21 Máncora

Pictures
Route
1 Arriving in Lima
2 S. American Explorers
3 On to Paracas
4 Paracas
5 Getting to Nazca
6 The Nazca Lines
7 Arriving in Arequipa
8 To the Colca Canyon
9 Colca Canyon
10 Back in Arequipa
11 Final day in Arequipa
12 Stranded in Arequipa
13 En route to Cuzco
14 Cuzco
15 Cuzco
16 Machu Picchu
17 Back to Lima
18 Lima
19 Lima to Trujillo
20 Trujillo ruins
21 Máncora
22 Máncora
23 Máncora
24 Last day in Máncora

Peru

Trujillo to Máncora

Saturday 9 July 2005 (day 48)

Happy Birthday John!, from Máncora

Happy Birthday John!

We arrived here at the ungodly hour of 4:30am, both very glad that we had booked a taxi to take us to our hotel. The only other transport in sight is bicycle rickshaws and we are 4km away along the coast road (the old PanAm, unpaved and very bumpy).

There was general confusion getting our bags, not just for us but for everyone getting off here. The bus man opened one compartment - no bags for anyone despite him pulling a few out. Other side of the bus, same story but here he also opened the next compartment down. A bag here moved on its own, I think it had live chickens in inside.

He finally went back to the other side of the bus and opened up more compartments and there were our bags. With all other buses we had actually seen them load our bags. On this one you did not and I was getting quite concerned that they had gone astray. With our bags in the back of the taxi we set off for our hotel, passing a rickshaw with two people, two backpacks and a surfboard balanced across the top. Its pitch black but we can see stars which hopefully means that we will get clear night skies.

At the hotel the night porter came out to greet us with a torch. He checked us in and showed us to our room. Stef, who is displaying increasing levels of German tendencies (for being first in the queue, getting the best tables etc), starts to query the room asking if there is one with direct access to the beach. The porter does not understand what he is asking, it is 5am and I walk away rather than losing my rag - I just want to get a few hours sleep in a bed.

Our room is everything Lonely Planet promised, large, clean, very good bed, balcony etc. We dumped our bags and crashed out to the sound of the Pacific. Sleep is a remarkable healer and after just three hours kip we both felt refreshed. We headed down for breakfast and were surprised to see the dining room packed. Its the weekend and its full of Perúvians here for a weekend break. One possible downside is that most of them seem to be teenagers so we could be in for a noisy night.

Stef played the German again and grabbed some sun loungers by the pool, beaten only by three Americans. We spent the morning catching up on diaries and wishing that the hotel PA system would break down so that the music would stop (this is a sign I am getting old!). The sky is hazy blue and there is a lovely warm wind blowing. This whole stretch of coastline is known for surfing but we have yet to see any evidence of good waves. Must be the wrong season!

Morning rolled into afternoon and still we sat and enjoyed the sun. When it was getting just a bit too hot we went up to our room and sat on our balcony in the shade having lunch. Stef well and truly trounced me at cribbage and then, exhausted from the effort of doing not a lot he had a little siesta in the hammock.

Late in the afternoon we headed down to the beach for a paddle. The water is quite warm and the sand is soft under your feet. As each wave goes out what looks like bubbles appear in the sand - its actually hundreds of little baby crabs. Further up towards the dry sand larger crabs come out when there are no waves or people walking about. They are not particularly big but I bet it would hurt if the got your toe with their pincers! I find them fascinating to watch. Each has its own little hole and they appear to be guarding and protecting it. There was one crab larger than the rest and it seemed to be quite vicious, either that or its breeding season and it was a little frisky. For ungainly animals that move sideways they move pretty quickly.

Also on the beach are locals and their horses (horse rides are available, presumably just up and down the beach). The horses look a bit forlorn and they are also quite skinny and bony. Unlike the hat/picture/artisanales sellers who were quite active in plying their wares this morning, these guys seem to have no desire to drum up business.

We sat and watched the sun go down - our first Pacific sunset. Stef has some amazing photo's showing the different colour spectrum of the sun. In one you can almost see that it is a burning ball of rocks and gas.

Earlier we had phoned John to wish him a Happy Birthday. We also made him a card in the sand and have taken pictures to email through to him. I hope he lasted the course - I spoke to him at 6pm UK time, he'd been drinking all day (its summer and the sun is shining back home!) and was just off to a party at their friend's Chris and Jeff.

All ills forgotten

With the sun gone and the stars starting to appear we headed back for a shower. Going past the pool I tested the water - just above body heat. The temptation was too great and we stopped for a twilight swim.

Its been a really relaxing day. I think I am finally over the various bugs we have had (I am actually starting to feel hungry rather than eating because I know I need to) and am looking forward to Ecuador. We are staying here for another day, partly because it is so relaxing but also because we have not yet looked into where we want to go in Ecuador and/or how to get there.

The noise from the ocean is louder than I had expected. The bay seems to slope quite slowly but I reckon that a short distance out it must drop quite steeply. Its a real crashing, rolling noise. Every now and again there is total peace and quite - a lull in the waves crashing - quite unique.

Tonight there is a clear sky (so I am preparing myself for the inevitable star gazing session with Stef). There is a crescent moon but, unlike in our night skies back home, this is lying flat rather than vertical, it is as if the night sky is smiling at us. It looks so close I feel I could reach out and pluck it out of the sky. Incredible that people have walked on its surface!

Lying in the hammock watching the stars I had a really odd sensation. I was swaying slightly but it seemed as if I was still and that the night sky was swinging slowly backwards and forwards. It must be the lingering effects of ship roll. When we went down to eat the restaurant was packed full of teenagers again (the hotel have run a special promotion for a local college) so we had to eat in the boat bar. The boat itself looks like an old fishing trawler and has a few tables dotted around. To get to it though you have to walk across a small (three metres!) wooden slatted rope bridge. I had not noticed this and was a bit caught out when the floor started to move beneath me!

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