To the Peruvian Highlands

Hola from Peru.  It is so wonderful to be here.  In just the first few days we have been lucky to experience and enjoy so much.

We arrived at the bus terminal in Lima at 6:30pm after a full first day of touring. It was dark and after our taxi driver left I missed the luxury of the long summer days that we enjoyed back home.  It was a busy place: people and large packages were everywhere. In very broken Spanish we got our tickets jumped on the bus only minutes before it left the terminal.  It was the sleeper bus to Huancavleica. The seats were comfortable and it was incredibly roomy so it looked like it was going to be a good ride.  We were glued to the window enjoyed getting the view of Lima by streetlight. We settled in, quite happy with the arrangements.  That is when they started the music... It was blaring.  Oh no.  I enjoyed the musical welcome we got at the airport but wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy festive Spanish tunes all night long.  Thankfully it stopped about an hour later, but that is when they began the movie.  There were no head phone jacks so the entire bus got to enjoy Miami Vice star Don Johnson in a shoot em up bang em up Spanish dubbed 80's flick. I looked at Patrick wondering if we were going to get any wink of sleep on the 11 hour bus ride. After the credits rolled, the bus was quiet. Ahhhh... it was good to be a good ride.  I had been careful not to drink too much water and to use facilities before we left the hotel just in case there was no bathroom.  Nevertheless nature called and I didn't see a restroom.  I sat uncomfortably unable to sleep hoping that the bus would make at least one stop. After some time when Patrick woke, I informed him of my predicament and he pointed me to the bathroom on the bus that I had failed to see.  Golly.  It was a great ride after that.  When I woke I watched the sun rise in the Peruvian Highlands. What a spectacular sight! 

We got off of the bus and decided to walk into town.  Taking a left turn instead of a right, we ended up running into a sweet stout old woman in traditional dress.  She grabbed my hands and swung them back and forth while smiling and telling me something in Spanish.  My blank expression prompted a series of gestures and smiles.  My favorite was when she jostled her bottom, shook her hands and again kept telling me things in Spanish that I did not understand.  A warm welcome to Huancavelica indeed!

Huancavelica did not disappoint.  Although altitude and a poor nights sleep on the bus held us back a bit, we certainly enjoyed the town and its people.  I would highly recommend this off-the-beaten track town to any traveler.

Bethany (& Patrick)