The Final Chapter

For the sake of finishing the story we begun 6 months ago now, this is the last post to finish the blog off, and provide some closure having been back in the 'real world' for about 2 months now. These are the highlights of our last 3 weeks of our trip.

After leaving Cusco, our next stop was the old colonial town of Arequipa. Arequipa had a totally different feel then Cusco, the building where grand and white and the people were mainly in western dress. We loved the few days we spent here, we spent lots of time on our hostels roof-top terrace, made some lovely food as we had access to a fab kitchen and wondered around the city. This included visiting an old monestry that was a whole city block in size and was encharting, like a city within a city. Below is a picture of Jessica having lunch overlooking the central square.

One of the main reasons for going to Arequipa was because it was the set off point for a trip into the Colca Canyon, a long and painful local bus ride away.

Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru. It is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Arequipa. It is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States4,160 m. However, the canyon's walls are not as vertical as those of the Grand Canyon. Since they are such major features of the landscape. The Colca Valley is a colorful Andean valley with towns founded in Spanish Colonial times and formerly inhabited by the Collaguas and the Cabanas. The local people still maintain ancestral traditions and continue to cultivate the pre-Inca stepped terraces.

We debated about going on a tour or ruffing it on our own and we decided on the DIY option. We felt that this late on in the trip we could do these sort of things independantly, and it's just so much more exciting! The trek ended taking only two days. And invloved trekking down to the bottom and staying the night at the base, then waking a few miles along the botton of the canyon to an oasis for lunch and swimming! Then starting the long climb up and out! Here are some photos...

We ended up doing the trek with three Ozzie ladies and an american called Clay who we had met on the way to the Canyon. The team having completed the 2.5 hour climb out of the canyon...

Another highlight of the canyon country was the condors! Before returning to Arequipa we went to a view point to see all the condors when they leave their nests...

Moving on - our next stop was Nazca where we took the well known and popular flight in a small aircraft over the Nazca Lines. Nazca itself did not have much to offer, but we spent a lovely afternoon in a posh hotel using their pool! Some photos of us over the lines...

Next Stop - Huchachina. Now this place was differnt. An oasis in the dessert that pictures can show better then words. We even did some sand boarding - so much fun!

Final Stop - LIMA!!! We were sad to arrive in Lima as we had heard mixed things about it and it also meant we were going home. Although I think we were both looking forward to seeing friends and family we were very sad that our trip was coming to an end, so we made sure we went out with a bang; we had a night in a salsa club, went paragliding and ate in the poshest fish restaurant overloking the sea.

Now back in the UK and settled in, it's great to be able to look back through our posts and remember all the fun times we had - not that we could forget. Thank you for reading...

THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!

.... untill next time...

Super-Midget Wrestling

Due to popular demand, this entry is to highlight an event mentioned in an earlier post. Yes fans, thats MIDGET WRESTLING!

Whilst in La Paz we got the treat of having three hours of men and women, large and small beating the crap out of each other, whilst locals and tourist pelted food at them. Life does not get much better. Below are some shots so you can see what it's all about... ENJOY!

Cusco and the Inca Trail

We have spent the last two weeks enjoying all Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Inca´s have to offer. Having blagged two Student Tourism Tickets we have gone to the local markets ruins and yes museums (we must be getting old). However the main aim of this entry is to tell you about the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

We went of the 4 day trek with a company called SAS travel which we can highly recommened. There was 11 of us tourist and would you believe it; 14 porters (including 2 chefs), as well as the chief guide Eddey and second in comand Queqy. The trail involved 60km over 4 days with day 2 being the tuffest - thats the long climb up dead womans pass. Despite us being one of the few with our full backpacks we made it up in good time with James being first up. Day 3 was unforgettable trekking through cloud forrests and visiting other amazing inca sites sitting in he clouds. Day 4 involves a 4am start to arrive at the sun gate overlooking Machu Picchu for sun rise.

Here are the photos of both trail and Machu Picchu:

The Finale!

Bolivia update

Well, it´s been almost a month since are last update. Mostly because the internet in Bolivia is so slow it´s frustrating. Since the last blog we have travelled up through bolivia from Uyuni to Potosi, then Sucre, then La Paz and finally Copacobana - where we are now. Instead of boring you and ourself with the detail we will point out some highlights we wish to share.

1. Miners Market in Potosi Potosi is claimed to be the highest city in the world at a nominal 4,090 m (13,420 feet). It lies beneath the Cerro de Potosí — sometimes referred to as the Cerro Rico ("rich mountain") — a mountain popularly conceived of as being "made of" silver ore, which has always dominated the city. Potosie used to be the richest City in South America because of this silver and 1000s of miners still work in the mines surrounding potosi each day, some as young as 14 - however now the mines are not producing much, and with this Potosie has fallen into poverty. Whilst in Potosi one of the most facinating things was visiting hte miners market. Here you can buy dinamite, tools and of course Coca. It was intresting learning how the miners live and work with the constant fear of accidents and death through deseases of the lungs. They believe that above ground is good but below is the Devil so before they work that offer sacrifices to the devil, they call Tio. Around town you can see the scars of people working in the mines - people old before there time and bent double, some unable to talk and others without limbs due to dinamite explosions.

2. The Worlds Most Dangerous Road An epic cycle tour down the worlds most dangerous road - photos say it better so I will wait till we find a faster connection to add some in here. Neadless to say we survived the 80km downhill stint. At the end we had a BBQ and played with some monkeys in an animal sanctuary.

3. Tiwanaku
Tiwanaku is considered as Bolivias most important asrcheological sites. The Tiwanakuns are a civalisation that pre date the inca´s from appox 1500 BC to 1000 AD. We had a fantastic tour guide and an intresting tour group and feel thoroughly enlightened!!! hehe.

4. 3 Day Trek to Coroico (Jungle outside LaPaz)

The first day was so cloudy - we were literally walking in the clouds, and it rained, and we could not see anything!! We almost decided to go back an give up on the whole thing - however there were no roads, so we would have to walk back up the mountain - so we kept walking. The first night we stayed in a small village of two famalies, very strange, they were so cut off, then that evening the clouds cleared thankfully.

The second day was really fun, we descended down to the bottom of the valley were it was alot flatter. It was semi tropical rain forest, we were walking through lots of streams and seeing lots of waterfalls. The second day we were even more cut off, no infrastructure, no roads electricity but people still lived there. We stayed the night at a ladies house, us camping in the back garden kind of thing, and the views were amazing across the valley. She had a daughter called Daisy who loved me and I played with her loads.

The third day was a half day, which was good because I was very tired. It was the hardest part of the walk because it was so hot and the terrain so bad with sore legs. We arrived in a town called Coroico about 2 pm. We splashed out, although it was not expensive, and stayed in a place with a swimming pool. It was a great plan, but we didnt think about the mosquitoes around the pool, but it was still really nice.

5. Meeting an Friend
It reall is a small world. In La Paz we ran into Chessie from home for a brief evening on the Rum.

6. Midget Wrestling
Enough said...

7. Isle Del Sol (Copacobana)
Beautiful views and lots of sunburn! We had our cheapest meal - 3 pound 60 pence for two massive trouts with fries and salad! We spend the night here and just relaxed.

WOW, what an amazing tour. The story starts in San Pedro De Attacama, Chile. This is a small town in the middle of the desert. Below are some pics of the scenery around the village.

The faces carved into the rock are pre-inca. Below you see San Pedro as the Oasis in the desert.

From San Pedro we started our 3 day tour into the altiplano of Bolivia. Our tour consisted of Jose our guide, James, Jessica, two Irish ladies, two Scotish lasses and a Jeep. On the tour we saw; numerous lagoons, the sprawling desert, flamingos, llamas and alpacas, volcanoes, smoking sulphur vents, Dali rocks (inspiration for Dalis artwork), thermal baths of 38 degrees, mahusive mountains....

Pictures tell it better...

...on our final day we got up early for sun rise over the Salt Flats

Some fun memories such as sleeping at nearlly 5000m above sea level and meeting this little monster in the salt flats....

We are now in Bolivia and its very different, you really notice the difference moving from the richest to poorest country in South America. Stay tuned for more.... (oooohhhh)

We Couldn't not put these up!

As the last blog was oober brief we have now set aside some time to upload the good stuff - the photos.

As mentioned Mendoza


On a visit to a winery we learnt about the wine making process. To the left you see the bottles maturing in one of the old fermenting casks. We opened a small doorway and inside were 4,000 bottles. We sampled lots of Melbec (as seen below), a local grape as well as others.

As mentioned, Val Paraiso.

The last blog mentioned the sprawling colourfully painted city. The image here gives you an idea. This is one of our favourites. Although we did not fall in love with the city due to its messy backdrop, it certainly had a charm of its own.