Lima, Pisco Sours and Death by Churros

Lima is amazing, it's very cosmopólitan (there are 8 million inhabitants - including 1 million Chinese which explains the thousands of 'Chifas' or Chinese restaurants that cover the landscape). We arrived late and the route from the airport took us along a coast line that looks just like Malibu, with palm tree lined beaches and foaming surf. Immediately we went looking for food (not an issue as most people don't even think about dinner until after 9pm - a habit both Bin and I find completely incomprehensible). We found a huge supermarket and (having left my phrasebook behind) played empanana roulette. Ended up with chicken and onion filling - I have since learnt (after another near miss) the Spanish for the popular Peruvian filling of marinated beef hearts....
Today we wandered down to the beach front and I tried the popular 'purple corn drink' (tastes like Ribena) and checked out the Gold Museum. We are staying in a sweet little hacienda in Miraflores, a popular neighbourhood south of Lima central. Belinda is addicted to churros and I am hooked on chimichurri sauce (Peruvian marinade). Luckily we both packed some very loose clothing ...
Dinner was (this is beginning to sound like an article from 'Gourmet') a shared plate of Ceviche (we were hooked in by the 'free Pisco Sours' at the cafe) because starting a trip with a huge plate of raw seafood seemed like a smart thing to do ...

Battle of the Backpacks

There were almost tears on Monday night as I ruthlessly repacked Bin's bag ... battles were fought and lost over huge doona sized cardigans and enormous puffy jackets ... but on a repack she proudly announced she got it down to 11 kgs ... this amazing feat received a champagne toast UNTIL she mentioned she hadn't actually packed her toiletries yet .. I gave her one diamantee as a reward which she has tastefully decorated her hiking boot with .. I may live to regret it ...
Funniest moment was her look of absolute disbelief when she realised what she thought was my daypack was my actual backpack ... years of lugging that extra pair of shoes "just in case" has reduced my packing to miserly levels ...

Packing, Training, Dead Woman’s Pass and George Gregan’s legs ….

Bin’s first pack didn’t go well, after minimising and vacuum-packing and getting down to basics she was SURE she was at her 15kgs max … but it weighed in at 26 kgs .. Her despondency was short lived - since my first pack came in at 7.5kgs she figured I have at least another 7.5 kgs of space left … wily business woman that she is ..

My training partner upped my sessions in anticipation of the Inca trek – although no-one knows how the altitude will affect you – it’s best to be as fit as possible. Particularly daunting is the second day – 20kms hike across DEAD WOMAN’S PASS, which, at 4200m is higher than any mountain Down Under. I’m afraid I will explode like a dead sea fish being raised to the surface…

So Tracy starts me on the innocuously named “Volume training” – which includes ridiculous numbers of squats – NINETY in one session - instantly reducing my legs to jelly and forcing me to wheel myself around on my office chair the next day.

Sian took this photo (yes - I have shorts on – they’re my pjs) – showing the result – these huge fat legs that frighten small dogs and could play forward for the Wallabies. Training has now stopped so by the time I am lazing around eating steaks in Buenos Aires they will deflate back to normal size. But at least I will hopefully make it across the Andes ….

In search of Incas, Argentine steaks and Anacondas

Warm bed and hot showers? Convenient, recognisable food and water that doesn’t need filtering and iodine tablets? Backpacking must be like childbirth, because after six months home the mosquito welts, rampaging gastritis and suspicious meals have all faded from my memory.

This time I am travelling with a friend, Belinda. Seriously smart, funny, with a well developed shoe obsession, Bin is a seasoned and frequent traveller for her work – unfortunately she only flys business or first class and is used to real sheets and showers on her planes … Which explains why she nearly broke down when she realised that our bags could only weigh 10kgs … I got a frantic text saying “10kgs?? Must be a typo ..please god it’s a typo”

It’s taken me a long time to persuade her we need to look vaguely impoverished to dissuade muggers and no, she couldn’t “bling” up her ugly hiking boots with diamantes ..

Bin will tell you she has never backpacked (anywhere - ever), she doesn’t hike, hates camping and critters and never gets on a plane with less than 35kgs. However she HAS wanted to see Machu Picchu since she was 12 ..

So off we go on our trip of mud huts and leech invested jungles and pit toilets … picture "Man versus Wild" - but with Paris Hilton instead of Bear Grylls ..