South America and South Africa

The last 1.5 days I was in Nasca, well known for its Nasca Lines, which are parallel and geometrical figures, as well as designs like monkeys, birds, spiders etc. cut into the stony desert more than 2,000 years ago. They are best seen from the air and I arranged a flight for the afternoon. The plane had space for seven passengers and I was brought together with a group of five. Since there is not much else to do in the town I booked a tour to see a pre-inca cemetery a few miles off.

When I showed up at the airfield at 2:30, my flight was due at 3:00, the ground staff told me that the other group is delayed and that I have to wait a little bit. Finally at 4:30 they told me that the flight will not happen this day as the other people didn’t show up and they returned the money to me after a lengthy discussion I had with them as I wanted to do the flight anyway. Since I just came to see the lines from the air I was rather disappointed and somewhat angry how they dealt with me. For seeing them from a tower, the second best alternative, it was already too late as well as for the visit of the museum. And since I was leaving that evening, I already bought the coach ticket, there was no way of seeing them the next day.

Later the evening at the coach station I met some people from the cemetery tour again and while we were waiting we actually had a very nice evening and I relaxed. With the two flight attendants from the Canarian Islands I am actually now in the same hostel in Arequipa. And the Israeli guy said that he wished that what happened to me would have happened to him as the flight wasn’t that great anyway and not worth the money. Yessss!

Huaraz (alt. 3,000 m) is the main town of the Cordillera Blanca, where apart from the range of the Andes running along the Chile-Argentina border the highest mountains in South America are. The mountain range is easily visible and from Huaraz alone one can see 23 peaks higher than 5,000 m. The town is well known among international climbers, Peru’s highest mountain, the Huascaran (6,768 m) is only about 40 km away. While I was in Huaraz it was clear to me that I wanted to go hiking. I made two hikes, one self organized acclimatization hike to Laguna Churrup and one day-hike to Laguna 69. Both hikes started on an altitude of about 4,000 m and lead to an altitude of 4,600 m (the Mont Blanc as the highest mountain in Western Europe is about 4850 m high).

When I started the hike to Laguna Churrup at 1 p.m. it was too late to reach the lake and return to Huaraz while there is still daylight. Therefore I decided to turn around at 3.30, in time to be back before dusk. Despite I didn’t see the lake I enjoyed the day a lot, particularly organizing everything with the uncertainty how it’ll work out. I got to Llupa, the starting point of the hike, with a public-transport minibus together with ten Peruvians coming from the market with their stuff on the roof and all watching me. When I disembarked the minibus unfortunately I forgot to ask when the latest minibus is returning to Huaraz. Hence I learned the hard way that there were no buses operating from Llupa anymore when I returned from the hike. However, a farmer’s woman kindly told me so when I was walking by and she also pointed me to a different dirt road back to Huaraz saving me from making a huge detour. Eventually I caught a minibus when I was already expecting to have to walk back the entire way.

For the hike to Laguna 69 I booked the transport and the hike started “in the backyard” of the Huascaran. The weather here is always unpredictable and I was requested to bring clothing pretty much for any possible weather conditions. (Given the high altitude it is not a surprise that it gets really chilly when it is not sunny but windy.) The hike is in total twelve miles long and goes 600 m up. It consists of two parts which are more or less flat and two medium-long steep parts. A lot of people were doing it as it is arguably the most rewarding one day-hike in the area.

I was writing these lines while I was already in Nasca, the Peruvian town where ancient cultures cut lines in the desert, some of those more that 2,600 years old. It is still unclear what they were used for. However, it appeared kind of surreal to me being in the desert after seeing the Pacific Ocean four hours ago while riding on the coach and less than 24 hours ago being on 4,600 m above sea level surrended by glaciers.

While I was on my cruise to the Galapagos Islands I decided to go directly by coach to Huaraz, Peru, not knowing exactly how I get there. It was clear that I would take the overnight bus from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Piura, Peru, but thereafter I had to figure out how to get further. And since I would be new in Peru I wouldn’t be familiar with the conditions and circumstances, e.g. which border crossing is safe, which bus companies are reliable, via which towns should I travel, when should I change the bus, can I pay in USD (no) or do I need Peruvian soles (yes), etc.

In Guayaquil I entered the CIVA coach and apart from a closed border for one hour for what reasons ever there where no complications on the ride. When we got closer to Piura after approximately eleven hours drive I detected that the coach was going further south so I asked the conductor Juanito, how I learned later, whether it would be possible to stay on the coach instead of changing coaches in Piura (without knowing when and from where the next coach will leave). I mentioned that my final destination is Huaraz, still 20ish driving hours away. Juanito told me that I can stay on the coach, charged for the longer way proportionally and then he started calling around to find out which coach services would be suitable going further to Huaraz from our then final destination Chiclayo. While we were still on the coach it became clear that the direct service from Chiclayo was booked out. Anyway, after our arrival Juanito invited me to a cab ride to find out which other bus company would get me to Huaraz. (Considering that he already finished his work duties it is clearly unthinkable that this would happen anywhere in Europe.) The outcome was that I had to go with another bus company to Trujillo, change there the bus terminal to Movil Tours, meanwhile the third bus company, to take the overnight coach to reach my final destination in the early morning hours. He helped me to buy the ticket, even wrote me a little sheet on Spanish how I get there so that I would only had to hand it over the counter when buying the ticket in Trujillo if I wouldn’t make myself clear given my still limited Spanish skills. He gave me his email address, I gave him the address of my blog, so maybe he reads these lines.

Anyway, everything worked out perfectly. After 33ish hours I finally arrived in Huaraz at 6 o’clock in the morning without any problems. (Regarding the travel time: the long distance coaches in Peru are actually really luxurious, the seats are comparable with those of a business class of (intercontinental-)planes, one gets snacks and softdrinks, and there is excellent service by the staff – Thanks, Juanito!) The hotel was already open (I had not reserved) so that I could check in and finally could allay my desire for a shower.

The Galapagos Islands belong to Ecuador and are one of the places of my trip I wanted to see for more than 25 years. When Charles Darwin visited the archipelago in 1832 the abundant wildlife triggered his theory about the development of the species, still a cornerstone of how we see our world today. I decided to make an 8-day-cruise to get the most out of this excursion. With USD 1,690 (incl. flights) not cheap but worth every penny. (Prior to the cruise I was somewhat nervous whether it would be not as great as I always thought but I enjoyed each single minute.)

The Galapagos Islands are about two flight hours west of Quito and Guayaquil and of volcanic origin. Since many of the volcanos, particularly on the more western parts, are still active it still changes its outlay. What makes the islands so special is their isolation so that many of the animal species are endemic. Lacking the contact with human beings prior to the islands’ discovery they have no fear of men as this is not encoded in their genetic masterplan. The National Park Galapagos makes only a very small part of the islands accessible for visitors leaving the greatest parts of the nature uncorrupted. Everything is very well organized and each boat has an exact itinerary which places on which date and time they can visit.

Our boat , the Floreana, had space for 16 passengers plus crew and the daily routine started with a breakfast at 7 a.m., thereafter came a visit of an island with our guide/guard Victor, as he explained and simultanuosly took care that nobody stayed behind or left the path, followed by snorkeling in the ocean. Thereafter lunch at noon, at 2 p.m. the second snorkeling followed by the second land excursion and dinner at 7 p.m.. During the night we usually navigated to the next island.

On our first afternoon Victor lead us to  a part of Isla Sta. Cruz, the main island albeit not the biggest island, where giant turtles are living in their natural habitat. The biggest of the turtles we saw had a shell with a diameter of almost a meter and was approx. 190 years old, i.e. it was already born, when Charles Darwin visited the islands. We could get as close as one meter until the turtles finally pulled their heads back into the shell.

The first full day started with one of the highlights – the visit of Isla Genovesa with its fantastic bird colonies. For your better understanding – I am absolutely no birdwatcher and could never understand those people who get excited when they see or hear birds. But this was really different: we disembarked the dinghies and started our walk – birds everywhere and not scared at all. We could get very close to the birds and they were not flying away but were even curious. I have never experienced something like that before. In the morning we were seeing mainly red-footed boobies and frigatebirds as well as some sealions, in the afternoon mainly nazca boobies and marine iguanas. Sealions and marine iguanas accompanied us during the entire week.

On the second day we went further to to Sullivan Bay on Isla Santiago where we made a walk over a 120 years old lava flow. Since I have seen lava flows before I was not too excited when Victor mentioned the itinerary for the morning but when I saw all the lava structures lying out like pieces of artwork quickly I changed my mind (see under photos “Structures”). In the afternoon we traveled to Isla St. Bartholomé with maybe the most famous view of the Galapagos archipelago.

The next day we went to a small island called Sombrero Chino given its shape. It was the first time we saw penguins, pelicans and hawks. Shortly thereafter we had a truely unique experience: we were entering a beach when a female sealion was giving birth to a sealion pup. Unfortunately the pup was lying upside-down so it was not brought alive, which was a very disturbing moment for all of us when we eventually realized this. Some comfort was that at least the mother did not die while giving birth. (As I am really sure that this is the closest I ever get of trying to be a National Geographic photographer I dedicated an entire page to this event on “photos” .)

The fourth day presenting the mid of our excursion brought a visit in Puerto Villamil, the main town of Isla Islabella, which is by far the biggest of the islands. so The town itself is not so interesting but some nice spots presenting wildlife,inter alias flamingos are close by.

On the fifth day we visited Isla Fernadina in the morning, which has a huge population of marine iguanas. It was also the first time that we saw flightless cormorans, a subspecies  of the cormoran family that lost its ability to fly but can swim excellently. And, as always, the odd sealions were there. The snorkeling at this island was extraordinary as we saw lots of seaturtles, white-tip reefsharks, were swimming with sealions and I also saw an octopus.  In the afternoon we were going to Tagus Cove on Isla Isabella where we saw a bigger population of blue-footed boobies.

The seventh day brought us to Bahia James on Isla Santiago in the morning and to Isla Rapida in the afternoon. I thought I already shot my ultimate photo of a sealion or a marine iguana but again, I had to pull out the camera to take pictures, this time for instance of a sealion mother nursing her pup .

Cotopaxi (5,897 m/19,347 ft) is the second highest mountain in Ecuador and an active volcano 17 miles south of Quito. When I was talking to my friend Nicole in Cologne that I am thinking about climbing it she gave me the contact details of her friend Aru Veloz, whose father and brother are mountain guides in Riobamba, close to Chimborazo (6,270 m) the highest mountain in Ecuador. When I decided to do the climb with the Veloz family I wasn’t aware that Enrique Velos (Aru’s and Ivo’s father) is “Mister Chimborazo”, who climbed that mountain more than 550 times until today.

When the taxi spat me out at their address I expected a shop with mountaineering equipment etc. but there was only a big wooden door with a sign “Veloz Coronado – Mountain Guides”. After I rang the bell an elderly woman with hair rollers in her hair opened the door. After I tried to explain in English what I want and that I was already in contact with Ivo I was invited into the room next to the door. She called Ivo on the phone and we agreed a plan how to approach the climb to Cotopaxi incl. an acclimatization climb on Chimborazo at 5,000 m which I would do on my own. Meanwhile a white poodle with pink ribbon loops around (I guess) her ears and another mountain guide came and eventually also Enrique Veloz, who was really helpful when the details (transport, overnight stay in the Refugio Whymper, food, etc.) of my acclimization climb were discussed, all in Spanish. Ryan, Kevin and Nic from Colorado, also customers of Veloz Coronado who wanted to climb Chimborazo later that night, showed up and helped with the translation. Don Enrique promised to order the taxi to bring me there and pick me up the next day so that I could buy food, pack my stuff, change clothes, have lunch etc. He was even waiting in the taxi when I boarded it ensuring that I know that everything is in good order.

On the 30 miles ride to Chimborazo (now without Don Enrique) we were passing beautiful landscapes, farmland in the hilly terrain, and the closer we came to the mountain more and more desert. Vicunyas, the wild ancestors of the alpakas,were watching us curiously when we approached our destination. I deboarded the cab at the Barrel Refugio and started my 200 m climb to the Whymper Refugio. After I set up my night’s lodging I made a short acclimatization hike of maybe 150 m until the weather finally deteriorated. Meanwhile the three guys from Colorado arrived in the refugio and we played card games and I was also invited for dinner. Everyone went to bed early, them to prepare for their tour which would start at 23:00 in the night, I because it was freezing cold. The whole night I couldn’t sleep due to the wind, the altitude and the headache, which is a common sympton when one is not fully acclimatized. Since Ryan, Kevin and Nic couldn’t get to the peak that night as the wind was causing a rockslide shortly before they were approaching that part of the climb we met again the next morning. The taxi showed up in time and later that day I agreed with Enrique the next steps.

Update:

In the end I was not able to climb Cotopaxi because, at least I guess so, I was not acclimatized enough. My guide Santiago was very encouraging and motivating but I simply was not able to do it. He is the very last to blame. Most of the other climbers could not make it either as there was a crevasse which most of them did not climb in the night. (Since the snow gets too soft during daytime increasing the risk of avalanches substancially the climb starts around 11 p.m. and the cut off time to reach the summit is 8 a.m.). When I went back to the parking lot I learned from another climber, who climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (5,896 m) before, that the barometric pressure on 5,000 m on Cotopaxi was 540 hpa, i.e. as low as on the summit of Kilimanjaro when he climbed it.

Last Saturday and Sunday I was in Otavalo, a town with about 70,000 inhabitants approximately two bus hours north of Quito, to see the famous market, which is by far the largest in Ecuador on weekends. I was joined by Osnat, an israeli girl from Tel Aviv, who was staying in the same hostel in Quito.

What made the market special for me was that many of the Otavalenos wore their traditional clothing – the women’s costumes consist of embroidered blouses, shoulder wraps and many coloured beads, the men wear their hair long under their hats, calf length pants, boots and ponchos. And to my great surprise it wasn’t packed with other tourists, of course some were there, and it seemed that this is truely a market for the indigenous people of that region. The market comprises four different markets in various parts of the town with streets filled with vendors. We arrived too late to see the livestock market but the artesian market, the most interesting part for the tourists, the food market, literally no foreigners to see, and the product market were still vibrant when we came around noon. (See also photos.)

The next day Osnat and I made a hike to the mountain Fuya-Fuya in the proximity of Otavalo. Our hike started at the Laguna de Mojanda on 3,715 m and we went up to the peak on 4,375 m. Given that we are still not fully acclimatized it was a good preparation for our climb to the Cotopaxi (5,897 m) we both intend to do later this month. As always when you climb/hike in higher altitude it was absolutely key to go slowly to control the breath and the heartbeat. The area around Otavalo is very nice for outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking etc. as there are numerous volcanos. It is easy to stay some more days without getting bored but as we both had different plans we left Sunday afternoon to get back to Quito. Osnat went to her five day tour to climb Cotopaxi and I went to Riobamba, also to do the hike to Cotopaxi but on a different itinerary. (See also photos.)

While we were staying in the very nice Hostal Dona Esther we ate this excellent quinoa salad (quinoa is a grain typical for the Andes, very healthy, difficult to cultivate, and also available in Europe and the US). If you like you can try it out:

Boil the quinoa as required and then wait until it is luke-warm. Mixed it with (home-made) basil pesto, a little bit of thinly sliced red onions and very small pieces of tomato (more for the eye, less for the taste), a squeeze of lime juice and basil for the decoration. Then add tuna (the watery from the tin not the oily) but don’t mix it with the quinoa-pesto salad. Yummy!