Peru: Lima, Huaraz and Cusco

PERU: LIMA, HUARAZ & CUSCO

LIMA: THE AIRPORT, YOUTH HOSTEL & CITY TOUR

We arrived in Lima straight from the jungle. The international airport in Lima is very chaotic. We had been warned about this before, but it was just ridiculous. First u need 2 stand in a very long queue to pass imigration. I have been in long queues before (India, Thailand) but this one was the longest ever, something like 400-500 people making a snake line through the whole hall. Then when we managed to get through immigration, we found our carousel. We saw that the whole terminal was full with people waiting 4 their luggage. After waiting for our luggage for 15 minutes, suddenly the number of our flight disapeared from the screen over the carousel, the carousel stopped and no bags were coming out. When trying to find out where our bags were, we were referred from one counter to another. On the way between counters we saw the bags lying peacefully next to one of the carousels. When we asked our driver what is the reason for the mess. He said that all the international flights arrive at night...? To me it seemed like all of them arrived at the same hour too.
In Lima we stayed in a bizarre youth hostel Albergue International (recomended by Lonely Planet). For some reason every time the receptionist saw us s/he said: 'Can you pay now?' I would often say 'NO' and they would reply: 'You have to pay now!'
Also in Lima we went on a city tour with a company called www.limavision.com/citytour.html. The tour was well organised but the guide did not know anything more then the basic facts. When we tried asking her more detailed questions she was not able to respond. Most of the tour was: 'This is the American embassy... This is the main square... This is peak hour, there is a lot of traffic...'

HUARAZ

From Lima we took an 8 hours bus ride up north to Huaraz with a company called www.cruzdelsur.com.pe/. Excellent service and great views along the way. We actually played Bingo on the bus. I missed one number in winning a free bus ride!
Unfotunatly Leah got sick while we were in Huaraz. So we didn't do much. Except for a three hour walk in the villages nearby, including the main village, Marian. Altough the walk was relatively short it was extremly impresive. The people in the vilages were so nice, I was just amazed. Happy to talk, smiling, and generous.

LLANGANUCO LODGE

We continued further north to http://www.llanganucolodge.com/ some two and half hours from Huaraz. I must say that staying in this lodge was one of the best experiences so far in my trip. The owner Charlie Good came to Peru following his brother (the owner of The Way Inn Lodge) from England to open an adventure lodge (Charlie had to become a member of the local comunity, a process that took him about two years. While building the lodge he slept alone in a tent for four months on the mountain). The place has been running from April 2007 and it offers amazing services and beautiful scenery. It is located right next to the magnificent Cordillera Blanca National park, underneath a snowy mountain region, very close to a beautiful lake and several waterfalls. On top of that, Charlie has managed to hire an excellent Australian chef called Brett who makes excellent pumpkin soup. I think what made this place special for me was the feeling that I got personal care and I had great conversations with the people who were staying in the lodge and running it.
Leah was still recovering when we were in Charlie's place (referred to by the locals as Casa de Carlito). So we took it really easy. And we mainly did some day walks around the lodge, just wondering about, and it was wonderful.
In the last day we have managed to do the Lake 69 trek that is in the Cordillera Blanca National park. This trek was just unbelivable. We walked for about six hours along waterfalls, creeks surounded by a beautiful mountain region topped with glaciers and snow. At the end of the trek we reached the lake. The glacier above the lake was melting into it while it was reflecting light blue colours.
I was very sad to leave Charlie's place. I really felt connected to Charlie and to the lodge. I hope that I will have the chance to visit the place again.
From Charlie’s place we drove stright to the airport (next to Huaraz) to catch a flight back to Lima. We stayed another three days in Lima, while Leah was having tests to find out exactly what she was suffering from. We left Lima on the 7.9.07 on a flight to Cusco with an airline called http://aerocondor.com.pe/. I was less suprised this time when I saw how the airport was operating. It seems like all the internal flights were departing, more or less, at the same time. Again very strange. I could not understand who is the genuis that decided on this system, but it was obviusly, Not Working! We left the airport an hour and a half later then we were scheduled to depart.

CUSCO

In Cusco we are staying in a very nice hotel called http://wiracocha.hotelescusco.com/. Our main activities so far have been taking the city tour... and eating. The food here is really nice. There are two restaurents that we specially like. The first www.mundohemp.com/. They offer a variety of food made in combination with Hemp. And the second is Indian restaurent called www.maikhana.net/, which offers excellent Indian dishes with a rich texture and flavour.