After all that salt, we were riding straight into a mud bath when we left the salar. By then it didn’t matter much anymore. We stopped for lunch in Yonza, where we were offered a place to stay next to the plaza and could also wash the salt and mud off our bikes. The next day saw us cycling… Continue reading adventures in-between
Author: mat
mar de sal
It is sort of a tradition amongst long-distance cyclists to take a picture while riding naked through the salars. The vastness and the lack of any soul around is i guess inviting for this gesture of boundlessness. If you want to see Alvaro naked, look at his blog. In Tahua we found shelter at the… Continue reading mar de sal
Sajama
After riding into the city, i didn’t feel like dodging traffic on my way out. Together with Alvaro, whom i met in the casa del ciclista, i hopped on a bus to Patacamaya from where we made our way around the volcano Sajama. Soon we left tarmac behind and wouldn’t see any of it for… Continue reading Sajama
La Paz
The first view of La Paz is an impressive one. Arriving in el alto, the city is lying in a huge bowl below. Humbert, another cyclist travelling with a guitar, and stephan rocking the casa. While usually not too motivated to explore cities, i sometimes yield to persuasion and take a look. The plan was… Continue reading La Paz
Lago Titicaca
The ride through Puno and from there along the lake wasn’t that impressive. A construction site for kilometers on one lane and dust clouds in the face with every passing vehicle wasn’t helping either to make it more fun. After the turn-off to Copacabana things improved. I couldn’t warm up to the town itself but… Continue reading Lago Titicaca
old road to puno
From Arequipa i climbed on the old road to puno towards the altiplano. First with the misti volcano on one side towards the laguna de salinas. I didn’t make it all the way up that day and found a nice campspot in an abandoned house. When night fell, the lights of arequipa glistened from below.… Continue reading old road to puno
Huaraz – Lima – Arequipa
What looks like a bus schedule, is just that. One day i said goodbye to paul and sam and made my way to the bus terminal to catch a night bus to lima. I felt i had to decide in-between exploring the southern sierra of peru or to have enough time on my way to… Continue reading Huaraz – Lima – Arequipa
Huayhuash
After arriving in Huaraz, i was starting with paul (here his account of the trek) on a bus at five the next morning. A breakfast break in chiquián and a rather rough ride to llamac later, we were ready for our first day of hiking to the laguna jahuacocha and the first views of the snow… Continue reading Huayhuash
cajamarca
On the way from Celendin i stopped at a small village where the market was in full swing on a saturday morning. I had a late breakfast while the candidates of the coming election and their supporters were wandering through the crowds and trying to win over some votes at the last minute. All the while… Continue reading cajamarca
cañón del marañón
Just before reaching chachapoyas, there is the turn off to leymebamba, from where the road continues as a narrow strip of asphalt, which almost has the feel of a dirt road. First next to the river utcubamba and then climbing up into the mountains… until one is at eye level with the clouds. The road then drops down… Continue reading cañón del marañón