Milka and I took a night bus ... so we were never going to see very much. The bus was very comfortable ...only 3 seats across (2 + 1) – almost horizontal recline, blanket and pillow supplied, good meals – we even got earphones and toothbrushes. But the road was very twisty!!! We seemed to be coming down the mountain FOREVER!!!! I awoke from 'bus-sleep' early dawn, and through slightly open curtains could see some of the landscape. We were winding our way across the top of a very high plain. I couldn't believe that we were still soooo high!! As we continued our torturous descent, my stomach began the journey up, and we still had 3-4 more hours to go. We'd been on several bus trips in recent weeks ... but nothing affected me like this one – it must be an amazing road .... one I will have to see on Google Earth. Our return to Cusco will be a flight!!!!
We got off the bus in Ica, then took a local bus to Paracas (about 50km). Ica is in a valley in what looks like a desert. It's amazing to see crops and particularly grapes growing in pure sand.
Milka has a block of land near Paracas – an new area of land has been released ... and for a small amount of money, blocks can be obtained, some improvements are required and someone needs to live there .... but there are no services!! Eventually, when more people live in the area, services will be provided. Not quite the way development happens in our world ... but also VERY different amounts of money involved. So Milka's mum lives out there part of the time ... to help meet the requirements. It's a way for Milka to eventually have land in her name, something that is not as common as home.
The area could be described as ... sandy beach area (apparently 8km from the coast), views of sand dunes, rich soil (can grow anything ... when you get rid of the salt ... and if you can provide enough water) ... there is water to the area .... 1 tap for all.
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| From Peru 2 - 2009 |
I think she is a special lady .... don't think I could live out there. We were picked up from the bus by Milka's uncle who also lives out there with his wife. His car has to be seen to be believed ... even older and more dilapidated than Cusco taxis ... station wagon, but didn't need to open the back for our bags ... they went in the front where the passenger seat used to be. He filled the oil and put a bit of fuel in the tank, and we were off.... LOUDLY ... at a walking pace. About 4-6kms, we turned off the bitumen and took a sandy track for 20-25 minutes.
The 'house' is basic one room ... but from others I've seen, this is 'grande' ... solid timber (not woven straw). The also have a few other common structures – kitchen as well as animal enclosures.
In years to come .... this place may well be something else!!!
Late in the afternoon, we went back to the highway and waited for a bus to Lima, 245kms, which took more than 4 hours.
As a local bus, it made frequent stops to pick up and drop off passengers as well as numerous vendors who hop on the bus and travel between stops .... hawking things like drinks, sandwiches, lollies, fruit, jellies etc.
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