Horseback riding

Seems I had quite an adventure yesterday but unfortunately I think it gave me a cold and really painful and even bruised legs......

We arranged at the beginning of the week to go on horseback up this glacier mountain and see the glacier lagoons etc. So yesterday morning we went down to the town centre to meet with the tour group and there was major disorganisation so the day didnt get off to a very good start. We finally got moving on the bus and had a nice trip up with plenty to see. We were told to buy Coca leaves, Inca cigarettes (a brand here) and palm juice when we stopped as a shop and so we did. Then we were told how to chew the coca (you chew it because it really helps with altitute sickness and we were going up to 4,300 metres) but you are not supposed to swallow it. Problem was mine broke down into tiny pieces and so I kept swallowing by accident so I gave up on the chewing idea. The best bit of the bus ride was the lamas we saw on the way up! They were amazing! (see photo)

When we got to the mountain it was beautiful, all covered in snow and the valley was full of clouds beneath us. We were told to go into the restaurant there to inquire about our horses but the restaurant owner told us with no concern in the world that they had all escaped at dawn and couldnt be found. That left me in a really awkward situation because there was no way I could hike up the mountain with everyone else. Even the fittest hikers struggle with the hike and I could barely breathe at that altitute just standing at the base of the mountain. So I decided that Id hang out in the bus and wait the 6 hours for everyone to come back. The rest of my group decided they would hike it so off I went to the bus and sat myself down. I got chatting to the 2 drivers and we spotted this group of horses arriving and they suggested we go check it out. There were 5 horses so we asked if any were free but they were all booked out and paid in advance. We hung out there anyway, waiting just in case until the tour group who had the horses arrived. Once they had all mounted and were off we started heading back to the bus when they started calling "amiga!". I turned around and the guide had decided he would rather walk and there was a spare horse!

We climbed the path that lead around the back of the mountain to the glacier on the other side (see photo), up and down really steep hills on these horses, I was clinging to stay on! (hence the bruised legs). My saddle was the most uncomfortable because I was on the guides horse and there was no cushioning. My horse was also the most tempermental and often refused to go down hills without being forced and even took to sitting down for a rest at random intervals and trying to throw me off as it did it. Once we got to the glacier we headed down into the valley and followed the glacier river until we came to the road where the tour´s bus was waiting. I thought I would head back up and meet my group so I let the car go and the horse owner helped me try to catch a ride up. Problem was it was getting late and I didnt know whether my tour would have come off the mountain and gone back without me on the assumption I had made my own way back. So I decided to go back on my own and with the help of the horse owner I got a ride on the back of a truck and met these nice ladies who came all the way back to Huancayo with me. We got out of the truck at this small town and caught a cab with a ridiculous amount of people in it, about 8 adults and 5 children (yes all in one cab!). Then at the next town we got on a public bus to Huancayo town centre where I caught a cab to the house! A very exciting experience! When I got back the others werent here and turns out they didnt even get off the mountain until dark so they would have been there had I gone up. The trip back was fun though so all was good!!

Off to see some ruins now and head to the Sunday Market ;)

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