Deciding not to push on to Cajamarca proved to be a blessing in disguise when Miguel, noticing my beleaguered state, offered me a discounted room at his Tetem Backpackers. He proved to be an absolute mensch and the place, with its huge rooms and heated pool was the perfect place to spend a day off. If you’re in the area check it out!
Me and Miguel’s son, Angel. Kid has an impressive collection of Pokemon cards.The water is naturally heated, pumped from the local hot springs from which the town, Banos del Inca, gets its name.His pup kept stealing my socks, resulting in repeated Benny Hill chases around the pool.
I had hoped to pay a visit to Cajamarca but I still wasn’t feeling great so spent most the following day in bed watching bad football streams and Twin Peaks. Gone were the nausea and vomit, leaving in their wake a churning stomach and more gas than a Theresa May speech (wheeeeey!). On departing Banos del Inca I need not have pedalled, such were the strength and frequency of my farts. This extra propulsion lasted for over a week as I meandered my way south towards Huaraz, gradually building up my mileage as I returned to health. What followed was an odyssey through a variety of climes and landscapes that encapsulated much of what Peru has to offer.
Rolling green hills. Check.Pretty little churches. Check.Countless pigs, cows and sheep tethered to posts on the roadside. Check.Supersize native hats. Check.One horse towns… Check…with inventive names. CheckHuamachuco impressed with its massive, topiary filled plaza de armas……and huge gates.Heading off road for a few days I passed quarries……some decent views……colourful mountain schools……and even more colourful graveyards.Chatty old men in Mollepata “England? Aren’t you at war with Argentina?” “How are the Peruvian girls in bed?”The road to Pallasca had a ludicrous number of switchbacks down……then back up again.From Pallasca I headed down into another huge desert gorge……camping in riverside cave constructs.…where I bumped into Philipp from Germany who has boated and biked his way from Gibraltar via Cape Verde, Santa Lucia and Panama.We travelled together for a few days, camping under the stars and playing guitar round the campfire…… before passing through the Canon del Pato (aka. Duck Canyon)……a canyon road with 36 narrow tunnels.Out of the canyon, the Cordillera Blanca started to peek at us……in spectacular fashion.And after 11 straight days on the road we arrived in Huaraz……where we were assailed by this little guy……who was determined to destroy my camera……amd indulged in a few of the things we’d been missing.Mmmm…
Tunes: Lots of the Joe Rogan Podcast, Weezer – Pinkerton, Saves The Day – Stay What You Are, The Strokes – Future Present, Modest Mouse – The Moon and Antarctica
Reads: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, The Psychopath Test – Jon Ronson, The Stand – Stephen King, A Walk In The Woods – Bill Bryson, Decline of The British Murder – George Orwell, Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
ROSSED IN TRANSLATION 
What a journey!
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