Fri 2157 In bed but naturally not sleeping. A couple of 'look on the bright side' things for the post-trip living-in-London phase. Good things about that:
- not having to juggle with bottles of water when I clean my teeth
- not having to keep my toothbrush, toothpaste and floss in a slightly damp, icky plastic bag
(I deliberately do not use a 'proper' toiletries bag as I know it would just get ultra-disgusting yet I'd feel obliged to keep using it instead of throwing it away. I use a plastic bag on grounds of easy disposability and replacement. Yet I always seem to gravitate to using the nice resealable transparent airport security plastic bags, and those are sufficiently scarce and precious that I tend not to disguard them too easily. It's *still* better than a proper plastic or cloth toiletries bag, but I am sure I could do better.)
0540 FFS. I drag myself out of bed and clean my teeth (additional look-on-the-bright-side for being back in London - just having a cleanish towel in the bathroom to dry hands on without thinking about it) and no one else is up for breakfast yet despite me being ten minutes late. It's freezing. I am tempted to put my long-sleeved shirt on between T-shirt and jacket - I have it in my daypack for just such an eventuality. Fuck it, I see no food on the table yet, let's.
Oh, I woke up about 0230 with serious 'slept on it and now it's gone to sleep and tingles like a bastard and oh shit is it paralysed' feeling in left arm. Tis OK and thinking about it I used to get this quite often but this is first time for ages.
0555 OK, had two bread roll things (funny sort of bread) with probably margarine and having cup of anis tea. About 7-8 people here. Still feeling cold. Didn't expect sumptuous breakfast but still.
So cold in room swimming shorts which had left on back of chair had not dried properly overnight. No big deal, they weren't sopping wet to start with (I squeezed them out after getting changing) and just tied back in carrier bag but still.
Despite no wifi, phone has decided to try to download an update to one of my apps so I can have the animated 'download in progress' icon in status bar all day; there is no way to kill this afaict. Crap.
0616 On bus. Still bit cold. Daypack seems super light and small but it's cos swimming gear and towel and long-sleeved shirt not in there today, plus I have consumed a good chunk of the water in there.
0652 In some small town, just leaving after 10-15 mins in square. Old women with tame eagles and llamas for photos, some kids dancing round fountain before school (ffs, it's quarter to seven, I hope the poor sods are volunteers). Went in church briefly. Frankly felt a bit too long here - it's so touristy it hurts - yet also since not sure exactly how long we have I rushed round church instead of dragging it out. Couldn't bring myself to hand a couple of sols to old woman to stroke llama or whatever it was, felt sort of patronising, yet not paying a fucking fortune for privilege. Not *that* fussed about it.
Think place was Yanqué.
0716 Just stopped briefly by side of road, v nice views over valley (though no river at this point), still, v cool. Two old women, one with llama one with alpaca, guide said again iirc one is multicoloured other is all one colour but right at this moment can't remember which, think I had it right yesterday.
0750 Just finished 10-15 min stop some other small town. Had glass of freshly blended fruit which didn't catch name of but looks a bit like kiwi fruit, the fruit itself is spherical and covered with small spines which they have to take off. It is same fruit as in a colca sour, though with amazing restraint I just had the fruit blended with water not a colca sour.
Dog I will call a beagle but f knows wandering round with horribly red eyes, wonder if it was blind. Also a beggar chap, I mean, come on, surely you can come up with some schtick, it's not as if the average tourist can be that demanding. Chap from tour offered to take my photo by church so wtf, I did, though doubtless squinting v badly as was facing sun. I do wonder if I 'should' be going out of my way to get myself into pictures, but ffs, I know what I look like and I just don't see the point, it's not like I have anything to prove (eg that I was here)
Sancayo is name of fruit, modulo spelling, guide is telling us.
Guide just gave me a bit of raw fruit, nice but bitter. ISTR the guy mixed sugar in with it when blending the drink.
0958 Back on bus, we walked along part of a trail alongside canyon to lookout point. V impressive views, not many condors however.
1037 We are leaving some other lookout point can't remember name of, but truly stunning view and also good chance to see a condor flying. Tho is hot hot hot and sunny this is the rainy season and apparently they don't fly so much now. Jul-Sep is peak condor spotting season.
1057 Another lookout nearby, also excellent views.
1224 Buffet lunch at different place in Chivay. Great ceviche de trucha (something I could never order from a menu, as I'd worry it would be mixed with some foul sauce), stuffed peppers too. I'm full. 28, wonder if should tip but I didn't yday so meh.
1250 Weather has changed, overcast and spitting slightly. Not complaining, once get back on bus be much more comfortable, and I don't think we are doing any more sightseeing so we got the good weather for that this morning. Could get on bus now but don't see any point cramping myself up even slightly any earlier than necessary. Not that cramped but it's not as spacious as regular semi-cama on long distance buses. Tis OK, it's only about 3h to Arequipa and we will probably stop somwhere for bog en route. I took advantage of the surprisingly nice outdoor bogs at restaurant just now.
1621 Back at hostel. Spoke to owner chap about coming in late, he said it's fine, he won't bolt door but I should when I come in.
Slept part way on bus, think other people did too. Bit hot but OK, sun came back out and although people kept opening and closing window above my seat in the end it stayed shut.
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