We completed the trek and were on a high. It was absolutely one of the best hikes we have ever done. It took us 9 days and included a high altitude pass each day. We returned to Huaraz to eat some food and re-set for the bike.
This is when the trip changes course. Unfortunately, the first night of the bike, I got sick. We took the next day off to get better and were ready to set off again. Over the next few days, we ran into some technical problems with my bike, a lot of frustration and then more illness. It is unclear where the mismatch was between what we were expecting and where we were at. We just knew we weren't having fun and needed a change. We made the decision to head back to Lima and change course.
The next day we booked a rainforest tour in the Amazon. We jumped on a flight to Cusco and headed into the Manu Rainforest for 6 days. Honestly, what an amazing adventure. We had the best group including Daniel and Nicole who we connected through long talks and carried over into dinners when we were back in Cusco.
Once the tour was over we had 10 days left on the trip. We spent many hours researching and deliberating and opted to travel back to the Cordillera Blanca and bike the Huscaran Circuit. We were so happy to be back in the mountains and it did not disappoint. It was beautiful but a large section of the circuit was closed for construction and although, possible to circumnavigate, our days were running out and we headed back to Lima.
When I type out the trip like this it seems like a dream, lots of variety and a chance to be away for so long. The thing is, this isn't the trip we planned and for some reason the emotions and feelings challenged the entire time. What's next? It's really hard to say. We are excited to be back home and enjoy summer. The next trip? We will be hanging up the bikes for a bit.
