THIS IS NOT A HOLIDAY CAMP
THIS IS NOT A HOLIDAY CAMP.
Even if it may not look like, I’ve left Huaraz; I did it with this pain in the chest that means to leave back those that took care of me, those that I could help a bit, but on top of it, to those that loves me just like I am, and even if they are concerned of my depart, always wish me the best, and they are always there.
I also have to thanks Ada´s, because she had the amiability to go with me during some miles, which it helped me a lot, because to be honest, my legs, my lungs and my mind didn´t believe much, although in each pedal stroke came in my memory this lovely sentence, “life isn´t measured by every time the we rest, it´s by those moments that still you the breath”.
My look was fixed on the road, silences and doubts in every little uphill, but even though I felt happy, pleased to feel again the fresh air in my face, but I knew that what it was next wouldn´t being this easy.
Up there, mountain passes above 5000mts where waiting for me, weather isn´t stable yet, and only the fact of thinking it I’ve lost my last breath.
MI ULTIMO ALIENTO / MY LAST BREATH.
Then I’ve left the paved road, and with conviction I headed towards the “Cordillera”, path climb gradually, breathing it´s more difficult every single meter, and my legs become real heavy, pushing Halima´s isn´t a holiday camp anymore.
When I’ve arrived to the Huascaran’s national park entrance, I’ve refused to pay the 5 soles entrance fee, I just wanted to rest a bit, meanwhile I have asked for the road ahead, and the only answers I’ve had where answer that I really wouldn´t hear at all, I´ve just felt silly, because this already happened to me so many times, but it looks like that I do love to fall with my own mistakes.
Suddenly the dirt road becomes like a wall, steep zigzag curves turn vertiginously and obligate me to push the bicycle, and I push and push, having the sensation that I can´t anymore, I stare the sky like asking for help, but the only thing I can see it´s a dark an angry sky and that makes me fall deeper in my own pain, it´s more than 8 hours already, mostly of it pushing the bike, and the rest of wearing out my energy thinking how to get out from there.
And slowly slowly the way was darker and darker, and I just could feel how difficult was for me keep going, to hard for this hurt heart, too much for this broken heart because of past memories, but to break this moment, snow decide to come down, just to think about my body freeze out, I was looking up there and I could only see a long and infinity road, and my strength disappeared and decide to camp…
Had just time to set up the tent, getting into my sleeping bag, and out there the nature dressed up with a snowy white dress, I just remember a pretty flower and downhearted some tears took over me, I’ve accepted the challenge, I may will fall, then I will have to stand up, I will laugh and cry, I will lose or win, but this doesn´t have to stop.
SIN FÍN / NO ENDING.
Next day, and with many doubts and big efforts I´ve finally got to the mountain pass, there, a big surprise was waiting for me, my eyes saw a paved road going down into the most deeper part of the earth, I was rainy, It was cold, but I didn’t feel It, because my eyes and my mind only see a bed and a hot shower, that night while I was almost recovered I´ve dream of snow, bad dirty roads glaciers and lovely mountains, that some times are just amazing and other moments show us how difficult nature could be, also, I could hear into my head that this isn´t a “Holiday camp”
Next morning I´ve meet a French young couple that I friendly call them “ Amelie´s & Tintín”, they travel with a bicycle since some month and also heading down south towards Cuzco´s city, we decide to go together for a while, I just hope that they will understand that my physical shape isn´t so good.
We climb, we went down, we suffered of hot and cold, we shared nights full of stars, the police help us in their stations, and also came with us in some dangerous areas, this Is what they said, the only thing I saw was nice people, lovely cows and difficult hills, although thanks anyway, other families opened wide their humble houses for us, a wonderful and simply mountain people.
The road to Cuzco´s It´s still far, 12.000 of positive denivelation in 1.000 thousand km waiting for me, I know it because of my dear friend Jorge, That send to me all this accurate information, Bloody Hell Jorge why you did it? Just joking! But I know that I have to take it easy…
So, climbing and climbing I´ve shared my time with them, it will be like this till the La Oroya´s city, an ugly place that lives because of the cooper mines, and of course, this city welcomed us with rain, cold and some broken spokes in my bike, I had a strange and weird feeling, cough was also hard, so I´ve decided to not stay there, the French ones did.
I have decided to keep going till Huancayo´s city where I am now, a bigger city, easier to find a place to repair my bike, and think about my past days, updating my site, and believe that what it comes next will make me happy, believe that health will respect me, and why not keep dreaming that I will help again and again, meanwhile I will enjoy the memories of those little tadpoles meet on the road.
AMIGUETES / TADPOLES
Behind me, like one “Korean missile “comes my dear friend Salva´s the same ones that in 2.008 were in the same little village in Malawi and we couldn´t find each other, but this time we both are sure that we won´t miss this opportunity to hug each other and share this life that we both love so much.
I Will stay here some more days, matter of recovering a bit and keep feeling what´s inside my, and even if the journey It´s difficult and narrow I am sure that this is the way of the freedom.
I NEVER LIKED WHAT EVERY ONES CAN DO.
HEALTH AND GOOD JOURENY, NANDO.