Blogs from Cordillera Blanca, Ancash, Peru, South America - page 5

So we´d decided on the Santa Cruz trek, the most popular and supposedly most beautiful. It takes four days and reaches an altitude of 4800m, which is considerably higher than I´d ever been. In Huaraz, at 3000m, walking upstairs rapidly felt like quite the physical challange, so I was curious to find out what if anything this kind of altitude would do to me. On day one we got off to a bad start by setting our alarm for 6pm not 6am. Schoolboy error. I had one of those moments when you instantly wakeup bolt upright in bed because your inner "oh shit" alarm has informed you that you´re in trouble. We were only 10 minutes late, but it meant we left in a rush and half asleep, which is my excuse for what happened next. ... read more

Day 61 Had a well deserved lie in and pottered out for breakfast. Wandered around Cusco abit and then decided we would treat ourselves to a massage (4 pound each for an hour), luxury. Watched some of the football and then went for a late lunch in preparation for our night bus to Ica. Day 62 Arrived in Ica nice and early and got a taxi to Huacachina, a little oasis town out in the desert. Explored the whole town in about 10 minutes. Pretty much just a few hotels and restaurants. We considered climbing up ne of the sand dunes but sacked it off because the legs were still tired. In the afternoon we went on a sand boarding and dune buggying tour which is the main reason we came to Huacachina. Was lots of ... read more

Peru, Peru, Peru .... South America is unquestionably the land of superlatives. It appears that around evey metaphorical corner is the world´s highest lake, volcano, deepest canyon, wonder of the world etc. Mick met me at the airport in Lima at the start of September and from the momement I landed I was delighted to be here. Even fog-ridden Lima entranced me. The colours, the sounds and the feel of Lima was different to anything I have ever seen, but at the same time, unlike India, it felt comforting and homely. The latin American beat coming from every shop, the laid back attitudes of the people, old battered cars and brightly painted buildings made me want to never leave. Cusco We flew to Lima from Cusco two days later, firstly having discovered that we had been ... read more

Charlie, who I met in Lima through Andy Fyfe (an old school friend of mine), has done something that so many bored and frustrated office workers think about but very rarely do. He jacked his job in at a top accounting firm, sold everything, and is building a fine hotel / hostel on one of the most beautiful pieces of land I have ever seen, circa 3600 above sea level in the Cordillera Blanca. The hotel is perfectly situated very nearby Huascaran which is the highest mountain in Peru at just under 6800 metres high. I can see that over time it will become a little piece of Britain up in the Andes! Over the last two years Charlie has found his ideal plot of land and undergone neverending negotions with the local indigenous tribes ... read more

Ein ganz besonderes Erlebnis (mittlerer Weile in Peru) war der 5 taegige Ausflug in die Cordilliera Blanca. Georg, noch etwas mitgenommen von der Kaelte im Ecuadorianischen Hochland, ist weiter nach Lima - ich aber nach Huaraz, der groessten Stadt in mitten der weissen Gipfel. Wie meistens bin ich mit dem Uebernachtbus abends los und frueh morgens am Ziel angekommen, einziger Unterschied zu sonst: Huaraz liegt auf 3100 Meter und morgens um 6.30 Uhr sind´s nur 2 Grad ueber null, autsch!! Schnell eine Unterkunft gesucht, heissen Tee in rauhen Mengen getrunken und alle warmen Sachen die man mit hat, angezogen. Auch meine neue Akpaca-jacke in Zumbahua erstanden kam hier gleich zum Einsatz. Dann hab ich eine 4 taegigen Treck klargemacht mit einem weiteren Tag dazwischen zur Akklimatisierung. Nach meinem 5000er Erlebnis is das sicher machbar, schliesslich ... read more