Marian Johns' Journal of the Desert
Explorers trip to Peru in 2002
Images by John Page unless otherwise noted
Day 16, September
19, Thursday
Abancay to Nazca See Map
Sept.19, Thursday – Got up about 5:00 a.m., had breakfast, backed the trucks out of the narrow parking area, and headed for Nazca. We had information indicating that this route would be entirely paved by the time we got there, but it was not to be. Despite a lot of road work going on, it looks like pavement is still a long way off.
We drove down, down to the Rio Pacacocha,
and then followed it up-stream for many miles
until we at last found ourselves on the altiplano again. We passed through the vicuña sanctuary of Pampas Galeras. We weren’t disappointed – saw large numbers of these wild, llama-related creatures grazing in small groups.
They are noted for their fine fur and once a year they are rounded up, shorn, and released to run wild for another year. Back at Machu Picchu I checked the price of a vicuña neck scarf - $400!!
We had a tailgate lunch up there on the chilly heights (about 14,000 ft.),
and then started down the long descent to Nazca. We stayed in the same hotel as before, arriving about 5:00 p.m., but this time Charlayne and I got a first floor room out in the older section. Had dinner in another nearby restaurant.
