Peru and Beyond

Hola amigos!
Time flies when you're having fun, and it's hard finding time to go on the internet. Puno was great, lake Titicaca is huge and very beautiful. I made a tour to the islands of Los Uros, Amantani and Taquile, spending the night at Amantani island at a family there together with 2 South African friends, Riaan and Justin. At night we had to dress up in traditional clothing and go to a dance, very funny. However we decided fast enough that watching the stars there was much more interesting.

After Puno I took the night bus to Cusco; what a city! The center is very touristic indeed, but cos the town is so big, you can easily take a cab to find some great local shopping. I found a nice sleeping bag for 100 soles, necessary for my 5 days Salkantay tour to Machu Pichu (that place of ruines that every tourist visits in Peru). I experienced the true Peru feeling: I was supposed to leave on the trail on a sunday at 5am. I was all packed and ready to go, and waited... and waited... No one showed up untill 9 am telling that the trip was postponed for another day because of the elections that day.... So I got another fun day shopping and sitting in an Irish pub with the australian friends I made, Adrian, Margerita and Nick.

The next day we finally went hiking: it was quite a tough tour, the first three days a 9 hours hike with quite some steep mountains to cover. The first two nights where freezing too: the first just because it was so high altitude, the second because the horses with our gear didn´t show up at the camping place... We had only 4 tents with the 15 people, and no sleeping bags what soever... brrr! The next morning the bags turned up, unfortunately my backpack was ripped apart by the rocks... Thank god for duct tape!

The third day we had the pleasure of a hot spring to relax our sore muscles, fantastic. And we finally had a good meal, what a feast. The fourth day started off with an exciting truck ride: we were packed in the back of a truck, driving like crazy on steep cliffs with dazzling views. Arriving at the hydroelectrics for lunch (wasn't really anything to see there) we had the chance of taking the train to Agua Calientes (last town before Machu Pichu) or to hike for another three hours. So Craig, Carlos and I had a great time on the train ;)

Then finally, the last day, starting at 5 am with a hard climb of an hour and zillions of steps all the way up to Machu Pichu. But what a treat when you arrive at the top! The ruins are huge, and it once must have been a blooming city of the incas. For the fit people amongst us there was extra treat: the mountain next to the city could be climbed to get a great overview of the ruines. Took you just a small hour of another zillion steep steps... But again it was worthwhile. From the top it was possible to take an extended tour all the way round the mountain. Craig and I took went for it, while it was just starting to rain... One and a half hour later we were soaked all through, but content to have done the excercise. It did however make me miss the train back to Cusco, although it allowed us to enjoy a relaxing extra night in Agua Calientes, remembering the impressions of Machu Pichu.

After all the excercise, I was really longing for some relaxing beach time, so I´ve started the enormous tour toward the north of Peru. First a nightbus of 14 hours to make a stop to go sandboarding, I was sooooooo fast! However it might not have been the right choice of relaxation: my arms are both cut by the speed of touching the sand, and my toes got ripped by some shells and stone during the final incredibly steep descend. The next day I took another 18 hours of night busses to get to Pacasmayo to visit my australian friens on the beach, resulting in a very sour throat and head.

Now it´s really time to take some rest and let my body recouperate. However, it´s still another night bus tonight to get to paradise beach Mancora! Tomorrow I´ll do nothing but lying on the beach enjoying the ocean and the Sun... I definately need a week of that!