Colca Cola

I trekked around Colca Canyon in record time, and it didn't kill me. As usual, I did in a total of six hours what everyone says takes nine (and in two days what most people do in three, because I don't like enjoying things leisurely--that's for tourists). First day was a four hour hike down the steep, steep wall of the canyon, over the river, and then a traverse along the side and through some villages. I crossed the river one more time at the very end and stayed for $1.50 in a bamboo hut at a place called "Oasis". They served spaghetti for dinner, and I got to use my travel chopsticks again (thanks, Ryoko!). I met two cool guys there, too. One was a kiwi recently made redundant and spending his severance doing his own long-distance, long-term traveling. The other was a Spanish guy from Majorca who used to be a professional tennis player and now teaches lessons. Every September, he gives himself a trekking holiday. He may have convinced me to tail-end my excursion with a 30 day pilgrimage across the north of Spain to Santiago de Compostela. He's the second Spaniard I've met here who's exuberantly recommended it. Then again, I've known too many Spaniards...