The end

Well, the trip has come to an end. I am at the airport in Santiago waiting to board my plane to Buenos Aires and then home. I´m quite excited about getting home now. I am going to bore everyone with photos for HOURS! I hope you are prepared :)

The last couple of days have just been spent recovering yet again from some stomach troubles so nothing exceedingly exciting has been happening. I have been staying with Berni and Graeme which has been good though. It´s nice being able to relax and chat in the sun by the pool.

I have smuggled some bottles of wine into my big pack and I hope they aren´t going to take them off me when I arrive in NZ. I couldn´t stand it. They are really nice. I don´t see why they wouldn´t allow them in the country though.

Marty and Greg seem to be all good up in Mancora. Marty is over the moon being able to surf so much I think. I have had a few emails but haven´t been able to call them. I thnk the number I got was wrong.

Anyway, this trip has been amazing. I´m a bit pissed off that I was sick so much but there wasn´t much I could do about it. The trip to Peru went so fast I can´t believe it. It seems a bit like a dream now. It´s hard to believe we spent almost a month there. There were a lot of long bus trips though which consumed a lot of our time. But the 15 hour bus rides have made the 11 hour flight from Buenos Aires to Auckland seem super easy. 11 hours is nothing now. I think I will sleep most of the way anyway because I arrive at 4.30am (I have been awake at that time a lot recently) and then a flight from Ak to Welly a few hours afterwards. I hope there are no delays along the way because I haven´t actually left myself that much time.

Anyway, I better get going. Everything at the airport is stupidly expensive, including internet use. But I will see you all tomorrow! Wednesday does not exist for me at all.

The last goodbye,

Kerry :)

See, you never know!

La Posada, the hostel we are staying at in Mancora. I must get myself a hammock!

The fish we caught (not big but I don{t think they have size regulations over here)

A la calle, la Panamericana...

y en la playa....

The track to the thermal pools. Very rough!


Right, I have more photos. These will definitely be the last because I leave Mancora tonight. Actually there could be some randoms when I get to Stgo. I have a few days there.

Yesterday was didn{t go to plan but turned out to be cool anyway. We thought we{d go the thermal pools about 10km north of Mancora (why we would decide to do such a thing in 30 degree weather is beyond me but anyway) so we got in a mototaxi and headed in that direction.

We turned off the Panamerican onto a dirt road not far out of town and things got interesting. There has been so much rain here recently that the road was just thick mud and puddles. The little motos are pretty hardy but definitely not 4 wheel drive things. So we splashed and bobbed and rocked our way through some really bad parts, every so often getting out and pushing the thing when it couldn{t get any further. I thought we were going to tip over a number of times but we managed to stay upright.

About 10 mins into our exciting adventure (we really had no idea how far the road would go) we came across a man who signalled to us that we couldn{t go any further in the moto because the road was too bad so we all got out and deliberated about what to do.

An old man, Augustine, came passed and confirmed that the road was too bad to go by moto but it was walkable. 40 mins there and 40 back. In searing heat and mud. We talked to Augustine and the moto driver and his young son (I assume) for a while and then the moto driver said there was a "kind of zoo" in the house we were standing in front of. So we wandered in and met this slightly eccentric German woman, Heidi, who had a collection of parrots and makaws. Huge birds! And a squirrel as well. She had been at sea for 5 years with her husband (not sure what happened to him) and "could never go back to Germany". I didn{t ask why. It sounded a bit ominous. I like to think it is becuase she has fallen in love with her way of life in this tiny corner of Peru.

She also had some horses. The Old One and The Black One. The Black One was a 3 yr old stallion and he literally was jet black. So beautiful.. The Old One was crazy apparently but she rode them both (English style which is very uncommon in these parts!).

We headed back home and went for a swim and ate chocolate brownie sundaes in the sun. Later that night Marty and I went on a date. Just the two of us. It was really nice. Really good food and a really nice bottle of wine and he told me all the mischevious things he got up to as a child. I never realised! Maybe I shouldn{t have said that!

The boys are off at the beach but it is insanely hot today. 100% humidity and almost unbearable. I think I will have to jump in the sea but there{s been so much rain that the sea is brown and not particularly appealing! But I have to cool down somehow.

Anyway, I will see you all soon,

K x

We went fishing this morning. Caught 6 fish, only one of which I can claim to be my own - I blame positioning. 4 cod, a leatherjacket (didn´t know you could eat them) and something that looks very similar to a terakihi. The fishermen kindly donated 1.5 conger eels (half was used as bait - very unsuccessfully) to the stash which I think we may discard. They don´t look too appetising! But it was good fun. We ate the 4 cod for lunch. Beautiful to have such fresh fish!

Last night we went out and played poker and had a few drinks. The rain started at dusk and didn´t abate until this morning. When we left the bar we were rushed home through mud only to find the gates of the hostel locked. We thought we´d climb the wall by our room but luckily there were still some people up (it wasn´t even midnight) so they let us in through a side door. That is a really pointless story.

A man at the hostel apparently got stung by a scorpion the other day and had to go to hospital. I haven´t seen any scorpions at all. I´d like to see4 one from afar. Found a gecko last night though which I got overly excited about, of course.

I am absolutely covered in mozzie bites and they´re driving me insane. In retrospect the cancellation of the jungle trip was probably a good idea. We saw a lot of people in Cusco who had just come from there and they were covered, head to toe, in enormous insect bites. Ugh. I dread to think of the itching.

Anyway, I think I´m going to head back to the hostel for a siesta. There probably won´t be anymore photos before I get back but you never know.

¡Chau!

K x

A few more photos

The markets in Huarmey swarming with mototaxis. Funny little things.

A stall selling chicken complete with feet. They look like rubber chickens.

Ooohhh.... my little Lapiz! She is so adorable even if she is covered in fleas.

The raising of the tree in Puerto Huarmey.

The enormous waves at Tuquillo. I was a bit nervous about Greg being so close!

Ok, we have now reached another internet cafe where our hard drive works. We have been to approximately 8 different places and this was the only one that worked. And of course it is the furthest away.

We have changed hostels because the other one was pretty gross and our bathroom flooded instantly. We are now at a nicer one with a dirty pool and a kitchen. But it is still close to the beach.

The dolphins were beautiful. It was such a lovely way to wake up. It always astounds me how happy they are to be around humans. They truly do rule the world... "So long and thanks for all the fish!"

I have booked my bus back to Lima on the 21st and I can{t believe how little time I have left. It is going to be strange going home. I finally feel like I can relax here and it{s only for a few days.


I am going to have to go for another swim soon. It is rather hot. But I think the sea is a better option than the pool. And the water is so warm. This is the life!

Bye again,

Kerry x

Final destination

We made it. Mancora is like a tropical island. Palm trees, heat, sun, sand, surf and an odd man in a fluro green pair of tiny speedos - waxed and greased.

We got here yesterday and found ourselves a backpackers onthe beach. Marty inhaled a beer and then disappeared into the surf within half an hour of our arrival. Greg and I lounged and nursed our sunburn at the cafe on the beach front and gazed out at the blue sea. Greg is now also nursing his stomach as all the street food and dodgy water has caught up with him - I understand his pain and am thankful to be rid of it.

A beaming Marty returned and joined me (Greg had gone to sleep) for lunch and some refreshing beverages and then disappeared again to find out about long term rental of surfboards. It was siesta time for me.

Later we checked out the markets and bought a few odds and ends and indulged in some 2-handed 500 and a glass of wine. Marty got attacked by a large black beetle and nearly upended the table.

Ok, not much longer to write but this morning we got up early and went to the beach to find a huge podof dolphins frolicking with the surfers and catching some waves themselves. It was a pretty amazing sight.

Everyone is leaving so I better go.

Chau!

K xx

A whole new meaning for Arbor Day

¡Buenos tardes!

We are in Puerto Huarmey now. We arrived last night and have booked ourselves a bus to Mancora (damn near Ecuador) for tonight. Just another 15 hours. That is as far north as I shall make it. But it will be nice to relax on the beach for a few days (although I got burnt today... ugh).

Anyway, in Puerto Huarmey they have a tree festival every year. Marty was here when it happened in 2005 and we are lucky (?) enough to be here for the celebration this time as well. This morning some of the locals went and found a tree and dragged it down the road (there is really only one road here and it is made of dirt) behind a truck. They then proceeded to dig a hole in the middle of the road (literally) and plant the tree. It took quite a few men to get it in as it is a rather large tree. Marty, Greg and I all headed to the beach this morning (hence the sunburn) but now that we are back the whole tree is beautifully decorated with... wait for it... tupperware. Feom what I gather, the tree will remain there for the rest of the month and at the end, at about midnight, all the locals will take turns with the axe to cut it down. The person who delivers the final blow is given the honour of providing the tree for next year. What a reward!

I´m not sure of the significance of this tree. I shall ask Marty. Ok, it is really a tradition from Cajamarca up in the mountains. Apparently "it is just what they do" according to Marty. Maybe I will try and find out more.

The beach, Tuquillo, was really cool. Huge waves crashing over the rocks and from the beach there is just miles and miles of sand. For as far as the eye can see. Huge mountains ("big grains") of sand. It looks like we´re in the middle of a desert... oh, that´s right, we are. We have been in desert (minus our brief escapade to Cusco etc) since we left Santiago. But it´s bizarre to see the desert reach the sea. Quite an amazing sight. I will upload photos later as Marty is busy playing with the camera at present.

So, tonight we get on a super plush (Ormeños Royal Class... I´m hoping for a poker table) bus to Mancora. That will be my final destination, the furthest north I shall go, before I start the trip back to Santiago via bus, plane and train and home. These 2 months have gone so fast I can´t believe it.

Last night we had an audience of little kids who had never seen a gringo before hanging out outside the window of the restaurant we´re staying at. We were chatting with some locals and Marty was playing guitar. The kids were quite intrigued. This is not somewhere tourists normally go. We are off the beaten track, that´s for sure (although Puerto Huarmey is on the Flight Centre maps!).

I got to name a puppy last night. She is a stray but she hangs out in the restaurant. Her name is now Lápiz. It is Castellano for ´pencil´. She is so cute I want to take her home. She is only 6 months old.

Oh god my legs are burnt. I am going to be in agony. It was nice having a swim today though. It´s very hot up here. It´s going to be even hotter with 3rd degree burns. I need some milk of magnesia apparently or even just some cold tea. Ah, Greg has pawpaw cream. Maybe I can scab some off him. I don´t have anything in my (now extensive) first aid kit for sunburn. Silly.

Ok, time to go. Es la hora de cerveza, creo. Y hielo por la piernas. Very bad Spanish. I hope no native Castellano speakers read this. They would be appalled at me butchering their language!

Chau!

Kerry x

From top:
1. Before the mist cleared.
2. On the way to Aguas. You can see the shadows of the stairs on the walls.
3. climbing down from Waynapicchu.
4. Marty and I in front of MP.
5. Greg, Chris, Katharina, Marty and I in front of MP.
6. Looking down from the top of Waynapicchu
7. Marty having his shoes shined and sipping on a coffee when we first arrived in Cusco at 6amish.
8. Looking down from MP.
9. Street in Cusco.
10. Marty and I at the top of Waynapicchu as the mist cleared from MP in the background. Wow!