Busy Busy day. Got up 9.00, most of us (me certainly) feeling much better after a pretty good night's sleep. Breakfast (2 rolls) provided by hostel then a big planning session to try and work out what on earth we were meant to be doing today. Eventually we split into 2 groups - 1 group went to the South American Explorers Club where they dropped off bits & pieces & did some research. The rest of us headed to the local supermarket. What an experience! What would have taken � hr for one person took 2 hrs for 7 of us! Great debates on what type of porridge to get, how much rice, what type of pasta sauce etc etc. Couple that with the scary road junctions - cars don't stop, don't indicate and randomly toot their horns - and you have an unforgettable trip! Eventually we made it back to the hostel and had lunch. In the afternoon we all headed off to the British Embassy - more scary road crossings and one vital lesson learnt - the policeman in any country always know where stuff is. Having found the embassy we decided that it was too much hassle for us all to go in, so we went to Kennedy park opposite. It is right by the sea at the top of a cliff (so we couldn't get to the beach) but there is a 3-storey shopping mall so we spent some time in there most of the time was spent trying to get computers to send e-mails.
In the evening (having been completely fleeced by a stall holder for 2 custard apples - 11 soles) we had supper with custard apples then packed up our stuff (again) trying desperately to find room: - in the rucksacks for the food we had brought.
We had 3 taxis and proved the effectiveness of walking away when bartering as we got them down from 11 sol to 7 - we still had to fit 5 of us in a space designed for 4. 'Gasping for breath we arrived at the coach terminal ready for our 6 hr coach trip to Huaraz. To while away the time we decided to play games. After our first few attempts had failed we settled on charades - and up stepped Hasmita to rather amusingly act out 'Bedknobs and broomsticks' in front of a full waiting room of rather bemused Peruvians. Fortunately for them, our coach came in at that point so we all had to climb aboard. Thus began a coach journey that will go down in Peruvian World Challenge trips history as the one where everyone nearly wet themselves. Mush to our amusement (?!) we found that if you combine the effects of diamox with water and a long coach journey you end up with extreme discomfort. The coach stopped just in time (Not a second too soon) and we stepped out into a small village thing. Quickly we began to question the locals ' Donde es the toilets?!' Much to our confusion they all seemed to point in different directions. Later we realised they were pointing to the nearest shadow. Eventually we got the message and dashed into a back alley to find an appropriate shadow. I was among the lucky ones who was not in such a desperate state but this process was repeated again towards the end of the journey. We have discovered that 'We'll stop soon' to a Peruvian bus driver means in � hr at the earliest. By now it was about 6.00 a.m. this morning so I think I'll hand over to Day 4 Journal writer.
Caroline
