POMS FROM PERU!

Travelling throughout South America there were many amazing places and things to see but one of my favourites was the Andes and the Colca Canyon which is part of it. So so high up it felt as though we were on top of the world. The landscape was desert and desolate but unbelievably beautiful.

Below a small herd of vicuna in front of the magial Misti Mountain. Misti is an active volcano. The vicuna (vicunya) is a relative of the llama and produces extremely fine wool which is VERY expensive because the animal can only be shorn every 3 or so years! Shearers would go broke in Peru!

Then in the middle of absolutely nowhere we came across a market stall and women selling their wares. They were friendly and funny and we bought stuff even though we didn't particularly want anything.
The Indians are incredibly poor and incredibly religious - this beautiful church or cathedral is maintained by the local villagers in this tiny town. It is kept in immaculate condition, while they live in the most basic of homes. The church is rebuilt on regular occasions, depending on the most recent earthquake!The landscape of this place was surprising - travelling on a dirt road, seemingly just in the desert and all of a sudden we are in the Andean Bogs with frozen waterfalls to enchant us.
Allan and I standing on the edge of the Colca Canyon, it is hard to describe the length and breadth of this Canyon. If you have ever been to the Grand Canyon in the USA, you would have been blown away by its grandeur - well triple that, the Colca is wider and deeper, though I don't think as long.
We were privileged to sit on the edge of this canyon and watch the huge condors catch the warm currents that flow through the canyon during the morning. They glide and twist and turn and we were treated to an amazing show.
This was one of the highest points of our Andean adventure - over 4,800m above sea level. We stopped for some fresh air - which was in very short supply and paid a local man a few pesos for a photo with his beautifully decorated llama and the highest tips of the Andes in the background.

I'm very proud to say that Allan and I were about the only 2 of the group who did not feel ill or suffer from altitude sickness at all. We took the locals' advice and chewed the horrible coca leaves and drank the tea as often as we were able. We kept very hydrated and added a block of chocolate a day to the mix (I'm sure it was the chocolate that kept us healthy). Headaches, nausea and vomiting were the norm for everyone else.