¡Buenos tardes!

Done A LOT since my last blog...we`ve been travelling so much! In Pisco we went to a brewery to see how they make the pisco sour and we got to try shots of all the different strenghts...the strongest was absolutely disgusting! After that we went sanddune boarding which was amazing! The sanddune buggies took us up to the top of the dunes but the driver just rallied around for a while...so much fun! I tried to do the boarding standing up but pretty much went the whole way down on my ass. After that we went to the pool for a while (its really weird looking up from the pool and seeing sanddunes on all sides!) and then had some really nice food at the hostel. That night we went out in Pisco but the town only has one pub cos there was an earthquake there last year which scored pretty high on the richter scale and more or less destroyed the whole town. Gap tours had to re-route last year because ppl were literally getting everything taken off them, cos the locals couldn`t even get water!

After Pisco we went to Nasca, which was really hot. We visited a cemetery with mummified bodys that had been dug up by grave robbers because the farmers really struggled atone point because of el niño. Then we saw how the local pottery was made and Ivan and Ayesha had a go. That night some ppl ate in the hostel but a few of us jumped in the back of a pick-up and went to a pollieria (chicken place...great for veggies haha- got a salad and some chips and tried Inca cola- a bright green drink that tastes like bubblegum mmmm healthy). The next night we had a night bus to Arequipa, which was really luxurious but they decided to wake us up with Terminator at 6.30 am!! strange choice!

Our hostel in Arequipa was really nice with a roof terrace overlooking the mountains el misti, pichu pichu and another one I cant remember lol. We went to a local nunnery where rich families used to send there first born daughters (apparently it was a privilige) at the age of 13. For the first 4 years the girls had to be in complete silence and sleep in small rooms with wooden beds. When there families visited they could only see them through a double wooden barrier with holes small enough that they couldnt touch. After they became full fledged nuns they were allowed there own house with servants and a lot more comforts but they could never leave the nunnery! That night we went for tea for Olivia`s birthday and then pit to a club/pub for some drinks and then tried to hv a party on the terrace but got sent to bed by the night porter lol.

We left Arequipa to got to Colca Canyon (the deepest canyon in the world I think) and stayed in really nice hostel...if u can call it a hostel lol (pretty luxurious). We went for a hike in the afternoon to get used to the altitude cos we were at 3800 m. The altitude makes your heart beat really fast even tho ur not doing anything that difficult. We tried to eat some coca leaves on the bus but they taste really bad and I nearly threw up!lol That evening we went to the hot springs for a swim and then out for tea.

The next day we got up at 5 am to go and see condors (these rare virds with a wing span of 3m that nest in the lower canyon). We saw one and I managed to get a pretty good pic with my extra zoom...the others said it looked like a seagul on their cameras haha. After that we went for a walk and made the trip back to Arequipa yesterday. We went to bed prett early cos we had to get up at 4.30 am to catch a flight to Cusco, which is even higher altitude. I went to the local market this morning and bought a crazy hat for the hike and some finger puppets for the kids at the orphanage Lottie worked at b4 the trip (I didnt go along cos I dont think they really like tourists to go in).

Tonight we are having a brief for the Inca trail and then head to Ollyantambu (I know I spelt that wrong) tomorrow and hike the day after...3 days. Everyones a bit nervous because of how the altitude affects ur fitness but I think if 400 ppl a day do it we`ll b fine. I think we`re going to have a big night in Cusco when we get back from Macchu Picchu for my Birthday.

Anyways slightly dodgy stomach so gonna lie down...hello to every1!

Adios for now xxx