Koala Backpackers Arequipa

It was always going to be difficult to immediately top a trip like the Inca trail and so even though our mini trip to Colca Canyon was somewhat average... I wasn´t really disappointed because I somewhat expected it. It does however mean that my story this time is likely to go off topic as I tell you about other interesting things that happened along the way to Colca. At some stage I´d like to tell you a story about buses... but we´ll have to see if ...

... before, but this was really bad. We asked for, and were granted, a new room, which ended up being just as bad. When we came back to Arequipa we decided to stay in a place that was a little more upscale. Hostal Regis also proved infested, in both rooms we inhabited. After the first night I became so aware of them crawling on me and so psychotically paranoid that I became a complete insomniac. I ended up going five nights without any sleep. I actually started to ...

... group is 3 - us and Alan the other Perth-ite - he is not impressed that everyone keeps asking if he is our Papa. Our guide Miguel has not slept the previous night, and is dancing to Michael Jackson on the bus...<br>Our first day is 6 hours of trekking - sounds easy until you factor in the starting altitude of 3800m, the descent which is 1500m and the fact that we had to get up at 3am for the bus out to the canyon. Within the first half hour I ...

... also suffered a few earthquakes, as recently as 2001. There´s actually a few more volcanos in the nearby region too, so fingers crossed...<br>Tommorow, I´ve got a ludicrously early start for a 3 day-2 night trek into Colca Canyon, the 2nd deepest canyon in the world (over twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in USA) - the record holder is actually only about 100km away from Colca , namely Cotahusi Canyon. But Colca is famous for its Cruz del Condor ...

... br>One other great find in Arequipa was a number of local restaurants which serve probably the cheapest and biggest meals we have had! For about US$1,20 (just under 1 quid) you can get a massive plate of Arroz Chaufa (fried rice, egg and meat) - yum!! Ang and I ate ourselves into oblivion and along with a 1 litre coke, the meal came to a whopping 9 soles (US$3)!!<br><br> Finally we ventured out across the Andes again for 2 days to ...

After the tour we got back to Arequipa and on with the job of organising our Mexican website stuff, which is proving to be very difficult. Kate kindly did most as I spent most of these two days finishing the bug. Unfortunately managed to pass it on to her just before we left for another night bus.<br>

... see so we headed instead towards what was suppose to be a botanical garden. A medical facility was there instead. Slightly disappointed and tired of walking we headed towards Chinatown since it was nearby and we could use some lunch.<br><br>Chinatown was mainly just Chinese retaurants, serving Chifa. I don't know that I saw a single Asian person there. I did see a man sleeping on some rope that was holding together to Dolly's. It seem like a pretty ...

After a very short stay in Nasca we took our first ever night bus to the city of Arequipa. We managed to sleep intermitently on the bus, but this is never easy (at least for me). We arrived at around 9:00am, I think it was, and took a taxi to the Plaza de Armas (central square). Every Peruvian town and city has one of these and they have always proved a great point to navigate from if one is a little lost! We made our way to our first hostel and then popped out to get our ...

... each, and would invite musicians and hold parties in the monastery. I know what you´re thinking - and of course this kind of lifestyle didn´t last since nuns are supposed to live the life of chastity, poverty, blah blah blah. Now the monastery still houses a few nuns, secluded in a small part of the monastery, while the rest is open to public.<br> <br> It took us almost 2 hours - or maybe even more - to go through the maze of hallways, cells ...

... complex - a small city within the city, filled with very bright colours, streets and squares - interesting to visit the nuns' cells, with their own kitchens, and sleeping niches under aches for protection against earthquakes. The chapel is filled with a collection of art found when parts of the convent were turned over for public viewing. Leslie and I collected the boys and went for lunch on a terrace restaurant overlooking the main square - Plaza del Armas - there's one in ...