Lake Rajulcolta

July 10 Lake Rajulcolta

Today Fabian, his new friend Jimmy and I took a 4WD truck to the trailhead for our hike. 

The scenery was really lovely as we drove up through an ancient glacial valley. It was lined with small farms. The road was very sketchy so I was glad that we were in the 4WD.   I had to cover my eyes as dogs ran in front of the truck. I was sure we would hit one but it didn’t appear to occur. We also saw horses, sheep, chickens and cows along the way. 

The driver let us off at the gate.  We walked up a mellow trail to the lake. That might seem easy but the lake was at 13800 ft so there were times that I felt a little out of breath. The hike was about 10 miles. 

Jimmy found the hike to be pretty challenging. Later I found out that his bus only arrived that morning at 6am. Also he was carrying his laptop in his backpack. Since he didnt have a chance to get food Fabian and I shared with him. 

The lake overlooked by Glacier was so pretty. It was a really great hike.  We only saw one mountaineering camp and four day hikers. 

Tomorrow I head to Laguna 69 which promises to be a challenge. The agency could arrange it because there was some problem with the early morning pickup. (They have the same problem the day of the Huayhuash but I am going to walk to their office) 

I haven’t gotten a meal today but I am hoping to find something without much hassle. 

I bought my bus ticket to Lima for the flight home and got seat #1

Laguna Wilcacocha

Peru July 9 Acclimatization hike to Laguna Wilcacocha

A fellow Huayhuash trekker names Fabian and I decided to hike together to Lake Wilcacocha. We met at 9am at the central market and took a collectivo to the hike trailhead.  It was a steep hike up a wide track. It wasn’t marked but you could always hike up the road if you didn’t know how to go. I downloaded the map on Gaia and we were able to navigate up with no problem. 

Along the way we saw example is mud brick homes and small agricultural plots. There were expansive views to the valley and the snow capped mountains peaked out from time to time 

The lake was rather small but very pretty. I got some amazing reflection shots of the lake and the clouds. We walked around the lake and saw some rather startling things. The first was when loud music played at one of the jutting rock view points and people appeared to be dancing. Turns out they were filming a music video. 

We walked around the lake viewing the bird life. There were coots there and another long beaked bird that I didn’t recognize. Then the strangest thing we saw folks carrying a large inflatable boat up the path. They launched it and went i the lake which wasn’t bigger than a pond.  

Fabian and I walked down and caught a collectivo back to Huaraz.  From there we found a vegetarian place to eat. I got a cheese omelette.  Fabian got a three course meal for the same price but it was chicken. 

From there we went to the tour agency and I paid my balance.  We also booked a tour for tomorrow to Lake Rajucolta. The road there is very bad so we need to go in some type of four wheel drive. When we called it was booked but found another. However this guy wanted to charge more so the agency said we could go in a taxi but we might need to get out and push it at some places.   We decided to go for that but then the 4 wheel guy said there is  a spot that is impassable because we need to go straight up so we paid the higher price. It wasn’t that much. We got the driver for the day for 220 soles. That is about $70 of which I paid half. 

We went our separate ways after that. I was feeling kinda of headachy. Maybe from the altitude so I took a nap and some ibuprofen. I felt better when I woke up. I found a great piece of pie but no vegetarian food so I ate French fries for dinner. On the way back to the hostel I found a likely place for tomorrow. 

I also need to get my bus ticket to go back to Lima. I want to be sure to get one of those front seats. I will do that tomorrow when we get back 

Travel to Huaraz

Peru July 9 Travel to Huaraz

After several hours of sleep and a shower I catch a taxi to the bus station to take a luxury bus to Huaraz. The seats are supposed to be like first class airline capsules. I hope to catch up on any lost sleep there. It is a 7-8 hour trip to Huaraz. 

Adventures at the bus station 

1. I went to the ticket booth instead of the departure area 
2. I tried to enter the arrival area instead of the departure area
3. I didn’t realize they wanted more money to enter the departure area. 
4. I couldn’t find the departure platform because it was a VIP lounge 
5. I think I was supposed to check my large bag but they checked it at the gate 

However there was a soda machine that sold some form of Diet Coke in the VIP lounge.  I needed to show my passport when boarding and that went right over my head. A few notes about the bus are below

1. My day pack didn’t fit well but I can use the other little one that I brought next time
2. The bus had working usb charging ports (the plane did not)
3. The bus had a working touch screen with movies and books. Unfortunately all in Spanish but impressive none the less
4. I think there is supposed to be working WiFi but that doesn’t seem to be working. However I have cell service so I can do some things on my phone. 
5. Blanket (very nice) pillow and headphones provided

One funny thing that happened was that I couldn’t get to the bathroom. I couldn’t open the door out of our “cabin”. I had push the call button for the attendant who was on the second floor of the bus. He then showed me where the bathroom was. I am not sure if others had had the same problem but three our four people went right after me.  

For myself and everyone else who may take a VIP bus if you are long legged the front seats would be the best. I am going for that on the way back 

My guesthouse  was waiting for me at the bus stop which was great. They had a sign with my name. The place is on the edge of town but the people are super nice and it’s very clean. 

I met up with someone else on my trek for dinner and we organized a shirt acclimatization hike for tomorrow. 

The town is at 10000 ft and I could feel it tonight or I might just be tired from travel  

Sorry but images just don’t seem to be working from my phone

Peru Travel

I have packed far more than the last few summers. The main pack isn’t too heavy just very bulky. I also have my day pack and included a lightwieght pack for around town use.  I tried to take a selfie carrying all the gear but failed. I need practice with the  selfie stick. 

Security was so odd. A crazy man giving instruction regarding a sniffer dog. STOP GO DON’T STOP. Later he was yelling about something but I was through. 

I wait here at SFO  for my flight. I got here three hours early as the ticket said to but it is overkill. This is ubdoubtedly because I have a domestic flight first. 

Oh my just realized  that I still need to pay for the rest of my trip and I doubt they take credit cards since they didnt for my deposit.  I asked the flight attendebt where the ATM was and she sent me to another terminal. (On the way back I noticed one right by the gate LOL). It is a Wells Fargo. I decide to use a debit catd that I rarely use because it doesnt charge fees for using other bank atms. It is declined. Oops I fgure out I chose the wrong account type. Then it works but I get a call from the fraud dept. I called the bank to investigate. A phone call in Peru would be costly.  It was because I chose the wrong account but  I found out that my travel notice wasnt in the system. I had put in but I must have missed a step so all of this was a blessing in disguise. I put in my travel notice over the phone and now I am good to go 

I upgraded to premium economy for this first section of my trip. (My other choice was a middle seat). Maybe I will splurge and upgrade on other sections but I have aisle seats for all of those towards the front of the plane so maybe not

I wonder if there is anything else that I have forgotten????

The flight was late but the food wasn’t bad and I had a good seat with tons of legroom 

The hotel I am at may not be fancy but the guy picked me up at the airport, it was a ten minute drive and he is taking me to the bus station in the morning allowing me to get a little sleep. 

Venice

Mike and Vanessa, my Canadian trail friends, and I met again in Venice. Together we wandered to streets of Venice. Then we took a water bus out to Murano Island where I mistakenly thought the colorful fishing homes were. Murano is an island with a tradition of blowing glass. We watched a very interesting free demonstration. There were three men involved in the process. They each had jobs along the way. The glass was heated in a super hot furnace. Then it was worked a bit to shape it and it was blown. Next it was put in colored glass and silver. It was reheated and the shaping contines. At some point another piece of glass can be added to give it as a handle. We saw two or three pieces worked. By the time we left that room, sweat was running out of every pore in our bodies.

From there we went over to the cemetary island. We walked around and looked how death is handled in Venice. There isn't alot of ground so the bodies placed in tall stone structures above ground. This probably also helps in times of flooding. Multiple bodies are in each structure - sort of stacked up and side by side.

From there we took two more water buses to Burano. Finally our tickets were checked so we could be glad we did the right thing and bought the multi-day pass. The houses on Burano were so pretty. They are all painted in different bright colors. There were lots of people and the sun was high so my photos did not turn out as well as I would have liked. We walked around and then walked to the next island over by crossing a bridge. There we walkwd through a vegetable/ sculpture garden with a michlen star restaurant and a vineyard. The prices were out of our budget.

From there we returned to Venice and went to look for the climate change scilpture of two arms reaching up out of the grand canal. We found it and took a few photos under it. Then we went up the canal and got on a water bus sonwe could take a photo going past it. We got off on the other side of the canal and saw the remnants of the Rialto Mercado (it is a morning market). We also took a few more sculpture photographs.

After that I headed back to the hostel. As I had made two different reservations I had to check out in the AM and put my luggage in the luggage room. I wasn't allowed to check back in until after 2. It was about 4 so I would be able to get my new bed.

I met Mike and Vanessa for dinner. We wandered around the Rialto area and eventually decided on a pizza place for dinner. Then we all rode a water bus to San Marco together. It was very pretty with the lights on the water. We said our goodbyes there. I hope I see them again. We had lots of fun together.

Then I took a water bus back to the hostel. That ride was also pretty. I am really glad that I had the chance to do that at night.

Day 29 No matter what it takes I will get to Venice

After alot of road walking yesterday, I noticed that the map showed a slighly different route than the book and GPX. I asked the hotel manager about it and he siad that he preferres to walk on the West side of the like the map showed. In the morninf that is the way that I went. (FYI The Daaldo hotel is NOT air conditioned. I wouldn't recommend it if you value a good night's sleep)

The walk was pretty. I saw muskrats ( or maybe rats) swimminf in the river I saw a couple of huge herons. All seemed to be going well. Then I met a gentleman who asked me where I was headed. I told him Venice and gave him the name of the ferry terminal that I was headed for to get ti Venice. He seemed worried about this and told me the trail terminated in 3 km. He pointed to a busy road and seemed to want me to go that way. It was very unclear what he was telling me and he didnt want to tupe into Google Translate. Since he was local I made a decision to get to the other side of the river. Now you may have just jumped to the conclusion that I swam across the river but no. The busy road had an overpass above the trail and the river. I scrambled up the side of it on all fours, hopped the fence, walked on the road and then scrambled down the otherside.

I walked on the levee for a ways and then on the road and back to the levee. After a ways I came to some Vietnamese type fiahing nets. Some were of modest size but some were enormous. It's a wonder there are any fish left in that river.

Eventually I came to a busy road and a bridge. I crossed the bridge on the road and then dis another road walk to a campground on the Adriatic Sea. It was kind of neat to put my feet in. From there it was a ten minute walk across the sand ( well maybe longer as I had back tracked and gone down a deas end road before I realized that I needes the sandy walk). Then up through a deluxe campground with pristine pools.

From there to the ferry terminal it was a walk on a paves bicycle trail right next to the road to the ferry terminal. The streets were lines with shops selling flip flops, hats, floats and all things beachy. I would have to say that this was probably the low point of the trip for me. I walked to the end on sheer will and determination (and sore feet as well as an aching collarbone - my pack had made two ugly marks on it).

Thats the end of the whine. The good news is that as soon as I bought my ferry ticket the boat loaded and I was off to Venice. I got there in the middle of the day with hoards of others. I walked to Piazza San Marco. Then I walked back to the pier and bought a vaporetto (water bus) ticket for unlimited trips for three days. Then I took a vaporetto to my hostel on Giudecca. It was just as hot there but hardly any people.

I arrived around 1 but was told that I couldn't check until 2. I left my bag and walked down to the supermarket. I was not in great shape (overheated, sore feet, rash) and it seemed like an eternity to get there but it was just a five minute walk.

I checked in and took a shower and felt much better. After a nap I went out and explores the Rialto Bridge area.

Distance: 16 miles

Overall Distance: 569km(352 miles)
Elevation up: 30290 m (almost 100,000ft)

I will post the complete spot gps track when I get home.


Photos at https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0q532ODWVPkrI

This is is my track for the last seven days
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0ZqguMWq0nIVvMudyEDQOcLFQgoN7hGXc

Day 28 A Long Hot Walk to Jesolo

Leaving the hotel at 5:30 the temperature was fairly comfortable. I applied insect replellent before I left so I thought that I would have few hold ups. However, after about 10 minutes I had to stop. The Spot had a red GPS light. I did a bit if research and realized that I had finally run low on batteries. I had expected this to happen after two weeks and I thought it would be completely dead. I had another set if batteries so it was just a matter of digging them out of my backpack (there were towards to bottom).

The sunrise was very beautiful as I walked.
I walked on levees most of the morning. Unfortunately, I was kind of in the zone and missed turnoffs two separate times. This didn't cause me to be lost but I did put in some extra miles. That was not needed on a 19 mile day. Along the way I passed an area that Hemmingway spent part of his war days on the frontline. He fell in love with a nurse during this time and wrote a novel about it.

Most if the firat part of the day was pretty non-descript. Eventually I did walk past some pretty intersting sights.

There was a bridge that opens to let ships through. I believe it was there during the war but I couldn't read the sign

There was also a poontoon bridge. It was placed over a number of boats to support it. For vehicles there was a 1€ toll but pedestrians didn't nees to pay.

Finally there was also a Roman or Middle Age building that was used to control canal traffic. Legend has it that San Romauldo lived there in the 10th century. A farmer created the relief on the side if the building with the initials SR and two sheep and a shepard to commemorate that. The building was also to collect a toll from rafts and barges that navigated the wayerway.

Along the river I saw egrets, cormorants, ducks and swans. I also saw a big praying mantis.

The days was exceedingly hot. It was above 90 when I finally arrived in Jesolo. The hike today was probably 20 miles with the navigational errors along the way.

I will be glad to arrive in Venice tomorrow. My feet are shot and I have some kind of a rash (perhapa a reaction to the insect repellent or heat rash).

Photos at https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0q532ODWVPkrI

This is is my track for the last seven days
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0ZqguMWq0nIVvMudyEDQOcLFQgoN7hGXc