Hello there again! For those of you who were wondering, no, I haven’t disappeared off the face of the earth or gotten kidnapped in some shady side street. It’s just that since I’ve left Cusco, I have been busy traveling and exploring and meeting new people. So don’t worry if you hear a bit less often from me now, I’m doing fine. And if I don’t text you, it doesn’t mean I’m not thinking of you once in a while ;).
Right now I’m sitting in a comfy hammock at my hostel in Cajamarca, a colonial town somewhere in the north of Peru. There are a few excursions I could do in the region, but I actually prefer spending a couple of relaxed days here, discovering nice spots in the city, organising a bit and getting back in touch with people back home.
My trip began with a pleasant stay in Ayacucho, visiting ruins, being the main attraction for the locals who don’t often get to see «gringas» and laughing a lot with my Spanish friend from Cusco.
Lima surprised me with cute cafés, meaningful murales and a sunny morning at the beach – and of course a very warm welcome from my friend who hosted me there :). I’ll be back soon…
After Lima I headed up into the mountains, to Huaraz, where I workawayed in a B&B/travel agency. A mixture of working, resting, exploring the city and the beautiful surroundings and entertaining the hostel guests in different languages.
Then I landed in the small beach town of Huanchaco, near Trujillo. There I spent a few days relaxing, resuming my yoga practice and falling off the surf board. It’s not the most beautiful town, but I can understand why people get stuck there for way longer than they’d initially planned…
In Chachapoyas I joined some friends I’d made in Huanchaco and met my Peruvian mamá’s brother and his family. I enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere at Kuelap, the «Machu Picchu of the north» – quite different from its southern sibling – and wandered on my own through the enchanting cloud forest.
Had some panic moments too, especially with the latest political events here in South America – sometimes I have the feeling the whole continent’s gone crazy! But I guess you just have to deal with that, and especially as a visitor you can’t expect them to stop demonstrating just so you can travel safely… It teaches you to improvise and not fear changes. And thanks to all the plan modifications I’ve got more time in Peru now, which I’m actually grateful for :).
Apart from the political turmoils and an upset stomach, it’s been a great start. I can only hope it continues this way, discovering beautiful places, learning lots of new things, meeting incredible people. And the best is that I get to choose where I go, how long I stay. Feels good to be on the road!