FLAMINGOS!!!

Day 12

The trip is really winding down.  We're on the last few days of vacation now.  Today mostly felt like a travel day with some scenic viewpoints and we climbed up and down in elevation.  We're heading south to Chivay.  We're off to Colca Canyon to see the condors tomorrow so we're moving closer since the best viewing is in the morning.

Up at the highest altitude of the trip
We've seen much of the countryside and hit our highest altitude at 4910m!  Most of the group have become used to the altitude.  You still feel it a bit but don't have to walk in tiny, slow steps to have enough energy to move around.  I'll still be happy to be back down low at home.

One thing for adjusting to the altitude are coca leaves.  They are the same leaves used to make cocaine.  Of course you need tons of leaves mixed with chemicals for the drug.  You can directly chew the leaves, which are high in calcium so you'll have healthy teeth as well.  Or use the leaves to make tea, or buy the candies.  It has an herbal flavor.  I found I preferred the lemon flavored products more for combating the altitude.

Flamingo
Success.  Today we saw flamingos.  Not a lot.  But a half dozen or so.  Which I am content with.  I've now seen wild flamingos so I'm happy.  
Flamingos
We also picked up a new tour guide for the next day until after the Canyon up to Arequipa.  He was big on stops to see wildlife.  He offered to stop to see the llamas and alpacas.  Which turned into less of an option when they all started running across the highway.  So we did enjoy the show of the animals running back and forth for a few minutes while the shepard caught up to them.  I was also amused as this was my first real chance to actually get out and see llamas and alpacas while in Peru.  Not counting all the people charging for pictures with dressed up animals.  Almost the end of the trip!!
alpaca and llamas on the road

We made it to Chivay for the evening.  It's a small town near the Colca Canyon.  There isn't too much to do, but a few of us went to the hot springs.  They were really nice and relaxing.  Only people really enjoyed taking a lot of pictures of people in the pool.  Which was odd.  I'm a little concerned how many pictures I'm in while wearing my bathing suit now.  The rest of the group all went into town to wander around have some coffee.  And ended up taking tuktuks back to the hotel.  




The tiniest door I've seen in a long time
The hotel is really nice.  Just a little odd.  It feels like a mountain chalet, in the middle of Peru.  Our room is upstairs through the smallest door ever.  It comes up to my shoulders at best!  And with it being Peru there are no warnings and it is totally my fault if I smack my forehead into the door.  Managed to escape that though.

But off to bed, it's another early start to get to the canyon in time for the condors.



scenic view of Chivay from the hilltop

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