So ... back to life on a bus. Ayacucho is a very small town located east of Lima in the mountains. In order to continue on to cusco, you must continue through those mountains. See if you take a bus straight from Lima to cusco, they drive south and them east on a very nice paved road. But this is not the option if you'd like to visit ayAcucho.
So Megs and I bought tickets from the not-so-luxurious bus company Los chankas, the only one that travels this route. We board the bus filled with only one other extranjero couple from France/Spain. Off we go! At first it's not bad: the scenery is beautiful, it's still pretty cool. Then the pavement ends...
Were taking this dirt road through these insane mountains. I have to say I was the crazy tourist snapping photos left and right out of my window. The "towns" or I would even call them villages were so, so poor. There was absolutely NOTHING there. Then suddenly you have someone up at the front, tapping on the door to the driver. The door opens and the lady shouts "baja baja". You stop and look around; there is nothing here. Why the hell is she getting off. Then you see her 2 boys walk off and turn their backs to the bus. Ahhh...a modern day bathroom break on the side of the road. Well you do what you gotta do. I just internally remind myself to ration my water supply as to keep from having to resort to the Same extreme.
The bus ride continues as such. Bathroom breaks; people joining and leaving in these remote locations; police stops and checks; and road work. Oh the road work. See in the states, when you have the road only open to one lane of traffic, you have the guys with the signs. Well it is similar here, except that instead of every 10 minutes or so and the sign- guys. communicating by walkie, here it's just a set hour. So if you get to the road at 3:05 and it's the other side's turn, well sucks to be you. You just have to wait til 4.
I think the most amusing part was when we were on these windy mountainous roads. It kind of reminded me of the small back roads in Boone. You'd be winding either up or down these 1 lane dirt roads. Well when you hit a big curve that you couldn't see around you just blare your horn. What else would you do?? Those peruvians and their horns. I think they would be lost without them.
Finally 9 hours lAter we pull into Andahuaylas bus station, where Meg and I had both agreed to stop for the night. After talking with the driver to ensure that there would be a bus tomorrow, paying 50 centimos to use a wretched bathroom, and realizing that attempting to find an hostel in Andahuaylas was going to be yet another adventure, we said screw it and bough the " luxury" night tix to cusco. When I asked the lady what the difference in the 2buses was, she said the luxury one had reclining seats, they showed a movie, gave you a snack and had heat and blankets...score!!! I'll pay the extra 5 soles. Right...luxury my ass: the movie was a 12 yr old local boy with a speech impediment rubbing shells together and singing in quechua, Megs and I had to share this homemade snack bag of a juice Box and "kraps" Peru's version of ritz crackers; I had to jack the blanket off of a neighbor seat that wasn't using theirs (and share with Megs of course); and the heat finally came on about 3 hours in, just long enough for you to put every layer you have on and then start sweating. Thanks chankas...it was an experience. But we did finally arrive in cusco at a lovely 5.45 am... At this point, whatever ... I just want food and a hostel. Let's just say well be traveling via Cruz del sur from now on.
~la gringuita
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