Went to a museum today which had gold and silver artefacts from the tombs of the Lords of Sipan. And also their skeletons. The gold was amazing. We didn´t pay for a guide - we just walked behind an English guided tour and listened in! Well we are on a budget. Surprised to find that we could translate quite a bit of the Spanish signs. Next on to Ecuador and hopefully some relaxation.

Did a tour today of Pre-Inca archaeological sites. Was very very hot. Saw Temples of the Sun and the Moon, and also Chan Chan. All made of bricks made of mud. We had a really good day and feel very educated (and also very tired) now! Finished the day on a beach with an ice cream.

For the last few days we have been stranded in an eco-lodge in the mountains, an hour from the nearest town. There has been a national strike and all transport in the country, including out of Huaraz (the nearest town), was cancelled. Admittedly the eco-lodge was a great place to have been stranded (albeit a little smelly). In our boredom we even took up mountaineering and rock climbing. Craig decided he wanted to see a glacial lake, but not just any lake wou...

Back in Lima for a few days. First of all stayed in a hostel in Miraflores and did a bit of shopping and sightseeing. Then spent Valentines Day at the Sheraton Hotel. 5 star don´t you know. Had an 8 course meal in the evening, including lobster salad, duck, and chocolate dessert. The most comfortable bed ever and lots of toiletries to steal. Heaven. The next night we spent on a bus up north to Huaraz. Back to reality.

Took a boat trip to Islas Ballestas from Pisco. We saw lots of sea birds, pelicans, sealions, Humbolt penguins and dolphins. The sealions were massive and made so much noise. In the afternoon we did a tour around Paracas National Reserve which had red beaches. Pisco was very badly damaged in the earthquake last year. 70% of the buildings had fallen down. We were lucky to find somewhere to stay - it seemed like the only building left standing in the street. It w...