| Jeff Poulter & Graham Tillotson: 26th September 2004 |
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Nazca to Chalhuanca
From Nazca to Cuzco is 600km or so straight up and across the Andes. The
road, clearly, was going to be as twisty as a snake's honeymoon (the road
signs called it camina muy sinuosa) so we were not going to make mega time.
We would have to overnight midway but there was no obvious stopover. We
chose a place, without hope, simply on the basis that it was more or less
halfway, at 320km distant.
Tea in the Mountains
Because it was likely to be cold in them that hills we zipped in our thermal
liners and departed Nazca dripping in sweat. Almost as soon as we left
the city limits we headed inland along a wide river bed which had dried
up months previously. Then we started to climb. What a road. Excellent
surface (although it was still liable to go awol in the middle of a bend)
and turn after turn, curve after curve, hairpins one after another. Fabulous.
But even better was the view. We wound up the mountain surrounded by high
crags of igneous rock with clearly visible lava flows, void of vegetation
other than the odd cactus. As we climbed higher the mountains became craggier
until we reached a plateau at the top after maybe 20km of second and third
gear grind. Then it looked like the top of the world with similarly sized
ranges stretching into the distance in all directions, becoming bluer and
bluer.. Because we were looking over the top of the peaks they looked just
like small pimples, like dunes in a desert, an impression reinforced by
the sandy colour of the peaks. We rode the 10,000ft plateau for miles and
then started to climb again. This time the mountains were darker with more
mineral colours reflecting in the sun, reds, yellows and greens. Up another
few thousand feet to arrive on yet another plain where we stopped to sample
tea (Typhoo) from our new flask. Tasted bloody good, an' all. On this plain
the sun was shining and it was flat for miles with mountains in the distance.
As we travelled through the grassy, treeless terrain we saw many small
Llama-like creatures (vicunas, alpacas?) noshing happily alongside the
road not much perturbed by our passing. Then we saw a group of four condors
wheeling around the sky. They were very high up so it was difficult to
estimate their size but it was such a thrill for me to see one of these
legendary birds.
Lunch in Puquio
The first Pueblo was a little place called Puquio which was 160km from
Nazca, not the 28 it said on the map. Being lunchtime we pulled up outside
a six-table "restaurant" and ordered lunch. It was easy: you
order "lunch, please" and wait to see what happens. First happening
was a broth soup with rice and several types of offal. I sampled a piece
of liver, probably from a Llama, and gave the rest a miss. The main course
was a mould of boiled rice surrounded by mashed potato with a lump of meat
on top. Mine was beef, I think, and Graham's was chicken. He got the best
deal. All this cost 10 Soles, about thirty bob.
We pulled out of Puquio at 2.30 aware that we still had 160km of mountain
roads to cover and it got dark, promptly, as six. As I rode up the long
climb I checked my mirror to be surprised that I was being followed by
two Graham's. The second Graham passed me and indicated to pull over. This
was Appie, an Austrian ski instructor who works on the slopes for five
months and then spends the remaining seven in south America hooning around
on his Africa Twin. He was having lunch in Puquio, saw us pass and gave
chase. We chatted for a while, exchanged email addresses, and departed
in opposite directions.
The BIG freeze
Thereon the weather closed in and it became colder and colder. As we rode
through hail and rain we resolved to wear electric vests tomorrow. We froze.
Eventually we arrived in Chalhuanca about fifteen minutes before nightfall
and, to our surprise and relief, found a hotel without obvious sign of
infestation and with hot-ish water. Hey, what else could a chap desire?
A dinner of ruined river trout, three each, and we were in bed at 9.30.
Jeff 26.09.04 |
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