Salkantay trek

With only a week left in my trip, I decided to catch a flight to Cuzco instead of spending a whole day on a bus. As soon as I arrived and found a place to crash for the night, I joined a 5 day 4 night trek departing the next day through the Salkantay mountains, ending at the Machu Pichu ruins. Walking distance was about 35 miles, and maximum elevation was slightly more than 15,000 ft. Because that was the only departure that fit my schedule, I didn't have the luxury of acclimatizing to the altitude as much as I should before beginning the trek. The journey was covered by bus, truck, train, and foot. Our team consisted of a Belgian couple, an American, our guide Silvio, five horses, 2 horsemen, and a cook. I was too cheap to hire extra space on a horse or a personal porter, so I just had to carry my own pack.

On the first day, we made our way to the starting point standing on a truck bed, flying over uneven ground and dodging tree branches. We made camp in a valley surrounded by glacial mountains.

The second day proved to be the toughest of all five, where we ascended into snow, reaching 4200 meters above sea level, and then descending into the jungle. With a headache pounding due to the altitude, I chewed as many coca leaves (yeah we can buy as much of this main ingredient of cocaine we want here) as I can fit between the gum and the cheek, and pushed on for about 9 hours. The scenery was spectacular, and it was there we understand why the Incas made the mountains, gods. On the way, I almost got taken out by a snow wheel that grew almost waist high as it rolled down the mountain. That same day, a donkey and a horse from another team, unfortunately, lost their footing and fell down a pass with all their payload. We arrived at our camp safely after dusk as it started pouring.

The next two days were spent walking at lower altitudes, learning about indigenous herbs along the way and helping ourselves to the passion fruits, sweet limes, mandarins, and bananas that grew in abundance along the path. This segment ended at Agua Calientes, a touristy gateway town for travelers about to ascend to Machu Pichu. Lined with fancy restaurants and tourist services, it was a departure from traveling style of the past 3 days. I had some "cuy" or guinea pig (tasted like chicken, but they didn't remove the organs) and went to sleep, anticipating the 3 am alarm and the climax of the trek at Machu Pichu.

The Inca trail is an extremely popular 4d3n trek, selling out half a year in advance because of limits set in place by the government. Used by high society Andean people of old, it passes through numerous sacred sites as they purify themselves spiritually before arriving at Machu Pichu. The Salkantay trail was another inca trail used by ordinary folk, possibly to service the Machu Pichu site. The views at Machu Pichu were incredible. It's a lot larger than it seems, and one can spend a whole day roaming around. I'll post pictures when I get a chance, Internet is so slow here. As the first few to arrive, we got to see the ruins before three thousand people poured in. We even got to see the president of peru and his entourage as he graced the site as part of its 100th anniversary of discovery. We were also early enough to see a beautiful sunrise and climb a neighboring peak, Wayna Pichu where we had a commanding view of the entire valley and glacial mountains beyond. We spent the rest of the day with the guide as he explained the significance of each stone in the ruins, and messing with the resident ear tagged llamas that graze there. They cannot resist bananas.

As my trip in south America comes to an end, I spent the next day wondering around the cobble stoned streets of Cuzco and taking a horse out to the neighboring hills to check out more ruins.

Back to bean town!

Parapente en Lima

I went to Lima Peru to learn how to fly a paraglider under Lucho Munarriz, award winning acro-pilot and tandem instructor. Staying at the beautiful cliffside community of Miraflores, I spent the better part of 10 days flying up and down the coast of Lima and other sites nearby, drinking Pisco Sours, attempting to surf in the pacific, and hanging out with cool folks from the hostel.

My first lesson took me to the Lurin sand dunes about 30 minutes south of Lima, also known as the bunny hills of paragliding. After pointing out a few power lines and an army explosives test facility to avoid, my instructor strapped me into the harness, and I executed a windless running takeoff. The first feeling of flight on the glider was both exhilarating and very addictive.

After several practices on the bunny hill, it was time to move on to the real stuff. The next day, I was introduced to dynamic soaring along the cliffs of Miraflores. With the assurance of my instructor flying tandem, I practiced landing approaches, traffic etiquette (there were about 13 gliders in the air at one point), and finding terrain that generated lift. That night, I got to meet the fun loving (some slightly crazy) and passionate Peruvian paragliding community at a dinner party.

After more practice the next day, the instructor deemed me ready for my first solo flight. As the winds were strong but coming in from a southerly direction, we moved to a different location where the wind was more perpendicular to the cliffs. Unfortunately, this alternative location was a park, and taking off involved using the glider to pick me up about a yard off the ground to clear a fence and some thorny bushes.

The next few days were spent practicing solo under radio supervision until my instructor felt comfortable with letting me fly alone. At some point I was an hour in the air, landing for the bathroom and lunch. On a good day in Miraflores, you could climb to see the roof of the Mariott, one of the tallest buildings in the area, and climb even higher using the lift of the wind incident on the tower. You'll be high enough to see eagles and vultures soaring under you, the air no longer solely their domain.

To end the course, I was taught how to use the reserve parachute. Although I would have been more comfortable with that in the beginning, not knowing how to use the chute until the end definitely made me pay more attention during the course.

Having spent more than a week in Lima, it was time to move on to Cuzco, where I'll start a 5 day trek through the Andes ending at the Machu Pichu ruins. Stay tuned!

Banos

After about 5 full days in and around Quito, it was time to move on to Banos (there's supposed to be a tilde on the "n" but I'm not sure how to put it in on an iPod). Banos is a picturesque town about 3 hours south of Quito, situated in an Andean valley at a lower elevation. Only an hour away from the amazon rainforest, the lush vegetation and an abundance of rivers, waterfalls, and hot springs make it a perfect getaway for those into adventure sports and relaxation. The only hazard is the very active Tungarahua volcano on the same side of the valley as the town, which just recently saw activity last decade. Brushing aside the possibility that lava might flow again on a full moon night, I ended up staying 4 nights.

First thing I got to do was white water rafting down class 4 rapids, which was fun. After a while, you'll realize that paddling is futile, that focus on staying in the raft is more important, and that having a pair of gills would be nice.

After rafting was canyoning, or rappelling down waterfalls. It may seem like a boring sport, because the adrenaline won't kick in until you're staring down the top of a 100ft cliff, timing how long it takes for a drop of water to fall to the bottom, knowing that you're supposed to lower yourself down.

Last activity in Banos was to hurl ourselves off a perfectly functional bridge, or walk the plank so to speak. The people I was traveling with decided to save swing jumping for last. The bridge connects the center of town to the other side of a deep gorge where high waterfalls feed energy to the rapids below. Standing on the plank, a typical jumper would have a few seconds while the operator preps. Some choose to admire the scenery around, some believe it may be the last they see, some close their eyes and imagine they're on the top of a bunk bed, and some don't really intend to jump after all. I counted to 3, and my legs took over and jumped. The ride down was rather enjoyable, but I was puzzled by how readily I just jumped.

I jumped on a bus to Guayaquil to catch a LAN flight to Peru the next day. The peruvians treat their bus travel very seriously. The bus terminal in Guayaquil could very easily be mistaken for an airport or a shopping mall. Like the trains in India, there'll be loads of vendors boarding the buses with food, drinks and other stuff you might need for your trip.

Next up: Learning to paraglide in Lima, Peru.

Mitad del mundo and ecuadorian hospitality

The day after the mountain biking trip, I decided to take an easy day to check out the sights near Quito. I headed to the Telefloriqo, a cable car that took passengers to the top of a bordering mountain for a commanding view of the valley below. On a clear day, the peaks of several volcanos can be spotted. At an altitude just below cloud base, it felt like the ceiling of the city. Instead of carrying up the mountain for a 3 hour hike to the crater of a volcano (yes another one) with the others, I took the next cable car down to go see the "Mitad Del Mundo", or center of the earth. On the way down, I found out that the family sharing the cable car was headed that way too, and offered to take me there. I accepted with no reservations and it turned out to be the nicest demonstration of Ecuadorian hospitality I've known. The Mitad del Mundo is a gigantic monument that marks what the Spanish thought was 0 degrees latitude, separating the northern and southern hemispheres, until modern GPS systems proved it wrong by about 200m. Oh well.

Next up: Moving on from Quito, but first, a visit to Banos

Cotopaxi y Quilotoa

After spending a day checking out the city and acclimatizing to the altitude, I started a two day mountain biking trip organized by The Biking Dutchman to the Cotopaxi and Quilotoa volcanoes roughly 2 hours south of Quito, taking a day for each. At Cotopaxi, we were brought halfway up the volcano by jeep, below snow line, for an introduction to downhill biking. Blasted by cold wind and sleet, we combined all three processes of recalling how to ride a bike, checking the brakes, and figuring out how the gears shift, with the actual act of tearing down the mountain to arrive at a more comfortable altitude. The view was spectacular wherever we rode in the national park. Slowly shifting clouds reward keen observers with glimpses of jagged peaks while wild broncos frolic in the expanse of grassland with their young offspring. I completed the day by wiping out into a bed of wild flowers when my front wheel slid in lose gravel, throwing me off the path.

Day 2 was at Quilotoa, a volcano nested in the home of the Quechua indigenous community. As we made our way to the famous crater lake, we passed impeccably dressed Quechua ladies decked out in panama hats, ponchos and high heeled shoes. As they breeze through the mountainous countryside in their pumps, I started feeling the effect of the high altitude. Altitude affects people at varying degrees, ranging from mere breathlessness, to nausea,dizziness, and complete incapacitation. For me, it was a throbbing headache that downhill rides seem to remedy very effectively. The last leg of the trip was a long ride down a paved mountain pass on which you could be attacked by dogs if you're not riding fast enough.

Next up: Winter time on my left and summer time on my right

Hola! Bienvenidos a Ecuador!

Where would you go if you had a couple of months, tons of saved up energy from a desk job, and little saved up from the desk job?

I hopped on an American Airlines flight to Quito, Ecuador the day after commencement and some furious last minute packing. Armed with pretty much the same gear I brought to India earlier this year, I included a few extras: hiking boots, first aid kit, and a more comprehensive insurance policy. Still in good physical condition, I've planned for an adventure while I still have the luxury of youth everfleeting.

Upon arrival in Quito, I was greeted by hundreds of worried eyes peering into the exit gate for their loved ones due to delays caused by the movement of Air Force One at Miami International. Each Ecuadorian passenger seemed to have a complete entourage of friends, and extended family receiving him at the airport. As soon as I jumped into a cab, the driver gave me a crash course in local delicacies (such as "Cuy" or Guinea Pig) and local hangover remedies as he took me to the Secret Garden Hostel. Rated one of the best in Latin America, the Secret garden charged $10 USD per night for a bed in an 8 man dorm, and features a panoramic view of old colonial Quito from the rooftop terrace. There, travelers compare tales of traveling feats, mugging experiences, and drinking ability. Every now and then, the volunteer staff will herd the most inebriated of the gringos into a party bus, and ship them off to the abyss known as La Mariscal District.

At an altitude of 9200 ft, Quito is the second highest capital city in the world after La Paz, Bolivia. surrounded by Andean Mountain regions, its also one of the most picturesque I've seen. I spent my first day quickly going through the touristy circuit, exploring and orientating myself to the city, checking out churches, city squares, and shopping around for a 2 day mountain biking trip to surrounding volcanoes departing the next day. My first impression of Ecuador is that its a very user-friendly and popular place to travel. Geographically diverse, one can move from the coast, through the highlands, and into the Amazon rain forest in 1 day. People are generally friendly and helpful, but knowing "un poco Espanol" definitely helps with getting around. Although the streets are cleaner and the touts aren't as aggressive as those I've encountered in India, crime rate is higher, and travelers do need to be more vigilant at night when the police collectively take a break. Most restaurants serve set meals priced between $2-3 which includes a soup, drink and main course consisting of rice, fries, a piece of meat, raw veggies in vinegrette, and fried egg. I would usually hate myself if I settle for pizza or burgers when traveling instead of immersing myself with the local cuisine, but since the local cuisine isn't too different, I'm relieved of the pressure to find and try endemic cuisine all the time.

As I travel south to Peru, I'll try to keep this blog updated more frequently than I have been doing, so stay tuned for more!