Lima and our trip to Cusco

Our day in Lima gave us a chance to regroup, have a long hot shower, sit at one of the surfing beaches for a while, get through the pile of laundry, and we have to admit eat a couple of huge plates of spaghetti (a food our bodies are more used to). The suburb of Miraflores is a very modern tourist part of Lima with some very modern shops including LacoMar built into the cliffs above the ocean. Our intention was at some point to get to some of the museums we had heard about especially the Museum of Gold, but were fortunate to see a smaller exhibition at the shopping centre. The gold and precious metal collection from pre-Columbian times is just astonishing to view. In the afternoon we ventured into downtown Lima with backpacks held tightly to our chests - as with all big cities, downtown is not always the safest place to carry cameras, etc. Again we managed it utilising the local colectivos, without resorting to taxis. We couldn´t have visited Lima twice now without viewing the architecture of downtown Lima. Our flight the next day to Cusco was short but with mostly clear skies, the views of the central Andean mountains and deep gorges were spectacular. We start our first five day trek out of Cusco early tomorrow morning and really looking forward to the adventure.

Other Travellers

Part of the backpacking experience is the opportunity to meet other travellers, share ideas and plans, and occassionally join other groups on trips. We have chatted to people from many different countries and some travelling for longer than us.

- Many volunteer workers from Canada and New Zealand expecially around Huancayo.

- A dutch guy cycling through Ecuador, Peru and Brazil for four months. Just astonishing that he has been able to survive the mountain roads. Cyclists I think are the least respected of all on the roads.

- A young american girl who after attempting to make sense of the Quechua language and its numerous dialects remotely, gave up, and came to Peru to learn it for two months.

- Travellers from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Holland, UK, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Denmark.

- I had to include the attached photo of a favourite of mine, although Heather dislikes the taste completely. The traveller from UK says at times he remembers to carry his marmite with him and leaves his passport unattended in his room ! This was a special edition from Valentines Day in the UK.

Huancayo to Lima

We arrived safely in Lima, but not without a few heart stopping moments. Our choice of bus company turned out to be great - considerably cheaper than other more popular services, and a three part served lunch. We were seated at the very front of the upper level of a double-decker bus. We were able to stretch our legs and also have a grand panoramic view of the countryside ahead and to the side of us. The disadvatange was our very close view of just unbelievable overtaking manoeuvres attempted by most traffic on the road ! Any defensive driver would have done the route in 10 rather than 7 hrs. The views of the high central andes though were extraordinary. In some places my idealistic expectations were shattered by a scarred landscape from extensive mining operations, but I guess that is a reality now in many places worldwide.

On the move again !

It has been a terrific two weeks in and around Huancayo, and we have now completed our two weeks of Spanish lessons. The rural homestay was just great, and by the end of the week we were really comfortable and settled. Our next new destination in Peru is Cusco, the tourist hub, where we have prebooked two five day treks. Our one option was to travel by bus from Huanacyo via Ayucucho to Cusco, a total time of at least 32 hours of bus travel. We ¨chickened¨ out of this option, and this afternoon we are travelling by bus (7 hrs) to Lima for two nights, and then will fly to Cusco on Monday. We are looking forward to the bus trip in the daylight hours which is along the same route as the highest train journey in the world. Unfortunately the train only currently operates twice a month, and tomorrows trip is through the night.

Rural Homestay, Tres de Diciembre

Before we left Canada, we had organised the week of spanish lessons, followed by five days of rural homestay living with a rural family. The idea was to improve our spanish further but also to experience a lot more about rural life in Peru. We are living with a family in the small community of Tres de Diciembre. Each morning we commute approximately one hour via colectivo back into Huancayo to continue our spanish lessons, and then return to the family home at lunch time. Into our third day now, the experience has been tremendous and humbling. The main "man of the house" Ruben has been our host, but many members of his direct and extended family live in houses close to us with cultivated plots in and around the homes. The houses are extremely rustic. There is electricity for lighting but cooking is done over a wood fire and there is no running water or hot water at the moment. We have found out we are the first backpackers to live with the family. Each day, Ruben is hard at work improving the facilities. A toilet seat and lid was added, but the toilet still does not flush. A shower head heater was added as well, but at last try was still not working. The additions are being added I think to reduce the culture shock of people like us visiting. We are actually extremely comfortable and safe, and within a day of being with them, there is lots of joking and conversation with our rudimentary spanish and lots of hand signals. Ruben and his 88 year old mother have also taken to adding phrases and words from the local Quechua language which just confuses us completely. The food is basic, lots of potatoes and rice, always together. Ruben and his family however are extremely friendly and hospitable. Each afternoon we have been taken on long walks meeting new members of the family and seeing more of the countryside. In the photo from left - Ruben, Hernestino, Patri, Sara and Jeremi.

Huaytapallana

Today we finally travelled right up into the surrounding mountains close to Huancayo. The destination was the mountain of Huaytapallana and its associated glacier. Neither of us were sure how our bodies would react to a jump in altitude above 4800 m, but when the day was done we were both feeling okay, just a little wary. A two hour drive from Huancayo brought us to the starting point along with seven other hikers and a guide. The six hour hike was tough over rough terrain and at altitude, but the scenery was nothing short of spectacular. The colours of the lake at the base of the snowy ridge were exquisite, and the area pristine. We finally saw some herds of llama high up on the slopes. Domestic animals have obviously taken the place in many areas of the historic dependence on the indigenous wildlife, but high up on the andean slopes, the llama has its place.

Chupaca, Close to Huancayo

Our week of Spanish lessons was concluded with an outing on Saturday. First stop via bus was the livestock market held in Chupaca every Saturday. The market was extensive comprising rough areas set aside for sheep, (and the slaughter of sheep), pigs, cattle and horses. I had expected to see llama and alpaca being traded but by the end of our walk through the market, we only spotted a single llama foal going for the price of 120 Soles (CAN$ 42). Again, the market was not a typical tourist attraction but a great way to experience a little more about rural life in Peru. Our next stop was an archaeological site set on a high ridge with commanding views of the valley. The site consists of grain storage buildings built approximately 1200 years ago. The positioning is significant - to protect the stored grain which was at risk of theft by other tribes, as well as help preserve the grain by exposing it to cool winds coming off the surrounding high mountains.

Around Huancayo

During the afternoon when our heads are full from the spanish lessons, we have tried to explore a bit around Huancayo which is situated in a huge valley high up in the Andes. Close to the town are some unusual rock formations formed by erosion named Torres Torres, and up on the hillside provides great views across the valley. Within an hour or two of the town are small villages, each specialising in a specific craft. Today we visited two of them, one known for its weavings of alpaca wool, and the other for its silver jewellery. It is just astonishing to walk into a tiny village and find store after store filled with silver and gold jewellery. We are quite proud of ourselves as we are getting the hang of getting around via colectivos (minivans). They are very efficient and extremely cheap. A ride of at least 30 minutes often only costs a single soles (CAN 35 cents). We continue to find the local people extremely helpful and friendly.

Spanish Course, Huancayo

We have completed three days of spanish lessons now, three hours a day. Heather and I have our own tutor who has been excellent in teaching, and also explaining far more about life in Peru. This morning we went to the local food market in Huancayo to practise our spanish - a real eye opener ! The beef, pork, mutton, chicken and guinea pig hang out in the open. The vegetable and fruit stands are numerous - Peru claims to have over 3500 varieties of potatos. Our task was to purchase the ingredients, and then head back to the hostel to prepare lunch, a local dish named papa rellena (fried mashed potato with a meat filling). The spanish learning has been hard, but we are starting to get to grips with at least some basic communication. Erica, our tutor, also took us through the traditional medicine part of the market, some very weird items for sale ! One particular drink we have been warned to stay away from is liquidised frog (extracto de rana). We saw the glass containers filled with live frogs, with the accompanying blender in the background. It would not have been a part of the town that Heather and I would have headed into on our own.

Sea Birds, National Reserve of Paracas, Peru

Huancayo, Peru

For the next week we are now based in Huancayo, still up in the mountains, but a lesser altitude than Huancavelica. We are taking spanish lessons for three hours each day for the week, and our first lesson was this morning. Wow, that was hard going back to school ! learning language rules and then as always the exceptions that just complicate things. Our hostel is also home to a large group of canadian university students working on a local volunteer building project which gives us a chance to socialise with other english speakers. Two days ago we travelled by train (a single carriage with engine) through the mountains to Huancayo. The mountainous route was unexpectedly inhabited almost the whole way with some cultivated plots high up on the steep mountain slopes. Any available ground with topsoil seems to be utilised, despite its inaccessibility. One highlight of Huancayo has been the sunday market which stretches for many city blocks - some unusual stands including a few selling cures for tape worm with accompanying displays of live and dead specimens !

Huancavelica, Andes Peru

Wow, what an incredible two days and we are now in Huancavelica at 12000 ft, a small town in the Peruvian Andes. We left Nazca early yesterday and travelled north again up to the coastal town of Pisco. Pisco is a mess having suffered from an earth quake in August last year that destroyed 50% of the houses and buildings and has only just started rebuilding. We travelled out of town on a guided tour to the National Reserve of Paracas that appears to be like a view into the Sahara Desert. However, the cliffs and islands are a mass of roosting and nesting sea birds a few with spectacular colouring, and at least two species of oyster catchers. We still need to study up a bit on some of the species names. The afternoon in Pisco was to wait for our overnight bus inland and up into the Andes and to the town of Huavancelica. The whole bus trip was just a nightmare and we managed little sleep. It was overcrowded, the mountain roads were horrific, and we were both very relieved to get to Huancavelica safely. The day has ended though on a brighter note with a terrific parade in town, with musicians, bands, and lots of brightly coloured local costumes on display. The town has a picturesque location surrounded by steep mountain peaks, and in the distance some snow covered peaks.

Nazca Lines, Nazca

A day started off with a 30 minute flight above the Nazca Lines, figurines and lines, on a plateau close to the town. The geoglyphs are nothing short of incredible and unbelievable that an ancient civilisation could have created these. (See photo below of the spider). We came into town having heard about a light plane crash 20 days earlier that ended in the deaths of the occupants. We were careful to pick a reputable travel company and in the end the flight in a small cessna was incredible and the pilot professional. Just an extraordinary area from many perspectives. Of interest is how many of the local plants in gardens are no different to many garden plants planted back in South Africa, although the reminder is also of unwanted south american exotics that are difficult to eradicate from natural areas in southern Africa. At least it is not all one directional, and one restaurant downtown has vases full of freshly picked strelitzia. Frequently we are also chatting to other travellers from around the world, (UK, Sweden), and sharing ideas and plans. Of interest is that some of them are our age and older which reassures us of our decision to travel like this.

Peru South Coast

We have just arrived in Nazca a few hundred km south of Lima. The coastal area all the way has been unexpectedly sparse and desert like except for green areas along the valleys and river banks. Not a blade of grass on some very high mountainous areas, but very beautiful and unusual. This area has not received any significant rainfall since the last ice age. We spent one night 40 km inland at a small village called Lunahuana and drank our first pisco sour - a local liquer type beverage. Yesterday we also had our first experience of being ripped off by the local taxi drivers, and hopefully we have learnt our lesson now. Otherwise the bus and minivan infrastructure is excellent and we are slowly getting better at travelling around. So far so good and Heather and I are loving the experience !

Day 1 - Lima, Peru

What a great day exploring parts of Lima after a rapid taxi transfer from the airport to our hostel last night. We had pre-arranged this to avoid having to find our way late at night. We did a lot of walking today ! The city is extensive and stretches for miles, with a lot of obvious poverty and run down areas. Close to Miraflores the ¨beach¨ is nothing more than a city dump slowly being reclaimed it appears. What a shock to see refuse against the pounding waves of the Pacific ocean. There are some definite highlights including the people who are extremely friendly and eager to help when we found ourselves trying to ask for directions with hand signals - the language barrier is prohibitive. The site of two ancient ruins within the confines of the city is spectacular. One dating back to an era at least 1600 years ago. Tomorrow we head out of the city along the south coast.

South America - Here we come !

Well tomorrow, Heather and I fly via Miami into Lima, Peru. South America is new for both of us. Not sure we will sleep tonight because of the anticipation ! The backpacks are packed and we think we have everything in order, although I am sure we are going to learn many things on the road that we could have done differently. Very few clothes, except for the critical warm gear that we are sure we will need at times in the mountains and further south in Argentina and Chile. The camera is packed along with the telephoto lens, and covered by insurance - just in case ! The sleeping bags were ditched yesterday, and we have liners instead. We are taking a lightweight tent and mattresses, along with a light stove and pot. We have a money belt, two waist pouches, two leg pouches and a bra pouch for Heather, to keep the money, credit cards and important documents hidden. I think the biggest risk for theft is the camera. There are no regrets about our decision to put aside our jobs for six months - what a privelege to be able to experience new countries and cultures, and see magnificent landscapes.