Huacachina

The ideal place to recuperate from our tough hikes, Hunacachina is a tiny oasis in the middle of the desert, surrounded by miles of beautiful dunes. In the middle of the oasis is a lagoon, with healing mineral water. Not that we swam in it. Our hostel had an amazing pool that was even more inviting.

The healing lagoon...

We also had the most amazing fun hurtling around the dunes in a sandbuggy. Our crazy driver, spurred on by our screams, ramped over dunes at breakneck speed. We would fly off the lip and then speed down the other side - some very steep inclines. What an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately there was too much sand flying around to take action pictures.

We then had a go at sand boarding though, never having even snow boarded before, it was something of a challenge. Ally excelled herself though - a total natural - and she gracefully sped down dunes where most of us were doing unintentional somesaults. My neck and back still hurt today!

We did stage some photos of me to make me look better than I was. Amazing how photos can deceive!

Climbing the dune. More tiring than the Inca Trail!

Ah, but the sunset was worth the effort...

You know you are in Peru when...

...the local ladies wear high hats and the lady llamas wear pink tassles

Hiking into the deepest canyon in the world

The Colca Canyon is the deepest in the world (over 1500 metres deep in places) and is thought to be twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the USA.

Unlike most of the Grand Canyon, portions of the Colca canyon are habitable, with pre-Colombian terraced fields still supporting agriculture and human life.

We did a three day hike into the canyon. We stayed overnight with local families farming in the canyon (always special to have close contact with real locals) and we visited a beautiful oasis in the canyon at the end of the second day.

A perfect way to refresh and recharge before the exhausting hike back out of the canyon!

Here are some views of the canyon as we walked down, down, down...

We arrived at the bottom at twighlight (with aching knees) and were welcomed by the last rays of the sun glittering off the river.

The rock formations were really beautiful.

One of the highlights of the hike for me were the cacti. They are awfully photogenic. Who would have thought it.

Love can be prickly...

The canyon is home to a couple of little villages and there is even a prep school. Here are some little kids running to class.

We hiked along the canyon for a day and ended up at this beautiful little oasis with refreshing pools to swim in. Bliss. Here we are lazing and having fun with our great hiking group - Glen from the UK, Mariann and Jesman from Portugal and Spain and Jan and Niels from Holland.

I couldn't resist doing my customary bomb drop.

Our cool guide

Amazing how the locals put every bit of land to use through terraces.

The locals in the region are an extraordinarily healthy bunch, most living to well over 100 years, some as much as 115. Apparently it is due to the local diet - almost entirely organic vegetables and fruits. No ice cream or chocolate! The walks up and down the canyon probably also help.

The hike back up the canyon was pretty brutal but Ally and I powered up with gusto and applauded ourselves for being the fittest and healthiest we have been in our lives. That night on the bus, Ally got horribly sick (tummy bug we think) and I came down with a horrible throat infection. Funny how pride comes before a fall...

Some of the birds I got to see




We met this cute little Peruvian child on the bus back from the canyon. Made my heart melt and I felt the stirring of paternal instincts. That night on the bus up North, we had a sick baby directly behind us who threw up and screamed hysterically for 7 hours non stop. All broodiness vanished immediately!

And finally, a signature farewell leap. What a great experience. No wonder the canyon is known as the "canyon of wonders".

Arequipa

Arequipa is Peru´s second-largest city and being not very fond of large cities, I had no great expectations. My mistake. It is a delightful place, not least as it is home to a restaurant that serves gorgeous Argentianian steaks.

It also is scenically beautiful, standing at the foot of the snow-capped volcano El Misti.

Arequipa also has many fine colonial-era Spanish buildings built of sillar, a pearly white volcanic rock used extensively in the construction of the city, from which it gets its nickname La Ciudad Blanca ("the white city").

Here is a photo of El Misti, the Volcano. I could have climbed this 5800 metre mountain but felt too lazy. We opted to descend into the world's deepest canyon instead.


Arequipa is home to the greatest multitude of little yellow taxis I have ever seen in one place.


The view from our hostel roof (not bad!)


The town square at night. We walked the square (and the city) looking for laces for my boots. No-one stocked them, not even shoe stores (we visited at least 10)! I would have paid a small fortune for them by the end. Found them eventually and couldhave kissed the store owner. I hugged him instead.

Condors

Ah, and the condors! The condor population of South America is unfortunately dwindling, but here in Colca Canyon, we were able to see them at close range as they floated on the rising thermals and scanned for carrion far below them.