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We are trying hard to keep you updated but there is surprisingly little internet connection in the worlds second deepest canyon so we have had to wait till arriving in Puno and the worlds highest navigable lake.
So before we get onto the lake, the Colca Canyon... well there was much sweating and shivering and dust and many many boggies... the trip however was amazing. It was really nice to actually do a bit of physical exercise after many hours on various modes of transport.
I should have realised when we slept through our alarm that someone really didn't think our plans for a three day trek into the canyon were the best idea, but we carried on regardless and by around midday (after more bus action) we were setting off into the depths.
Now before I continue I just want to pre-empt the panic of any family members who are reading this by saying I'm absolutly fine (and no Nan unfortunately we didn't pack anything for bruises.Though Esther's Nan will be proud to know she did pack everything but!)
With this introduction I think you may be able to kind of see where this might be going...as in to the bottom of a canyon at a slighly faster rate than planned!
I would like to be able to blame the altitude, or the shocking heat, or my shoelaces...anything...but I think we can see a slight pattern emerging from the sand boarding incident - I´m just not as good at these things as my brain would have me believe. My desire to do something is often unmatched by my ability, but it would seem that stubborn determination, an extremely patient friend...and a mule, will get you through even the hardest of situations.
Though this makes the whole trip sound like a bit of a disaster it was probably the best thing we have done so far...regardless of the fact that being ill, and having ankles the size of tree trunks and crazily swollen hands, to the point that people must have though I was some sort of Professor Clump, made things slightly challenging. To give my problems a sense of perspective out of a group of 7, three of us were ill...it is seriously hard work...which Esther made look like a walk in the park much to my annoyance - tinged by jealousy!
The reward of the incredible views, culture, people and the oasis at the bottom made it all worth while.
So Before i go onto talk about my manly legs getting me up a few 1000meters ..I shall start from the begining.. as we set off out of the village at the start of the trek i got about 10mins up the road and a little voice inside my head started to say to me, hang on a minute there´s not much air round these parts and oh are they calf muscles your using..This was a little scary at first but after about 15 mins more we stopped which made me happy and then i got my pace on and it was all good. Especially on the last day when i got up the canyon first out of my group after powering it up the mountain (she didn't come much behind me on my crazy mule) ok this needs to be finished tomorrow as the man in the interenet place were in wants to go to bed and i still need to tell you about crazy chickens and a dog called sock xxx
Hello so finally a few days later i have come to tell you about my version of the canyon. So as i am sure leigh will mention at some point the majority of my photos are of werid and wonderful animals! This includes the as fore mentioned crazy chickens and sock the dog a pet of the family whos home we stayed in the first night of the canyon. At some point when i find some decent internet connection i will be able to share the crazyness of the chickens with you but for now imagine a turkey crossed with feather duster!
Ok so well you have heard about my manly legs so i sharnt bore you with that anymore (even though i am very pround of them)! The total time we spent in the canyon was 3 days and 2 nights. Amazingly beautiful nights they were the milky way looked like it was wipped cream in the sky and the stars looked like they had been drawn on buy Bruce almighty!
After our first night in little huts with the entertainment of the crazy chickens and a multi -linguil game of a** hole in which the english were thrashed by the spanish and the swiss. We had a well deserved and long rest (from like 9_6.30) i dont think i have slept for that long in years.
So the next day all a bit of a down hill situation in more ways than one but we made it by the afternoon to the Oasis. Where we promptly stripped off and jumped into some pretty frezzing water. But so refreshing! It was good job we had gone in though as moments later i found out we had no more water in the oasis so it was a swimming pool wash for me that day!
OK so thats about all for the canyon but apart from some amazing white water rafting today(which we will get round to telling you about) the canyon it definatly my favouite thing so far! much love E xx
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