Peru

After a hangover breakfast with the whole family of my couchsurfer and a nice bbq for lunch, I took the bus to Chiclayo.

When I arrived in the next morning, I had 8 hours time to spend there before my Bus left to Lima. During the bus ride I talked to a traveler from South Korea and she told me that there are some old pyramids around that area. While I was  talking to some locals how to go there the cheapest way, a mini van was driving close by, opened his side door and a guy was shouting: Vamos,vamos,vamos! Tukume! Tukume! I was really perplexed but intiutive jumped in while the car was still driving. The first minute I thought it´s a kind of a human trafficing but then I realized that this is how the public transport works here.

They are driving from town to town and shouting to everyone in the streets to JUMP IN! the whole day . From Tukume I walked some kilometers to the pyramids and went into the museum area from the backside so I didn´t had to pay the entrance fees.

There are at least 26 important pyramids, along with enclosures and mounds which makes it the largest pyramid complex in the world. Constructed of mud brick, they are located on the plain surrounding the La Raya Mountain.Local shaman healers called upon the powers of the Tucume and La Raya Mountain during their rituals. Thus Tucume is feared by the local people who know it as Purgatorio. They will not enter the site at night.

After I spent some time exploring the pyramids I realized that I was already sunburnt and that it was very stupid not to bring water, some sun cream or at least a shorts with me, so I decided to hitchhike the way back, which worked out great.

The bus from Chiclayo to Peru was by far the best bus experience of my entire trip. I don´t remember the price but it was definitely cheap, super comfortable with 160° seats, air condition, free blanket, tv and two meals for free.

Because I forgot to pack a daypack for my bus rides, I finally arrived in the capital of Peru super dirty,without having a shower for 40 hours, barefoot (I destroyed my shoes completely) and with a trouser from which I´ve cut off the legs. It was the first time in Southamerica when the locals at the terminal did not treat me as a tourist and wanted to offer me tours or a taxi ride. That felt great But then I called my couchsurfer and he told me that I will easily recognize him by his grey suite. When he picked me up and introduced me to his parents it was probably one of the most embarrassing couchsurfing experiences I ever had.

I straight went to have a shower, helped his mom to prepare dinner,José showed me how to prepare some very delicious Peruvian Cocktails and I felt very comfortable with the family 🙂

The next day, I explored Lima a little bit, went to Miraflores at the Costa Verde and to the the parque del Amor.

The next morning I already had to leave to Ica and from there to Huacachina.

Known as the “Oasis of America” it is one of the only true desert oases in the Americas. But actually it is just an artificially “village” made for tourists. I´ve met a girl from Colombia in the hostel and we spend the rest of the day until the early morning with some handmade jewelry vendors in one of the only bars in town.

The next day I went to a sandboarding sunset tour with one of the famous local buggys. It feels like riding roller coaster a little bit when they cruise around the sand dunes.

When I came back from the trip, I had to leave straight away to catch the next overnight bus to Arequipa, the “white city” in the South of the country.