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Hello from Peru!!
I´m currently sat in a super humid internet cafe in the town of Mancora (spelling?) on the coast of Peru! Had an epic bus journey to get here. Got the bus from Latacunga, Ecuador last night at around 8pm, which took us to the next city down called Ambato or something. This was a couple of hours which was fine. Then we had to find a bus to any city south of Ambato, so ended up having to get a 6 hour bus journey to Guayaquil on the coast. It was travelling through the night and across the Andes. Lightening storms and bussing it around mountain sides. I didnt get much sleep at all so was knackered and barely functioning when we got into the bus terminal! Managed to find a man who spoke english and seemed to know what he was doing, so we followed him and his daughter onto a bus across the border into Peru, getting our exit and entry stamps. I was so so tired and still feeling the effects of the altitude sickness quite badly! Managed to get down the Peruvian coastline to a place called Mancara, which has really great beaches apparently!
Before we started the bus journey south, we visited Lake Quilatoa. Its a volcanic lake in a massive volcano crater up in the mountains. Got the bus to the nearest town and then a pickup truck ride to the lake! Got amazing views of the landscape. The lake was stunning. A greeny colour in the water which was caused by the sulphur in the crater. We hiked it down to the bottom of the crater (really really steep!) and then got a donkey ride back up to the top! it was quite an experience! Sally´s donkey kept trying to compete with mine for the lead, but even though my donkey always seemed to take the hardest route we came first :p . However, i was feeling the effects of altitude sickness really badly, achey joints, headache and nausea it wasnt good. Felt so weak, Steph had it too so we had to lie down then get back down to Latacunga asap. No rest though as we had to catch the bus to try and get across the border to Peru! Not great considering i needed rest for the altitude sickness.
We got there in the end! Lima tomorrow (17 hour bus journey down the coast). Then the Amazon!
Paul
- comments
The Godfather Paul & All, The journey has taken on epic proportions since you dropped down into S. America. I thought it was a nice biblical touch to have ridden a donkey so close to Easter... do not get delusions of grandeur! Also nice to think all those late night binge drinking sessions at Uni' helped to acclimatize you to the effects of altitude sickness... money well spent after all eh? Keep the blogs coming... when do we get some more pic's?
chris Alright m8, just read this, sounds like ur having an amazing time (apart from the tierdness and altitude sickness, which i know isnt nice!). Some of those views sound awesome, as does the lake. When u gonna get some pictures put online?
Chris Whincup that was me below btw! Also I know u get back on Thursday 26th August or something, but Guns N Roses r playing leeds fest on the 29th, should get urself a ticket!