I went down to have breakfast at 08:00 hrs. and got talking to Graham, a nice chap from Jersey in the Channel Islands, who was out in Peru for a six-week holiday. He only had a couple of days left to go. He suggested a walk up to Lake Churup and I agreed to accompany him.
Apparently, Lake Churup may be one of the most impressive day hikes in Huaráz! After teetering along rocks, free climbing, and grabbing onto ropes when provided, this trail travels from 3,850 metres above sea level to 4,450 metres. Once you reach the pinnacle of this expedition, a stark blue laguna, nestled in a batholith, will enchant you.
We were then joined by George, a Dubliner from Ireland, who was currently living in Sydney, Australia. We walked out of town picking up a few sweets and chocolates along the way. The track headed north alongside the Quilcay River which was packed with Indians washing colourful clothes while others were bathing in the turbulent, rocky stream.
We talked as we walked, all three of us glad of some intellectual conversation instead of the usual one-up-man-ship travelling itinerary comparisons. We stopped a couple of times for long periods of chat about business, travel rip-offs, skiing, cars, HIV/AIDS (a new threat at this time) and other topics. George had his camera snatched in Cuzco.
We walked to a scenic valley where teams of campesinos (a Latin American Indian farmer or farm labourer) were hacking out new terraces for crops, following the contours of the steep valley sides. A few clusters of crude huts with conical thatched roofs were dotted about.
The last stretch to the lake involved a severe uphill scramble for a couple of hours so we decided to give it a miss and amble back. It was hot and sunny as we walked and chatted amongst the nice scenery and small villages cluttered with pigs, cattle and dogs.
The children would run out shouting “gringo”, and “deme plata” (give me money) or “regala me” (give me a present). Most of the kids were identically dressed, but on a smaller scale, to their parents and elders. Many of the locals lugged huge packages on their backs.
The walk back took us much longer than we expected, and we were surprised to see how much ground we had covered on the way out. I was quite weary by the time we got back to the Edwards Inn. After a hot shower I felt a lot better.
We sat and talked to George in his four-bed communal room while he packed in readiness for catching the 20:30 hrs. bus to Trujillo. At 20:00 hrs. Graham and I bid him farewell and went out for a meal in “Mi Casa” on Luzuriaga. We took the set Menú for 50 Intis and got stuck into the beers.
Again, I took a beer bottle label for my logbook. Cerveceria Backus Y Johnston produced Cerveza Tropicalizada Cristal, La Campeona de la Calidad (The Champion of Quality), in Almeda de los Descalzos in Lima.
At about 22:00 hrs. Piers and James appeared and joined us for a few beers. Some kids came in and handed us leaflets advertising the Pacccha’k Pub and assured us that it was open. When the café seemed to be closing up, we paid up and went to investigate the pub. It was shut as usual!
On the way back we made a brief, unsuccessful attempt to gate-crash a party. We picked up a group of four local youths, who were also uninvited and unwelcome guests, who were sharing rum from a two-litre plastic Coca Cola bottle.
They took us to El Tambo Folk Disco and persuaded the bouncer to let us in without paying the 100 Inti entrance fee. It was a pleasant disco in a nice rustic-style setting. There were lots of beautiful Peruvian girls dancing, but I was too tired and a bit drunk to be bothered to join James and Piers in trying to pull them.
By 02:00 hrs. Graham and I had had enough and went back to the Edwards Inn for some welcome kip (sleep).
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