[wakingdream]

My husband and I hiked the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu and had a really adventurous time. We had taken a tour of the Colca Canyon previous to our hike and were introduced to the coca leaves to aide altitude sickness and they worked liked a charm! You don't actually chew them, rather, you ball them up, stuff them in your cheek and squeeze more then chew, soaking the leaves with your saliva and creating a juice from the leaves that you then swallow. Works like a charm. It does create a bit of numbness in your mouth, but it is worth it if you're ailing from the elevation and hiking at the same time.