The leading team leader group in quest history started well with an awesomely organized ice climbing session, where the bo$$ aka orlando succumbed to altitude sickness and lagged disappointingly behind. Quite frankly we expected more!
Free day in la paz was good. Dumbos is the best ice cream shop ever! Just ask Tabs.
The following day we went to copacabana in a bus. Then we went to isla del sol in a boat, then we went to bed in a bed.
Sunsets are awesome, so are sunrises. We saw both so everyone was chuffed to bits.
Lake Titicaca is extraordinary, I mean extra – ordinary, swimming in it is cold but what an experience! (It’s the highest navigable lake in the world).
Sally looked awful on the boat ride back. I think she felt sick. But you can never tell with that one.

When we got back to copacabana we snacked and then bussed it to Puno, via a sweet border crossing. Got to Puno and had supper in an Italian restaurant. Post supper a few sprightly characters headed to the cake shop and unfortunately paid the price the following day, vomit-wise, making the reed islands less than jokes.
Bussed it to Arequipa which was standardly mediocre.
Got there and had supper and then headed to deja vu, the joyride of Arequipa.
Prep day for the trek was a riot, everyone chipped in and everything was listo.
Got up early for the colca canyon trek and headed to cabanaconde. First day we headed down to the bottom of the canyon, crossed the notorious colca river, and reached camp well inside time. The ´chefs´ cooked some great pasta pomodoro and then we kipped down for the night.
Woke up bright and early and trekked high and low to the next stop off point, the luxurious oasis hostel. Sunbathing was the only thing on the cards and was made all the more pleasant by the cool (please note the double entendre) swimming pool with picturesque waterfalls.
Had another early night after an awful lemon bready tuna lunch but great powdered mash with fried frankfurters. Scrumptious!
Got up at 3am and climbed out in record time, 3 hours and 27 mins and 42 seconds, not that we were counting, arriving back in Cabanaconde to find banananananana pancakes and yoghurt drink on the menu. bussed it back to arequipa via the thermal springs, which were nice, but it was generally agreed that 39 degrees is a bit too hot for a nice bath. 38 is better.

Got back to Arequipa and had a celebratory meal out before hitting deja vu again, and again and again. Another satisfactory evening.
We have now had two free days chilling in Arequipa, which some people made more of than others. Basically everyone did useful stuff like climbing and horse riding. deja vu again featured in the evenings again.

And so now we are handing over to the second leaders, which doesn’t excite anyone – at all.

What happens on trek, stays on trek.