Do not panic dear reader! Spikes in ice...

What are we about to do...

Well, from time to time, people make some crazy choices of ways to spend a day or two... and it was crazy but calculated. With the group deciding to spend the spare days in La Paz we went to a travel agent and found all our options and well, what we chose was another challenge ( but wow!) With two of the 5 amigos mountain trained, and one a risk manager by profession and all looking for a hint of excitement we decided to take on a 6,000 mtr mountain peak!

Huayna Potosi ( 6038m), a treking mountain in the Cordillera Real (Bolivia) involves a half day trek to 5130m, a half nights sleep (?) at the refugio and a 1am start to scale the snow and ice slopes to the summit.

Plan A was for Jen to trek to the refugio with us but she was feeling a bit poorly for the day and stayed home in a warm bed ( hummmm, who made the best decision we wonder)

We got as far as 5,700m turnaround, disappointed at not getting to the top but also really pleased with our efforts we reaturned wiith our guide to the refugio (high camp) before descending to base camp and the trip home to La Paz.

We all were united next day safe and sound in La Paz tp plan our next FLAT GROUND adventure.

Huayna Potosi ( 6038m) on the drive in
Apprehensive or excitement ?
The trek up to high camp refuguo
We made it this far... 4pm day 1
What are these spikey things ? Crampons and ice axe! ... lets g0 play With instuction from Tim and barb, Deb and Vonny got the basic idea before we retired for the night at 7pm!

this is a beginner mountain? Ice steps (but look Mums, we are on ropes)

Sunrise from 5,700mtrs after 4 hours plodding up hill

Barb, Tim and Vonny at the turn around point of 5,700 - too stuffed to keep going another 4 hours up - wise decision ( Deb made a better decision earlier turning back before it got even colder)
Tim - the water had slightly defrosted now the sun is up

this was the tricky bit...not for novices in our opinion but as the novice is writing the blog....I survived my on mountain training - Cheers Tim-Barb.

See - all fit and well at Thursday breakfast with Max from Elis diner in La Paz.

Buen Comida!

Mate de coca... these same leaves were the secret ingredient in coca cola and also cocaine!

Purple corn.. makes interesting drinks and puddings.

We have eaten some great food and looked at some very interesting food too!



ceveiche -A traditional dish, fish soaked in lemon/lime juice

after a days walk down 1500m who would expect this for breakfast...

.... certainly helped us wiuth the 1500m uphill!

and beautiful drinks with magnificent view over the main square in Cuzco.

Keke - Keke -Keke- Deb is in heaven, at every turn there are more cakes...

They taste great although some of the look like they are made with plastic icing!

Ordering alpacha steak was difficult with a photo of an alpaha watching over us but..

it tasted great!

Cuy (cooee) a cute little guinea pig.. makes delicious soup. They make little homes for them in their kitchens so at least we know they are fresh. Deb looked keen to try when they gave us the complimentary bowl in a local restaurant but then... none of actually tried it!

Fiesta de Diablo

Our first night in Puno followed the very scenic drive over the Alto Plano which we think might be the highest altitude of the trip at 4300m. Just breathing is difficult be we are rapidly aclimitising again after this jump in altitude from Cusco.

Who said Puno was boring and not worth stopping at? This was the word we had been given but when we arrived the place was in mayhem with the Festival of the Devil. Drums loud enough to split the proverbial eardrums and costumes you wouldnt belive. Following are some examples of the action. It started just as we arrived at about 7pm and was still going at 11pm when we retired.

Tim even joined in!
So now we have just come off the waters of Lake Titticaca which was a delightful tourist trap. The trap bit is that you cant visit the floating reed islands in the lake without getting caught up in sell jobs. However, the islands themselves are quite amazing. They are very soft and spongy and you feel like you might fall through into the water at any time but you dont.

Rain, lamas and strange happenings in Macchu Picchu

OK, we have seen Machu Pichu now. Overall we thought Maachu Pichu was great. We were a little worried that with all the hype about it, we would be a little dissapointed, especially after having visited Choquequero, which is bigger. Also, when we woke up at 4;45am to climb waynapichhu (the small mountain next to the main site) it was pouring with rain. This was the best view we saw and you can see the clouds. We spent a lot of time standing and staring, waiting for a gap in the clouds, like these three senioritas.

It was a fairly steep climb back down as you can see from the following pic.

When we came down though the weather cleared and we had an excellent day slowly touring the site. we had a guide for 2 hours and were there from about 6;30 in the morning till about 4pm.

On the right is is a pic of Barbra eating one of Marie Palmer´s amazing cookies which she saved all this time for this special place. Below tim and barbra share some private time with the lamas. You can see Waynapicchu in the background of two of these pics.

Apart from Marie´s cookie, the highlight of the day had to be this rather bizarre display of dancing from the baggage boy on the Peru Rail service coming back from Machu Pichu.

We are now back in cuzco and will catch a bus to Puna tommorrow morning.

Tim

Bobs Birthday Dinner

Although Bob(Dad to some) wasnt able to make it we all enjoyed a candle lit dinner over looking a small stream.

Happy Birthday!

Choquequirau

dancing lady orchid

look where we have been
Our goal of the Inca city of Choquequirau
the first shadows of the day

The five amigos at the ruins of Choquequirau after two days of trekking to get here!

The two oldies who walked all the way while the other 3 enjoyed a bonus mule ride!
The five amigos and the trekkking team including horse handlers, cooks and guide after 4 days of trekking in the Andes.


Well what can I say about the extreme trek!
This is the start

Four days and three nights of amazing achievements, wonderful food and stunning scenery...don´t take our word for it ...I challenge you to come and see for yourself...pack your serious climbing legs for the 1500 metres of up from canyon floor to Choquequirau. 7km, all day of UP!


At this stage we were only half a day behind the schedule and that was using the ambulance mule for the steepest of ups

Footbath was the reward ( note Deb´s new copper coloured puffer jacket getting a run, it was cold!)

Amazing mountains, the largest snow capped and our mountain was kriss crossed with tracks, we lost count at 50 switchbacks in the 7 km climb and down and it seemed to go on forever. Then suddenly out of the forest or over the next hump was a resting place with local softdrinks and snaks. IncaKola was sold for 3 soles (about 1 Aud!) in the middle of nowhere, two days trek from somewhere.

Not so friendly bitting insects made a meal of us and we have saved you from photos of the hideous ¨best legs¨competion-not suitable for public viewing!

day 1

start of day 2, down to the river then up 1500mtrs

lunch day 2 and still more UP to come

later on day 2!

lunch day 3

day 4 walking out of the big valley towards the pick up point

Colourful Sights

We were very lucky to walk down our very narrow, steep, cobbled-stoned street

to arrive in the Plaza just as the Niños parade went by. It seems that there was a special childrens festival. The girls swirled their skirts in time with the band that followed them while the boys marched along all in traditional costumes.