Day 19: Huancayo and radio

I spent most of the night awake, sneezing and hearing the dogs outside (I don't think I mentioned the dogs here - there are so many strays here, Sonia and I seriously wondered whether there are more dogs or internet cafes here). To that end, I wasn't feeling too great when I went to the playschool, but it was still a good day. The littlies were trying to get from one end of the room to the other using only two mats, the idea being that you lift up the first one and put it in front of the second one - many of them picked up the first mat and put it down in the same place, then just hopped between the two mats. Ahh!

In the afternoon I went into town with Juliana, we mainly just browsed. Then I went with her to her job at the radio station - it was fairly interesting seeing how the controls worked, and from where she gets her source material. Afterwards we went for pollo a la brasa - it was great chatting over a meal that we both love. Through the windows we could see the main square, and there were some concerts in honour of the forthcoming elections.

I'll quickly explain the elections over here, as I understand them. Each person returns to their hometown to vote for the individual they wish to be president, and of the other elects of that party, who they wish to be in congress. There're concerts and bands and many many flyers and billboards everywhere with the faces of the presidential and congress elects, Juliana said that by sponsoring concerts they hope to get in the votes of the young people. Mum told me that in Peru everyone is obliged to vote, otherwise they could be fined. I think that makes sense, since then the president should in theory represent what the people want. The elections are on Sunday 10th, so a lot of people will be coming back to Huancayo soon to vote.

After that I went straight back to the house, knitted a little more, then went to bed.

Day 18: Huancayo and research

Edwin was away for most of the morning, so it was just me and Jenny until just after lunch. So I got the oh-so-fun tasks of fetching stuff from the kitchen and emptying potties as well as playing and trying to get the littlies to eat. We played a matching-cards game - at one point Jenny's mobile rang and she took the call, so I stepped in with "Where is the partner of the hippo?" while fifteen 3 year olds were jumping out of their seats to show me. Bless them! Lunch was fairly normal . one boy cried because he didn't want to eat his caomte, so I mushed it into something vaguely resembling a cat, which helped a bit. Another girl cried because she didn't want her banana - I tried making it into shapes, singing, ignoring her, the aeroplane game - then she threw up. I felt quite bad then. Afterwards we went back to class, where I stuck in more worksheets while two of the girls 'helped' me until it was time for me to leave.

I was planning to go out to town with Juliana, so I left the house straight after lunch and went to the internet cafe first. I ended up spending all afternoon there, chatting and working and researching. Story short, there's a lot of poverty here, especially among families of disabled children (a cause very close to my heart) so I spent most of the afternoon researching the laws and statistics of the region. I was quite disappointed with how few useful things I could find. I stayed internetting until about 7pm, then gave up and went back to the house.

Day 17: Huancayo and playing games

This morning we raced to build towers and train tracks out of duplo, then we did our stretching exercises before lunch. Somehow I've unofficially become the one to wash the children's hands before lunch - it's fine until the children who claim that they can do it themselves come along. Cue about a minute with the soap, then much splashing of water - we all end up slightly wet. I just try to not laugh while hurrying the little ones. At lunchtime the teacher for the class of 2 year olds was ill, and only the aide was present, so I helped out there instead. The little ones just sat and munched their fruit - a few times the aide shouted at them for not eating fast enough, and a few of them cried. I missed my cheeky 3 year olds, plus I like how the teacher Jenny can convey authority without shouting. I felt bad for the 2 year olds. After lunch I stuck a few worksheets in the homework books (I asked Jenny what I could use to spread the glue with, she looked at me blankly, so I used my finger), then jumped on the bus back to the house.

In the afternoon I went with Juliana to the park again - this time after giving out the remaining sweets, Juliana went to talk to some of the helpers about renting out another building for the children who aren't supported by the large company. I stayed on the grass playing clapping games, running games, volleyball, and talking - I'd forgotten how many questions the children ask! Questions about my family, about the necklace I was wearing, about the scar on my wrist, about my hair, about my individual friends... it was great fun, though. I didn't want to leave when Juliana said that it was time to go! We stayed a while longer talking to the mother of three of the girls - her brother rented out a nearby house next to the park, she'd ask him if he'd be willing to let it to Juliana to use for the children. I hope that he says yes.

In the evening I went round Gustavo's again - I chatted to him and Michelle, and we went for pollo a la brasa. Then we saw the film 'Rango' - it's hilarious, so I didn't at all mind seeing it again. It was Michelle's last night in Huancayo, and she and Gustavo would be going back to Lima late that night, so I said my goodbyes and took the bus back to Hilda's.

Day 16: Huancayo and old faces

I was quite surprised to not feel at all sore this morning, since I don't often hike. I got on my bus, and a morning playing with the little ones was pretty much all that was needed to make me feel good again. We coloured in flowers, raced to put pegs on a washing line, counted to five using our fingers (when Jenny asked everyone to show their middle finger, I nearly burst out laughing at the sight of sixteen 3 and 4 year olds waving their middle fingers about), and sang the teapot song. I love the kids.

In the afternoon I went round Juliana's - she was surprised that I'd tired within an hour of hiking. Then we talked more, and I learned that when she did the hike, their tour guide had made sure that they kept together, and they'd gone along a near-flat road to the foot of the glacier, and only those who were really fit had gone on to climb. What we'd done was take a route that would've lef straight to the summit. She wasn't happy at all with the story I told of our tour, and I soon felt better about it.

Then we both got on a bus with a box of donations, and got off near the centre where I volunteered two years ago. We walked over to the park - then the children came. Children aged 8-16 came running from all directions - some of them I recognised from last time I was here! It was so wonderful seeing them (the centre's been taken over by a large company, so while the children get more help, the charity I'm with can't work there anymore) - we gave them some donations that one of the previous volunteers had brought, and the sweets that I'd brought. We could only stay a short while, then we headed back into town.

I got in touch with Michelle, my friend from back home who'd come with me last time - she's in Peru now, so we arranged to meet up. I turned up at the house I stayed in last time, where she is now (she's engaged to Gustavo, the son of the host family who became like a brother to me) - it was strange seeing her so far from home, strange to see Gustavo for the first time in 2 years, and strange to be in the house again! It was all great, though - we chatted, then went out for a meal (Burger King - it's about half the price as it is at home, and tastes the same) with Gustavo's grandfather. We had a great evening.

Day 15: Huancayo and a not-to-plan hike

All the signs pointed to a bad day. Being the superstitious person I am, I should've realised this and not been so disappointed when things turned out not-so-well.

Firstly, I'd had little sleep, and kept waking up every few hours. In the morning, I'd agreed to meet Sonia and Oscar at 7.40 outside a particular building - I got there at 7.50 due to leaving the house slightly late and having to wait for a bus. Then Oscar phoned - they were already at the tour agency building. So I started walking down that road - but I went the wrong way, and had to wait ten minutes for a taxi. Then Oscar phoned again - they were on the bus, waiting. Eventually I reached them, so I got on the bus. Still, it was another 30 minutes or so until we set off.

Our tour guide, Reese, spoke of numerology, of spirituality - I initially liked him, since I'm really interested in that sort of thing. We stopped off at a shop to buy bananas and coca leaves (I was reminded of a t-shirt that I got when I was 16, translated it said "The Coca Leaf is NOT a Drug") to help with the altitude. Then came our first hurdle - the bus got stuck in some mud. Even when we all got out, it wouldn't budge. Some locals came along with a spade to dig the bus out, but even then it could only go backwards. 20 minutes later, Reese came and gave us two options, either we could return to Huancayo, or we could take a different route up to the top of the glacier. This would take 4 hours each way. He then added that if we took this route, we could come back to the bus more easily. This made me agree - a 2 hour hike would be difficult, a 4 hour one impossible, but if there was the option of returning, then I was up for trying.

So we walked - Reese had said that we'd all walk together, but he set off quickly while we 11 hikers stretched out over about a half-mile of road. We walked up the road, then into some countryside, then past a trout fishery, then up into the mountains. It was getting relatively steep, and I started to feel ill - I'm not great with altitude change. Then we crossed a river, then struggled through marshland, and scrambled up a few rocks, then climbed up a hill. About an hour in, after many short rests, sweets, coca leaves, puffs of my asthma inhaler and some energy drink, I had trouble breathing, and soon I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep this up for another 3 hours. By this point i'd fallen right to the back of the group - Oscar and Sonia waited for me, and when I reached them we saw that I couldn't keep going. So Sonia went to fetch Reese. Ten minutes later neither she nor Reese had returned, so Oscar went to have a look.

So there I was, sitting alone on the mountain side, overcome with exhaustion. I've had my fair share of lonely times, but with not even a cow or sheep in view, the five minutes I spent alone on a mountain ranked among the most lonely.

Eventually Reese turned up, he spoke to me for a bit, admitted that it was a tough hike, and said that he'd get the group to come back and we'd go back. I argued that that wasn't fair, he said that the group would travel together. So he went back to fetch them, and soon we were back together. We went back the way we came, then when we crossed the river, Reese had another suggestion. It would take the same amount of time, he said, to take another route around the mountain to a town, as to go back to the bus. He took my rucksack for me, said that I should take as many rests as needed, and tell him if I needed to stop - then he walked off as quickly as before.

I spent most of the walk up - not around, up - the mountain with a Peruvian-American called Charlie, he was good about me needing to rest every few minutes. The views must've been stunning, but to be honest I was too busy trying to walk without collapsing. I'd have taken photos, but my camera was in my bag which Reese had, and he was long gone. At one point I realised that my inhaler was in the bag too, and panicked a little. Eventually after an hour, we reached the top of the mountain - this had involved more climbing and stomping through marshland, which I can just about do when I feel fine, and can barely manage when I'm exhausted. We walked a little along the top of the mountain, and finally began the descent. We could see the other hikers, and Reese was about a half-mile in front of us - so much for the group staying together. My breathing eased up on the descent, and fifteen minutes later I was almost back to normal.

The walk down the mountain was quite fun - Charlie and I talked in English and Spanish, the views were stunning (I wished then that I'd had my camera) - patches of sun hitting the mountains, streams trickling down the mountainside, little clay houses, children helping their mothers collect the corn from the fields, a youngster hauling in a batch of fish with a small net, a herd of llamas walking past us while their owner brandished a stick at them - it was quite good. A few times we got confused when we came to a fork in the road and had to ask locals which way the young people had gone, and a few times we had to walk right by the edge of the cliffs when a truck went past, but other then that the next hour and a half passed quite smoothly. By this point I was quite hot though, since I'd wrapped up warm expecting to be on a glacier.

4 hours after we'd set off, we got back to the bus - by this point the patch of mud it had been stuck in had become part of a mudslide - we could see the mud streaming down the hill off the side of the cliff - and at one point we had to move out the way of a falling rock. That was quite exciting, if a little nerve-wracking! Then finally, I was back in the bus. I felt exhausted, rotten that I hadn't been able to complete the original hike, and worse that the rest of the group had had to change plans too. And quite angry with Reese - I almost wish I'd told him that.

Half of the group got off the bus in Huancayo, the rest of us carried on to a restaurant. The proptions were absolutely enormous - Sonia and I shared an individual trout dish, and there were leftovers. There was a live band playing, Charlie gave them a message to read out, welcoming us the foreigners to Peru. I felt almost embarrassed.

At about 5pm we got back to Huancayo - I stayed in town a little longer, then took a taxi back to my house - Juliana says that the safest taxis are 242424 and 212121, so I had to wait a while until a 242424 came along. Then after a quick email-check, I went back to Hilda's house, munched a little on bread, then fell asleep almost straightaway, still not feeling too great about the day. At least I tried, though.

Day 14: Huancayo and a bright sunshiny day

The sun was shining, the clouds were drifting softly over the mountains, so I decided to go for a walk. I walked into the centre of town, then decided to walk a bit further to the shopping centre. I spent the morning wandering around, enjoying an ice cream while walking in the sun. Then I walked back in time for lunch. On the way back, a gentleman stopped me, and ranted about one of the president elects. He then asked me who I'd vote for, I said I didn't know, he ranted some more and spoke highly of another candidate, and said that everyone should vote for that person, didn't I agree? I just said that I didn't know, he ranted some more, then shook my hand and kept on walking. I walked back to my house feeling slightly dazed.

In the afternoon I went to Juliana's house - she's feeling a lot better now. I did a bit of admin stuff, then Oscar and Sonia turned up, and we discussed plans for tomorrow. They're thinking of going to the glacier Huaytapallana - Juliana says it's a 2 hour hike each way, and the glacier looks absolutely beautiful. We talked it over, and we agreed that we'd all go tomorrow.

So... I've packed my rucksack with energy drinks and bread rolls, and I've borrowed Juliana's hat and gloves, and I have all my warm clothes. Hopefully tomorrow'll be a good hike.

Day 13: Huancayo and much red paint

Juliana had said that this would be the last day she'd take me to the playschool, and after that I'd have to take the bus by myself. So at 8am, I waited. And waited some more. At 8.15 I went to wait outside since it was sunny, then at 8.25 I walked to the corner where we take the bus and waited some more. Eventually she called at half 8 - she was ill with flu, could I go and come back on my own? So I waited some more on the street corner until a bus came by - it ignored me. So did the second bus, even when I stuck my arm out. When the third bus came I stepped a little into the street so it had to stop - and finally I managed to get to the playschool just after 9.

Today we worked by rolling on mats, and jumping and crawling on cushions. Then we painted pictures of apples red - somehow the little ones ended up with paint in their hair (even getting it off their hands was a challenge), and I got paint up my arm (Hilda later worried that a cat had scratched me). At one point some the little ones noticed the scar on my wrist and asked how I got it - I told them that I'd been in an accident while playing in the road, even though my mum had told me to not play in the road, so for this reason they should always listen to their mothers (the truth is that I broke my arm while on my skateboard, but that seemed a bit less exciting). Then came lunch - by the end there were three children who hadn't finished, so Jenny asked me to stay with them. When they'd finished, we made our way to the classroom, then two of them ran the other way up the stairs. Joyous. A few minutes later they got bored and came down, then we went back to class, where I read a book about trains and planes until it was time for me to go.

In the afternoon after lunch, I did some laundry, then knitted in the sun. Then knitted downstairs. Then just knitted in the kitchen. I was tempted to go out, but the weather was on-off rain and sun, so I just stayed in. I went to the internet for a bit, then in the evening went to the park with Yesy and Juan Jose. The presidential elections are in a week's time, so there's lots going on, and one of the congress elects was talking in the park. We watched for a bit to see if anything else would happen (there've been concerts and parades and typical dances in honour of the elections), but when it was clear that nothing else would happen, we went back to the house.