Peruvian Andes

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We have left the land of chicken and fries (Ecuador) and headed south. Three days of bus rides leads me to a couple conclusions. First, border crossing officials have the most overrated opinion of their career choice. Second, Northern Peru is not a pretty place -- endless sand desert interrupted occassionally by sand dunes and interspersed with trash mounds. The monotony of the landscape was broken up only by one particularly eventful bus trip. A leg that was only supposed to take a couple of hours ended up lasting double that time because the driver randomly stopped for 20 minute breaks. Each time, our fellow passengers would begin yelling, stamping their feet and banging on the windows. All I understood was 'Vamos!' and something about the driver's mother.

We stopped for a rest day in Trujillo on the coast where we stay with a SERVAS host. This sweet woman was a teacher who lived by herself and was our first experience with a 'criollo' (aka conquestor blue blood). She knew the date and details of her Spanish ancestors' arrival in the 17th century. The natives (now called servants) still follow her commands when she rings her bell.

Finally, we made it to our first major destination, Huaraz. We waited in town a couple of day until our hearts stopped pounding (elevation: two miles high!). Once acclimatized, we headed into the Cordillera Blanca mountain range for a four-day trek through mountain lagoons, pampas, foothills, and glaciers. Gorgeous. Since we have long lost our Colorado fitness, we hired a mule and driver to carry our heavy rented camping gear and food and pack. I loved it! We were able to cover more distance and enjoy the views rather than coaxing my thighs to press body and pack up and down 1000 meters a day.

On our last day, we hiked out to a road with a few building and a couple residents -- one selling food, another begging for food. After waiting there in the blazing sun for three hours we began to think that the 'collectivo' (mini-van bus) was a colorful bit of local folklore. When a truck finally did pulled up, we gratefully hopped in the truck bed and utilized our rolled sleeping mats as shock absorbers. Thus, I discovered a cure for my motion sickness on twisty mountain roads -- ride on the outside! For 2 1/2 hours we bumped along throuigh the Andes past lagoons and villages and savoring constantly changing views of the peaks around us. I just hope the memory of the ride outlives the dirt which has settleed into every pore of my body.