Colca Canyon

3 things I got made fun of on a regular basis at the Canyon:
1. Having a big Canada flag on my backpack (the Americans especially found this funny, as did other Canadians, I told them my mom made me)
2. Keeping my bag locked while we were in the middle of nowhere (like who was going to steal my stuff? )
3. Yet another tour guide having a crush on me!

Anyways, I really liked everyone in the group which is unusual, but great. There were two couples; one from eastern Canada, one from Russia/Spain. An English girl, a South African guy, and my favourite Melissa from Colorado. OUr guides name was Nestor and while we were walking he would give us lots of information about local plants and their medicinal uses. So the first day we hiked down into the canyon and once we reachd the bottom we had to go about halfway back up on the otherside to get to our camp for the night. It was getting late and dark and while we were crossing a river and walking on the edge of cliffs in complete darkness with nothing but flashlights I mentioned that this was getting a little sketchy. But we reached the camp safely and it was so cute, like being at summer camp. The people in these little villages all still dress in tradtional Peruvian attire and they are self sufficient. Which we thought was cool until we saw all the dead birds hanging upside down at breakfast. We slept in a log cabin and I (horror) slept in the same bed as Melissa cuz we were so cold, Tom (the SOuth African) called us Gay on many occasions!

The next morning we had pancakes for breakfast and then had an easy hike back down into the canyon to an oasis (thats 2 oasis´Ive been to now) we went swimmin and suntanning and then instantly I felt really sick. Like nautious sick and the smell of food at lunch only made it worse. We had a three hour hike up the canyon, at the two hour mark I had barley made it halfway, so my guide ran a got a donkey for me to ride up the rest of the way which was embarrasing/hurt my pride/ so helpful. The donkey was a bit scary though, cuz it would go right to the edge before turning to go the othr way and Its so stubbor and it kept getting whipped to keep going and I felt like, maybe if he didnt have this stupid girl on him he would have a much easier time. ANyways, made it to the top, finally. Once we got to the hostel for the night I just went straight to bed. Slept from 6pm-6am with a fever and everything.

Couldnt eat the next day either, and we were mostly on the bus so I slept even more. We stopped at the Condor place, but barely saw any. APparently its not bird season. Then we went to the hot springs, but I just sat and had a juice since i still felt crappy. Arrived back in Arequipa at my hostel at 445 and the girl there told me my bus had changed and instead of leaving at 10, its leaving at 6. So I do a rush job packing and hurry to the bus station only to sit on the bus for 2 hours. We didnt leave until 8! Apparently we were waiting for a connecting bus. But this bus was sweet, it was like being on an airplane, but with more legroom. They even gave you dinner, and we played bingo. The Peruvian boy sitting beside me helped me play. Then a stupid Steven Segal movie was on called ´Today You Die´I tried to watch it but it was SO BAD I just decided to go to sleep.

So now Im in CUsco and just by coincidence theres a major festival going on for the next 4 days. So I watched a parade in the main square, which was kinda fun!