Nazca to Cuzco

I walked to the bus station at 9 pm wearing the backpack for the first time this trip. I was one of three people boarding at Nazca. There were alreay people on board from Lima. Most were in the reclined and dozing mode. So I settled in and read for a bit and listened to music. I had no one beside me which was good. But, my eyes got tired and I decided to try to sleep. I'm sure I slept some, but the whole route was a climb from the coast high into the Andes on winding, twisty, switchback roads. I felt like I was back on the boat, as I was swaying about in my seat. I dozed off and on, but didn't get much good sleep.

When the sun came up I watched out the window as the bus climbed steadily for an hour and a half up the mountains. At one point we were delayed because there had been a mud slide on the road. I can't believe how many people live up in the Andes. Lots of poor farmers farming the slopes without machinery. There are lots of domestic animals, horses, cows, pigs, dogs, donkeys. We entered the city through a very unattractive route. Dirty muddy roads, lots of poor people, mud brick shacks and the rest are just cinderblock. Nothing attractive about the housing.

Arrived at the bus station in Cuzco and the man who was supposed to pick me up, didn't show up. There was a lady there trying to hustle me to some hotel, but when I told her I had a reservation somewhere else, she got me a cab for a good rate. Hotel is quite nice and in the old centre of town. When I walked up to my room, I met a Norwegian woman named Jannicke who was on the same Galapagos trip as I was. Good to see her and always nice to have someone to show you around. She just finished the Inca Trail yesterday and ravved about it. We had lunch with two other people from her Inca trip, and then wandered around the town. The part I am in is very old but quite nice and interesting. Another good town square and a couple of old cathedrals. Streets are old and cobblestoned.

This evening I went for a walk with Jannicke around the old town to the town square and a large indoor open air market that selling lots of flower, housewares, fruits, vegetables and raw meat like I've never seen and don't want to see anytime soon. After that we met up with two of her friends from her Machu Picchu hike and had dinner at a restaurant that is run by a guy who used to work for GAP as the area manager. Now I'm off to bed to catch up on my sleep.