Condors and hikes

Hola Chicos!

I`m sitting in a Internet cafe this time. Our crappy crapy hostel in Arequipa doesn´t have Internet or Wifi. :( So the update is not to long this time. Also need to pack my bag as well for tomorrow morning. We are climing a vulcano for the next 2 days and leave at 8. Vulcano is the El Misti and almost 6000 meter high. So early to bed as well.
As I said, now in Arequipa, but I´ve also been to el Canyon del Colca, the biggest canyon in the world (about 3000m deep). Lin is at the hostel with Chris (he´s been with us since Machu Picchu) and I´m just checking my email. We just had dinner as well: for 3,50 soles a menu with soup, main course, dessert, thee and bread. Ow yeah, 1 euro is about 4,14 soles. :D CHEAP!
Well, here it comes:

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1) Canyon del Colca, walking and walking
On the 8th we arrived in Cabanaconde after a 24h yourney (although it is only 15 hours away from Cuzco). But we found a really great hostel named Pachamama. :P We also met 2 Danish (Mette and Soren) and next day we, Chris and the Danish set off to a hike of 3 days in the canyon. It began with going down 1300 meters to a little village (excisting out of 1 local and a hostel) called Llahuana. On the way there we also did some rock gliding and spent some time in the hot springs near the geisers in the river. Took us 5 hours to get there though. Next day up early and goin on to see the waterfall(s) in Fure. But I didn`t want to go to the end, for I thought they weren't that amazing (and after I saw the pics Chris took, I was glad I didn`t). So after about 4 hours walking to get to Fure, me and Lin went on to Sangalle. Another 4 hour hike. Here we stayed in the oases and took a dive into the pool (which was freezing since the sun was gone). And then, next morning another 3 hours uphill (1300 meter) to go back to Cabanaconde. Unfortunately it was raining in the afternoon, so we sad in the hostel instead of goint to one of the miradors to check out the condors. So we did this this morning before getting the bus back to Arequipe. They are really massive birds! And about 4 hours ago we got in our shitty hostel and arranged our tour for tomorrow.

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2) The Route

This was my trip:
- 22/01/09 I flew to Aruba to visit and pick up Linda;
- 03/02/09 We went to Washington DC and visited Mariska;
- 06/02/09 We took take the bus to New York and slept in our first hostel;
- 10/02/09 We had a flight to Orlando and did 2 days Disney World
- 13/02/09 Drove to Miami were we did Miami city and the Keys;
- 17/02/09 Flew to Bogota (Colombia);
- 23/02/09 Cartagena;
- 24/02/09 Santa Marta and la Ciudad Perdida (6 day hike in the jungle);
- 02/03/09 Taganga (rest!);
- 04/03/09 Medillin;
- 05/03/09 Salento (Zona Cafetera, between Perreira and Armenia);
- 08/03/09 We took the bus to Ipiales (border) and left Colombia behind us;
- 09/03/09 Quito;
- 13/03/09 Galapagos (8 day cruise and 2 days on Santa Cruz for diving);
- 22/03/09 Guayaquil;
- 25/03/09 Lima;
- 28/03/09 Huarachina (Sandboarding);
- 29/03/09 Nazca lines;
- 30/03/09 Cuzco;
- 01/04/09 Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu (hot springs and ruins);
- 04/04/09 Cuzco again;
- 07/04/09 Bustrip to Canyon Country;
- 08/04/09 Cabanaconde and the canyon itself (3 day hike);
- 11/04/09 Arequipa and El Misti vulcano;

And then what we planned (hopefully we’ll make it :P)
- 13/04/09 Puno and/or Copacabana(crossing to Bolivia, lake Titicaca)
- 14/04/09 A short visit to Bolivia will bring us to La Paz, maybe some jungle and some salt desert;
- 20/04/09 We will continue to go south, but only go to Arica in Chile and in Argentinia we only go to the waterfalls at border of Urugay/Brazil and Buenos Aires;
- 05/05/09 Brasil (Rio, Brasilia, Pantagan or Amazone Jungle);
- 26/05/09 I hope to fly to the states again (:S) to visit Joanna in Saint Louis and then Chicago at the same time. However, depends on my money.
- 04/06/09 B-day of Ta ;)
As you can see, tight schedule. So everyone that wants to go to South America: 4 months isn’t enough!!!

Roughly my trip after North and South America will look like this:
- 07/09 (or 06/09) Australia (working and traveling 1 year, maybe with Katie);
- 05/10 (or 06/10) Asia (Indonesia, Philipijnen, Maleisia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Korea and Japan, maybe with Isabel for a while);
- 11/10 Trans-siberian Railway Peking Express through among others Peking (China), Mongolia, Jarkoetsk (Rusland), Onsk (Rusland), Moskou (Rusland) for 18 days (maybe with Robbert);
- 12/10 Home sweet home, Wingman back in the Netherlands.

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3) My to do list

In one of the first messages I wrote, I said that you could let me do certain things in exchange for money. Here is the status quo:

- Get (naked) on national tele in the USA: Waiting if were on, being taped for Comedy Central and MTV’s the Fashion Show ~ REWARD: € 100,- by Ruud and Youri;
*** (nearly) ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Find a famous place/square and be a street artist: I forgot my jiggling balls every time I went into Paris or other cities, but I had some audience in Zipaquire. ~ REWARD: € 100,- by Ruud and Youri;
- Enjoy your trip: I will! ~ REWARD: € 25,- by Hans (Thank you Hans!!)
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Shave your head bold: since my mum shaved me twice I'm almost hairless now. :S ~ REWARD: € 3,50 by Sarah H;
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Come to the Luna-Tik Switch: since I'm in Maastricht now (and bored) and waiting till 10h, I think I'll manage. ~ REWARD: free entrance as per Erik;
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Carry Mickey around the world and take pictures in famous places: I WILL! ~ REWARD: A cool photo collection, as per me!;
- Get married in Las Vegas in an Elvis Suite and stay married for at least 6 months: Linda s not interested ~ REWARD: € 450,- as per Erik;
*** FAILED ***
- Carry the hand cups around that I ‘won’ with the Saint Nicolas Surprise: they are still on my back, but people looked weird when I took them into the jungle ~ REWARD: ??? told by Jule;

Did I forget one, do you want to add one?? Let me know!!
Do you want to add some?? Let me know!!

NOTE!! I’m running out of quests, please give me some more!!!

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4) Games

A little game for all:

Each person that posts, must repeat the sentence 'I will go on holiday and take with me:', repeat the items of previous persons and add one item of his own.

This is where we left of and since nobody played last post, we’ll stop with this one:

*I'll go on holiday and take with me: my backpack (Inge, afblijven!), my hand cups, Inge's prom dress, Mickey Mouse, a snorkel, juggling balls, 1 under pens, a passport, mama's toothbrush, Linda!, a winter jacket, snow boats, my MP3 player, mama’s bracelet, some dollars to buy breakfast, everybody’s notes with the best wishes on them (there actually at my parents Erik) and my lonely planet. :D

Here’s a new one:

Each post must say a number (in sequence from one till 50). The one who is number 50, will receive a little reward. :) And there will be a secret number reward as well!

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That was short. Hope to hear from u all again. I’m going to pack and sleep. Pics will follow somewhere in Bolivia or Puno. Although I had some downers, my moral is back and I`m going on. :) See ya all in a bit.

Ow yeah, Ruud, tha parashut jump we`ll still do. And I was on national TV (MTV), so hand over the meny. :P

And Paul (and others), check which numbers are already taken!!!

Kisses, great love and more from the one and only Wingman aka Ralf and a hug from Mickey!!!!

PS. Who has some more quests for me!?!?!