Puno and Lake Titicaca

Well, after all the craziness and wrecklessness that was Cusco, Kristen nd I decided it was time to take a break from all the excitement. We headed to Puno on Monday, which is South of Cusco and on Lake Titicaca. The hostel is completely opposite from the Points we´ve been staying in, and quite frankly the town is too. On Wednesday, we took a two day trip to islands on Lake Titicaca. First off, we started at the floating island of Uros. There are about 40 floating islands in the lake with about 1,100 inhabitants. I think. Anyway, the islands actually are floating. They are about 6 feet in depth and are made primarily of reeds which the people living on them need to upkeep biweekly. Walking on them, you can actually feel them moving under your feet. We got to take a peak in the people´s huts there, also made of reeds, and get ripped off on over priced souvenirs. The people on the islands make very intricate hand crafted boats by binding reeds together. We took a ride in one of these boats and they were surprisingly very durable.

We then went to our second island in the afternoon where we were to stay over night in family´s homes. The woman in our family was named Gladys and had two small children. Gladys must be doing alright in the tourist industry because her home appeared fairly new, and our rooms were essentially set up like privates in hostels. Except for the toilets, which were next to a pig and a hole in the ground.

We met up with our group and hiked up to the top of the island where the inhabitants have old temples built. Every third week in January the people go up to Pachamama and Pachatati. Pachamama is where the women trek and Pachatati is for the men. Side note to that is Pachatati represents perfection, but I beg to differ. The views from the top were gorgeous and we could see the mountains of Bolivia across the lake from where we were.

We had dinner with our family and then went to a small fiesta with the group where we all dressed up in traditional Quechua garb. Huge colorful skirts and intricately embroidered shirts with heavy black cloths covering our heads. We looked good!!! It was actually the shortest party I have ever been to. We were all there maybe half an hour then people started packing it in at 8:30. It had been a long day.

We went to a third island, Amanti, on Thursday and trekked some more. Piece of advice, if you ever travel to South America and book a tour of anything, always assume there will be quite a few miles of previously unmentioned trekking. We had lunch and then got attacked by 2 and 3 year olds selling bracelets and they just kept repeating un sol miss, un sol, un sol with there little snot noses and quechua garb. We bought some.

We got back Thursday and have probably clocked at least 12 hours in front of the TV since. Today is not looking much better. We are headed for Chile and the beach tonight.

Ciao!

Rafting the Apurimac River~~~~~~~~

There were thirteen of us that decided to check out the three day rafting trip down the Apurimac River.  We booked it so that we would leave the hostel at 8:30 am and take a four hour bus ride to the beiginning of the canyon.  I unfortunately woke up with one of the worst headaches of my life and a burning fever.  Fun!!!  This bus ride was no normal bus ride either, one of the guides said the driver could be consider a class 5 driver.  As in the rapids we were headed for were class 5 and very difficult and so was the roaad we were on.  The bus was shaking and bouncing the entire time as were zig zagging through narrow mountain roads.

When we arrived to the river the guides set up lunch for us.  They fed us huge mounds of food every meal because we would need the energy for paddling long days.  After lunch they tought us all of the commands such as FORWARD, backward, high side right , high side left, right back and left back.  The passengers on our boat were: Elisa, Lisa and Glenn from Australia, Paddy who is a guide in Australia, Netti (our little English mate) and myslef.   “FORWARD” became our least favorite word to hear, especially on the second day when we paddled for nearly 8 hours.  So, we went through some drills to get the commands down and then we had to practice the high side right and left tactic in which we flipped the raft so we would know what it as like to have it flip over and know what to do to get it back the right way up.  After that we had to climb up a little cliff and jump off into the current to practice with the rescue kayakers.  They paddled up through the current and you grab onto the back of the kayak and they brought us near the shore.

When we finished this activity we paddled down stream for about 45 minutes where we reached our first camp site.  The guides made us jump off the rafts and swim about 150′ to shore.  They set up our tents and made dinner for us.  Again, huge heaping plates of food that were impossible to finish.  The wind really picks up at night and at one point I thought our tent was going to take off.  Sand is surprisingly hard when you try to sleep on it too!

We woke up the next morning at 7am and got on the river at about 8:30 am and started off by hitting some level four rapids.  They kept saying that the rapids were very technical because of all of the large boulders in it.  LAter that morning we came upon a level three rapid that had claimed a young man’s life the month before.  Apparently, the rocks get worn away underneath from the current and create caverns and this particular rock had two caves.  One girl that had fallen out made it through the cave and the young guy never came up.  They think he is still stuck in there because his body has yet to be found.  That was very scary to hear.  Just before he told us that, one of the cargo boats went down ahead of us and it flipped.  Big mess to try to flip a heavy raft in the rapids.  We were all pretty nervous.  WE made it through just fine though.  Later we stopped for lunch in amazing place where two rivers met and then back out for another four hours of paddling and rapids.  Again they started us off with some level 4+ to 5 rapids.  Pretty crazy stuff when they tell you inside because you are going down a ten to fifteen foot drop!

That night we set up camp on a nice big beach and had a huge fire and feast and some drinks.  Elisa, Netti and I were talking to one of the rescue Kayakers, Efrain, and he was horrifying us by telling us about how dangerous the river is and that it claims many lives.  He said it claims so many lives because of all the rocks and the caverns that they make.  We tried not to let it set in too much because the next day we still had four more hours to go.

On the final day they made us pancakes and fresh fruit and porrage.  A greta meal and we played some games to get warmed up for the day.  Once again the first rapids we hit were a level 5.  They always like to start us off strong.  We made it about half way through the day when we got to a level 3 rapid and the other cargo boat flipped so they had us attempt to go through the  rapids a different way.  The first boat made it clear and fine , the second boat got a little stuck on a big rock and nearly tipped.  Then it was our turn and we got stuck up on the rock and our entire raft flipped over at the beginning of the long rapids.  Netti and Lisa got sucked right out from under the raft and were rescued immediatly.  Elisa and Paddy were clear and free quite quickly as well.  Glenn held onto the raft and was on the outside of it.  I however, got sucked under and then got stuck under the raft.  I opened my eyes for one second and all I could see was the blue of the raft and bubbles.  I was freaked out!  I was grasping for anything to pull myself up from under the raft.  All I could think was I was going to get stuck in a cavern and die on  my 25th birhtday!  Fianlly, Aldo, our guide saw me under the raft and freed me from there.  I came up and I was gasping for air.  I saw Glenn’s face and he looked absolutely terrified.  I had  a hold on the boat because I had somehow gotten tangled in the rope and I don’t know why but I let go of the boat and went down a little water fall and tried to keep my feet forward and up like they said.  I saw all the kayakers were moving away from me and I panicked even more.  I hit another big rock and got sucked under for a bit again and fianlly Efrain came and got me and brought me to Segundo’s raft until they sorted the boat situation out.  He immediatley opened my life vest and took off my helmet and gave me water.  Iwas in complete shock.  All I could do was keep asking where Elisa was.  She had been dropped off on a beach and was safe.  Segundo had to shake me to get me out of my funk.  I was so horrified the rest of the day and we had to go through more 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s still.  All of us were shaking and terrified to finish the day.  After about two more hours of rafting we all settled down a little bit and had fun again.  At the end of the day we stopped off for some cliff jumping.

We arrived at our end point and I think all of us were a little relieved.  TheyFed us and gave us shirts and tickets for  massages.  Nice way to end it.  Later we went out for dinner with the entire crew.  Oh yeah there was a group of 9 Israelis that was on the trip with us as well… We went to an Israeli restaurant for dinner and then to the club with everyone later.  It was a good night.  I just personally wish I hadn’t been sick…

Overall though,  I think we all had a greater appreciation for life and a better understanding that we are not invincible after this trip.  A great experience that made us all a little stronger and wiser and I would not change it for the world!

Machu Picchu and…Dora!

ELisa, Lisa (a nice Aussie girl we met who’s boyfriend was on a trek to Machu Picchu) and I decided to walk around and find the best deal to get to Machu Picchu by train and bus.  We had been told it was possible to camp in the park if you snuck your stuff in. So we wanted the best deal to get there for one night and camp…not telling the tour operator of our sneaky little plan.  Well, we met Dora.  She seened nice.  She spoke English very well and was working with us on price.  We bought her package and were to to picked up at the hostel the next day at 6 am.  That was fine but when we got to the train station and boarded the train we realized she had not give us our return tickets.  Too late now.  When we got to Aguas Calientes, the city at the base of machu picchu and huanapicchu we were looking for our english speaking tour guide.  WEll what do you know… no guide waiting for us with a sign like all the other tour groups!  We found someone to help us and they lead us to restaurant to call the travel agent.   She kept telling him things like we need to have a hostel so they can deliver the tickets and he was trying to tell us what she was saying but it was all spanish and I had no idea what was going on plus, we were not planning on staying at a hostel. 

After that, the man that was attempting to help brought us to the bus station to get to the top of MAchu Picchu and it was beautiful.  We found and English speaking guide and he gave us the history of the site.  We couldn’t believe that it was only used for such a short time!  It was quite amazing to see in person.  In Pictures you cannot grasp the size or the actual setting.  The mountains are green and lush and come up out of nowhere.  Jungle all around and SAND FLIES!  They are tiny little bugs that just swarm to you and you don’t know you have been bitten until you see the little blood spot.  Other than that… Machu Picchu is so beautiful and I have a bunch of photos that I will post at some point I promise!!!

Oh yeah, Camping at machu Pichu is impossible.  They make you check all bags when you get to the entrance of the park so that plan fell through and we had no tickets home.  Great!!!

We arrive back to the bottom, Aguas Calientes and try calling DORA again.  And Once again, no worries miss.  We will deliver the tickets to your hostel.  We call again…go to the Inca Mayuc Hostel and we will give you your tickets there.  This hostel apparently works with the tour agency and was very expensive.  The girl at the front has no idea who we are and I got frusterated and called the number again.  She kept saying no worries we will deliver the tickets at 8pm.  WEll 8pm rolls around and no tickets.  I call her again after we found another less expensive hostel and  she says no  worries miss.  We will deliver the tickets to that hostel tomorrow at 11am.  We thought it would be a good idea to have someone waiting at both hostels and what do you know…they show up at the original hostel!!! Of course they didn’t go to the one that they were promised to!  Big mess with Dora.  Kinda made the experience uncomfortable.

On the best note though, Machu Pichu was amazing and the best part of the entire trip by far!!!!

Colca Canyon

To alleviate the monotony of sitting around all day and going out at night with new friends that we did most of last week, KP and I convinced our friend Nettie to go on a two-day trek of Colca Canyon with us.  Colca Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world, deeper than the Grand Canyon as well.  Trekking, we were led to believe by the brief description given, would be a easy walk down and a nice nature walk around the canyon.  WE WERE WRONG, very very wrong. 

The trip started leaving from our hostel at 1 30 in the morning on Sunday.  We took a four hour bus to the town called Cabanaconde located at he rim of the canyon.  The town was filled with Quechua women who wear brightly colored dresses and hats and are usually selling some kind of baked goods or carrying huge colorful bags on their backs.  After breakfast which was one egg and the triangle bread they have everywhere in Peru, we started our trek at 7 30.  The first couple of hours were nice, we got beautiful views of the canyon from above, plus a little bit of vertigo.  We will post pics, but google it if you can, it really was amazing.  Anyway, the first half of the day was going all down hill, which started out pretty easy then it got steeper and the path narrower and rockier.  If that wasn’t tough enough, the edge was constantly a cliff, so if we fell, we’d be coming home in body bags.  This helped me, Elisa, realize a new fear of heights I have.

After 4 hours of endless fear and a bit of pain, we had lunch in the canyon.  Those couple of beers from the night before must have hit at this point because we all passed out for about 45 minutes in the grass out front of the restaurant- term used loosely.  We set off then for the next 4 hours of the day,  The sun was quite high at this point so it was scorching hot.  This part of the trek started fine, then we had to go up hill for about an hour and a half, and this was probably the lowest the three of us felt the whole trip.  Then there was a part where path was only 6 inches wide, with a cliff on one side.  This 2 seconds of my life will probably stick with me as the scariest in my life. (This is Kristen and I personally, even though I have a fear of heights, was ok.  I think this journey helped me conquer my fear).

It wasn’t all near death fun though.  We went through a couple small town located in the canyon in which the people that lived there would have to hike the entire trek we did to get any kind of goods.  Many of them had mules to help carry goods and it seemd to be a regular occurence for them to hike all over the place.  We even saw a group of guys who had a pparently just played soccer about 1.5 miles down the canyon.  It is crazy how in shape thwey are! Finally, before sun down we made it to Our camp site for the night.  It was supposed to have hot springs or something, but was freezing by the time we got there.  The whole “oasis” was a little demoralizing.

WE started trekking at 3 am on monday.  It sounds insane, but this last part was my favorite part of the trek, primarily because it was pitch black out and you couldn’t see the plummet below. (This was my least favorite part as my asthma kicked in immediately .  It was a four hour trek straight up hill on a very rocky path and I would have to say the dark scared me more becasue I could not see what was down below! KP)  It was all up hill, and the sun finally rose the last hour and a half of the trip up.  KP used her ingenuity after three hours of uphill hiking and got a mule the last part of the way and beat us all to the top (personally my favorite part of the trip, except for when the mule in front of me kept stopping and we were on the edge of a very steep cliff and it lightly kicked my mule in the head).  Nettie and I finished in the middle of the group of 8.  Needless to say, finishing felt amazing. 

We had breakfast in town, where Nettie believes I got food poisoning.  We got back to Arequipa at 4 and left for Cusco at 8 for an overnight bus, the worst bus of my life.

Anyway, all is better today and we are planning on going to Machu Picchu tomorrow.

Ciao

E

Yep…Still in Arequipa

CAUTION: DO NOT READ IMMEDIATELY BEFORE EATING OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER!

Not a whole lot has happened here at The Point Hostel on Lima Avenida in the last few days except: Elisa turned 25!!!!!, we drank liquidized frog and sampled guinea pig.

Elisa turned 25 on Saturday and we threw a party for her in the bar at the hostel complete with streamers, feliz cumpleaño banner, confetti, party hats, jell-o shots, a piñata and a beautiful cake.  She had no idea all of it was coming and it was great to see her so happy when she walked down the stairs and everyone was waiting for her.   The night entailed about 20 people hanging out in the bar with her and we played “Extreme Jenga” which is always dangerous.  The birthday cake ended up getting shoved in this kid Stuart^s face and was al over the place.  After that mess, we all went out to the bars around 1am as usual and started off at Bar Balde where the Point bartender was DJ for the night.  From there we went to dance our hearts out at Deja vu.  (Totally different from the one in Downtown Minneapolis!).

Monday we went to the market with a bunch of people from the hostel to drink frog smoothies(jugo de rana).  There were nine of us brave souls looking for a challenge.  In the market we all gathered around the booth to watch the skilled barista pick a live frog out of the tank and proceed to smash it against whatever hard object was near and then peel the skin off.  She showed it off with a conniving smirk and then took the guts out.  A local woman stood by to watch and offered up that all of us were going to have stomach aches later and she was laughing at us.  Actually, there was quite a crowd gathered to watch the crazy gringos drink the frog.  After the frog was disembowled, the woman threw it into a pot of boiling water and then placed the entire frog into a blender with maca, some seeds and other spices and a little bit of juice.  She then blended it all together and poured it through a sifter to get out any bones and chunks that were still remainin before she put it in a glass.  The texture of the drink was thick and still slightly chunky.  It was warm and had a kind of cinamon spice or something to it.  Six guys and one girl split three of them and Elisa and both tried sips.  After watching people gag and get watery eyed we decided against getting our own to split.  In actuallity, it was not that bad but just thinking about what we were drinking without some kind of gain or incentive was difficult.

From there six of us went to a rooftop restaurant to try “cuy” aka guinea pig.  Again, Elisa and I decided against it once we got there because we were not hungry after the frog juice.  A couple of the crazy boys ordered one and it comes out splayed open completely whole with claws, eyes, ears and  teeth!  They had apparently put it in the deep frier and the skin was crsipy.   Both Elisa and I tried a little bite of it and it was ok.  We will be getting it at another point on the trip.  The two boys that got it totally picked it apart and Chris saved a claw for a souvenir.  Netti in her crazy splendor picked the eyeballs out and ate one and gave the other to Chris.  These two are insane.  All the tables around us were watching in amazement.  Then Stu prceded to crack the skull open to try to get the brain out.  There was no brain though.  It must have evaporated in the oil…  Definately an unusual day!