....I am back and I am feeling very good. On the 23rd we got picked up in the hostel and went by bus to the Starting checkpoint for the Inka trail. My backpack was heavy, but when I got my sleeping back and the matt added on to it I thought I will never make it to Machu Pichu....
we started with sunshine all day on the first day and it was suppoes to be an easy day, but when you don´t do these things every day it does not feel easy. We stopped lots and had snacks and ate Coca leafs for the altidue sickness. Our group was 16 people and we started to get to know esch other while walking. Not always easy to talk while walking up hill most of the time.
There also were 2 guides and cerca 17 Porteres, who rushed passed us all the time on the track with 25kg or more on there backs. And the shoes they were wearing were somtimes just simple worn out sandals. UNBELIVABLE...
When we got our first lunch, it felt like we are doing a "5 star hike", we got a starter (soup) a main meal (rice and meat and veggetables) and a dessert (jelly). It was unbelivable how much effort had been put into the meals.
After lunch it was particular difficult to carry on walking, but we had to stick to certain times. In the evening we got to the camping site and the tents were already in place for us. And boy did I sleep well that night.
The second day we were woken with a hot tea around 5 o'clock and we strated walking around 6 o'clock. I got used to the weight on my back, but the walking turned out to be really hard. It was a very steep uphill walking. When we got to the top it was freezing cold, because we were at ca 4000m altitude below sea level and the air was scary thin. Another hours walk downhill and we arrived at our campside. It was a short day, but it was very nice to have time to relax in the afternoon. The meals just tasted so good after all the walking.
The third day was the longest day, but the scenery was facinating. Most of the time the track was mde of rocks and the fauna around us was very interesteing. It felt a bit like the jungle adn there were a lot of beautiful and interesting plants. It was cold and unfortunatly it started to rain on us. It was also a day with lots of archeological sites and our guide was brilliant in explaining everything. After lunch we just walked downhill for about one hour and after all the rain in the morning it was hot and sunny again. We took a break and then took the "new" route of the Inka trail. We walked for about an hour on the train tracks, running into the bushes whenever a train came. Our goal was the town of Aquas Calientes, were we would sleep for the night on the floor in a restaurant. Because of a landslide the inka trail is rerouted at the moment and it is not possible to walk into Machu Piccu through the Sungate. Taht was bit disappointing, but a cause of nature.
In the evening a part of hour group visited the Hot Springs at the town and we enjoyed a beer and a hot shower.
The next morning we had breakfast at 5 o'clock and we took a bus 20 minuts uphill to Machu Piccu. The hard core (2 guys from Holand and Denmark) walked up in the rain. It was interesting to see how the clouds shifted in the morning, we also were lucky to see a rainbow.We spent 2 hours with our guide in the archeological site and then had time to take in the energy.
A few of us decided to climb the famous mountain and overlook Machu Piccu from there. It was awesome, but a very scary climb. Well, downhill was worse.
After a final lunch we said good buy to our guides and went buy train for 4 hours back to Cusco.
In the evening we met at the Irish Oub for a final get together and most of them went to a Club after that.

.....I have tried Sandboarding .... lets start. We went with a buggy through the dessert and it was like a Rollercoaster. Normally I do not like adrenalin rushes, but I really enjoyed it. When he asked us to lye flat on the sanddboard and rush down quite a high slope I lost my nerves a bit, but I did it and it was actually great. After that we tried standing up and I really tried to board all the time, it was so much fun and we ended the trip through the dessert with a beautiful sunset.
My days in Huacachina ended with this experiences and I had to catch a bus to Nazca. I was picked up by owner of the hostel which was pre booked for me and I got the nicest room I had in a long time. First I had to empty my shoes and I filled half a bottle with dessert sand. I had a bit of tooth withening done as well, because the sand between my teeth just did the job when I brushed my teeth.
The next morning after breakfast we went by bus to one of the numerous mini aerports. We were rushed along so fast that I could not even think about, if I wanted to fly over the Nazca Lines or not. Well, there I was ina tiny plane flying over the famous lines, spotting all the different shapes he pointed out.It was a nice, calm flight and I did not get sick, like so many otheres do apparently.
We went to see famous graves with mummies and a ceramic and gold museum afterwards. In the afternon I took a bus to Arequipa and checked myself in a little hostel were I waited for 2 other Volunteers to arrive. At around lunchtime Sheila, Sarah and I went to eat Breakfast in a littlre Restaurant where children benefit from the income and we got a good breakfast. After that we visited the Monastery Santa Catalina, which is like a little town itsel in the middle of Arequipa.
And then there was our early day. We got up at 2 o clock and took a tour to Colca canyon ( the second deepest one oin the world, after Cotahuasi, which is also near Arequipa). It was really cold and we went by bus along bumpy roads high up into the mountains, ca 3500m to 4000m. we got an early breakfast and a Coca tea for the Altitude and then carried on to various viwpoints until we arrived on the main point. The Cruce del Condor. AFter that we view all ythe different Volcanos and made our way back. In the hostel we changed and got ready for our bustrip to Cuzco.
And thats were I am right now waiting to get ready for the Inka trail, which I am for some reason not looking forward to. But I let you know how it went for me in a few days....Ines

...after the net last night I decided to go and eat a bite and I was so surprised....
I actually was right at the Laguna Huacachina and I was not prepared for that. It was so tranquile and I sat in the little Pizzaria, where all the other Touri´s where already and ate Touri- Food. But it was areally nice slice of Pizza, after that I walk along the Laguna and decided to get up early for sunrise.

I did get up, but unfortunatly there was not much red and it went straight from dark to light, but boy was I amazed by the sight. The dessert surounding the Laguna and the Plam trees. it was like one of these Oasis in the movies. It may be sound like a clichee, but I really liked it.
Now I am in Ica to go to a museum and to go to one of the famous vinyards and in the afternoon I am getting ready for my trip through the dessert. I will try to Sandboard as well, which I never thought I would do.

Hola everybody,

I am just safe and sound in a hostel in the middle of the dessert. Yes, and there is Internet!
After leaving Trujillo 2 days ago I went from Lima almost straight to Pisco, or better the tiny part of San Andres where Monicas sister Fany waited for me already. I was looked after with a room and Fany and Claudia (her daughte) showed me the tiny town centre of Pisco and invited me to "Pollo a la Brasso". My room had a view to the see and I watched the sunset in the evening.

The next morning I left at 7.30 with a bus to take a tour to the Ballestas Islands. About 24 Tourists wnet in a little speedboat out to the open ocean. The water was as turquoise as it can get and looking closer it was unbelivable clear. I don´t think I ever seen Ocean like this. On the Island living 1000 sea lions and it was just so cute. There are a lot of indangered species and sometimes I think may be it isn´t that good that daily tons of tourists coming to see them. However I really enjoyed it and the contrast between the dessert sand and the sea is another unbelivable experience.
After that the tour continued in a Minibus through the Paracas Reserve, basically from water to sand. We looked at the see and the formations of the cliffs. We ate lovely fish and watched the traditionell fishermen, because that is the only thing what can be done in certain areas. It is under Nature protection and big fishery machines would destroy the beauty.
It was areally relaxing tour with a guide who spoke very good English, in fact I really did not learn much spanish that day.

After a lovely fruit salad I left Fany´s Hospedaje and took a bus to Ica. After about 1 hour I arrived and a taxi took me to Huacachina a tiny place inbetween Sand mountains. The hostel is one of these sweet ones again and now I am looking forward to a shower and a good nights sleep.

Hasta luego, Ines

Hola el Mundo,

here I am. Creating my own kind of little space in the world of net!!!

After a few crazy last weeks in Perú I am starting to calm down a bit.

I had 2 months of enjoyment. I worked with my little Pervian kids, I travelled to see lovely places and also to see the real Peruvians. I lived there life with them and these are the best memories I have so far. I took loads of photos, but they just don´t show what it is really like.

My last trip I went to Tarapoto. Tarapoto itself wi not very nice and the sound of the Motor taxis there is just so annoying. But I spend a day on the "Blue Lagoon" which was really relaxing for a change.I had really good company from Berlin and I think we both enjoyed speaking German for a while. We got a boat trip, got a really nice meal and after took a kajak onto the lagoon and swam in it. It was a place also for rich Peruvians to have a holiday. The next day I traveled on carzy roads to the area of Chachapoyas. Chachapoyas is very pretty and I really like the lovely hostal I stayed in. I shared a room with Danny from London and again I appreciated Company, in the vening I spent some time with other travellers and listened to their stories. The day after I went on a tour to Kuelap with Hubert from Canada. It was unbelivable difficult to reach Kuelap. The streets were just so muddy and we cam to the point were the car could not carry. We got a car on the other side luckyly. Kuelap was amazing and beautiful and it is a pre- inka site which I find more beautiful than a lot of Inka sites. I was in the clouds there and I am not joking. One is surrounded by clouds and my pictures were proof, but there is a story I am comning to ....
Hubert and me were going to walk with our guide, but nobody could have guessed taht we would walk for 4 hours in the rain on muddy roads. I was well prepared, but my shoes were just mud clonks on my feet. We walked and walked and were both abit shocked how long it took. In the end it was a 4 hour walk. I had to run and rush the otheres, because Iw as booked on the 8 O clock bus to Trujillo. Anfd after a Txi ride which seemed endless we just made the bus.

I had not eaten or drank much. I was not perpared for a 15 hour bus trip and I was soaked and muddy. We got something to eat in the bus and then I just tried to sleep. The bus stopped for ca 2 hours at night, because of road problems. Then carried on and at about 5 o clock it stopped again, but it did not move until 11 o clock. I was still in my muddy shoea and after being 17 hours like this I asked the busdriver for my bag to change clothes. The site of my feet was scary and I thought I am goign to be sick for a long time. But I returend home that evening and I was just very tired.

2 days later I was going to downlowad the pics of the unforgetable trip in my friends house. On the road whilst looking fo a taxi I got mugged and my complete Camera andt stuff got stolen. I was quite upset mainly, because I miss all the lovely pics and becaue I have my main trips still to come.... but that is Perú and one has to deal with this overe here. sometimes it is possible to buy everything back on special markets and my family here wa trying, but impossible and alsi very expensive, more that the shop price in Europe.

Another day later I had to witness how the Tv in my part of the house got robbed and that was even mor scary and very unfortunate. But that is a long story again and I guess it is for other times.

I just had a bird poohing on me in the street, which means "LUCK". I hope it helps.......

Hope to hear from some of you,
Love Ines