Not Far Now

Feliz Año Nuevo, as they say in these parts....

I’m writing this in Caraz, which is a lovely little colonial town, perched at around 2500m., in the Andean foothills. We arrived here today, via a most impressive canyon, the cañón del pato, which means Duck Canyon. I think it sounds better in spanish!

It is billed as “one of the world’s most dangerous roads”, which I suppose it might be, as it’s overhung by towering cliffs, and perched on a narrow ledge, hugging a raging torrent, that winds its way down to the valley. The road is slightly wider than Modestine (that’s how it felt, but it will actually just about take a bus, although I wouldn’t want to be sitting in it!) and is mostly single carriageway, including fifty four tunnels, some of which are linked by very short open passages, so - if you meet something coming the other way - a lot of reversing, in the dark, ensues. Luckily, I followed a truck, so might was right, and anything meeting us had to go back. Phew!

Modestine is having a spa day tomorrow, with January’s El Mechanico (perhaps I should make an alternative calendar?) so she will be ready for the final push up to El Rio, then a container, and the trip back up to Cartmel. I can’t believe it’s four weeks today that I fly home, it seems to have gone so quickly

Christmas and New Year, at El Rio, was great fun. It started with the staff party, at 6.30 on Christmas Eve. I took on Ben’s usual role - filler-up of glasses - and, although the party was only for an hour, a splendid time was had by all, with much dancing, and hilarity. Around ninety people tubed down the Rio Buritaca, on Christmas Day - staff, and guests - with floating coolers of beer to top up the festive spirit, then a few of us went into the kitchen. Guy made some lovely soup, Katie and Kelly did the vegan empanadas, and I helped Elkin, their brilliant chef, to make roast turkey, and all the trimmings. Eating Christmas dinner, at a long table, in the tropical darkness,was memorable, and everyone enjoyed it

El Rio is fantastic - the amount of improvements , and building work, that they’ve done since I was last there, is staggering, and the place looks amazing. So many guests extend their stays, because they don’t want to leave, which is a real compliment to what they’ve achieved in twelve months. I had my own little cabin, AND I didn’t have to spend all day, every day, in the kitchen. I even got up at four, to do the walk to the mirador, being rewarded with a slightly clouded view of the mountains. I’ll have  to do it again when it’s clear

New Year’s Eve was great fun - but I retired from the all night party, at 2am., and slept until 8, getting up to find that they were all still dancing, but now it was in daylight!

Back in Lima, I escaped from the city unscathed, mostly by glaring at encroaching taxi drivers, and miming terror, if they looked as if they were getting too near - not difficult, as I was petrified, so now I have to work up to Quito, then Bogotá. I’m meeting Ben in Quito, so we will “do” Colombia as a team - I’m looking forward to that very much

So that’s where I am - and happy to be here, but feeling reflective. Peru is in a sombre mood at the moment, as over fifty people died earlier this week, when a coach, travelling north from Lima, went over a cliff, onto the beach 300m below. Being here, and knowing what the roads are like, it doesn’t really surprise me, but it brings home how fragile our hold on life actually is. So many families devastated, it is truly tragic

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