Day 40-43, Lake Titicaca Peru Style

The following takes place between Thursday, January 6 and Sunday, January 9, 2011

Ah, Lake Titicaca. Every grade 5 boy’s favorite part of geography class. And probably my dad’s all time favorite lake as well. No other place can reduce boys and [some] men into giggling school girls.

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and at over 165 square kilometers it is huge. Looking from shore, you cannot see the other end. The lake itself also spans two countries, with the border for Peru/Bolivia straddling the lake.  Should make for a wonderful little visit!

At least, I thought it would.

Days 37-39, Wrapping up Cuzco

The Following takes place between Monday, January 3 and Wednesday, January 5, 2011

After the 80kms + that i had walked on the Salkantay trek, much like after the Colca Canyon, I had no desire to do much else but relax. Though, considering how much I had walked, and how late I got back to the hostel(12:30am), I surprised myself with how late I ended up staying up(2:30am). Maybe laying in an actual bed was so relaxing that I was too relaxed to sleep.

Or something like that.

Either way, the last three days I spent in Cuzco were relatively relaxing compared to the previous five.

Day 36 - Salkantay Final Day and Machu Picchu

The following takes place on Sunday, January 2, 2011

We finally made it. With a very early start(3:30am), Denise, Flavio, and I made our way to the gates of Machu Picchu to begin the hour and half, 400 meter high, climb to where Machu Picchu actually is.

Absolutely amazing.

Take a look:

http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff256/pangaeanshift/Salkantay%20Day%205%20-%20Machu%20Picchu/

Day 35 - Salkantay Day 4

The following takes place on Saturday, January 1, 2011

Start time: 8am. We got to sleep in!!!!

No rain, for once. It was actually extremely hot today(until we reached the train tracks). Today was the last push until we got to Aguas Calientes, the town near Machu Picchu.

Kilometers Walked: 23

Amazing Race Standings arriving at final camp(hostel):
1st – Corey(by default. His was the first hostel we came across)
2nd – Denise
3rd – Flavio

Slideshow of photos from Day 4:
http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff256/pangaeanshift/Salkantay%20Day%204/

Day 34 - Salkantay Day 3

The following takes place on Friday, December 31, 2010

Start time: 7:00am

Kilometers walked: 13

Kilometeres driven: +25

Only walked up to the point where we were picked up by car(otherwise it would be a seven day trek). Rained the entire time. Again. I’m getting real real annoyed with the rain. Can’t take photos when it’s raining.  We were driven after lunch to Santa Theresa where we said goodbye to Jennaina(had to make her trek in only four days as she had to catch a flight back home to Brazil) and had semi-warm showers at the house of the family whose house we were camping on the roof at.

Arrival time at vehicle pick up point: ~1:30pm

Amazing Race Standings at Pick up point:
1st – Denise
2nd – Flavio
3rd – Corey
Eliminated – Bobek

Slideshow of photos from Day 3:
http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff256/pangaeanshift/Salkantay%20Day%203/

Day 33 - Salkantay Day 2

The following takes place on Thursday, December 30, 2010

Start time: 6am

Total kilometers walked: 21

Highest point: 4600 meters above sea level

Cold, wet, windy, highly miserable. Soaked through a poncho and a rain jacket and three shirts.

Both Eleanor and Denise, suffering from exhaustion and altitude sickness, opted to take a horse from Camp #1 to the peak of the mountain pass.

Arrival at Camp #2 at ~6:30pm

Amazing Race Standings arriving at Camp #2:
1st – Denise
2nd – Flavio
3rd – Bobek
4th – Corey
Eliminated – Jennaina

Slideshow of pictures from Day 2:
http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff256/pangaeanshift/Salkantay%20Day%202/

Day 32 - Salkantay Day 1

The following takes place on Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The five day trek that started today is really really hard to put into words. Which makes writing the blog posts so much easier. I will post a slideshow of all the pictures from each day, and a little bit of stats on what the day was like.

It’s easier for me! And less for you to read of me rambling.

Enjoy!!

Start: 4:30am. Company was nearly an hour late picking me up. Actually left hostel at 5:30am. Left Cuzco at 6am.

Breakfast not included today. Very expensive bowl of scrambled eggs with bread.

Total kilometers walked: 19km

Arrived at Camp ~6pm-ish

Amazing Race Standings for arriving at Camp:
1st – Corey
2nd – Jennaina
3rd – Denise
4th – Flavio
5th – Bobek
Eliminated – Eleanor

Slideshow of photos from Day 1: http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff256/pangaeanshift/Salkantay%20Day%201/?albumview=slideshow

Day 29-31, Taking the roads less(and often) Traveled

The following takes place between Sunday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 28, 2010.

I have become a part of the Carnegie family. In one short day I have made lifelong friends with the entire family. The kids love me, I enjoy drinking with the parents(and they are probably glad for the adult conversation), and am learning much from their experience in traveling. That is something I am finding to be quite common. Everyone is more than happy to give advice and suggestions from their own experiences.

It’s like the entire backpacking community is one, large extended family.

Day 26 - One city, two religions

The following takes place on Thursday, December 23, 2010.

Ok. I admit. Having spent an entire day in bed watching TV, I felt almost obligated to get back outside and see some sights. Especially considering I had a bus booked to leave Arequipa at 8 that evening out to Cusco.

I scoured the guide books for ideas as to what to do and interrogated the hostel staff as to what they would recommend. By the time I was finished my tea and my banana pancakes, I had a plan of attack set up.

It was time for me to become. . . . A Tourist.

Days 24-25, How to Recover from a Canyon Trek

The following takes place between December 21 and December 22, 2010

After two days of grueling work, one really needs something to do to recover. Especially when ones feet has been subjected to a multitude of injuries(and ones ass as well after a two and a half hour mule ride. Get your mind out of the gutter Mark).

Now that we were back at the hostel in Arequipa(in a private room no less), Patrick and I embarked on some interesting ways of attempting to recover.

Day 22-23 - Colca Canyon

The following takes place fro December 19 to December 20, 2010

Quick! Pop quiz! How many times deeper is the Colca Canyon compared to the Grand Canyon?

At least two times deeper.

While the Grand Canyon is spectacular in itself for it’s nearly vertical walls, the sheer depth of the Colca Canyon, and the relative ease of making your way down to the bottom makes this one of the most rewarding and tiring experiences of this trip thus far.

Day 20 - The White City

The following takes place on December 17, 2010

Arequipa, called “The White City” because of the major use of a rock called sillar to build many of it’s buildings, is a gem of a city. Nestled next to the stratovolcano El Misti, the city is full of spectacular scenery, friendly people, and architecture that reminds one of colonial Spain.

And I’m starting to sound like a broken record when I say that I love this city.

Day 16-19: The Pull of Nasca

The following takes place from Monday, December 13 to Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been fascinated with the mysterious and the unknown. One of my favorite TV shows was Unsolved Mysteries, with my favorite segments being though that delved in the supernatural and unknown. As such, it wasn’t long before I stumbled upon the mystery that is the Nasca Lines.

Now, being in Peru, that childlike fascination with these strange geoglyphs drew me like a magnet. With my bus ticket in hand, I boarded the nearly seven hour bus ride towards what I was slowly realizing was a childhood dream of mine.

The pull of the Lines was finally taking me to the source.

Days 12-15 - Being Lazy in Lima

The following takes place between Thursday, December 9 and Sunday, December 12, 2010

In regular Western Hemisphere countries, like Canada and the United States, people get, on average, two weeks of vacation a year. These usually involve short trips that are filled to the brim with plans(Day one this, day two that, GO GO GO). Vacations are rarely used to relax. Sure, if you go to a resort, you’re relaxing. But is it really that relaxing? You know you have to return at the end of that 7 day trip. By the time you truly relax, it’s time to stress again to catch that flight home so you can get back home, into your suit, and back to the office.

Why am I saying this?

Because I just finished my “two week vacation.” And I spent it completely, truly, relaxing.

And it’s still going.

Day 11 - Red Head vs. The Sun

The following takes place on Wedenesday December 8, 2010

You would think that after 25 years I would learn. I mean, I’ve been a red head my entire life. A two week vacation to the cabin at the lake usually ends up with me having to swim with a t-shirt on halfway through the trip because I’m too sunburnt to do otherwise. So I was prepared. SPF 40, hat, kept my clothes on.

No dice.

I have recieved my first lobsterfication of the trip.

And it hurts.

Day 10, Stranger in a Strange Land

The following takes place on December 7, 2010

Having connections are great. It’s even better when it is your first time in a foreign country completely on your own. While the first week visiting Ottawa and the GTA were nice, they were by far baby steps. Once I stepped off that Delta airplane in Lima, the rules changed. I was in a completely different country. I was on a completely different continent.

Day 9, My not-so-Amazing Race

The following takes place on December 6, 2010

“Flight 3856, Toronto to Atlanta is currently delayed 1 hour. Thank you.”

Not what I wanted to hear right when I got through security. Especially considering my connection in Atlanta was tight as is. But maybe this is fate, considering my favorite television show is The Amazing Race.

I just don’t have a partner. And sadly Phil Koeghen and his eyebrow would not be waiting for me.