FOR MY ENGLISH SPEAKING FRIENDS:

If you would like to see a selection of pictures from that part of the trip, please click above on "[Fotos zu diesem Bericht anschauen]"!


Pre Departure

Decision to travel with GAPadventures: http://www.gapadventures.com

Thanks to Michèle Artho for her excellent service at the travel agency SSR: http://www.ssr.ch

Check in at SBB rail station 24 h in advance: I'll never do that again, everything went wrong (at least my backpack arrived in Lima), unbelivable....


31AUG2001

Taxi from the airport: Get a taxi to Miraflores for 10 USD. Have a great discussion (in Spanish) during the whole ride with the taxi driver.

Our group: Nancy (tour leader, Uruguay), Christine and Laurie (Canada), Jocelyn and Warren (New Zealand), Marie Thérèse and Peter (Netherland), Michael, Joanne and Carol (Ireland), Erin (USA)

First Pisco Sour: Not my favourite drink but I will get used to it (same for Inca Cola)

A new bank was founded: Frist National Bank of Erin (FNBE)


01SEP2001

Museo de la Nación: Great guide. We learn a lot about Inca and pre Inca culture

Traveller Cheques: tried to change them but no chance without a copy of the passport. Got another loan from the FNBE

Busride to Pisco: Laurie, how do you feel if you think back to that busride???

Pisco: Chris seems to like my backpack and a stinky dog seems to like Erin...


02SEP2001

Erin's fleece still stinks like to dog from last night.

Nancy's birthday! CONGRATULATIONS and thank you very much for the choclate cake!

Islas Ballestras: Before going to the Islas Ballestras we pass El Candelabro (Peninsula de Paracas. At Islas Ballestras we see a lot of birds (Sula variegata, Larosterna inca, Phalacrocorax olivaceus, Phalacrocorax gaimardi, Phalacrocorax bougainvillei, Larus belcheri, Pelecanus thagus), penguins (Spheniscus humboldti), sealions (Otaria byronia). On the was back we see some dolphins (Delphinus delphis).

Bodega Tres Esquinas, Hnos Gonzales Missa Srltd: here we taste a variety of different pisco (wine and hard stuff).

Oase Huacachina: I go sandboarding with Erin, it's great but I have sand in my mouth, sand in my ears, sand in my pockets, sand in my nose, sand in my hair, sand everywhere!!!!!!!


03SEP2001

Erin's fleece still stinks...

Cementerio de Chauchilla: Not sure whether I should like that place of not.

Pottery: the guy who makes those potteries knows the word "Schnabel" in about 20 languages (even in swissgerman and japanese)

Pay some of my loan in USD back to the FNBE.

Flight Nazca Lines: I took a gravel but too late.... Not that I really got sick but I didn't feel well after getting off the plane.

One of the highlights: Peter calls Chrissy a whale (or was it just the sound she made?)

THE discussion of the trip: Participants: Nancy, Chris, Laurie and me. Audience: hard to say as many people were around the pool (Peter, did you listen to us?). Subject: top secret... (and that's good so)

Night bus experience: Bus is late (so what, we're in Peru), most comfortable bus I've ever seen (it's true, even we're in Peru), very relaxing ride


04SEP2001

Traveller Cheques: I have CASH again!!!!

Shopping at a market in Arequipa: I bought a moneybox (a nice little duck) as a gift for ... Well at least three of you know that story, think that's enough...

Got almost robbed: got wet in my neck - "look up" from behind - instead of looking up I walk on and then I feel that someone is grabbing at me - turning around and within seconds the lady has vanished

Sightseeing with Marie Thérèse and Peter: Discussion with a demonstrant who explains us in Spanish that they demonstrated on the occasion of Toldedo's visit to Arequipa. They are against Fujimori and hope for a better time with Toldedo.

Cuy: Tried my fist cuy, not bad but very unconvenient to eat (because of the bones).


05SEP2001

Cement plant: on the way to the Cañón de Colca we pass a cement plant (Yura) and most of the people in our bus thought that I'm crazy because I took a picture of that cement plant. Folks, I'm working for Holcim http://www.holcim.com the world's number 2 in the cement business.

Unexpected walk: some kilometers before we reach Chivay where we planned to have lunch our bus brakes (broken axis). So the group split in a "seriuos" and an "exploratory" one. The first group was walking along the road to stop another bus, the second group took a nice walk downhill with a beautiful guide (Maria Luz, the girl with the interesting "Swiss-male-peruvian-female-theorie".

Altitude sickness: from one second to the other I had no more appetite and a terrible headache. No dinner for me and a bad night.


06SEP2001

Cruz del Cóndor: if you have never seen flying a condor, you can hardly imagine how impressive it is to watch them gliding in the sky. Majestic and beautiful birds!

Patrytime 1: Went out having some drinks with Nancy and Marcos (a local from Arequipa). We ended up at a place called "Forum Rock Café". A great place for dancing, Cuba Libre (some others like Scotch) and more... (for some)!


07SEP2001

The morning after: Riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg, riiinnggg. Shit, I'm late. Didn't hear my alarm clock. Pretty short night. It's 06:35. Nancy called me at my room. Meeting time was 06:30. Quick shower and packing. I'm ready and it's 06:45. SORRY folks for beeing late!!!

Altitude sickness: has gone, this medicine (called Cuba Libre) is really excellent!!!

Cusco: Nice city, everything within walking distance and I've seen as well those things that are not within walking distance. The reason: turned left instead of right when I left the hotel and then I got lost. But that was an interesting walk as I saw the other side of Cusco: poor people, dirty houses and streets, small shops for locals and much more...

Partytime 2: Still tired from last night, I planned to go to bed early. But then we went to Ukukus, a great dancing place in Cusco. Met the Swiss girl from the region of Berne.


08SEP2001

Tow Canadians and one Swiss explore Cusco: Sightseeing, shopping, shopping, shopping, sightseeing, shopping, shopping, sighseeing, shopping, shopping, shopping, shopping...

Read more about Cusco and it's sourrounding area by using this link: http://www.culturefocus.com/peru1.htm

09SEP2001

Trip to the Sacred Valley: Lots of ruins (Sacsayhuaman near Cusco, Puca Pucara on the way to Pisac), a busy market in Pisac and some stunning landscapes along Urubamba river.

Ollantaytambo: For the kids of this village I became the famous candyman!

Let's get ready for the Camino Inca!!!