The secret to chewing coca leaf is NOT to chew but save it in your mouth pit for 25 min till its wet and mushy green like Hulk. Only after this you should chew it and your chick will star feel numbed. Keep on putting new leafs in your mouth for about 3-4 hours and your body will ignore hunger thirst pain and likewise. It takes a lot of practice before you master the art of chewing coca leaf…

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Above is one of my favorite pictures from my last trip. An old woman preparing coca leafs in small plastic bags for people who is about to hike along The Inka Trail. Everybody chew coca leaf around Cusco and the Inkas as it is elevated between 2000 and 3500 m. It keeps you in a better fit. Your breathing becomes better, you dont get the headeache, hunger is minimized and your body can go on for a longer time if you keep on chewing for the entire day.

Me chewing coca leaf on my way along the Inka Trail. In the beginning I could not feel anything. After a while sucking the juice out my chin became numbed and I felt more clear in my head after being elevated to 3000 something. You have to keep stuffing leaf in your mouth to keep the feeling going. Luckly the coca leafs dosent cost anything so you can buy new bags along the trail.