We´re now in Huancayo, the bustling capital of the central highlands, having cycled a whole seven days in a row without a day off! A total of 381km, though all on lovely tarmac and some days were quite short. It was essentially a three-day climb from 1,800m up to the delightful (not!) mining town of Cerro de Pasco at 4,300m, our highest and most freezing hotel so far. We spent two days crossing the Junin plateau, a bleak and windswept place but with its own kind of beauty (and oddly popular with British bird-watchers ...). We had some interesting weather conditions, the coldest yet, with horizontal hail ... but things brightened up a bit as we started to lose altitude. A number of road signs promised us llamas but we only saw one herd and that was in the middle of a hailstorm - we weren´t in the mood for photos and nor were the llamas.
In contrast to all this, we stayed in what must be the ugliest town in Peru, La Oroya, home to the smelting plant for all the locally-mined ore. See photo from bedroom window above ... the pollution made us cough and sneeze and we were only there for a night. I dread to think what health problems the residents must suffer.
Leaving the smog behind us, we had two very pleasant days of gentle descent down the Mantaro valley and in contrast to the mining horrors, a very relaxing stay in Jauja, the first capital of Peru - see photo of very civilised German-run hostal with colonial-style patio.
The plan for the next stage is to take the train to Huancavelica tomorrow, though information on the subject of departures is characteristically unclear. Then we´ll be back on the dirt roads to Ayacucho.
1 comment:
Hi! had wrong web address but heard all the tales and now caught up with it all. Alpamayo , Huascaran - magic stuff, love to see them one day. Perhaps the next OUP group trip? Just had a good group weekend in N Wales - only one casualty! (a twisted ankle on descent).
Not sure about the smelting works (or the hills - twice Everest already??) but all looks amazing trip.
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