Maxxanfame: 07.12.2023
Hello you in cold Germany :)
We hope that you are doing well even because of the snow masses :) it's a strenuous 30 degrees here. Sometimes more sometimes less. On the 15th day - awesome, we've already been on the road for 2 weeks 😱. We drove to the Pillones waterfall and stone crater landscape. We were very lucky again. Small bus - only 9 people and two guides. A nice lady just for Laura and me. She spoke perfect English - but was initially very quiet and worried about everything. How is your head? Are you cold? The music is loud. Does that bother you? But gradually she noticed that it was very relaxing to travel with us. We were able to talk a lot with Andrea about life in Peru, what it's like to live here, how Peruvians love food and don't like vegetarians. She said that they would be excluded :D.
Andrea was great. We would have loved to take you with us to Cusco as a guide. She even comes from Cusco.
What was also funny was how much she could eat. A large portion of chicken with rice and soup as a starter. Crazy - we can hardly get anything down at this height. In the morning there is usually just a banana and with luck an apple in the evening 🍎
It was also funny that she doesn't know an Advent calendar. But she likes punch, but can only handle two. :○ funny people the Peruvians.
Let's get to the excursion points. Lots of alpaca llama and vicunas. Then to breakfast, where a turkey blocked my way after using the toilet.
From there we went up to 4800 meters. We had hardly any complaints and were fine. Maybe it was also because of the coca leaves. (1% cocaine included)
Anyway, we could look at a river and a canyon. There were large sharp rocks lined up everywhere. The last volcanic eruption created this formation.
Here we had to lose 4 points. Breathing becomes very difficult under stress.
After this excursion point we went to the waterfall. What a descent. We dove over rocky ledges 20 meters into the abyss. We were rewarded with a beautiful view. The worried Andrea was with us again. At the end we gave her a picture from the instant camera :)
After lunch we kept driving to fields with alpacas, llamas and vicunas and taking breaks.
We were back at the Airbnb at 5 p.m. in the evening. Now it was time to pack things, get ready and sleep. The alarm clock rings at 2 a.m.
3 o'clock. It's really cold. The city so quiet. We are waiting for our bus. He did not come. After a good three quarters of an hour we were finally collected. The bus was already full... we took a seat at the back - the seat that no one likes. Where you have the raised area due to the tires. Really great. The bus was also small. So in terms of places. Those in front of us thought they should sit back. Excellent.
The guide just sucked. Bad English. Almost everything is only in Spanish. We didn't like her from the start. Where is Andrea or Jef?
After a 3 hour drive we had breakfast. I was told the toilet was on the second floor. Climbing 4500 meters of stairs is a challenge. Once at the top, no toilets in sight. So I went back down and asked again. The guide became stroppy. I was taken upstairs. I wasn't told to just go to a hotel room. The information had been hidden.
After a quick breakfast we went to the Colca Valley. The Colca Valley, which is so praised here. 70 sol entrance fee. A good 17 euros. Is a house number here in cheap Peru. We should do it ourselves. Suddenly the guide came and complained why I didn't have it right. Took my 200 sol and said she would take care of it. After the purchase we received nothing back. Yes, it runs.
When we arrived at the viewing point, we had 40 minutes to search for a condor.
No condor there (5300 meters). But toilets. The altitude presses on the bladder. Now Laura had to. Well, off to the toilet. We in front of the free toilet - oh yes, you have to buy toilet paper. Oh yes - the guide had gotten our last sol. Running...
So Laura goes to the toilet. What was there on the viewing platforms? The only fuck really the only fucking Condor in the 40 minutes. A good 300 meters from the toilets. But I hit him with the SLR camera. But pictures are still on the camera.
But whatever. We go back to the platform. And slowly make your way to the bus. What an exhausting movement. But again without symptoms of altitude sickness.
Afterwards we optionally went to a hot spring.
I understand by optional. Can be done, does not have to be. The guide said we have to pay. On the bus or in the surrounding area is not allowed...
But we haven't had the last ones back yet. The guide was visibly pissed when we asked her about the missing Sol. Then just said - go in like that. If 30 sol were still open...
After an hour of splashing in the 40 degree water, we went for the optional lunch.
You can probably guess what's coming:
Of course we only booked it as an option. The guide said you pay here after your meal. Yes, but how expensive is it? No Answer. The guide was just getting his food from the buffet. Us again. How expensive is it... At some point super angry, we received the answer 40 Sol per person. Well, you see, it works. By the way. She handed me the 30 missing Sol on the bus before lunch. Ok it was only 27 Sol. Are probably fluctuations. Of course there was no tip later.
There were also three stops at this exit that were used for sales events. But whatever. We made it. The highly praised Colca Canyon was certainly not what we expected. I thought there was more flying around and it was breathtaking. A pity. Save yourself the 6 hours there and back and the almost 20 euros per person and go on the other excursions.
And the sales event also brought a Santa Claus for Laura. Wolly made of real alpaca fur accompanies us now.
The first route takes him to Cusco
Ciao
Freddy
Ps: Alpaca tastes very good. By the way, the buffet was good. Only the guide is stupid.