A beach called Mancora
Trip Start
Nov 15, 2006
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215
228
Trip End
Jul 15, 2008
Mancora,
Peru
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Lima, Peru
You would think that a couple hedonists going around the world would find plenty of time to stretch out on beautiful warm beaches, but we've seen very few. We have been on the road for over 18 months and are not sure when the trip will end. Irina wants to continue as long as it takes to reach home by land, with lots of beaches on the way. Arvid on the other hand thought we'd be home by spring in time to plant a garden and settle down to a peaceful hobbit like existence. As that goal slips away he shows signs of road weariness. We are both pretty much tired of the chilly Andian climate. We thought Lima would be warmer but the Humboldt Current ruined that hope. We both need to find a warm beach and hopefully restore our energy. We are headed north to Ecuador and Mancora is on the way. Mancora is on the northern coast of Peru. It is supposed to be a popular beach resort town and have the best beaches in Peru
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. Our two tickets from Lima to Mancora cost 220 soles. We leave this evening.May 19, 2008
Mancora, Peru
We arrived early morning and after checking out some of the cheap places listed in the Lonely Planet we decided to go with a taxi driver to his recommendation. Sure he'll probably get a commission for bring us here, but the Mancora Bay Hostal is quiet, clean and is on the beach. We are paying 100 soles per night. After reading in the LP guide that Mancora is where the Peruvian jet setters go we were surprised to find a rough squalid settlement on the Pan American Highway. No sign of anyone with money staying here. But you get the feeling that in a few years the big hotel chains will move in along with the franchise restaurants. The beach is clean, wide and long. The surf, while we were here, was placid with no signs of a rip tide or undertow. And the water temperature was just right, so it must be in a spot the Humboldt Current misses.
We spend three pleasant days here and get plenty of sun and sand. What remains of our Andean colds disappear under the near equatorial sun.
