Iquitos

Hi everyone!! I´m writing this from Iquitos, about to head to a shamanic permaculture place in the amazon to volunteer for a couple of weeks (at this stage). If anyone is interested I´ll be staying here...sounds awesome :-)

So aside from that I´ve had a hectic few days since leaving Lake Titicaca. I decided to head to Arequipa and visit Colca canyon, (arguably) the deepest canyon in the world. This is an amazing, beautiful place, none of the photos really do it justice. Here I got to see wild condors and hung out in some volcanic hotsprings for a while...yay!

Arequipa is quite a beautiful town, lots of colonial architecture and modern conveniences (if you like that stuff) with snow capped mountains and volcanos in the distance. I had some dramas getting to Lima as the canyon tour I did ran over time, consequently I missed my bus and therefore my flight from Lima. Argh, my attempts to avoid Lima failed miserably. Fortunately I wasn´t there too long and met some very interesting people.

I continue to be amazed at how helpful people can be. The agent I bought the bus ticket from had arranged to pick me up from the hotel. When he saw I wasn´t there he head to the bus terminal looking for me, and changed my ticket for the next available bus. This was such a help as all the seats to Lima had sold out by the time I got there. Much gratitude! :-)

Will update blog and post photos when I can. Everyone have fun and take care, will be back online later :-)

[EDIT: photos uploaded! :-) ]

Arequipa

Colca canyon

Female condor looking out over the canyon

(male) condor in flight

Amazing terraces...serious microclimates going on here

posing with a condor, shameless tourist

At 5000m and serious barren (and cold), and surrounded by volcanoes

Llamas and alpacas! :-)