Two "mamitas" & their lambs in the early afternoon sunshine in Coquechaka, San Blas
The Journey to Cusco although a long one (17 hours) transpired by with relative ease and I arrived amidst the immediate hustle and bustle at around midday. Despite my pre-planning of Sorochi pills and coca chewing gum, I found myself embraced by a strange feeling that only materialises with the presence of altitude. Cusco stands at around 3400m above sea level, nestled high within the Urubamba Valley in the Andes mountain range that runs from Venezuela in the north of the continent and stretches as far south as Patagonia on the southern most tip of the Chiliean/Argentinian border. The Andes spans some 4300 miles from north to south through no fewer than 7 South American countries (Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina) The altitude can have serious effects on certain people and it can strike even the fittest of folk and has no correlation to who it chooses as it's victim. Luckily for me however, I only suffered initially with a dizzy head and the feeling of lethargy which made walking up steps and short hills a lot harder than normal. I witnessed a few people however really taken back by it with symptoms ranging from extreme vomiting, headaches and the tendency to faint whilst over-exerting. Cusco certainly demands respect, at least for the first few days until acclimatisation kicks in.
Cusco (sometimes spelt Cuzco) is a beautiful city full of charm and magnetism that only a South American City with this grandeur can create. It's not a big city by any account with an approximate population of around 510,000 but it oozes grace and allures you almost instantly with it's dazzling beauty. Cusco was the site of the historic capital of the ancient Inca empire and is a World Heritage Site. The constitution of Peru designates it as their historic capital and it receives over 2 million visitors a year; mainly foreign tourists who use it as a base to explore the Sacred Valley, including Machu Picchu, which is one of the seven new wonders of the world, receiving this accolade in 2007. The city is forged around the main square, Plaza de Armas which formulates a postcard image with a backdrop of mountains and terracotta coloured rooftops. Tourists and locals alike mingle around the square, enjoying the moderate climate whilst relaxing and watching the world go by. And let me tell you, there is no better place to do so!
I arrived at my hostel (www.pariwana-hostel.com) in good time and took advantage of the free coca tea that seemed to be on offer pretty much everywhere. Coca is sworn by in Peru and it's rumoured to have healing effects on almost everything that can put the human body down! It certainly helped with the mild altitude sickness I was experiencing! The first few days of my time in Cusco didn't really encourage me to write about a great deal as I mainly took things easy in order to acclimatise to the altitude so I confined myself to my hostel. Most people do this upon arriving although I did speak to a few people who had arrived and were booked onto treks the following day which in my opinion really isn't a smart idea starting your adventure in this manner! You hear the stories about people that start the Inca trail and other treks soon after arriving but have to quit half way through due to the sickness becoming too severe to continue; the only remedy being to go back down! I really didn't fancy becoming another victim!
I visited the SAN PEDRO MARKETwhich is approximately a 5 minute walk (or 10 minute stroll depending on the varying level of altitude sickness one is experiencing) from Plaza de Armas square. The market is a sight that has to be witnessed for anyone travelling to Cusco. Markets such as this one are the centre of Peruvian life and people watchers could spend hours here amongst the sea of vendors, listening to the haggling and watching tourists trying on faux alpaca sweaters whilst eavesdropping on the "mamitas" gossiping with children strapped to their backs. The industrious market sellers do their best to catch your attention & convince you to buy their produce using all the tricks in the book; bellowing, screaming and persuading abruptly in their native Spanish language. You can find all-sorts there from traditional Peruvian clothing, fresh fruit and vegetables, breads and cheeses, an eclectic array of meat and poultry including pigs snouts, soup bars, juice bars, iron bars. You name it; you can more than likely buy it at the positively erratic and sometimes completely delirious San Pedro Market. If you want to spend a tranquil morning amongst locals or just thoroughly appreciating the sounds and smells of Peruvian authenticity then this is a great option that's within walking distance of the main square, but a world away from the life we know back home. I highly recommend!
Another highlight for me in the magnificent city of Cusco was the Choco Museum, located on Calle Garcilaso, a short stroll from Plaza de Armas. (www.chocomuseo.com) It's the perfect stop if you fancy relaxing with a choco mocha overlooking the picturesque Regojico Square whilst soaking up the late afternoon ambience. I found the museum to be quaint and educational and I enjoyed learning about how the chocolate was made from bean to bar! Chocolate has a fascinating story, especially in South America and is surrounded by infinite surprising facts! I mean, who doesn't like chocolate right?! The museum offers a chocolate making workshop which runs daily from 10am but be advised, this class is popular so make sure you book in advance. During the workshop you get to make your own chocolate and customise exactly what and how you want it to taste. A delightful experience! They also offer a free interactive tour which delves into the process behind cacao and how it gets produced. Again, I highly recommend a visit. A personal favourite of mine on their menu was the Chocolate fondue at a cost of $20 soles (About £4.50) and is easily enough for 4 people to share. After a good few hours at the Choco Museo, I retired back to my hostel, content and full, inevitably weighing a few pounds more!
After a few days of exploring the city, my travel buddies and I booked onto a 3 day jungle trek which would include a day of mountain biking, a day of a trekking along the river to Aguas Calientes (translates to "hot water" in English) and the final day would act as the crescendo for Machu Picchu with a 4am start to begin the climb to the ancient inca ruins. The 3 day trek to Machu Picchu deserves it's own blog entry of which you can read (here) so I won't elaborate whilst writing about my time in Cusco. Upon our return from the trek, my good friend Tyler and I decided to change hostels and move to the popular San Blas area of Cusco into a fantastic little place named "La Casa de la Gringa" (www.casadelagringa.com)
La Casa de la Gringa (House of the gringo) was nestled in the heart of the San Blas district in Cusco; a labyrinth of tight and winding street passages which boasted excellent views over the city. Charming bistros and quaint shops lined Las Calles where the locals would again entice you inside to purchase their produce. The hostel was delightful and a complete change from what we were used to at the Pariwana. The breakfast was beautiful and the rooms although small, were quaint, clean and welcoming. It was a far cry from the Pariwana hostel which had more emphasis on a party lifestyle whereas La Gringa was intimate, warm and reminiscent of the familiarities I was used to back home in the UK. It was here I met the two Sophie's from London who would become fantastic travel buddies and friends for the proceeding month that followed on from Cusco. They had both been travelling for a while and found themselves in the city with only a couple of months left before flying back home. That night we all went out to a restaurant (Los Perros) near the main Plaza de Armas square to become better acquainted.
Meeting both Sophie's compelled me to write about another highlight of my time in Cusco which was thankfully introduced to me. This delectable place was "Jack's Coffee bar" on Calle Choquechaka, a few steps down from the San Blas Square. (www.jackscafecusco.com) It became my secondary home for the remainder of my stay in Cusco where I could be found nursing hang-overs using the unconventional medicine of double shot americano's & chocolate brownies. I'd also use Jacks as the venue for my "second breakfast" from time to time where I'd ply myself with generous lashings of bacon, copious heaps of finely chopped sausage, mounds of scrambled eggs and mushrooms. The portion sizes at this place are immense. If you find yourself in Jack's bar on your trip to Cusco and you're the type of person that craves a more desirable portion size, you'll certainly not be disappointed! Once more, it's only a short stroll from the main square through a series of winding passages where you'll find vendors embossed to the side of the streets selling their authentic Peruvian produce. Jack's acts as a fantastic distraction from the hustle and bustle of the cobbled street markets which will certainly give you an ideal opportunity to rest after your somewhat predictable purchases through the entanglement of traditional Peruvian exchange.
I originally only planned to stay in Cusco for a week but due to it's seemingly enchanting pull, I ended up residing for a little over a fortnight. Local Cusconians seem to exude a semblance of tranquility and once the city strengthens its clasp, you too become intwined under it's spell and become encapsulated as if ancient inca bewitchery has weaved it's way into your bones thus making it almost impossible to want to leave! Waking up under a clear blue sky with far reaching views across the Urubamba valley became the norm!
"The only thing that's left to do is live"
CHRIS' ALTERNATIVE HIGHLIGHTS IN CUSCO
1 * San Blas Square & Market
In my opinion, the San Blas district of Cusco is one of the most picturesque sites in the city. The neighbourhood has many workshops, craft shops, cafes and artisan galleries for one to appreciate. The streets in San Blas are steep and narrow with old houses built by the Spanish over important Inca foundations. The square is attractive and has the oldest church in Cusco which was built in 1563. The Quechua name of this neighbourhood is Tuq'ukachi which means opening of the salt. The market which is situated at the western end of the district is reminiscent of the San Pedro market but selling food produce only. The locals seem to use this place to buy their meats, poultry and vegetables as well as stopping by for lunch in one of the many stalls that serve basic traditional Peruvian dishes. I recommend mingling amongst them and trying the chicken soup! Spot on!
2 * Juanitos A great little cafe on the edge of the San Blas district which serves the best sandwiches in town. The prices here are a little more expensive than normal but are well worth the splurge. The portion sizes are delicious and moderately sized. I recommend the Pollo con Queso (chicken and cheese). A huge breast of chicken with a generous lashing of melted mozzarella cheese, tomato, olives, and onions! Make sure you pick one of their huge range of sauces to drizzle generously over your chosen weapon of delight!
3 * Sacsayhuaman
Be sure to trek up to the ancient Inca ruins that double as a vantage point over Cusco. From here you'll be treated to amazing view across the city! A great little spot for a picnic after the tough climb also. An hour minimum here is essential! You can buy a ticket that covers the cost of the ruins and will also permit entry to the other Inca ruins located around the Urabamba Valley. The cost is around $70 soles (£15) You can also pay a taxi driver around $100 soles to drive you between the many other sites. This usually takes an entire day.
4 * San Pedro Ceremony
Okay, so I'm cheating here a little considering that I didn't actually participate in a ceremony myself but the people that I engaged with around Hostal de la Gringa that had experienced it, spoke about it very highly. San Pedro is the name given to the medicine that is extracted from the cactus Echinopsis Pachanoi and is drunk under the guidance of a local Shaman as part of a ceremony. On the day, it requires the person to refrain from food or drink prior to consumption of the medicine. This is because the cactus extract effect works better on an empty stomach. The mescaline that is found inside the liquid is rumoured to have healing affects on the mind and is consumed by people that want to find themselves, deal with problems or have an outer body experience. The effect of the medicine lasts for anything up to 8 hours.
5 * Pisac and the Sacred Valley.
Although not in the city of Cusco itself, Pisac and the Sacred Valley are well worth visiting. You can catch the bus there which takes around 1 hour, 30 minutes or if there are a few of you, taking a taxi at a cost of around $80 soles return is probably the wiser option. It's a good hour drive from the city in a taxi but provides a nice excursion. The journey is fantastic as you slowly cut through the Sacred Valley region of Peru. Amazing countryside will provide your eyes wit a real treat. Pisac itself is a small market town thats worth spending a few hours exploring or shopping the many markets. Pisac can also be used as a springboard to jump over to the other towns of the region like Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Urubamba.
The many colourful items on offer at the many markets in and around Cusco
Los Niño's and their madré's on Tantapata Street, Cusco
The view at night from San Blas looking down onto the City of Cusco
Plaza de Armas square (centre of photo) from the Sacsuywaman vantage point
Young girl in Pisac, Sacred Valley
Two Niño's in Plaza de Armas, Cusco on the way to school
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
Thanks for stopping by and joining me on my second blog entry which aims to individualise my hedonistic campaign around South America and beyond! You can read about how it all came to fruition here and the strides I took prior to this to make my dream my reality. As I explained in my first entry; if you really want something passionately enough then I encourage you to take small steps in order to achieve your overall goal & push against the grain of conventionality just like I did when planning my adventure. Over the next year, I will be blogging about my experiences & observations in each country I visit with the intention that it will inspire you to see these places for yourselves or just enjoy what I write. Each entry will be different. Some will highlight my day to day escapades, whilst others will be an informative read about different cultures in the many cities and towns I encounter along the way. I hope you enjoy the read!
I want to see the world. Follow a map to its edges, and keep going. Forget the plans & trust my instincts. Let curiosity be my guide. I want to change hemispheres. Sleep beneath unfamiliar stars & let the journey unfold before me....
The Journey
Sao Paulo is absolutely colossal! As my Airbus A330 slowly descended upon it's approach to Guarulhos International Airport, a vast metropolis of Brazilian communities, high rise apartment blocks & shanty towns, cut across the horizon like exposed jagged teeth. Even before touching down on South American soil, the size and scale of this place took my breath away and its reality became apparent.
I arrived at about 4.45am local time and had a nice little wait of around four hours before catching my connecting flight to Lima, Peru. The four hours passed with relative ease with the help of a few Brazilian coffees and brought me to my third flight in the space of 48 hours! I was certainly clocking up some descent air miles, that's for sure!
The plane lifted off the tarmac from Sao Paulo airport into a cloud of smog, which lays thick like a blanket across the city at 200-500 feet; heavy and dense and not to dissimilar to a set from The Lord of the Rings. Within a minute of take off, the plane climbed above the duvet of darkness and plunged into beautiful, clear blue skies; a surreal sight for sure! My TAM airlines flight climbed steadily to 30000 feet, the seatbelt sign deactivated and I prepared for my next five hours in the sky with a Portuguese whisky.
The first indication of how big the continent of South America really is was indeed the five hour cross country connection; I had been aware of how huge the place was before arriving here, geography being my favourite subject back in my schooling days, but when the in-flight camera displayed the aircraft crossing Bolivia for two hours, it really hammered home the great vastness of this seemingly fascinating place. The views from the plane of the Andes, Amazon and never-ending deserts were absolutely divine! The flight passed by in no time at all and before I knew it, the pilot was indicating our final descent into Lima. I felt like a child on Christmas day!
South America and in particular Peru has this aura that encapsulates you & spits you into its organised chaos almost instantly upon arrival. There's something magical about Peru that attracted me almost immediately upon landing; something almost bewitching about simple things like walking down the street, casually mixing with the locals on their way to work or school & living within their culture as if it's your own. It has immense character & an undeniable charm that made me feel content at the prospect of spending the next few months exploring such a vast and charming continent. I found Lima to be a mix of western influence; in particular Miraflores with South American values in the not so affluent areas, industrious people hard at work in the dusty climate. Young boys darting between traffic, trying to earn their fair share of "dinero" by selling anything they thought to be of value.
Arriving in Lima
I arrived at the hostel at a reasonable time and checked in for two days. I hadn't really planned an itinerary beforehand as I didn't want to restrict myself by being dictated by routine, so my next move away from Lima was still unknown! I had a few ideas but the last thing on my mind on arriving and spending a cumulative time of nineteen hours on an aeroplane, ensured that planning was the last thing I wanted to do right now! The only thing on my mind was getting myself to the hostel bar and ordering a large Cusquena whilst enjoying the early May Peruvian sunshine. I had finally arrived after months of planning, weeks of stress and one logistical headache! Right then in that moment however, it felt like it was well and truly worth it; the local beer tasted good!
The first few days in Miraflores didn't really encourage me to report back with anything particularly exciting and worthy of a report; recovering from jet lag is just plain annoying and for the first fews days I was awake promptly at 6am without the accustomed semblance of tiredness that usually goes hand in hand with such an early wake up back home in the real world! I snoozed for around an hour before awaking to a breakfast mainly consisting of bread, butter and jam! This would turn out to be the typical South American breakfast as my travel adventure duly elapsed!
On the second night I met some travellers, which unbeknown to me, would forge the essence of our travelling circle for the weeks to follow. The Pariwana hostel in downtown Lima was a good base to start my travels. It had a rooftop terrace where most guests would congregate at night time, sharing their travel stories whilst drinking the native drink of Peru, Pisco Sour. (I will say now however, that the Chileans would not be at all happy at with this statement as they too claim that Pisco, which can only be described as a rum/brandy type spirit, is actually native to their own country! Unfortunately, I am too undereducated to know history, so for now, I'll award this accolade to the Peruvians!) On this particular night I met a great bunch of people who would soon be the main jigsaw pieces to the puzzle that was yet to develop and would lovingly be called "The Special Sauce Crew" (more to follow in time!) The first two people I met were two Canadians; Tyler and Dustin. They were from Vancouver and Montreal respectively. Tyler and myself instantly got on well as we shared similar things in common; mainly alcohol at this present time! We would go on to travel together for the upcoming few weeks and at the time of writing this now, he's perched comfortably in the patio area of the hostel, clutching a bottle of tequila, or Vitamin T as he fondly likes to name it! As well as the two Canadians I also met an American guy named Emeka. He was a Lawyer from New York City and instantly I took a like to him for his infectious humour! We played some Ping Pong and spoke about working life back home in NYC where I learnt an insight into his hectic schedule in midtown manhattan! Lastly, I met a Dutch girl named Renee'. She was half way through her 5 month trip around South America and found herself in Lima after travelling up from Brazil. She would turn out to be the youngest of the Special Sauce Crew at the tender age of 20! She would later be referred to as mother hen for actions such as filling our backpacks with fruit and cookies without telling us before we started treks!
That night we all went out for dinner. The Canadian guys knew of a restaurant a few blocks away that was not only cheap but delicious! We arrived there to find it closed, so instead we bundled into the nearest South American Italian restaurant for pizza and pasta! During this meal, muggins here managed to fall off his chair and into a helpless mess on the floor which was met predictably, to chores of laughter from my newly befriended travel buddies! Embarrassment ensued but I laughed it off well and knocked back another rum and coke to hide my newly found shame! It would go on to act as a good ice breaker and talking point of the upcoming few days that would proceed this night! We finished our meal and returned to our hostel for more drinks and bed. I briefly chatted to an Australian guy and his Dutch girlfriend whilst playing some pool. They had just arrived back from 5 nights of trekking in Huaraz and were raving about the great time they had both had. Huaraz is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the Ancash Region and the seat of government of Huaraz Province. It is famous amongst travellers for its mountainous treks of stunning beauty. It is somewhere that I would love to go to on this upcoming adventure! After finishing our passion fruit pisco sours, I said my goodnights to Josh & Lefke and retired to my dorm. The second night had been a success, albeit and embarrassing one!
I awoke again at around 6am the following morning with a slight alcohol induced hangover. This wasn't a problem however as a few of us were heading of to Ica and Huacachina on the early morning bus this morning! I headed up to the breakfast room and once again enjoyed the culinary delight of bread, butter and jam washed down with a coffee before heading out into Miraflores for an early morning lone stroll! There was something quite majestic about mingling with the locals of Lima as they frantically rushed around the streets on their way to work and school. There is somewhat of an organised chaos around Miraflores which is infectious to be part of. South American people seem to be hard-working, to ooze culture and to portray strict values whilst going about their daily business whether it be middle-aged men working in offices in downtown or industrious mothers ushering their children to school or selling on the streets. I instantly took a liking to being part of the way of life here and it made me excited at the prospect of spending such a long period of time exploring the continent!
i arrived back at the hostel just in time to check out and meet the other guys for our 4 hour journey to Ica which is a small desert town, south of the Peruvian capital. Ica is famous for it's beautiful desert oasis located in Huacachina, only 3km west and toward the coast. Admittedly, I didn't know a great deal about the place and had only read and seen photos after punching the name into google, so my expectations were not compromised. Little did I know that in approximately four hours I would be standing in a tranquil oasis, which would allure me with it's beauty.
"I face the horizon, everywhere that I go. I face the horizon, the horizon is my HOME."
10 Things I've learnt so far
1- Peruvian natives can be completely crazy at times! This was best observed and appreciated from the comfort of my Cruz Del Sur bus journey from Lima to Ica. People of all ages running across 3 lane motorways in order to get to the other side without the aide of an underpass, crossing or footbridge! I observed men in suits, mothers and children literally wait for a gap in traffic before frantically sprinting to the central reservation or other side! Completely insane and a recipe for death!
2- Cheviche! I applaud this awesome culinary delight native to the Peruvian people! It is absolutely divine and well worth sampling if ever over this part of the world. The dish consists of raw fresh fish marinated in local spices, chilli and garlic with a generous dash of lime drizzled across the top. It is usually a dish served with sweet potato & dry Peruvian corn on a bed of salad or quinoa! Absolutely delicious!
3- A thick grey, smoggy cloud descends across the Peruvian capital of Lima for most of the day. This is a regular occurrence in the dry season over here from early May until around September. Don't let this put you off however as as the day progresses, this mist seems to burn off leaving clear blue skies and a beautiful late afternoon/early evening climate.
4- My Spanish is better than I thought! Estoy muy contento con este!
5- Pisco is wholeheartedly & most definitely Evil! Mixed together to form a Pisco Sour, it's actually not that bad but I find that this way, it just masks it's sinister agenda to inebriate ones self and hides behind a concoction of egg white, sweet lemons and sugar.
6- The South American climate in May is sublime! For most of the day the sky is awash in a bright blue and the sun is strong enough to walk around in shorts and T-Shirt although the locals sometimes look upon as if you're indeed a crazy European, dressed in jumpers, cardigans and jackets! From a British point of view I find this equally as crazy! The temperature in Lima during the day was around 18º but at night fell to around 4º to 8º which most of the time required a jacket to keep ones self warm!
7- Selling my Nikon DSLR before this trip and buying my mirror-less Sony Nex6 was quite possibly a stroke of utter genius! It has exactly the same sensor as my bulky DSLR and shoots like a dream and at half the size and weight! Stay tuned for hopefully some amazing photos! So far, Peruvian people have been an excellent subject for street photography working from a focal length of 35mm. Shooting with this camera makes the task a lot less intrusive than my older and bigger DSLR. Extremely happy thus far!
8- Taking my MacBook on this trip was a smart move which seems to have paid off. I was a little dubious about taking the machine initially not only because of it's size and bulk but also because of it's value. So far however I can see that it will come in handy for most things photography and editing related and also for writing my blog. So far so good!
9- The Pacific Ocean has some unbelievably huge waves! Makes me wish I could surf!
10- Always pull the handle on a Peruvian Bus' toilet door harder than what you think is actually necessary otherwise you'll end up standing outside it until a local taps on the window to tell you you're in fact waiting for an imaginary person to finish doing an imaginary dump. Queue. More embarrassment! You just gotta love tourists hey?!
"Ever since my childhood I've been scared, I've been afraid,
of being trapped by circumstance and staying in one place.
So I always keep a small bag of clothes carefully stored,
somewhere secret, somewhere safe and somewhere close to the door"
Huacachina
We arrived in Ica at around noon, excited at the prospect of witnessing my first desert Oasis in the form of Huacachina. I'd seen a few photos beforehand when I'd punched it into Google and it looked surreal. It also features on the fifty Soles note which is the local currency of Peru and the actual population of Huacachina is a mere 115! Legend holds that the lagoon was created when a native princess was apprehended at her bath by a young hunter. She fled, leaving the pool of water she had been bathing in to become the lagoon. The folds of her mantle, streaming behind her as she ran, became the surrounding sand dunes. And the woman herself is rumoured to still live in the oasis as a mermaid. Personally, I think that's absolute bollocks but who am I to contravene Peruvian Mythology!?
We all bundled into a taxi and headed for the desert. A short five minute taxi journey from the main Terminal de Bus in Ica costing seven soles (£1.80) There were six of us in total that had made the journey from Lima. My new six travel buddies: Tyler, Dustin, Emeka, Ross, Renee and myself! During the journey, I asked why most of the houses in Peru remain seemingly unfinished & predictably ugly. The oracle that is Dustin informed me that this was because there are laws in certain South American countries that required the homeowner to pay higher rates of tax if the house was finished. I'm not too sure how true this is but it made sense all the same.
We arrived at our Hostel; a tranquil place, beautifully camouflaged with it's surroundings and perched on the edge of the lagoon. A 500 foot sand dune towered over the complex on the opposite side which made for a dramatic setting. For a whole £9 English pounds, this represented unbelievable value; I smiled widely! We checked into our four man shack and instantly met at the bar to sink back an ice cold cerveza in the glorious mid-afternoon sunshine. It was hot. Very hot!
After finishing our drinks and chatting to the hostel owner, we decided to book onto three excursions. First up was the sand boarding and dune buggy tour, which was due to set off later that afternoon. This consisted of a two hour trip in the mountainous sand dunes that surrounded Huacachina and included a sand board for anyone brave enough to want to ride the gigantic dunes either in the traditional method of standing or the more unconventional method of lying flat on ones belly. For the record, I decided that unconventional was best as my boarding skills were somewhat to be desired! In other words; if I had tried to stand, I would of predictably fallen off and no doubt broken bones being the clumsy fool I am!
The second and third excursion took place on the proceeding two days which were a boat trip to the Balestas Islands to see some wildlife (notoriously the poor man's Galapagos) and a wine and Pisco tour in the adjacent village. The total cost for all of these excursions was 105 Soles which equates to approximately £25. Again, bloody good value if you ask me!
Later that day we left our tranquil hostel to participate in the sand boarding and dune buggy excursion, as planned and we all agreed that it was an exhilarating experience that none of us would forget in a hurry. Not only was it great fun, exciting and invigorating all rolled into one but it allowed us to capture some awesome photographs of some stunning scenery. The desert was a breathtaking place amid a backdrop of clear blue skies and ice white sand with the late afternoon sun cutting across the horizon creating dancing shadows across the dunes. The buggy itself was a roller coaster treat! I ended up cutting my neck, which proved to be the laughing point once again that evening as it looked like I'd been given a love bite by some cheap whore in a seedy backstreet brothel! I'd been filming the ride from start to finish and amongst the excitement and adrenalin that was flowing, I hadn't realised that the seatbelt had been chaffing against my neck as the buggy plunged up and down over endless cambers as I was filming, hanging half outside the vehicle. I guess it was worth it however. The videos and photos are fantastic!
The two hours came to an end with a photo opportunity of the oasis in fading light and with a sunset you'd only imagine seeing in a film. Our group had befriended two girls from America on our excursion; Alyssa and Monica, both from Arizona. We'd initially seen Alyssa first, racing down the sand dunes at incredible speed on her tummy, clinging onto the sand board for dear life! To this very day I still don't know how she picked up the speed she did coming down those hills! We all arrived back at out hostel, covered in scratches and doused in sand and in my case, sporting an incredible neck bruise. Queue a pretty embarrassing next few days as I tried to convince people that this was indeed, a dune buggy injury! Yeah right! After a long hot shower to rid us all of the sand that had infested our every bodily crack, we all proceeded to hit the rum and go out for a meal in a restaurant that overlooked the oasis. We all got pretty drunk and danced the evening away in a local bar. A great day by all accounts!
"Life is about love, last minutes and lost evenings.
It's about fire in our bellies and futile little feelings.
And the aching amplitudes that set our needles off flickering,
and they help us to remember that the only thing that's left to do is
LIVE"
I woke to the sound of gobbling Turkeys at around 9am, my head a little bit thick from the previous night's escapades. As everyone else was asleep, I decide to go for a walk around the lagoon before breakfast and before we left on out second excursion to the Balestas Islands. In the early morning sun, the oasis looked even more beautiful and I used this opportunity to take some photos. I returned to find the others awake and sitting around the pool, just about to order breakfast. I ordered a bowl of fruit and a Cafe con Leche (coffee with milk) before catching the two hour mini bus from our hostel to the port where the boat would take us to the Islands.
The bus journey was a tough one. I dipped in and out of sleep for most of the way trying to rid myself of the hangover that had decided to creep its way into my body. It was another glorious morning so I slumped against the window to soak in the early morning pacific rays & listened to some Frank Turner on my iPod. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the destination where the boat would be picking us up. The little port town was called Paracas; a sleepy seafront settlement filled with local markets selling all sorts of delicious seafood from stalls. The locals mingled with the few tourists that were there in the lazy Sunday sunshine. We were instructed to board our boat and pay a local tax of 5 soles, which we were told was for the upkeep of the Balestas Islands. Another capitalist tourist tax if you ask me but we had to pay all the same!
The Ballestas Islands are a group of small islands near the town of Paracas located within the Paracas district of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region, on the south coast of Peru. It is composed largely of rock formations and covers an area of 0.12km. The Islands are an important sanctuary for marine fauna like the guanay guano bird, the blue footed booby (nice name!) and the tendril. Other species include the Humboldt Penguins and two different varieties of seals.
The trip to the Islands wasn't really a highlight for me. It lasted around 2 hours and we didn't leave the boat once. Instead we were driven about; in and out of coves and peninsulas so we could take pictures of the rock formations, Inca lines and wildlife. The trip wasn't terrible but I guess I expected a lot more! I did manage to see some sea lions and some penguins strutting their stuff confidently on the many rocks that hugged the shoreline. We actually managed to get quite close and they didn't seem to mind us doing so. I guess they were used to it and posing for the cameras was the norm! We headed back to the coast; cold and dank with the stench of salty sea water. Once back on dry land, I refuelled with a chicken sandwich from one of the street vendors, which cost me the british equivalent to 30 pence. I bragged to the others about how cheap it was and took a bite! "Crack!" To my horror, it wasn't just chicken in my 30p sandwich. It turned out to be chicken AND bone! The laugh was well and truly on me! Back to Huacachina it was!
For the rest of the day, I mainly nursed my hangover by plying myself with copious amounts of water and fruit salad from the hostel bar. Evening arrived and we all met up to play some cards and finish the rum we bought the night previous. A couple of girls from Canada joined us but tiredness got the better of me so I apologised to the group and caught and early night! Just what the doctor ordered! I'd only just semi-recovered from jet lag and the illness I bought with me from back home in the UK. I hit the pillow and the lights went off straight away!
I awoke at around 6am, again! In the UK it would of been around 12 noon so it was understandable that this was a regular occurence and reinstated the fact that I obviously hadn't conquered the jet lag as I had initially thought! I laid in bed until around 7am before getting up and taking another walk around the oasis to take a few more photos. This time I climbed a few of the sand dunes to gain a vantage point for some more early morning exposures & relaxed, taking in the stunning views. I could notice from my position high above the hamlet of Huachachina that a few people had set up tents around the lagoon. A couple were awaking to breakfast. I was a little taken aback at how "non touristy" the place had been during my stay. I can only imagine that in a few years, once it gets a little bit more notorious that it could be capitalised on and made into another tourist trap with bigger hotels & extortionate prices. I felt lucky that I had witnessed such beauty before this could potentially happen.
I once again made it back to Banana Hostel for breakfast and to prepare for our final excursion; a Pisco and wine tasting experience. That night we had all booked our bus ticket onwards to Cusco so we had to check out before 11am. Luckily we had met a Dutch girl named Anne who was staying for another few nights before making her way back to Lima for her return flight back home and she kindly let us all store our bags in her room. We left for the Pisco Museum at around midday and had a fantastic time. This was mainly down to the fact that Tyler and myself took complete advantage of the free alcohol that was on offer. As well as getting pissed for free, the trip was also rather educating as we learnt how Pisco was made and what grapes were involved and the fermenting stages which lead up to the actual consumption. We also learnt the correct technique to drink the spirit which involved deep breaths, counting to three and exhaling all in one rapid motion. It in fact worked rather well! Slightly pissed, we caught our bus back to the hostel for the final time to prepare for our arduous 17 hour journey through the Andes mountains to Cusco.
I said my goodbyes to the people I had met in Huacachina and hailed a £2 taxi to Ica where our bus was waiting promptly at 8pm. During the taxi journey, the driver spoke fast in a monotone Spanish accent and informed us that he was indeed the man we should be talking to if ever we wanted "muy bien" Cocaine. Despite my best efforts to inform him that "no hablo Espanol" and that right now, sniffing coke on a 17 hour bus journey whilst driving through altitude was indeed a terrible idea, he still insisted that I must buy from Señor Coca if ever I returned to Ica. I nodded frantically and met his questions with "si Señor Coca" until I arrived at my destination! After scrambling around for change to pay the crazy Peruvian, he insisted that he was to carry my bag into the bus terminal for me. "Ingles bueno, Ingles bueno" he kept repeating with a wide grin across his aged and wrinkled face. I scrambled for my pocket again sensing a real sincerity about Señor Coca and figured that a few extra soles would be a nice gesture seeing as he made the ride quite enjoyable with his jovial personality. To my amazement, he refused my tip and shook my hand, muttering something again in Spanish. I figured he was wishing me all the best on my journey, which was a really nice touch! We parted company and for the final time I rustled through my pockets to find my bus ticket. The process was very simple and I boarded my full cama bus (Full 180^ bed) and prepared for my adventure onwards to Cusco. The bus was quite possibly the best bus I have been on; fully reclining seats, waitress service, TV, wi-fi and food. It was better than an aeroplane! I got comfy, prepared my iPod and smiled contently to myself. So far, South America was exceeding my expectation and beyond!
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
I arrived at my hostel (www.pariwana-hostel.com) in good time and took advantage of the free coca tea that seemed to be on offer pretty much everywhere. Coca is sworn by in Peru and it's rumoured to have healing effects on almost everything that can put the human body down! It certainly helped with the mild altitude sickness I was experiencing! The first few days of my time in Cusco didn't really encourage me to write about a great deal as I mainly took things easy in order to acclimatise to the altitude so I confined myself to my hostel. Most people do this upon arriving although I did speak to a few people who had arrived and were booked onto treks the following day which in my opinion really isn't a smart idea starting your adventure in this manner! You hear the stories about people that start the Inca trail and other treks soon after arriving but have to quit half way through due to the sickness becoming too severe to continue; the only remedy being to go back down! I really didn't fancy becoming another victim! 
In my opinion, the San Blas district of Cusco is one of the most picturesque sites in the city. The neighbourhood has many workshops, craft shops, cafes and artisan galleries for one to appreciate. The streets in San Blas are steep and narrow with old houses built by the Spanish over important Inca foundations. The square is attractive and has the oldest church in Cusco which was built in 1563. The Quechua name of this neighbourhood is Tuq'ukachi which means opening of the salt. The market which is situated at the western end of the district is reminiscent of the San Pedro market but selling food produce only. The locals seem to use this place to buy their meats, poultry and vegetables as well as stopping by for lunch in one of the many stalls that serve basic traditional Peruvian dishes. I recommend mingling amongst them and trying the chicken soup! Spot on! 
A great little cafe on the edge of the San Blas district which serves the best sandwiches in town. The prices here are a little more expensive than normal but are well worth the splurge. The portion sizes are delicious and moderately sized. I recommend the Pollo con Queso (chicken and cheese). A huge breast of chicken with a generous lashing of melted mozzarella cheese, tomato, olives, and onions! Make sure you pick one of their huge range of sauces to drizzle generously over your chosen weapon of delight! 
A great little cafe on the edge of the San Blas district which serves the best sandwiches in town. The prices here are a little more expensive than normal but are well worth the splurge. The portion sizes are delicious and moderately sized. I recommend the Pollo con Queso (chicken and cheese). A huge breast of chicken with a generous lashing of melted mozzarella cheese, tomato, olives, and onions! Make sure you pick one of their huge range of sauces to drizzle generously over your chosen weapon of delight! 
