Sweet town - good to spend some time though I learned after a days rest I get even more tired -maybe I mentioned it before, but the endorphins are keeping me energized and then I crash...like a sugar crash.
Anyhow Indre and Waldemar and James and I rolled into town separate and we rolled out of town separate and I had heavy "Indre withdrawals", which manifests in spells of sadness, even tears....looking around for her. We talked while in Ayacucho and because of some personal differences - basically between the two males - we decided to split......Hard stuff and Indre and I didn't part without many, many tears....so it goes...we'll see each other in Cusco, so far the plan!
James and I left this lovely town heading to the first of six passes to Cusco. We took it easy, left leisurely in the morning after breakfast and saying "good bye" many times to our lovely host Dhalia
and hit the road south. Climbing up to the pass I wanted to get acclimated and stop at or around 3800m and camp for the night. There wasn't much at this altitude, but a few houses here and there. We picked a path leading to a few houses near the road. Some kids saw us right away and started running towards us. At closer glance we could tell those are extremely poor kids....approaching the few little houses which turned out to be just partly ruins..half fallen down roofs and walls. Only one or two seem to be usable. One person there seemed to be old enough to be ask if we could camp on this nice flat space between the "houses". She was friendly and smiled and said "si". The kids (five of them by now) were excited to say the least. We parked our bikes and looked around....wow, this time we really "hit the Jake Pot". The kids were filthy, in rags and the place run down...the most poverty stricken environment we have ever stayed at on this trip so far.
The sun was still high, it was nice and warm, even hot..beautiful mountains framed the scene.
The kids were relentless - asking questions at every turn and move or even without for that matter. Checking out our bikes touching/pulling on every zipper, grabbing handlebars pockets, chain - anything. Before setting up tent and getting "serious" I decided I needed to play with those kids for a while. Running noses, naked, dirty feet and faces, fingers, torn clothes.....we danced - snot flying everywhere..laughing, giggling, falling, tickling. Mom and Dad seem to be coming back from work (herding cheep.....cows....maybe some construction work near by). A tied up pig snorted at the scene. The sun went down and it got cold -instantly. Those people spoke indigenous language...little spanish. Laughing and having fun builds bridges. Mom started laughing and giggling watching us dance...Dad was a little more serious...We were tolerated..not sure about welcome....
It became freezing cold soon even before dark and the kids were still running around barefoot. In these harsh temperatures the snot running from their noses became more persistent, thick, green - seemingly all over their faces now. It wasn't easy to let one of them hang out on my lap (needing a break from all the dancing around) and burying her face in my arm.......her feet smelly....
There were some puppies around somewhere in some corner - the kids started carrying them around by their feet, tail, anything they could grab...Respect for animals seems to be absent. Making the tied up pig squeal was part of it too....
This was really hard to watch and be part of, but what can one do in this situation? I voiced my opinion but I didn't get a hole lot of positive response. It was important to keep a good atmosphere and it was way too late to leave.....
I handed out some crackers for distraction, set up the tent quickly with James (who was starting to get pretty annoyed with these kids and I kept hearing him say "no" no touching...)
We said "buenas noches" and zipped up the tent from the inside after securing the bikes with rain covers and a lock...hoping for the best. It was only
seven pm....we had a long night ahead..
The morning came quicker than I thought...I am almost embarrassed to say I slept amazingly well! After one pee break in the night under the clear starry sky I lay awake in wonder for a while...thinking, once again....how in the world did I get here??? Though the answer seems obvious in a practical sense....in a philosophical not so much....
The kids were up early - the sky surprisingly cloudy now and the warming sun was just teasing us behind the clouds. We packed up while communicating with the kids as much as possible, but decided to ride up the mountain a little further for a more peaceful breakfast in nature. I handed the whole bag of crackers to the still barefooted, shivering kids along with some wrapped candy I found in one of my bags. We said our thanks to the clan and headed up the road soon after -last nights experience clinging to us like snot to the kids faces.
The pass was a gentle climb as we are used to on freshly paved roads in Peru by now.
As expected it lead us to an almost 4300m high point, but it was a surprise that we landed on a plato that would last for more than 30km with gentle ups and downs at pretty much the same elevation. Very desolate but beautiful none the less with golden fields of grassy meadows.
A long descent with numerous switchbacks
to the little village of Ocros (after finally leaving the plato) and just in time for the rain to start....unexpected in the dry season - here we are in a little dumpy hospitaje, glad to be dry with plenty of food and hot tea, thinking about last night, the kids...the parents, life and how it hits us!
