpriced beer that couldn't have hit the spot more. Around two it clouded up and got cold with a chilly wind so our cold beer turned into hot coca leaf tea. After that it was dinner and bedtime for an early start to our next hike.
Colca Canyon part 1
The Colca Canyon holds the Guiness world record as the deepest canyon in the world. It is over 4 kilometers at its lowest depths and averages above 3 kilometers throughout. The region holds intact some of the oldest remaining Peruvian culture predating the Inca civilization. There are villages which still hold the ancient beliefs modified by the dominion of the spanish, the finding of copper and silver, and the opportunities presented by the modern world. The people have adapted but still hold true to their way of life.
Colca Canyon is the number two tourist destination in Peru. In 2010 150,000 people came to see the sights that it holds. I am very glad that we did not go in high tourist season, it was cramped enough. We drove three hours to get there with 15 people in a Mercedes van. The vans used for the tours live a life of suffering as they make the trip every day carrying a full load of people and bags up to five thousand meters (that's 16,404 feet for you Yankees) and down through paved and unpaved stretches of road. Upon arrival the tour bus will pick up a group of tourists who have finished with their two to three day hike and immediately make the same trip back to Arequipa.
Our journey to the Canyon was not pleasant due to some very disorganized and hungover Australians. We were to be picked up at 3am from our hostel but we saw nothing of our van until 4am. We were picked up and drove down the street to the Hostel del Parque where we waited for 10 minutes before seeing any sign of movement. Two Aussies came down the stairs and apologized for the hold up. We informed them it was okay and nestled into our seats expecting to go for the next pickup. In total there were seven Aussies to come down the stairs, some of them mumbled things and then ran back up the stairs. We did not leave that hostel until 4:30am putting us an hour behind schedule. We were told by an individual who was in the van before us that the van had stopped at the Aussie's hostel two times before coming to pick us up. When we finally got on our way our driver decided it would be best to try to make up that hour by putting our lives at risk. We were absolutely flying around corners at ridiculous speeds. Our driver was leaning into the turns while everyone else without a steering wheel in front of them was holding on to whatever was available to stay alive. Surprisingly two individuals beside me slept the entire trip, I am still puzzled as to how this was accomplished. One lucky individual, myself, was sitting ahead of an Aussie with a particularly bad case of car sickness. I heard and smelled every belch, heave, gurgle, gasp, expletive, and grumble passed out of every orifice of his body. It was not the most pleasant two hours of life. When we got to the park entrance where we were to pay seventy Soles entrance fee we found out that three of the Aussies did not know about the fee or have enough money to cover it. I could go on but that was the worst of it, the van was split down the middle of Australians and people who held a localized grudge against Australia.
Along the way we stopped at a lookout to see the canyon but specifically to see the Andean Condor. This bird is a gigantic vulture whose wingspan can be up to 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) in length. The Condor can reach altitudes of 7 kilometers and can smell it's food from the same distance away. In the mornings the Condors start their search for food by catching the drafts of warm air to lift themselves high into the air. Without the heat drafts they would be unable to do what they do because they are too big to propel themselves high into the air. They are heavily protected due to near extinction and play a vital role in the culture of the people native to this region of the Andes.
Colca Canyon is the number two tourist destination in Peru. In 2010 150,000 people came to see the sights that it holds. I am very glad that we did not go in high tourist season, it was cramped enough. We drove three hours to get there with 15 people in a Mercedes van. The vans used for the tours live a life of suffering as they make the trip every day carrying a full load of people and bags up to five thousand meters (that's 16,404 feet for you Yankees) and down through paved and unpaved stretches of road. Upon arrival the tour bus will pick up a group of tourists who have finished with their two to three day hike and immediately make the same trip back to Arequipa.
Our journey to the Canyon was not pleasant due to some very disorganized and hungover Australians. We were to be picked up at 3am from our hostel but we saw nothing of our van until 4am. We were picked up and drove down the street to the Hostel del Parque where we waited for 10 minutes before seeing any sign of movement. Two Aussies came down the stairs and apologized for the hold up. We informed them it was okay and nestled into our seats expecting to go for the next pickup. In total there were seven Aussies to come down the stairs, some of them mumbled things and then ran back up the stairs. We did not leave that hostel until 4:30am putting us an hour behind schedule. We were told by an individual who was in the van before us that the van had stopped at the Aussie's hostel two times before coming to pick us up. When we finally got on our way our driver decided it would be best to try to make up that hour by putting our lives at risk. We were absolutely flying around corners at ridiculous speeds. Our driver was leaning into the turns while everyone else without a steering wheel in front of them was holding on to whatever was available to stay alive. Surprisingly two individuals beside me slept the entire trip, I am still puzzled as to how this was accomplished. One lucky individual, myself, was sitting ahead of an Aussie with a particularly bad case of car sickness. I heard and smelled every belch, heave, gurgle, gasp, expletive, and grumble passed out of every orifice of his body. It was not the most pleasant two hours of life. When we got to the park entrance where we were to pay seventy Soles entrance fee we found out that three of the Aussies did not know about the fee or have enough money to cover it. I could go on but that was the worst of it, the van was split down the middle of Australians and people who held a localized grudge against Australia.
Along the way we stopped at a lookout to see the canyon but specifically to see the Andean Condor. This bird is a gigantic vulture whose wingspan can be up to 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) in length. The Condor can reach altitudes of 7 kilometers and can smell it's food from the same distance away. In the mornings the Condors start their search for food by catching the drafts of warm air to lift themselves high into the air. Without the heat drafts they would be unable to do what they do because they are too big to propel themselves high into the air. They are heavily protected due to near extinction and play a vital role in the culture of the people native to this region of the Andes.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Quick update
We are back from our trip to Colca Canyon. It was definitely the best thing we've done so far. We took in some impressive sights, ate delicious food, met some good people and experienced life at 5,000 meters.
Today we are taking time to relax. We will focus on sorting through photos and planning the next stages of our trip.
More later.
Erik
Today we are taking time to relax. We will focus on sorting through photos and planning the next stages of our trip.
More later.
Erik
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