Huaraz

I arrived in Huaraz with Geoff (Izzabelle) from Huanchaco, a decent enough night bus, but we got there early! We had to sleep on sofas in the hostel until their breakfast time, wen the sofa I had my head on was stolen to prop the door open. The first of many weird things at the hostel!
After we checked in and met people in the dorm, we headed out to have a look around and start thinking about tours.
The main reason people come to this mountain town is to explore the high Andes of Peru. There’s so many different treks, but normally it’s the Santa Cruz 4 day trek, with an acclimatisation trek first, most popular is Laguna 69.
The town is really nice with a great indoor market with all the meats on display, clothes and rest of the weird stuff you find in local markets. We also checked out the small museum of statutes from the near by ruins.
We’d decided on the tours and when we’d do them. First Laguna 69, then the 4 day Santa Cruz trek, we also found a great coffee shop!
That night, we met Jerry and B, a couple from the UK/Spain who I instantly got in with. Jerry is from Bristol and had been to many a Shambala fedtival, B is from Spain and they both live in London. It would ya e been great to go get some drinks, but they were packing for Santa Cruz and were leaving at 5am then next morning. It was Halloween and there was a real buzz around town with loads of people dressed up!
Next day, there was more chillin and hunting round the outdoor shops for things. They have quite a few used shops, but I didn’t find much for me, but turned personal shopper for a few people.
The morning comes to go to Laguna 69 and I do not feel well at all! We left at 5am, 3 hours in a bus later we stop for breakfast and I cannot eat, not good!
Another hour up a bumpy track and we get to a lake, another 15 minutes later and we reach the start of the trek. I decide to give it a go, even though I might have to turn back. Probably about 45mins and I’m feeling horrendous! I had to stop and use the Inca toilet, knowing the hike would only get harder, the guide told me to go back to the van, so I did. A few dry heaves later, I was back where I’d started, found the van, but no driver in sight. I then preceded to sleep on the road, head on my bag for an hour until another van driver asked if I wanted to sit in as it was cold in the wind at 4000masl.
It was not a good day! Another few hours later my driver turned up and then another hour till everyone else started to show too. It would be another 3 1/5 hours back to Huaraz. Not good.
Next day, I helped a few more people shop for the Santa Cruz trek, I was on the verge of bailing from Huaraz, that evening I did! On to Lima as I decided to skip on over to Cusco to join the rest of my travel buddies as a surprise!Read more