“There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the beginning of a new life.”
https://picasaweb.google.com/109164353544358903729/Ecuador
During the last two weeks Philippe and I visited Colca Canyon, and Lake Titicaca, two "must see" tourist destinations. We hiked down the canyon, which was more like a valley, and slept in a bamboo hut in the oasis at the bottom. We had a good time, but it was not one of our most amazing destinations (we have been too spoiled this trip already..) and we got the same impression after spending a night on one of the islands on the lake. We then headed to Bolivia, the crazy city of La Paz to be exact, where we have been for the last week. At the border, we met up with a German couple we knew from Ecuador, and spent the week with them. Our first impression of this city was just as everyone describes it, crazy. The houses are constructed everywhere, with no order, up and down the valley (the whole city is a hill). On our second day here, it poured, and I mean poured. Not only was it raining harder than I have ever seen it rain, but also all the streets turned into gushing rivers. Unable to go anywhere, we stood in a little shop until it let up a bit and we were able to run back home. Another thing that we noticed right away about La Paz were the protests, there really are as many as they say. In three days there were two large protests (luckily not violent) and a bus strike, and I am sure there are more to come. Thousands of protesters marched down the street, throwing very loud firecrackers, chanting, and stopping traffic. The police just stood by and watched (if they got involved it would turn violent), and blocked off any type of government building. For the most part we have just been hanging out, drinking fruit cocktails and exploring the city, but we also did one fun day trip, the death road.
The death road is known as the most dangerous road in the world, and it really is. Many parts of it are only 3.2m wide, which is hardly enough space for one car, never mind when two pass each other. There is now a new, less dangerous road that most cars take, but up until recently when it was the only choice, between 200-300 people died every year on a small stretch. The road is so dangerous because it is so skinny, and built out of a cliff with a 1000m+ drop on one side. Now, the most dangerous 65km have turned into a popular mountain biking trip, which we happily survived.
Sadly, Philippe has now left as he is head back to Switzerland for Christmas, and then to Shanghai for an internship, so after a sad goodbye, I'm back to traveling on my own. I am starting a new chapter of my trip, which involves Spanish schools and volunteering. I am currently staying with a family here in La Paz for the next week for Spanish school, and then I will move on to volunteering with animals, and then children for the next few months (with some traveling in between of course).
Showing posts with label Peru. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peru. Show all posts
November 29, 2011
November 16, 2011
A struggle to 6,425m- Coropuna
"As in any alpine region, the weather is changeable, protection questionable, route-finding bewildering, rockfall frequent and descents tedious. In short, it's everything you could ever ask for."
Well, if I had know what I was getting myself into, I probably wouldn't have done it. Our climb on Coropuna (6,425m) started out with an eight hour bus ride that dropped us off at midnight at the side of the road somewhere. We walked a bit, then set up camp at 4,800m in order to get some rest. The next day we climbed over volcanic rocks and ash, about six hours, to our second base camp, where set up camp at 5,600m (by far the highest I have ever slept). We had noticed the wind on the way up, but now we realized just how strong it really was. We headed out at two for what ended up being the hardest climb yet. The first three hours involved a very steep rock climb (more like boulder scramble) mixed with parts of steep scree we had to struggle up. Once we reached the glacier, relieved we would finally get to walk on ice, we realized it was not a glacier, but rather a huge field of strange icicles that eventually led up to the summit. The problem with this was that every time we stepped, the icicles would break and we would fall in. By this time we were over 6,000m, and extracting ourselves every few meters took an extraordinary amount of energy. It was bitter cold out, and there was a surprisingly strong wind throughout the whole climb (probably the strongest winds I have ever been in). Once we reached the top, after over six hours of climbing, we were physically, but even more so mentally drained. It had not been a fun climb. The climb down proved to be even harder. Once again the icicles were not ideal to walk on (we fell multiple times), but most of all, the rock climbing down took all our concentration, as every few steps would start a miny boulder avalanche. After twelve hours of climbing, we arrived back at base camp starving and thirsty (I hadn't eaten anything during the whole climb since digesting at such altitudes is very difficult), but after an hour rest, we had to pack up and leave (about a three hour hike down) in order to catch our bus home later that night. After a two hour (very bumpy) ride in the back of a lumber truck, we caught a bus, and made it back home by two in the morning. Though it was definitely our least favorite climb, we were very happy to have made it to 6,425m, and the next morning, we seemed to have forgotten how much it had sucked since we were both itching to find another mountain to climb. Sadly, weather and money have gotten in our way and that was our last mountain, so we celebrated with wine and a fancy dinner of ostrich and alpaca. Tonight we are leaving at three in the morning for Colca Canyon, a canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, where we shall spend the next few days.
Well, if I had know what I was getting myself into, I probably wouldn't have done it. Our climb on Coropuna (6,425m) started out with an eight hour bus ride that dropped us off at midnight at the side of the road somewhere. We walked a bit, then set up camp at 4,800m in order to get some rest. The next day we climbed over volcanic rocks and ash, about six hours, to our second base camp, where set up camp at 5,600m (by far the highest I have ever slept). We had noticed the wind on the way up, but now we realized just how strong it really was. We headed out at two for what ended up being the hardest climb yet. The first three hours involved a very steep rock climb (more like boulder scramble) mixed with parts of steep scree we had to struggle up. Once we reached the glacier, relieved we would finally get to walk on ice, we realized it was not a glacier, but rather a huge field of strange icicles that eventually led up to the summit. The problem with this was that every time we stepped, the icicles would break and we would fall in. By this time we were over 6,000m, and extracting ourselves every few meters took an extraordinary amount of energy. It was bitter cold out, and there was a surprisingly strong wind throughout the whole climb (probably the strongest winds I have ever been in). Once we reached the top, after over six hours of climbing, we were physically, but even more so mentally drained. It had not been a fun climb. The climb down proved to be even harder. Once again the icicles were not ideal to walk on (we fell multiple times), but most of all, the rock climbing down took all our concentration, as every few steps would start a miny boulder avalanche. After twelve hours of climbing, we arrived back at base camp starving and thirsty (I hadn't eaten anything during the whole climb since digesting at such altitudes is very difficult), but after an hour rest, we had to pack up and leave (about a three hour hike down) in order to catch our bus home later that night. After a two hour (very bumpy) ride in the back of a lumber truck, we caught a bus, and made it back home by two in the morning. Though it was definitely our least favorite climb, we were very happy to have made it to 6,425m, and the next morning, we seemed to have forgotten how much it had sucked since we were both itching to find another mountain to climb. Sadly, weather and money have gotten in our way and that was our last mountain, so we celebrated with wine and a fancy dinner of ostrich and alpaca. Tonight we are leaving at three in the morning for Colca Canyon, a canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, where we shall spend the next few days.
November 10, 2011
Those damn volcanos
"Mountaineering /n./ slow walking uphill while not feeling very well."
After climbing Chimborazo, I had promised never to set foot on another volcano (and just stick to normal mountains), but yet when I arrived in Arequipa, I found myself planning my next three climbs, all on those damn volcanos. In my defense, there are nothing but volcanos here, and the first two are just for acclimatization for the third, which at 6,425m, will be a new record for me if I reach the top. We started out with Misti (which I had named the devil mountain before the climb even started) at 5,822m, probably the highest mountain in the world without a glacier (which is by far the best part of climbing). We hiked four hard hours up to base camp over volcanic ash and large rocks, carrying very heavy packs (the usual tent, cloths, and food, as well as over five liters of water each because these darn volcanos never seem to have any). It was also hot, very hot, with absolutely no shade. Luckily once we got to camp it got better. Though we were still in the full sun, there was a cool wind as we were high up, so we (five climbers and two guides) sat around basking in the sun (the only fun part of this climb). As with all the other climbs, we got up in the middle of the night and climbed to the summit, a very annoying climb that alternated between ash, where every few steps up you would slide a few back down, and huge rocks, which took a ton of energy to climb. I was also freezing, shaking with cold I couldn't seem to warm up (very rare for me, especially while climbing). I felt sick and weak, so the climb was tougher (it was probably the altitude since I had lost a lot of my acclimatization in the last few weeks). Feeling no joy after reaching the top, only relief it was over, we started our descent which proved very fast as we literally went straight down an ash field.
Our second climb, Chachani (6,075m), ended up being much easier and therefor more fun. The route we took up was not as steep, and since we slept at 5,200m (the highest I have ever slept), it didn't take as long to the top. Sadly, this volcano was also without a glacier (it use to have a bigger one, now though the route just goes around it), so it was no where near as fun or as beautiful as some of our other climbs. But hey, it still counts as my second six thousander! Leaving tomorrow, we hope (with a three day approach) to climb our tallest mountain yet. At 6,425m, it will also be the most technical. First though, we will have to take a ten hour bus ride, arrive in the closest small village to the mountain, then walk and set up camp in the middle of the night before starting a long trek to base camp the next morning.
After climbing Chimborazo, I had promised never to set foot on another volcano (and just stick to normal mountains), but yet when I arrived in Arequipa, I found myself planning my next three climbs, all on those damn volcanos. In my defense, there are nothing but volcanos here, and the first two are just for acclimatization for the third, which at 6,425m, will be a new record for me if I reach the top. We started out with Misti (which I had named the devil mountain before the climb even started) at 5,822m, probably the highest mountain in the world without a glacier (which is by far the best part of climbing). We hiked four hard hours up to base camp over volcanic ash and large rocks, carrying very heavy packs (the usual tent, cloths, and food, as well as over five liters of water each because these darn volcanos never seem to have any). It was also hot, very hot, with absolutely no shade. Luckily once we got to camp it got better. Though we were still in the full sun, there was a cool wind as we were high up, so we (five climbers and two guides) sat around basking in the sun (the only fun part of this climb). As with all the other climbs, we got up in the middle of the night and climbed to the summit, a very annoying climb that alternated between ash, where every few steps up you would slide a few back down, and huge rocks, which took a ton of energy to climb. I was also freezing, shaking with cold I couldn't seem to warm up (very rare for me, especially while climbing). I felt sick and weak, so the climb was tougher (it was probably the altitude since I had lost a lot of my acclimatization in the last few weeks). Feeling no joy after reaching the top, only relief it was over, we started our descent which proved very fast as we literally went straight down an ash field.
Our second climb, Chachani (6,075m), ended up being much easier and therefor more fun. The route we took up was not as steep, and since we slept at 5,200m (the highest I have ever slept), it didn't take as long to the top. Sadly, this volcano was also without a glacier (it use to have a bigger one, now though the route just goes around it), so it was no where near as fun or as beautiful as some of our other climbs. But hey, it still counts as my second six thousander! Leaving tomorrow, we hope (with a three day approach) to climb our tallest mountain yet. At 6,425m, it will also be the most technical. First though, we will have to take a ten hour bus ride, arrive in the closest small village to the mountain, then walk and set up camp in the middle of the night before starting a long trek to base camp the next morning.
November 1, 2011
Machu Picchu and a disastrous backpacking trip
Pictures-https://picasaweb.google.com/109164353544358903729/Ecuador
"The distinguishing mark of true adventures, is that it is often no fun at all while they are actually happening."
After over 30h in the bus (I didn't know busses that long existed) we arrived in Cusco, the gringo capital of South America due to Machu Picchu. Cusco is a beautiful city, with cobble stone roads and the houses are a bit better kept, but boy are there tourists! As Philippe and I prefer the locals to tourists, we successfully found a cute local run hostel (more like the owners house with extra rooms) and the locals market, so we don't have to pay five times the price to eat like we would at all the touristy restaurants. After much deliberation, we decided that since we were here, we really did have to go visit Machu Picchu (it was a debate because of how touristy and expensive it is, and because ruins aren't really our thing). Our trip over there was interesting to say the least. First off, it was a six hour bus ride that we were lucky to survive as the driver was a maniac, even on the very twisty dirt roads (here the "roads" are only made for one car, meaning if you meet someone going the opposite way, well, it's very interesting... especially around the blind curves). We then ended up hiring a taxi (a very fun and fast ride with music blaring, also along a very curvy dirt road), before walking the last two hours along the train tracks in order to reach the "town" before Machu Picchu (it is not a town, but rather dozens of very nice and expensive hostels, hotels, and restaurants. Let's just say the adverage age here was at least fifty). The next morning we headed off at five in the morning, on a very hot, tiring, and horrible walk to the ruins (we didn't exactly realize it was in the jungle, boy was it hot, even at five in the morning). Finally we arrived, just as the sun was peaking over the jungle mountains surrounding Machu Picchu, which was quite a sight. It was stunning, especially knowing the history behind the ruins and then their discovery, so it ended up being worth the heat stroke we suffered to get there.
Our disastrous backpacking trip started in a cheap hostel in a very small village at the start of our trek around one of the tallest mountains in the area. We had been joking that it would be funny if someone came into the room beside us, as the wall did not reach all the way between the two rooms, but we quickly regretted that when, in the middle of the night, a very loud and violent domestic fight ensued in that room. Needless to say we didn't sleep much that night. We started out trekking before seven to beat the afternoon rain, but by ten there was thunder and a huge cover of dark menacing clouds. We had just agreed to set up our tent right there and then when it started to pour. Not only was it raining harder than any other time on this trip, but as we were high up and it was cold, it turned to ice the second it hit anything. By the time we got our tent up (it was our first time using it, and it had a very weird design) it was ice covered and there was a huge puddle of water inside. Freezing, we climbed into our sleeping bags and ended up spending most of the afternoon that way. We got up at 4h30 the next morning to beat the rain, but found that after raining all night, the clouds were not about to call it quits. We then proceeded to find our bag of nuts and raisins (our main meal for lunch and dinner everyday as backpacking food and power bars don't exist here) ripped open and eaten by dogs. At that point, we realized that the four passes we were planning on doing, two of which were over 5,000m, would be impossible to cross because of the snow build up. We both knew our trip would have to be done, so we turned back and returned to the village we started in to catch a bus back home. After waiting over an hour for a bus, we met another tourist waiting in the village, and him and his guide invited us to share there private transportation (a collectivo, much more comfortable than the bus) to return to Cusco. After over an hour and a half of waiting for it to leave (during which our bus had come and gone), we were then kicked out to make room for another larger group they decided to take instead (the worst part of this was their bs reasons for kicking us out, telling us that the police are strict here and having one extra person would get them fined, a fact I found quite amusing considering that every taxi, collectivo, and bus I have been in up to this point has had twice the amount of people it is made for). After waiting over an hour more for another bus, we finally were on our way back to Cusco, sure nothing else on our cursed trip could go wrong. Not quite. After someone with a guitar serenaded the bus while standing right next to our seats (he was in the top five worst singers I have ever heard), I ended up getting sick, and spent the four hour ride throwing up (and proceeded to get worst the whole evening once we had arrived). Currently both Philippe and I have come down with some kind of flu, or eaten the wrong thing, as we are both lying in bed wide awake and sick in the middle of the night- all in all, it was quite a disastrous trip.
"The distinguishing mark of true adventures, is that it is often no fun at all while they are actually happening."
After over 30h in the bus (I didn't know busses that long existed) we arrived in Cusco, the gringo capital of South America due to Machu Picchu. Cusco is a beautiful city, with cobble stone roads and the houses are a bit better kept, but boy are there tourists! As Philippe and I prefer the locals to tourists, we successfully found a cute local run hostel (more like the owners house with extra rooms) and the locals market, so we don't have to pay five times the price to eat like we would at all the touristy restaurants. After much deliberation, we decided that since we were here, we really did have to go visit Machu Picchu (it was a debate because of how touristy and expensive it is, and because ruins aren't really our thing). Our trip over there was interesting to say the least. First off, it was a six hour bus ride that we were lucky to survive as the driver was a maniac, even on the very twisty dirt roads (here the "roads" are only made for one car, meaning if you meet someone going the opposite way, well, it's very interesting... especially around the blind curves). We then ended up hiring a taxi (a very fun and fast ride with music blaring, also along a very curvy dirt road), before walking the last two hours along the train tracks in order to reach the "town" before Machu Picchu (it is not a town, but rather dozens of very nice and expensive hostels, hotels, and restaurants. Let's just say the adverage age here was at least fifty). The next morning we headed off at five in the morning, on a very hot, tiring, and horrible walk to the ruins (we didn't exactly realize it was in the jungle, boy was it hot, even at five in the morning). Finally we arrived, just as the sun was peaking over the jungle mountains surrounding Machu Picchu, which was quite a sight. It was stunning, especially knowing the history behind the ruins and then their discovery, so it ended up being worth the heat stroke we suffered to get there.
Our disastrous backpacking trip started in a cheap hostel in a very small village at the start of our trek around one of the tallest mountains in the area. We had been joking that it would be funny if someone came into the room beside us, as the wall did not reach all the way between the two rooms, but we quickly regretted that when, in the middle of the night, a very loud and violent domestic fight ensued in that room. Needless to say we didn't sleep much that night. We started out trekking before seven to beat the afternoon rain, but by ten there was thunder and a huge cover of dark menacing clouds. We had just agreed to set up our tent right there and then when it started to pour. Not only was it raining harder than any other time on this trip, but as we were high up and it was cold, it turned to ice the second it hit anything. By the time we got our tent up (it was our first time using it, and it had a very weird design) it was ice covered and there was a huge puddle of water inside. Freezing, we climbed into our sleeping bags and ended up spending most of the afternoon that way. We got up at 4h30 the next morning to beat the rain, but found that after raining all night, the clouds were not about to call it quits. We then proceeded to find our bag of nuts and raisins (our main meal for lunch and dinner everyday as backpacking food and power bars don't exist here) ripped open and eaten by dogs. At that point, we realized that the four passes we were planning on doing, two of which were over 5,000m, would be impossible to cross because of the snow build up. We both knew our trip would have to be done, so we turned back and returned to the village we started in to catch a bus back home. After waiting over an hour for a bus, we met another tourist waiting in the village, and him and his guide invited us to share there private transportation (a collectivo, much more comfortable than the bus) to return to Cusco. After over an hour and a half of waiting for it to leave (during which our bus had come and gone), we were then kicked out to make room for another larger group they decided to take instead (the worst part of this was their bs reasons for kicking us out, telling us that the police are strict here and having one extra person would get them fined, a fact I found quite amusing considering that every taxi, collectivo, and bus I have been in up to this point has had twice the amount of people it is made for). After waiting over an hour more for another bus, we finally were on our way back to Cusco, sure nothing else on our cursed trip could go wrong. Not quite. After someone with a guitar serenaded the bus while standing right next to our seats (he was in the top five worst singers I have ever heard), I ended up getting sick, and spent the four hour ride throwing up (and proceeded to get worst the whole evening once we had arrived). Currently both Philippe and I have come down with some kind of flu, or eaten the wrong thing, as we are both lying in bed wide awake and sick in the middle of the night- all in all, it was quite a disastrous trip.
October 21, 2011
Ice climbing, ice climbing, and more ice climbing
"The bizarre trend in mountaineers is not the risk they take, but the large degree to which they value life. They are not crazy because they don't dare, they're crazy because they do. These people tend to enjoy life to the fullest, laugh the hardest, travel the most, and work the least."
Pictures- I have hundreds of new ones to add (from the trek and two ice climbs), but unfortunately the wifi is very slow. Hopefully by next week I will have them up.
When Philippe and I set off to climb Vallunaraju (at just under 5,700m), we wanted an easy ice climb with good weather and amazing views, and that is exactly what we got. After a hard two hour walk to the base camp (hard because we were carrying our climbing boots, crampons, and ice axe, as well as a tent, sleeping bags and everything else), we set up camp beside the glacier and watched an amazing sunset on the mountains around us. We left camp at about 2h30 under the full moon, and made our way up the mountain. Except for the last little bit which was more technical (an ice wall), it was more of a walk than climb, making it much easier than the other two mountains I have done. It was also beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful, both on the way up in the moonlight, and especially in the sun on the way down. We reached the top in less than four hours (we were told it would take us 5-7, apparently we are in good shape right now) right as the sun was coming up. From the top we could see dozens of other mountains, it was absolutely amazing. After staying a while at the top, we headed down just as the sun was hitting the glacier. Unlike the other two climbs, which were volcanos and therefore just up, up, and up, here the climb was much more interesting and fun. All in all, this was by far the most fun climb I have done yet!
Though we had our sight set on Huascaran (at over 6,700m it is Peru's tallest mountain, and the second tallest in South America, and as crazy as it sounds to do it, now we would have the best chance of making it since we are so acclimatized), which is a seven day approach, we realized that we really are in the wrong season and it is not possible to climb it now (the climbing season ended about a month ago, if not I would stay here a few more months and do another dozen mountains). So instead we headed off to climb our last mountain, Pisco, which at just under 5,800m had an even more amazing view than the last one from the top. Once again we slept in a tent, though this time we had a 2h30 scramble over huge boulders to reach the glacier (we did this at midnight). After that, we ice climbed for about four hours, including over two ice walls where the guide set up a top rope (this was the most technical bit of climbing yet). Once again, we reached the top just after sunrise with a clear sky, the last clear day of the year (the rain has now started, and the climbing season is really over). This mountain is known to be right in the center of the tallest mountains (including being right beside Huascaran), and boy was it ever. From the top we could see dozens of mountains on all sides, so we stayed at the top for a while before heading back. After ten hours on the mountain, we reached our base camp where we took a quick nap, then headed the last two hours down to the van. This was the most technical climb yet, and the most beautiful from the top, so it definitely competes with the previous mountain for best climb yet.
After a rest day (a typical rest day involves eating lots of street food, fresh squeezed orange juice, and all different kinds of fruits, all of which can be found around every corner), we went ice climbing, though not to climb a mountain this time. It was a wall of ice that the guide belayed us on so that we could practice more technical climbing. As hard as it was, (I need more muscle apparently) it was also very good practice. Tonight we are going to take an eight hour night bus, only to jump on another one (for twenty-two hours) right after in order to make our way down to Cusco (a large, beautiful, but very touristy city as it is close to Machu Picchu). From there another week long trek is in order!
Pictures- I have hundreds of new ones to add (from the trek and two ice climbs), but unfortunately the wifi is very slow. Hopefully by next week I will have them up.
When Philippe and I set off to climb Vallunaraju (at just under 5,700m), we wanted an easy ice climb with good weather and amazing views, and that is exactly what we got. After a hard two hour walk to the base camp (hard because we were carrying our climbing boots, crampons, and ice axe, as well as a tent, sleeping bags and everything else), we set up camp beside the glacier and watched an amazing sunset on the mountains around us. We left camp at about 2h30 under the full moon, and made our way up the mountain. Except for the last little bit which was more technical (an ice wall), it was more of a walk than climb, making it much easier than the other two mountains I have done. It was also beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful, both on the way up in the moonlight, and especially in the sun on the way down. We reached the top in less than four hours (we were told it would take us 5-7, apparently we are in good shape right now) right as the sun was coming up. From the top we could see dozens of other mountains, it was absolutely amazing. After staying a while at the top, we headed down just as the sun was hitting the glacier. Unlike the other two climbs, which were volcanos and therefore just up, up, and up, here the climb was much more interesting and fun. All in all, this was by far the most fun climb I have done yet!
Though we had our sight set on Huascaran (at over 6,700m it is Peru's tallest mountain, and the second tallest in South America, and as crazy as it sounds to do it, now we would have the best chance of making it since we are so acclimatized), which is a seven day approach, we realized that we really are in the wrong season and it is not possible to climb it now (the climbing season ended about a month ago, if not I would stay here a few more months and do another dozen mountains). So instead we headed off to climb our last mountain, Pisco, which at just under 5,800m had an even more amazing view than the last one from the top. Once again we slept in a tent, though this time we had a 2h30 scramble over huge boulders to reach the glacier (we did this at midnight). After that, we ice climbed for about four hours, including over two ice walls where the guide set up a top rope (this was the most technical bit of climbing yet). Once again, we reached the top just after sunrise with a clear sky, the last clear day of the year (the rain has now started, and the climbing season is really over). This mountain is known to be right in the center of the tallest mountains (including being right beside Huascaran), and boy was it ever. From the top we could see dozens of mountains on all sides, so we stayed at the top for a while before heading back. After ten hours on the mountain, we reached our base camp where we took a quick nap, then headed the last two hours down to the van. This was the most technical climb yet, and the most beautiful from the top, so it definitely competes with the previous mountain for best climb yet.
After a rest day (a typical rest day involves eating lots of street food, fresh squeezed orange juice, and all different kinds of fruits, all of which can be found around every corner), we went ice climbing, though not to climb a mountain this time. It was a wall of ice that the guide belayed us on so that we could practice more technical climbing. As hard as it was, (I need more muscle apparently) it was also very good practice. Tonight we are going to take an eight hour night bus, only to jump on another one (for twenty-two hours) right after in order to make our way down to Cusco (a large, beautiful, but very touristy city as it is close to Machu Picchu). From there another week long trek is in order!
October 13, 2011
Backpacking in the Andes: A mule, a tent, and a Swiss boy
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
I have just returned from my most epic backpacking adventure yet: eight days of trekking through the Andes, with mountains over 6,000m surrounding me on every side. Instead of going with a guide, we (Philippe and I) decided to do it on our own, so we bought a map and food for twelve days (we thought it was going to take us that long, but we ended up doing two days worth of walking multiple times in one), hired two mules (we had to hire a mule driver as well), and rented a tent. Our daily schedule looked like this: We went to bed not much after sundown, normally by 7h30 or 8h, and we got up with the sun between 5h30 and 6h (one morning we even got up at 4h30 in order to hike up a hill and watch the sunrise). Then we would walk 6-9h per day, crossing one to two passes (two of which were over 4,800m, the rest over 4,500m), in order to arrive exhausted and ready to cook dinner, and start the cycle over again the next morning. Unfortunately, we had three days straight of rain and clouds where we saw virtually none of the mountains we were walking between, but we did have a few days of sun as well.
Once we were done with our trek, we spent the night with the mule drivers family in a very small indigenous village, camped out in their field with the donkeys, pigs, and chickens. This was a very typical poor farming family, and it was awesome to spend a night with them to see how they live. There, the "houses" were more like three sided structures and there was no electricity (no toilets, no stoves, no nothing). For dinner, we ate cuy (guinea pig) which was good this time, unlike the last time I had it in Ecuador, and we even watched it being prepared (aka them slaughtering the animals). At night, we played football with four of the village kids who had been following us around the whole time (adults passing by would stop and just stare at us as well, we even had an audience while brushing our teeth). Then, for lunch the next day we had a special meal, sheep. Philippe had bought the sheep while we were trekking, and once again we watched it being prepared (slaughtered and then the parts being separated, I will add a few of the less gruesome picture, but if you are squeamish you will probably want to skip them). The meat was then wrapped in leaves, and thrown in a large fire pit that was quickly covered with leaves, tarps, and dirt to keep the smoke in. It was a delicious meal, and a great experience overall.
Tomorrow, we are headed off to ice climb! As long as the weather stays nice in the next two days, this will be the most amazing climb yet because from the top we will see dozens of other mountains on all sides. I can't wait!!
I have just returned from my most epic backpacking adventure yet: eight days of trekking through the Andes, with mountains over 6,000m surrounding me on every side. Instead of going with a guide, we (Philippe and I) decided to do it on our own, so we bought a map and food for twelve days (we thought it was going to take us that long, but we ended up doing two days worth of walking multiple times in one), hired two mules (we had to hire a mule driver as well), and rented a tent. Our daily schedule looked like this: We went to bed not much after sundown, normally by 7h30 or 8h, and we got up with the sun between 5h30 and 6h (one morning we even got up at 4h30 in order to hike up a hill and watch the sunrise). Then we would walk 6-9h per day, crossing one to two passes (two of which were over 4,800m, the rest over 4,500m), in order to arrive exhausted and ready to cook dinner, and start the cycle over again the next morning. Unfortunately, we had three days straight of rain and clouds where we saw virtually none of the mountains we were walking between, but we did have a few days of sun as well.
Once we were done with our trek, we spent the night with the mule drivers family in a very small indigenous village, camped out in their field with the donkeys, pigs, and chickens. This was a very typical poor farming family, and it was awesome to spend a night with them to see how they live. There, the "houses" were more like three sided structures and there was no electricity (no toilets, no stoves, no nothing). For dinner, we ate cuy (guinea pig) which was good this time, unlike the last time I had it in Ecuador, and we even watched it being prepared (aka them slaughtering the animals). At night, we played football with four of the village kids who had been following us around the whole time (adults passing by would stop and just stare at us as well, we even had an audience while brushing our teeth). Then, for lunch the next day we had a special meal, sheep. Philippe had bought the sheep while we were trekking, and once again we watched it being prepared (slaughtered and then the parts being separated, I will add a few of the less gruesome picture, but if you are squeamish you will probably want to skip them). The meat was then wrapped in leaves, and thrown in a large fire pit that was quickly covered with leaves, tarps, and dirt to keep the smoke in. It was a delicious meal, and a great experience overall.
Tomorrow, we are headed off to ice climb! As long as the weather stays nice in the next two days, this will be the most amazing climb yet because from the top we will see dozens of other mountains on all sides. I can't wait!!
October 3, 2011
My last few weeks
¨Live passionately, even if it kills you, because something is going to kill you anyway.¨
Well, it has been a while since I last wrote so this post is just going to be a quick summary of what I have been up to in the last few weeks. The day after my last climb I did a 60km bike ride to a small town in the jungle, which would have been great except for the fact that a dog bit me about half way there. Luckily, I was able to clean and wrap the five puncture wounds there and then with my handy first aide kit, but seeing as I am in a developing county, I then had to take a trip to the hospital for rabies shots. At the hospital they gave me a shot in my stomach (doctors did this decades ago, needless to say they are not quick up to date with their medical practices) so I then found a clinic where they gave me the first of what mightbe the proper series. For the following days I couldn´t do much as my leg was very sore, but I still managed to bridge jump (like bungee jumping) and go canyoning (repelling down waterfalls) so all in all, it was a pretty good week.
My next adventure was the Quilotoa loop, a four day backpacking and hitchhiking trek in the mountains that I did with a Swiss guy I met a few weeks earlier in Quito (who I have continued to travel with ever since). We started out by bussing and hoping on the back of a milk truck in order to get to the Quilotoa crater, a lake high in the mountains (at over 4,000m) surrounded by nothing but a few indigenous houses. Over the next few days, we hiked through the mountains and little mountain communities (sleeping in them along the way) and saw the true indigenous way of life for the people here. This was one of my favorite parts of Ecuador.
After that was the monkey house! Imagine walking into a large inclosed yard and having a little monkey come up to you, grab your hand, and pull himself up to sit on your shoulders. That is what happened here. It is a monkey rescue facility that you can visit and play with the friendly monkeys, and if I hadn´t been pulled away, I would probably still be there. From there, we took a bus to the next town, Cuenca, where we found an amazing hostel to call home for the next week. It was only an hour bus ride to the national park, so we went hiking two days. The first day it was dry until we hitchhiked home on the back of a pick up truck in the rain, and obviously got soaked, and for the next hike it poured the whole time, so we ended up hiking through streams and mud (I even fell straight on my face, literally). On our way out of Cuenca, the bus broke down, and after waiting two hours for them to fix it, we ended up hitchhiking in the back of a truck (with eight people inside and nine in the back) for three hours, also in the rain. Looks like I found a place that rains as much as Eugene!
After spending two days in the south of Ecuador ata nice resort (only ten bucks a night, including a huge breakfast with fresh fruit and crepes) reading in hammocks, playing pool, and hanging out at the bar, we headed off to Peru. The boarder crossing involved a six hour bus ride, then an hour long ride in the back of a truck, then an uncomfortable ride with eight people in a small taxi, and then finall we arrived. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of our bus rides as we wanted to head straight away to Huraz, a town about a thrid of the way down Peru. After two overnight 14h bus rides, we finally arrived here and boy was it worth it! There are 33 peaks over 6,000m, and countless others over 5,000, it is a climber and trekers paradise (literally, it is known to be one of the best places in the world for treking and climbing). Looking out the window here you seee a chain of enormous snowy mountains, I couldn´t ask for a better town. Tomorrow, Philippe (my Swiss buddy) and I are headed off on a 12 day trek around and through some of these amazing mountains. Since we didn´t want to go with a group, we are going to do it by ourselves, and rent a mule to carry our tent and food. This is going to be the backpacking trip of a lifetime!
Well, it has been a while since I last wrote so this post is just going to be a quick summary of what I have been up to in the last few weeks. The day after my last climb I did a 60km bike ride to a small town in the jungle, which would have been great except for the fact that a dog bit me about half way there. Luckily, I was able to clean and wrap the five puncture wounds there and then with my handy first aide kit, but seeing as I am in a developing county, I then had to take a trip to the hospital for rabies shots. At the hospital they gave me a shot in my stomach (doctors did this decades ago, needless to say they are not quick up to date with their medical practices) so I then found a clinic where they gave me the first of what mightbe the proper series. For the following days I couldn´t do much as my leg was very sore, but I still managed to bridge jump (like bungee jumping) and go canyoning (repelling down waterfalls) so all in all, it was a pretty good week.
My next adventure was the Quilotoa loop, a four day backpacking and hitchhiking trek in the mountains that I did with a Swiss guy I met a few weeks earlier in Quito (who I have continued to travel with ever since). We started out by bussing and hoping on the back of a milk truck in order to get to the Quilotoa crater, a lake high in the mountains (at over 4,000m) surrounded by nothing but a few indigenous houses. Over the next few days, we hiked through the mountains and little mountain communities (sleeping in them along the way) and saw the true indigenous way of life for the people here. This was one of my favorite parts of Ecuador.
After that was the monkey house! Imagine walking into a large inclosed yard and having a little monkey come up to you, grab your hand, and pull himself up to sit on your shoulders. That is what happened here. It is a monkey rescue facility that you can visit and play with the friendly monkeys, and if I hadn´t been pulled away, I would probably still be there. From there, we took a bus to the next town, Cuenca, where we found an amazing hostel to call home for the next week. It was only an hour bus ride to the national park, so we went hiking two days. The first day it was dry until we hitchhiked home on the back of a pick up truck in the rain, and obviously got soaked, and for the next hike it poured the whole time, so we ended up hiking through streams and mud (I even fell straight on my face, literally). On our way out of Cuenca, the bus broke down, and after waiting two hours for them to fix it, we ended up hitchhiking in the back of a truck (with eight people inside and nine in the back) for three hours, also in the rain. Looks like I found a place that rains as much as Eugene!
After spending two days in the south of Ecuador ata nice resort (only ten bucks a night, including a huge breakfast with fresh fruit and crepes) reading in hammocks, playing pool, and hanging out at the bar, we headed off to Peru. The boarder crossing involved a six hour bus ride, then an hour long ride in the back of a truck, then an uncomfortable ride with eight people in a small taxi, and then finall we arrived. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of our bus rides as we wanted to head straight away to Huraz, a town about a thrid of the way down Peru. After two overnight 14h bus rides, we finally arrived here and boy was it worth it! There are 33 peaks over 6,000m, and countless others over 5,000, it is a climber and trekers paradise (literally, it is known to be one of the best places in the world for treking and climbing). Looking out the window here you seee a chain of enormous snowy mountains, I couldn´t ask for a better town. Tomorrow, Philippe (my Swiss buddy) and I are headed off on a 12 day trek around and through some of these amazing mountains. Since we didn´t want to go with a group, we are going to do it by ourselves, and rent a mule to carry our tent and food. This is going to be the backpacking trip of a lifetime!
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