Los Correos de Ayacucho
Ayacucho - September 11th, 2010
Rio Mantaro
We followed the Rio Mantaro between Huancayo and Ayachuco for the last three days. Most of the roads were unpaved, but also here we could see that development is going on. It doesn't take long before also in this part of Peru the cities are connected by black tarmac.
We were surrounded by high stunning mountains coloured in brown, red, green, grey, ochre and everything in between. All kind of cacti, eucalyptus trees and thousands of agaves fill the scenery.
The Rio Mantaro divers from emerald green to rust-coloured, and from turquoise to ochre. Sometimes it’s wild and invites for some adventurous wild river rafting. The next time it’s still as a mirror and reflects the thousands meter high Andes mountains and little cumulus clouds in the air. The stages are gorgeous. We get some wet feet when we cross the little side rivers with crystal clear water and get a shower of dust when a 20 tons truck is passing by. Every
quarter of an hour ( it’s not busier ) you get a fresh sandy layer of sun scream. Factor 45.
We camped twice along the Rio Mantaro. Especially the second camp was beautifully located. Beautiful, but ONE big problem : thousands of little sandflies!!! And they like well trained cycling legs. At lower altitudes ( below 3000 meter ) and especially around water the little teeny f**king insects circle around your legs and try to eat you alive. Gulliver’s Travel in Peru. Sometimes you feel them, but then it’s already too late. And when you don’t feel them, then it’s also too late. Result after an hour : tens of little red bites around your feet, ankles and calves. Result after a few hours : ITCHING, ITCHING, ITCHING. The only remedy is to cover your self up completely with long sleeves, socks in long trousers and closed shoes. But there is always the time between get on/off your bike and your “winter outfit”. The sandflies use that time to get you. Because, what’s more delicious for
a sand fly then some fresh, shaven cycling legs.
