Post 85: Colca Canyon pt. 2 and the road to Puno y Bolivia

This will be a long post as we have much to catch up on. Enjoy!

12/16/11

Fellow adventurers,

My birthday was certainly one I will never forget. We awoke early in San Juan, a bit achey and tired from the very long day prior. Our goal was to reach the top of the canyon by sun down, after making our way through a few more towns and the Oasis.

We set out a little later than expected, per usual, and unfortunately had to stop 15 minutes into our hike because I had forgotten to give the posada owner the keys to our room. I eventually made my way back to meet up with June and our new hiking partners just after the town and we continued along the winding path towards our next goal, a town who's name I will never be able to properly pronounce. The paths are a bit undefined and can only really be determined by a certain luck of the draw and a little sense of direction. We were lucky not to take to many wrong turns and came to a small footbridge which crossed over a gorge.

The hike from here was almost directly up hill, winding back and forth for what seemed to be an hour. We stopped at a point we thought was about half way, only to find out the next few turns was a plateau upon which two towns sat. The first town was somewhat unimpressive, and seemingly similar to many we have seen before along the way. I was more enamored with the second, Malata, which had a really beautiful Plaza de Armas, back dropped by high peaks.

The rest of the way was mostly downhill until we reached the Oasis. June and I had determined to make it up to Cabanaconde the same day, but the whole trek really took a toll on our legs. It did not take much convincing to decide to stay a night with our friends in the Oasis. We shopped around a little, but all the posadas seemed to run about the same price, 10 soles a person, per night. We chose the nicest looking one and settled in. Our goal all along had been to swim, so that is what we did.

The highlight of my birthday was yet another candle-lit dinner. Not the meal itself, but the company and good conversation with the others staying that night. I was serenaded "Happy Birthday" in three languages, English, Spanish, and German, and after a few hours, and a few beers, sleep finally called our name.

12/17/11

The last day of our trek is one we both wish to forget. Low on water and without breakfast, we skipped taking mules and decided to hike the whole one plus kilometer in vertical distance back to Cabanaconde. It was downright one of the hardest physical experience I have ever had. We took frequent breaks, and eventually made it to town in just about 4 and a half hours, an hour longer than it should have taken. I do not think I have ever been more relieved in my life. I took very few photos, because frankly, I do not wish to remember the journey out of the canyon.

In town we booked a bus for Arequipa, as we were to late to get a direct one to Puno. We ate lunch and waited around until the bus came. The ride back was longer than expected, and many of the roads between Cabanaconde and the main Colca hub of Chivay were unpaved, blanketed in huge rocks, and very steep. Some parts of the ride were almost as harrowing as the hike. After Chivay, the road was paved, and the scenery awesome. We rode through hilly grasslands and saw roaming Vicunas and other herd animals while listening to some Spanish lessons on the ipod. I think it helped our Espanol, un poco mas.

In Arequipa, we purchased the first bus ticket we could for Puno. The ride was uneventful besides the 4 hours of music they blared over the bus speakers, the same awful album being played over and over again. We arrived in Puno around 3am, and decided to return to the hotel we had stayed at in 2008. Unfortunately for us, in the past few years it had been renovated, so our room tripled in price. Given the time, we were unwilling to look elsewhere and settled on it for the evening. A little hit in the bank for sure.

12/18/11

On our last day in Peru we were mostly concerned will all the proper documentation we needed to obtain visas at the Bolivian border. We made copies of our passports, had photos taken, and even bought a return bus ticket to Puno from Copacabana, in case we were asked for a ticket out of the country. One of our biggest concerns was our lack of Yellow Fever vaccinations, as we have read many places that it is a requirement for crossing the border. This also factored into our buying a return ticket to Puno. We wanted to show proof we were not intending to go into any of the infected areas and had a means of exiting Bolivia if they asked about the extent of our stay.

The bus ride was full of other travelers we had met along the way in Colca. The border crossing was much easier than expected and all of our documentation went through fine and with no real hassle. We were not asked for any Yellow Fever vaccination certificates, nor a return ticket out, and though I told the officer I was unsure of the amount of time we would be staying, I was granted a 90 day visa. As was June, though she was not asked at all. For those of you looking to cross in the future, set your fears aside.

We are finally in Bolivia, our 5th nation along our long journey. I know I speak for both of us when I say we have definitely been looking forward to it. Copacabana is a very nice little town though quite touristed, with a much different feel from the Peruvian side and Puno. We booked our tour of Isla Del Sol, and our bus to La Paz for tomorrow night, so our time here, per usual, will be short.

This post may seem a little wrong in its time, but unfortunately the internet at our hotel cut out as I began to write. So by the time this reaches you readers, we may already be in the capital city of La Paz, where we should be spending about a week.

Ciao for now,
Gavin y June

more photos after the break below