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Two long bus rides and two relatively (relative due to altitutde approx. 12000`) long hikes. (see google maps of last Sopt to see island and God Forsaken Hill) Long hikes due to slight miscommunication and deliberations as to which way is West (my compass was stolen in Rio). We are in Arequipa.
Stac and I and a group of four of Stacey´s friends left Cusco at 9:00 PM on the 19th, overnight bus to Puno. We got talked into a ferry ride to the wrong side of correct island on Lake Titikaka. What we did not know was the ferry ported on the opposite side of the island of our accomodations. We had to hike up and over the crest of the island which turned out to be a good hike, but I have to admitt the altitude did a number on me. The college aged group very graciously slowed thier pace a couple of times to allow me to catch up. It was quite entertaining towards the end of the hike as a guy from our boat lead us to the summit, then passed us off to a little old lady (yes, her pace was also faster than my comfort level), who then passed us off to another woman, who then passed us off to a 7 yr. old kid, who took us a short distance in the wrong direction until what I think was the kids mom intecepted and lead us to an unoccupied house. We were told to wait there and after about 30 min. we were discovered by out host, who then lead us back up to nearly the top of the hill to the point of our second hand-off and our house. I slept. The "kids" swam and explopred and found what sounded like an intersting festival of some kind.
We arranged a boat ferry back to the port the following morning, got on our origninal ferry and boated and at a very slow pace headed to another island. We were not all that ennamored with the rest of the group on the ferry so decided to explore the second island independently. The tour included a hke to the town center and then to a beach on the west side of the island were the ferry boat would pick us up. Needless to say we hiked much further than necessary to find the West side of the island, but we saw a lot more than the tour group. Three hour boat ride back to Puno, 7 hour overnight bus to Arequipa ( should have been 5 but Stac and I managed to get on the ¨milk truck route¨ even after being warned). Feel fortunate to have ended up in a very nice hostal with clean room, good beds, and hot water.
Tentative plan is to bus to Chivay today and begin a 3 day hike into Colca Canyon tomorrow around 5:00AM. Google Colca Canyon. From what we have heard and read (which is not much) this sounds like and incredible canyon. Google sites call it the deepest in the world, but recently another canyon a few miles away supposedly has been determined to be a few meters deeper. Would love to raft this one but the trip is 10 days and hiking out at the midway point doesen´t appear to be an option. We won´t have the time.
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Deb Stacey Pie, Enquiring minds want to know..Call your mother. We worry! P.S. Miss you SOOO much but you look so happy in the photos! xxxx Debdeb