TravelStream™ news feed for member wadirunner on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/wadirunner en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:55:38 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1254011564/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1254011564/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1254011564/tpod.html Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:55:38 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Lima, Peru

Commos Dias Amigos? Well, here I am, 1 month on from the start of my Peruvian travels. Back in the big smoke of Lima, awaiting my flight home tonight at 11pm. I was off base for the last couple of days, from Wed to Fri, I was trekking in the Colcha Canyon, about 5 hours away from Arequippa. It was a horrifically early start on Wed morning, 2.30am for a 3am pick up from Home Sweet Home. A 5hr drive to Cruz del Condor, the viewpoint for the soaring condors. I´d hyped this up in my head so that the reality was bound to be a bit dissapointing. I´d visions of a flock of condors about 2metres above my head doing acrobatics that´d put the Red Arrows to shame, but the reality was somewhat different, a clan of only about 8 or 9, and no more than 2 at a time, but what was really a bummer was their flying pattern - about 150metres below our vantage point so that you only ever got to see them from afar and briefly before their speck of colour dissappeared. That was till 1 Johnny show off decided to show us what it was all about, and he circled about 5metres above our heads for more than a minute. Awesome.
After that it was lunch time in Cabanconde, the 2nd biggest town in the Canyon, before we started our trekking. You´d think I´d have had enough of the shanks mare after the Inca Trail, but not a bit of it. It was great and it was a good group too, especially on the 2nd night, when by the oasis pool of our bungalow lodge, we hooked up with another 2 groups and had a monster game of cards. Good times, esp. considering the swim earlier on, after the hard morning´s trekking. There was more swimming on the 3rd day, this time in hot springs, and that was great too. Monster buffet lunch, then plenty of alpaca, llama, and vicuna spotting in the afternoon. All good. Back to Arequippa for 6.30, a quick repack and catch a taxi to the bus terminal for the 9pm departure to Nazca. Mammoth bus journey to Nazca, but thankfully in a super delux bus with supper served and recliner chairs. Arrived in Nazca at 5.30, and left at 8am, after a lightning quick trip to the aerodrome and booking an aeroflight over the Nazca lines, cool shapes, then on to ica by 10.15am and left ica at 10.35 after a quick cuppa and 5 hours on the bus to Lima. Dropped the bags at a hostel, quick shower and off to explore the San Isidiro area of Lima.
Anyhows, just wanted to wrap up my month long trip in Peru, it´s been fantastic. Quick mention to some of the travellers I met along the way who helped make the long bus journeys less tedious
Huancayo - the 2 Vikings (Dan and Maria), Charlotte (UK)
Inca Trail - the belgians - Pete Housentrout, Annalise and Frederick
Lake Tits - the belgians part 2 - Rudy the barber and Olivia with Regina the machete woman from Manhattan
Colcha - Aussie Matt, (the best around!) who has no movie knowledge whatsoever
Cheers guys and good luck in your travels.
Ok all, that´s a wrap from Lima, I´m off to see the wizard,
Good luck, Rob.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253664304/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253664304/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253664304/tpod.html Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:36:21 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Arequipa, Peru

Commos Dias Dudes. Well I´m in the city of Arequippa, down in the south of Peru, and I´ve got to say, it´d probably give Cusco a real run for its money in terms of overall interest, and activity. A real gem of a place. Today, I went white water rafting on the Rio Chili, and thankfully it wasn´t that chilly. It´s only about 45mins out of the city. It was an afternoon trip, we left at 1 and were back at 4.30 with just over an hour riding the waves, mainly class 2s and 3s with one class 4 rapid. A great way to spend an afternoon. And in my book, one of the best ways to spend an early evening, is with a cup of tea commanding a fine vantage point of a Plaza Del Aramas, and this place has a v. nice one too, with its main cathedral, unusually dominating an entire side of this large plaza.
Arequippa (pop 750,000) lies under the shadow of El Misti, a semi dormant volcano that has belched a few times in the past, and also suffered a few earthquakes, as recently as 2001. There´s actually a few more volcanos in the nearby region too, so fingers crossed...
Tommorow, I´ve got a ludicrously early start for a 3 day-2 night trek into Colca Canyon, the 2nd deepest canyon in the world (over twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in USA) - the record holder is actually only about 100km away from Colca , namely Cotahusi Canyon. But Colca is famous for its Cruz del Condor viewpoint where a family of Andean Condors have set up shop, and regularly perform aerodynamic acrobatics for the tourists at about 8 in the morning when the thermals are at their best. Knowing my luck, the only birds I´ll get to see are the friggin pigeons hovering around the cathedral. Here´s hoping. There´s also some great trekking on offer in Colca, and there´s a few thermal springs where we can soak our weary bones too. Should be good. Back to Arequippa on Fri evening, from where it´ll be off to Nazca, and the final leg up to Lima to catch my plane home.
You might remember (or not even give a shit, no probs - I´m more than happy to remind you!!)that I was off base for a few days while sailing around Lake Tits for 2 days on Sat and Sun. We saw 3 islands - the floating islands of Uros, (yep, I know I´d been there before but the duplication was unavoidable in order to reach the other 2 - Amantani and Taquile) Uros was great even for the 2nd time round, though the pollution round that stretch of the lake near Puno would turn your stomach, but Armani and Shaq O´Neill (both natural islands, not man made reed islands) were tops too. One of the best sunsets I´ve ever seen was from atop the Pachumac (Father Earth) temple on top of Armani, while Taquile on the morning of the 2nd day almost had a med feel to it in terms of terrain and our group had an amazing lunch overlooking the lake. Fantastic. We stayed o-night in Aramani with local families, again a bit rustic but certainly a step above the Peig Sayers brigade of Sullistani, and that evening, in what passes for Armani disco, we all had to dress up in local costumes and go dancing to Peruvian pan pipe music. What a sight we were!!
We get back from Lake Tits at about 4 on the Sun afternoon and I just had time for a quick bite before grabbing a night bus to Arequippa. Got talking to a Peruvian with v. good english on the seat next to me. Always interesting to get the lie of the land from a local rather than a guidebook. Arrived in Arequippa just after midnight, and checked into Home Sweet Home, I kid you not, that´s the name of the hostal.
I´m nearly done, but I´ve got to tell you about 2 places i visited on Mon, one was the Monsaterio Recolatta, which has 4 wonderfully serene cloisters and a gem of an old library, replete with dusty tomes dating from as early as 1517. That was the 3rd classic religous library I´ve seen on this trip - maybe I could set up a tour business with a speciality for travelling librarians who want to see dusty old tomes.... maybe not!! And the 2nd was the Monasterio Santa Catalina. I´m not one of these people who like to keep gems secret, and this is a gem. A sprawling citadel of a monastery with windy streets to reveal an ever more charming and quaint vista, interesting cells of where the nuns used to live, fountains, cloisters, and all done in the most amazing colours. I spent a v. enjoyable 2.5 hours here. A great place.
So folks, I´ll prob be off radar again for the next few days, but still enjoying Peru for sure.
Ok, talk to you,
Rob.
PS, Peadar, good luck in Berlin, or if it´s already taken place, let me know how you got on in the marathon. A PB is definetely on the cards for you.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253329215/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253329215/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253329215/tpod.html Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:24:43 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Puno, Peru

Que Tal amigos? What´s up, how´s things? My new spainish phrase for the day. You know, there´s a lot of pressure put on me by travelpod to come up with interesting jingoistic titles for these travelblogs. So the best I could do was the above, and you know what, there actually is a Jenny Juno in Puno who runs the Hostal Kusillos Pasada, though I´m not staying there.
For the 1st time on this trip my laissez faire attitude almost let me down. I turned up at my guesthouse last night without a reservation and managed to get 1 night but he told me a 2nd night was non possible, so I resigned myself to having to lug my backpack round to Jennys this evening to try my luck there, but lo and behold, when I got back from my trip to Uros (more later), a room miraculosly appeared and i took the monster mochilla (backpack) from storage and up into the room, so it all worked out in the end. Not sure if there´s a moral there, prob a bit of a stretch, just luck, i guess.
Anyhows, it was an early start this morning, packed and bfasted and out the door by 7.55am and down to the port for a trip to the famous floating islands of Uros on Lake Tits, the highest navigable lake in the world. Takes about 30min to get there thru a channel of tortora reeds (the stuff they make their boats and islands out of) and we spent about 2 hours on 2 different islands, taking a traditional reed boat across the lake from the 1st island to the 2nd. Have to say, I never felt as though I was going to sink, but it´s not quite terra ferma, almost like when you´re about to start that one pint that´s going to be one pint too many, you think you´re steady on your feet but yet at the back of your mind there´s a little alarm bell going off to tell you that you´re not quite John Travving it on the dance floor anymore, if you know what i mean. The local chap had us eating the reeds, tastes a bit like an onion with all the spice extracted, punching holes in the reeds and dipping me hand into the coldish water, which he measured using a deadweight as being 13m depth below us. They have little observation towers built out of reeds of course, about 5m high to give a bit of a panorama. It was a lovely morning and the contrast of the wooden reed huts and boats against the azure sky and greenish lake was all very fetching, but for all that I wouldn´t fancy it myself, no squash courts for one thing.
Anyhows, back to Puno for about 12.15 and after a quick cuppa and slice of choc cake at a nearby famous Casa, which was gratis, cos they were filming me and a few other travellers in the courtyard - for what I don´t know, but I could end up being a star on Peruvian tv, so I wasn´t complaining, it was time to climb a local viewpoint featuring a giant statue of Manu Capac one of the last Inca emperors, overlooking Puno and Lake Tits, it was time to head back to the hostel for the good news and the afternoon tour to the pre-Inca funeray towers at Sulistani, 30km out of Puno. The Colcas (Coca Colas as I called em) were operational between 800 and 1300 AD, about 120 years before the heydey of the Incas, and they built these 15m high funeray towers out of massive stone blocks, overlooking another scenic lake, Amaya, and it was well worth the visit. Topped off with a visit to a local Peruvian homestead and all I can say is that her simple rustic abode made Peig Sayers look like she was living a life of glitz and glamour. Ramshackle would be a fairer description, though the heartless cynic in me wonders if she just turns up at that delipidated hut at about 5.30pm every evening for the tour groups, then high turfs it back to Puno in a 4x4 once we´ve buggered off. Though, tbh, I doubt it, she had animals there (llamas, alpacas, dogs, hens, even the odd guinea pig, we know what´s going to happen to him don´t we, and even a dead weasel hanging up outside the door and two dead snakes in empty coca cola bottles) It was all v. charming in a thank goodness i don´t leave there myself kind of way and can just take a few snaps and get the hell out of dodge sort of way.
Anyway, that´s a veritable essay, so I´ll sign off now for a few days - off to stay overnight at other Lake Tits islands tommorow and then a 6 hour trek to Arequippa, so chao for now.
Rob Sayers.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253240719/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253240719/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253240719/tpod.html Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:38:31 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Puno, Peru

Buenos Nochas Senors & Senoritas. Greetings from Puno, gateway to Lake Tits, short for Lake Titaccaca, the highest navigable lake in the world at approx 3900m. Puno´s about 500m higher than Cusco, a bit colder and less oxygen for sure. Today, i travelled the 350km in relative style, opting for the luxury tourist class service, Inka Express, which plys this well worn highway over the high Andean altiplano. Included in the service were a hostess with the mostess to serve us complimentary beverages, a buffet lunch and 4 other touristy stops with English speaking guide and considering the highest pt. of the road at nearly 4400m, an oxygen tank for those really suffering from altitude sickness.
Anyhows, I was sorry to leave Cusco and my little gem of a hostal, Sueica 2, just off the Plaza del Aramas, but you gotta keep moving and so at 7am (another bleeding early start, you´d swear I was in boot camp, not on holiday) I was at the Inka terminal and off we went at 730. As I said we had a few stops along the way, nothing major or historic, but nice to break up the journey. And the rd was sure in a better condition then some of the gravel paths I´ve been on so far.
Arrived in Puno at 530pm, checked into another hostal, cleaned up, and set off into the town for a bit of grub and a wander. 1st impressions are favourable, much less in your face than Cusco, a nice pedestrianised street and of course the obligatory Plaza del Aramas.
Tommorow, I´ve another early start to head down to the docks (500m away from my hostal) and try to get a boat to the famous floating reed islands of Uros, or as they´re sometimes known, Islas del Floentas. A half day should do it, and then I want to get back to town to catch a 230pm tour to Sulistani, the weird chulpa (chimney tower funeray blocks) about 30km out of Puno. Hope it goes to plan.
Ok folks, rgds from Lake Tits, and no Dunx, it´s not Hugh Hefner´s summertime lakeshore retreat!!
Chao, Rob.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253150431/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253150431/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1253150431/tpod.html Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:38:21 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Cusco, Peru

Whey Hey. How´s things? Yep, as the title suggests, today is my last day in Cusco. Tommorow, I leave for Puno, gateway to Lake Tits, whoops, sorry, Lake Titaccaca. At 3800m Puno is about 400m higher than Cusco. But after climbing to the top of Dead Woman´s Pass at 4200m on the 2nd day of the Inca Trail without any problems, fingers crossed that alt. sickness won´t kick in.
I have to say I´ll miss Cusco. Despite the restaurant touts who magically appear out of restaurant doorways right in front of you with a menu shoved into your face, despite being propositioned for massages every 2mins on Plaza del Aramas, despite having an aspiring Van Gogh opening his portfolio of Cusco scene drawings as you relax on a park bench, yes despite all this, I´ll miss Cusco. For me, it´s a simple trade off, because Cusco is the tourist mecca of Peru and with excellent reason to be so, sited as it is in the heart of the Sacred Valley, and main access gateway for the incomparable Machu Pichu, and with innumerable treasure trove touristy sights of its own, then such minor, minor inconveniences are to be expected. A polite shake of the head and they generally leave you alone. Although I had a good one this evening, just at dusk, outside La Merced Cathedral. My sunnies were resting on my jumper´s collar in full view, yet a street hawker selling fake Armani sunnies still thought that I was in need of ocular UV protection. Give him credit for trying is what I say!
Today, as my last full day in Cusco, I spent exploring some of the city´s sights, notably its famous churches, San Blas, Cusco Cathedral (which is actually 3 for one) and La Merced, as well as the incomparable ancient Inca temple of Quorinacha (spell?) of which only the building blocks and a few stone chambers remain, demolished as it was by the Conquistadors (what a bunch of bastards they were, pardon my French), and now better known as Santa Domingo Church. Some of the artwork in those there churches and cathedrals were absloutely stunning, especially the intricate wood carving pulpits in San Blas and Cusco main cathedral. Plus, it was all v. informative cos the entrance ticket came with a free audio visual guide so I was able to appreciate it all the better.
So, I´ve got my ticket for Puno, I´m travelling on the luxury class Inka Express service which includes a buffet lunch, free tea and coffee on board with a hostess with the mostess to serve you, and a number of touristy stops along the way. Should be in Puno by 5pm all going well. Ok, folks, that´s it for now, so long from Cusco,
Cheers, Rob.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252978000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252978000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252978000/tpod.html Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:48:56 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley, Peru

Yo, well back to civilisation (sort of - Aguas is a v. small town in the middle of nowhere, but it is the best and only access town for Machu Pichu). Today was the culmination of the 4 day Inca Trail which of course finished up in the lost Inca city of Machu Pichu, that New ancient wonder of the world (web competition) which features so much as the title introductory photo of travelpod.com itself, and I got there. 43km of punishing uphill slogs, treacherously steep Inca stairwell descents, high Andean passes and hot tropical sun with the odd shower thrown in too, all to reach Machu Pichu this morning.
There was an inauspicious start ´cos despite our 4am wake up and being in position at Intipunkiti (Inca Sun Gate) all we could see was mist. Not good. however, by the time we got to the Watchman´s Hut (for the classic MP shot) at M.P. itself the clouds began to lift, and I thought happily to myself, "Man, this is good". The previous 3 days hard toil were definetely forgotten in a joyous moment. it is a truly awesome sight.
Our guide gave us a 1 hour tour of the main features before we had an hour and a half free time before heading down to the access town of Aguas Calintes (literally hot water) for a group meal at the restaurant that the tour company uses. We got our "I survived the Inca Trail" diplomas and as I was staying an extra night in A.C, I then checked into a local hotel before heading up to the nearby hot mineral springs which give the town its name, and it sure felt good to dip the body into hot water after all the trekking of the last four days. The mountains are all around the outdoor pools and it was a great way to end a fantastic four days, except its not quite over for me as í´m heading back to MP for a 2nd time tommorow. Then I´ll catch the train to Ollantaymbo and from there the bus back to Cusco, and all going well I should be back in Cous Cous by 10pm tommorow night.
The Inca Trail itself was fantastic. We were a 16 strong group and it´s an ardous but immensely rewarding trek. The breakdown of the 43km was approx 8, 12, 16, 7 with Day 2 being the hardest as we had a really long ascent up to the highest pass at 4200m above sea level followed by basically a 1km descent, which is tough on the knees. Day 3 was for sure the best in terms of views and other minor Inca sites visited along the trek. but they were all early starts, with the latest wake up call being 5.20am. Ouch. Day 3´s camp site is a big affair which even had the luxury of hot showers and beers on offer and despite the insanely early wake up of 4am on Day 4, we all had a quick drink in celebration of doing all the hard work to get there and in anticipation of the next day.
So that´s where I´ve been for the last 4 days - who cares says you. Fair enough says I, but if you get the chance in your lifetime, do yourself a favour and if not the Inca Trail, then definetely, definetely, visit Machu Pichu before you clock off. You will NOT regret it.
Over and out, Rob.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252639898/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252639898/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252639898/tpod.html Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:47:27 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Cusco, Cusco, Peru

Yo, well this will be my last entry for a while - thank f%%% says you!
Tommorow I´m off on the Inca Trail to Machu Piccchu, shanks mare all the way, all 43km of it, up and down to a max height of 4200m (Dead Woman´s Pass) to a low of 2750m (Macchu Picchu itself). This was always going to be the highpoint of my trip - figuratively I mean. So I hope it won´t dissappoint. I´ll be off the radar for the next 5 days - no electricity, internet, phones, etc up there. Real Bear Grylls stuff, ha ha. Wish me luck.
Anyhows, today I took a tour of the Sacred Valley, the valley surrounding Cusco. It´s v. pretty and we went to a famous market town, Pisac, where I even bartered for my own copy of some Peruvian pan pipes CD. Whey Hey!. Lots of arts and crafts and Andean clothes. Even saw a guinea pig castle where they keep the unsuspecting rodents in full view of the oven where they´ll eventually end up. Cruel or what? Pisac was Shopaholics heaven but v. interesting to walk round nonetheless
Then we had a sumptous Peruvian buffet lunch, no guinea pigs though, but there was a Peruvian duet doing the old pan pipes routine. Very good they were too.
Then we went to see the fascinating Inca ruins of Ollantambayo, from where I start the Inca Trail tommorow. Very well preserved. The Incas were master stonemasons and their stonework has withstood earthquakes and what not. Our last stop was the small town of Chinceros where there was a festival in full party mode. Full on. Very interesting.
Then back to Cusco where I met up with the 3 people that I´d been travelling round with for the last week or so. ( The Danes´ rafting was postponed by one day ) I think this is the final goodbye, they´re a nice bunch and I wish them well in their S. American travels.
And now I´ve got to go back to the hostel to pack for tommorow and catch what little shut eye I can.
Ok so, Rob I.T. (not Information Technology, Inca Trail) Fay
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252541085/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252541085/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252541085/tpod.html Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:32:37 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Cusco, Cusco, Peru

Yo, well hello from the wonderful city of Cusco. After 4 bus rides, 1000+km, countless hours listening to bad Peruvian pop music and two bum cushions later, all I can say is it was worth the wait. The Plaza del Aramas is gorgeous, there are numerous other fine attractions in the city too, the Avenue de Sol, Plaza san Francicsco, the Sexy Woman Inca Ruin to name but a few. After not seeing many other tourists at all in the relative backwaters that I visited so far, this is gringo central, and it shows, for at times it feels a bit overwhelming with all the shysters and touts trying to persuade you that their piece of tat is simply indespensibale to your holiday. There´s also a thriving massage business here with a circuit round the Plaza del Aramas being almost like a trip to Bangkok for all the times I was asked if I wanted a massage. Maybe after the Inca trail which starts for me in 2 days time. Of course, I guess that´s just the price you have to pay for such a nice city with so many attractions and being the locus for the piece de la resistance of any Peruvian visit - Macchu Pichu.
So I arrived here yesterday evening after a 10 hour bus haul from Andahuaylas. The first half to Abanacay was unsealed but the 2nd half was paved. 335km total. I left at 6am, arrived at 4pm. The road is fantastic though, a testament to Peruvian enginnering given the altitude and difficult terrain it has to negotiate. I thought we were going into orbit for all the climbing we did to leave Abancay. Found a really nice hostal just 5 mins off the Plaza del Aramas, gorgeous central courtyard and a steal at 7 euros for a single with a private bathroom. Then I went to my trek operator to sort out the last details of the Inca Trail before I met up with the 2 Danes and the English lass. We had a spot of dinner in Paddy O´Flahertys (the ubiqutious Irish themed pub has unfortunately found a home here in Plaza del Aramas - as too has the dreaded golden arches - I´ve yet to decide which is worse). However I was grateful for an All Day Breakfast stuffed with bacon and pork sausages with Barry´s tea thrown in as well - honestly it would give the greasy bfasts at Brams a run for its money before we went back to their hostel which has a bar where we had a bit of a session. Good night.
This morning, I had a lovely bfast at my hostal before exploring fully the delightful Plaza del Aramas - google it for some nice pictures, but I promise you they won´t do it justice of being here in the flesh. Then I met Hans Christian Anderson and we went for a climb up to the nearby Inca Ruin (Sasqwayaman or more easily Sexy Woman) which is good training for my Inca Trail. From a high vantage pt. Cusco looks a little like Dubrovinik with all its red terracotta style roofs. Then we got a bit of lunch before watching the 2nd half of Eng v Croatia, before I went for a bit of a wander round the rest of the city.
We´re meeting up for one last dinner tonight cos the Danes are off on a white water rafting trip, and then doing a Jungle trek as an alternative to the Inca trail, and we go our separate ways. It´´s been good hooking up with other travellers for a spell and we got on well so good luck to them. And on that note, Chao, Montezuama!
PS, if you´´ll allow me the indulgence, may I share one other traveller´s rule with you - Rob´s Rule of Travelling No. 2 - The no. of feral dogs in any given town is directly proportional to the overall level of indigence and run downedness of said town.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252370573/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252370573/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252370573/tpod.html Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:06:45 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Andahuaylas, Apurímac, Peru

Yo, I´m nearly there at Cusco. Tommorow should see the last long bus trip (for a while at least). Early start to catch the 5.45am 335km 9+ hour slog to Cusco. Why didn´t I fly there? Doh! Anyhows, I arrived in this sleepy little town of Andahuaylas, which is about halfway between Ayacucho and Cusco, yesterday afternnoon after a gruelling, but spectacular 250km haul along what must be one of the highest road passes in the world. Pretty nippy, I can tell you. The 2 Danes had gotten an earlier bus and were there at the bus station to meet myself and the English girl, and we were joined by a Frenchie, who turned out to be a dab hand at the old bargaining and soon after we were checked into our hotel, recovering from 7 hours on the bus. This is a small town of only 30,000 people so its by far the sleepiest place I´ve been to, but that was ok, cos I was pretty sleepy too. We all had dinner and a few drinks at the only open bar we could find, named appropriately enough, considering our 2 Danish friends, - the Viking Club. Nice to be part of a group for a change rather than a Johnny No Mates. The other 4 were heading straight off to Cusco the next morning at 5.45am but my old joints couldn´t face the prospect of 2 consecutive 7+ hour bus slogs, so I decided to stay one extra day in Andahuaylas and catch up with them in Cusco on the Tue evening. No worries. And it was prob just as well that I wasn´t on that bus ´cos despite my best efforts to get a good night´s kip, let´s just say that it was an interrupted night´s sleep as I´d forgotten the cardinal rule of all travellers whilst abroad - Never Eat Mince. Yes, I´d had a spag bol on the last night in Ayacucho and it must have caught up with me. One ciproflaxin tab later and bit of a lie on till 9.30 and I was as right as rain! Andahuaylas has one attraction - a very nice lake about 17km away with a hilltop fort overlooking a commanding position, so after a leisurely light (v. light) bfast I made my way up to the combi stand for the 40min trip. As it turns out I was joined by a very nice Peruvian couple, a pastor from Lima and his wife, who although they didn´t have any English and I don´t have any Spainish, took me under their wing as it were, and it was a very nice afternoon up on the hill and by the lake. Then back into town where I got some grub - played it safe with some chicken and rice and plan to hit the hay soon in advance of this damned early start. Alright. Good Luck. Rob.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252194585/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252194585/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wadirunner/2/1252194585/tpod.html Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:08:50 -0400 Per Who? Peru Is Who.

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Ayacucho, Peru

Yo, well here I am in the v. pleasant Andean town of Ayacucho, pop 150thousand and elevation a bit less than Huancayo at 2800m. Pleasant is the best way to describe this small city, lacking the chaos of Lima or the sprawl of Huancayo. Its got the most wonderful central plaza from where Ive just had a smoothie and a cuppa while watching the world go by.Its a warm 22 degrees celcsus during the day and a cool 12 or so in the evening. Its compact, clean and well laid out, with two relaxing pedestrianised streets on opposite corners of the main plaza, which itself is surrounded on 3 sides by old casas, all with charming arches, and a cathedral on the 4th side. Just a v. pleasing city. Arrived here yesterday afternoon after a bone jarring 250+ km 7hour ordeal through some gorgeous scenery. Id say that parts of the Wicklow Way are more suited for traffic than that road, which links a city of 400+thous with a city of 150+thou. Mostly compacted sand, dirt and gravel, washed out in places, narrow, with more switchbacks than a street hoodlums pocket knife, with vertiginous sheer drops off the right side (which Id bagged a window seat for) and passing over some wooden bridges not out of place in an Indiana Jones movie, this was not the Autobahn!. But for me, a real highlight of the trip so far. I travelled with the Danes and the English girl, who are broadly speaking also heading to Cusco. Found a hotel, checked out the churches and main plaza, and scored my onward bus ticket for Sun. Onto Andahalyas (spell) another bone shaker in the offing, Im told. Today after a leisurely bfast in a supberbly sited cafe overlooking the plaza, (where we also had dinnner last night) i headed off on a local minibus to the small village of Quina, 37km away, the site of the decisive battle for Peruvian Independence way back in 1824. Theres a massive 40m obelisk 1km from the village to commemorate the spot which commands expansive views all round. A nice spot to while away a few afternoon hours before heading back to Ayacucho and grabbed a smoothie and cuppa at my now favourite haunt overlooking the plaza, where I can put the world to rights!! An early start tommorow to keep the Cusco flame alive, but well glad I came here. Chao.
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