Peruvian Experience - Page Four
We mostly arranged to select llamas at local fairgrounds or livestock staging areas but we occasionally met ranchers on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.
We arrived in LaRaya about 5:00; no one was here, so we went directly to the hot springs bath on the hill. It was great. Today had so many highlights I’m starting to think this trip has been great. I had a conversation with Miguel today for about 10 minutes about a Canadian couple who asked him to look for the perfect male for them. He understood quite a bit of conversation in English. Also at lunch in Santa Rosa Miguel bought me a ceremonial bow and arrow for a souvenir. During our hot bath we had another hail storm though not as bad as yesterdays. We’re waiting at 6:00 PM for somebody to unlock our rooms. It seems the whole place is deserted We found out much of the staff went shopping in Sicouni and will be back hopefully by 6:30 when we will try to prepare our trail meals. My nose is fried along with my ear lobes and top of my ears. I told Rufino that this trip would be near perfect if Condor and/or his sons showed up and I bought him and if someone arranged that elusive Coke sign to be delivered. Supper was prepared around 8:00 and meals turned out pretty decent. Everyone was satisfied and some meals couldn’t be finished. I am in the same room I have been in for two other trips. This is the first time I have been here when the weather has been this warm. At 9:00, it feels like 45 or so. One last day and I’m coming home, I am looking forward to it. My total as of today is 10 males and 55 females.
In an emergency, or when we were so remote that even the small villages did not have phone service, we had a satellite phone around.
If you look closely on the Land Cruiser front door you will see "Kantu", the name of the tour company that supplied our trucks for our selecting
safaris. There are many urban myths about how Kantu got his name and now you know the rest of the story.
In between groups of llamas, resting your head in the warming sun is the thing to do.
This is my all time favorite photo from Peru. This little cutie allowed me to take her picture one early morning. The temperature was just above freezing and she was walking around with on her feet and between her toes. It didn't seem to phase her. Her dad is standing behind her next to their stone house with a grass roof.
What would a trip to Peru be without a photo op of me holding a Vicuña? There's not too many people who can say that they've done this!
Camelid selector extraordinaire Bill Coburn. Bill served as head alpaca selector for Camelids of Delaware and probably has a better eye for quality camelids than any other camelid breeder in the country. Bill's help and guidance in Peru was invaluable to me and he is partly responsible for the quality of the Peruvian llamas in the United States today.
Probably the most primitive accomodations on the trip. We stayed overnight in the mud brick house with grass roof on the right. We were, however, supplied with two sheep pelts a piece so we weren't right on the dirt floor. This co-op was at about 13,000ft.
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At 6:00 AM we rise from a good nights sleep, my bed was quite comfortable and I slept well. We stood around for two hours, finally looked at 1 group of 25 Suri alpacas and tagged 5. A pickup truck pulled in – 4 females and 2 males, the Condor group. I was somewhat disappointed Condor did not show, but his son from last year was very impressive. I have pictures from P4 showing him as a baby. We tagged him and I think Richard Patterson will be interested in him, he has perfect ears. On our way back thru Santa Rosa we stopped for lunch of chicken, fries, and rice. I bought a great calendar, maybe for Todd. When we left, a group of prospective sellers and their llamas had gathered at the turnoff at the edge of town. We stopped and tagged 5 more alpacas before starting out again. We stopped at the friend of Rufino’s just past Santa Rosa. Rufino had picked out a black and white Suri llama that I promised to buy. We tagged it for Canada. Condori, my Condor son had been in the back of Hernan’s pickup since LaRaya. He was let out here where he will stay until delivery to Tacna in the next couple of weeks. He didn't like where he was so he took off for the hills, at one point he was a ½ mile away apparently trying to find his way back home. 11/2 hours later he was lassoed and brought back, this time he seemed happy to stay with the new small heard. We finished up at this farm and headed to Juliaca. We all had dinner together before saying our goodbyes to the government guys, Jose, Bustillo and Miguel, after that, Rufino took me to the market place where I bought many llama hangings, more than I probably need. When I got back to my room I jammed my suitcases with all my clothes, my camera, wool samples, rugs, hangings, etc. It all fit but I sure hope I don’t have to unpack for any reason before getting home. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow waiting alone for my flight at 1:40 from Juliaca. If Rufino doesn’t go out for more alpacas tomorrow maybe he’ll take me to the airport so that part runs smoothly. If not I'll just have to wing it myself.