Up at 5 am which seems to be the norm for us at the mo to set off for the Colca Canyon, 5 hour bus ride up to Chivay through the pampas, checking out Llamas, Alpacca and Vicuñas along the way up to 4800m, where i could just about breathe sitting on the bus never mind actually getting out and doing something.
Finally arrived in Cabneconde 3500m for a top lunch with a small headache. Like a cow chewing cud i began chewing coca leaves to aleviate the headache caused by the altitude. The Canyon was huge to say the least. The first day was a descent to the lower canyon, all down hill for 4 hours. The lactose slowly built up in the legs and i was doing a shaking stevens, shaking all over. So from 3500m down to 1800m in 4 hours my brain began to bubble and bubble and the headache was humongus at this point, then nausea came over me. We finally arrived at our homestay i got straight into bed. I consumed rehydration sachets and painkillers to address the headache and dehydration.Then dressed as the milk tray lady, all in black, i shot out of bed and puked till i could no more. Our guide came to the rescue with herbal tea and some strange alcohol smelling salts that took my breath away to get me ship shape and shine, 2hours later i was ok, headache had subsided, but unfortunatly altitude sickness gives you insomnia.
Awoke the next day feeling dizzy surrounded by the massive canyon walls on either side of me, plus the fact that i knew i had to walk back up it. Crap! But first the final descent to the river then onto the oasis for a cool swim and refreshments before the dreaded uphill slog in the mid day scorching sun. We started the ascent at 2pm, yes midday sunshine hell. Absolutley killing the lungs as they couldn´t expand any bigger to let air in, fortunatley for me our guide Herman had not done this for 3 years and he too was feeling the agony. John and Amaya a german lass who goes walking every weekend in Germany stormed ahead. Me and Herman ate dust for 4 hours of solid uphill slog from 1800m back to 3400m. I drank about 3 liters of water, no peeing because i sweated every single drop of fluid out. Finally the sun went down over the mountains, joy! it became cool, and easier to do. We passed people doing it on mules the poor mules looked like they were about to die. The people that live out here do it every day, there is no other way out of the Canyon, its amazing and i couldn´t believe it. Donkeys brought in everything. Reaching the top was a massive rush as the moon was waiting up top for us, full and lighting up all the fields and mountains and the sun was still going down behind the other mountains.Adrenalin kicked in as we had to head back to Cabneconde in the moonlight, eyes on overdrive and hillarity kicking in. LOve it. 4 hours of sheer pain that i didn´t wasnt to do again.......untill the 4 day inca trail...........doh!
Next day another 5am start to pack onto the local bus the sardine express, lucky for us we scurried on early for seats, but the locals squashed on.We all headed to the Condor Mirador.The locals to sell there goods and us to spot the condors, which were amazing. The condors seemed to be checking the tourists out, soaring in the thermals.
Later that day our return to Arequipa was a bus experience. As the passengers in front reclined their seats so far back myself and John ate bus chair for the whole journey, plus the fact the Peruvians don´t like the cold and our window wouldn´t open. Suffication and seat in face experience. But loved it though.
