Up about 7:00, had breakfast and started hiking sometime after 8:00. We had a short hike today, only 2.5 hours to the pickup point. We got there about 10:30, the mini-van came shortly afterwards with some people just starting the trek. They'll do it reverse of what we did.

As they unloaded, our donkeys showed up, all our stuff was loaded on the van and we were off and on our way back to Huaraz.

Wake up call at 3:30am, got up, packed everything, had breakfast and we were on our way at 5:30. It was a 2 hour hike to the pass, up and up and up. The mountain range looked formidable, but cut in the rocks at the top was a trail with a sign indicating the pass, Punta Union, and the elevation, 4750 metres. Then down and down and down. Amazing views all the way down, glacier capped mountains. As we were descending, we passed a half decomposed donkey, presumably slipped and fell to its death.

Wake up call at 3:30am, everyone got up, packed everything, including the tents. We had breakfast, and were hiking in the dark shortly after 5:00am.

We hiked about 9 hours today, including snack and lunch breaks. Hiked to this awesome lake with a glacier at the head of it, chunks of ice floating in the lake.

Also saw the Paramount Pictures mountain, unfortunately it was partially obscured in clouds all day.

Up at 5:30am. Didn't sleep much because I slept until 1:30 yesterday. Packed our things, Kieran is planning on doing the Huayhuash trek instead of the shorter Santa Cruz.

Woke up about 8:30am. Not feeling to good. I just laid in bed and tried to sleep off the hangover until about 1:30 in the afternoon. Then headed to California Cafe for some bacon and breakfast, then did some shopping. Bought a "Goretex" jacket, a fleece top and some gloves for our 4-day trek tomorrow.

Pretty much a nothing day.

Up at 5:30, ready to go at 6:00am for our Laguna 69 hike. A mini-van came to pick us up at 6:30. 15 of us in the hostal signed up for the hike.

2.5 hour drive to the trail head, inside Huarascan National Park. Along the way, I realized I didn't bring my camera!. Fortunately Kieran saw that I had left it in the room and grabbed it for me.

Didn't sleep much on the bus, if it all. Seats weren't nearly as comfortable as the other bus.

We arrived in Huaraz around 6:45, I think, as usual, when we exited the bus compound, we were immediately surrounded by people, trying to get us to go with them. We asked a few people where we were on our map, got some helpful hints, and started walking, searching for Hostal Caroline. We had to ask a few locals as we went along, making sure we were on the right track. We eventually found it, arrived at the hostal about 7:30, just in time for the free breakfast.

Stupid Cat!! It started meowing in the middle of the night, waking me from my deep sleep. It went on for half an hour or more. When it started, and I was half awaking from my slumber, I didn't know where I was and thought it was Samantha.

Up about 8:30, had breakfast. We had a nothing day today, but are heading to Huaraz on a night bus tonight.

Bus arrived in Trujilla about 10:00am, late. Once the sun came up, I discovered that this part of Peru is a desert. Very barren, dry, sand dunes, rocks, very little vegetation, it kind of looked like Mars.

Woke up, had breakfast, took our time. We decided to head back up to Kuelap, as we've nothing better to do until our taxi pick-up at 4:00 this afternoon. We didn't want to hike all the way back up, so we had everyone in town trying to find a taxi for us. The principal of the school nearby moonlights as a taxi driver, so he left school (he wasn't teaching a class at the time) and took us up to Kuelap. Got there maybe 10:30ish and stayed until about noon. When we were there late yesterday, we were the only ones on the whole site (except the guardian).