Peru (finally!)

SO
Since the Bolivians and the Peruvians won´t stop protesting, I ended up doing the following.
Taking a 12 hour bus ride from Cochabamba to Arica, Chile.
Got out of the bus station, walked into the first building that resembled a hostel and slept there.
Woke up at 7 and walked right back across the street and got into a shared cab with 4 Chileans and a strange man that just told me I had to pay him $3,000 peasos to cross the border. I did think it was odd that I was getting put in a car at the bus station but I was too tired to question it.
An hour and a half later I´ve crossed the border, and am now in Tacna, Peru.  The car man brings me to a bus place, helps me buy my ticket, and I´m already happy to be in this country. 1)  I didn´t have to pay a visa. 2) The currency is relatively easier to figure out. 3) It´s HOT. I can ditch all my llama gear. 4) It´s not Bolivia!

I have another 6 hour ride to Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru, which except for the 3 screaming children across from me was seamless enough. I absolutely love it here. The people are SO friendly. I can understand the Spanish. The food is slightly better (still not Argentinian food, but way better than Bolivia!) The town square, even though it´s a 40 minute walk from my hostel, is super cute. I found things to buy! Even the coolest Converse I´ve ever seen!
On Saturday, Joel came to meet up. We went to dinner in the main plaza, which had some awesome restaurants 4 floors up that overlooked the lit up square. Super pretty.  Joel ordered cuy, which consisted of a guinea pig that was stuck still screaming into a vat of oil and shoved onto a plate with its little teeth and claws hanging out everywhere. I completely freaked out, and the waiter had to take the damn thing away and cut it up and remove its head so I would stop screaming.

3:30 the next morning (yes, you heard me!) we set off for our tour of Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world!  It was a 3 hour drive from Arequipa to the starting town, Chivay.  We had a stop off at a viewpoint to look at condors, which I was only mildly excited about since I went to the condor park with Kenzie in Cordoba, but I was thrilled that I went because I ran into Caryn & Mike, who were finishing their tour!! It was brief, but I was so happy to see them!

After the condors we started off on the hike.  It was beautiful scenery, and cool to watch the oasis get closer and closer as we hiked down the canyon.  The first day of the hike was about 5.5 hours, stopping for the night at this random family´s house to sleep in huts. The kitchen had about 15 guinea pigs running around, which I was terrified they were going to serve us for dinner, but luckily they served rice and potatoes and I was safe.  On Day 2 we hiked for around 2 hours straight down to the very bottom of the canyon, which was harder than I expected. My calves were burning, and getting to chill out at the pool at the oasis and sit in the sun was much needed.  We all sat and played cards and took it easy, prepping for day 3.

Day 3 involved waking up at 4:40 am to set off on our hike, 3 hours straight uphill and out of the canyon.  I hated all 3 hours of this, since it was in pitch black, on an empty stomach, and steep and one of the harder hikes I´ve done. But at the top I was glad it was over, and glad I had done it, because the scenery was stunning and our group was  lots of fun and it was a great, unique hike.  We went to the hot springs afterwards in Chivay, then headed back to Arequipa where Joel and I planned on having a few hours to shower, relax, buy snacks and head on our overnight bus to Cuzco.

Of course the second we get to our hostel, we´re told that the bus was cancelled because the route Cruz del Sur takes goes through Puno, the same place where the rioting at the border has been taking place, so they won´t run the buses, or refund our money for the ticket.  After a mild panic attack and a few phone calls, we ironed it out and ran to the bus station to find a company that would take us on a different route.
So our anticipated luxury 9 hour bus ride turned into a 12 hour bumpy ride up the back roads. And no shower, or time for food.  And 2 crying babies of course, because god is punishing me yet again. But, despite this, we made it to Cuzco, a day earlier than planned, and are ready to start meeting all of our friends and play at the festival! Vive Peru!