45 Hours. In 3 days. So basically 27 out of the last 72 hours NOT on a bus.... Time to stretch my legs and regain feeling in my arse.

After grabbing a delicious ceviche (Peruvian, raw seafood dish) in a streetfood market down the road from the bus station, I set off on a Palomino bus from Cusco to Lima. A 22 hour journey. The section from Cusco to Abancay, the last town we passed before dark, was spectacular. Possibly among the greatest roads in the world that one. The scenery was glorious, snowcapped mountains etc. and the bus was very comfortable.

Both trips I lucked in with effectively the best seat in the house. The front left window seat on the second row, giving me a panoramic view and extra legroom. Both trips also gave us pretty edible meals and had a, although Dwayne 'the rock' Johnson dominated, very decent selection of films being showed.

I woke up this morning in the desert coastal stretch, maybe an hour or so south of Lima. It was stressy, praying that the gridlock in Lima wouldn't prevent me from making my second bus trip but in the end I got there with an hour to spare. Time to chill in the Oltursa Bus Company terminal (in most Peruvian cities the bus companies have their own individual terminals) and chat to women from the fishing port of Chimbote, heading for Chile, about Huaraz.

Oltursa were once again, fabulous. The bus felt more like a plane, hostesses coming round doing safety procedures, giving out meals and checking people had done their seatbelts. We headed north, up the suprisingly green, well irrigated stretch of coastline, before heading inland ascending back up the Andes on a spectacular set of switchback roads.

Finally, I have arrived in the trekking mecca of Huaraz. What a place to finally do my time in Peru justice, and having something more to remember this country by than buses. First impressions are great, had a pizza and a beer and really it's almost surreal thinking that I don't have to take another 10 hour bus ride somewhere and I'm actually staying here for 4 nights! Almost became a gypsy...

Anyways,

Vamos!