Huanchaco Inn

... bus towards Huaraz - which was a totally different experience to our first overnight bus in peru! It was like being on a plane, with a hostess and a free snack &amp; drink, and an awfully bad but funny movie with jacky chan!<br><br>We were going from sea level up as far as 4,000m before dropping back down to 3,000m where Huaraz sits...in the middle of the Cordillera Blanca area of snow capped mountains and turquoise mountain lakes.....<br><br><br>

... OK. The border crossing was also alright (duration: 15 min ), except for the bordercontrol in Peru, which was in a very deep sleep and didn´t know he was at work ;-). We had read in our Rough Guide that Huanchaco is the ideal place as beginning for the many trips you can do around the big city of Trujillo. The travelguide also recommended to stay in Casa de Sueza, which we can also strongly recommend to everyone who is staying in Huanchaco. The rooms are spacious ...

... it was time to head off to Mancora... to get on this night bus, we had a step further than our posh "cruz del sur" one, where we had a private "boarding room" and a security check and security video (like aeroplanes) and a hostess checking we were strapped in, and video cameraing us...maybe so they could identif us if something bad happened.. I dont know... but this time we also had to give our fingerprint...!!<br><br>Next stop Mancora... and the sand, sea and surf... and a seafood diet!<br>

... channels and things coming from a few rivers and are growing crops, but these green spots are few and far between.<br>In Trujillo I got a bus to Huanchaco, a nearby surf town which was definately going to be better than staying in a big faceless city.<br>I went out an had tea by myself, then took off to bed, still quite worn out from the bus and my sooking the night before!<br><br>Wednesday 21st October<br>Up early and off to Chan Chan ruins. These things stretch as far ...

... the original designs from the restored stuff. Although I understand that it has been done to give people an idea of how it used to look, it really felt like it has been made from scratch just to bring in more tourist revenue.<br><br>There are two other sites, besides the main palace and complex, that are also available to visit. To an extent I enjoyed these a little more. They are much smaller in size but more of the original carved designs are visible and they ...

... pm, I proceeded to walk 200 ft from the bus terminal to buy a hamburger and was warned by several people to not go walking about by myself. Later, while walking an extra 500 ft to a busy bus stop, I had a friendly woman worrying up one side and down the other for me. She asked if I was scared, suggesting I should be, and I was a little, but the registered taxi drivers at the station seemed to think I'd be ok on a bus to the airport at 7 pm, and it turns out I was. I'll say this, though, it ...

... any problem with the strike, and the bus would be leaving as scheduled. We got dinner at a little Italian restaurant nearby, before heading to the terminal. Though we were once more fingerprinted, asked to close the curtains and also stopped worryingly in the road around the 20 minute mark, our journey continued without incident and we headed off to Lima, after a delay of exactly 12 hour delay. Incidentally, my insurance only compensates me if I´m delayed for over 12 hours, how unfair!

... quite possible cre*ted by * mischievous little cre*ture with pointy e*rs, *s me *nd Nicki decided. We p*ssed the time w*tching F*st *nd Furious on the TV, dubbed into Sp*nish (why?!) with English subtitles.<br><br>Once *t Trujllo, the Line* bus termin*l w*s se*led off to the public so once *g*in, no cretins. On collecting our lugg*ge from * conveyor belt (nice) we were *ppro*ched by some old bloke with * Line* ID c*rd round his neck st*ting he w*s *n offici*l t*xi driver ...

... The first came back saying it was a Saturday and therefore the banks obviously were not open...and asked whether i could help them out by withdrawing and swapping my Dollars for their Soles. F*CK NO...obviously. A few minutes later, they wanted to ´interview me´ to practice their English, but needed to buy a notepad first...and thus asked me if i could break change for their only note, a 100 Sole - 30 dollar - note.<br><br>Basically, i think they were going to try ...