June 15., Back to Lima

Early morning we paid s./ 3 for a taxi to airport ( bargain started at $3) . Maarja bought a big Pepsi and we were sitting and people-watching . There was a group of Americans returning from the Amazon jungle . So familiar talk and behavior ...., but no desire to say "Hi!" them

On the plane Maarja met her dream man .... I was lucky to get his breakfast ... It was a cool guy and spoke English .

We got back to our place on Colmena street and for a moment I was very scared because Senora Rodriguez couldn't find my carry-on bag .I left it when we were leaving, didn't warn her and didn't sign the magic book . Since I committed two major crimes, I almost said "bye" to my stuff .
The problem was, of course my poor Spanish - I was asking for bolso negro which would mean black bag instead of maleta negra which is what I had.

Maarja's flight is tomorrow, so we went out to see Lima . I felt sick and after buying some cards came back to our apartment . There are two Californian neighbors in our dorms .

June 16., Lima

Today we have to visit US Embassy in Miraflores. I've never been in Mirafores, but people say it's way different . So it is ! It looks more like any business city in Europe . Lot's of business people on the streets , parks are clean and so are streets . It looks completely different from Lima center...

I got an appointment on June 21st to for my F1 visa. Then we decide to go and see ocean ( because Burger King is still closed) . We just thought that it is so odd to find Burger King here in Lima....... and it means we have to visit proving that we are gringos estupidos

On the way to the beach we visit couple supermarkets which might as well be located in the suburbs of any US city , only the prices seemed to be some two times higher.

Houses in the side streets are very beautiful . Finally we reach a high bluff and the Pacific is down there . There is no wind , just fog and huge swells breaking on the shore . The beach doesn't look all so clean , but still I see some people surfing in the waves . Bluff is so high that we would have to go for miles to find some stairs.

We walk back and get our s./ 2.50 Whoppers and eat them together with Peruvian school kids. They taste as greassy as everywhere else in the world .

To get to Mirafores we took a colectivo bus from the city center . This is quite an experience . There are no bus stops in the regular meaning , people just stand along streets and look out for the right bus. They have a driver's assistant in the colectivo who is standing on the steps of the bus and shouts out destinations where this bus is going .This together with honking creates quite a noise on the streets . Once you see bus which goes to where you want to go just wave him and then try to find your way between the cars to jump in it. Sometimes bus will keep on moving and drivers assistant will literally pull you in . .. That's an adventure, but if you stay in Lima for a longer period this can save you tons of money . Ride from center to Miraflores would be s./ 0.60 - 0.80 in bus , but s./ 6-8 in taxi . The book was talking about thieves working in busses. I don't know - we always tried to sit in the corner and never got anything stolen or felt insecure. Later I was driving alone and at nights ... it's way safer than being on the street . Of course, the general rule is - don't flash any valuables !!!

Anyway, we decided to take a walk back to the city center . It took us almost 2 hours . There are so many places, where people study computers !! Classes for Quattro Pro and Windows are advertised on every corner . Internet doesn't seem to be a big thing yet , even if I know there are some servers in Peru . But this, of course, is just a tourist impression from a short visit .

One good reason to live on Colmena street is a nice Pasteleria downstairs . That is a bakery and they make nicest canchitos de mantequilla and biscochos I've had since my childhood in Latvia . They recognize me already and I sometimes would stop just to have a snack with coffee and talk with girls there.

Maarja has packed her things and we take a taxi to the airport. The thing is that her student visa for States expires in couple days and she has to get back in US to leave for Estonia later . Which means any delays could be quite dangerous for her. We have to meet an LHS guy at 8 PM in airport . Traffic is crazy tonight and we are stuck in "jam" for more than half an hour . When we finally get to airport - there is no one from LHS . As the time passes Maarja starts to worry more. I call to LHS , but there is nobody there, then make an announcement in airport . Finally after scary hour I spot a man with my fax page in his hands . .. Yes he is looking for Maarja , but fax is of so bad quality that he is expecting a man .................

We have to pay $ 17.5 departure tax and then Maarja leaves , happy to get on the plane .

I bargain for the taxi at the gate and finally get one for my price . I talk with a taxi driver most of the way. It's late night already . I still have no clue how to get to Huaraz tomorrow.

June 17., Lima - Huaraz.

I got up at seven and walked to Cruz del Sur bus company . Yes, they have a bus , but it leaves at 11 AM and ticket is s./ 20 ( 20 soles ). I don't want to return to Rodriguez and instead go out looking for breakfast and trouble... Breakfast is quite a problem, at least in this part of Lima. Shops and eateries open at 9 or 10 AM and before that there are only street stalls .. I can't risk anymore after my diarrhea experience. So there is no breakfast for me ,just trouble . In order to get on the walking street I have to get through a huge gang of cambiantes 'money exchangers'. This is a perfectly legal business in Peru, but anyone using them instead of Casas de Cambio is looking for trouble and deserves it . Why? If you change money in exchange boot there is a slight chance they are doing long term business and not cheating you . Street changers might be honest only if you are alert and calculate everything along . Well ,anyway, my experience this morning was the worst one. The trouble started that streets were empty and I had my backpack on me , they continued when I decided that I need to change some money in this worst time of day .
While exchanging at a good rate I noticed them quickly replacing my $20 note with the other one. Oh, I felt trouble ...Then they said that there was an error in calculation of rate and if I don't like a new rate which was some 5% lower I could take my $ money back . I agreed to worse rate just to get some soles instead of counterfeit $ I would get back .... Good lesson . Later I noticed that my bus ticket was gone from the pocket . Shit ! I had to pay s./ 10 more to get replacement issued . Expensive ride . I left the bus station only to visit my pasteleria and buy bread supply for mountains .

On the bus there is a group of "fresh off the plane " Norwegian expedition going to climb Mt. Alpa Mayo and Mt. Huascaran . I learn this from their T-shirts.

The bus is perfect - toilet , video, A/C and later even lunch . I look outside tinted windows as we pass poor suburbs and villages in desert north of Lima. How can these people survive there ? Some quite impressive glances at ocean .. The passport control almost kicks me off the bus since I didn't risk to take my passport with me , just a copy . ( I learned this from those Californians who stayed in our dorms - the girl get her bag ripped off with all the money, documents and everything. She had at least US Embassy to look for help. If that would happen to me I would have to call to Latvian Embassy in US because there is none in South America . it would take month to get something , I try even not to thing about it .) Finally after I try to explain my best the officer gives green light . It was close ! I notice that there are two Swedes sitting in the seat next to me in bus . They are really nice people but too worried about things. I mean all this "tree hugging " and "not safe " business . May be that is my backgroung, geology and real life education which says that we are not gonna climb back in trees , but continue exploit the Earth instead ... The pass over mountains was pretty bad for the guy , they just arrived in Lima and didn't have any acclimatization. Pass is about 4200 m . They asked if there is a medicine against this? Well, I don't know there might be something, but I' not aware.

After arrival in Huaraz I bargained hard with the regular crowd of hotel representatives to get the cheapest price for decent room in center. I got a free ride to a hotel close to Pza. de Armas which charged me s./ 6 for an empty 4 person bedroom with the shower . Not bad .

I went out in streets to see nightlife. Nothing impressive -this is no Cuzco. I found Swedes eating vegetarian pizza in a restaurant. We spent some time speaking about life while I had Pisco Sour Then I went back to hotel and found out that there are minibuses going to Yungay and there is no reason to buy her trip to Llaganucco laguna for s./ 20 . I also made a copy from a map in local climbing store to be able find way in mountains.

I guess I picked up some fleas in this hotel , but that's also a part of experience .

I got up early walk couple blocks down the street till I see the Caraz bus . s./ 2 till Yungay . Nice mountain scenery . Arriving in city you can finally see real campesinos in their colorful dresses. Yeah , that's Yungay . The guy comes to me and offers a ride to laguna Llaganuco . Well I would need higher and he says fine - s./ 10 I mange to bargain it down to s./ 8 but that's it. He has to wait for a group of tourists arriving from Huaraz to fill his Nissan van . I eat some bread and platanos ( bananas) which means my diarrhea suffering is finally over . It is 10.30 AM when finally group arrives. Those are young guys and girls from Slovenia . Geees, this place is swarms with Europeans .....

They are going to climb Mt. Pisco which is a peak somewhere. I remember reading about it - straight forward snow ascent , 5700 or something . Well let's take a look. After we enjoy magnificent view of Mt. Huascaran we have to pay entrance fee for the national park . It is s./ 1.5 per day per person. Then we continue up the road pass the lagunas . When the road starts to climb to the pass we get off the van .

Finally I'm doing what I came to do in Peru . I don't have an ice tool or trekking poles so I ruthlessly kill one tree and make a nice pole. Trail to Mt. Pisco Base camp steeply climbs in the side valley. The local guy said it would take some 4 hours to reach base camp at the small lake. It was close to that . Trail was well marked until it got on the moraine , but event there you could spot it . There were 3 steep climbs up the moraine walls and then I had to cross glacier to the other side . The side moraine was unexpectedly steep and loose. On the other side there is a big lake but I kept climbing higher and there was a small lake base camp very close to glacier.

There was only one tent there and Jeff from US and Mick from Australia are sharing it. Mt. Husacaran fills in the background of valley. Those were really great guys, they had good equipment and were about to do Mt. Pisco tomorrow . That's great I don't want to hang out with crevasses on my own ! Mt. Pisco looks impressive from base camp , I know it's just an illusion as you get closer there are ways how to climb it . I pitch my Sierra Designs tent next to the two crosses, make some food and try to relax .

The guys offered me to join them in rope tomorrow for safety reasons , but I politely turned down their offer . I'll just climb before them and they promise to fish me out of crevasse on the way back from summit .... I did borrow a real BD Self Arrest pole from them which is gonna give me some safety on steep snow. I asked them to wake me up and went to sleep at 6 PM to wake up at 3.30 AM . Altitude at this camp is somewhere close to 5 km.

June 19., Mt. Pisco .

Sancho, Sancho !! I wake up in the night from Jeff's call . There are flashlights jumping in their tent and also in the tent of Dutch who arrived later yesterday . I make some coffee and quick sandwiches and off we go.

It's still dark as we search for trail on moraine and finally reach ice. It's steep, so I put on crampons and go first. First steep climbs. Breathing, breathing. .. I feel it's gonna be good but not easy . I stop for rest two times before reaching the cole . Even in the night I can see a good track from the parties which climbed here couple days ago. I cross bergshrunds?? over the snow bridges - they seam to be O.K.

The sun rises. I'm pretty high , no rush , it seems all crevasses are passed and none were really bad . So, I sit and watch Jeff & Mick climbing. There is no wind , but clouds are gathering in valley . When I reach the summit it's 8 AM . I try to stay on track since I remember seeing big cornice of snow hanging from the peak. Being alone I can't afford no mistakes . I take panorama photos before it all gets covered in clouds . I had a nice plan to go and explore snow field to another peak from the cole , but since it's all covered in fog there is a good chance of getting lost and falling in crevasse . So I have nothing to do but go down to camp.

I meet Jeff & Mick on descend and take pictures of them . I almost run down in the "good Soviet mountaineering traditions" . On the way I wish well to Dutch party . The Dutch look at me with a surprise in their eyes - they saw me yesterday , passing their heavily equipped expedition with a wooden pole and my semi-Peruvian outfit .....

It's just 9 AM when I get down to camp , I have nothing to do ... I make some second breakfast. I make some tea and start waiting for Jeff & Mick . But then comes a party from Slovenia (different one ) There is a guy with amputated legs attempting climb of Mt. Pisco . That's a real man with cajones! There is something to take pride in !
My Slovenians from the bus also arrive, they don't believe that I've been on the summit. What a joke ! They are going to sleep in the cole ...
I see no reason for this action , I mean, they don't have enough acclimatization to rush so high ( 5300 m) and freeze overnight just to save 45 min. climb from comfort ... Different people , different ideas . .. They have to get ready for Mt. Huascaran . < p>I spend a leisurely evening talking with people. Mick is feeling sick , that's no good - they might have to descend to lower altitude .
It starts snowing during the night.

June 20 ., Return from Mt. Pisco

When I wake up there is fresh snow cowering tent and rocks. Nobody has attempted climbing today . Mick's coughing is getting worse and they couldn't climb peak they intended to do today . Slovenians wait for snow to stop and then start their way up . I pack my things and say bye to everyone. After some hours on trail I get down in sunny valley where nothing would suggest snow up there . I hike down the road to lagunas They look beautifully blue in the sun . There is a monument for Czechoslovakian expedition buried by alluvion of rocks, ice and water in 1970 . A fresh alluvion shows that this tremendous amount of rocks can be easily suspended together with ice and the flow down small creeks just like water . That's scary .

I meet couple English guys just starting Santa Cruz Loop trek. They say it's cool route and will take them 3-5 days. Mosquitoes are annoying.

At the dam of Laguna Llaganuco I get back in regular tourist area . Bunch of fat gringos are looking at beautiful mountains over the laguna . Well ,even if they will never step out of car for more than a half mile it's still nice they appreciate the beauty . ..

Then I start walking down the road . Again, I didn't know there is a nice trail on the other side , instead I walked my way down the regular dirt road ... 25 km down this road would mean just blisters and no fun . So after some 7 km at the Park Rangers house I agree to pay s./ 4 for a ride in camion . That was great ride and I saw a lot of countryside from the back of the truck . Also the site of notorious alluvion which wiped out the entire city of Yungay. The city got rebuilt from scratch in a different location.

When I got out of truck in Yungay all my clothes were covered with dust . I stopped at the same old lady to buy some platanos for s./ 0.20 a piece with bread and Coke (s./ 1.00) She recognized me dusted all the way and said : " Pobre gringo " . You get so used to hear gringo in the bad sense that it's quite a surprise to hear this intonation . Spanish is really rich language.

When I get back to Huaraz first thing I went and sold my old Russian crampons . Not because they were bad , but because I needed money.

For the money I got I could afford buying myself a good dinner. Most of tourists cruising in Huaraz streets stop in places they see some other gringos . So I guess I made a good profit for these guys when I came in as first and soon there were two other gringo parties.. party at the next table was all well tanned and I asked where they come from . It turned out to be Czech expedition climbing Mt. Huascaran . They did it with 3 camps and said that most of climb was snow and only some 100 m really steep and dangerous . They started from some village before Yungay . I spent all evening talking with them . Two of them were geophysicists ... so small world .

We got on the same bus to Lima and after having a sandwich I fell asleep.

Nice to be back in Rodriguez place . After taking shower I suddenly realize that I need photos for visa . No problema in half an hour I have them for s./ 10 only . Together with taxi driver it takes a while to find a new building of US Embassy . This building looks more like fortress or high security prison . Everybody is treated accordingly . When I finally get in the yard and sit in line , I kinda had this feeling that a big truck is passing ... and then there were some more serious moves ....earthquake !! Everybody instinctively looks up at the building, but it seems this one is gonna be O.K. It stopped soon and as I found out latter only two people got killed down on the road at beach by the stone rain from the bluff .

Nice black gentlemen said I' he will help me as far as possible and I have to come back tomorrow for visa . I took a taxi back to center and spent rest of day roaming in streets . My dinner was Pollo a la Brasa ( s./ 2.69 )which is favorite local fast-food consisting of roasted chicken with huge portion of fries . It's a good place on walking street called La Merced Trick is to say no to salad , so you get more fries and less chance for diarrhea . I never did get it here ...

There is an Aussie guy Danny and Michigan girl Nora staying in Rodriguez dorms. They seem to be cool people.

June 22., Lima Today we are going to visit Pasachumac ruins outside Lima . In order to get there we have to take a bus to Lurin . The bus drops us at the entrance . There is a dusty desert full of adobe ruins . We visit the museum after paying s./ 3 . There are interesting ornaments on bottles with astonishing precision . Ruins itself are nothing particular especially after seeing Inca Trail . After hunting for souvenirs in 700 years old trash we finally decide to go see ocean which is close . There are so many crabs in the dirty sand . I watch pelicans as they fly almost on the water surface . I seem to be an only one who has never seen Pacific so close . ..

Then we get out to Pan-American Sur and soon there comes a bus which takes us back to city. It's about the time since I have to be in Embassy at 3 PM

I'm there .. everything seems fine .... and then the lady says to me that they don't have communications with Washington DC and no visas are issued . ! It took me a while to realize disaster .

I take a bus instead taxi to save money and after 1.5 hours it spits me out in Pza. 2 de Mayo . I make a phone call to LHS and say that I'm not able to fly tonight. They are not happy with the news, but tell me to call back on Monday .

When I get back to Colmena street apartment I at least have face . Nora is hanging out with some local friend , so Danny and me decide that I have a good reason to get drunk . We go out , buy a very good Colombian rum and Coke and spend evening talking and drinking.

June 23 Latvian National Festival - Midsummers Night - I'm in Lima, Peru This is a day when I wake up without any idea what to do . I walked to a park and started writing this diary . Some girls are looking at me and giggling . After some while I get tired and ask them to come over to talk at least . They are waiting for someone to arrive in Ormenno bus station.

We chat for a while and then they leave and I go to get my regular Pollo a la brasa . It's a darn good value even if the La Merced itself doesn't look all so clean and shinny . But even in the best places kitchens are not so clean as the tables . Here at least you can see it all . Many local people are eating here which is a very good sign.

Then I go home with no clue what to do . Danny is back and we decide to go and watch the movie " Bad Boys " or as in Spanish " Dos Policias Rebeldes " for s./ 3 Good movie - for where you are .

Before that we went into Telefonica del Peru ,because Danny forgot to pay for the collect call . There are many nice girls there. Well, they say Danny has payed it all !! Danny is confused , because he didn't .

After a movie I'm in a good mood . I decide to make a collect call to Linda & Bill in Florida . When I'm waiting for the call the girl at the counter sends me a nice Peruvian Arts catalog . I don't understand why ?

Linda and Bill have the magic power to calm me down . I will have to call them back with my Visa card number so they could put in some money in this empty hole .

I start talking with the girl which gave me catalog . She's really nice. Another girl called Patti interfere in our conversation with jokes . I feel nice and easy and we decide to go to discoteca tomorrow .

Then I remember that poor Danny is waiting for me at home . I cross the scary Pza. de San Martin and enter our home. To celebrate Latvian National Festival and other important things we finish the bottle of Colombian rum . We have a good time talking about the life .Danny is a cool traveler type and too bad he will leave tomorrow for Pisco ( the city ) ...

It was already hard to leave this country - with all the friends I've made ! It's truly a wonderful place and I hope to get back there one day ...!