Huaraz (24-28/Jun/06)

Mancora, Peru

No sooner did we arrive in Huaraz, around 7am, that we arranged a tour starting that very morning to see the ruins of Chavin de Huantar, about 2h away. Speed tourism strikes again. In this case it would have been wise to spend the day shopping around at various agencies as our guide was a bit pathetic and didn’t have a clue, so we consequently didn’t think much of Chavin, though the underground rooms and passages are pretty cool. On the tour we met a bunch of Columbians who had been rock climbing the day before and recommended their guide (also Columbian), so we paid him a visit. We now have our shoes, which Esther’s parents brought over, so no more painful cheap, tight climbing shoes! Had a cool day after nearly 3 months of no climbing. Obviously we sucked and were tired in no time and had muscle ache for the next few days...

The next 3 days we spent on a trek round a valley of the Cordillera Blanca (Santa Cruz). The truly amazing trek would have been the Huayhuash circuit, the area where Touching The Void took place, but that's 10+ days and we don't have time (more than a year and no time!?). We were woefully unprepared mapwise as we expected to rent a mule and driver, but ditched the idea at the last moment. Still, everything went more-or-less to plan. A few minor disasters: one of the tent zips broke, the fuel we had bought for the stove was the wrong type (luckily the existing fuel lasted up to the second day), but most annoyingly our camera broke early on the second morning (Kelly shouts for joy – no more uploading!). Extremely annoying as it was one of the most beautiful treks we’ve been on, rivalling the Torres del Paine in Chile. Still, on the last day we saw a bunch of low cloud gathering over the previous day’s pass, so we can count ourselves pretty lucky we actually got to see the scenery if not photograph it.

From there we went back to Huaraz (this trekking area is about 3h away) and then straight on the night bus to Trujillo. No rest for the wicked.